Chaplain
2/20/06: I am a 55 year old Correctional Chaplain. After returning from my second tour in Vietnam my weight became an issue with the Army due to my flying helicopters. So I started on a journey of a weight loss program for the next 15 years. Even though I was not considered over weight by civilian standards the military kept insisting that I loose more weight. I have been on almost every diet you can think of to keep losing the weight. On my last tour overseas on a special assignment I hurt my back and could not exercise. My weight started to climb. When I finally retired in 1989 after twenty years my weight was passing beyond what it had ever been before.
After coming to Yuma, Arizona my doctor told me that I qualified for gastric bypass surgery. I thought and researched the subject for the next three years. I decided to keep on trying to loose weight by going on different diets, but nothing seemed to work. Then my brother died last year at the age of 56 and I was 54. Even though he would not admit it he was well over 400 pounds. My weight at that time was around 360 pounds. I then decided to look begin my weight loss journey. So here I am facing another major mile stone in my life by having gastric bypass surgery. I know this surgery is not the miracle, but only a tool in which to help me lose weight and keep it off if I do everything that is required of me.
3/10/06: On February 24, 2006 I had gastric bypass surgery. The surgery went well, but I got a case of pneumonia coming out of it. This caused me a little bit of a set back. I have not felt any ill effects from the surgery itself and am staying on track with the doctor's program. I feel it was the right decision for me to have this done and I have no regrets.
8/19/06: I am now six (6) months out and feel great! I am now down from a 48 size pants to a size 38 and from an 3X shirt to an XL. My weight is 240 pounds heading for 230 pounds. Loosing weight is getting more and more difficult, but I have come too far to quit or turn back now. I am bound and determined to reach my goal weight of 195 pounds.
11/22/06: Tomorrows Thanksgiving. This is my first holiday since my surgery. I am currently jumping between 220 and 215. This is the way my weight has been going. I get to a point and jump back and forth. I am not giving up I am so close to my weight goal. I am now wearing a size 36 pants, Large shirt (16-16 1/2). I went from a size 54 jacket to a size 46. I am feeling great! I have lost a total of 145 pounds!
12/1/06: Here it is December I am now down to 211 pounds. Hopefully, before my one year anniversary I will reach my weight goal of 195 pounds. The BMI states that my ideal body weight should be between 170 and 175 pounds. Once I reach my goal weight of 195 pounds I will look my weight again to see if I should continue to lose or just maintain.
2/24/07: Today is my one year anniversay! I weighed in at 204 pounds. My goal weight is 195 pounds. I am now in a size 34 pants and I feel great! The year has gone by so fast! However, the journey I am not is far from over as I firmly believe I will be on this journey for the rest of my life. Even though everyone around me is saying that's enough you look good I am not stopping, but I am continuing to move towards the goal I have set for myself.
