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Glimmer of Hope

So after finding out that my insurance will not cover the surgery and that disappointment I informed my family of what has transpired. Each one has come back to saying that maybe the family could all come together to help me get the surgery done after all. This really is different since I have never seen this kind of support from my family. I don't know that anything is really going to come out of this but it does bring a glimmer of hope to my life for this. I need to talk to each of them more about it but I really am curious as to what they all have to say. Of course as a result now the plan looks like I should really consider Mexico for the operation. Prices there compared to US surgeons are remarkably cheap. I have heard a lot of good things about the surgeons in Mexico too. So time will tell what happens from here.
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

6
 

Last thoughts before being banded.

When I was at Hospital Angeles in Tijuana I wrote a little blog on paper that morning that I wanted to share. My last thoughts before surgery.....   Dec. 5th, 2008 - 4 am   Just a few hours left before my surgery. I feel really good about it. The hospital is very clean. It reminds me a lot of Jupiter Medical Center back home. The staff have all been very nice and accommodating. Not very many of them speak English but there usually is someone around that does. I met with Dr. Peterson yesterday for my medical history and his exam. He was pleased with how small my live feels. First Goal Accomplished!!! So today is surgery. I am Dr. Kuri's first patient of the day. Then the three gals who came for surgery too. Everyone is just so nice. Saara and her friend Leisha are a lot of fun to be around and talk to. I met Saara on the forums. Judy, Saara, Leisha, and I all actually met at the airport and have shared this trip together. This should be exciting to see how things turn out in the long run. In the last few moments before surgery I have been thinking a lot about Karen and Nicholas. I love them both so much. I can't wait to get home to them so that I can really be the husband and the father that they deserve to have. They truly are the reason that I push forward with this and with this dedication. I know Karen worries that I will get thin and then no longer be attracted to her but that is just not so. She is my best friend. She is my lover. She is the best thing that God has given/put into my life in a long long time. She belongs in my life and deserves my love, dedication, devotion, and respect. I love you Karen with all my heart and sole. Today after my surgery they want us up and walking within 2 hours. I intend to do it too. I know that is one of the many keys to success for this. That specifically was why I started walking again just over a month ago. I really want to get to where I can go running again. I used to love running in the morning and hope to be there once again. Well my final weigh in yesterday morning was 442.2 lbs. Never again will I weigh this much. This I swear to you with my sole. BRING ON THE BAND!
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

3
 

Week 19 Post Op

Another week down and another pound lost. Not as much as I would have liked but still a pound is a pound. I have been struggling a little this week with eating. Not in the amount that I can eat but in what I can eat. I have had a few things come right back up after eating. I am not sure if it's been the food itself, maybe not chewing enough, taking to big of bites, or eating to fast. Probably some of all. LOL Still it's been taking getting some used to with the tightness of the band but I am getting there.   On another note my wife and I have gotten to the point with our walking that we both feel it's not a weight loss tool for us. We are still walking and will continue to walk largely because we really have grown to enjoy our evening walks as a family and it's a solid part of our daily routine. But now we both feel we have to add in additional exercise into our daily routine. What we're looking at now and trying is that right after our walk we put our son down for the night and then she heads over to the gym and I do my DVD workout. We are making sure to get all of our workout in before settling down for the night. Additionally I am thinking about trying to get up earlier in the morning to get another workout in. The hardest part right now is getting my bum out of bed early enough. So we will see.   So totals for the week are.... This week 1 pound lost Current Weight - 381 lbs Loss Since Surgery - 61 lbs (19 weeks) Total Weight Loss - 104 lbs
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

1
 

12 Weeks Post-Op

First of I lost another 3 lbs this week. I can hardly believe it's been 12 weeks now and I have lost 51 lbs since surgery. This weeks weigh in came in at 391 lbs. I am on my way down and love that. I have had some big stresses happen this week with cut backs at work and so I wasn't sure how I was going to do with my weight loss. I did cheat a little on my diet but very quickly got back on track. I had originally set a 15 lbs weight loss goal for February which I didn't beat but I did lose 11 lbs for this month so I am still very happy with my weight loss.   As far as my appetite goes I can tell I am just about ready for another fill. I have one scheduled for the beginning of April so I will have to stay strong until then. I can do it I know. Hard work and dedication is helping me a lot in this journey. Sometimes I think the band has been more of a moral support for me then it has been of a physical one. I know it has helped a lot in my appetite but not as much as people might think. Anyway I am grateful for getting the band and know it's been one of the best decisions I have made in my life.   A big NSV (Non-Scale Victory) for me this week is I can now wear my black jeans comfortably. They are a size 48 which is a size I haven't worn in several years. This weekend Karen and I plan to get out into our garage and find the rest of the small clothes that I have saved. It's amazing what I can and cannot wear now.   So what's the totals???   For the week - 3 lbs For the month - 11 lbs Since surgery - 51 lbs Since my highest weight - 94 lbs
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

1
 

Week 23 Post Op

It's been a good week. I stepped on the scale this morning and really could not remember what I weighed last week. So I got my weight and figured I would look at my blog to see how much I had lost in the last week. To my surprise I lost 4 pounds.   This last week I have been going for a power walk in the mornings. I also have been watching my food a little closer and not eating as much between meals. I know I am suppose to have 4 small meals a day but it's hard to make that work and so I think I was snacking more then actually planning the 4th meal out.   The power walks in the morning are so refreshing. They really help me wake up and get my day started. Unfortunately today I won't be doing my walk. I have been hit pretty hard with allergies or a cold and am staying home from work today too.   So I guess I should get to the totals This week 4 pound lost Current Weight - 372 lbs Loss Since Surgery - 70 lbs (23 weeks) Total Weight Loss - 113 lbs
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

2
 

One Month Later And Life Has Already Changed

Dec. 5th, 2008 was the day of my surgery. I knew at that time that things were changing for me and that I was going to live a healthier and happier life but even since then things have changed more then I had ever expect or thought would happen.   Of course the normal things have changed like my diet and exercise but I have already seen a major change in what I can physically do. Before it would wear me out to walk over to the mail box in our apartment complex and back but now I walk so much further and even for enjoyment. When I can I even get out and walk twice a day just to push myself that much further.   A huge change in my life that I did not expect this soon has been my blood pressure. I can hardly believe that it has dropped so much that I am no longer on any blood pressure medications when before I was taking two, Atenonol and Benicar. Now I feel better and really enjoy not having to pay for those perscriptions on a monthly basis and that I know I am living healthier then ever.   Of course clothes have already become loose and some even to large for me to wear anymore. Can you believe it! After 30 days I am already down a size or two in clothes and still losing the weight.   Another big change came as a surprise to me is my wife told me that with the way we are working to live a healthier life and that we are both losing weight she wants to try for another child this fall. This is very exciting to me. I've made no bones about it to her that I would like two children so that our 15 month old son doesn't grow up as an only child. Nothing wrong with having an only child but I still would like to have a brother or sister for him to grow up with.   I just am amazed at how much better I feel both physically, mentally, and emotionally. Life seems so much brighter now and the future does look bright. I am very thankful for the Lap-Band and to everyone here who has been apart of my support in taking steps forward for a better life.
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

7
 

Defeated

Well it came out today. My insurance company will not pay for the surgery. It is an exclusion in my insurance no matter what.   I cannot afford to be self paid as my credit is horrible due to a divorce a couple of years ago and quit simply I cannot pay out on it at this time. So chaulk me up to the numerous others out there that would do it in a heartbeat to live a better life but that it is not an option. Back to trying to lose weight the old fashioned way.:party:
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

5
 

Two Steps forward One Step Back

First off I gained 5 lbs this week. Not lost. Gained. :thumbdown:   Medications - Up until last Saturday I had been talking the following medications.   Benicar - Blood pressure medication Antenolol - Blood pressure medication Furosemide - Heavy diuretic (water pill) Klor-con - Potassium pill (counter balance to the furosemide)   It's great that I am able to go off these medications now and that my blood pressure is doing so well. My blood pressure reads on a continual basis to be in the middle of the normal blood pressure range. With my legs over the last week I have had a minuet amount of swelling not the measurable amount that I had in the past. I also have not worn the compression socks that I have so I will wear those over the next week and see if that makes a measurable difference.   What I am not sure about is going off the Furosemide. I know that some of the weight I gained this week is water weight but I just don't know how much of that is. It's something I have to work through.   Exercise - I have to say this has been a decent week for exercise. Of course walking every evening after work but also I have been good also in getting out at lunch time to walk. It feels great to know that I am pushing myself harder with this but I can tell that I still need more. I am going to have to add some additional exercises to my daily program to continue my weight loss.   Food - I have made some bad food choices this week. There has been a couple of times that I snacked on stuff I shouldn't have and I know that I am eating more then I should. This has to change and is changing starting today. I can tell that I need a fill and I do have a scheduled fill on the 26th. I just wish it was sooner to help me with this hunger that I have been getting. I have to be strong once again and have the will to keep working at the weight loss. I am so close to breaking that 400 lbs mark and continue on down.   Overall - Overall this week is a wash to me. Off medications and doing good with walking but bad food choices resulting in a weight gain. I have to really step it up more this next week. I have had a steady weight loss since the middle of October. In the middle of October I weighed 465 lbs and today I weigh 415 lbs. So yes that is a total of 50 lbs since then and since my highest weight in January of 2008 I have lost a total of 70 lbs but I have a lot more to go and need to keep focus on what it is I am doing.   I guess this is my two steps forward and one step back week. Now get moving forward and don't let this discourage me is what I have to do now.
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

3
 

Week 21 Post Op

Finally! After the last month floating right at 380 I have broke it! Today's weigh in was 378!!! It feels great to finally break into the 370's and continue working my way down that ladder.   Another week of continuous walks at night and some additional exercise. One thing I have started new this week is getting up at 5am and heading out for a power walk. I am doing the same walk we normally do but by myself I am able to power walk it and it feels great too! It's a great way to start my day actually.   I can still feel a decent amount of restriction. I eat less then what I used too. Breakfast is still the toughest to get down but I do make sure to have a high protein breakfast as directed by my doctor. Pretty much every day I make breakfast for Karen and I and I think it's really helped us both think more about our eating and making better food choices. Still a lot more work but we're getting there.   A big NSV I have experienced this last week has been fitting into some old size 50 jeans that I had. I honestly can't remember when I bought them. They have got to be at least 6 years old. It's amazing to think it's been 6 years since I was this size. I am still very large and a big guy and that's what amazes me is that I am this size after loosing over a 100 pounds! Well I am working to get the next 100 off now!   Ok so the totals for this week.... This week 2 pound lost Current Weight - 378 lbs Loss Since Surgery - 64 lbs (21 weeks) Total Weight Loss - 107 lbs
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

1
 

Struggling

I've made the decision to move forward with bariatric surgery. Of course I am in the long haul to get the insurance company to approve it but I still want to work on preparing myself for it. So I am trying to watch what I eat and trying to get myself to exercise. What I really am struggling with is portion control. Like last night I had two cheese burgers instead of just one. At breakfast this morning it was two big breakfast sammis instead of one. At lunch it was the chinese buffet and I had 2 large plates of food and 2 large cups of soup. I tell myself I need to do better but then I don't. This is so frustrating.
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

5
 

Setting Goals

Everyone talks about setting goals for yourself and this has been on my mind a lot. What goals was I going to set for myself. Of course I am like well I want to be thin and I want to weigh about 200 lbs. Ok yeah that's like the ultimate goal but really that's down the road. What goals do I set as my milestones?   So I started thinking about it. As of today (11/14/08) I weigh 452 lbs. So my first goal is to reach that 400 lbs mark. I am currently 3 weeks away from my surgery date. I am in full swing of my pre-op diet and have begun an exercise routine daily. Right now it is simply getting out and going for a walk daily but I have to admit that is more then what I have done for a long long long time.   The only other goal I really have set is that I want to get to the point that I can once again running in for exercise. I used to run about 7 miles a day. I really enjoyed it. I pretty much have always been a morning person so years ago I used to get up early right before sunrise and go out for my run. I would get to see the sun come up and really just enjoyed that time to myself. So I hope one day to get back to that.   The only other goal other then my final goal is getting down to a mens size 42. Right now I wear a mens 56 and on the higher side of 5X for my shirts. So why is the 42 my magical number? It's as simple as this. The by in large is the largest size in the department stores that most of them carry for men. I can remember when I started wearing the 42's I could still get my jeans at Walmart, Target, and regular department stores but then the 44's and 46's on up I had to start looking at places like Casual Male Big & Tall store. As I got larger this became an exclusive for me. That and the J.C.Penny's Big & Tall catelog. So yes the 42 pant size is a big milestone to me.   So for now it's getting down to 400lbs. After that I think it's getting down to a mens size 42. Beyond that is to far right now that I just am not ready to set those goals. Oh and my running is a goal but that is a long term goal to me unlike the 400lbs is my immediate shorter term goal.
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

5
 

Optimism is High

Well about a month ago I started slowly changing my diet to get into my pre-op diet. My pre-op diet is basically like most others. A shake at breakfast, mid morning snack, a shake at lunch, mid afternoon snack, and then a sensible dinner. I am restricted to 30 carbs a day and 1200 calories a day.   So first I started one shake in the morning. Then I went to morning and lunch with the snacks between meals. I still was eating whatever I wanted at dinner and for the most part however much I wanted.   Ok so the shakes in the morning lasted 2 weeks and then a week into the two shakes a day I decided to weigh myself. Prior to the shakes I weighed myself and I was at 462 lbs. Ok so as I was saying 3 weeks into my new diet routine I weighed myself and I gained. I was 464 lbs!   I felt defeated and frustrated. I started to question if this whole thing was going to work. I had already cut down the amount of food I was eating every, of course not as drastic as it will be once I am banded but still I should have been losing or atleast that's what I thought.   Well ok so I didn't give up and the next week I continued the 2 shakes a day with the snacks between the meals followed up with my dinner. I started to watch the dinner a little closer and then added one more big step. I started walking for 15 to 20 minutes a day. I have always known that I would need to start exercising to really help myself through this process so I might as well start now was my thought process.   Well that has proven to be one of the best steps. So here I am today officially on the first day of my pre-op diet and I decided to weigh myself. 452 lbs!!! Since I started watching my dinner closer and started the walking I had lost 14 lbs!!!   Now I feel great about what I am doing and know that I am moving in the right direction with all this. I feel confident that the LapBand will most definately be the right tool to help me become the man I was once years ago.
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

2
 

Making the decision

Today I filled out the first initial paperwork that the surgeon needs. Took me a little while to fill everything out as accurately as I could.   You know my family has talked to me off and on for a few years now about getting the surgery and I had been of the opinion well I can do it on my own if I just put my mind to it. Ha! We all know how that really works.   A little over a year ago was the first time that I had a doctor actually suggest bariatric surgery to me. At that time I wasn't ready to admit it. Then about a month ago now I started with a new doctor and one of the first things she talked to me about was my weight and the surgery.   I guess it's just been coming to terms with myself in accepting that I have not been able to do what I thought I could and that I need to be real about it. I have a 10 month old baby boy that I want to be around for years. I want to see him grow up and want to be there when he is older. On top of that of course goes more to knowing myself and knowing that I don't feel like a normal person.   For years now I have not been able to do the things I really enjoy doing. In my late teens and early twenties I was actually a pretty active person. I would go out camping where I actually would hike into a lake a good 8 to 15 miles from any civilization. I used to love to get up early in the morning and go for a good run. It was great getting out in the early morning air when the sun is coming up and just run. It was also great being able to go to any store and look at clothes. Anything from Wal-Mart to Nordstrom's. Ha! Best I can do now days is Casual Male or the JC Penny Big & Tall catalog.   What does this all really tell me? That I am not happy with the way I am and I need to change it. I also have had to admit to myself that I am not healthy with all this weight on me. I do have leaky heart valves, high blood pressure, varicose/venous stasis, high triglyceride, as well as the other typical things like achy joints, chronic fatigue, lower back pain, etc etc.   So in finally coming to realize that I need to change everything I realize that I cannot do it completely on my own. So now with the doctors referral to talk a surgeon about bariatric surgery I am looking into the next steps.   Here I start looking at the different surgery's and figure out which is really best for me. LapBand or Gastric By-Pass....That is the question. That is the decision to make; Not weather I need bariatric surgery or not.
Florida Pete

Florida Pete

1
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