Paul11011

Holy crap! I did not get any notifications of these posts. Sorry folks, I wasn't ignoring you. Thank you for your comments. My date of surgery weight 456 to one year post op 200 was only a 256 lbloss. Only .

Congratulations Holly! Here's to continued success on your journey.

Wow, it's been a long time since I have been here. Post sleeve life has been good. Ups and downs and unforeseen events but the majority of it I would not trade if I could. Weight is still an important part of my life but it does not hold the control over me that it did while I was obese or even that it did for the first 18 months post op. I was fanatical about doing everything right in order to shed the weight as quickly as I could. It worked by following the recommendations of my surgical center professionals. I have since realized I can not live the rest of my life so regimented and constrained. That does not however mean that those things that were recommended and I proved worked will be abandoned. It is really about using those tools I learned, in addition to my surgical tool, to manage my weight for the rest of my life. My weight is under my control I am not under it's control. I started my journey on Nov 23, 2010 at 492lbs. One year post op (Jan. 10, 2012) I was 200. Today nearly 2 years post op. (Jan 7, 2013) I set here at 196. This is about 6 lbs heavier than I want to be. I had gotten to a low weight of 177 around September 2012. I was still 4lbs away from "ïdeal" weight but my body fat was under 9% and I felt like crap. For once in my life I made a conscientious decision to be heavier. That concept is still surreal to me even as I type this. I found that I felt the best and looked the best in a range between 185 and 195. I am using a target of 190 as my new life goal. Now is where I get to make myself feel better and preface that this is all weight before any removal of loose skin so in all reality my "real" body does weight less. My best guess based on others I have seen that have had removal is that I have at least 25lbs of skin that could go. Will I ever be able to get the skin removed so that I can actually see what my "real"body looks like? Who knows, I doubt it. And yes there is a bunch of extra skin. I like to make jokes about it, after-all who doesn't want a butt that looks like a Shar-Pei? The reality though is that it sucks. I have bags and folds that are a constant reminder of the size this container used to be. I can dress it well but in my birthday suit it is not a pleasant sight. Uhhhhggggg! Is the extra skin burdensome enough to regret the decision to have surgery, nope, never. The surgery is still the best decision I have ever made. One statement of advice to those looking to go through this that have significant others (in the pre-politically correct days I would have said spouses). Be very aware of what THEY are going through as you are on your journey. This affects them too and often in a blindsiding way. Even the most supportive and enthusiastic partner can get lost in the waves of attention that a successful WLS patient will be seeing. And trust me, when they get swept under and begin to feel like WLS has unexpectedly become their whole life too.....the results are not good. I hope you all are doing well and I will be back more often. I had forgotten how good it feels to simply put into text what is swimming around in my mind. Take care Ya'll!

On Wednesday I had my 1 year post op visit with the PA (Todd), Dietician (Kristen) and Behaviorist (Scott). I am still sitting here in shock that it has been a year already. I find myself lost in what I can only describe as a surreal state. My physical life is so different today than it was a year ago. I feel better in ways that I never could have imagined. I had a conversation with Todd today about needing to be aware of getting ill (extended flu as an example) because at my current body fat %, I could run a real risk, with such an extended illness, of my body fat get too LOW….TOO LOW….are you kidding me? Does Todd not realize he’s talking to a lifelong super morbidly obese person? How can I even conceive of my body fat getting too low? Surely he is talking about someone else; he cannot be talking about ME. Wow! I guess my life has changed. The meetings with both Scott and Kristen were nice reminders of what I need to focus on and continue to focus on as this journey continues. The first reality is that it will be continuing. I may be at a much lower weight than I was at the beginning, but this is nowhere near the end of the process. I will need to continue to be deliberate and diligent in order to be successful long term. This is a life journey and I can only strive more towards conquering those demons that are still there and need to be actively battled. Complacency and disregard for what I have been taught will only allow those demons to reappear. I feel so fortunate for the things I have learned and the people I have gotten to know over this year. Jan. 10, 2011 (Surgery Day) / Jan. 4, 2012 (1 Year post op checkup) Weight: 456 / 200 BMI: 65.4 / 28.7 Body Fat %: Approx. 44 / 12.9 Health Required Meds: 3 / 0 Neck Measurement: 24” / 15 ½” Chest Measurement: 70” / 44” Waist Measurement: 72” / 40” Hip Measurement: 51” / 40”

I can not believe it has been 9 months already. I am still incredibly thankful for the progressive I've seen. I can only equate my nine months with the much more famous 9 month period we all know, the progress towards birth. I feel that my journey has very much been a rebirth. I am no longer the person I used to be. Not only am I physically smaller, so many other things are different about me. I have a better attitude about life, feel more confident and resolute in who I am and what my capabilities are. I no longer look first for reasons I can't do something, rather now I'm wondering what can I do. My loss of the emotional crutch I had in food has caused me to be more emotional and deal with those emotions. It has been a wonderful and eventful journey. Here's a wrap up of where I am today: Total weight lost since initial consultation (Nov 23, 2010) -256lbs Weight loss since surgery (Jan 10, 2011) -220lbs Current weight, lowest since 6th grade 236lbs Current weight as a percentage of my beginning weight 48% No longer taking blood pressure meds, cholesterol meds and no longer wear a CPAP. I have shed all the co-mobilities I had at the beginning of this journey. Thank you all for reading and for providing me a very valuable outlet and support on my journey.

On Nov 23, 2010 I met with my surgeon for my initial consultation, on that date I weighted in at 492lbs. On the date of my VSG, Jan 10, 2011, I weighted 456lbs. Today I weigh 245lbs. That brings my total lost to 247lbs and my post op total to 211lbs. Here's why today is a milestone for me: today I weigh 49.8% of what I did back on Nov 23, 2010. I am officially less than half the man I was! I know this journey is not about the numbers on the scale rather it's having the opportunity to live a fuller more healthy life, but man I gotta admit, this one feels pretty good. Thanks for reading Y'all.

So this last Saturday (Sept 10) marked the 8 months post op point for me on this journey. I am still amazed at what a process it's been. I have had success well beyond my wildest dreams. As is often the case nothing is ever completely positive. There have been some bumps to work through that I never would have predicted before surgery. Primarily dealing with relationships. Relationships with both people and my relationship with food. It has been a learning experience in so many ways. In snapshot form: I've lost 242lbs since my first consultation on Nov 23, 2010. I've lost 206lbs since my surgery on Jan 10, 2011 I'm now smaller than I have been since the 6th grade. I have never been this size as an adult. I am in the smallest pants and shirts I have worn since who knows when. I have cleaned out my closet of the old clothes and this time instead of storing them in the basement to use when the weight returns, I am getting rid of them. I'm beginning to feel on the outside like the person I have always believed I was on the inside. I am so fortunate that I'm still seeing benefits and confirmation, almost daily, of my choice to have the sleeve . Thanks for reading. Take care y'all.

With my latest weigh-in on Monday I have now dipped under 40 on the BMI scale. So now after being Super Obese and Extremely Obese...I am now just plain ole Obese. What a silly label to be happy about huh? The other realization that I have come to and still trying to come to grips with is that this very likely will be the label I stay at. When I get to my goal weight, I will still have a BMI north of 30, so my prospects of getting to Overweight are pretty slim....man I hate puns.

7 months ago today was my surgery day. I can not believe, nor would I believed had you told me then, what a different life I have now. On the morning of surgery I weighted in at 456lbs. Today as I type this I weight 280lbs. I have lost 176lbs post op. From my initial consultation to my surgery I had lost 36lbs for a total now of 212lbs lost. It is so much more than just the decreased numbers on the scale that have changed my life. Obviously it all goes back to the diminished mass I now carry but every aspect of my personal life is better. I'm happier, more optimistic, more outgoing and confident. I have returned to college, completed two courses over the spring and summer, both A's thank you very much, and will be going full time this fall and winter. I never would have put myself in the position to have to squeeze into desks or lecture chairs at nearly 500 lbs. Additionally this WL journey has helped me to focus on what I want to do "When I grow up". I'll be completing my BS in Health Sciences at the end of April 2012. From there I'm investigating options, I would love to be involved with a bariatric surgery center to help patients on their journey. My health, the real reason for doing this, is dramatically improved. I no longer take blood pressure medication or cholesterol medications, my blood sugars are well down in the normal range instead of high-normal and with a final test next week to confirm, I'll likely be officially off from my cpap (haven't used it for a month and feel great). I am more active, willing to try new things and excited about physical challenges. My golf game is much improved. I've, in the past 3 weeks, canoed and kayaked for the first time in my life. My wife and I have bought bicycles and we've went on rides of 12 and 14 miles thus far. We're finding a whole new relationship doing things other than setting on the couch. I've found what a great help it is to be involved in a strong, reliable support network. I have made some great new friends and learned the value of listening to those who have went before me and the satisfaction of helping those coming behind me. I would have never considered myself a support group type of guy, but I view it as one of the most important pieces which will lead to the successful completion of this journey. As great as this 7 months has been it is not without some surprises and challenges. My hair is starting to thin a bit. I have developed gall stones which will be taken care of with my gall bladder being removed on August 17th. I have loose skin in places I never would have imagined. Perhaps the strangest bi product and the one my wife takes the most joy in pointing out, my ears now seem bigger. I have been very fortunate and really have no issues for which to complain. I would do this again in a minute. Thanks for reading and taking the time to let me share my journey with you. Take care.

Outstanding post! Thanks for sharing your story. You have made such a great decision for your health and life. Please continue to share your experiences. Take care.

I am proud and excited to say that as July 18th I have officially joined the 2 century club! I am now down 204lbs since the start of this journey. I still can not believe it's gone as well as it has. I thank God for the success he has allowed me to see with this process. For the first time in at least 23 years I am under 300lbs. This takes me back to my early days in high school. I have never been at my current weight as an adult. I still keep expecting to wake up from this dream and find myself still carrying around nearly 500lbs of mass. This week has been full of NSV as well. My family and I went camping this weekend. One of the first things that hit me as I was setting up the camper was how much easier it was to do. No more struggling over the little things that most people do without even thinking about. For the first time in such a long time I was one of those people that was just doing things and not feeling physically exhausted or prohibited while doing them. I went canoeing! Yep, my wife, our daughter and I took out a canoe for a 3 hour trip down a local river. It was so much fun and an activity that I would have never attempted while carrying around my previous weight. I am finding myself being interested in sports and activities I previously would have never considered, biking, kayaking and scuba diving are now all on my want to do list. Thank you for reading and for the support and encouragement along the way.

Last night I was feeling irrationally down because I had a goal in mind to be at by 6 months out and I did not quite get there. I say irrational because had anyone told me on the day of surgery where I would actually be at 6 months, I would have bet the farm against it. So as a way to get over myself I looked back in my weigh-in log book ( I weigh once a week and record it). It was looking back at the hard numbers that made me snap back to reality. Other "tools" I've used to get over such pity parties are periodically taken pictures, measurement logs and my "progress shirt" experiment. Good lord this is becoming a long post. So my request of y'all is: what things you've done to establish reference points along your journey? I strongly encourage all "newbies" to take a few of the suggestions that will be given and make them your own. The primary reason for this is that we will all reach points where it will be helpful to look back and realize just how far we've came.

Wow, it's been forever since I wrote a blog on here. About time to catch up. Here's the random stuff happening in no particular order. I am now at a weight less than I've been in approximately 12 years. As of Monday June 20, I was at 312lbs. 180lbs less than I was on Nov 23, 2010. 144lbs less than I was on the day of my surgery, Jan 10, 2011. When eating at a resturant I no longer have a fear of being placed in a booth. I am now "light" enough to use the Wii Fit balance board. I have just completed my first college class since 1994. What a difference it makes wanting to be there and knowing I'm paying for the education. At the end of June I will be unemployed for the second time in 15 months and for only the 2nd time in my life. Believe it or not I have mixed emotions about this. The industry which has provided a life for my family and I for nearly 20 years is frankly in the crapper, new construction related building materials. I'm looking at this as an opportunity to reinvent myself and perhaps find my true calling. This should allow me to return to college full time and finish my bachelors degree by next April. My son just turned 18 and graduated from high school. He's now working at KFC and hates it. I am loving it. No better way to learn the value of a good education that having to do shitty manual labor. He can't wait to start college in the fall. I think that's the story in a nut shell. Take care and thanks for reading.

My wife and I decided to take advantage of a child-free weekend and go see the Hangover 2 at our local movie theater. I bought our tickets and we made our way into the theater. We selected our seats, right near the top as close to the center as we could and we sat down. It was then that I noticed something unusual. Something did not quite feel normal. Oh I know what it is, we did not have our hands full of snacks, popcorn, candy, pretzels, and soda. Hmmm, while that was true it was not the certain feeling I was trying to place my finger on. Then it hit me. I was sitting in the seat with the center arm rest down and my arms actually on the rest! What a different feel from the rolls of my belly being pressed against and flowing over top of the arm rests. That was worth the price of admission. Now as for the movie, if you've seen the first one, don't bother. It's the exact same movie.

This has been a great week. Monday I did my weekly weight in and discovered I'd lost another 6lbs which put me at 150 lbs lost! I'm not sure why 150 was so much more rewarding than 144, but t sure felt great. I'm now 55% of the way to my goal. Also on Monday I put on a new pair of dress pants, black ones. Well when I went to my closet to get a black belt it occured to me that the only black belt I had was from "before". Not having much of a choice I punched a new hole in the belt, about 6 inches down from the last available hole and put it on. I can only assume the extra did not look too bad wrapped half way around my left side.