At the begining of May 2009 I was 450lbs, 6'01" tall, 36 years old and rapidly on my way to an early grave. If not from being morbidly obese then my own hand. I was severly depressed. I couldn't walk from the house to the car without being out of breath even though I had quit a three pack a day cigarette habit. I couldn't stand for more than five minutes without experiencing sever lower back pain. The pain was so bad I would start sweating and couldn't think. I had sever sleep apnea. I had just buried my mother four months prior.

My work was really suffering, I couldn't do my job at all. I started getting into trouble for lack of performance. I am pretty sure that cost me a promotion that I wanted and could be good at. That caused me to get paranoid that people were out to get me and I burned some bridges I will more than likely never rebuild.

I had a son at the time that was three and I couldn't really play with him at all. I couldn't go to the movies with him because I couldn't fit in the seats. I couldn't take him to the zoo(his favorite place) because I couldn't walk.

My relationship with my wife of 12 years was suffering. I was never happy and she caught the brunt of it by no fault of her own. Not only could I not make love to her I was not able to be intimate with her emotionally. That really hurt, she is my best friend and I was losing her, or more accurately pushing her away.

I was seriously thinking of killing myself. A few things stopped me. I always thought people who did were selfish assholes(still do but I understand how a person can get to that point now). I had a wife who I dearly love(and who may have still loved me) and a son who loved and needed his dad. I am also more than a little stubborn so I sat down with my wife and layed it all out there. She never blinked just said "Lets fix it".

We went to a seminar for bariatric surgery at the end of my put on by Dr. Richardson of MyNewSelf, listened to what he had to say and filled out some paper work to see if my insurance would pay. It was a formality my mind was made up before I even heard the man speak.

A week or so later the Doctor's office called to advise me my insurance would not pay. So we looked into refinancing the house but we had just bought it four years earlier so between lack of equity and the housing market taking a dive that wouldn't cover the surgery. By this time we were into the third week in July 2009. We discussed it and decided to apply for financing through a company that worked with MyNewSelf.

I applied on July 23, 2009 and was approved within minutes(the largest impulse purchase I have ever made). My wife called MyNewSelf in Des Peres MO just to see how long it would take to get me in to start the process. It wasn't long. The 23rd was a thursday, she was told to have me start my pre-op liquid diet on monday the 27th and my surgery was set for August 10, 2009. I had to get my head shrunk, and all the rest of the pre-op screening done ASAP.

The next to weeks were a blur looking back, at the time I didn't think so I was starving on liquids. I just happened to have vacation already planned during those two weeks so that helped. I don't think I could have worked anyway, living on liquids you never know when "nature" will call. I also started walking during this time at the city park. I would walk from park bench to park bench around the walking path. They were approximately 50 yards apart. I would walk 1/3 of a mile and be wiped out.

Finally the big day arrived, August 10, 2009. Surgery went smoothly and I experienced some minor pain but I started walking a few hours afterwards and that helped.

I have lived a pretty normal life since. I have changed how I eat, its not a diet it a life style. I work out five days a week, nothing to painful just 30 min of cardio. I do sometimes eat bad stuff but it is small amounts and I control it not the other way around. I am still at odds with my nutritionist about Water intake. She wants me to drink three and a half liters a day and I am fine with that but she says it shouldn't be run through coffee grounds before I drink it. Hey I gotta have one vice.

So here we are a week away from my 37th birthday, I am down 118lbs from my heaviest. I have been to the zoo twice with my son since the weather has gotten nice. In February I took my wife on a honeymoon finally. We spent a week on the Yucatan peninsula in a five star resort. We healed alot of emotional wounds and, well it was a good week all around! I still have a long way to go but I have seen how good life can be and well, Life is good today......

I am so happy for you and your family! You are well on your way to being able to enjoy all the things you've missed out on. Isn't it sad what being obese can do to you - emotionally, psychologically, not to mention physically. If everyone had a taste of it for a year, there would be a more compassionate universe out there.

You seem to really have a great outlook on your life now. I wish you the very best in your journey and am so happy your life is much more positive. You made my day.

I just have 1 piece of advice for you. Print out what you wrote and give it to the doctor who did your surgery. It's the best way to let him know exactly how he has changed your life. You'll make his day too!

You just made my day =)

I also go to Des Perez but I am under Dr. Follwell. Richardson actually did a slight emergency unfill for me a few months ago (I couldn't even swollow my own spit =( I am glad to hear there are some local success story's on here...keep up the good work you deserve this life.

Thanks for sharing your amazing story! What a great motivating story!

Thanks guys. I had not really unloaded like that since the surgery. It felt good just to type it, thanks for "listening".

Jerry

Thanks for your story. It was truly uplifting in the otherwise stressful and overwhelming day I am having at work. I am sooo glad that I "stole" a moment to read it.

All the best to you!

You have a way of articulating that's very touching and moving. You brought tears to my eyes! Congratulations on reclaiming your life and giving your wife and son the most wonderful gift ever - you.

Amy

What an awesome story!!! We adopted our daughter at birth on Dec 21st. I had my surgery on Jan 13th. This is what I am looking forward to, walking through the zoo without back pain, and without thinking that I am gonna die LOL CANT WAIT!!!!

That is truely awesome! Congrats! You have done great!

You are a complete inspiration to us all!!! Congratulations on all you've accomplished thus far!

In reading your post I could see so much of myself in it, my top weight was 376 but I am only 5ft 8 in and I was having all the problems you were. I was banded on Jan 14th and have lost 53 lbs so far and it is just amazing to me that not only do you lose the weight but you lose so much of the other bad things that went along with the weight. I just wish I hadn't waited so many years before doing something about my weight lose but I can very truthfully say that the Lap Band surgery was well worth it, you really get to reclaim your life and all the beauty that goes along with it. God bless you for your post.

Jerry- you made me cry, too! What an inspirational story-- thank you for sharing it!