My weight had been getting more and more each yr, i have been disabled for 15 yrs. I turned 52 last Dec. last time i had my weight checked it was 488. I knew i would hit 500 soon. SO i new i had to do something.

I have lived in Asia for over 20 yrs and loved it, i would come back to work on a TV Show for 2 mos out of the month. I am a producer/director. I had a great life i had a 5 bedroom house , 2 maids, lots of friends and a wife and daughter. I did not want to live very much any more, i was ready to go i had had a good life, 2 things happened, i saw a friend that did not treat his diabetes and his feet were all gangrene, i had 2 toes turning blue. The 2nd i adopted a new born baby that had basically been thrown out in the street. I was just going to keep him for 1 mo till the orphanage would take him. But after a month we loved him as our own already so decided to keep him and adopt. He was so sweet and loving it was like a breath of fresh air had come into the house and i feel joy in my heart again. When he hugged my neck and said daddy i wanted to live again, not just for my self but for him and my daughter(14).

So i decided i would have surgery but it would be a long 3 yr process. I had to immigrate my wife a teacher to the USA this took 1 yr and a half. she came over with out me and our kids and got a job. Their were no teaching jobs so she took a job as a caregiver. A yr latter my daughter graduated elementary school and was now able to come with me.

I gave up my house of 18 yr's, all my things, my friends , family and she gave up all of her friends and classmates to move here. Unfortunetly we had to leave our son with his grandma until his paperwork is completed (2 yrs).

It was hard to adjust to living in an apt, but i knew i would need the exercise so i got one with a pool. As soon as i came i join the YMCA and went 2 -3 times a week. I applyed for and got insurance but had to wait 1 yr for surgery.

The time DRAGGEDDDD on so long waiting and waiting, but the time finally came and i went to a dr and decided against him as he wanted do surgery in a surgery center not a hospital (more money in his pocket, less safe for me) and then found Irvine Medical Center in Orange, Calif. Dr Nugyn

Our pool had opened up i was able to do 2 laps only the first day. Now i am doign 30-40 laps a day and can breath better and hold my breath underwater the whole length of the pool , only 1 asthma attack in a mo since i am swimming.

Had my first appointment i had lost weight i was 477 the Dr said i had to get to 450 before he would do the surgery. I went on a partial liquid diet and 1 1/2 subway sub a day total of 1200 cal . In 2 weeks i lost 11 lbs so only 16 more to go. I had my Upper GI and my Psch eval at IMC, great people and service. I was cleared today for surgery so have my 2nd appointment next week to do pre op stuff.

Its been easy and hard at the same time, it gets hard when the pains start in my stomach and at night not being able to eat before bed. I miss most the Pasta and Olive Garden every Sat. I have slipped a few times and 1 time went out for a steak dinner.

It's just one day at a time.

you have a quite the journey, but it sounds like you have an incredible family taking it with you. I wish you nothing but the best!!

Stay with it! Your wife and children deserve a healthy you! So proud of you already .

Wising you the very best!!!!

Wow, what a brave man you are! Makes my journey sound positively trivial, although I guess to each of us, our own battles are what's important.

You have invested so much in this already, and you obviously enjoy the support of a loving family. Best of luck to you.

Hang in there, Mark! I started at 477 in March. With diet and exercise (I love doing laps now, too), I was able to lose 100 lbs. even before surgery. I'm about 350-something now, and looking forward to the future. Keep at it, you've done great so far!

I have slipped a few times in the last 2 weeks, had a death in the family and i got depressed at night so i had some sweets. I guess you just have to accept it when you going through stressful situation. Then i have a visitor from overseas staying in my house so you have to take them out sightseeing and out to eat and cook for them. I slipped and went to Olive Garden but just had Soup and salad not Pasta. Unfortunately i took them to yogurt land at wife's request, first time i been there so i slipped again, my daughter said dad taste this red velvet cake batter yogurt, ow go it was so good i was seduced .

I try to explain to wife don't tempt me by going places like that and bring sweets home but shes like 100lbs so she does not understand she thinks its all in the mind. I go Dr Tuesday hopefully they will give me my surgery date. I am scarred for the weight check maybe i did not make my requirement of 450 to have surgery. We are having steak tonight so i only had a small salad all day so i can eat the steak.

next week i start the treadmill and other word out equipment in YMCA, i been going there for long time but never went to the 3rd floor look at the equipment.

Thanks for all the well wishes.

Been a bad 2 weeks, i did my follow up with the Dr to schedule my surgery and he looked at my upper GI and said i cant have lap band, i have a very big hole in my diaphragm (hiatle Hernia) and said part of my stomach is in my chest cavity so they cant do it as it could go out there and touch my heart, and it wont work. I am so bummed out. He said i should have Bypass or or the staples but Medicare does not pay for staples. I refuse to have bypass.

Been a bad 2 weeks, i did my follow up with the Dr to schedule my surgery and he looked at my upper GI and said i cant have lap band, i have a very big hole in my diaphragm (hiatle Hernia) and said part of my stomach is in my chest cavity so they cant do it as it could go out there and touch my heart, and it wont work. I am so bummed out. He said i should have Bypass or or the staples but Medicare does not pay for staples. I refuse to have bypass.

As an option bypass is getting better and better I have a few friends with bypass and they have done well. There are many more oprtions out there now for bypass patients re:Vitamins and acceptable nutrition. I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. Good Luck in your journey. I personally have the band.