Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 (Weight 207 lbs)

It's been 7 months and 21 days since my Gastric Bypass. A few of the benefits are: I no longer take blood pressure medication. I no longer use my c-pap machine to sleep at night. and I no longer weigh 321 pounds. Today I weigh 207 pounds, a loss of 114 pounds. Some of the problems are: Anyone who hasn't seen me in a while doesn't recognize me. (That's OK, sometimes I'll look in a mirror quickly and not recognize myself.) People constantly tell me that I've lost enough weight. Depending on my mood I'll explain my plan to them, or not. My plan is to reach 185 pounds and see how I feel. Since my last post a lot has changed with my body. I see bones, veins, and mussels that I've never seen before. I also see lots of loose skin. I believe I once bragged that I would be the only person in the history of Gastric Bypass that wouldn't have loose skin. Since starting w/ my trainer John McPherson I have improved many parts of my body that were sagging, and needed tightening. I now realize that there is some loose skin that is not going to magically turn into muscle. Sorry for T.M.I. but it's like I'm wearing a vest of loose skin. I am hopeful that the more I work out, the more my muscle will support my loose skin. It's working so far with my "man boobs". A lot of people ask me questions like "How am I dealing with not eating as much as I want anymore."" My diet and my stomach handle that. I am eating a diet low in fat and carbs, and high in protein. When my new smaller stomach gets full, it's full, and it let's you know that you've eaten enough. It also let's you know that if you eat too much your going to feel like there's a watermelon in your plum sized stomach for about 2.5 hours. (I try and avoid that.)

So, basically I feel good. I'm trying to catch the exercise addiction but haven't yet. I do exercise regularly, but not as much as I should, and I tend to eat a lot of the same foods. I have my 6 month check-up on October 1st. (So it's a little late.) I'll have my blood work done, my incisions checked, and my but kicked by my nutritionists but other than that. I really do love my life after Gastric Bypass. If you know someone who is battling obesity please do not hesitate to pass my blog onto them. My name is Gary, I'm a food addict, but today is a good day. Thank you God.

65 lb up-date

(April 24th, 2009 - Weight today: 244 lbs) Just a few stats and thoughts....I haven't been 244 lbs since 1984. I was 27 years old. I traded in another tuxedo yesterday for a smaller size. I've gone from a size 58 tux jacket to a size 50, and from a size 48 waist to a size 40. That will fit me for my next two weddings, then I'll trade down again. (Thanks Kevin). I'm on stage five of my food plan. I basically eat 6 times a day. I aim for high protein and low fat foods. It's a modified "South Beach Diet" w/ smaller portions. Yesterday morning I had 1/2 of a whole wheat English muffin w/ imitation butter spray. Morning snack was a Dannon Light & Fit yogurt. Lunch was a Morning Star Veggie Burger on an Arnold whole wheat pouch. (Took me 40 minutes to eat). Afternoon snack was sugar free Jello pudding, and dinner was 1/4 of a Black Angus Burger without the bun at Casey O'Connors in Mansfield. (Great Burger Rob). For desert I had one Michelob Ultra at Big D's. (OK, that's not on the stage five food plan, so sue me).

Mentally and Physically I'm doing OK. There are a few adjustments that I need to make, and a few things I need to remember every time I eat. I'll sum it up in two words "Slow Down". I keep forgetting that my stomach is the size of a hard boiled egg and it takes two normal persons bites to fill it up. Smaller bites and longer meals are key. I have been losing about one in eight to ten meals. (if you are having GB or are thinking about it, send me a note, I'll explain). It does bum me out when I lose a meal that I was really looking forward to. Ho hum. The meals that give me the hardest time are solid foods like chicken, scallops, steak, etc. I need to remember to enjoy them slowly, and make sure I use fat-free sauce or gravy to make them moist. That way they digest better.

Exercise is still a chore, but as the weather gets warmer I'm enjoying getting out there for my three mile walk around town. At the gym (Canton Club) I'm doing a combination walk/jog. Yesterday I walked a half mile, jogged a mile, and then did a mile on the elliptical. I burnt 400 calories total. Not bad considering I ate 700 calories all day.

I plan on keeping this blog till I reach my goal of 185 lbs. The reason I do it is to be able to look back and see where I've been if I'm ever struggling w/ my weight again. (Yes, even w/ a smaller stomach you can gain weight if you eat to much of the wrong food and stop exercising). I also hope that it may help someone who is overwhelmed by their weight and eating habits. If that's you, please read this from the beginning. I started this journey at 321 lbs. I wish you luck with your journey. GT

1 month after surgery

(Weight 262 lbs) It's been one month since my gastric bypass surgery and I'm feeling very good. I've lost 48 lbs since my first meeting at Tufts on Christmas Eve. I've gone from a 46 inch waistline to a loose 42. The hardest part is to just slow down. I eat my mini meals to fast, and have probably lifted to much weight at my job to fast. When I eat to fast my new stomach lets me know about it. I don't vomit, but feel like I have to. I get the cold sweats, my face gets flushed, and my wife gets nervous. After a little while it passes. Can you imagine taking 30 to 45 minutes to eat 1 cup of food, or 30 minutes to drink a slim fast. That's what I have to do, and I don't mind. I'd much rather be doing this and losing weight instead not having the surgery, loading up on junk food and gaining more weight. I've been walking 2 - 3 miles at a time at the gym or outside or I use the elliptical for 30 minutes at a time. A lot of people ask if I have any regrets. The short answer is no. I studied this procedure enough to know what I was in for, and I'm happy I did it. The long answer is yes. I'm sorry I couldn't keep my food addictions under control and let myself balloon up to 310 lbs again. But, that's all behind me now. The picture above was taken 4 days before my surgery. I can't wait to post a new one, but I'll wait for the 100 lb mark.

Please do not hesitate to ask any questions, and definitely don't hesitate to pass this blog on to anyone who may find comfort in knowing that there is hope. GT

My new menu

(275 lbs) Before my Gastric Bypass I normally ate 2000 to 3500 calories a day, probably more at times. Here is the diet that I have been on for the past week.

Stage 3 Meal plan

Meal Time Food

Fluids 7:00-7:30 8 oz water

Meal # 1 8:00-9:00 EAS Shake

Fluids 9:30-11:30 12 oz crystal light

Meal #2 12:00-1:00 1/2 cup cottage 8 oz Light Yogurt

Fluids 1:30-3:00 12 oz water

Meal #3 3:30-4:00 Sugar Free Jello

Fluids 4:3o-6:oo 20 oz Fruit20

Meal #4 6:30-7:3o Greek Yogurt 8 oz

Meal #5 9:00- 9:30 8 oz skim milk

Total: Calories: 470
Protein: 64 g
Fluids: 6o oz

Could you do it? I've done OK with it. I found on my first night home that I am very aware that my compulsive thinking / eating habits are still very much alive. I am so happy to be working hard on "Mindful Eating". I was so used to "Mindless Eating" like walking upstairs to the fridge anytime I wanted to. Can't do that anymore. My stomach is the size of a baby's. It takes me about 30 minutes to drink a slim-fast. Small sips, no gulps, I actually don't mind. I go for my first check-up tomorrow. My wounds are healing well. I will be going to Stage 4 food tomorrow. Soft and moist ground/pureed foods. All pureed in a blender. Got a bib? I also start taking chewable multivitamin and mineral supplements.

So would I suggest this to anyone? Not unless it was absolutely necessary to maintain your health. If you've been reading my prior posts you can probably tell that I had absolutely no will power, and found it impossible to get up off my butt and get to the gym. This is not the quick fix I thought it would be. My life as I know it is completely changed. I absolutely have to plan my menu for the day, and make time for exercise and "mindful eating" every day. So on we go. One day at a time! Good luck in your journey, I wish you well. I'll write again soon.

Wednesday, February 18th, 2009 (295 lbs.) We got to the Tufts Medical Center surgery center at just about 6:00 AM. I was about 15th in line to check in. I got my stylish hospital gown and then waited for them to call me for my surgery time of 7:30 AM. It was like clockwork. At exactly 7:30 they called my name and walked Sarah and I towards the O.R.. Sarah could only go half way and she was told to wait in waiting room #6 where Dr. Kim would visit her after my procedure. They rolled me into the prep area where they get you IV'd up, sedated, and the anesthesiologist speaks to you. All of the other patients there were non-elective, whereas my surgery was elective. The non-elective candidates all went before me, and then there was an emergency surgery that held my team up for just a little while. The finally rolled me into the O.R., and I guess I had myself extremely relaxed because as I was looking around at all of the hi-tech equipment and Laparoscopic instruments I was given a face mask and then I was out like a lite. I don't even remember being asked to count backwards from one hundred. (WARNING: GRAPHIC DETAILS) If you look at the diagram above, the picture on the left shows my stomach before Gastric Bypass. Everything comes into your normal stomach, goes out through your large intestine, then your small intestine, through your bowels, and then off to the potty. The diagram on the right shows that Dr. Kim made a small 2 oz. pouch, attached my small intestine to it bypassing my large intestine, and taking a shortcut to the end of the digestive track. Simple wasn't it? I guess that part is for those of you who are considering GB. If you are just reading this just because you know me, sorry.

The next thing I remember was Sarah telling me it was time to wake up. (Apparently the nurses couldn't wake me up). I remember looking up and seeing her, but most of all I remember feeling OK. I was aware of the mild pain in my stomach, but that was being taken care of by that wonderful drip coming from the I.V. bottle. I was so happy to see Sarah, and although she wasn't able to stay for long we both knew the surgery was over, and I was on the road to recovery and a new life. Next: My New Menu.

The day before surgery

(299 lbs.) It's 2:38 AM and I'm in my home office trying to tie up some loose ends before my surgery tomorrow. I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't a little anxious. Even though I've done all the prep work and read all of the material, my mind is still racing with questions. I had my pre-surgical appointments last Friday morning. I am totally impressed with Tufts NMC. I met with the surgeons assistant, had some blood work done, got an EKG, a chest x-ray, and met with the anesthesiologist. They answered all my questions and told me what to expect when i go in tomorrow morning at 6:00 AM. Wow, I can't believe it's almost here. I had a geat lunch meeting w/ my DJ friends today at TGI Friday's. I've been calling it my "Full Portion Farewell Tour". I had a steak w/ mash potatoes. I did my Monday night "It's Trivia Time" show earlier tonight at The Piccadilly Pub in Foxboro. My mom, sister Wendy, Sarah and the kids came. It was a lot of fun. I've put together three weeks worth of trivia material for my replacements. I hope to be back on the job doing "lite duty" by March 2nd. Sarah will be coming with me to a few jobs till I can start lifting again. I've been telling everyone about my Gastric Bypass procedure. Everyone has been very supportive. I've always been very open about my weight loss and weight gain. The way I explain it now is "I'm just shrinking my gas tank". Later today I'm getting a haircut, putting my overnight bag together, taking a few "before pictures", and eating very lite. God I hope I sleep Tuesday night.

I've got a date with a surgeon

(14 days and counting) Life has been on hold for the last few months. Since fall of 2008 I have been planning everything around a date for my Gastric Bypass Surgery. I had three available holes in my DJ schedule that would give me enough time to recuperate and be ready for my next gig. The first available hole Jan 1 - Jan 31st passed. I had just begun the process with Tufts NE Medical Center. I had explained my availability to them and they were very accommodating, but I still had to finish the required process which I have explained in an earlier blog. My next hole was Feb 16 - Mar 6th, followed by Apr 6th - Apr 25th. As it got closer to my second hole I started to get frustrated. It had been more than a month since I met w/ my Surgeon and was approved for surgery and I was just waiting for the phone to ring w/ a date. I was on a mission this past Monday to get a date. I was going to call Tufts or even go in there if I had to. I made the phone call. I spoke to Tania, the surgeon's assistant. She was great. I got my date. Wednesday February 18th, 2009 at 7:30 AM. My original surgeon Dr. Shah will be on maternity leave so I requested the first available. It turned out to be Dr. Kim the surgeon who did my sisters GB. Tania called me on Tuesday afternoon to confirm. We set up appointments to meet Dr. Kim, and my anesthesiologist on the Friday before surgery. Once I hung up the phone it finally hit me. in two weeks I am having a Gastric Bypass. Wow!

My wife Sarah has been just amazing through the whole planning phase. We tend to take our marriage on as a series of projects. Although I know Sarah is very concerned about The GB, she knows that it will have many health benefits in the long run. Because Sarah works at a school she will be on February school vacation. She also arranged to take the following Monday and Tuesday off to take care of "The Old Man". My mother and sister live right across the street if I need some company after Sarah goes back to work. I really appreciate the family support circle. It's important. Next on my agenda, before pictures. I also need to finish gathering all of my "new food" for my post GB diet, and set up a comfortable recovery camp in the house. I'll keep you posted.

The Waiting

(Weight in picture from 1985, 180 lbs. Weight today, 294 lbs.) I had my last required group meeting at The OCC at Tufts N.E. Medical Center. I also had my second of two required meetings with my Nutritionist Meghan Ariagno, RD, LDN. I was also hoping to get a surgery date yesterday, but did not. (Ho-hum.) I know the surgery will happen in the not to distant future but (I hear a song coming) the waiting is the hardest part. After checking with the OCC office manager Lorraine (I hope that's her name. God she is so funny, and a big Mike Lowell fan) I met with my Nutritionist. Meghan weighed me. I was happy to see that I had lost 15 pounds since the program began five weeks ago. (I have been following the basic South Beach diet.) The required weight loss of 5 - 10 % of your body weight isn't only to show them that you are a dedicated member of the program, but also to lose the fat around your liver and make it easier for the surgeons to operate laparoscopically rather than making a large incision. Meghan and I then discussed my post surgery diet starting from the day of my surgery. Stage 1 - My diet will consist of 1 oz. or water per hour. Stage 2- Clear liquids. 3 oz. of sugar free gelatin and or bouillon consumed 3 times per day, with sips of water or flat diet ginger ale between meals. Stage 3 - 5 meals per day. About 600 calories, 70 grams of protein, and 64+ oz. of fluids. This is the diet I will be discharged from the hospital with. 64+ Oz. of fluids. 60 to 70 grams of liquid protein, skim milk, light yogurts, cottage cheese, egg beaters, and low-fat cream soups. Go back and take a look at the 2nd entry of my blog. Quite a difference compared to the diet I had been following. If you are reading this blog to decide if Gastric Bypass is for you please remember that the diet is just one part of the program. Changing my relationship with food is the outcome that I am aiming for. GB is not a magic bullet, it's one of many tools that I will be using for the rest of my life. At this moment I am very focused. I have begun to give up MINDLESS eating and am beginning MINDFUL eating. I have gone form bags and boxes to single servings. I am going from un-healthy choices to healthy choices. I love not feeling full all the time. I love not feeling guilty and ashamed all the time. I absolutely know that even after the surgery I will still gain weight if I go back to my old habits. My new mantra, "Never Again". Wish me luck.

Planning my Gastric Bypass

I've been preparing for this since the end of last summer (2008). My wife and I agreed that I am a good candidate for GB. After 51 years I know how to lose weight. It's simple. Less input, and more output. It's keeping it off that's been the hard part for me. At 5'9" and nearly 300 lbs I qualify because I'm more than 100 lbs. overweight and I have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 44. I've always carried my weight fairly well. The biggest comment I get from people when discussing this is "300 lbs. No way". I began by talking with friends and relatives who have had a GB. I asked them about the sudden and drastic change in their eating habits. I asked them how they felt during recovery, and I asked them about their new eating habits. If you think that a GB is the end-all to your weight problems, think again. GB only reduces the size if your stomach. It does not change your bad eating habits. That is something I will be working on as well. My plan is to be a model patient. Go by the book, follow the diet, lose my weight, and get on with my life. God, how many times have I said that before. That's where the GB gives me an advantage. Basically what will happen is the doctor's will reduce the size of my stomach from the size of a football to the size of my thumb. I've watched the procedure , and I've chosen Tufts New England Medical Center to do my surgery. They have been great. It all started with a phone call to the Obesity Consultation Center (OCC) at Tufts. They asked me a few questions, pre-registered me, and then scheduled me for a consultation. So after months of thought I had my first meeting at the OCC on 12/15/08. I didn't sleep the night before because of my anticipation so my 9:00 AM appointment came way too early for this night owl. Never the less I got up, grabbed a cup of coffee, and got there 40 minutes early. I checked in and took a wall seat in the waiting area expecting to take a catnap, but before I knew it they called my name at 8:45. (Dr. Lowney please take note...They took me early.) I met with Dr. Stiles the manager of the OCC. Dr. Stiles spoke with me about my choice of surgery, the Gastric Bypass. She weighed me (310 lbs.), and took a measurement of my chest (56"), and my neck (20"). She took my blood pressure, felt my abdomen and immediately told me that I would have to lose some weight before the surgery to decrease the fat around my liver. That would make it easier for the surgeons to work laparoscopically. She asked me a long list of questions about my medical history. Dr. Stiles went over the pre-qualifications list with me. (I have to lose 5 - 10% of my body weight prior to my surgery date. I have to complete 2 medical visits, meet with my dietitian Meghan Ariagno 1-2 times, meet with my Psychologist Dr. Izzy Greenberg 2 times, meet with my surgeon Dr. Sajani Shah, and complete a new patient orientation called Immersion Day.) I was then sent to the lab for blood work and an EKG. I was done within an hour and sent on my way. I was very excited and full of information.

How did I get here?

(The purpose of this blog is not to make you feel bad for me. I don't. It's also not to have you judge me or my family. I'm proud of every other part of my life. I'm doing this to complete the job. I'm glad I got that off my plate.) So, how did I get to the point of scheduling a Gastric Bypass (GB)? Getting to 321 lbs actually took a lot of work. It took a lot of mindless eating. Have you ever sat in front of the TV with a large bag of popcorn or potato chips, a box, of cookies, or a pint of ice cream? Of course you have. But do you do it all at the same time? Well that's my M/O. I became a habitual nighttime closet eater years ago. Working nights left me with a lot of alone time. The portions grew out of control a long time ago, probably since I moved out of my family's house at age 18. Even before that I always ate everything on my plate and then some. I was always a member of the double lunch club in high school, and I always knew where my mom kept the stash of Hostess thrift store items in the freezer. I can analyze it many ways, but the bottom line is that I am a compulsive over eater. Portions and servings were not a part of my eating vocabulary, bags, boxes, and dozens were. My M/O worked fine when I was single and living alone, but after I got married I became more ashamed of my over eating. On a typical binge I could walk into fast food joint or a convenience store and load up in no time at all dropping $10 - $20. My food (or drug) of choice has always been sweets. I have never met a sweet I didn't like. Chocolate, peanut butter, ice cream, and cookies, I love them all and all at the same time. A normal purchase at 7-11 was a pint of Ben & Jerry's peanut butter cup ice cream, a couple of large packs of peanut butter twix, and just before the register, a couple of Mrs. Fields soft cookies (you guessed it, peanut butter). I always managed to eat half on the ride home, and then the other half downstairs alone in front of the TV while everyone slept upstairs. I became good at hiding the empty pints, wrappers, and packages. Not only did I not want my wife to see them, I didn't want to see them the next day either. The guilt hurts a lot. Besides the obvious weight gain I got pretty good at hiding my habit from others, but even if nobody else ever knew, I did, and I was ashamed. So lets call it like it is, "Hi I'm Gary, and I'm a food addict". The good news, I'm sober today, and I now deal with this monkey one day at a time. More later.

Getting ready for my Gastric Bypass

(Weight 299.5 lbs) Long story short, I'm waiting to have a Gastric Bypass (GB). I'm 51 years and 11 months old as of this post and I've been overweight (morbidly obese is the medical term) for at least 40 of those years. I have been thinking about it for a while now, even before my sister had the procedure done two years ago. Diets, you name it...I've done it. I have lost more than fifty pounds at least a half dozen times in my adult life. The problem is, I've always gained the weight back and then some. You may (or may not) be thinking "why not just maintain a proper diet and exercise program"? Well, that's just not my M/O. Obesity runs in my family. Most of my mothers side of the family are (were) BIG people. As far as the passing of the genes go I would have settled for just her good looks but I got the whole package, appetite and all. The rest of the package was the gift. A great Italian heritage, good work ethic, sense of humor...Oh enough about me. I began researching Bariatric Surgery centers in the Boston areas about four months ago. I had spoken to my wife about it just after my sisters GB. She said "absolutely NO WAY" so I proceeded to follow my favorite low carb diet and a regular exercise program. I went from 321 lbs. to 250lbs. With the help of a great coach I lost 71 lbs and I was looking and feeling great. It wasn't long before I fell off the wagon and started to slowly gain the weight back. I swore I wouldn't do it again but I was doing it again. Same M/O, back to bad eating habits, exercise went from the top to the bottom of my schedule and my weight gain frustration was crippling me.