FASTFORWARD: March to October

After my great 12.2-mile walk, things seems to keep going in the right direction. I was more determined now then ever to lose the weight. I just wish someone could have told my body. I just keep moving along, dieting and exercising.

In May of 2007, my Dad wanted my mom to loss weight because she was become super-obese. He also felt bad for me because he thought my weight was making me happy and at this point all I was doing was maintaining. At my Dad's urging, we all went to a Lap-Band seminar done by Dr. Grossbard. It sounded great, but the cost was high ($16,000). I didn't know how I was going to get the money. My Dad made a deal with me, he told me that if I sold his rental property he would help pay for my surgery. He needed to make enough to cover the cost for both me and my mother. Being the creative person I am, I not only managed to sell the property in a matter of weeks, but I made a huge profit on it for my Dad.

In August of 2007, I went to see Dr. Grossbard. He did my evaluation and gave me the checklist of items I had to get completed if I wanted to get the surgery done. I was really happy and within a few weeks I had the list completed and prepared for surgery.

On September 4, 2007 (my Dad's b-day and my new b-day), I went under the knife. The surgery really didn't take that long. It was over in less than an hour. I did really well. My Dad took me home and I was up and walking around in no time. The worse thing about the surgery was the gas pain you feel. It hurts like bloody hell and it took several days for it to go away. Over the next two weeks I was on a clear liquid diet. I continued the follow the eating schedule provided to me by the doctor and eventually I was able to eat. I went back for my follow-up visit and everything was fine. I had lost a total of 30 lbs up to this point. I was really happy and continue to be. I think my life is finally starting to change for the better. I know there is a lot of details missing, but I am trying to keep it short and sweet so I can begin with what is happening today (October 17, 2007). If you want to know more, feel free to ask and I will share. I go for my first fill today. There is so my to tell about how things have changed...to be continued...

Lawd have mercy...

Lawd have mercy...

I hope you were able to read the first post and catch up to this point. As you know, I was starting to fall apart. I was burned out full of meds, not to mention depressed.

In March of 2007, I began a new diet eating about the same quantity as I was allowed on NutriSystem. I was doing good and with the meds feeling healthy and full of energy. I had began exercising. I was walking up to a mile or two a day. You ever get one of those feelings that the shit just hasn't hit the fan yet. I have had that feeling once before the previous year. I went on a trip to Atlanta (which I really love). When I was about to leave things just didn't feel right and I should have stayed with my friend, but I decided to head home. It began to sprinkle, which it hadn't done there in awhile. The oil made the road slick and I lost control and totaled my new SUV (http://www.ebozman.com/car.htm). I walk away from the car with hardly any wrong with me. I should have known then that I was stronger in at least spirit then most, but I guess I needed another test or bout of stupidity.

In March of 2007, I decided to take another vacation (which is usually when bad things happen to me). I figured since I had been doing so great walking that I would go hiking. I arrived at the park around 11 o’clock and read the directions on the map. It told all about how it was a 7-mile loop trail, but I wasn’t interested in that because I only wanted to do two miles. I began speed walking and once I hit the 2 mile marker, I felt great and decided to keep walking, until I hit the 4 mile marker (which is the most I have done in a single week). I was pretty happy, but tired. So, I stopped to think about what I should do next, either turn around and walk 4 miles back to my car or continue on the loop and finish the next three miles.

As you figured, I decided to do the three miles. It was painful as hell and I didn’t think I would make it to the 7-mile marker, but I did. I was so happy and felt like passing out. I had truly accomplished more then I thought I could do, but there was one REALLY big problem. The loop did end at the 7-mile marker, but not where my car was located. To my surprise there was an arrow pointing back to where my car was located and it was called the “short-cut” route. Hmmm…say what??

As you can guess, I thought I would just die right there in the blazing sun and never get back to my car, but the word “short-cut” gave me hope, until I read it was another 5.2 miles back to my car. I was so ready to kill someone, but I had no choice but to continue. By the time I hit the 9-mile marker, my legs started to give out, so I crashed on the ground and waited there for 20 or 30 minutes. My head was starting to spin, so all I could do was walk and look down at the ground. Needless to say, after several pit stops, I finally made it back to my car around 3 o’clock. As I tried to get into the car, my legs cramped and I couldn’t get in the car. I had to wait a little longer, but finally got in and headed home.

When I arrived home and tried to get out of the car, I almost fell because my legs couldn’t hold me up. I grabbed the carport and pushed my way closer to the door walking like a little old lady with a walker. I got inside grabbed my Gatorade and turned the a/c down low. I couldn’t move. Suddenly I started to freeze because of the bad sun burn I got from the long walk. I noticed I also had bruises, from what I don’t know and blisters.

I called my friend and he came over after work. He thought I was crazy and stayed there for a bit before going to buy dinner. Trust me the only reason I had wanted to eat is because I had not eaten anything the entire day, which probably kept me from vomiting on the trail. After dinner I soaked in a hot tub and did some leg exercise to keep my legs from tighten up.

I am happy I survived to tell the tale of my 4-hour, 12.2-mile walk. It is something I look back on and realize just how strong I am as a person. I think we all have more fight in us then we realize. Well, this entry is getting pretty long so I will end this one here.

How it all began...

Hello and welcome to my first post! I should have posted something a lot sooner, but I try to everyone up!!!

As with many people, I have tried for YEARS to lose weight and like many of them, I did not succeed. I was doing okay and enjoying life, then a year ago everything changed. I was trying to work full time and go back to school at night for to obtain several degrees in Web Design. I didn't have any problems until I decided to take seven classes at once (yes, I have already been told I am crazy). I passed with straight A's, but there was a price. I was burned out and things got worse when I went to the doctor. He told me my cholesterol levels and my blood pressure were both too high and my sugar levels were going up. I also started having chest pains. Given obesity, diabetes and heart attacks run in my family, I have decided it is time to change.

In October of 2006 I started NutriSystem and thought I had began my new life. I didn't want to hide anymore. I wanted to get out and have a healthy and fun life. Plus, I want to get off those damn meds. Don't we all? I lost 11 pounds in my first month on NutriSystem, but I wasn’t doing it right. I only did it on certain days and then cheated on others. Then in December, I started having heart palpitations. I was put on more medications and sent to a Cardiologist. I used this and the holidays as an excuse to go off the system. The Cardiologist conducted several tests and told me I would be okay. He thought told me the palpitations were probably from the stress in my life. Once I resolved what was stressing me, the pain went away. It is amazing how our bodies react to different situations. However, the bad news is when I weighed myself on December 29, 2006, I was shocked. I was now up to 316 pounds, the heaviest I have ever been in my life. I was so angry at myself and went on the NutriSystem full time.

Life seemed great and I was doing well on NutriSystem and losing weight. During the first week of being on only NutriSystem full time, I started having stomach pains, but I blew it off because I figured it was just the IBS acting up. I should have known something was not right because my stomach is very sensitive to the point I can’t even take vitamins without throwing them up. The pain got worse and I was off work for almost a week. The doctor told me I had severe gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), go figure. I was told that something in NutriSystem (the preservatives or additives) was resulting in me having a food allergy. My doctor told me to go off the diet. I was so bummed. My only goal right now was to get below 300 pounds and I was so close. On January 27, 2007 my weight was 302.5 pounds, which meant I had actually lost 13.5 pounds in a month. I was very happy. However, in February of 2007 I did as my doctor instructed and went off the system.

In March of 2007 I began a new diet eating about the same quantity as I was allowed on NutriSystem. I thought I was doing good until I began feeling week and losing energy. My doctor told me I was depressed and still burned out. He put me on some anti-depressants (like I wanted more meds) to help me. He ran some tests and discovered my testosterone levels were low, which also explained my lack of energy. He instructed me to start using a gel to help raise my levels, but there was a price to pay. Once I started using the gel, chances are I would never be able to have kids because of what it does to my system. I did as instructed and life seemed to be getting better.

I don't want to make this blog entry too long, so I am going to end this one here. I hope you read on because, what happens help lead me done the right path because God showed me just how strong I can be.