Day 68 - Feeling Amazing (and looking pretty good, too)!

Hi Everyone:

So, it is day 68 post-op...I have begun training and I feel great.  I started P90X yesterday with Chest & Back.  Today was Plyometrics (jumping)...it's all sorts of squats, jumps and cardio.  It was really hard but you feel so good afterwards.  I then took Laila on a 1-mile run (yeah, I said run).  So, I'm feelin' pretty wiped right now but I feel great at the same time. 

My weight is 248 and I am a 44" waist.  Pre-surgery...330 and a 54"/56" waist.  Oh, and those 44" pants/shorts are starting to get loose.  As I do P90X, they are going to get very loose very quickly.  I don't mind...I don't have a lot of money to replace clothes, but the smaller they are for men, the cheaper they are - so bring it on!

So, all in all, life is great.  Here is a picture I took on Saturday.  There are some positive things happening on the job front as well...let's hope...next time we talk I will definitely be in better shape and I may be employed :-D

Thanks for reading...talk to you next time! 

June 10, 2010 - Almost 2 months Post-Op and feeling great!

Well, I can tell you that the procedure seems to have been a success.  Eating is much easier now and I feel fantastic. 

Yesterday, I weighed myself and I was down to 252 lbs.  So, I am down almost 80 lbs. since the the onset and nearly 55 lbs. since the surgery.  I truly feel wonderful.  I am walking 1.5 - 2 miles per day, I am working out in the yard and I am starting PX90 next week.

So, what else is there to say?  I'll post a new picture soon...I want to be in the 240's before I post a picture, which should be next week.  I'll also be taking my pre-PX90 photos for comparison, so I'll find some shots to post. 

Talk to you soon - thanks for your support!

Status Update - June 4, 2010 (My B-Day)

Hi Everyone:

So, let's start with a photo. 

It has been seven weeks and two days since my surgery.  I am down to 260 lbs., which is 70 lbs. lighter than my original weight of 330 lbs. and I am 45 lbs. lighter since the surgery.  My cholesterol (specifically, my triglycerides) are down 120 pts. since my surgery.  I now walk 1.5 miles a day and I am starting a more rigorous exercise routine next week that will include cardio, weight lifting, core training, etc.   I am feeling great and getting past the issues that have plagued me for a few weeks now.  Speaking of which, let me take a moment to go through that.

Since my hospital visit, I was put in contact with a fantastic gastro doctor in Denville (Dr. Emiliani from Morris County Gastro Associates) who ran blood tests and today dilitated my anastamosis.  The anastamosis is the connection between the new stomach and the by-passed intestines.  Due to my severe acid reflux, which didn't totally subside after the surgery, the connection became ulcerated and strictured (constricted) to 1/2 the size it needed to be.  As a result, I couldn't eat solid food as it would immediately come back up because it had no where to go...the hole was too small.  Today, they did an endoscopy and placed a catheter with a balloon down my throat and into my stomach and expanded the anastamosis to the proper size.  It was a procedure that lasted about 15 minutes and I was able to eat by 9:00 AM this morning, which I did with much ease.  The procedure, so far, has proven successful.  There is a possibility that the stricture may return to some extent, but that is normal.  It sometimes take 2 or 3 dilitations before the problem is resolved.  However, for now, I am able to eat and that is a wonderful B-Day present!  I had a slice of pizza tonight...yeah...only 1...but that is all I can eat...however, I was able to actually eat it without throwing up.  Huge success.

I also have diverticulitis, however, for the moment, it has calmed itself.  If I stay hydrated, I am hoping to avoid another flare up until I lose all my weight and they can operate to remove the section of damaged colon. 

So, the process can continue.  I am feeling much better and I have reduced my body weight by over 20% so far.  There have been some bumps, but the process is proving to be a positive change overall.  Nothing comes easy and nothing comes without a price.  However, the health benefits outweigh the risks and so far, nothing too terribly serious has come down the pike.  So, onward and upward.

I will talk to you all soon!  Thanks for the support and enjoy the weather!