as part of my job application, i had to get a physical. during the physical they took blood and when the results came back, they determined i had type 2 diabetes. my world was rocked. i didn't know what to do. looking back, i think i knew something was wrong but i never wanted to admit it.
fast forward to january 2011 and things hadn't really changed. except one morning i woke up and had some chest pain. being obese, when those things happened, i always thought in the back of my mind that a heart attack was looming. it scared the hell out of me thinking about the prospect of dying at 32, leaving behind a wife and 2 young children who deserved their father doing all he could to make sure he stayed around for them.
i made the decision to take drastic measures. i had gastric surgery in april 2011 and i have never looked back. some may view it as the easy way out, but i choose to view it as my last resort. until you've lived my life, you'll never know how it felt to be scared every day. yes, i got myself into that situation. but i also recognized i couldn't get myself out without help.
so here we are today. i'm down to the weight i was in 1996 with more to go. i'm thankful every day to be alive. i'm thankful for the friends and family that have supported me through everything. i'm thankful to the doctors and support staff who used the expertise to change my life. i'm thankful to God for life.
here are some pictures showing the journey...
Before surgery...
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| November 2008 |
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| March 2010 |
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| December 2009 |
After Surgery...
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| April 2011 |
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| August 2011 |
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| February 2012 |
