Nathan L.

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Unbelievable six years have passed since my surgery.  Overall doing great.  Maintaining about 130 pound weight loss (perhaps 10-15 pounds from my goal and 10 to 15 pounds from my max since I had the surgery).  

Still go to support group when I can. Have a special friend from the same time we had surgery and we try to meet a couple of times a month for support.    

Still working out regularly with a trainer once or twice a month, get to the gym 2-4 times a week. .  As for food, I'm pretty flexible, though I follow the basics as best I can.  Very little I'm not able to eat although some foods still don't appeal that were great before surgery.  I track food on My fitness Pal daily for over a year now, try to be sure my protein, fat and carb numbers are ok.

My husband and I celebrate 30 years together, four of them legally married, and he has been a rock of support, though as we get older (I"m almost 65, he is just turned 72) health issues and doctors visit are more and more a part of our lives.  So one of the BEST decisions I ever made was to have this surgery (at age 58) and only wish it was sooner.

Advice to others: hang in and try to make life changes accordingly.  You don't have to be perfect but we don't want to stray to far.  And would I be here today without the surgery?  I am grateful every day that this tool was something I could accept.  

 Seems like this is now an annual event.  4 years ago today I had surgery.  While maintaining and eating the best way remain challenges I am still 125 or so pounds from my start weight si that is good.  This year marked retirement from 27 years at the same University teaching, continuing to do various projects in US and Africa, many transitions it seems.  Still attend the support group when I can and value the friends I have made there and support from everywhere.  I agree that Bariatric Surgery is very misunderstood\ by the public as well as the health care community but for me at least it had been great.  

 Brief note, noticing I have not recorded much in the past year.  Yesterday was my 3 year "surgiversary.": Seems unbelievbable.  Although I am up a bit since my 2 year date I am so happy with the progress to date.  I am writing this from Ethiopia; I continue to spend a lot of timeworking in Africa.If it were not for the surgery that may not be possible, as I get around so much better, not to mention how much easier it is to deal with planes and seatbelts.   I get lots of postive comments here--they all say I am looking younger!  I am also heading toward retirement next month so we'll see what adventures await.  I am now off ALL the medications I used to take, just supplements and even fewer of those than before.  So I am healthier, wiser and happier overall.  OK food and weight remain issues, but this road is not magic it is reality.  I got my wish to deal with this as a person in a reasonable size, so I just move ahead.  So many ways to celebrate!

 Looking in the Gay and Lebian Forum I found some wedding pictures and could not resist posting a few of ours. The wedding was last year 2 years and a month post-surgery.  I'm still the big guy but what a difference!  Still happy almost a year later (and 25 years together!)

As of July 7 it is two years since my surgery.  Weight loss is about 150 pounds which has been pretty stable of the past year--lost perhaps 10-15 more since then.  Food is a challenge from time to time, as is life but that is nothing new.  I am able to be very active--spend a lot of time traveling often to Africa to do educational work and I'm sure that my chances of continuing that would be very slight if I had continued to be at my former weight.  For the most part I am supported by everyone in this journey and that is terrific.  I still can't believe it is two years, both in terms of how long it seems and how short!  I hope someone can relate to that.  I am so happy I made the decision, made through the prep and insurance issues and have really become both a new person but evolved the old one.  I am 60 years of age--and wish that the other 58 had been in the current body.  So the future looks good!