Steve Ney

I had been morbidly obese for much of my adult life.  There were periods where I lost significant weight, but I would always bounce back up to being obese.  As many have learned, this yoyo-ing back and forth on my weight caused additional problems or as the doctor called them comorbidities - high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, asthma, arthritis and joint problems, sleep apnea, reflux disease, fatigue, pain, life and activity limitations, and bowel problems.  I took a longevity test to see how long I might live and was dismayed to see that I didn't have many more years on the path that I was on.
 
I tried many types of diets, food management programs, support groups, medical suggestions, and exercise programs without long term success.  Finally last year (February 2014) my primary care doctor asked if I had ever thought about bariatric surgery.  I actually had not.  I guess I had heard about it through popular press and from some famous people like Al Roker.  I never thought about it for myself until my doctor suggested it.  I read all I could about it and found out it was also covered by my insurance if I followed a fairly strict sequence of tests, classes, interviews, and therapies.  I also had to lose a certain amount of weight on my own.  Of course losing the weight oneself brings to mind the old thoughts that losing the weight on your own can be done and why is surgery then even necessary.  What is forgotten is that weight loss in the past has always resulted in a subsequent weight gain.
 
So after following all of the necessary insurance requirements, which in retrospect I believe were absolutely valuable in positioning me for success after surgery, I had my surgery in February 2015.  My surgery took longer than expected due to adhesions in the abdomen and my recovery was somewhat longer.  I was in the hospital for a week instead of only a few days.  After that, recovery at home was rapid and consistent and I lost a considerable amount of weight - about 80 pounds.  The adhesions proved to be a problem six months after surgery as one caused a blockage that brought me back into the hospital for emergency surgery.  Due to the surgery and other problems, I was in the hospital for three weeks.  Recovery this time has been slower.  I lost an additional 20 pounds and now sit at a weight loss of 130 pounds since my highest weight in May of 2014.  The biggest thing for me to watch for now is to ensure I am always regular.  My food and activity choices always center on that.
 
I am happy that I did what I did.  I retook the longevity test online and the results were that my lifespan increased by 25 years from the mid 60s to the early 90s.  Additionally, I'm going to live those extra years with an active lifestyle rather than being sedentary and unable to do much because of being too heavy and limited.