My Journey

Sep 23, 2011

If you are reading this, you are most likely considering bariatric surgery of one type or another. I decided to start this blog so those of you who are where i was 5 or 6 years ago will know that you are not alone. I was just as confused as you. But let me state a couple of things up front....

1)     Anybody who tells you that bariatric surgery is the "easy" way out is full of you know what. There is nothing easy about it.

2)     You had better be 110% comitted to changing your lifestyle with regard to eating habits, becuase you will change, like it or  not after having this surgery. There is no turning back.

3)     You MUST follow doctors orders, to the tee, if you expect to be successful. When I had my surgery they told me about a person who had the surgery, and showed up 3 days later not able to eat. They scoped this person and found... a big hunk of Kentucky Fried Chicken wedged in the pouch. I mean, if you are gonna do this, what's the point in having surgery?

I guess those are really the big things. I would advise anyone having this surgery to do a lot of investigation prior to having the surgery. This web site is a God send in that regard. Talk to people who have had the surgery, and had NO problems. Find out who the surgeon was. Find out if that surgeon was responsive to thier issues. For instance, my surgeon, Dr. Leverton ALWAYS returned my calls herself, usually within 15 minutes. The only way it took her longer is if she was in surgery when I called. Your selection of a surgeon will be key to your success.

So what about me? Well, my name is Greg Phillips and I had surgery in 2004. I weighed 425 pounds and stood 5'-8" tall. I could barely wipe my own butt or tie my own shoes. After a shopping trip to the grocery store, I would have to come inside and lay down for 30 minutes before i could unload the car. I had constant back pain, issues with blood clots in my legs, and was borderline diabetic. I typically ate 3 meals a day at restraunts, because I was a software development mananger for a large Fortune 500 company. If you could put gravy on it, I did. You get the picture. I couldn;'t ride my bicycle because it felt like the seat was violating me. I had a Corvette that I couldn't fasten the seat belt in because it simply would not reach around me. I wore 56 waist, 30 length pants, and 5x shirts.

That was then, this is now. I currently weigh 185 pounds, can ride a bike, wipe my own butt, tie my own shoes. I can buy my clothes off the rack at Walmart or any other store. I don't even have to try them on first. If I can find my size, I know they will fit. I can walk at a brisk pace all day long, and never get out of breath. Stairs are not my enemy anymore. So in short...

Gastric Bypass Surgery Is The Best Thing I Have Ever Done

Having said all that, I am going to leave the start of the journey, up until present day, for future blog entries. Everyone has to make their own decision about this surgery, and I can't tell anyone to either do it, or not to do it. What I CAN do is tell you about MY experiences with it, and that I am very glad I did it.

That's all for now, but stay tuned... there is plenty more to come.

Much Love To All Of You --

Greg Phillips

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