Getting Started

Hello Family, Friends, and Interested Parties. My name is George Pease. I am 55 years old and am Type II Diabetic. I take 3 - 5 insulin shots a day and my diabetes is still not managed properly with average readings of 200 or higher and an A1C of 9.5 or higher I feel my life at times is spiraling out of control. I have tried just about every diet out there and have at times lost some weight only to get busy with my hectic work schedule and have my weight slip back up again. My weight averages around 295lbs and I am 6'2" tall. Just under 3 years ago I was involved in a serious motorcycle accident and could not excersize properly or be as active as I had been and the weight shot up and stayed up ever since. One of my favorite activities is riding bicycle and I have not hardly touched my bike in the past 3 years. While not depressed about things, I do worry that my life will never return to the healthier times I enjoyed before the wreck.

   Then things started to change for me. My wife, Melody, talked me into watching the presentation on Gastric Bypass on the Dr Oz show a few weeks back and it set the wheels into motion for the events that are leading up to having the surgery on June 1 this year. We were discussing all the ins and outs of this procedure and what I was going to have to go thru when it struck her as a good idea that I should blog about the entire process and what I have gone thru and will be going thru in the next several weeks and months.

   Needless to say, I am quite nervous about all of this. Not only the surgery and lifestyle change it will bring about, but also sharing it with the readers that join my blog in the upcoming weeks. I hope to make it informative, interesting, and perhaps a bit humurous along the way. It may get graphic at times as I do not plan on leaving out much in the way of details about what I go thru with this process. My hopes are that others will follow me thru it, that it will be successful and they will find the determination to make the necessary changes in their life by following my example. So here we go. I will try not to get too long winded but at times may have a lot to say. I will type slowly for those of my friends that I know do not read very fast so they can keep up. This is my first time trying to do a blog and I hope you find it brings value to your life as my life is about to change in a very big way. I will also try to post photos of my progress to show the results of the surgery and changes that take place.

   Now for some of the technical parts of what I am doing. I am going for the full gastric bypass called a Roux-en-Y Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass. If you would like to more about what that surgery involves please visit the Wikipedia site as it explains it fairly well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastric_bypass_surgery
This type of surgery has shown to have dynamic effects on:

• Hyperlipidemia is corrected in over 70% of patients.
• Essential hypertension is relieved in over 70% of patients, and medication requirements are usually reduced in the remainder.
• Obstructive sleep apnea is markedly improved with weight loss and bariatric surgery may be curative for sleep apnea. Snoring also improves in most patients.
• Type 2 diabetes is reversed in up to 90% of patients [1] usually leading to a normal blood sugar without medication, sometimes within days of surgery.^[15]
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease is relieved in almost all patients.
• Venous thromboembolic disease signs such as leg swelling are typically alleviated.
• Lower back pain and joint pain are typically relieved or improved in nearly all patients.

The above list copied from Wikipedia site linked previously.

Of that list above, I fall into about half the categories.

So, there you have it. A bit of information about what I am doing. So what are my goals and what do I hope to achieve.
1. Lose 80 to 100lbs.
2. Get back on my bicycle and ride, ride, ride, ride, ride, ride, ride.
3. Relief from sleep apnea.
4. Get rid of my Type II Diabetes and not have to take insulin injections 4 or 5 times a day.
5. No more sore joints and leg pain and swelling.
6. Be able to excersize the way I should.
7. Be happy and healthy.

So welcome along and come join me for one of the scariest and most exciting adventures of my life. There will be ups and downs along the way and I plan on sharing them all. I also want to share the challenges and rewards of accomplishing what I am setting out to do. I am glad you are here.

George