Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

I had always been active....running, working out, playing baseball until age 43. As my kids graduated high school and then college I found myself doing less and less physically. Gaining 10 pounds a year doesn't seem like much until all of a sudden after 10 years you've gained 100 pounds! I didn't neccessarily over eat, but had bad habits.....eating late, drinking too much beer. I'd get a pizza and beers just because it was Friday. Then in 2008 I found out I had Type II Diabetes. I was doing almost no physical activity.....I sat all day at work, then came home and played on the computer till I went to bed. I'd sleep late on the weekends, sometimes till the late afternoon, then get up and go out to eat, then come home and sit some more.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

Unable to buy clothes except at the "huge guy" stores where they over charge for everything. Being embarassed to be seen in public. I weighed 410 at 6'3" tall. Being uncomfortable driving in my car. Having to actually work up the energy to go into a store or walk anywhere. Wearing loafers because it was uncomfortable to exert the effort to tie my shoes. Wearing sweat pants all the time. Paying for my groceries and sweating....sweat actually dripping off my face at the checkout (and everyone knows grocery stores are air conditioned and pretty cool temperature wise).

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

I had Rouen-Y on 5/21/12. As of 7/9/12 I have lost 80 pounds since my surgeon putting me on Optifast starting 4/8/12. I am averaging 6 pounds/week of weight reduction. I am currently walking 2 miles/day 6 days a week and about to increase to 2.5 miles and add in some swimming. I can walk through stores without getting tired out. My weight loss journey has really just started and am looking forward to my goal of 205 pounds. Today is 1/9/13 and I have now lost 161 pounds. My "daily" walk is now 4 miles (I do the walk 4 to 5 times each week) and also swim for about 20 minutes a couple times each week. I have added in riding my bike on Sundays for 50 to 60 minutes....although the last time I was able to ride was December 23. Then the snows came. I am looking forward to spring so I can get back on the bike. I am now wearing suits and pants that had been in my spare closet for at least 8 years. Fortunately I haven't had to buy any suits or pants yet.....I still have at least 1 more suit and another pair of pants before I need to buy any. I have had to buy some dress shirts and it is nice to buy them at a regular store instead of the "huge guy" store. I have gone from a 62 waist to 42 and neck size 20 to 17. I keep one of my largest pair of pants just for reference!! It was nice to be able to stroll through the malls while Christmas shopping. I no longer take any oral meds for Type II Diabetes and haven't had to have any insulin since April 2012. Now, a "high" reading is 110! As of January 28, 2013 I have lost 170 pounds, am down to 235.........