Tom
22 months after surgery
185 pounds lost
Before Surgery
Location: Mount Arlington, New Jersey
Age: 46
Weight lost: 185 pounds
Surgery date: 01/28/2008
Presurgery BMI: 56
Current BMI: 31
Tom's Story
I was born and bred in Brooklyn, NY. And like most Italians, I had a nickname growing up. Since there was two Tommys on my block (and in my family), I was tagged as either “fat Tommy” or “fatty-boy”. I’ve fought the “battle of the bulge” my entire life. As I got older, I realized being morbidly obese was definitely having an adverse effect on my life, and it appeared to be getting worse.
Why I chose to draw the line against living with obesity
I’m a Computer Tech Support and Server Administrator and I was finding it difficult to lift a desktop computer. I couldn’t walk long distances without getting winded. When I worked on the second floor, I had to climb stairs and would need to take breaks halfway up. Climbing down the stairs was also difficult, because I could not see each step – so I had to go down one at a time.
Over the past few years, I have gone on numerous job interviews, and when I entered the room, I could tell the interviewer had already prejudged my abilities because of my size. I could actually see the nonverbal gasps by the way their eyes opened wide. Since many of the jobs deal with customer interaction, I could see they were apprehensive about hiring me because they were afraid of how their potential customers would view me.
I canceled going to parties, weddings and funerals because I was ashamed of my size. I stopped going to my favorite vacationing spot, because two years ago I broke two chairs – and I was embarrassed to return. I also avoided going to movies, concerts, and restaurants, because I had issues sitting in the seats.
In the summer of 2007, my PRIMARY doctor said that I really should think about doing something surgical. She said if I didn’t do something, there was no guarantee I’d be around in 3 years.
Going into the operation, I was at the lowest point of my life. I weighed the most I ever had. My weight made it difficult to do simple tasks both at work and at home. I stopped socializing. I hated not only myself, but the entire world.
How my life has changed
Since the operation, I consider myself an unofficial walking testimonial commercial for the REALIZE® Band. My weight loss has been called remarkable. I started at 435 pounds, with a BMI of 55.8. As of this past week (22 months after the procedure), I have lost about 185 pounds, with a BMI of 32.1.
In the past two years, I have come to realize many things. One thing is life is a rollercoaster ride. There will be highs and lows, but the ride itself will be exhilarating. The other thing I realize is that when it comes to weight loss surgery, no one prepares you for your gains. You gain confidence in yourself; you gain self-worth; you gain relationships (old and new); you gain a wonderful group of friends from the boards and support groups; and you gain a wonderful outlook on your life and the future.
Two years after surgery, my BMI is 30 and my weight has gone down to 180. Size 14 clothes seem to be getting a little baggy. I have my family and friends to thank for showing me the love and support I needed to make it through and succeed. I knew I was not ready to leave my family and beautiful granddaughter due to bad health and obesity. From my heart to the people at REALIZE, “thanks” just does not seem to be enough.
