Nearly half the man I used to be, but it’s a good thing

Posted on Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014 at 3:08 pm

So it has been a while since my last update and things have been a bit crazy so let me just hit the highlights and go from there.

1960101_10152152048515914_1864566696_nI went on vacation recently (in fact I managed to drop 10 pounds while I was away for two weeks). I flew out and spent some time in Las Vegas where I some nice locals had a good time and then spent a second week out west in Phoenix with a friend and having not been on a vacation like that in a few years I can say it was well worth the trip. Vegas was great actually I played a little poker hit a few slot machines, saw a cool show and met a few locals and sang some drunken karaoke at 2am on the strip. 

1972513_10152151942575914_940583593_nHaving dropped now about 273 pounds since my journey started I’ve built up a new confidence as well. Sure I’m an extravert but two years ago I wouldn’t have just hit on a bartender in another city like that (let alone two). as a matter of fact I’d not have even made the trip two years ago and not just because I had issues getting around, but I was all but shut in. and now as I’ve mentioned before I’m out most nights now with friends or on an actual date with someone, which is still fairly new to me, but it’s been great. In fact I have a couple dates this weekend lined up with two people I’ve made good connections with. But tonight is karaoke night which while video evidence of my horrible singing may exist I will not share it tomorrow night I again will find myself doing open-mic night at Twisted Mikes Tap Room in Knoxville for Left Hand Comedy. I’ve done this now a few times and so far it’s been fun. If you’d like to catch my (NSFW) act check out this clip.

I’ve also been going to the chiropractor again for the first time in several years now that I’m light enough that the adjustments help. And this along with the yoga I’ve been doing as well as the walking and jogging and 1503404_10152142734350914_1808693154_nworkouts I’m to the point where not only do I not need pain meds (which I grant isn’t new news) but I’m also really starting to feel my knees have gotten stronger even if I do still wear braces now and again when I get injections and when I did the 5K at the end of last month. Which reminds me the 5K I did for the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) was amazing and if you want you can still donate to the cause here. My team raised the second most amount and I raised the 3rd most personally so I was really proud of that, but they can always use more support so if you didn’t donate but would like to please consider this cause.

And in other health related news I have a surgical consult coming up soon at the Vanderbilt Plastic Surgery Clinic and while it’s likely I’m 6-12 months away form plastic surgery to rid myself of these 40-60 pounds of excess skin it will be interesting to find out just what I’m in for. And (and this is a big one) I’m pretty much apnea free now. I no longer need my CPAP device at night. The doctor told me this morning (as they reduced my pressure to the bare minimums on my device that based on the sleep study I did a few weeks ago if I avoid sleeping flat n my back and instead sleep on my side my sleep apnea (which wasn’t that bad on my back) is non-existent on my side, which means I might need to either strategically place some pillows or buy an anti-snoring shirt that essentially forces you to sleep on your side. I say this is big for me because when  I started this journey I not only had the BiPAP settings at the maximum pressure levels (assistance for both inhalation and exhalation) but I was also on 4 liters of Oxygen at night while I slept because my Obstructive Sleep Apnea was so bad I nearly died in my sleep every night (not joking). So to come from that to not needing the machine AT ALL is simply amazing.

And finally as I already mentioned I’m dating more now, even though I’d kinda been dating a little bit since December or so I’m really putting in the effort to connect with people which has been really good actually although I now seem to receive a rather large amount of Russian Mail Order Bride Spam in my Gmail so I have to deal with that now. I’ve been using Plenty of Fish and OkCupid with surprisingly good results considering the rocky start I got on PoF. But all in all it’s just been really nice to get back out there and be with people on a social level. I am a very social person and it was not easy dealing with the very claustrophobic nature of being a shut-in. This journey while not over has been very likely the single best decision I’ve ever made in the entirety of my adult life. 

1902929_10152152048555914_1169244040_nAnd with that I go back to that title…I need lose only 5 more pounds to officially be half the man I used to be. So with any luck the next time I post an update it will be just that. So for now I look forward to tomorrow with more confidence each day in myself as well as a lease on life that I can’t honestly begin to describe. If you are considering weight loss surgery or even a medical weight loss diet program I can’t promise it will be easy, and I can’t promise it will be fun every day, nor can I promise it will happen overnight, but the one thing I can promise is that the only regret you will have is that you didn’t make the decision sooner.

~rev (282 pounds)

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4 Responses to “Nearly half the man I used to be, but it’s a good thing”

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