My journey began in 1972 when I started first grade. I am the kid who liked school lunches and always went back for seconds. Now, flash forward 35 years and 350 lbs, you see me in July of 2007 when I first walked into Dr. Bagnato’s office. It took me another two years (and an additional 20 lbs) before I finally got a surgery date for my Lap Band surgery. I had to get my Human Resources office involved in order to get my insurance company to approve the surgery.

August 1, 2009 is the day I ended my journey to obesity! I started the Sugar Busters Diet on August 1, 2009 in preparation for an October 2, 2009 surgery. I have dropped 30% of my total body weight (down 128 pounds). I swim a mile to a mile-and-a-half 4 or 5 days a week, competed in my first swim meet since I was a child this past March and look forward to another in December. Huffing and puffing when walking up a single flight of stairs is not longer an issue.  Before surgery I was on three blood pressure meds, two diabetes meds and one cholesterol med. Today I take a single blood pressure med (I hope to lose it soon).  I have gone from a size 64 pants in July 2009 to a 48 in October 2010.  I have already reached two of my written goals – riding all the rides at Wild Adventures and buying clothes at the local Wal-Mart.

Even though I am only about half way through my weight loss journey, I really believe I will transform from Jabba the Hutt to Han Solo in the next two to three years.

Would I do it again?

• In a heartbeat!  I am proud to be a Bagnato Band-it!  It has truly changed my life.

Any complications since getting your Lap Band?

• Nope!  But I do have to relearn my limitations every time I get an adjustment.

Any advice for people considering Lap Band?

• Talk to people who have had it.  The Forsyth crowd was very good to me!
• Find a support group and be an active participant.  They are the best resource you have.  Again the Forsyth crowd has been a tremendous help as well as my family.

Find an exercise routine that you like and stick with it, for me it is swimming.  The first time in the pool, I lasted about 500 yards and was pooped, now I swim like a fish.