About

Weight 365 pounds, BMI 66

On July 2, 2002 my life was changed pretty significantly!  I underwent an open biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch – otherwise known as BPD/DS, although we affectionately call it the “DS.”  On that day I weighed 365 pounds and my BMI was 66.  I was wheelchair-bound, had out of control diabetes (with five medications in a desperate attempt at control), stroke level hypertension (even though I was on four medications), congestive heart failure, severe chronic obstructive sleep apnea, horrible GERD, stress incontinence – to name a few.  I was dying.  Pretty much everyone acknowledged it – and so my DS was kind of like a last ditch effort at saving my life.  My PCP didn’t think I’d live through surgery – but felt I had to try at least.

So I went to Spain – to the wonderful Dr. Aniceto Baltasar – and underwent a very, very successful surgery.  Since then I’ve lost 240 pounds, a boatload of co-morbidities, and a wheelchair – and gained a quality of life I never dreamed possible.  I should mention that I didn’t have the money for surgery – but someone from my church anonymously donated $15,000 for my surgery – and so my life was saved.

To say that I’ve been blessed is an understatement of gargantuan proportions.