Today is a big day for me. Back in October, I started the process required by my health insurance provider to have a sleeve gastrectomy. After a half-dozen appointments with my primary physician, seven visits required (one per month) with a certified dietician, a mental evaluation, x-rays, tests, getting circle-jerked by the insurance company, refilling paperwork, refaxing more paperwork and just generally being annoyed and wanting to say fuck it all for the past ten months...today I will finally be scheduled for the surgery later this month. I've fought with my weight since puberty and old age is catching up with me. I'm past the point where being fluffy didn't affect me physically. I have back problems, my knees hurt and my blood pressure has slowly crept up to the borderline high mark.
So...within the next two weeks I will be undergoing a laparoscopic procedure to remove a big chunk of my stomach. I'll be out of work for a month before I will be cleared to return to full duty. Coincidentally, the department of corrections has
finally approved officers to have facial hair starting September 1st. Before, you could just have a mustache that didn't go past the side of your lips. Now, we can have a full beard, goatee, sideburns or whatever. So my plan is when I go out for surgery this month, I'll have a full month before I have to return to work to grow my beard or goatee out. Haven't decided yet.
Hopefully when I return to work, I'll be about 45 lbs lighter by that point (that is the average weight loss for a man in the first month) and have a beard/goatee. It will be funny to have all the people here do a double-take. Hell, I think I will get my hair cut differently for a little extra "throw 'em off" fun. But mostly, I am doing this for my health and to be there for my daughters as they grow up.
And as an added bonus, I'll be able to wear all those cool t-shirts that they don't make big enough for us fluffy fellas.
Wish me luck!
