Hello,

 My name is Steve Perry, I am 48 yrs old, and live in Bakersfield.  I had Surgery to lose weight in Febuary of 2005, at Delano Regional Med Center. it was a Gastric Reduction with Duodenal Switch, Performed by Dr Ara Kesheshian, its viewed by some as simular to the popular RNY procedure, but is in my opinion a much better, safer procedure, and I would highly recomend it to anyone electing to have a weight reduction surgery.   prior to the surgery I weighed 380 lbs, I am now 218 lbs, and I have found a new person in myself!.

 I will try to answer the questions you mentioned, I made the commitment to have surgery because I had back injuries from an Industrial Injury, and I am looking at Back surgery, now that the Doctors feel I am now physically able to handle the surgery.

 I  was a fat kid, I had all the feelings that most overweight kids will express about teasing, bullying, and other kids avoiding them, but I did adjust well I think, in that I was a happy boy, I liked to make people laugh, and it helped others around me accept who I was.  as an Adult I tried many diets, I even tried a hormone injection therapy program along with medication, and lost 100 lbs, but there was no post care program, I gained back 110 lbs in 2 months.

   Before weight loss surgery, I was an outward person, but hid behind my humor,  I was always still trying to make people laugh, just like when I was young, but it masked my disappointment in myself, and the treatment I had from people because of my appearance. It has been strange since weight loss in that I am still adjusting to not feeling like I need to entertain folks as before, I can be myself, but it feels like I still havent figured out who that is yet!.

 The great thing is that I am a new Steve  Physically, I  was type 2 diabetic for 15 yrs or so prior to surgery, and had taken medication's for it as well as High Blood pressure for many years, the day after surgery, I stopped taking any meds for both , and have not needed them since!  If not for have the Back problems, I would say the weight loss shaved 20 years off my life!.

 The most difficult thing for me has been psychologically, I have dealt with seeing myself as still fat, and freaking out about any weight gain,  and thats wierd because as a guy I never worried about how I looked that much in public when I was overweight!

 I am truly a lucky man, for having this surgery, it has added years to my life, to spend with my family, who has been supporting me throughout this whole thing, I can now walk on the beach with my wife, I can now do things with my kids, and grandkids that were not possible before!

I found I have a lap for my Grandkids to sit in, I found out that I can walk more than a block without being winded or tired! I can now cross my legs.

 I would suggest that anyone who decides to have a gastric reduction surgery, make very sure they are ready to commit to a life that is diferrent from the one they have lived, your body does change, but your mind needs to change also, you have to work at it, to be successful, you cant simply go in with the mindset that the surgery itself will fix you, its a tool to help you ! you must do the work afterwards, but wow does it pay off!

 Thank you

 Steve Perry

PS, the only real complaint from my wife is that she needs more closet space now, I like clothes now, and I love going clothes shopping!