Well, a couple of years later and what is the status? Well, going through a divorce didn't help things however obviously the surgery is NOT a cure for obesity, only an aid. I've gained back 35 lbs even though with all my weight loss I never attained my goal. You can gain back enormous amounts of weight just by snacking. Word to the wise: after the surgery, start going to Weight Watchers or similar program.

Tuesday 29/08/00

Great summer but lousy weather. Health and weight consistant. Reduced my intake of port wine, replaced by regular white wine. Off the salsa kick but still crazy about spicy nachos.
 

Back from cruise. No weight gain, everything stable.

Thursday 06/07/00

This past month has seen me primarily improve substantially the variety of the food I eat. I can eat just about anything in reasonable quantities. I still greatly limit my intake of breads, cakes, cookies, fats etc. My only treat is Doritos and salsa with a glass of wine. Weight is still steady and I'm trying to improve my excersise routine. I tried water skiing last week after many years and twisted my back. I'll be back again in a month, so stay tuned!!
 

Wednesday 24/05/00

This past Sunday at the March to Jerusalem I biked 25 Km and felt great. It wasn't even a challenge. Played tennis twice this week and am still maintaining my weight loss. I guess I'm destined to stay at this plateau for a while. I am still having a Doritos/Porto nosh kick which doesn't appear to be waning. Perhaps even more excercise might push me just a bit farther...

The next reports will only come monthly since changes are so little. See you again on St. Jean Baptiste weekend!!

Monday 15/05/00

Came back from a Bat Mitsvah in Toronto. In spite of all the finger food there was no weight gain. Been in touch with Tracey's friend in Florida, Reesa, who has recently gone through with the surgery and is having a hard time. We will continue to give her support. Did 20 KM of biking today.

Sunday 07/05/00

Well it didn't take long, but I got rid of the weight gain and now I'm back to the original 105 lb weight loss.
 

Monday 01/05/00

Back from 2 week vacation, 3 weeks since last report. Well, Passover took it's toll.  A 4 pound weight gain just proves the vulnerability of the surgery. It's a great tool but still needs internal support  from oneself. Most of the abuses were from wine and chips. Also, my pouch has obviously expanded since I am able to eat more then expected after 6 months. I will try and get back to a more driven routine of food management and exercise.
 

Monday 10/04/00

Stable weight. Got snowed in this weekend and couldn't get back to town. We had over 65 CM of fresh snow. Played tennis last week and this week I have 2 sessions booked. This Friday we are heading to Florida for passover for 2 weeks. Plan to play tennis and walk a lot.

Sunday 02/04/00

No weight change. Rainy weekend. Health ok.

Sunday 27/03/00

Stable weight. Stable health. No skiing this week. Season is probably over. I'm going to get out my bike and tennis racket for some spring ACTION!!  Today was my birthday and I had many gifts and surprises from so many friends and family.. thanks!!
 

Wednesday 22/03/00

No additional weight loss this week. Health conditions stable. Did some skiing last week and traveled a couple of times back and forth from Connecticut with Michal. I'm soon due for some follow up blood tests which should indicate the status of my long term sugar and hemoglobin condition. It appears that everything is ok on the surface. Protein consumption has increased a lot as well.

Tuesday 07/03/00

Stable weight this week. Eating well. I'm very disappointed in Alvarado and their lack of follow-up. If you are considering this surgery, I can recommend the staff for the procedure itself as well as the support throughout your stay there. However, be warned, once they have your money don't count on reliable follow-up unless you are persistent yourself.
 

Tuesday 29/02/00

Finally!! Some more weight loss. I guess all the working out on our last 10 day snowmobile and skiing safari paid off. We had a great time and did over 800 Kms. Towards the end the weather got too mild and the lakes became slushy which made the sledding more of a challenge. One of our guests totaled his machine when he decided a tree looked more attractive then a well  groomed trail. My eating was quite nutritious however I did consume a bit more alcohol (port) then usual in the evenings.

Sunday 13/02/00

No major changes this week. Weight stable. Had some more protein then usual.

Sunday  06/02/00

Did a lot more skiing and snowmobiling this weekend. Past week showed  same health and weight status. Might start playing tennis in the next few weeks. My chiro is reducing me to only 1 visit a week. I find that his exercises and treatments have helped a lot.
 

Monday 31/01/00

down. Did some skiing this weekend with only chiropractic exercises. I have suspended the cardio vascular exercises until my back stabilizes. Diet variety increasing. Noticeable increase in loose skin from the weight loss especially below the abdomen and thighs.

Bit of Yo-Yo'ing these last couple of weeks however the net result is my highest weight loss to date. Went skiing with the kids this weekend which added a bit of a workout. I'm still seeing my chiropractor for my back and he has me also doing special excercises at home. Ate pretty well even though I failed in trying to down more then a couple of fries.. don't need them any ways. Trying also to get in shape for a long snowmobile trip I have in February. Alvarado called me for a blood work follow-up.
 

Monday 17/01/00

First weight gain since surgery-2 lbs. Hair loss seems to have diminished. Follow up blood test results show everything normal.

Sunday 09/01/00

Back today from Florida. Lost a total of 5 lbs over the 3 weeks. Feel great. We spent 2 days on the high seas aboard a 45' Sea Ray that I chartered. Weather was pretty good.

Sunday 02/01/00

Starting 3rd week in Fla. Nothing special to report. Continued to rest and work out. No appreciable weight loss. Developed an appetite for Salsa Sauce and Nachos.

Monday 27/12/99

2nd week in Florida. After receiving the results of last weeks blood tests, it appears that my protein levels are normal. Other then slightly higher bilirubin all my levels are normal. The people at Alvarado claim that the hair loss is a normal reaction to the trauma of the surgery and should stabilise in a while. I did some workouts with my weights and a bit of walking and swimming (5 km). Disney was fun and the kids had a great time.

Wednesday 22/12/99

Sorry for the delay but we've been driving down to Florida for the holidays and I haven't been able to find a reliable connection to upload my log. Weight is the same. Alvarado was in touch with me this week to follow up. I did a complete blood workup and sent it to them. I'm eating some more but only a bit more protein. I've started to develop some hair loss on my scalp. The doctors at Alvarado say this is normal during substantial protein deprivation since the body's natural tendency is to take protein from the hair and fingernails. They said this should stabilise within a couple of months since I do consume a small amount of protein every day. I only noticed this loss when I started to work out physically. I intend to play tennis and golf also during the holidays. I took down some bar bells to work out with also.

No additional weight loss. Started snacking on pumpkin seeds. Had enough potato latkes to last for a whole year. Had at least 2 sessions of tuna fish however my diet is still mainly soups. I'm leaving this week to Hungary and Austria on business so I guess I'll be eating more goulash in my soup. When I get back from Florida in January I'll be increasing the frequency of my weight training to bi-weekly. I also hope to start tennis again soon.

Sunday 06/12/99

Another pretty good week. In spite of Hanukah and potato latkes, I'm still losing a wee bit at a time. No complications except I'm still addicted to soups. Had a bat mitzvah on the weekend and even though I tried to pig out a bit I couldn't. I'm seeing a chiropractor for some back problems and he has me doing some additional exercises to the ones I'm doing with my trainer.

I'm back from Israel and had a great time. Some business, some pleasure and some personal issues. I managed to work out in the hotel's gym as well as swim laps in their salt water pool. I lost another 5 lbs this week and my diet remains basically the same. This week I will be visiting the Chiropractor to  deal with some ongoing back pain. Also, I'll be working out with my trainer. I've added some new pictures to the images link this week.

Now in Israel. Weather is nice. Couple of pounds weight loss this week. Worked with my trainer and improved some muscle training. Rode my bike for a few Km's.  Eating is the same, few solids and mostly soups, yogurts etc. My friends and relatives here were shocked at my new look. Apparantly there are now 2 hospitals in Israel doing Roux En Y laproscopically.

Saturday 14/11/99

Small weight loss this week. Worked out with my trainer and did some major cardiovascular  stuff. Ate well and had no problems. Next week I'm flying to Israel and will submit my report from there. We had a bar mitzvah in the family this weekend and the eating is sure to influence my weight loss for next week.
A lot of people have been complimenting my looks, especially my new wardrobe.

Sunday 07/11/99

Spent the last 3 days visiting my daughter Michal in Connecticut. No weight loss this last week. Eating well with no health problems at all. Couldn't do my training this week however this week I won't miss.

This week we got back from my trip. My surgical sores are almost all cleared up. Scabs are dry. I'm eating more protein, especially soups. My weight has remained stable this week. I expect to lose a couple of pounds next week. Next week I'll be going to Connecticut to visit  Michal. My next update will be from there. Things seem to be getting much better. Bravo!!

This past week I had another session with my trainer and felt real good after. We went to Florida on thursday and due to the lousy weather kind of just hanged around a bit. We are staying at our friends place and  also went to Nassau for a couple of days. The weather there was unbelievably exquisite. The sun and salt water contributed to my general sense of well being especially since I hear the conditions are real lousy back home. This coming week I will miss my trainer since I also have to go on to Ohio on business. I will try and practice some of the stretches and movements while away. I ate a bit more then usual, trying to increase my protein intake, however, tonight I had a bout with the bathroom having vomited most of dinner. I guess I over did it.

This has been a slow week for weight loss. I began my cardiovascular and weight training this week. My muscles ached for days but that was to be expected. I had a higher share of cheats this week such as ice cream. I'm still finding it difficult to eat protein however Saturday night we were at a private catered booth at the hockey game and I had a chance to eat some salmon. No oozing at the incisions and 3 of the 6 scabs have already dried and fallen off. I still find myself lethargic in the morning. Raising my head suddenly causes dizziness. I'm drinking Perrier water in between meals. I had a couple of episodes of elevated sugar but I attribute that to the ice cream. Otherwise my sugar is normal. I'm still taking B12 vitamins as well as the multivitamins. I'm leaving this week to Florida for a few days of rest. My next update will be from there.

Much improvement this week. Less bouts of nausea. Slight weight loss (4 lbs). Ate a bit more protein then usual. My seroma is still oozing but very little. I find it still difficult to start the day and sometimes I get dizzy raising my head suddenly. I changed my vitamins from the chewables to the dissolving children's version. The latter don't give me that nauseating feeling. I still have a problem with an aftertaste in my mouth. Although I'm drinking the equivalent of at least 4 glasses per day, there might be some minor dehydration. This week I will be starting my regimented exercise program. I will be using a professional trainer and the equipment I already have at home.

This is the first week with no real weight loss. It appears I've reached my first plateau. Still very difficult to eat protein. Actually, I'm really not eating at all. I managed to have some potato soup (without the potatoes). My blood tests came back with good results. Still suffering from a sense of lethargy. Starting to re-examine my wardrobe, or what's left of it.

Another week but with substantial improvement in the last couple of days. With the ending of my anti-biotics, most of the nausea has gone. I've been able to eat and drink more so I'm optimistic. The seroma is almost completely closed saved for a small oozing which will probably last another week. Some of the major physiological changes that have occurred to my body are: feeling "colder" in my extremities and more energetic then when I was fatter. My apnea appears to have ended permanently. Diabetes is practically gone but a keep a maintenance dose of insulin just to be safe. Blood pressure is normal. Weight loss-- an unbelievable 60 lbs!! Only 80 more to go!!

Check in again in a week, Simchat Torah.

Saturday 18/09/99

A week has gone by and ultimately I'm on the right track. Weight loss is uncanny (41 lbs) but starting to taper off. I expect to lose only 2-3 lbs a week till the next plateau. I still can't eat but occasionally get a sweet tooth. I'm struggling with broth for supper and 1/2 a soft boiled egg for breakfast. A couple of times I had nausea attacks. My seroma is gone but there is still some leakage. I hope in a week it will be all closed up. Drinking is still a problem. I can't manage the 2 litres but I am getting at least 4 glasses a day. I'm more mobile and drove the car for the first time this week. I also managed to get into the office a couple of times but paid for it in extra leakage. Looking forward to a few hours in shul for Yom Kippur.

Stay tuned to next week.

Yesterday I went to Shul but paid the price later in the aft. Today I stayed home but did my obligatory walk. Had lots of visitors, Uncle Gerry and Lynn, Gail and Allan, Sam and Brenda, Tammy and Phil, Tracey's cousin Debbie and husband and our friend Janet. Friday and Saturday nights we had Rosh Hashana dinner at my sister Pearl's.. wow what a spread. Managed to eat a bowl of broth and a small piece of gefilte fish. So far my weight loss is 29 lbs. My next  update will be next week.

This is our planned activity for today:
Morning flight departure to Montreal via Chicago. Arrival and then after a short visit at home, I will try and make it to shul if I'm up to it. Then we will have the seuda at my sisters before returning home.

As I said earlier,  Sunday evening will be the next log entry. Since I am recovering well at this point and the weight loss is on track, I will only be submitting weekly reports. Stay tuned shortly for some additional photo's as soon as our film is developed.

Shana Tova U'metuka

Did my morning wound irrigation and shower. Had water for breakfast and did some packing. At 11:30 we headed to the doctor's office for the final check out. Dr. Clark spent at least a 1/2 hour with us going over last minute concerns. Afterwards, the nurse removed my remaining G drain. My new weight: 26 lbs down!! In the afternoon we headed to the fashion mall. We grabbed a quick bite and saw a flick. After that we bought some new years gifts for the family back home. We returned our rental car and settled in back at the hotel to finish packing.

This will be my last log entry until sunday night since tomorrow is Erev Rosh Hashana (eve of the new year). Our flight arrival barely gives us enough time to prepare upon arrival.

Had my usual shower routine but because of my Seroma (pocket of fluids/puss) I had a major challenge to clean out the wound, re-insert the gauze wick etc.

This morning we had our compulsory lecture on eating right and fitness. We also met with a social worker who discussed some of the emotional issues. We practiced some of the exercises. After that I went back up to the 3rd floor to thank again the nurses who we loved so much and had done yeoman's job for us.

From there we headed over to the Doctors office where Leslie the nurse practitioner re-did my seroma dressing and then removed one of my last 2 drains.

Then we headed for lunch!! I ordered a piece of grilled salmon with an order of toast. Here I am brave and ready!! Guess what, all I could eat in the space of and hour was 1 bite of toast and 7 bites of well chewed fish. Then I felt like my stomach was exploding. This was my first experience on the "restrictive" element of this surgery.

The rest of the day was quite calm.

Tuesday 07/09/99

Michal flies back to Connecticut today and I go in for my upper G.I. These results will allow the doctor to decide tomorrow if I go on solids. My sugar levels are a bit high so I will start taking some insulin again.

Note: It seems that since I already had the G.I. on my second day, I don't need it again. Instead I had the nurse at the Doctors office look at my painful side. The next hour was excruciating. She re-opened my stitches, stuck in a wooden stick type Q-tip and gnawed her way around until suddenly she found the troublesome pocket and out burst a geyser of accumulated fluids and puss. After draining and cleaning the wound she showed me how to do the same (which I will have to self inflict until it clears up) which involves leaving a "wick" buried inside to draw up the fluid. The good news is that most  of the swelling has subsided as well as the pain.

Today was also my first "meal". Yes, I actually ate something. I was allowed a single poached egg and if I finished that and didn't vomit then I could have a slice of toast. Since regular drinks are still a no no, I flavoured up a glass of water with lemon and sweetener. I didn't vomit but took 45 min to complete the meal.

At bedtime I again showered and drained my wound. It came pouring out so fast that it shot right across the width of the bath.

Monday 06/09/99

Today was a major improvement pain wise. I actually cheated again and had a sip of hot chocolate. We met some Israelis at pool side and Michal is having a lot of fun playing with their children. Same diet, same oozing with no drainage.

Today was again nothing spectacular. We drove 50 Kms north to Carlsbad to spend the day there with Michal at Lego Land. I had rented a motorised cart to get a about and part of the time I walked. This eve I had my second B/M since the surgery and basically my balloon drain has stopped accumulating blood yet there is still some oozing. Pain from the left abdomen has not diminished and it concerns me.

Lots of calls from well wishers. Many from Israel. Lots of reading and praying. Planned trip tomorrow with Michal to Lego Land, if I'm up to it. Met with hotel management with  recommendations to improve services and facilities. I guess I'm getting pretty bored. Snuck a single zip of apple juice. No adverse affects. Tracey already advised the building that if the see me around the corner to lock up any drink or food lying around. Overkill if you asked me.

Friday 03/09/99

Pretty mundane  day. Called Dr. Clark about some of the oozing and pain. Walked, ate (barely). Worked on email and some business documents.

Thursday 02/09/99

n-restrictive which is unusual for someone that has had previous urinary scarring. Early morning rise and I went for a walk. Had my 1/2 Jell-O for breakfast, showered and changed my dressings. Spent a good part of the day on the phone with well wishers and did some web site uploadings. Noticed some leakage in one of my drains.

Still a hard day but this was the day that depending on certain objectives I would be released.
First I had to urinate, which I did by 2:00 P.M.
Second the results of my latest blood tests  and upper G.I. had to be ok. They were. Also, I had to be able to walk on my own as well as have oxygen gases in excess of 90 which I had. Although I was running a slight fever (100 deg F), this was considered within acceptable norms.
Tracey and Michal picked me up in the latter part of the afternoon for the ride back to the hotel. The nursing staff showed me how to change my dressings, vent my drains and shower properly.
Dinner in the hotel consisted of clear broth and 1/2 Jell-O with some water. This took me 1.5 hrs to put down.

Tuesday 31/08/99

This was a hard day. I was quite groggy. They managed to get me to have some water. They removed my catheter which was quite painful. I couldn't pass any urine until wed. I was wheeled down to x-rays for an upper G.I., all the while connected to at least 4 drains. Sleeping was very uncomfortable yet I was allowed to control my morphine drip and thus reduced the discomfort. The bed itself is unbelievable. It was designed especially for Bariatrics in mind and offered a whole range of computer adjustments to minimise discomfort. I had a private phone, t.v. and shower. The service was second to none and the nurses and caregivers were excellent.
 

Left the hotel at 7:00 A.M. for the hospital. Checked in at admitting and went up to the Same Day Care Services department. Hung around for about 1/2 hr. My surgery was scheduled for approx. 10:45. At 9:00 I was told to lay on a bed in the prep room. This is the second to last stage before final surgery. Here a young male paramedic in training named Shaun began prepping me. First he shaved my chest, then washed and scrubbed my chest with special detergents and left it to dry, covered in special hygienic sheets. I was also given a blood thinner and my legs were placed in elastic stockings to minimise the risk of blood clots. Normally I would have been given a sedative by this time however they decided to do the surgery a little earlier. By 9:30 I was given a last chance to see Tracey and Michal and after kisses from both of them I was whisked into the final staging area prior to surgery. It is here that they transfer you to a gurney however in my case they decided to wait until a was completely anesthetised. The next stage involved meeting with the Anesthesiologist to address and last minute questions I have. Then another nurse came in and reviewed with me my final agreement to proceed with the surgery including acceptance of all side affects and possible complications. As soon as I was transferred to the operating theatre it took exactly 5 seconds and I was completely under.

I was awakened around 1:30 P.M. by the recovery room nurse and had my breathing tube removed. I was also quite aware of their attempt to catheterize me which felt extremely uncomfortable. An hour later Tracey and Michal were allowed in to visit. By 4:00 I was wheeled into my private room on the 3rd floor. The room was very comfortable and very luxurious. The whole hospital was so impeccably clean you could eat off the floors. At this point I am not completely aware of all the tubes that are connected to me. I believe that other then the catheter there were at least 4 other drains attached to my abdomen. Some involved large bags and others were connected just to vials. It was the next day that I began to regret having the procedure done.

B"H

Last free day to go. We took the trolley down to Tijuana Mexico today and basically I fasted. In the evening I took my prescribed Citrate of Magnesia to clean out my system for tomorrow. Some of you have been emailing me asking about my feelings. I have not yet begun the predicted withdrawal symptoms. I don't yet feel anxious yet I'm sure that seeing my family's eyes tomorrow, minutes before the procedure will bring up many emotions. Michal wrote me a secret message to keep by my bedside while I'm under the anesthesia. Tracey seems more nervous then me. Perhaps it's because I've done so much to prepare myself for this. Time will tell. I'll keep you all updated. Don't forget that this will be my last upload until either wed or Thurs. since I'll still be in the hospital. Check with Vicky for last minute news.

Saturday 28/08/99

Second free day before V-Day. We went on a cruise around San Diego Harbour and saw the world famous Naval Shipyards (see image). In the evening we saw a film (Runaway Bride) with Michal and had my last major meal (grilled cheese sandwich) for many months. It's amazing how a sudden memory flashback of my Bubby taking me to Woolworth's at 8 years old for a grilled cheese and milk shake gave me this sudden craving. I guess soon I will be savouring memories and odours of cooking instead of stuffing myself to the gills. Tomorrow it's all Jell-O and broth's. Breathing exercises getting better. Bought my bottle of Citrate of Magnesia which I will have to use tomorrow evening to prepare myself for Monday's anesthesia.

Friday 27/08/99

Today is my first day off leading up to Monday's surgery. We spent the day at Sea World with Michal, making sure she had a good time. The next few days will be just as traumatic for her as it will be for me. She needs our support as well. My diet still remains unchanged. Sunday's food intake will be different in order to prepare the gut for changes. Continued practicing with my muscle trainer. Had my 1st to last big meal. For those of you who have sending me email.. thanks for the kind thoughts. My last posting before the operation will be sunday night. Since I will be in the hospital for 2 days I won't be in condition to post updates until wednesday or thursday. For those of you that will be on pins and needles, please email my secretary Vicky at: vicky@acces.com  and she will reply to you with the latest news. I will be maintaining this link for a few weeks, including the progress of my weight loss and complications if any.

Thursday 26/08/99

Did my pre-op tests today at the hospital. Had my first interview with the surgeon. Operation scheduled for Monday the 30th. Chest X-ray ok. Ultrasound ok. Had my 2nd to last big meal. Tomorrow I hope to spend the day with my wife and daughter Michal touring around the city. Practiced breathing with my Inspiratory Muscle Trainer.

Left Montreal to San Diego via Chicago. Picked up Michal enroute and arrived in S.D. early evening. Practiced breathing with my Inspirotory Muscle Trainer.