Losing it...

[Daniel Meyer]

I just looked up "determination" in my Webster's and saw your picture !!  Great work Daniel !!

It's in there next to "discipline" too  ...

https://www.prageru.com/video/discipline-freedom/

-Mike

Set that lecture to music and...
https://youtu.be/PEzQu9JYBfQ

[Daniel Meyer]

58" jeans...and there came a time I couldn't fasten THOSE...OR the 60"s that followed.



Skin removal surgery next week...

[NewValker]

Daniel, hope the surgery goes well.
Just wanted to say that you're a hero to all us fat kids that strive to lose weight!
I'm down 66 pounds in just under 3 years. (Nothing compared to you, but I'm doing ok)

Thanks,
Craig

[Daniel Meyer]

Daniel, hope the surgery goes well.
Just wanted to say that you're a hero to all us fat kids that strive to lose weight!
I'm down 66 pounds in just under 3 years. (Nothing compared to you, but I'm doing ok)

Thanks,
Craig

Awesome! Rock on!!

[f6gal]

Skin removal surgery next week...

Good luck with surgery!  Are they doing all at once?

[Jess from VA]

I don't have too much skin, I just have really old worn out skin.

I'd like some new young skin, or maybe one of those colorful automotive wraps.   

[Daniel Meyer]

Skin removal surgery next week...

Good luck with surgery!  Are they doing all at once?

Yep...complete lower body lift and the upper arms. Should be all I need.

Hope so. Won't be able to swing a second surgery. Barely had the means to do this one, and had to force the issue with work to even get the time off.

[Daniel Meyer]

Well...laying here in considerable pain... necessarily a day for reflection. Mortality. Journeys. Transformation. Ends. Beginnings. And to a certain degree, penance are the subjects.

And I'll admit I had a degree of anxiety. I've been under the knife several times before, in several circumstances...many more than I care to admit actually...but always that's been acute treatment...and I've been in so much pain or distress already that worrying about the upcoming treatment wasn't a serious issue as whatever it was...it couldn't be worse than what I was experiencing...

But this time...walking in under my own power. Feeling fine. Weeee.

Friday was the day...Saturday just vanished in pain an dfog.

I've got some serious/significant new scars...that's okay though...I've chosen these, and I've lose the last of the massive old scars...the things that happened to me...and the things that were done to me...the painful and visible reminders of those times vanished without a trace. At least, the reminders that are on the outside.

Excess skin removal is it's own reminder though...one of how bad I allowed myself to become.

It's kind of a big deal...there's rather a lot of it...falls on the "serious" spectrum of surgeries...seemingly MILES of incisions...but the recovery should be fairly rapid because there's no muscle reconstruction/etc needed...though, today you couldn't convince me of that.

Still, three weeks at least off work...minimum of six weeks before strenuous physical activity. That's gonna drive me nuts.

I should NOT have looked up the procedures on the 'net to see what they were gonna do to me LOL!

Ugh...maybe by this time tomorrow I'll be hoping to survive...

[Valkorado]

Sure doesn't sound like Disneyland, Daniel.  I'd tell you to hang tough but you already are.  Much respect sir.

[0leman]

This to will pass, 2 months from now you will be back doing most of what you like minus a lot of extra weight. 

[Daniel Meyer]

NOT for the faint of heart...

I mentioned there was rather a lot of it and it was a serious surgery...

GRAPHIC PHOTO DON'T CLICK if ya don't wanna know...
http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/skin1_crop.jpg

That's a 12" ruler in the middle of it....

[DirtyDan]

 

I'll take your word for it

Dan

[Jess from VA]

Kinda reminding me of the Silence of the Lambs (guy making a suit of skin).

I'm not gonna look again. 

On the up side, you must be getting near the end of this transformation adventure. 

[Daniel Meyer]

On the up side, you must be getting near the end of this transformation adventure. 

I am at the end of the tearing me down part of the journey. Time to rebuild myself into something better....

[Valker]

I see that you went back sansnavel??

[da prez]

Modern medicine is beyond what most people think is possible. I was in a military hospital in 66. I was not among the Returning wounded from Nam. What the Drs. were doing to put them back together was beyond comprehension.  Daniel , I am very proud of your commitment to yourself and your bride.
 See you at I Z.

        da prez

[f6gal]

I see that you went back sansnavel??

No worries... they built him a new one.

[Daniel Meyer]

I see that you went back sansnavel??

No worries... they built him a new one.

Yep, installed a new one...it's actually a series of ligaments, they just made a new hole in the proper location.

[Serk]

Wow! Very impressive!

Just curious because I have a morbid sense of curiosity about such things, did they tell you how much they removed poundage wise?

(Or, knowing you, did you weigh yourself before and after?)

[f6gal]

Wow! Very impressive!

Just curious because I have a morbid sense of curiosity about such things, did they tell you how much they removed poundage wise?

(Or, knowing you, did you weigh yourself before and after?)

I'm guessing not as much as you'd think... skin doesn't really weigh that much.  

[Daniel Meyer]

Wow! Very impressive!

Just curious because I have a morbid sense of curiosity about such things, did they tell you how much they removed poundage wise?

(Or, knowing you, did you weigh yourself before and after?)

I'm guessing not as much as you'd think... skin doesn't really weigh that much.  

They told the wife...but she was understandably distracted and I was out of it. I'll know more Thursday when I meet the the surgeon.

Had a followup today and they pulled a couple of the drains...so I'm at least a little more interested in surviving today. Rest should come out Thursday...

Scale doesn't help...as I'm quite swollen/puffy...in more areas then just where they worked. Gonna take months before that settles...

What I'm going to be interested in is what the body fat % (InBody) indicates....

He DID tell the wife mine is the most dramatic case he's worked on...AND they normally do liposuction while they're at it to pull any excess fat...but they didn't on me as I didn't have any excess... 

Hard work pays.

[Avanti]

Hard work and far beyond, with an unimaginable pay back.
A journey worth taking.

[Daniel Meyer]

Mmmm...day 6 since the surgery. I'm pretty sure I misplaced at least a couple of those...probably left 'em back with some of those missing days in the 1970's.

Big incisions all over the place. Elbow to underarms, both sides, completely around the belt, and several around the groin. I'd guess there's more than 70" total.

Saw the PA Tuesday. Looked good then and got two of four drains pulled.

Following up with the surgeon this morning to see how everything's doing and hopefully lose the other drains.

Decent night last night...flames and demons and seriously painful battles to the death only featured in about half the dreams last night...and I'm not soaked in sweat or blood this morning.

So...that's an improvement. For the moment anyway, I'm resolutely ignoring the two very powerful painkillers they've supplied me with. We'll see how the day goes.

But yes, of course I'm still taking the antibiotics.

When I'll feel human is when they'll let me shower...I can excuse a LOT of humanity's ills if I can waste a bunch of hot water.

[Chrisj CMA]

Daniel, you are to top of the pile as far as an example of this. When I worked in the hospital I overheard surgeons talking at lunch. One said to the other. "Remember incisions heal side to side not end to end". That has always stuck with me

Heal well! You're on the down hill slope. A few more easier days

[Daniel Meyer]

Back from the surgeon. He's happy! No complications or signs of infection (the most common complication in something this intrusive). Rest of the drains are pulled so I can shower tonight (and be human again).

He told the wife I was one of the most dramatic/rewarding cases of this type he's worked on. Normally they do liposuction everywhere they can reach to get rid of excess fat...extends healing time and pain due to the trauma and fluid they inject to dissolve the fat...they did NO lipo on me...there wasn't any extra fat (sub 13% is what he's saying). So, when I bring it back up to an athletic 15% I'll be in very nice shape.

I am as wrapped in compression garments as a man can be without actually dying...and swollen in places that shouldn't be allowed...but feeling pretty good though.

No painkillers since last night. If I can sleep without 'em tonight that hump is crossed.

[Skinhead]

AWESOME!  Keep it up.

[Daniel Meyer]

My WTH moment for last night....

So, got to pull ALL the compression wraps last night in order to shower....

The wraps suck by they way. Practically have to launch the wife across the room to get some of 'em tight enough LOL.

Anyway, all the wraps off...even WITH all the swelling and puffiness...in the mirror....

"Holy $$*&^t. I have a waist."

[Willow]

   Don't go chasing odd women just because you look so much better.   

[The emperor has no clothes]

  Don't go chasing odd women just because you look so much better.   

Even women would be ok ? 

[Serk]

 Don't go chasing odd women just because you look so much better.  

And whatever you do, don't go chasing strange women lying in ponds distributing swords, because as we all know, that's no basis for a system of government!

[Willow]

  Don't go chasing odd women just because you look so much better.   

And whatever you do, don't go chasing strange women laying in ponds distributing swords, because as we all know, that's no basis for a system of government!

Lying, Serk.  Lay is an active verb.   

[Daniel Meyer]

  Don't go chasing odd women just because you look so much better.   

Heh...already got the odd woman I want. Had her a long time

[Willow]

  Don't go chasing odd women just because you look so much better.   

Heh...already got the odd woman I want. Had her a long time

   

[Daniel Meyer]

Turns out I'm also recovering from hernia surgery...
http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/2019/11/17/groan/

[Daniel Meyer]

My current look:

http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/2019/11/21/my-current-look/

[hubcapsc]

Hang in there... you must be past the hardest stuff by now...

-Mike

[Daniel Meyer]

205 on my scale.

Still a lot of swelling from the surgery...barely human today...

[Willow]

Here's wishing you healing and a return to full humanity.

You and I are the same weight now but you're carrying it better.   

[Daniel Meyer]

Here's wishing you healing and a return to full humanity.

You and I are the same weight now but you're carrying it better.   

Thanks! Here's hoping the "tearing myself down" phase is complete and I can continue the "rebuild".

Still plan on working hard...seems these older chassis don't last forever and parts are kind of hard to get

[Willow]

...
Still plan on working hard...seems these older chassis don't last forever and parts are kind of hard to get

LOL!   They also don't build up as quickly as they once did but you are the disciplined and determined guy.  You will prevail!