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Here's some before and
after shots. The pictures tell the story!
Hello, my name is Rich and
I used to be in your position. I was 35 years old and my weight
had climbed to 360 pounds. I did not notice it at the time, but
my overall health was in bad shape. I have worked for a towing
company in Fort Myers since the early 1980s. Big trucks, wrecks,
the Florida sun and being more than 150 pounds overweight are
not a good combination.
Food addiction is and will always be my problem. I had tried
many different diets--you name it I tried it. Some worked for a
while, but I failed at all of them. I knew I needed to do
something about my weight. In February of 2008, I reached my all
time high-- 380 pounds.
My primary doctor knew about my struggles and recommended Dr.
Moses Shieh. I made an appointment with Dr. Shieh and told him
my story. Dr. Shieh suggested the LAP-BAND. Dr. Shieh even gave
me his cell phone number in case I had a question, which made me
know that I could trust him.
I started going to the group therapy and learning from other
people who had the surgery already, and I met with a
nutritionist to learn how to eat properly. Every little step I
took was a learning process.
I had my surgery on Nov. 11. After checking in, I felt very
comfortable. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in recovery.
As the anesthesia wore off, I had no major pain. Hours after
surgery, I noticed a feeling I could not explain. I was no
longer hungry. It was the best feeling ever.
Less than three months after surgery, my primary doctor had
discontinued most of my medications. I joined a gym, took on
larger tasks with my free time and my productivity picked up at
work. I even started the process of joining the Florida Highway
Patrol Auxiliary. This required me to take a physical ability
test that without this surgery, I would have never ever passed.
As of June 2009, I have lost 135 pounds! I have gone from size
52 pants to size 40-42. My shirt size went from 5XL to large. My
memory is better than I ever thought possible, but best of all I
have energy now! I feel so much better not only about my
physical body, but my overall attitude toward life.
I wish you all the best on your journey.
Rich Pascarelli
Bariatric Center
Lee Memorial Hospital
2776 Cleveland Avenue
Fort Myers, FL 33901
239-332-1111
Click here for a map and driving directions |
