Fleischer relates story of past year following Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy

In 2019, my then-pregnant-with-twins daughter Jenny Potter sat me down and said, bluntly, “I want you to be around for these grand babies. You need to look at duodenal switch surgery.” Duodenal switch is one of the types of bariatric surgery available today.

I did. I made an appointment with a bariatric surgeon at Baylor-Scott & White in Temple for January 2020. I knew ahead of time that my insurance would not pay for bariatric surgery, but had socked money away for several years into a Health Savings Account.

What a life-changing appointment that has turned out to be not only for me but for my wonderful, supportive, loving wife Marilyn and the rest of my family. I want to share this journey with my loyal and supportive readers and community who have watched from the sidelines for the past several months

Dr. Monique Hassan was my surgeon and she laid out the process that I would have to go through to even qualify for the surgery. First, I had to pass a stress test, which at that time was something I may or may not have been able to do.

In February 2020, I had a chemical stress test, which showed that my heart was as strong as it was following my heart attack at age 39 on May 5, 2006 and subsequent triple by-pass surgery at age 40 in January 5, 2007. Had to opt for the chemical stress test because I could not have done the traditional treadmill version (too fat and legs too weak, something that it is humbling to admit to even today).

I was cleared by cardiologist, Dr. Timothy Mixon, in terms of my heart health.

Next hurdle was gut health. I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy in March 2020, a week before the hospitals stopped doing elective surgeries due to the beginnings of COVID-19 in Texas. Turns out that what I thought was just heartburn was GERD. I was prescribed omeprazole to add to my blood pressure, cholesterol and gout medicines. What a difference that made not to have a burning throat as part of trying to go to sleep every night!

COVID-19 set my path back several months, during which I went through depression and gained weight. Stupid, I know, but typical of a food addict to eat and drink at life’s problems.

In August, my team at BS&W called and booked me for a sleep study. My good friend, the late Chris Spradley told me years and years ago that he wanted to get me in for a sleep study and that I was a walking textbook case of obstructive sleep apnea.

Turns out from that horrible night in the sleep lab that I have very serious sleep apnea… like 63 times an hour of stopping breathing. So I got a CPAP machine that I had to wear for at least a month to show that I was using the machine to get better sleep.

Again, what a difference it made to actually not wake up 63 times an hour. Marilyn says looking back at those days, that she would have to jostle me to wake up so I would breathe at night. She said she knew I had apnea because my body would go cold and I would gurgle, snort and snore loud enough to wake the dead (but not myself).

With that hurdle cleared, we set a date for surgery. On November 5, 2020, I had vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). 

To do that, however, I had to undergo a liver-shrinking diet for two weeks, which consisted of two to three protein shakes (30 grams of protein and 160 cals each) and a small meal of 3-4 oz. protein and green, low carb vegetables. 

In late September 2020, I weighed the heaviest I have in my entire life: 365 lbs. Royce Wiggin took the picture of me that accompanies this story while I was unaware. It is hard to believe I let myself get into that condition, but I had.

I weighed 355 lbs. the day I began the pre-op diet. It is imperative that candidates shrink their liver enough for the surgeon to do laproscopic surgery. Otherwise, they may have to cancel surgery or do an invasive form of it. I had done a good job of it, according to my surgeon, though! On surgery morning I weighed 339 lbs.

I did a good enough job walking after surgery that I was released to go home at 4 p.m. that same day. Many patients have to spend a night or two in the hospital, but I was able to sleep in my bed that night.

Getting out of it, however, was a challenge with five puncture wounds through my abdominal muscles and layers of fat.

The surgery was this: my stomach was cut vertically from top to bottom and 75-85% of it removed.

They also removed a small tumor that was benign but may have grown undetected into something far more serious and dangerous if left alone. So I got double my money’s worth!

I stayed at home for two weeks and slowly began to return to work as I transitioned fom clear liquids to protein shakes and finally to soft foods. During those two weeks, I was told to begin walking (to help get the gas from my surgery out of my body). I could only drink a few teaspoons at a time every 15-30 minutes in those first two weeks while the long incision along my stomach healed.

In the transition to soft foods, I was told to take tiny bites (pea-size) and chew 15-25 times to liquify the food, which I did. I had read of the struggles others had with this stage in online support groups, but I didn’t suffer; I think mostly because I followed the plan I was given to the letter.

In the first three months that I was able to eat solid foods, I was told to hit a mark of 45-60 grams of protein per day and to avoid carbs (which fill you up without as much nutritional density).

Using Myfitnesspal app, I logged and recorded and measured everything I ate and drank. I logged my walks (which began on Main Street with less than a mile and then adding more as I could do it).

In the first six months following surgery, I lost 100 lbs. Since then, in the last six months, I have lost another 40 lbs.

At the six month visit, I was told to increase my protein intake to 60 grams per day, which I hit regularly and without depending on protein shakes or powders.

This surgery gave me the tool to develop discipline in my approach at life. I plan ahead with menus to follow, knowing that life throws curve balls at you. I leave flexibility in my plan and adapt to changes in my schedule.

I am still losing weight, but have begun to add muscle, thanks to Gary Bartlett and Joe Young (owner and personal trainer, respectively at Anytime Fitness in the Salado Plaza Shopping Center). For anyone beginning to lift weights, start with a trainer who can help prevent you from hurting yourself and can teach you exercises that can challenge you.

Most days, I wake up at 6 a.m. and hit Main Street by 6:30 a.m. I love our sidewalks! It makes for a safe and beautiful walk up Main Street, which is dotted with so much art and history and stunning views. I park my truck at Michael Pritchett’s Sirril Gallery and walk up Main St. to Anytime, lift weights for 30-45 minutes, and walk back to the truck. On the weekends, I make it around College Hill ruins and College Hill drive to stretch the two-mile walk into a three-mile walk. 

I discovered Librivox, which is an audiobook app that features literature that is in the open domain. The books are free and are read by volunteers who love reading these stories. I have listened to classics ranging from The Count of Monte Cristo to H. Rider Haggard’s She trilogy to Myths and Legends of Greece and Rome to Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I have so much more to listen to in the years ahead!

I keep a food scale at home and one at my office to measure the dense foods (meats, nuts, avocadoes) because I still don’t trust my eyes. When I eat out, I opt for the lean meats: sirloin, tenderloin, chicken breast and fish. 

I haven’t “eliminated” anything. I “avoid” certain types of foods, meaning I don’t eat them often at all. 

I avoid fried foods. First, because of my GERD and secondly because of the high fat content.

I avoid white foods: white bread, white potatoes, white rice and white salad dressings. I still use blue cheese dressing sparingly and rarely (and appreciate it more on those few occasions when I do). I opt for oil based dressings instead. A serving of blue cheese dressing has 220 calories. A serving of most vinaigrettes has 60 or fewer.

I have my “go-to” foods: I bake egg cups with a mixture of eggs, egg whites and a protein like lean Canadian bacon to eat on during the week. I also eat smoked salmon with a small dollop of cream cheese on a quarter of a bagel as a regular breakfast.

We bake, broil and grill a lot more in our house and I look for those options when on the road.

I don’t always choose wisely. When I choose poorly, though, I don’t let it become habitual and I don’t kick myself for it. I make far fewer bad choices than I ever did before.

A week or so ago, I had my one year check up with Dr. Hassan. We ran a thorough screen of blood tests to see how I was doing and I want to share my progress with you, my readers and friends and community.

My cholesterol is 20 points in the normal range. My HDL cholesterol (the good stuff) is 48, well within the normal range, something I have not achieved in the 16 years since my heart attack. My blood sugar is 80. Before surgery, it was edging into pre-diabetes range above 100.

The doctor and I are weaning myself off of the blood pressure and cholesterol medicines. I no longer take gout medicines because I am not eating garbage that contributes to gout. I do not need to take omeprazole because I am not eating garbage that contributes to GERD symptoms. And I rarely use my CPAP machine because I have taken three inches of fat off of my throat.

This week, I hit 150 lbs. of weight loss from my high weight of 365 in August-September 2020. 

In year two, I want to take off another 20 lbs. to get to below 200 lbs. for the first time in over 30 years.

I share this with you not to brag or to pat myself on the back but in hopes that another person who faces the hardships that come with morbid obesity might find hope and a long-term solution.

And to be a reminder to me of how far I have come and what I have left in front of me.

I have had friends who have known me for years turn around and come back. 

“I don’t recognize you.”

Join the club. I don’t recognize myself either and it is humbling to say the least.

In fact, I was scrolling through Jami Smith’s Facebook post from Burt’s retirement reception and went past a photo of myself with Burt that I did not recognize. “Who is that? “ I thought and then scrolled back. “Holy (&^%*! That’s me!”

This surgery, this tool, has given me a chance at a better life. Every day I am grateful for the health I have discovered. Every day I am grateful for the chance to be Dodo to my grandchildren, Dad to my kids, Son to my mother, brother and uncle.

Most of all, though, I am grateful for more time to be Husband and Lover to Marilyn Fleischer, who has loved me so hard and so loyally and so strong for so many years, through sickness and health.

Thanks, friends, for letting me get that last bit of weight off of my chest.