Winter 2004

 

As a former Marine, I know what it takes to accomplish the unthinkable.  I began my enlistment in 1988; stationed at Kaneohe Bay (Hawaii) Marine Corps Air Station, I was trained as a small weapons technician. During my enlistment I engaged in many athletic activities, one being power lifting.  As a power lifter, I knew that body mass index (BMI) wasn't a major concern, especially to Super Heavyweights like I was.  At my peak output, I accomplished a maximum ("Max") bench press of 633 1/2 lbs; this "max" press was, at the time, within 75 lbs of a world record. While on deployment to Japan, I was also a member of an all Marine football team.  We competed against the other three branches of service; Army, Navy, and Air Force.  I had a great deal of pride in my workouts and my abilities, and also enjoyed sharing workout ideas with anyone who might be interested.

Following my enlistment in the Armed Forces, I became very lazy and spent much of my time drinking alcohol and eating fast food.  Needless to say, I lost interest in staying in top physical condition, which resulted in a tremendous amount of weight gain.  Because of this rapid weight gain, I developed several severe medical problems.  From high blood pressure to chronic back pains, I was miserable.  Activities such as riding my bike, or going for nature hikes were nearly impossible. In no time I weighed 362 pounds, and knew that life would never be the same.  I was wandering aimlessly, and without a purpose, then one day it all changed. 

While enjoying the daily activity of eating a bag of potato chips, and sitting on the couch watching my favorite television program, I saw something that would prove to be a moment in time that I'll never forget; a commercial advertising Bariatric Surgery.  At the time, I had never heard of the procedure, nor did I realize how much it would change my life. 

As the days passed, I decided to investigate my options for Bariatric Surgery, and if it was right for me.  I scheduled a visit with my family doctor, Dr Lakshmi Seshadri of Hilliard Family Practice to discuss Bariatric Surgery, and was quickly referred to Mid Ohio Surgical, to see Dr Phillip Price.  After the initial consultation with Dr Price, I was provided with a list of instructions of how to progress to the next phase, and was told that I was a good candidate for the surgery.  As a candidate for Bariatric Surgery, I knew that big changes were in my future. 

My journey to reach the highest mountain peak in the world began on November 14th, 2004.  The day began as any other had in the past, but ended with a new outlook on life.  I was fragile and exposed to the world in a way I had never been.  While recovering, in my hospital room, I had plenty of time to reflect on who I am, and how precious my family and friends are to me.  After a brief recovery period, I returned to my home to begin my transformation.  This transformation would ultimately guide my life in a new direction.......up.

Since early childhood I've always been fascinated with mountain climbers and their abilities to overcome the near impossible; prior to my weight loss of 167 lbs, I never imagined I could do it.  After viewing a Discovery Channel documentary about climbing Mt Everest; Everest Beyond the Limit, I knew that I had to try it for myself.  For a while, I kept my thoughts to myself.  Then one day while sitting in a restaurant, I looked at Brenda, my wife, and said "I sure wish I could climb Mt Everest"; she responded by saying "why can't you".  That day was the turning point for me and I've been focused on mountain climbing ever since. 

I know that mountain climbing is dangerous and climbers need to be in perfect physical condition.  It had been at least a decade and a half since my last workout, but having a goal was the perfect motivator.  The first step was to develop a training schedule, then gradually work my way into it.  In the beginning my workouts were unsatisfying and usually resulted in going home very sore.  However, it didn't take long to begin seeing the results of my hard work.  Other people began watching my workouts and the intensity that I brought to the workout room.  I developed a wide variety of training programs and techniques; Cardio and strength conditioning had become a very large part of my life.  During my workouts I visualize standing on the top of a mountain, looking down at all of those people eating their bags of potato chips, and sitting on their couches.  I would think to myself "I wish I could help them see how their lives could change with diet and exercise".  My focus was, and still is, of being the strongest that I have ever been.