Happy 3rd Birthday to my Lifestyle Change!

3 years ago today, my life changed forever. I will never forget June 20, 2010.

It started like any other day, except I had been experiencing shortness of breath for about 24 hours and had not gone to the hospital. That stupid decision would nearly cost me my life.

I went to work, and while walking through the parking lot...it happened.  The best way to describe what happened to me was I started to suffocate. I couldn't breathe. Or rather, I could breathe just fine, but absolutely no oxygen was making it into my bloodstream.

After I collapsed in the very hot South Carolina sun in the middle of a parking lot, I remember thinking I was having a heart attack. I was certain this was the end. I remember the feeling of disappointment at only getting to live for 37 years.

After 8 hours in the emergency room, they guessed that what almost killed me were several blood clots in my lungs. They had no way of knowing for sure because I didn't fit in any of the machines to find out.

Modern medicine couldn't even help me. I was too big.

No more.

Every few hours when they went to draw blood from me in the hospital for 6 long days, they couldn't find a vein.  Because I was so heavy.

No more.

Because of my size and condition, my mobility was severely reduced. While I was in the hospital, I had to have someone help me go to the bathroom.

No more.

Doctor after doctor treated me like I was a hopeless individual who was so far gone, I would need to either have weight loss surgery or sadly I would just eat myself to death.

No more.

Once I realized I was going to live (for the time being,)  I realized I was being given a gift.  A second chance.

The pulmonary embolism that almost took my life would keep coming back unless I changed my lifestyle.

No more.

When I was finally released a week later, I put on the same giant, almost 80-inch waist pants you see in my before picture and walked out of the hospital, head held high.

I am never coming back here, I told myself. No more.

One doctor I saw after I left the hospital told me weight loss surgery was my only option. "To do it on your own would be impossible. It would take 3 years just to lose 300 pounds."

Well doctor, I'm here today to say you were wrong. It only took 2 1/2 years to lose the first 300 pounds. It took 3 years to lose 371 pounds.

I've never really celebrated my weight loss, other than enjoying the benefits and the new life it provides me.  The reason is because I know that the only thing that matters is that I go back out and do the same thing every day.

I don't get to be this weight without earning it every day. Anything else is a lie.

Glad I made it to 3 years. Here's to many more!