So I had pretty much resigned myself to being a really fat man the rest of my life. My lie: There weren't that many things I was missing out on. I am enjoying life. I can work with this. I am a confident man who knows his limitations. I'll be ok. Besides, who wants to go to baseball or football games, concerts, overseas vacations with my family, ride a motorcycle or bicycle or run. Doesn't sound like I'm missing much. Well, I was wrong. I wasn't just missing a few things, I was limiting myself in pretty much everything I did on a daily basis.
Fat people always have to start anything new from a negative place. Everyone sees you as fat even before they see you as a person. When you're fat, really fat, there is no hiding your failures.
At 35, it almost killed me. I hit my highest weight, 530 lbs, right before I went into the hospital with a bacterial infection called Necrotizing Fasciitis. A year later, afer surgery and many weeks in intensive care, I had a scar, many failures, but no real change. I wish I could tell you it was just a switch that I flipped but it wasn't. It was failure after failure which finally turned into a small victories. Then taking the small successes and turning them into big ones. I am at 280 lbs, three years from the 530 lbs, and, by no means, done with my journey. This war with myself and food will last the rest of my life. A relentless battle, but I am so glad I started fighting.
We're all very proud of you, Ryan. Your relentless road has inspired the family and my prayer is that it eventually inspires many people who have lost hope. Well done!
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