New and Exciting Changes

It's been a couple of months since I've been back to write and when I signed on I saw my picture. Wow my face looks fat. Not for long though! I am in the process of getting a gastric bypass surgery. I have one thing left to do, an ultrasound of my gall bladder, before I am able to schedule my surgery date.
I've been in the process for a little over a month. I've gone through a psyc exam, two support group meetings, and a nutrition class. I've had a lot of time to think about this to be sure that it is what I really want. Since I am retired Army and having the surgery done in a military hospital, by military doctors, there is no financial cost to me. Because of that fact the Army wants to be dang sure that I really need this procedure and that I will stick to the guidelines as well as continue to eat properly and exercise so that I will keep the weight off.
I should have the surgery in the month of September if all goes as planned. I want to chronicle the progress here, with pictures. The title of those posts will be appropriately written so that if you don't want to read about it or see the process you won't have too.
I have been overweight for quite some time now, but I've been able to carry it fairly well. Recently my back has deteriorated to the point that I can hardly stand for more than a few minutes before it starts screaming in pain. I also developed a pain in my chest. It turned out to be a torn muscle, probably from lifting my considerable weight out of chairs, but it sure scared me.
I currently weigh over 360 pounds, exact details will follow, and hope to loose 50 pounds within the first 2 months after the surgery. I hope to loose 50 more pounds the following two months. I hope to loose 50-75 more pounds during the year following. That may seem high, but people have done it. I am very excited about this and am very much looking forward to this change. I can't wait to buy clothes that fit, walk up a flight of stairs without loosing my breath and my back screaming in pain, getting outside and working in the yard without ensuring there is a chair close at hand. All the things I used to take for granted.