Testimonial
November 2, 2007 marked six months from the day I had Bariatric surgery and I wanted to report an update on my progress. The photo taken just after surgery in San Francisco (it is really hard for me to look at) and one taken last Saturday are posted on this web page. I have enjoyed wondrous improvements to my health – no more diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. And I have reduced the pressure settings on my c-pap machine (for sleep apnea) by over half. And I am down 126 pounds. I expect that I will continue to lose over the next year about another 40-50 pounds. I am eating now pretty much what I want --- but I just simply do not want much :-)

This is an opportunity to say thank you – for all the kind words of support, unfaltering encouragement, and, most of all, for all those that prayed for me and my family. This experience has taught me that a person’s true net worth is measured by the quality of their personal relationships. And for what I have experienced, I know that by that measure I am truly a wealthy man.

But most of all I wanted to express my thanks to God. I was blessed in the process of deciding on the surgery and finding my awesome surgeon in Dr. John Husted. I was blessed to survive the surgery itself. And I have been blessed in my recovery. My church alone, especially the mighty hearts of the Fidelis Sunday school class, showed me the power of God’s love over and over again. There was a time last year in the midst of my son, Austin's sickness that I had almost given up hope. But through Him Austin and I are recovering. Surely this is a testament that through Him anything is possible.

UPDATE - February 2, 2008, Saturday marked the 9th month since my surgery. I have lost 150 pounds 40% of my pre surgery body weight. But I have doubled my stamina and energy. When enough time clears from my schedule I will undertake another surgery to repair an upper abdominal hernia and get rid of about 20 pounds of excess skin.

I have noticed two new developments in myself since the surgery. First, I have gained a sense of peace I had not had in years. Before, my life seemed out of control. I was dealing in what seemed like constant chaos. Today the challenges at least on paper are as daunting as ever but I am enjoying the battle rather than fighting for survival. The other is that I have renewed many old relationships. I think that my state had kept me from keeping up old friendships because I was ashamed of what I had become. Now I understand that life if anything is about the relationships you have with people and your creator. I wish you all this same peace.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. And that goes for Austin as well. Austin continues to heal. In what is a major step for him, Saturday he will go on his first date! Surely time and God’s grace heals all things.

ONE YEAR UPDATE - May 2, 2008 - Last Friday marked the one year period since I had the duodenal switch operation in San Francisco. Statistically, since that date I have lost 162 pounds and 18 inches from my waist. I have also lost high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, the sciatic nerve pain which kept my left thigh alternately numb and burning in pain, the numbness in the bottom of my feet, recurring bouts of bronchitis, chronic asthma and nearly all of my sleep apnea.

But most notably to me are things which I did not lose and what I have gained. I did not lose all of my bad habits or shortcomings. I am still far from an ideal father, husband, son, brother, friend or Christian. I hope that the next year I can gain ground in all those areas. I have remarked to friends that it seems since I lost weight people seem to treat me as if I am more intelligent. But losing weight does not make you smarter. Nor does it make you necessarily a better person.

But I have gained a new appreciation for life. I have renewed old friendships, developed new ones and come to appreciate the value of those relationships I already had. Through that I gained the understanding nothing we do will be more lasting than the relationships we make during our lifetime. We are in this world together and we owe it to ourselves to support and love one another.

I also gained the understanding of how powerful prayers can be. Not just those offered for you but those that you can offer to others. I gained humility in how limited my power is and how infinite God’s will always be. And most of all I gained a new understanding of God’s grace. And, just how awesome that simple promise really can be.

At this time I would also, once again, as you to do something important and remarkable for me. On Tuesday May 13th, I will once again have surgery. This time it will be in Nashville at St.Thomas hospital. This procedure is intended to repair a large upper abdominal hernia and in the process remove what is expected to be about 15 pounds of excess skin from my lower abdomen. The procedure will last about 8 hours and after a 2-4 day stay the expected recovery is about 45 days. As I did a year ago, I would humbly ask that you pray for me and my family. Last year that meant literally everything to us.

God’s blessings and my kindest regards,
Scott Lucas