Eastern Oklahoma Catholic June 2012 : Page 31
Weight lost and a life regained through bariatric surgery sports at Rogers High School in Tulsa. He hunted, fished and had a racing career that covered everything from Formula Fords to motorcycles. The weight started to come on about 10 years ago, after seven years of marriage to his wife, Janeann, a nurse he met at St. John Medical Center as an inpa-tient. Little by little, Brock’s life changed. Lymphedema forced him to wear pres-sure bandages on his legs. He started helping another racer build motors and set up chas-sis when he became too big to drive. He no longer had the stamina to mow his own lawn. Not able to tie his own shoes, he bought pairs with no laces. At a well-known amusement park, in front of a line of people, he was denied a seat on a ride. Too big. Clothes make the Brock’s love of man, and Jim Brock hunting and fishing finds himself fre-was curtailed. Getting quently buying new clothes after bariat-into a tree stand was ric surgery helped unthinkable. “At 410 him take more than pounds, you fall out a 20 inches off his tree, you’re dead,” he waist. says. Unable to stand in a boat, casting a line became nearly impossible. here were many rea-Shopping wasn’t any better. “I’m the sons Jim Brock wanted guy that would drive around the Walmart to change his life. This parking lot, looking for a parking place was just one of them. near the door,” he says. A little more than a year ago, Brock reached his limit. He went searching for Brock was in line at a sporting goods a program that offered effective, sub-store, standing behind a man who had stantial weight loss. He chose the Weight been watching an obese man ahead of Management Institute at St. John Medical him. “Can you believe the size of that Center. guy?” the man in line said. He turned Among the newest programs in the St. around and looked at Brock. John Health System, the Institute offers “He doesn’t want to be that way,” Brock comprehensive, medically supervised said. “I promise.” weight loss solutions, including bariat-Brock knew. At the time, he weighed ric surgery, diet counseling, nutrition 410 pounds. analysis, and meal planning; lifestyle As a kid, Brock was husky, but not and diabetes education, physical activity fat. He was athletic and active, playing readiness assessment, and group sup-port both pre-and post-operation. The Institute offers patients “an individualized plan, using one of three surgical options with the help of a dietitian and exercise physiologist,” adds Michael Arroyo, MD, medical director of the Bariatric Surgery Center, a part of the Weight Management Institute. Brock was placed on a medically su-pervised weight program prior to surgery. Between prep time for surgery and clear-ance from his insurance company, Brock became frustrated with the wait. “My wife came to me and said, ‘Let the Lord handle it. He’ll do it when it’s right,’” Brock recalls. Brock underwent a sleeve gastrec-tomy (sometimes called a gastric sleeve), performed by Dr. Arroyo, in September 2011. The procedure removes all but about 25 percent of the stomach using laparoscopy, permanently reducing the size of the stomach. The procedure “of-fered Jim an extra tool to help keep the weight off,” says Dr. Arroyo. In little more than seven months since his surgery, Brock is transformed. The size 56 pants he wore at the peak of his weight have been replaced by 34s. Now more than 160 pounds lighter, much of what was set aside in his life, including lace shoes, has returned. “I jump in and out of the boat now,” he says of his renewed fishing adventures. “I’m almost like a kid again.” Only two downsides cloud Brock’s new life: healthy fruits and vegetables cost more than processed foods, and, since he’s still losing weight, clothes shopping has become a constant. “I give my jeans to a guy at work,” he says. “He’s gotten jeans that I’ve worn three, four times. They don’t fit (any) more.” But he’s not going back to the way he was. As a reminder of his old life, Brock kept a 4x shirt; even at that size, his for-mer stomach protruded from the bottom when he wore it. “Now,” he says, “(my kids) hug me and say, ‘Hey, Daddy, we can put our arms around you.’” T By Brad Phelps, St. John Medical Center | Photography by Jeremy Charles 31
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