My story now appears on the University of Chicago website.

Bariatric Patient Loses 300lbs, Gains Years and Quality of Life

In 2010, Ron Garrison, of South Haven, Ind., reached his peak weight of nearly 500 pounds – and not for lack of trying to slim down. For nearly two decades the military veteran had tried the gamut of weight loss approaches, from medically-supervised diets and exercise plans to online schemes promising dramatic results. Nothing worked; he continued to gain weight and, with it, health complications.

With a body mass index of nearly 67, Garrison suffered from type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and more. The former firefighter got to the point he could no longer fit into the gear and had to give up his job. When he joined the Masonic Lodge and saw a photo of himself in a tuxedo, he realized the gravity of his situation for the first time. That same year, despite taking nearly 12 medications to keep his health under control, Garrison was given a startling prognosis – only three years left to live. The father of one decided it was time to consider bariatric surgery.