Who the heck is this guy?

My life started to change drastically last year on November 19, 2009. I had just gotten home when I received a call from my sister, “Scott,” she said, “you need to get over here Dad is gone.” I asked “why do mean he is gone?” from that point forward I called my older brother and telling him “Dad is gone.” According to my mother my Dad had looked at the clock on the DVD player and went to the garage. He never came back in. It is believed that he died from a blood clot though an autopsy was never performed. We arrived at the house and Dad was still in the garage.Paramedics arrived and the coroner. I would not and could not enter the garage.I had never suffered a real loss in my lifetime up until that point. That night the last of my childhood feelings of immortality left me.

My Dad had been to the doctor that morning for a checkup followed by the dentist. The doctor had given him a clean bill of health. I later found out my Dad’s days were probably already numbered. He had had two open heart bypass surgeries in the last 30 years and I believe a minor heart attack. His last review at the Cleveland Clinic had shown the return of some blockages.  My Dad was 85 and by outward appearances in good health. My mother always the advisor of health matters to my family soon followed my Dad to Heaven in June. My Mom had in the 1990’s tried to get me to read a book by Dean Ornish who advocated a largely plant based diet.

After the age of 35 with each passing year I have gotten a little heavier and more lethargic.  I thought I was predestined to have a heart bypass just like my father. I had known that I too had heart disease because of the "American" diet.  I lived for fries, hamburgers, hotdogs, chips
and cookies.  I am a binge eater. I can put away food in a remarkable fashion. I was like a shark an eating machine.  I always thought alcoholics and smokers had it easier than me because they could go cold turkey. I have to eat to survive. My eating intensified after June and the passing of my mother. Maybe I thought it was hopeless and maybe I was hurrying my own departure along with the things I ate.

On a Tuesday morning almost 4 weeks ago my wife gave me the talk. She said “if you want to kill yourself fine,” “ I am not going to comment anymore about the things you eat.” I told her at that point that first, I had heard her and secondly I was going to make changes. Believe it or not but at that point I became a vegan. I can only say that I believe that my immediate change was divinely inspired. Maybe,
not long before that I was reading Men’s Journal and they had an article on
vegans. I found the article intriguing and must have made a mental note.

 I immediately researched that day the healthbenefits of being a vegan and came across a book by of all people Alicia Silverstone. Her book was a user friendly introduction to the vegan lifestyle and the only one available in the library. At that same time I also discovered Dr. Esselstyn andhis book Reversing Heart Disease . I had to wait a few days to get that one. Dr. Esselstyn gave me more hope throughhis discussion of his research than I had had for a very long time. It is like I said before I thought my fate was sealed. I also studied the claims found in the book the China Study.

I should point out that becoming vegan may have in part been related to my progression towards organic foods, namely meat.  I had tried the South Beach Diet and ate tons of boneless chicken, cheese and eggs. I also ate a few salads but they weren’t complete without cheese, meat and a nice fatty dressing. I lost weight on the diet and then the weight came back.

 I hated the taste of store bought boneless chicken. I bought huge tray of the chicken at Sam’s club. As time went on I discovered that the taste was bland and left me sick. At point I researched and switched to organic chicken and then bison. Even though I was eating organic meat and
going to the farmer’s market (for meat) I felt like crap.

My one month anniversary for becoming a vegan is Tuesday, November 16 2010. I know I might seem a little giddy but I feel like I am part of a group that knows a secret. The secret is willing to be shared if people want to listen.  I have lost so far 15 lbs from my starting weight
of 285.  My energy has doubled and my face has more of a glow. I don’t look so pasty and bloated. Pardon me for being happy but I got my life back.