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E-mail [email protected] OBESITY this is how Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines this word.
: A condition characterized by excessive bodily fat

I remember the first time I heard the word obesity. I was a young child and my Father had carried me to the doctor for a check up. When we got home my Mother ask what the doctor had said. He said the doctor had said I was fine except for my obesity. I asked what did he mean by that and my parents explained that it meant that I had too much weight on my body for my size. I then ask why he didn’t just say I was FAT!!! They then told me this was a nicer way of saying it. I personally like the word FAT better but to be politically correct I will use obesity.

Little did I know that in years to come I would have another word added to obesity; morbidly and then super. Being obese is not something that happened to me at an older age. I have been obese as long as I can remember. When I was in school all of my class pictures I am the one on the back row with all the tall people. NO I WAS NOT TALL. I remember going shopping for school clothes and always having to shop in the husky or chubby shop. Which by the way these clothes were not near as cool as the regular sizes clothes. My parents always managed to make sure they were as in style as could be. I was very fortunate that my Father was a wonderful tailor. Unfortunately both of my parents were wonderful cooks. Living in the south everything is fried and seasoned with some sort of grease. My Father is a top notch baker and I loved to lick the bowls!!!! Cooking and baking is one of the things I took after both of my parents. I love to cook but even more I love to eat. My Father has never had a weight problem but I am sure he could stand to lose about 10 pounds or so. My Mother was over weight most of her life. In the last few years of her life she did start eating better, as did most of the world, as everything became fat free/ low fat.

SCHOOL!!!! Being obese in school was not a very cool thing at all. Some of the worst things for me were of course name calling and not being comfortable in the tight desk. I remember my Father having to make me my own shorts so that I could take gym because the shorts did not come large enough for me. You would have thought if they did not have the clothes large enough that would have been a good sign for me to have gotten to forfeit gym class. But noooooooo. These are to name but a few of horrible things in my school days. As I got older I learn to live in this large body. I did not enjoy it but I made a life for myself. I always enjoyed the theatre and wanted to be a part of it. I would always go to auditions but I would never get a part. Wonder why? I have always been interested in singing and was able to develop my talent as I entered high school and became part of the glee club and choruses. I had some very good friends who were working with a show at the time and I got a part in the show. After that I did not seem to have too big a problem getting in shows especially musicals and character parts. For those of you that do not know what a character part is, it is the people in plays & movies that are very odd looking, fat, skinny or just not very attractive. The best thing about playing a character role is most people remember you and a great deal of the time you get the most laughs. But everybody wants to have a lead role at least once in their life. In high school I seem to be more accepted. After all you know the saying FAT PEOPLE HAVE A WONDERFUL PERSONALLTY. I did not have a lot of dates well to be truthful I did not have any dates. I did not do the prom thing. I did go out a great deal but in groups. I was and still am very active in my church. I was always accepted by my church family and did a great deal with the youth from my church. I was always doing diets. I did the diet pills, Slim & Trim, OA, Diet Control and Weight Watchers. I even had acupuncture done. This is where you go to the (doctor?) And they put a staple in your ear and when you get hungry you wiggle the staples in your ear. The only thing I lost on that program was the $40.00 my parents paid for me to have it done. Now with some of these programs I would lose weight, a great deal at times. But then I would always put it back on and sometimes twice as much.

After College days I was still over weight (OBESE). I was out on my own and still continuing to gain weight. Living on my own and cooking and eating the whole meal. When I was 33 in 1988 I was working for a textile company and enjoying life. That is one thing I was very blessed in getting jobs with my weight. I was working full time and then some evenings and weekends I worked as a waiter to make extra money. At this time I was on another diet and was losing weight. I thought that I was working way too much because I was very tired all the time. One weekend I had a sinus infection got some meds and stayed in all weekend. For some reason I could not fight off the infection. I went to the doctor and he thought I should go in the hospital for more test. He was concerned that I had lost about 125 lbs. I assured him it was because I was trying to. After a day of testing I was told that I had AML (acute myelogenous leukemia) and that I would need to go to a cancer center. I was sent to Bowman Grey in Winston Salem NC. Well finally a doctor told me not to diet. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. After a year of chemo I was in remission and have been ever since. To God be the glory. After the treatments were over my doctor informed me I could start back on my diet any time now. But I choose not to. I was alive and eating well on this earth.

Fast forward a few years 1990 I had come to believe that I would always be fat (OBESE) and single. July of that year I sang at a friend’s wedding. She told me there would be someone else singing as well. I did not know her. The night of the rehearsal the other person that sang is now my beautiful wife. A year to the day that we met I carried her back to that church and ask her to marry me. Almost a year later we got married in that church. Alice has been the most wonderful and supportive person to me. I never thought another person would love me being obese. Alice has battled weight her whole life but she is not an obese person as myself. We have so much fun with our life. Alice has never know me as a smaller person so all this is very new to her as well. I could never have gone through this whole process with out her support. She has helped me with so many things. She is my soul mate and the love of my life. I thank God daily for putting her in my life.

January 2003 began my journey into weight loss surgery. Why did I decide to have this surgery? I had read all about Carney Wilson’s and Al Roker’s stories, about their surgery but I just did not think it was for me. One day I was watching Oprah and she was doing a story about weight lost and she had a man on the show who had lost a great deal of weight. He needed to have his knees replaced because of all the pressure form the weight. He was afraid to have it done because his heart was not strong enough to be put to sleep. This was because of all the weight he had been caring around for so many years. At the end of the program they said that this man had passed away because his heart was so damaged from having to carry this weight for so long. When I heard that my heart just sank. I knew then I had to get up and get this weight off. After much research on the different types of surgery and researching local doctors, I began weight loss counseling in July of 2003. Because of delays with my insurance, I attended counseling for nine months before my surgery on April 28, 2004. As of today, April 18, 2005, I have lost 335 pounds. I selected Piedmont General & Bariatric Surgery Greenville, SC lead by Dr. Eric Bour because of the pre and post counseling he requires of his patients. This has been the most helpful part of my weight loss journey and it is one that I continue each week. You can find out more about Dr. Bour and his practice at this web site www.bariatricsolutions.com

I enjoy singing and working with my church and community organizations. I teach kindergarten Sunday school along with my wife Alice. We both volunteer with our local Hospice organization and the American Cancer Society.

My weight had inhibited me from being fully involved in many of the things that mean so much to me. Since my surgery, I have really been able to give to these organizations the time they deserve. I have also been able to go to the movies and sit comfortably. My next goal is to fly on an airplane again.

This surgery and weight loss has helped me be a healthier person and I thank God for his watching over me and helping me through this process. (It is also nice to go into any store and buy clothes off of the rack.) I don’t think that this surgery is for everyone. I know that it was the right thing for me. I am very thankful for Dr. Bour and his staff for making sure that I was ready for this surgery. God has blessed me so much in my life and I am very thankful for his watching over me during this. If you have chosen to have this surgery I wish all the best and success for you.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

WEIGHT LOST CHART

I lost 27 lbs in the time that I was waiting for my surgery.
Starting weight was 548 lbs. BMI 80.1 super obese.

04/28/04~~~~521~~~~ (000) ~~~~ (-27) ~Surgery Day
05/06/04~~~~498~~~~ (-23) ~~~~ (-50) ~Under 500
05/13/04~~~~483~~~~ (-15) ~~~~ (-65)
05/17/04~~~~479~~~~ (-04) ~~~~ (-69)
05/27/04~~~~464~~~~ (-15) ~~~~ (-84)
06/07/04~~~~450~~~~ (-14) ~~~~ (-98)
06/14/04~~~~444~~~~ (-06) ~~~~ (-104)
06/28/04~~~~424~~~~ (-20) ~~~~ (-124)
07/05/04~~~~420~~~~ (-04) ~~~~ (-128)
07/12/04~~~~419~~~~ (-01) ~~~~ (-129)
07/19/04~~~~413~~~~ (-06) ~~~~ (-135)
07/26/04~~~~407~~~~ (-06) ~~~~ (-141)
08/02/04~~~~400~~~~ (-07) ~~~~ (-148)
08/09/04~~~~392~~~~ (-08) ~~~~ (-156) ~ Under 400
08/23/04~~~~388~~~~ (-04) ~~~~ (-160)
09/13/04~~~~359~~~~ (-29) ~~~~ (-189)
09/20/04~~~~355~~~~ (-04) ~~~~ (-193)
10/04/04~~~~348~~~~ (-07) ~~~~ (-200)
10/12/04~~~~340~~~~ (-08) ~~~~ (-208)
10/27/04~~~~329~~~~ (-11) ~~~~ (-219) ~BMI 48.6 morbidly obese
11/09/04~~~~317~~~~ (-12) ~~~~ (-231)
11/23/04~~~~302~~~~ (-03) ~~~~ (-246)
11/30/04~~~~297~~~~ (-05) ~~~~ (-251)~Under 300
12/07/04~~~~292~~~~ (-05) ~~~~ (-256)
12/14/04~~~~287~~~~ (-05) ~~~~ (-261)
12/20/04~~~~282~~~~ (-05) ~~~~ (-266)
12/27/04~~~~278~~~~ (-04) ~~~~ (-270)
01/03/05~~~~270~~~~ (-08) ~~~~ (-278)~BMI 39.9 severely obese
01/10/05~~~~269~~~~ (-01) ~~~~ (-279)
01/24/05~~~~256~~~~ (-13) ~~~~ (-292)
02/07/05~~~~248~~~~ (-08) ~~~~ (-300)
02/14/05~~~~247~~~~ (-01) ~~~~ (-301)
02/28/05~~~~238~~~~ (-09) ~~~~ (-310)
03/07/05~~~~234~~~~ (-04) ~~~~ (-314)~BMI 34.6 obese
03/14/05~~~~230~~~~ (-04) ~~~~ (-318)
03/21/05~~~~225~~~~ (-05) ~~~~ (-323)
04/04/05~~~~218~~~~ (-07) ~~~~ (-330)
04/18/05~~~~213~~~~ (-05) ~~~~ (-335)
04/25/05~~~~208~~~~ (-05) ~~~~ (-340)
05/02/05~~~~205~~~~ (-03) ~~~~ (-343)
05/06/05~~~~198~~~~ (-07) ~~~~ (-350)~BMI 29.2 under 200
05/23/05~~~~195~~~~ (-03) ~~~~ (-353)~Overweight!!!!
06/06/05~~~~190~~~~ (-05) ~~~~ (-358)
06/13/05~~~~188~~~~ (-02) ~~~~ (-360)
06/20/05~~~~187~~~~ (-01) ~~~~ (-361)
06/27/05~~~~180~~~~ (-07) ~~~~ (-368)
07/18/05~~~~175~~~~ (-05) ~~~~ (-373)
07/25/05~~~~170~~~~ (-05) ~~~~ (-378)
08/08/05~~~~169~~~~ (-01) ~~~~ (-379)
08/15/05~~~~169~~~~ ( 00 ) ~~~~ (-379)
08/29/05~~~~165~~~~ (-04) ~~~~ (-383) GOAL WEIGHT BMI 24.4 Normal
09/26/05~~~~165~~~~ ( 00) ~~~~ (-383)
10/27/05~~~~165~~~~ ( 00) ~~~~ (-383)
11/07/05~~~~161~~~~ (-04) ~~~~ (-387)
01/02/06~~~~157~~~~ (-04) ~~~~ (-391) Doctor says I am too small. I need to gain some weight.
04/28/06~~~~165~~~~ (+08) ~~~~ (-383) 2 years!!!!!

5/06/05 I had my one year chek up today. I was too happy. I have lost a total of 350 lbs. They think it is time for me to make an appointment with the plastic surgeon so we can talk about what I need to do next. I love my new life!!! I would like to wait to the first of 2006 to have anymore surgery. I have a lot going on right now with work. I will be working with Vacation Bible School this summer and my wife and I are planning a trip to New York City in the fall.

Future Update

5/14/05 My wife Alice won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in "The Reluctant Debutante" at The Abbeville Opera House in Abbeville SC. Here is a picture that was taken after the the awards. The picture was taken by Kathy Genevie Business Manager of The Abbeville Opera House.
Image hosted by Photobucket.com

Future Updat

5/19/05 Today is my 50th Birthday. I had the pleasure of going to a meeting that my surgeon and his group have for people who are thinking of having wls. I was invited to be a guest speaker tonight. I would like for you to meet Dr, Eric Bour and his surgical assistant Katie Meyers. This is the last pair of pants I had bought before my surgery which was a size 72. I can not believe that all 3 of us could fit in these pants. The sad part is they use to be tight on me. Now that I have had this surgery I think that I may be able to have at least 50 more Birthdays!!!

Dr. Eric Bour, Katie Myers & Myself

Future Update

6/13/05
St. Clair Donaghy With The Index Jouranl which is the local paper here in Greenwood SC did a story on my surgery. This is the story that she did. I think she did a wonderful job. She also included pictures. The pictures she used are the same that is on my profile.

According to National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines, people who weigh more than 100 pounds over their ideal body weight, or people who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or higher may be candidates for surgical weight loss treatment. According to information at the Web site: www.bariatricsolutions.com, patients with slightly lower BMIs may be candidates for surgical treatment if they suffer from "comorbid" conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, lung disease, severe reflux disease and/or arthritis.

INFO BOX

Before gastric bypass surgery, Terry Gilchrist says he "was always snacking — before and after meals."

Before having the surgery, a typical breakfast might have included a bowl of cheese grits and four biscuits with jelly. A later meal during the day might have consisted of two chicken breasts, and an entire can of vegetables, or two hamburgers with all the fixings, an entire bag of chips and a one-liter soft drink. Now, he eats five small meals a day. Each meal is no larger than four ounces.

By ST. CLAIRE DONAGHY

Index-Journal staff writer

An episode of a popular talk show, about a morbidly obese man who managed to lose 400 pounds, but died — before the show aired — changed Terry Gilchrist’s life.

"Oprah (Winfrey, the talk show host) said the guy’s heart gave out after dealing with all that weight over the years. That was just kind of a wake-up call for me. I knew that I had to do something."

Terry, 50, a Greenwood native, stands five feet nine inches tall, and once tipped the scales at 548 pounds.

At the time of the writing of this story, Terry had shed an impressive 353 pounds, and weighed 195. His goal is to reach 165.

He works in the accounts payable department at The Sunshine House. Terry and his wife, Alice, teach a kindergarten Sunday School class at West Side Baptist Church. They are also very involved with HospiceCare of the Piedmont.

Terry is losing weight through a laparoscopic gastric bypass procedure known as Roux-en-Y. He had the surgery on April 28, 2004.

Five small incisions were made in his abdomen and his stomach was sectioned off, leaving a tiny pouch for the storage and digestion of food.

The surgery also bypassed a portion of the small intestine, which reduces the amount of calories absorbed from food and drink Terry consumes.

"The resulting pouch from the gastric bypass is about the size of a golf ball," Terry said. "It’s very tiny. I can eat only about four ounces of food during a meal, and sometimes, that’s too much."

Gilchrist said he eats five small meals a day, and tries to space them at least an hour and a half to two hours apart.

"You’re not allowed to drink with meals, or drink within 30 minutes before or after a meal, because your pouch could fill up too fast."

A four-ounce meal is equivalent to half a cup.

His doctor recommends that he drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. It’s also recommended that he avoid fruit juices because of the sugar and soft drinks because of the carbonation.

Terry says he’s struggled with excess weight since childhood.

"My father has never had a weight problem, but my mother was overweight for much of her life," Terry said. "Some of my weight may have been inherited, but it also had to do to with my love of cooking and eating. Southern cooking — fried chicken — also played a role. Before surgery, food was a major part of my life. I loved entertaining, cooking and eating."

Terry says doctors labeled him obese as a child, and he recalls his father having to make him a pair of shorts so that he could participate in gym class.

"The shorts did not come large enough for me," Terry said, noting he eventually learned to "live in a large body" and later found clothing through a specialty ‘big and tall’ store.

"Moments that would mean nothing to a person of normal weight — sitting comfortably in a movie theater seat, with room to spare, or being able to fasten a seatbelt around you in a car — are wild on the inside, for a person who used to be 548 pounds. Being able to do those things just makes your whole body smile."

The last pair of pants he bought before surgery had a 72-inch waist. Now, he’s down to a 32-inch waist, and enjoys outlet mall shopping with Alice in Myrtle Beach, particularly at designer stores such as Ralph Lauren.

Friends who haven’t seen him since the surgery don’t recognize him, Terry said.

"The decision to have this surgery should be 100 percent for your health," Terry said. "But, I have to admit that being able to walk in any store, and buy clothes, is wonderful. I’m afraid Discover Card is going to call me any day now, and rein me in."

Terry says he began researching gastric bypass surgery after seeing that episode of "Oprah" about the obese man whose heart gave out.

"I’ve had one person say to me, ‘So, you took the easy way out,’" Gilchrist said. "I’m very pleased with my weight loss success following surgery, but this has not been easy. I don’t think there is an easy way to lose weight."

Terry says he is fortunate to not have had any complications from the surgery.

"The only thing is that I stay cold all the time now," Terry said. "Before the surgery, I was very hot-natured. Now, I have to keep a blanket in the car for myself when Alice wants the air on, and I keep a jacket with me at work."

Before investigating gastric bypass surgery and consulting with Dr. Eric Bour with Piedmont General and Bariatric Surgery in Greenville, Terry’s weighed yo-yoed with several diets.

"I did diet pills, and tried Slim & Trim, Diet Control, Weight Watchers and even acupuncture," Terry said. "I would lose weight, but I would gain it back, sometimes double the amount.

"The thing about diets is, you can work really hard Monday through Friday, and then slide a little on Saturday and Sunday. But, if you slide with this surgery, and eat more than you’re supposed to, it’s coming back up. One thing I don’t like to do is throw up.

"I’ve survived acute myelogenous leukemia and chemotherapy, so I hate nausea. (He was diagnosed in 1988 and has been in remission since completing chemotherapy.) The gastric bypass surgery has controlled my appetite very well. Since the surgery, I have not been hungry and I have stayed full after eating."

After surgery, Terry had to gradually work his way up to solid foods. For a time, he was on a liquid diet, and then pureed foods, before moving on to solids.

Even though he’s now beyond the waiting period for reintroducing tiny portions of chicken or beef, Terry says he can’t stomach it.

So, he sticks to an approved post-surgery list of vegetables and low-fat yogurts and cheeses. He also avoids sugar.

He says some vegetables not on the list are simply too difficult to digest or they contain too many carbohydrates.

To ward off vitamin and mineral deficiencies, Terry also takes vitamins and a calcium supplement.

"My first meal of the day is a protein supplement combined with milk," Terry said. "I sip on that when I first get up."

His next meal is typically a two-ounce serving of grapes and two ounces of low-fat yogurt.

The remaining meals are often two ounces of a vegetable and two ounces of low-fat cheese.

"One thing you cannot do after surgery is not be prepared for meals," Terry said. "I always make sure there’s something in my refrigerator that I can eat. It’s a whole different life for me now. If I go to parties or out with friends, I’ll either eat before I go or bring my own food with me. You do get to a point where you can eat out, but I’ve not gotten to the point in my life where I’m ready to do that.

"I used to cater some, but I don’t do that anymore, and my wife and I haven’t had our big Christmas party since the surgery either. Maybe, within a couple of years, we’ll be ready, but for now, I just don’t want to put myself in a place where I will be tempted. You wouldn’t tell an alcoholic to tend bar if he were trying to detox."

For the first few months after surgery, Terry says Alice didn’t feel comfortable eating meals in front of him.

"She said she just didn’t feel it was right for her to do that. I thought it was a very, very sweet gesture."

And, his first weekend home following surgery, Terry says he cried when he realized he and Alice couldn’t go to Cracker Barrel to eat after church.

"I thought, ‘What have I done to myself?’" Terry said. "People who don’t love to eat and enjoy food the way I did wouldn’t understand that feeling, but people in a support group of Dr. Bour’s did. I attend the support group every Monday."

Terry says the support groups have been very helpful, along with extensive counseling, provided by Dr. Bour’s staff.

"That was one reason why I chose Dr. Bour, because you have to go through extensive psychological and nutritional counseling before surgery," Terry said. "I had nine months to think about it."

While Terry was going through pre-surgery counseling, there were also times he wasn’t sure he would be able to afford the operation.

"Initially, my health insurance provider refused to cover it," Terry said. "I didn’t have a lot of the health problems typically associated with obesity, but I did have high blood pressure. I probably would have tried my best to somehow come up with the money for this, even if my insurance continued to deny coverage. I had already made up my mind to do this, and Alice and I had prayed and prayed about it."

Terry says his family, wife, church friends and co-workers have also been tremendous cheerleaders and understanding of the lifestyle changes he’s decided to make.

"As an example, I have not put sugar in my mouth since the surgery," Terry said. "For my 50th birthday, my co-workers took a box and wrapped it in birthday wrapping paper. Inside the box, they put 50 cubes of cheddar cheese and put a candle in every one of them — So, I had my own ‘cheese’ cake."

Gastric bypass surgery is not for everyone, Terry said, but, for him, it’s been a positive experience.

"I feel like I have a whole new life and that Dr. Bour saved my life," Terry said. "Before surgery, I didn’t think I would ever see my 50th birthday, but now, I really think I can live 50 more years."

Terry says he would like to consult with a plastic surgeon about removing some of his excess, sagging skin, to improve his appearance, but for now, his sites are set on a fall trip to New York with Alice, to enjoy the sites and shows.

"I’ve always enjoyed theater and have been in a few community theater performances," Gilchrist said. "But, after a while, with the weight gain, I didn’t do that anymore, because I just didn’t have the energy."

In addition to changes in diet, part of Terry’s post-surgery routine includes regular exercise.

Dr. Bour had Terry walking the hospital halls shortly after surgery, and after he came home, Terry joined Wellness Works of Self Regional Healthcare.

"I started out doing just a few laps, walking around the gym," Terry said. "I would have to sit down and rest for 10 minutes and start again. When you’re 548 pounds, exercise is not something you just want to jump up and do. It was tough, especially in the beginning."

Now, Terry can walk four miles on a treadmill within an hour, and he participates in water aerobics.

"I really love going to the gym now," Terry said.

For nearly 12 years, Terry says he paid someone to cut the grass and work in the yard, but not anymore.

"I’ve got a lawn mower, a chain saw and a weed-eater," Terry said. "I never thought I would enjoy working in the yard, but I do."

Being obese for most of his life, Terry says he learned to cope with snickers behind his back and stares from people who couldn’t seem to get past his outward appearance and see who he was on the inside.

While at a theater with Alice in Augusta a few months ago, when people behind him started laughing, Terry tried to ignore them.

"Then, I realized they weren’t laughing at me, because I wasn’t obese anymore. They didn’t even see me. They were just talking and laughing amongst themselves. I realized then that people don’t laugh at me anymore."

Net Connection:

www.bariatricsolutions.com

www.obesityhelp.com

Terry Gilchrist’s profile at ObesityHelp.com:

www.obesityhelp.com?m=713999

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web page on Body Mass Index:

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/index.htm

SIDEBAR

By ST. CLAIRE DONAGHY

Index-Journal staff writer

Dr. Eric Bour with Piedmont General and Bariatric Surgery in Greenville performed a laparoscopic gastric bypass procedure on Greenwood’s Terry Gilchrist in April 2004.

Each year, Bour says more than 40,000 people in the U.S. are having some type of surgical weight loss treatment. Various procedures are being performed around the country, including laparoscopic Roux-en-Y, Lap-Band, Vertical Banded Gastroplasty and Biliopancreatic diversion/Duodenal Switch, Bour said.

Roughly, a quarter of the U.S. population is considered overweight, and 15 percent is considered morbidly obese.

Excess weight contributes to an increase in your chances of developing Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, reflux, joint problems, heart inefficiency, sleep apnea, gallstones and more, Bour said.

Surgical weight loss candidates typically have a Body Mass Index of greater than 40 or less than 35 with at least two associated comorbid conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, reflux, joint pain or depression.

Bour says patients who meet criteria have also typically struggled with obesity for at least three years and that previous medical management of their weight has not been successful.

Patients must confront issues before having surgery, Bour said, noting many struggle with over-eating and self-esteem issues.

"The key, in order to be successful in the long run, is for patients to have adequate training and behavior modification as part of their surgical process," Bour said.

Net Connection:

www.bariatricsolutions.com

www.obesityhelp.com

Terry Gilchrist’s profile at ObesityHelp.com:

www.obesityhelp.com?m=713999

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web page on Body Mass Index:

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/index.htm

Future Update

Aug. 7 2005
I am performing in the production of FOXFIRE ath The Abbeville Opera House in Abbeville SC. This is the first show I have done in some while because of my weight. My local newspaper did an articel about me getting back on stage after the weight loss. This is the story that ran on Aug 7 2005.

During the Abbeville Opera House production of "Foxfire," theater regulars may do a double-take when they see Greenwood actor Terry Gilchrist take the stage as the slick real estate salesman Prince Carpenter. Gilchrist, who won over audiences with his past portrayals of overweight characters, such as Norman in "The Boys Next Door," is now less than half the size he used to be. In the Index-Journal’s Accent section, read about how dramatic weight loss is opening more doors for Gilchrist as an actor.

By ST. CLAIRE DONAGHY

Index-Journal staff writer

"The chance to play someone you’re not," that is what Terry Gilchrist says initially drew him to community theater.

But, he says his former obesity hindered the types of roles for which he was cast.

"When I weighed 548 pounds, no one was going to cast me in the leading male role," Gilchrist says. "I would get the ‘character’ parts. It was frustrating to know that I wouldn’t get some roles, even though the roles that I did get as ‘the fat guy’ were often the ones that got all the laughs. Leaving the theater after a performance, I would always wonder, ‘Were they actually laughing at me, or at my character?’"

Now, Gilchrist doesn’t have to worry about people laughing at him because of his size, or limiting himself to "large man" character roles. He’s literally less than half the size he once was.

At time of the writing of this article, Gilchrist, who stands 5 feet nine inches tall, was a trim 170 pounds, well on his way to his goal weight of 165. In all, he’s lost more than 375 pounds.

His dramatic weight loss and physical transformation are the result of a laparoscopic gastric bypass procedure known as Roux-en-Y, which he had in April 2004.

The surgery involves a small pouch being sectioned off from the majority of the stomach. The resulting pouch is about the size of a golf ball. It’s connected directly to the small intestine and can handle only small amounts of food.

The Index-Journal chronicled some of Terry’s weight loss experiences through a series of articles in June.

With his successful surgical weight loss, Gilchrist says he has a new lease on life, and he’s able to more thoroughly enjoy hobbies, such as acting.

"I’ve always enjoyed live theater," Gilchrist said. "But, before the surgery, I was obese, even as a child. I did theater productions, but after a while, with the weight gain, I didn’t do it anymore, because I just didn’t have the energy."

It’s been four or five years since Gilchrist has acted in a play, but he’s returning to the stage in the Abbeville Opera House production of "Foxfire." He’s already been a presence there this summer, helping out as a stage manager for the recent production of "The Foreigner."

"Foxfire" focuses on elderly widow Annie Nations, played by MaryAnne Canaday, who must decide whether to remain on her hilltop farm, alone, or move closer to family where care would be more quickly available.

Gilchrist plays Prince Carpenter, a real estate hustler looking to buy Annie’s land and develop it, and Gilchrist’s wife, Alice, is managing sound for the production.

Others involved in "Foxfire" include David Nixon, who plays Dillard Nations, Annie’s son; David Eller, who plays Hector Nations, Annie’s late husband; Lisa McConnell, who plays teacher Holly Burrell, and Al Johnson as the country doctor.

The set and lighting are designed by Michael Genevie, artistic director for the Abbeville Opera House, and Brendan Fitzpatrick is in charge of lighting.

"I saw this show in Abbeville about 20 years ago and I just loved it," Terry said. "There’s a rather humorous scene in which my character pays Annie a visit and she asks him to help her as she prepares a hog’s head for souse meat."

Michael Genevie and Gilchrist are long-time friends.

"Terry has worked with the Opera House for years," Genevie said. "He’s played an incredibly wide variety of characters and all of them have been well-liked. Terry, as an actor, exudes a ‘like-ability’ factor that very few actors have. He could be cast in the most evil villainous role ever written, and for some reason, the audience would just like him. He makes people smile."

Gilchrist first worked with Genevie as a fellow actor during an early 1980s production of the musical "Man of La Mancha," based on the 17th century novel by Miguel de Cervantes that chronicles the adventures of the character Don Quixote.

"I’ve done that show four or five times, but I’ve always played the barber," Gilchrist said. "Now that the weight’s off, I would like a chance to do it again and play Don Quixote’s sidekick, Sancho."

Gilchrist has also played the role of Nicely Nicely in the musical "Guys and Dolls," a story about a love match between a Broadway gambler and a mission worker.

And, he has portrayed the doughnut-loving character of Norman in "The Boys Next Door," an acclaimed theatrical production about four mentally disabled men living in a communal residence.

"When I was large, costuming for me would be especially tricky, particularly if the play was a period piece," Gilchrist said. "For ‘Guys and Dolls’ a seamstress had to make the bright yellow coat I wore. But, this time, there was a white suit, right here at the theater, size 38, that fit. All I had to do was have it dry cleaned."

Gilchrist says he prefers musicals to dramas because he loves singing.

However, ‘The Boys Next Door’ has a special place in Gilchrist’s heart.

"It’s one of my all-time favorites and I’ve done that show three times, twice in Abbeville and once at Lander," Gilchrist said. "My role called for a large man who worked part-time in a doughnut shop. Michael says he would have liked to have done that production one more time before I had my surgery."

Genevie says actors are "always cast by type."

Before the weight loss, Terry says he "never went out for anything that would not work for me and the size that I was."

But, he says his former heft took its toll on him, and theater rehearsals and performances would often leave him feeling "half-dead" after a full day at work.

"Not having the weight on is a great help for this production," Gilchrist said. "My energy level is much greater, and my weight loss has opened me up to roles that I wouldn’t have been able to do before. I’m anxious to see what people are going to say about me and my performance."

"Foxfire" performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. on Aug. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20. Saturday matinees are scheduled for Aug. 6, 13 and 20 at 3 p.m.

For ticket information, call the Abbeville Opera House box office at 366-2157. Tickets are $17 for adults and $16 for seniors over age 65. Reservations may also be made over the telephone using Visa, MasterCard or American Express.

Future Update

Today is Monday Aug. 29. 2005 I HAVE REACHED MY GOAL WEIGHT OF 165 lbs. I am so happy and thankful to God. I am hoping to have some plastic surgery the first of 2006 to have some excess skin removed. A big thank you to all of my Friends and Family for all the suport they have given me over these last 16 months. A BIG thank you to my wife Alice who has been with me for the long haul. I am very grateful to Dr. Eric Bour and his wonderful staff.

Future Update

************NEW YORK VACATION!!!!*************
Alice and I just spent 9 days in New York City. We left on Sept. 30 2005. From the time we got off the plane until we got back on the plane we did not stop. We went to see six broadway show. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,Monty Python's Spamalot, The Phantom of the Opera, The Odd Couple, THe Lion King, and Fiddler on the roof. We got to meet Harvey Fierstein and Rosie O' Donnell after Fiddler. They both were so nice. The Odd Couple with Nathan Lane & Matthew Broderick was a BIG treat to see the two of them on stage. We went to see Live with Regis and Kelly. We got to meet Regis after the show. We went to see The View. I got to talk to star about my weight loss. We went to the Today show on Saturday morning. We got to meet Lester Holts and Janis Huff who is from South Carolina. The whole trip was wonderful. I did really well with my eating. I did not eat out I carried a lot of things that I could eat. I got fresh fruit from vendor's. While Alice would go out and eat I would SHOP SHOP SHOP!!!!! Which you can do a lot of the in the BIG APPLE. Just to let you know how much shoppping was done. We had to pay $75.00 to get our bags back home. It was so nice to put my 165 pound body on that plane. I even wen to the rest room on the plane. It is so nice to be able to do things now that I could not do at 548 pounds. I thank God everyday for Dr. Bour and this surgery.

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Before surgery 548 lbs

These are before surgery pictures when I weighed 548 pounds.

16 months later 165 pounds!! 383 lbs gone forever!!! As you can tell from these pictures there is skin that needs to be removed.

This is my wonderful supportive wife
Alice H. Gilchrist. I could never have
done this without her. She is the LOVE
of my life!!!