Chuck compares being morbidly obese to living in a prison. He didn't have the energy for a social life. Work was becoming more and more difficult. He got so big he couldn't comfortably work on his car. He sold his motorcycle.

Chuck had tried every diet -- low-fat, low-carb, cabbage soup, grapefruit juice, PhenPhen (which resulted in a trip to the ER), and prescription medications. They'd work for a while, but the weight always returned. He began to suffer from sleep apnea, and had to be hooked to a machine every night. Coming from a family history of heart attacks, high blood pressure and diabetes, Chuck began to wonder if he was going to live past his 45th birthday.

Chuck began to research weight-loss surgery. He chose the Bariatric Care Center at Johnson Memorial Hospital because people who'd had the surgery highly recommended Dr. Lindsay and her staff.

"Dr. Lindsay tells it like it is. She's very straight-forward, because she wants to make sure you have realistic goals. She obviously cares about her patients. She's very positive and makes you feel like you can really succeed."

Chuck has lost 131 pounds and feels great. He believes the support of the JMH staff made the difference in his recovery. "I'm sure my questions weren't anything new to them. But someone always took the time to talk to me. I couldn't have asked for better treatment."