Changed Lives Feature Article

Praise God From Whom 
All Blessings Flow

by Rich Gelina

Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and
you shall glorify me.
Psalm 50:15

At 18 years old, I was very fit, very active, and about as healthy as can be. I had just graduated from high school, was on my way to Bible college, and my future was so bright I had to wear shades (to quote the less than famous musical group Timbuk Two).

At Baptist Bible College of Clark Summit, Pennsylvania, I found that I had less time to be active because I had to make time for hours and hours of study and music practice. I continued to eat like the active teen I had been, but the activity level dropped a good bit. I still walked a lot since I didn't have a car with me, but I did not participate in sports and spent a lot of time sitting in the library.

A few years after college, I got married. My job had early hours and I arrived home hours before Kim. I was always hungry when I got home so I usually ate a couple of sandwiches when I arrived. Then, when Kim got home she cooked a good dinner for us and not wanting to annoy my new wife, I, of course, ate it. I soon began putting on weight relatively rapidly.

At the age of 32, I sat in the choir loft during our church's choir rehearsal. I felt a tingling sensation in my left arm. I began to sweat and then became nauseated. I realized that I was having a heart attack. I left the choir and drove home where Kim immediately got into the car and drove me to the emergency room. I took my blood pressure medicine on the way and had good blood pressure when I arrived at the ER. The heart monitor they hooked me up to showed no abnormalities, so they released me. It wasn't until a CAT scan many years later that a doctor verified that I had had a heart attack. I weighed about 350 pounds.

Over the next few years I tried many diets. None of them had any lasting effect. By the time I turned 42 (that would be my last birthday) I weighed 550 pounds. I was beginning to have trouble walking and standing. My health was heading south rapidly. I was worried about diabetes, cholesterol, heart disease, and even death. I couldn't walk across a flat floor without breathing so hard that I had to stop and sit down to catch my breath. I couldn't fit into my car without cramming myself into it. Kim and I discussed the situation and agreed that I needed to take drastic measures. We decided that I should pursue gastric bypass surgery.

Because of my weight, my hypertension, and other health problems, I was found to be at high risk of serious complications and possible mortality in this surgery. I had not had surgery since I was a child and it really scared me.

The Bible proclaims the total sovereignty of God in all matters of life. I absolutely believe that God is in complete control and I know that what he wills is not necessarily the outcome I might desire unless I desire his glory above my comfort. I struggled hard with this and determined to put my life in his hands and accept whatever may come because I knew it would result in his ultimate glory. I began to pray that he would be honored through whatever happened with the surgery.

I thought that I was settled and at peace. But the day of the surgery (and now at 568 pounds), I had a racing heartbeat and the nurse asked, "Are you really nervous?" I didn't think so, but I guess I wasn't as fully resting in God as I had convinced myself.

Pastor Kyle prayed with me before I was wheeled into the operation room. The people of Occoquan Bible Church were praying for me. My friends outside the church were praying for me. My missionary parents had people all around the world praying for me. My sister's family in Bangladesh was praying for me. And I was praying.

I went through the surgery. When I woke up in the hospital room after the surgery, I felt very little pain. The surgery had been a success and the nurses were concerned because I wasn't asking for any pain medication. By the third day of the hospital stay, I asked them to remove the morphine drip from my IV. The nurses, the doctors, the therapists, and even my surgeon couldn't believe how little pain I was feeling.

One and a half months post-op. I'm now 475 lbs.

I was released from the hospital a day early because my vital signs were so good.

I found it pretty easy to get up and around and to walk for exercise after I got home. I was able to climb stairs, which they had said I might not be able to do. I had no repulsions to any types of food and didn't develop lactose intolerance, both common problems after this type of surgery. Within the first month and a half after the surgery, I lost 91 pounds and continue to lose rapidly. I feel great and look forward to many years with my family, something I strongly doubted just a month ago.

I know the success is a result of the prayers and I thanked God personally for his care. But then I read the verse Psalm 50:15, "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." I realized something was missing. The verse has three parts and I had only been involved in two of them.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise God all creatures here below
Praise him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen.

Further Updates
	Merry Christmas – 2004 As of December 23, 2004, my weight is 368 pounds. I've lost 200 pounds exactly in six months and two days. God continues to bless this process.
	September 11, 2005 After church, my wife took a picture of me standing in our yard. I thought I needed to update this page with a progress report. I now weigh 286 and am just 6 pounds away from the weight goal my doctor set at the time of my surgery. I have lost 282 pounds in 1 year and 2-1/2 months.