Together, Brian and Donn Aggelar weighed about 650 pounds.
The Arvada couple could barely buckle their seat belts. Brian had high blood pressure, sleep apnea, joint problems and carpal tunnel, all the result of being overweight. Donn was beginning to experience some of the same symptoms.
She was pushing 300 pounds. He was rounding 350. Brian’s doctor gave him two years to live if he didn’t get his weight under control.
They reached a decision while on an airplane.
“He couldn’t get the seat belt buckled. And I barely got it buckled and it was so really stressful because I didn’t want to ask for an extender. So we sat there, you know, real quiet, hoping the flight attendant wouldn’t notice,” Donn said.
They decided at that moment to have bariatric surgery that would reduce their stomachs to the size of your thumb. There would be risks: complications, infections, even death. Experts also say bariatric surgery can strain marriages.
“Sometimes the spouse that didn’t have the surgery will say, ‘I didn’t sign up for this active guy or gal. I don’t really want to do all this health stuff,”‘ said Dr. Michael Snyder, bariatric surgeon at Rose Medical Center, and the doctor who performed the surgery on the Aggelars.
Snyder believes that the partner’s support is so critical to success, he administers a test.
“One of the questions is, ‘Does my spouse, or significant other, support my interest in bariatric surgery?”‘
Donn had surgery first – in October 2004. Brian had it a month later. Their marriage passed the test.
“We pushed each other,” Donn said. “And we were both having successful results, so it was easier to continue on and grow that way.”
Recently they rewarded themselves with a vacation to Hawaii.
“We went hiking in Waimea Canyon. We went on a raft trip. We went snorkeling,” said Brian, who now weighs 202 pounds.
At 159 pounds, Donn can now get her entire body in just one leg of her old jeans.
“It’s just shocking,” Donn said, as she stands in the kitchen in the pants that were her daily uniform.
“Yep,” Brian said, laughing. “The best half is still here.”
You can see the results of the Aggelars’ surgery on 9News at 10 p.m.
Consumer Reporter Mark Koebrich, can be reached at 303- 871-1491 or mark.koebrich@9news.com.
