Main fundraiser photo

Derek's Excess Skin Removal Fund

Donation protected
Hello, my name is Derek Wood.  I am a 34 year old father of two.  Two and a half years ago I used to weigh over 500 pounds.  At my heaviest I weighed over 550 pounds.  I had been heavy almost my whole life.  I started gaining weight when I was 11 years old and never stopped.  By the time I was a freshman in High School I was 6’5” tall and weighed 330 pounds.  By the time I graduated high school, I was 6’7” tall and weighed 450 pounds.  My weight plagued me my whole life.  It made many things difficult.  For example, buying clothes, fitting into cars, using bathrooms, and playing sports were difficult when you are overweight.  As a young boy I loved sports, but was too heavy to really compete.  In high school, the head Basketball coach told me that if I wanted to play for him I would need to lose over 100 pounds.  That’s a daunting task for anyone, especially a 16 year old boy.  People that loved me even told me I was fat and I needed to lose weight.  Strangers did so as well, but it’s particularly hard to hear that from people who love you, yet alone strangers.  With all of these things combined, I dealt with bouts of depression, and even contemplated suicide a few times.  My weight problem followed me into adulthood as well.  I was never ever able to quite lose the weight and it continued to slowly pile itself on.  Pound by pound, I increased my weight, until eventually reaching over 550 pounds.  I felt horrible about myself.  I know a lot of people always wondered, how I let myself get that big.  Or they say, how does someone let themselves get that big?  I never planned on it, it just happened.  I have no other reason for it.  Even though I was that heavy, I still worked every day.  Working was a struggle and my entire body hurt.  But every day I continued on.  I always pressed forward. 

            I remember going to the doctors and listening to them tell me if I did not lose weight, I would probably die before I turned 40.  That was scary to say the least.  I remember one time having shoulder surgery.  And after the surgery, the surgeon told me that it took 10 people to move me from the bed to the operating table, and the operating table back to the bed.  He also told me that If I ever had a traumatic healthcare event, that I would probably die because of how hard it was to move me and that every second counts in those situations.  This was very hard to hear, but I felt helpless and I never did anything about it.  I tried a few times to lose weight and I was not that successful.  The most I ever lost was 70 pounds.  Now that’s a significant amount of weight, but when you are still almost 500 pounds, it really doesn’t make that big of a difference.

 I have tried every weight loss diet and secret that was out there.  Probably just like all of the other people that wanted to lose weight.  I even tried reality television.  I attempted to get on the television shows Extreme Weight Loss Edition, and The Biggest Loser.  Both of these shows require you to do a lot of steps before you can even be thought about being chosen.  One of the steps requires you to make a home video of yourself and what you struggle with on a daily basis because of your weight.  I recorded myself doing everything I did on a daily basis.  Certain things that others take for granted where struggles for me.  Simple tasks like taking a shower, using the bathroom, or even tying your shoes where difficult.  Playing with my kids was really difficult, and I barely could last for 10 minutes without sitting down and resting.  I realized how overweight and how much of a struggle it was for me being heavy by watching this video I made of myself.  You never realize what you really look like until you are shown front and center on a 60” television.  I can tell you that I did not like what I had seen.  So I submitted all of the paperwork and the videos to each of these shows in late 2011 and the summer of 2012.  I was not chosen by either of these shows.  I was disappointed because I believed that those shows where my only chance at saving myself.  My only chance at redemption, but I was wrong.  These shows where exactly what I needed.  These shows made me see me for what I really was.  These shows allowed me a chance to do it on my own.  The anger that I had built up inside from not being picked was intense.  I decided to focus that anger in a positive approach.  I looked into weight loss surgery, but it was not an option for me.  Due to a previous hernia surgery, the doctor told me it was way too risky.  So with that being off of the table, I focused on losing weight myself.  In December of 2012, I started a new plan.  A plan I created on my own.  No gimmicks just clean eating and exercise. 

In December of 2012, I weighed in at 515 pounds.  I told myself that I wanted to lose 200 pounds in one year.  With no diet help, just myself, I started working out at the Mercy Weight Management Center.  I used their facility because of my job, and because it was a positive atmosphere for people who were trying to lose weight.  And they had a lot of positive people who worked there and encouraged me as well.  I started slow.  I walked for 30 minutes, and then did the elliptical for 30 minutes.  I also lifted some weights after.  I watched what I ate and cut down my portion sizes.  I lost 15 pounds my first week.  I continued to motivate and push myself every day even though it was very hard.  I felt knocked down emotionally and physically all of the time.  But, “the real challenge of growth, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, comes when you get knocked down.  It takes courage to act, part of being hungry when you have been defeated.  It takes courage to start over again”.  I told myself every day that it would not be easy.  Because if it were easy then everyone would do it!  Yes at times I was afraid, afraid of failure.  Afraid of just not progressing like I wanted to.  But one thing that fear does, Fear kills dreams.  Fear kills hope.  Fear can age you.  Fear can hold you back from doing something that you know within yourself that you are capable of doing.   I continually told myself, I’m not going to let this get me down.  I’m not going to let this destroy me.  I’m coming back, and I’ll be stronger and better because of it.  By December of 2013 I had lost 200 pounds.  I accomplished this by hard work and dedication.  Being in the gym 6 days a week, and two hours a day.  But it was worth it.  As of today, I have lost over 230 pounds.  I weigh 280 pounds which puts me at 235 pounds lost. 

With all of the weight that I lost came excess skin.  I need my excess skin removed as it has become a problem for me.  It causes rashes, and is just generally a bother.  To hear my skin flap as I run is not to appealing.  It makes me look like I am larger than I really am, and is holding me back from other goals that I want to accomplish.  I am asking for assistance in achieving this goal with this page that I have created.  I know that I can’t afford this surgery myself as it costs almost 20,000 dollars and insurance won’t cover any of it.  But with your help, I can make my skin removal wish come true.  Since losing the weight I have accomplished so much already.  I went from a size 60” waist to a 40” waist.  I went from an 8xl shirt size to a 2xl shirt size.  My health has drastically improved.  I can play with my children again.  I am able to enjoy life once again.  And I was even able to accomplish my goals of joining the Police Academy and passing all of the physical fitness standards that where required.  I know and understand the struggle of being overweight.  Hopefully after the skin removal surgery I can help others.  I want to help others achieve what I know they can achieve.  Sometimes you just need a little help from someone.  And I want to help people.  Hopefully with your help I can help others.  Thank you for reading my story.



Donate

Donations 

  • Manuela Ewing
    • $50
    • 9 yrs
Donate

Organizer

Derek Wood
Organizer
Ottawa Lake, MI

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee