A lot of us think about being a part of the Peachtree Road Race, but for Jim Blackburn of Peachtree Corners, running a 10K was about as likely as walking on the moon.
Jim was dangerously overweight. He was so heavy that it hurt just to get through the day. But things began to change two years ago. He realized at 47 that something had to give. If he didn't do something about his weight, he wasn't going to be around much longer.
"My knees, ankles -- they hurt really bad, from carrying the weight. Had high blood pressure, I had sleep apnea and I had the beginning stages of diabetes," said Blackburn.
For 20 years, Jim had been losing and gaining, losing and gaining weight. Dieting just wasn't working.
The IT consultant became convinced that the only way he'd be around long enough to see his kids Melanie and Andrew grow into adulthood, was to do something dramatic: undergo gastric bypass surgery.
His football-sized stomach, would be reduced to a thumb-sized pouch, permanently restricting what -- and how much -- Jim could eat.
But there was a chance he could lose a huge amount of weight, and keep it off. The catch: the surgery was $35,000 dollars, and Jim's health insurance company wouldn't cover it.
So, he borrowed the money from his sister, and April 5th, 2010 he went into the operating room at Emory University Hospital.
"My life has changed 180 degrees. It's totally turned around," said Blackburn.
As soon as he could, Jim started walking, and the weight started coming off.
"It was hard at first. I started out on the treadmill. The first week turned into a month, turned into three months and it progressively got a lot easier for me," said Blackburn.
In the two years since his operation Jim has dropped 213 pounds.
"I no longer have to take blood pressure medication, I no longer have a C-PAP to help me with my snoring," said Blackburn.
The more he lost, the easier his runs became, and he started thinking about the Peachtree Road Race.
"I just wanted to do it, to be a part of it," said Blackburn.
And Jim is ready.
"I'm just excited, I've got my number," said Blackburn.
He's run several 5- and 10Ks for practice. And, the idea of being part of a tradition he's watched from the sidelines since he was a kid is kind of thrilling.
Jim's wife, Monique, and his two kids will all be there, at the finish line, to celebrate the new Jim Blackburn.
"I'm amazed every day when I get up and see myself in the mirror that, ‘Hey, this is you. You know, this is your life today,'" said Blackburn.
There's growing evidence gastric bypass surgery may cure Type 2 diabetes.
Some insurance companies will cover it for people who are severely overweight and have documented medical complications because of their excess weight.
But, as Jim's story illustrates, getting coverage can be tricky.
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Jim Blackburn is preparing for the Peachtree Road Race after undergoing surgery to lose weight.
At 47, Jim Blackburn underwent gastric bypass surgery.
