A plumber for more than 30 years, George DeJesus had started to feel the toll of carrying excess body weight on the job and knew he needed to make a change. We recently connected with our longtime friend and owner of George’s Drains in Stanhope, New Jersey, to learn more about his experience with gastric sleeve surgery.

Gastric sleeve surgery is a bariatric surgery procedure that removes a large portion of the stomach. The operation leaves behind a narrow, tubular “sleeve” close in size and shape to a banana, restricting calories and reducing hunger signals to help people with clinically severe obesity achieve weight loss. Read on to learn about George’s decision to get the surgery, how it has changed his life, and the advice he has for fellow tradespeople looking to make a lifestyle change. 

Why did you decide to get gastric sleeve surgery?

DeJesus: I’ve been overweight most of my life, so I had been dealing with high blood pressure, sleep apnea and knee and ankle pain. I was struggling to do my job as a plumber; I would get out of breath from crawling around tight spaces, bending over and even just tying my shoelaces. So, it was important for me to make a change and try to hopefully resolve all of those issues.

What was the process of getting the surgery like?

DeJesus: The conversation with the doctors actually, believe it or not, went so fast. From the minute they approved me to the minute I had surgery, it probably only took about a month — which I wasn’t expecting. That whole part was a blur, because I was literally rushing around appointments the whole time. On the flip side, the recovery from the surgery itself took a bit longer than I expected. I definitely went back to work too soon. I would basically fall asleep on the jobsite after three hours of being there because I was so exhausted and could only eat an ounce of food at a time at that point. So, if I could have changed anything, I would have taken more time off. 

How has the surgery changed your life for the better?

DeJesus: Obviously, losing weight has been the greatest change. Going from a size 44 to 34 waist is huge. My overall health has improved, and something simple like tying my shoelaces is no longer an issue. I think right now I’m the lightest I’ve ever been. 

I also have way more energy than I did before. You don’t truly realize until you lose weight how difficult things were. Now even climbing ladders is a breeze for me.

What lifestyle changes have you had to make because of the surgery?

DeJesus: You know, even though you have surgery, eating habits are a mental thing. So, that’s always going to be a battle. I take classes to help fight that. I still have an eating disorder; my brain’s always going to want to eat more. But with the sleeve, I’m limited. I can order everything everybody else orders, but I’m not going to eat it all. For example, right now I’m on a break from work and I just ordered Jersey Mike’s, but I got a junior-sized sandwich and only ate half. 

The sleeve has been good for me, but there are things you have to give up. I personally had to give up all carbonated drinks. In general, you have to pick and choose when you eat because you can’t really drink anything when you eat. I feel like that is one thing I wish the doctors made clearer to me — that you can’t drink any fluids right before, during or after you eat. Your body just doesn’t work that way anymore, and the liquids will get stuck in your throat. So, be prepared that if you eat something really spicy, you won’t be able to wash it down.

I also have to take supplemental vitamins every single day, which I’m horrible at being consistent with. You’re not getting all the vitamins and nutrients you need from food, so know that this will be a new part of your life if you get the surgery. It’s not terrible to deal with or anything, but I just occasionally forget to take them. 

What’s one thing you wish people knew about gastric sleeve surgery?

DeJesus: Even though there were some side effects I mentioned that I didn’t fully realize ahead of time, overall, my doctors did a good job explaining what I could have issues with after the surgery. The difficult thing is everybody’s different. For example, a lot of people who have the surgery can never eat anything acidic again like tomato sauce or ketchup, whereas I don’t have an issue with acidic foods. However, those same people may be able to drink carbonated drinks, whereas I can’t. So, two individuals can have the same surgery and end up with different side effects. It’s tough to go into surgery and face the unknown like that — not knowing exactly how your enjoyment of certain food is going to change afterward. 

Overall, are you happy you got the surgery? 

DeJesus: I wish I got it sooner! I really had to drag myself to do it, and I don’t know why. I don’t regret it at all. I won’t eat anywhere near as much as I used to, and if I overeat, it’s only by a tiny bit instead of a whole extra plate. Overall, it was a good decision for me. There are some aspects I’ve discussed that are tough, but not enough that I wouldn’t do it again. I feel healthier and younger than ever. 

In general, what is your advice for fellow tradespeople who may be looking to improve their eating habits?

DeJesus: Something a lot of us do in the trades is binge eat. We work all day long and don’t eat, so when we get home, we try to eat everything in the house. We never get satisfied, and we just keep eating. I think it’s part of the job itself — when we work, we just hustle all day long. We don’t think about eating and actually taking care of ourselves. We just want to work. That was my whole problem. You just have to stop and rest occasionally, that’s all. 

I still struggle every day. I try to keep protein bars in the car and would suggest having something similar that you can easily eat during the day. Obviously, drink a lot of water. I’m horrible at drinking water myself, but I try to push and drink as much as I can. Honestly, just try to eat and drink regularly and thoughtfully.