"My 600-lb Life" patient Chad Dean is yet another weight loss wunderkind. After gastric bypass surgery and wow-worthy 370-lb loss, the Maryland man qualifies for skin removal surgery. But further obesity treatment is so expensive, even after insurance, that he began a GoFundMe to cover costs. Dean is hoping to raise $5,000 by the surgery date of Jan. 28. What is this plastic surgery and how does it help?
Chad Dean is the bigger man
All too often, the morbidly obese, as addicts do, resort to blaming to defend why they got so overweight. But Chad Dean doesn't play that game.
To get smaller, he became the bigger man--no self-pity, delusions or excuses. Like Amber Rachdi of "My 600-lb Life" season three, the dad of two takes takes full responsibility for weight gain. Then he took the bull by the horns and set about to heal obesity . And that can-do spirit had a phenomenal impact on weight loss.
Chad Dean is less than half the man he used to be
Dean came to TLC's "My 600-lb Life" basically bedridden, unemployed, and over 700 pounds. His beloved wife Ayesha and two young kids were his caregivers. But the 43-year-old wanted more than to be someone's patient. He wanted to be a fully-participating family member. So he moved to Texas to be near Dr. Younan Nowzaradan (his surgeon).
After bariatric surgery, he shed an amazing 260 pounds in one year and 370 by the next anniversary. He's still in the obese category at 330 pounds but that's what the next step is all about.
Skin removal after weight loss
That's the name of Dean's GoFundMe page. Skin removal is a plastic surgery procedure that trims away stretched-out skin left behind from massive weight gain.
Dean's been working out at the gym and it shows in his leaner frame. But that saggy skin is virtually impossible to tone up. The only thing to be done is to get rid of it. So skin removal surgery becomes the motivating brass ring. Well, Chad Dean earned the right to have the procedure, but now he has to come up with the money to cover insurance co-pays and lost wages. Because--more good news--Chad's got a job! He's back to driving a truck, a goal he's had since the beginning. Having this procedure is another step closer to optimum health.