By Mark Ambrogi
Carl Erickson knew he had to do something to turn his health around for both himself and his family.
The 6-foot-8 Erickson was closing in on 400 pounds and needed a cane and walker at times to get around because of knee problems.
“In one month, I had 27 injections in my back just to stop the pain,” said Erickson, the deputy director for Hamilton Co. Emergency Management, based in Noblesville. “They couldn’t fix it. They said the only thing that was going to fix it is if you lose all that front weight because your body isn’t designed to carry that.”
So Erickson chose to have lap band surgery in August 2013 through Community Health Network. The lap band is an adjustable silicone band placed around the top part of the stomach during a surgical procedure to treat obesity by reducing the amount of food consumed.
“Even today there (are) times when I’m bored or stressed, I think, ‘I could eat a whole pizza right now,’” Erickson said. “Then I know, ‘No, you can’t eat a whole pizza right now.’ It keeps me in check. Food is totally different to me now – it’s fuel.”
Erickson, a 46-year-old Cicero resident, now weighs 240 pounds.
“The pain and not being able to interact with my kids was the driving force that I had to do something,” said Erickson, who is married with two daughters. “I couldn’t go for walks and get on the floor and play with them. I could get on the floor, but I couldn’t get back up.”
It was affecting his work as well, because he said the only thing that would stop the pain was heavy-duty pain medication, which he couldn’t take on the job.
“I couldn’t take (medication) driving a county vehicle,” Erickson said. “The only time I could take it was when I was home. I took it to help me cope and deal with it. It wasn’t a good lifestyle. I wasted so many years. Now I’m able to go to work, concentrate and stay on my feet. I feel like I’m a better employee.”
With the lap band, he was down as low as 217 pounds in 2014, but found that he looked too gaunt at that weight. A simple adjustment to the lap band allowed Erickson to eat a little more before he felt full.
A year before his surgery, Erickson saw Dr. Keith McEwen, medical director for Community’s Outpatient Bariatrics at Hamilton Surgery Center in Noblesville, about the lap band surgery for the first time, but then backed out.
“I don’t know if it was fear, but I thought I was going to do this on my own,” Erickson said.
During that next year, he gained 20 more pounds. Erickson realized he needed help and returned to Dr. McEwen.
In November, Community Health Network recently marked its 10th anniversary of conducting lap band surgeries.
“I’ve really focused on doing this adjustable band ever since as an option in place of gastric bypass and gastric sleeve, the more mainstream procedures,” McEwen said. “This was attractive to me because of the safety, and it’s fully revisable. Other things could come along in 10 years and the band could be removed at that point. The surgery to me is somewhat of a minor thing. It’s a big thing for the patient, but it’s a fairly minor procedure. We’ve had no mortalities in 10 years of doing these.”
McEwen said in the first year after the surgery there are monthly follow-ups to help people adjust to the lifestyle changes.
“The bands are adjustable, as far as tightening the band mainly to control hunger,” McEwen said. “Food still tastes good (after the surgery). But you are going to eat a smaller portion.”
Meet Carl Erickson
Personal: Played football at Kokomo High School, before suffering knee injury his senior year. Has been with Hamilton Co. Emergency Management for nearly eight years. Previously worked for the Hamilton Co. Sheriff’s Dept. as a corrections officer for five years, reaching the rank of sergeant. Had also been a volunteer and then a part-time, paid firefighter in Cicero. Erickson and wife, Melody, have two daughters, Layla, 3, and Allie, 1.
What is you favorite thing to do to relax with family: “Going for walks and going to the park. That’s our favorite thing to do. I’m able to be engaged and participate.”
