Todd Driver

“Losing weight has been the best thing — I only wish I would have done it sooner.”

While being catapulted 140 feet in the air is more than most people can take, for Todd Driver of Foley, the ejection seat at the Minnesota State Fair was more than just a thrill. It was a milestone.

The journey to losing weight started off a bit bumpy. His initial lap band surgery in 2005, while it enabled him to drop weight, wasn’t the long-term solution he had hoped for. He started having reflux and the weight crept back on. Some fine tuning of the band didn’t help.

When the reflux continued, Todd was referred to weight loss surgeon Sayeed Ikramuddin, MD, in 2009. A University of Minnesota physician, Dr. Ikramuddin recently joined CentraCare Clinic.

In January 2010 Todd had his gallbladder and lapband removed. In June of that year, Dr. Ikramuddin performed gastric bypass surgery on Todd. This was the same surgery Todd’s wife, Cindy, had in 2008.

Traveling this road together has allowed the Drivers to support each other. They both can do things that many take for granted, such as fitting comfortably in a seat at a restaurant or on an airplane. Together they have lost almost 300 pounds.

“I can do things I never could before, like crawl around on the floor with my granddaughter,” Cindy said.

They both attend the St. Cloud Hospital weight loss support group to keep themselves accountable and be a support to others on their weight loss journey. They eat healthier and limit sugar. Cindy no longer needs cholesterol medication and her blood pressure is normal. The downside is the dog has gained weight.

“After my first surgery, I wasn’t good about going to follow up or support group. Now I am very faithful about going. It is so important,” Todd said. “Losing weight has been the best thing — I only wish I would have done it sooner.”