May 22 was marked on my calendar for so long it felt just like back in high school, when I used to circle the day of our first football game each fall. The BIG day then, and now, could not get here soon enough for me.

These past few weeks I have gone through double days and extra conditioning getting ready for the Big Game. Back in the '80s at Coeur d'Alene High, we had the best coach, the best assistants, the best team, the best fan support and we had prepared ourselves to WIN, which we did. On 22 May, I was amped up and ready to go because I had the best doctor, the best clinical staff, and the best hospital with the lowest infection rate in the state. I also had prepared myself by dropping 50 pounds prior to surgery.

Just like the tough double days back in high school, it was not easy dropping the weight and adjusting my diet these past couple of months. I have tried for years and years to diet and probably lost and gained more than 1,000 pounds. But since the day my dad passed away in July 2012, I knew I had to do whatever it took to make sure I am around as long as possible to enjoy my great family and friends. I want to be here with my awesome wife, Sharyl, as we grow older and watch our two terrific daughters, Chelsey and Kylie, take the next steps in their young adult lives.

With these thoughts in mind, I went to my first bariatric seminar in late 2012. I did not tell anyone in my family what I was thinking about. After the first meeting, I started to analyze and evaluate what I had learned during this meeting. I arrived at this simple conclusion: If I chose to do nothing, my chances of being with my family longer were at stake. This was not a gamble I was willing to take.

Soon after the first visit, I discussed what I had learned with Sharyl and my girls. They were all-in and strongly supported my decision to have bariatric surgery - specifically, I planned to have a laparoscopic "sleeve" gastrectomy procedure.

My next step was to meet again with Dr. Pennings of Surgical Bariatrics Northwest in Post Falls and his bariatric team - psychiatrist, dietician, and physician assistant. Everyone was great to me and I was 150 percent sold on TEAM PENNINGS. I quickly bought in to do whatever was necessary to get ready and help make the best possible outcome for the surgery. Dr Pennings wanted me to lose approximately 10 percent of my 420-pound starting point to help make my liver the best it could be for surgery.

I followed their plan even though it was kicking my behind at first. I started with a basal metabolic rate of 3,200 calories so it was work to gradually reduce the amount of calories to 2,500 to 1,800 and eventually around 1,200. They finally had me go to all liquids the last three weeks prior to the surgery date. I have never gone through a detox program but the first few days of all liquids was pushing me to my limits like the old double days would, but I had lots of support, worked through it and after a week I was in a groove and just was focused on the goal. I kept busy at work and at home and stayed completely out of the kitchen and pantry just to not have any temptations. I know I could not do this long term but I knew there was end date to this. Some of you might think this would be too hard, but if I can do it so can you!

I showed up on Thursday, May 22 at 6 a.m., was in the OR by 7:30, and in my hospital suite by 11 a.m. Everyone was great at Northwest Specialty and everything went just like clockwork. During my ultrasound prior to surgery they found that I had to repair a hernia and that my gallbladder needed to come out. With the weight loss, my liver was easier to work around and the gallbladder was removed, the hernia was repaired with mesh and my stomach was mostly removed. I actually got up and walked around twice within hours of the surgery. I was tired and slept most of the first day.

On the second day, Friday, I tried my first food - a strawberry OptiFit shake. It went down very slowly with tiny sips. I had a second small shake just before noon and then Dr. Pennings discharged me from the hospital.

I was nervous about the ride home and I pointed out every pothole and bump in the road to my wife. She did a great job getting me home. I have not taken any pain medicine since coming home and have just been following Dr. Pennings' plan of liquids, stomach medicine and my treat of sugar-free Jell-O. Prior to surgery, I watched many videos of other people who had a lap-sleeve procedure like me and they all said they were not hungry after the surgery. I never thought it would happen to me as well, but it is true. This first week I have had to force "me" to feed myself, which has NEVER been an issue for me.

I try to get up and walk around every couple of hours and even sat in our car and watched my daughter play softball this last Saturday. The doctor says I am more sore from the hernia repairs than I am from the lap-sleeve, but all in all it has been very manageable. My five small laparoscopic incisions are healing up nicely. Actually the hardest thing I have been going through has been the pain from carbon dioxide they had to use to inflate my body trying to get out, but hot pads have done wonders with that minor pain.

My dad, Gary "Big Dad" Rasmussen, has been my inspiration my whole life. Even though he has passed, he is now my inspiration for this life change I am going through. I thought a great deal about whether or not I wanted my story told to everyone. I agreed because my dad was all about three things - family, friends and community. While I may never live up to my dad's level, if my story interests just one person to at least consider bariatric surgery, then all of this attention will have been worthwhile to me (and Big Dad) to help out people in our community.

Rick Rasmussen will write several more columns for The Press in coming months so readers can follow his progress.