adventuresofanaussieragdoll

Well, the journey has begun in earnest today.  Wasn’t sure whether to title this post Day One or Day 15.  It would depend if I was counting down to the Surgery day or counting up to it.  Looks like I have decided to count up.

My weight today is 145.7kg.  In the last couple of weeks or so, I have been eating things that I won’t be able to have any longer.  Sweets, chocolate, breads, bacon (Mmmmmm,,,,,, Bacon!) etc.  So, what’s happening?  Well, about 4 weeks ago I saw my Doctor and admitted that I cannot do this myself.  I have tried to lose the weight and it just hasn’t happened.  I have tried Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Gloria Marshall, Lite and Easy, Biggest Loser Club and just changing my diet.  I do alright for a couple of weeks and can get down to maybe 138kg and then it all falls apart.  My Doctor had talked to me a couple of years ago about taking the surgical option.  At the time I was determined to do this myself.  I thought taking the surgical route was cheating or being lazy in some way.  I have now come to understand that sometimes it is the only way to do this.  It isn’t cheating or lazy at all.

I cleaned out my fridge last night.  What food I wasn’t able to consume was thrown out last night.  Luckily it was the night for the rubbish bin to go out. So now my fridge looks like I am poor (which I am at the moment).  There are some things in there for later, my water filter and bottles of water (from the filter, not bought in shops).  That’s it.  Most of the shelves are completely empty.  The only raw food really that is in the fridge is the chicken breast for the kitten.  Hamish (the new kitten, well, not really ‘new’.  He’s been with me for just over two months now) appears to have some sort of irritable bowel syndrome.  He doesn’t like any form of packaged cat food, and I have tried lots of different ones.  He likes chicken breast (raw or cooked) and BBQ chicken.  I would buy the chicken and then strip the carcass and put it into a container and feed some to him at meal times, as well as have some myself.  I noticed his tummy seemed to be very round.  Almost pot bellied.  He had developed a habit of pooping under the settee in the lounge room.  Not only was it messy, but it was very smelly and not very poop like at all.  The vet has instructed that he only be fed 20gm of fresh chicken breast three times a day, with Slippery Elm powder sprinkled over it.  Plus he has 1/3 cup of a prescription dry food once a day.  I tried to give him some chicken liver (between 10-15gm) with the chicken breast, as per the Vet’s instruction, to give him more vitamins.  The first couple of times was fine.  But after that, Hamish would either leave the liver in the bowl or he would dump it on the floor!  After the first week of trying every meal, I gave up on the livers.  Hamish is still gaining weight, even with the very restrictive amounts.  Although, Hamish doesn’t like the small amounts at all.  He often meows at me wanting me to feed him more.  I remain resolved and haven’t done so.  I have an additional litter tray in the lounge room now, and he poops in there.  He won’t poop in the original litter tray for some reason I have yet to understand.  His poop is becoming more poop like and the smell is getting better.  Hopefully, I will eventually be able to move the litter tray out of the lounge room (It’s in a corner, not on prominent display, thankfully) and maybe into the bathroom.  Will have to see later.

So, two weeks from today I will undergo a Gastric Sleeve procedure.  I know it is drastic, but with a BMI of over 54, drastic is what is needed.  I have trouble walking up and down stairs.  I get puffed walking up even moderate inclines.  I’m not getting any younger and I need to do something about this.  Remarkably, I am NOT pre-diabetic.  That amazes me, every time I think about it when I consider what I would eat.  The amounts of sweets and chocolate.  I am at risk of stroke at this weight.  I already have high blood pressure.  By losing weight, I can reduce my risks, and possibly eliminate them altogether.  I will try to document my journey each day.

Today has been the start of the Optifast only diet in preparation for the surgery.  This diet not only should shed some weight before the surgery, but it will also shrink my liver.  This means it is easier for the surgeon to move the liver out of the way in order to perform the procedure on my stomach.

This whole procedure has happened very quickly.  As I said, I spoke with my Doctor only about 4 weeks ago.  I saw the assessment team on 9 September, and the surgeon two days later.  I saw the dietician about 10 days ago and will see the cardiologist for the final clearance next Wednesday.  The surgeon just wants to be sure there won’t be any issues with my heart due to my age.

I have been exempted from having to look for work at the moment.  It made no sense for me to be applying for jobs when I am not in a position to accept a job offer because of the surgery.  The good thing is it is giving me time to do some knitting.  A friend is having her first baby some time this month.  I have been dawdling with getting this finished.  Now I have to push myself to get it all done.  My own fault.  Time to get back to the knitting.  Talk again tomorrow.