3 months on and I want to start sharing my journey with anyone that may be interested. It has been 12 weeks today that I entered the operating theatre in a hope of creating a new future for me. Not a fat future. Lapband, I felt, would give me the future that I always thought of having. My dream of surfing, swimming when I wanted, racing a speedway car or even just running without too many things wobbling. Ofcourse, you always dream of being able to walk into a shop, pick up any piece of clothing and know that it will fit and look ok. These dreams are restricted to those that have always dealt with weight issues and not the naturally thin lucky ones. I often wonder how or even why I let myself get into this situation in the first place. Why didn't anyone explain to me that once your overweight its way too hard to lose it and then you get the added bonus of dealing with the excess skin, not a good look. Kind of odd that you lose weight and yet you get more wobbly bits!
So when did I realise that I needed help? When I had the horribly embarrassing situation where the local hospital wouldn't allow me to give birth to my 2nd daughter because my BMI was over 40. Yes, I did eventually win but I only got through after a lengthy process where my doctor and the hospital anaethetist had a meeting regarding it. Now this was nearly 3 years ago. It still took a friend to undergo the same procedure for me to realise that this may be my last option.
Today, I am glad I took that option but it is NOT the easy option. I haven't had 'complications' as they say but its a massive learning curve that I still haven't come to grips with. I get pain everytime I eat. I have to consciously remember to take smaller mouthful's, which I don't always do. My eyes are still bigger than my belly, it astounds me how little I can actually eat these days. Oh and no drinking while eating.
So I have some major mental learning curve's to get my head around. One thing is realising that yes I have lost 13kgs and over a metre off my body, but I still see myself the same as pre op. I have no idea why but hopefully that will change with time.
I had an interesting weekend, where courtesy of my daughters daycare I ended up with the gastro she bought home from there. First thing the doctors tell you about having lapband is that vomiting is BAD! Very bad! I vomited 4 times before dragging myself into the emergency department. Another time before being seen by the triage nurse. The nurse seemed to think that she knew everything about lapband surgery. Thought that she would be able to get fluid out of my port. Pushed and prodded, jabbed me with needles, to no avail. Kindly informed me that my band would eat through my stomach, hmm great another thought to add to my spinning head. Needless to say, another visit to the bathroom and my tally was now at 6! While waiting for the doctor the tally jumped up to 8! Surely now my band has moved or is floating in my stomach. The lengthy process of them trying to find a vein to give me fluids, being that I was badly dehydrated, saw me have more needle holes than a pincushion! Ok so clearly, I am writing today so I survived. As far as I'm aware, my band is still working properly. Still eating only small amounts with little pain (except when I forget small mouthfuls).
So until next time.....
Eat small, think BIG!
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