Hychap2009

28th March '09 Patting myself on the back. whoopi! I started my first tai chi session today. Fab. It was a little harder than I was expecting but enjoyed it soooo much. Since my health has not been that great this year, I've not really been working so have no personal income. I'm having to depend on my husband, (I don't really like that). I prefer being independent, spending as and when I want to and not having to ask for money. Without my income I know hubby is feeling the pinch, but not complaining. So he pays for my weekly aerobics class (which I may turn into 2 time per week). To ease the burden, I spoke to my brother about my intended WLS and some of my health issues. He has agreed to pay the monthly cost of ?25. Thank you bro. So now I will be able to do both activities as part of my own weight loss plan and attempt to make myself more healthy. Hopefully, after surgery I will still be motivated to continue with exercise and enjoy it for the first time. Hyacinth

27th March 2009 Over the last few days I had been wondering about the counselling service at Kings, they were supposed to call me with an appointment about now. Well today was the day. I got a call inviting me in to speak with a counsellor next week Friday. I've been given the name of the counsellor that I will be see. Funny thing is I really don't feel that great need to speak with a counsellor any more. TT has provided the reassurance, confidence and the advice I needed. I've had time to think and rethink, question my emotions and look at the reasons why I need to have this done. Having said that, I guess It wouldn't do any harm to talk, there are some issues that I have not addressed, so I'm going along. I'm not really the kind of person that likes to discuss things with strangers, (yeah right, what am I doing on here?) seriously, I normally keep my business to myself, lets hope its worth it. I'll still be talking about the anxieties I had around the surgery. Hyacinth.

23rd March 2009. Written as follows:- Oh my days. I had great news today. Not satisfied with what I was told when I phoned the hospital 2 weeks ago. Well I spoke to someone else this time. No 6 months wait yeah! She told me that my name is on Dr Patels waiting list, my pre assessment appointment should be in May and my surgery around the end of May. Is this really happening. I feel that I'm back on track. I'm off to water aerobics tommorrow, that's if my cold is a little better. Hopefully, I start tai chi on Saturday. Now something odd has happened. I've only recently started including some exercise in my weekly schedule. Note I mention 'some'. Well, i started off at 19 and half stone that was last week. Well, yesterday I weighed in again and the scales read 18 stones. I thought that can't be right, so I asked my daughter to test the scales. She said her weight was about right. I think i'd better go and get myself weighed cause I just don't believe that reading. I've hardly made great changes to loose 1 and half stone. Its been one of those weeks. Mothers day, yet I still found myself in the kitchen most of the day on Sunday. Nobody to give me a treat. Significant other went to work early in the morning; daughter went to work early shift. So I was left at home looking after my grand daughter just turned 1 yr. old. She is not feeling too well at the moment, so is a little bit miserable and hard work (love her all the same). On hubby's return he gave me a bunch of flowers and a beautiful card, also got from my daughter two small gifts from daughter and grand daughter. That made my day.

I wrote this 17 March '09 Hope you're keeping up with my mind set. lol Yesterday i phoned the hospital to see whether they are any closer to allocating my surgery date. What a blow. After been told at my last appointment that I'd only have to wait 4 months for my surgery, It's taken my a little while to get my head round it all and come to terms with the fact that I have to have the surgery. I decided to be positive, research as much as possible about the Gastric Sleeve and prepare myself as best I can before my surgery. I'm trying to ensure that I have the products to help me keep to a plan, ie. finding the correct containers that will hold appropriate quantities per meal. Sourcing recipes that will be suitable after WLS. Improve on some of the protein drinks so that I can at least enjoy them. Finally, try to self motivate around exercise. Alright then, that said, yesterday I was down, but today i've sprung right back with a vengence. Yep, I went to my first water aerobics class. I can't believe I actually exercised for 1 hour straight and enjoyed every moment. I LOVED IT! This is the first proper facilitated exercise that i've done in over 20 years. I have to say it, I'm proud of myself, patting myself on the back. I was meant to start this 2 weeks ago and had an convienent excuse each week. Not today though. Just put my mind to it, went along and hey! My cousin came with me and we both enjoyed ourselves. It was an all female group with some pregnant women. I felt muscles I'd forgotten I had. I'm hoping this will be the first of many physical activities. My next goal is to do Thai Chi. That will give me 2 hours of exercise per week to start with. I'm far from fit enough to try the gym, but some come, soon come.

Written 24th Feb.'09 Ok, where am I now. Well yesterday morning I attended my appointment at the dietician at my local primary care centre. She asked who referred me. I explained that I was a self referral. Then I went on to tell her that I would be having WLS in the near future, but that I had some concerns that I've been unable to get answers to. Also i told her that despite the pending surgery, I would like to try and help myself as best that I can. I would like to tone up as best as I can and lose some weight before the surgery, I'm hoping to reduce the amount of sagging skin, if I can steadily lose some of the weight. (Who knows it may help). My main concern however, was pertaining to after the surgery. I understand that I would be on protein drinks for a few weeks. My problem is that since I'm a diabetic, when I do not eat for long periods, my sugar drops (obviously), but when it drops to say 5, which is quite normal for some people, my body starts to shut down, I'm unable to move or help myself. I'm trying to find out what will be done to help me in this situation in the first few days. Unfortunately, my dietician has no experience of supporting people who have undergone WLS, but promised to look into it for me. However, she concentrated on looking at my diet as it is now. I presented her with a 3 day food diary. Overall she was quite ok with it. We set some goals,which was not difficult as they fit in with what I do already, but we looked at the portions in any one meal. This will be a change for me:- 1. To have half the plate - vegetables. 2. Reduce the portion of carbs. eg. rice or potatoes. 3. To ensure that I have 3 portions of fruit daily. 4. Take up some manageable exercise. 5. Try to eat slowly. As I currently take about 10 minutes to eat most meals. I'm to keep a food diary and due to go back in two weeks. She weighed me and i'm rocking 19st 3lb. 122kg. I think. Lets see if I can keep to it.

Written on 17th Feb.2009. Well here I am again, exploring and trying to seek out other pre-op. GS people. Not much luck. Most people on this site seem to have had the Gastric Bypass and quite happy with it. It difficult to find people who have had the gastric sleeve, or maybe it's just that they don't say which surgery they've had. Since my last blog. Despite being sooooooo scared, I decided to take a positive attitude to having the surgery. I've been looking into what I will still be able to cook and eat; I've contacted the counseling service at my local hospital to help me get some perspective on the whole thing; I've made an appointment at my primary care centre with our dietician to discuss how my diabetes can be managed after the surgery, worried about low blood sugars; planning to start gentle exercising to see if I can do anything to reduce the amount of sagging skin after weight loss. Trust, this worries me a great deal. Although I hate to look at what I have physically become, losing weight and ending up with excessive saggy skin I think will ensure that I remain covered up at all times. If it's that gross, I'm going to have to seriously consider getting plastic surgery, never thought i'd see the day when i'd think like that. Today, I made leek and celery soup and had it with a crusty bread roll. Later I had a cheese and Tomatoe in a crusty roll with a nice cup of tea. Will this be bye, bye to such treats? I guess I do have a relationship with food, but I would have regarded this as pretty normal. How am I feeling now, well, still frightened, apprehensive. I've read on here were people are saying that they have not lost much weight by having the sleeve. To go through something like this and not have it work would be awful. Anyway, I'm going to be positive in thinking mine will work.

I wrote this on 13th Feb. 2009. Well, I've done it. I searched and searched until I found what I hope will be beneficial support. I was looking for a NHS support group for WLS at Kings College Hospital, so far no luck. That's amazing isn't it. Anyway, at the back of the WLS information pack that I was given some time ago was details for Kings free counseling service. I've never been one to even consider discussing my personal feelings with strangers, but as things stand at the moment, I'm thinking, caution to the wind. I contacted the service midday, and was told that there was a 3 to 5 week waiting list for an appointment. Someone kindly called me back about an hour later; carried out a brief telephone assessment about my needs. My impression was that the person I spoke to (John) was ever so friendly, obviously excellent listen skills which made me feel that I was doing the right thing. I feel quite pleased with myself that I've taken this step, and look forward to having someone to talk to face to face, help me to put my anxiety into perspective. I don't mind the waiting time as I don't expect my Op, date until around May or June.