Rainbow_Warrior

You are most fortunate that everyone you have shared your 'news' with has been on side. Not all people are so lucky, Jaratar. You are blessed to have 100% respect and understanding. I have been on these pages about three weeks and can tell you that you are the exception, NOT the 'norm'. In my case, I can tell one sibling anything and she's always supportive. Among my social friends, I've told four or five close people and asked them to keep it to themselves as there are almost as many negative about obese people per se, WLS and dieting. As for work, I have told my boss that I am having time off for surgery with a 2-3 week recuperation period. I have not shared the exact reason but told her that it's related to my hernia, my weight and joint problems. That is truthful enough ... but frees me of the other staff knowing any more. You say you're 'lucky' and I tend to agree. If the prejudices here were not so high, I'd feel freer about sharing.

Friday (Oct 6th) at 2:45pm right now in Eastern Australia. Six days from now, I'll be in the recovery ward after my op. A week from now I'll (hopefully) be pacing the floors of Lingard Private Hospital, Merewether, Australia. Eight days from now, I will probably be discharged to go home ... fingers-crossed. Three views of the map of where the hospital is follows.

I have a stockpile of three litres of chilled egg-whites in half-litre containers with a USE BY DATE of December 11th ... two months after my op. I find that it's easy to have either (a) on its own (b) lightly cooked as pale scrambled egg (c) mixed with veggie juices or purees OR (d) mixed with drinking water or protein shakes.

No carbonated beverages or beer for quite some time ... maybe 15 months or longer.

Well, I was 'hungry' for the item/s at the time ... but, despite the difference to the stipulated diet, it's all in my diary and the dietitian has seen it. So, I own up. I write it down. Not hiding it. - - - GOOD NEWS: My wife came home from her work with a medium pizza last night and offered me some. (A year ago we would bring home two medium or large pizzas and eat most that night.) This morning there are still six of the eight slices in the box. My wife ate the other two slices last night. I am not tempted. Exactly a week to my operation right this minute. My mind is on the future prize, NOT the cold pizza.

Same date as me but sorry to hear your pre-op diet is not going well. Mine is going smoothly. What is troubling you with yours?

And this wonderful sign off from one of Tom Petty's ensemble bands: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMVjToYOjbM

I got a tweet from Zac Kahn ... Tom Petty was reported dead then not dead. Which makes sense because you can stand him up at the gates of hell but he won’t back down. ~~ Zach Kahn

With the pretty much singular exception of snap frozen veggies, the best policy is that if it comes inside a box inside a plastic bag, it probably contains additives, chemicals, stabilisers to prolong shelf-life, fridge-life or freezer-life. Don't get me started about added sugar and sodium. Then there's flavour enhancers.

Which is way better than being known as the super-hero, SUPPER-MAN.

If it's a choice between getting up in the night to take a #2 and staying twice my ideal weight, I am happy to get up every night for as long as I live and as long as I have the strength to do so. Q. Would you rather be obese 23 hours and 50 minutes a day or would you rather be slimmer until you die and give up ten minutes for a night visit to the household toilet? A. Mmm ... let me see. Yeah ten minutes out of my life every night is too steep a price to pay. I'll stay fat and depressed, thanks, Earl. As if!

Reminder to Australian readers: wet wipes, even the one's marked "flushable" are not to be used in 97% of Australia's public sewage and waste-water systems. If you do choose to use wet wipes, bag them properly and get rid of them in your appropriate council bin ... or bury them well under the soil if you have a big back yard and a non-inquisitive dog (or NO dog).

It's okay for me ... so says my dietitian. You should ask your dietitian or weight loss surgery clinic/practice.

Also 12th for me ... but I'm only an hour west of the International Date Line from OCT to APR thanks to daylight saving. I'll probably be 12 to 16 hours done when you are operated upon in the USA.

Make a pact with your wallet and your body. Your wallet says you should not want to do this again (or another way). It costs a bundle. Your body does not deserve the grief of failing after a surgeon hits your wallet hard to give you the head-start you've been needing to kick off your better future. Get your head right. You truly know that nothing tastes as good as being slim feels.

Yeah, when I went from 191.8kg (400+ pounds) down into the 155kg area, I burnt my bridges. I gave 22 pairs of slacks and a dozen good shirts to charity stores. I am looking forward to giving away lots of stuff over the next 15-24 months. Sadly, it'll all go to clothe some other morbidly obese person.

So, do you know who to see or who to telephone to set up the surgery date?

For post-op at the hospital, has anyone mentioned lip balm? Wet wipes? A sleeping mask?

Do you have a bariatric surgeon/practice yet? Has your family doctor (or personal physician) referred you to a WL surgeon in the recent past?

I seem to go well on the days where I take my medications and vitamins early (6am-8am). Then, depending on heat and the level of my activity, I usually have a protein shake between Noon and 2pm. A watery blender fruit-salad (4-5 strawberries, half a small, green banana, 7-9 small frozen cubes of mango) is sometimes a top-up prior to dinner. Dinner is usually 225g-335g of mixed veggies stir-fried with a dessertspoon of curry powder or turmeric. A couple of days I add 2-3 egg-whites for extra protein. By about 8pm, I slowly swig another protein shake. On a warm night, I have a couple of 300mL mugs of hot, black tea. Works for me!

I just made up my mind to buy the best-tasting, good-value per serve protein shakes. I am resolute enough to put taste aside if it comes down to it ... pretty much like taking medicine, i.e. it might not taste great but the greater goal is to get better and lose the weight. It'll be a month or three. I'm mentally prepared.

My daily MFP target is for 90g Protein but I'll be happy to clear 75g or about 80% of the intended target.

My best man, 10 years younger than me, had this op 14 days ago. His surgeon said that, "international evidence is that you may not lose quite as much as other forms of bariatric surgery but you will have better healing, lesser risk of complications and a shorter recovery time." He added, "whereas others of your relative mass of 190 kg and height of 1.91 metres (BMI 51) could expect to lose 50%-55% of their body mass, your likelihood, ON CURRENT EVIDENCE, is that after 18 months you might have only lost 43%-48% of your body mass. There exists a likelihood of a greater chance of failure or diet recidivism too ... typically about 8%-10% more people than with other WLS." Jason expressed to me that if he could get under 115kg (BMI 31), he'd be excited by the extra mobility alone. And further success in reaching 100kg (BMI 27.5) would be utter joy.

Well, thank you. I am actually looking forward to it.

Monday 8am here on the east coast of New South Wales ... 30 hours into this daylight savings season. It's the Monday of the Labor Day long weekend and the penny has dropped for me ... just ten days until I'm in a hospital gown been prepped for my gastric sleeve op. Tingly happy excitedness.