Ahhh,

here we are ready for the last stage, before the procedure. All the medical appointments, check. Lost weight to show commitment, check. All the psychologists appointments to show I'm really ready for this, check. Six months of the Weigh Ahead Programme, check. AND, successfully completed said programme, reaching targets, check. Taking regular exercise, check. Bags packed, check........

Am I ready for this? Too right I am.

So, tomorrow is the day for the commencement of the milk diet.

D DAY

Well I'm up, about to get in the shower, then start the journey. A bus, ferry, train and taxi........ All that's missing is an aeroplane

GOOD LUCK to you. Cant wait to hear from you again after. This is so excitkng. Never got to share in anothers journey before. It will all go so fast you wont have time to think about it. Go to sleep and wake up a new person inside and out.

Edited May 13, 201412 yr by kimba6999

Let us know how you are doing when ever you can get online hun

Lucky how are you doing hun?

We are all waiting to hear how ur doin. I hope the surgery went ok and ur comfortable. Good luck and let us know.

Welcome Back

Ohhh, thank you Kimba and Willow

Only just feeling well enough to sit at the computer. I didn't mean to be so lazy, but I've been exhausted by having just Water since the op.

Well, travelled over to the mainland on Tuesday morning, no problems there, arrived a little early, sat in the sun outside the hospital for half an hour. Went in, eventually found surgery reception. Phewwww. Announced myself,

did I realise the time of my appointment? Yes I did, the receptionist seemed almost put out I was early, but I had had the telephone call the day before. Oh Dear... Health Care Assistance do the meet and greet, last minute paperwork, and show you where to change. Sitting in a single gender waiting area, (for a surgery to be done that day) in your lovely theatre gown, your own slippers and dressing gown. Wait to meet last time with the surgeon and anaethsitist signing your consent, then you're off!!!!!! Into theatre and asleep, almost straight away. Wake up in recovery five hours later. Being sent to Surgical High Care!!!!! Apparently they had problems with my breathing during the operation, also interesting to know my liver was enlarged. I was shocked about that, and the surgeon said that although it was enlarged, he believed that I had stuck to the diet, as he could see that in my liver!!! What!!!! So, he did think about cancelling the operation, but only briefly, thank goodness. So an overnight and one day stay in Surgical High Care, then onto the ward, temperature up, bloods show an infection, but they couldn't find where. Stay on water until things sorted. Drips for fluids, antibiotics. Just water, no other drinks, or food for five days not a problem, just wanted to get home. Sent for a CT scan, no problems there either, hurray, if my temperature doesn't go too mad in the night I can go home tomorrow. Good temps in the night, yippee, now the early morning obs.... Yep temperature up, but only slightly, and feeling well. Infection still in bloods, they are surprised I feel so well, but allow me to go home..... Oh, the procedure they did? A bypass, without the hernia repair. Pain relief paracetamol, really!!!!!!

Well so glad you're at least home. Home seems to make everything better. So sry to hear of your complications but sounds like things are getting under control. Keep us updated on whats going on and congratulations and welcome to the sleevettes club!!! We are proud to have you join us!

Sorry to hear you had such a rough time, as kimba said being home will in itself make you feel so much better than being in hospital did. Hope your recovery from here on goes smoothly.

Hi Willow,

seems I had a rough time but, in all honesty, I seemed to be not too bad with it. Did I regret it in the first two days? YES, many times. Did I feel like I had been hit by a bus, YES, many times. But I kept the end goal in mind, reminding myself of what I could achieve if only I could keep going. I think because I had to take myself there, with only one visitor, until Friday afternoon, it sort of made me focus. Does that sound mad?

I must say that I was on a general surgical ward, maybe that had something to do with it also? The upside, you see very poorly people, so, as my operation was elective, it felt as though, I just had to get through my stuff. The downside, well, no privacy about what I'd had done (I'm not ashamed, just very private), also the kitchen staff were worse than useless, also I may add most of the nursing staff understanding the food available. So after the long milk diet, then just Water for five days, I was looking forward, as you can imagine, to a clear Soup. What a laugh, hot water, with an oxo cube still floating in it! Thanks, but no thanks. I asked for milk, and like it or not, that is what I had, and enjoyed it too. Do I feel better now, oh yessss. This time last week I was ready to travel to the hospital. And, just think, another cycle of bariatric patients are on their way too. And yet another group are starting, and others mid-way with their milk diets........ Do I regret it now, NO, I'm just looking forward to achieving my goals. So to all the armchair experts who say, just eat less and move more. We'll show them!!!

Edited May 20, 201412 yr by luckyknickers57

Thank you Kimba

you are so right, home, yes, that's where we recover best, and yes it's behind me, well almost. Yes, so pleased to be a member of something positive, wow. The journey has been so much 'easier' with the knowledge I took into the theatre with me. Very comforting. Many thanks to all the support I've received here.

Just remember, you're through the worst of it. Believe me when i say my hospital ecperience was much different here. I had a private room and the nurses specialized in the bariatric treatment. Lucoily i only spent a day in the hospital from beginning to end but they were super and wonderful. I feel so bad for your experience but just remember the end goal like you said. What a wonderful journey you have begun. I am just so excited for you. I cant wait to hear about your journey, the ups and the downs. Til next time, enjoy yourself and congrats again to u and the family.

Thank you Kimba for your kind words.

Until recently, I too would have had private hospital care, but the contract has been moved to the NHS in this area. I suppose its a cost cutting exercise, also this hospital managed to recruit a well known and respected bariatric surgeon to attract more patients and this is all in their early days. I will be feeding back to my specialist nurse, who visited me frequently, about my views of the care I received. I know that it is the past, and really I'm not making a big fuss, but I would like to see the service improved for others. Well, I am through the worst of it, and so grateful to have this opportunity to start my new life, this is only the beginning too x

I think if we are honest the vast majority of us have doubts if we did the right think in the first day or two. I certainly did, I was in agony with my back and had a lot of pain in the very early days.

I hate hospitals so bluffed my way through it so I could get home because like you I was added to a general surgery ward where they had no idea about what I was allowed and kept trying to feed me sandwiches. Getting home to my own chair and bed where I could get something edible made me feel so much better. Do I have regrets now...........definitely NOT. I have had no regrets since those early days. I still get troubled with reflux and burping but I suppose that is a small price to pay for the weight loss I have had. I am over half way toward my goal and its only just over 2 and a half months which I never thought I would reach.

I think if we are honest the vast majority of us have doubts if we did the right think in the first day or two. I certainly did, I was in agony with my back and had a lot of pain in the very early days. I hate hospitals so bluffed my way through it so I could get home because like you I was added to a general surgery ward where they had no idea about what I was allowed and kept trying to feed me sandwiches. Getting home to my own chair and bed where I could get something edible made me feel so much better. Do I have regrets now...........definitely NOT. I have had no regrets since those early days. I still get troubled with reflux and burping but I suppose that is a small price to pay for the weight loss I have had. I am over half way toward my goal and its only just over 2 and a half months which I never thought I would reach.

Inspiring and we need to be honest. I would absolutely hate to have woken up and feel all this, and no one to have warned me it was how I might be feeling. Yes Willow, so lovely to get home and start healing. Part of that is good nutrition too hey?

Good nutrition, decent rest/sleep in our own beds and just feeling more relaxed works wonders.

How are you feeling now hun?