I'm up and Running

I'm back home now. My darling hubby collected me from the hospital this morning.

The surgery went really well. The surgeon had to repair a Hiatus Hernia while he was inside, so that should cure the reflux I've been having since my pregnancy 3.5 years ago.

I'm not in too much pain thanks to the meds. I'm a little bit tender in the port site and I've been lucky to get away with no shoulder pain at all.

I'm not hungry at all although my tummy is rumbling. It is a strange feeling. :)

Stats day before Surgery

Well I have my bag packed ready to go to the hospital at 7am tomorrow morning. I thought I might just jot down my measurements before I go.

Weight: 89.4kg (lost 2.6kg on 1 week of Opti)

Waist: 100.5cm (loss 3.5)

Hips: 118cm (loss 6)

Chest: 109cm (loss 3)

Thigh: 73cm (loss 2)

Arms: 34cm (loss 1)

Total loss of 15.5cm. WOW. I'm wrapped.

Happy dance....

Also a quick welcome to Seeing in Colour, thanks for following and commenting :)

Welcome

Hi just want to say welcome Sam to my blog. I also hope I can get to sleep tonight. Fingers crossed. :o)

The hospital rang this arvo to confirm my admission on Thursday morning and to go through what will happen. All I heard was that I will have a three hour wait (WTF?) so bring a good book or some magazines, then they will prep me to go in for my surgery at 10.30. Why on earth do I have to be there 3 hours early god only knows.

Optifast not going great, think I'm going to have to fast tomorrow. :(

2 more sleeps

Well if that is what you can call it. I got hardly any sleep at all last night, my mind is racing at a thousands miles thinking about everything band related. I'm so damn excited about it all. I can't stop thinking about how my eating will change and how great I'm eventually gonna look, or how extremely lucky I am to get this opportunity to control my weight long term, with very little chance of failure. I just want to scream it from the roof tops and I'm busting a gut trying to keep it a secret. I'm so bloody worried about what anyone else might have to say. My hubby says "Stuff 'Em", just wish I could too. :o)

Thanks for all the wonderful comments and advice, you girls are great.

x

3 More Sleeps

Well I'm kinda over my little freak out and am now just looking forward to starting my journey. I'm totally over this Optifast diet. No wonder I never managed to stick to these shake diets before, they are complete bollocks.

On a lighter note I contacted my health insurance and it looks like they are going to cover almost everything. I do have a $250 excess that I will have to pay, which really is nothing compared to the cost of the surgery. I guess paying thousands in insurance for 20 years has finally paid off. :)

My husband is starting to get really excited for me. I'm sure he is getting sick of all my babbling about it though. Guess he better get used to it cause there is gonna be a heap more to come once I finally have the band. He did have one question that I couldn't answer though "Will I be able to drink beer?". We love to have a nice beer together on the weekends and I guess he is a little concerned he will lose his drinking buddy. LOL. I am also a little curious about this so anyone with an answer there would be great?

Thanks

Starting to get a little nervous.

Well this time next week I will have been banded for one day. I am starting to get a little nervous and anxious about the surgery. Not so much the recovery or the stay in hospital but the actual surgery, the time I will be under. I'm worried about not waking up, or the doc hitting a nerve or something and me waking up a paraplegic.

I know that the chances of these things happening are really rare, but I do not have the best of luck at most times. It seems to be a curse that runs in my Father's line. It is a bit of a joke in my family and my Husband is always pulling the piss out of me for it, so I'm just sitting here thinking a little to much and saying to myself "Well it would be just my luck if ... were to happen".

Arrgghh, maybe the lack of carbs are starting to play with my mind.

Just a little motto.

" Never give up what you want most, for what you want in the moment"

I have to live by this motto while on Optifast. I am finding it quite hard and have to keep looking at the big picture.

Pro-op Bikini Pictures

Arrggg....Well so many people over the years tell me I am not overweight and that I look healthy (I'm sure we have all heard this from time to time). Here is the proof that what they say is totally wrong.

I bought this bikini a few years back (maybe 5) when I was at my lowest weight. Although I can JUST fit into it, it is by no means flattering to see (no 80cm waist here). I hid away in my bedroom to take these pictures so no one would see me in this horrid swimsuit and here I go posting it all over the internet. I've decided to do this so that I can keep some type of visual record of my journey and felt it very important to showcase the start.

Pro-op diet is going okay. Had a bit of a blow out last night with dinner. Oh well.

Met with Surgeon

I met with my surgeon yesterday arvo for the first time. He said I only have to do 1 week of opt-fast. It was nice to be able to have some meat last night for dinner. I have decided though that I am going to stay on it from now till the 29th as I was feeling some benefits of it. I think it would be great to be able to drop a couple of pounds before hand also, which is a big plus.

My Surgeon is just the most loveliest man. He seems very confident that the lap-band will do wonders for me, which was encouraging to hear.

I am booked into the hospital at 7am on Thursday 29th July. It just can't seem to come around fast enough. I am loving reading everyone's blogs. It really helps ease any of the nerves and anxiety I might have. Thanks to everyone. x

Day 1 - Post-op Diet

Well I guess I've been kind of lucky. I have not found the vanilla optifast shake or the berry bar to be repulsive. In fact I kinda liked them.

I just finished a huge salad for lunch that had heaps of leaves, beetroot, tomatoes, mushies, spanish onion, snow peas in it. I also topped it with some grilled asparagus and squeezed a little lemon juice on top. It was delish. I followed this with half a punnet of strawbs. They are just coming into season and they are just the most tastiest little sweet morsels ever. Yummo.

Gonna make a big vege stir fry up for dinner with some soy and oyster sauce. Will also cook up some lamb chops for the kids and Nanny (who is staying with us and has no idea what I am doing. I have lied and told her I am having reflux issues that will be getting looked at).

Will then try one of the optifast choc desserts.

Yay 2 weeks today and I will be on the table.

Update and welcome.

Firstly I would like to welcome Alyce to my blog. It is encouraging to know that people are reading along.

Next, I had my Dietitian appointment today. I have been put on the Pre-op Optifast diet, starting tomorrow. I am a little worried about this as my diet will only consist of 3 optifast products, berries, veg/salad & diet jelly. I asked about other things like small portion of protien and was told that it works the best if you stick to the diet, so no. I'm not really all that bothered because I was expecting this pre-op diet after reading everyone's blogs. I'm just really excited to have everything moving along so quickly and smoothly.

The receptionist confirmed that I am booked in for surgery on Thursday 29th July, only 2 weeks away. Wow, I'm super duper excited. I have my first meeting with the surgeon on Friday and am wracking my brains trying to come up with a few questions for him but everyone's blogs are so very informative that I'm having a little trouble there.

I've read through Catherine's Chronicles from Band Land blog from start to finish. It took me a while but she is such an amazing inspiration for someone like me just starting out. She has given some wonderful tips, one being to write a pro's and con's list before surgery. I think I am going to take some time out this evening to think this through. I am finding it very hard to come up with any con's at the moment, so it must be a good thing.

Also I have taken a couple of before bikini shots, I'm a little nervous about putting those up but I'm sure they will make an appearance sooner or later. :o)

Cheers

Nikki

Welcome Cara & Band-Groupie

Just wanted to thank a couple of new followers. Cara, The Dash, from Perth, WA. Yay, I'm also a Sand-groper :o) & The Band-Groupie from The Sweet Spot.

Thanks girls for you support. I've read over both of your blogs and find you a great inspiration. I'm sure I will have plenty of questions in the future and everyone's help will become so valuable.

First Appointment with Nurse

So I just got back from my first appointment with my Surgeon's Nurse. She took my stats down (weighed in at 92kg on her scales), and wanted to have a long chat about where I was at. She was very positive that the band would be the right option for me. I was so excited to hear that she thinks that my Surgeon will be happy to treat me. Yay.

Anyway I now have an appointment with the Dietician for next Wednesday, 14th. The Nurse said I will most likely be placed on the pre-op diet then.

I then have an appointment with the Surgeon next Friday, 16th. He will just need to go through most of the same things the Nurse did and be sure that I am right for the procedure.

Then if all is going well I am booked in for Surgery on Thursday 29th July. Holy cow, so close. I'm super excited and just can't wait for this new chapter of my life to begin.

Oh almost forgot to add that she gave me a goal weight of 65kg. :o) Can't wait to be there.

Thanks to Carmen, Maria & Band-Babe

Just want to say welcome to Carmen, Maria & Band-Babe. It's great to know there is such a wonderful support network out there.

My starting Stats.

Height: 167 cm / 5'5"

Weight (first up): 91.3 kg / 201.3 pounds

BMI: 32.7

Healthy Weight Range Goal: 69 kg / 152 pounds

Measurements

Waist: 104 cm / 41"

Hips: 124 cm / 49"

Chest: 112 cm / 44"

Thigh: 75 cm / 29.5"

Arms: 35 cm / 13.75"

I have my first appointment tomorrow with the surgeons office (Dr Ian Martin, in Brisbane). I have to see the nurse first. I guess she will just take all my stats and possibly take blood. I'm not really sure what will happen. I am a little nervous that she might reject my request, although I don't think she can since I have a referral from my GP. My wonderful DH is going to come along for support. He is really all for this and would love to see me feeling confident and happy in myself again. I have not felt happy for many years now.

Welcome to my new followers

Just wanted to say thanks for following to Grace, Robin & Andrew. :o)

My first Followers

Wow, so I already have a couple of followers, Debi (Hawaii Bound Bandster) and Nerolid (Workinprogress), thanks so much for your support, I'm sure I'm going to need every little bit of it in the following weeks/months/years :).

I think blogspot might be playing up a bit cause sometimes you show in my followers bars and sometimes not. Rest assured though because you do always show in my Dashboard.

I will be doing a little post tomorrow with some of my stats.

Oh Happy 4th July to the American folks :)