Forgive me forum, for I have sinned, it has been 3 years since my last confession and boy do I have alot to confess !!
Wowzers, where do I start ?! When I left the forum back in 2011, I weighed 172kgs, had just separated from my second husband had met a wonderful man from the USA and I was trying to crack into the 160s. It was a very emotional roller coaster for me, I had been quite successful on Optifast for 6 months under the guidance from the Obesity Clinic at Westmead Hospital, but I was struggling with the mental journey of my weight loss. It was that mental struggle along with the complacency of being in a long distance relationship that led me to put all my weight back on and then some. I had initially started my journey at 208kgs an then ballooned out to 233.2kgs. FARRRRRRRK !
So I knew I had to do something, I never thought I was "THAT" big. I was on yet another health kick and trying to lose weight at 227kgs and dislocated my knee whilst working out ( oh the irony ), xrays, ct scans and MRIs confirmed my knee cap was 2cm dislocated and I required surgery to fix it. My surgeon did not want to perform a knee reconstruction as it would fail at the weight I was. So I had an arthroscopy and he fixed whatever he could .... 6 weeks later ... my knee relapsed on me and dislocated again, only 2mm this time but enough for me to become completely invalid and void of being able to look after myself, go to work, drive the works. I was petrified of losing my job, which was my everything.
My General Manager and Area Manager are two ladies that I owe so much gratitude and love and respect. They both supported me unconditionally and kept my job safe for me, even when my GM sent me home to rest for one fateful week in November 2012.
I sat at home on the first day sulking in my typical fashion ... oh poor me, why me, nobody loves you blahh blahh blahh .... the next day I woke up with the attitude of "right, what are we going to do about this" ... I contacted my superannuation and DHS to see if I qualified for an early release of my superannuation, it all appeared good and then I contacted SIOS - Sydney Institute for Obesity Surgery and spoke to a wonderful bariatric nurse by the name of Patricia ... she did a quick assessment over the phone and booked me in for the next day ... November 16th 2012 ... . That's where it all starts .... and ... what a whirlwind !
I get to the appointment on Nov. 16th an see, the bariatric nurse, GP and dietician ... I had my Gastric Surgery options discussed with me and put on optifast (again ... eeeek) . I was then booked in to see the surgeon 4 weeks later in mid December. That came around really fast and I saw him and decided to opt for the Gastric Sleeve and had my surgery booked in for March 8th 2013, under one condition, I had to lose 34kgs to have it done. 34kgs in 3 months are you freaking kidding me ?
I set off all determined and was nailing it, 2 weeks out from the surgery and I freaked out and went on an emotional eating bender and stuffed my face with McDonalds ... I was one week out crying to Patricia and begging the surgeon to still operate, he said not unless I get under 200kgs ... The day before my op, I weighed in at 201kgs, I called Patricia and after consultation with the surgeon they agreed for me to go to the hospital and he will assess then, but if I wasnt under 200kgs, more than likely he wouldnt operate because of the risks. So I went home and did something naughty ... I cheated and took a lasix 40mg (fluid tablet) and two laxatives ... now I do NOT condone this behaviour, but I was totally desperate and needed to get under 200kgs ... I get to the hospital the next morning ... jumped on their scales .....199.2kgs .... FARK YEAH !!!! 34kgs in 3 months ... What you got to say about that Doc ? huh ? Huh ? HUH ? LOL ....In the pre op room I flipped him the double birdie and I told him this is just the beginning he needs to watch for further great things ... He told me sheepishly he would have operate at 201kgs ... I could have jumped him, but he was way too cute LOL
So I had my Gastric Sleeve and everything went, well, ok ... with the exception I woke up on the table right at the end, as all my veins collapsed and the anaesthesia wore off ... now I saw why the doc wanted me to lose the weight before I got on the table, to reduce the risks ... thank goodness I did. Besides that ... Everything went beautifully ! It is a decision I do not regret that is for sure
Ok ... So this is the first part of the journey ... Its getting quite late, so I will update the second part tomorrow or by the weekend ... I will also promise to post pics too for you all to check out
That's pretty harshly put Goddess!!