This week saw my four week post operative appointment and the official move to “real” food.  So what impacts did it have?

No real surprise there. I thought this week would be a little heavier due to the amount of crap food I’ve eaten.  (Admittedly not my ‘normal’ amount, but still it’s not been great.)

• Food – Well there’s no shock here.  With the move into the realm of real food I gave into the cravings and curiosity.  I don’t know why but I had been fascinated with the thought of how much of the fast food I would now be able to eat.  So I set about seeing for myself.  I wasn’t surprised as such, but I was really grateful to not be able to eat as much as I used to.  It was the same experience as with the Fish and Chips.  It felt so good to be able to walk away from the meal having only eaten a small portion.  I still felt sick afterwards, but it was worth it.  I can’t say I’ll be rushing out to repeat the process.  I am glad I did it though.  I’ll be able to reflect on how much like roadkill I felt after eating it that I won’t want it again.  I had a mini revelation yesterday while trying not to throw up the Hungry Jacks.  I seem to be most frustrated with not being able to eat what I used to after not eating for a long period of time.  I can’t say I’m as hungry as I used to be, but it seems that if I go a long period without eating when I do it it’s like it awakens something and I want to eat it ALL.  I feel good to have made the connection because now it means I can be more vigilant about eating regularly and saving myself the frustration and bad food choices.  I have to admit that I’ve been a little daunted by the thought of cooking.  It seems like such a waste to make a normal meal, but at the same time I really don’t want to be living off easy and quick (eg. bad) choices.  I need to find a balance.  I think that will be my mini food goal for this week – find a balance and variety in my meals.
• Exercise – Nonexistent.  I’m blaming the heat and some really late nights.  It’s been so hot here the last week that just the thought of moving has exhausted me.  It’s meant that I’ve avoided the treadmill.  But today with the cooler change I embraced the moment and cleared out the crap that has started to crowd in my workout room and got ready for a session on the treadmill.  I didn’t do it, I ended up cleaning the spare room, but the day’s not over yet!  I signed up to play Roller Derby this year and ordered my skates and protective gear.  I’m hoping all my gear will be here by Wednesday so I can start practicing my quad skating and getting out and about with some other Derby players.  I really want to get into a lifestyle that includes some social sport.  Baby steps.

My appointment with the surgeon went really well.  We talked about the process and I made some suggestions about ways they could be supporting sleeve patients.  I also talked about my experience with the nursing staff at the hospital and he’s asked that I put it in writing and send it in to the hospital.  He gave me the all clear to play sports and told me that this was it.  My stomach will be healed and this is my new life.  He was happy with my weight loss so far and advised me that I should see the loss start to slow down at 30 BMI.  Which for me is 90 kilograms, so that’s pretty cool.  There was nothing that I wasn’t expecting, so all in all a pretty good visit.

For the first year I need to have quarterly visits and then six monthly in the second year and then yearly from then on.  Apparently they like to run blood tests, etc. to make sure that you’re not malnourished.  I made my next appointment for April, just before I go home for holidays.  The surgeon thinks I will have lost 30 kilograms by the time I head home.  I can’t even begin to imagine what they will be like.  Needless to say, I’m very excited by the thought of it!