ObesityHelp

Overweight most of my life. I've lost and re-gained more pounds, been on more diets, taken more weight-loss drugs, than I can remember---from the age of 10 on.
Strangely enough, I was always very healthy and very active. I am one of those crazy people who actually likes to exercise!
But, I'm getting older, and over the last seven years have developed multiple medical problems, all of which my doctors say could be helped by losing weight. And I seem to have used up all my will-power....
So I think surgery may be my last resort. And I've still got a lot of things I want to do--especially spend a couple of weeks in Hawaii!

July 1, 2006

Well, I've had my last pre-op meeting with the dietitian, seen Dr. Trahan again, had the pre-anesthesia work-up, and have 2 more evenings to work before the week of free time I decided I'd need before surgery. I still have tons of yard and house work to do, all three animals need to be taken to the vet for their yearly check-ups, and I can't see me lifting Boston into the Jeep (all 65 pounds of him) post-op! At least not for a while, anyway. And tearing the meniscus in my knee set my yearly spring chores back a lot...I've got one more of those blasted Tallow trees I'd like to trim back a little bit.

I've been looking over diets, web-sites, I'm reading Susan Maria's book right now, and it is strange--I am almost looking forward to this as an adventure! I think that 7 or so years that I was able to maintain a "normal" weight before Raymond died has almost prepared me, in a way. I'm back to reading labels, looking for good Lo- Carb protein supplements to try, I bought a little notebook to keep in the kitchen so I can keep a food, water, and supplement journal... I went to the support group program the other night and tried several new shake and pudding products. They're a lot better than they used to be!

And I am so looking forward to being able to go to the gym (free now for retirees) , and maybe trying to ride my bike on the beach. It's been at least 5 years since I've done that because I just got too short of breath, especially if it was windy. Dusting off my rollerskates...well, my knee should be healed by then, too.

I asked Dr Trahan why it was that, even though I have been approx 75-100 pounds overweight most of my life, that I was healthy until about 6 years ago--and he said that all the damge I had done to my body just finally caught up to me. Being a "normal" weight (actually, I looked good at 160, and felt wonderful) when Raymond got sick and then whopping on 100 pounds in 3 years after he died didn't help either. That particular yo-yo seems to have been the last straw...and let's face it folks, I'm older even if I really don't want to admit or even think it. What's that T-shirt--"growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional" ?

I was so adamantly against this surgery when it was first suggested to me--I felt like I was wimping out. If I'd lost and been able to maintain a weight loss for 7 years even 1 time in my life why did I need my insides re-arranged now? But I'm tired of being sick, adding a new disease or condition or medication every time I turn around--I want to be able to MOVE again! At my age, I (well, almost) don't care how I look--I want to be able to carry 2 bags of dog food cans up the stairs without running out of breath!

I want another 10 or 15 good years!!!!

Surgery---July 11th.

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July 8, 2006

Stormy weather for three days put all the outdoor work I had planned on hold, and now it looks as if everything I wanted to get out of pots and in the ground, and all the weeds I was going to pull, are just going to stay there until I get well enough from the surgery to get back out there! Yardwork and housework never really get done, anyway--there's always something that needs attention. But I really would rather weed the flower beds any day rather than vacuum or clean the bathroom.

The animals have had their yearly shots, and I got some more bird seed. Figure that even if I don't feel well enough for a few days to go downstairs to fill the feeder, I could throw seed off the back deck and sit out and watch the birds in the morning. I saw the green parrot again yesterday--the vet says there's been a colony of parrots on the west end of the island, but that they are showing up more and more here in town.

I'll find out Monday afternoon what time my case is. Have to do the bowel prep that day too. Just realized it's the full moon the 11th. Usually the full moon is a very good time for me, personally--as long as I'm not at work.

Wonder how it will feel to know when you are "full" and not "stuffed"? Wonder how it will feel to have to remind myself to eat?