Five Days and Counting
A Better Me Through Bariatric Surgery ..
In five days my life changes. No, not the bit 6-0 just yet, that will happen soon enough.
I’m talking about my bariatric surgery. On Friday, April 20th at 8:45 am, my life is going to add a new tool to its arsenal. I’m excited and nervous at the same time.
I’ve been wrestling with my emotions since making this decision. I thought I’d blog about it on a weekly basis, but what I really did was sort of let work take over my life and push this reality onto the proverbial “back burner.” Not to push the food analogies too far, but it’s simmered and now is ready to be ingested.
So down to reality…all sort of things are running through my mind. Will I ever eat bread again? What about a cocktail? The doctor said that after a year I can have a drink, but everyone else says, no alcohol. Not that I’m a big drinker, but I do like my skyptinis and a cooling G&T on a hot summer day.
What I’ve begun to realize is that I need to find other ways to fill the spaces formerly taken up with food prep and eating. The Gym…yes, I’ll do that, maybe even get a little obsessed about it. Find a hobby? All the things I really enjoy doing are outdoor activities, which I’ve not been able to enjoy since gaining so much weight.
Oh, no…what if I loose weight and become “an object of desire?” That’s a big one. I really have no idea how to handle that sort of thing. I never was good at the dating thing and even worse at relationships. Any advice on that front will be most welcome.
I go into this with eyes wide open. 4 oz of liquid, 1/2 cup, that’s all my stomach will hold. Drink water every half hour and shoot to take in 65-80 grams of protein a day. Did you know that they make water with protein in it just for us bari folks? What about liquid vitamins and medications in liquid form? Yup, can’t eat any solid food for 6 weeks and have to take vitamins to maintain health, liquid pills it is. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it?
I get that the surgery is a tool and that the real work starts as I change my relationship to and with food. It’s been my longest relationship, albeit not my headiest one, but my longest one. With all of this knowledge, I go forward into the abyss with trepidation, yes, but with much excitement and anticipation for a better me.
Debra – Thanks for bravely sharing your story. Sending warm thoughts and virtual hugs.
All the best Debra….will be thinking about you on the 20th!