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Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Tomorrow is B Day

TOmorrow I go into hospital to have gastric lap banding. I am alternating between being excited and terrified. It's a bit like having a baby - you know it's going to hurt and be undignified, but you want to get it over and done with so you get on with your life again.

I haven't blogged recently because I have had my head down doing schoolwork. Only four weeks left till the end of the academic year, and I have to miss this week, so I am working hard to get myself into a position where I can comfortable manage to allow myself some 'sick leave'. That is what I am aiming for by the end of today and things are looking good at the moment.

I have had to spend the last two weeks on a strict diet using Optifast. I am cross with my surgeon for putting every patient on this beofre the op without any examination of individual circumstances - a strict diet makes sense, because most people who need this op have a fatty liver, and it's a good idea to shrink it a bit - but I am lactose intolerant and no mention was made of the fact that Optifast is, on the whoole, pure milk products with vitamins and minerals thrown in. There is a soup, but it tastes like dog vomit and I threw it away. I managed three of the shakes before I was sick. I have been managing with the chocolate mousses and chocolate bars three times a day (how does this teach you good eating habits, BTW? And I don't even have a sweet tooth) plus the allowance of fruit and veges (the easy bit) plus all the water (also the easy bit). But I have been having such bad stomach pains and other nasty intestinal symtpoms (won't go into details but let's just say that last night I only just got to the bathroom in time) that this morning (after puking up my Optifast breakfast) I have thrown it all out and I;m spending my last day before banding eating sensibly. Two weeks of this have turned me from someone who ate sensible foods, albeit in enormous quantities, to a buleimic eating 'chocolate' three times a day. At least after the op , although I have to live on liquids for a while and then purees, they can be actual food. I have written lactose intolerance on my hospital admission forms because if anyone offers me a nourishing milky drink in hospital I will get violent with my IV stand!!!

I will politely point out to my surgeon, when I see him, that it would be a good idea to check with his patients rather than just having a blanket policy of putting them all onto Optifast!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your package ought to be arriving any day now and in fact I thought it would have been there already. Hope the surgery goes well and that no further milk products are proferred.

your ISE pal

Anonymous said...

hope everything goes well tomorrow.

yarnivorous said...

ooh, the big day has arrived! Hope it all goes well and you are back blogging soon!

Anonymous said...

Will be thinking of you and your great step forward - it will be all worth it when you all is done and settled I am sure. Will keep checking back :)

Digitalgran said...

I've just read this now and today you are actually having your op about now. i'm thinking of you and wishing you all the best.

Anonymous said...

On behalf of my mother. She is currently in hospital, she had to stay again last night and she is hoping to be released(lmao, sounds like shes cokming out of a mental assylum)tonight although last time i talked to her she didn't have the confirmation of that.She has been recieving regular calls from myself(Baby Bear) Wombat and George. We have tried to get Sirius to talk to her or kiss the phone but she is either never around or never in the mood. We shall all be profoundly happy once she get's back and is safely at home where we can keepa check on her. I thank all for the lovely comments and well-wishes.

Anonymous said...

Best of luck tomorrow!!