So I decided to start a bit of a blog here as it will hopefully track my progress along the vertical sleeve journey. I'm 42, 5 ft 3" and I live in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is my next-door-neighbour and that is where I had my first consultationwith my surgeon - a Dr Abdulsalam Al Taie. However, he will be doing the surgery in the Al Noor hospital in Abu Dhabi which is nice, as I'll be closer to home. I really liked him, he was very open to answering my zillion questions and seemed quite relaxed and confident, and very much on-the-ball. His info session was fairly comprehensive and I will have another meeting with him and a bloodwork and tests session before surgery as there is still a bit of time to go.

From here on out I am bursting the bubble- it feels real. Today according to the surgeon's uber-space-agey body composition analyser machine thingy I weigh 115 kg and have all SORTS of ghastly and worrying statistics. I think this is the highest weight I've ever been. Argh! Well thank flipping heaven this is soon to change.... starting with my own version of a pre-op diet right now.

My surgery date has been tentatively set for 2nd of July.Yay!

I am so excited!

Thank-you Tamou you really were a big help holding my hand today and desertmom thanks for the laughs and encouragement.

Onwards and downwards!