September Sleevers

[mykdzmom 387]

Be Do Have that sounds great! I am at 14 days today and will start my transition to puree. Yay!!

Love the baby bell idea and I plan to try laughing cow as well.

I am concerned because if I eat yogurt or cottage cheese I can eat 4 oz without an issue. I hope that is not a problem for me.

Keep up the good work!

[hollybower 122]

Anyone tried baby food? !

[Smytty 93]

Holly bower I was told not to eat baby food as adults hqve different nutritional needs than children. Just what I was told.

[Desmond Longbottom 147]

Well.... How is everyone doing?

Just checking in with my first day of round two of liver shrinking. I stayed on it for the most part of the interim since my original surgery date of October first with the exception of the past week where i had a wedding to attend in England. Now however I am back on shakes, fruit, yoghurt, and salad veg.... yahooooo!

So lemme see. Whats changed... Due to 3 weeks of liver shrinking in september, and 4 weeks of nearly liver shrinking in October I have lost already to date about 50lbs. I have avoided the scales for about a week and a half now and intend to keep avoiding them for the first week of this fresh stretch of liver shrinking. I don't want to look at the scales and start to admonish myself for the indulgences of the wedding week just past. God dammit I was a fricking Maid of honour and furthermore I have no idea how to convey the male version of that role... "Male" of honour??? Chief Bride's Male??? Bride's male in chief????? Clearly I had earned a break. I didn't go crazy anyway so all is prob still fine, but i flat out refuse to invest my current happiness as detailed below on a three digit figure conjured up by an inanimate object.

The best thing about where I am now though is that I can actually see my own progress. I can actually see it..... with my own eyes. I must have been in denial previous to this, yet I just didn't/couldn't/wouldn't see any changes. Of course, clothes were looser and belts needed tightening while old "retired" clothes got put back in rotation, but i still saw the same portly Des looking balefully back at me from the mirror as I brushed my teeth each morning. Fast forward to when I was at a rehearsal last night and we were in a dance studio replete oh horror upon horror with three walls of mirrors. I could not take my eyes off of me (who could like?). The director was delighted as she thought I was taking direction well and keeping my head up as instructed. Honestly we were in that mirror room in August and I was not all that happy with what was on display. Last night was a fortifying and revitalising change.

Otherwise things are going smoothly in life. I'd imagine that all you September Sleevers are for the most part over surgery with it's minor complications etc and are moving on with things. I am lime green, positively verdant with envy, but confident that round three will not happen and come November 19th I shall finally be accepted into the fold as a sleever.

Faithfully yours

Des

Non obese person in waiting.

[Smytty 93]

Good to hear from you Desmond! Great job on previous op weight loss too. I had my surgery September 24th and am doing great! I had a very easy recovery, easiest surgery of my life.

I have zero regrets. I am in control of food instead of it controlling me, and I love only being able to eat " a little" now. Since my surgery I'm down 44 pounds!

Like you, I see myself now in a mirror and I like to look. First time in a long time. Please keep us posted. I'm glad you're doing well!

[ellie123 374]

I was originally a September sleever... But got pushed back till the 5th! So nervous at this point. Anaesthesia, waking up, recovery... All swirling in my head! Gosh, I'll be so glad when it's over... But then again once you get the Sleeve the real journey begins doesn't it... I don't fool myself into believing it's smooth sailing from there. From everything I've read, I have some hard work in store for me and a tool that can help. Please keep me in your prayers as I go in! Blessings and Green lights

[Desmond Longbottom 147]

note to self.

Trousers seem to be fraternising with gravity it's looking like they could be meant for each other. Must purchase belt before their carry on leaves you in an embarrassing situation...... smaller boxers may also be in order..... its a wardrobe malfunction nobody wants to endure or see.

Regards

Des

[tcrehm 101]

@@Desmond Longbottom It's surprising how far down those underwear that are too big will creep!

[Desmond Longbottom 147]

posted this in the november sleever section earlier in the week.

I was originally scheduled for an October 1st Sleeving which meant i was prepping way back in September. I have now had more Protein shakes than i could ever have dreamed possible yet still have not had surgery and won't have until November 19th.

Either way I am through week 1 of round two of liver shrinking and as I have been saying on the september sleevers page it's not just my liver that is shrinking. I have lost about 25kg or 56lbs give or take. The most exciting part of that is there is a whole 7 inches missing from the biggest part of me..... my waist.... well technically where my bellybutton is... is that where thin people keep their waist?? So I'm going into surgery having already lost 33% of what i need to lose this is brilliant as the less I have to lose after surgery the better the eventual result should be. My eventual (some might say lofty) goal is somewhere about 70kg (154 lb or 11st) which is just under half what I weighed when I started at 156kg (344 lb) and what I weighed when I was about 11 years old circa 1993.

Anyway the long story short or as I like to call it "the skinny"is that I'd love to chat to another fine individual getting sleeved on or around the 19th of November. Are you such a fine individual?? Just let your fingers and your broadband internet connection do the walking as I'd be utterly delighted to hear from you.

Lotsa love

Des

Non obese Irish man in waiting!

[ellie123 374]

Hello Des! I was Sleeved Nov 5th with everything fresh on my mind! You walk not alone!!! I'll be here for you. I too have had my procedure postponed since Srptember, but did not do NEARLY as well as you in preop loss. Bravo!!! Are you nervous excited?

[ANewMe9/21 162]

Always glad to hear from you Des! Your time is almost near can't wait for you to come join us on the other side. I'm very excited for you. Congratulations on all your weight loss. YOU have mastered the pre-op liver shrinkage shake diet! Kudos to YOU!

You are not walking through this alone, we are right here with you! ????

[Desmond Longbottom 147]

Urgh i am full of doubts tonight. I've had a mass glut of friends tell me that i don't need the surgery. I had been counting on them for support. It would seem that they had been biding their time. The problem is they are right. I have done really really well. I'm not morbidly obese any ore. my bmi is down to a much healthier yet still shocking 39. i look better than i have in years and i am a lot more confident. this has led to quite a few of my mates and family second guessing my situation. It's very tiring. My immediate family are also wrapped in other problems and i feel a little sidelined.

The truth is that i had been ready 6 weeks ago. i feel particularly tonight that i have lost my nerve somewhat. I'm sure it will return but i just feel empty. (and if i'm honest a little bit hungry)

The seriously annoying thing about all this is that i'm starting to get real benefits. I went to pennys and was able to pick a jumper off the shelf and try it on. this was the first non "internet purchased" piece of clothing that i have bought in a long time.

I'm rambling here. Anyway... fair to say the doubts have surfaced. They were easy to dismiss 20lbs agowhen my first surgery was due. The air is just thinner here.... as am i but hey ho.

I'm sure i will just sleep all these doubts away like one too many gins.

Until Next time

Lotsa love

Des

Soon to be non obese person.

[ANewMe9/21 162]

Des don't doubt your decisions for this surgery. This is your tool not to go back where you once were. This will help you keep it off! You have come too far and have worked so hard, and still have a long way to go, to stop now! It will get harder and I don't want you to get discouraged. November 19th is just around the corner, hang in there! Your friend,

Gigi

[ellie123 374]

I know how you feel Des! With my surgery postponed twice getting all ready twice the third time around had me quite unnerved. What helped was writing and then re-reading all the reasons why I am doing this the most important of which is that my previous weight-loss attempts have not in endured. The problem was never the weight loss and always the regain with ferociousness. My Lapband failed which is why this time around I told no one of the sleeve not even my immediate family. Just my husband Surgeon one friend and one coworker who just went through it. Des, you must realize that this is a mind thing more than anything else and spreading yourself thin trying to appease the doubts of others is the quickest way to lose your own wind. Do some more introspection write down some more things and decide for yourself where you want to draw the line in the sand. You are looking for a permanent solution for a chronic problem. The one regret I see from people who get the sleeve is that they did not do it sooner and missed out on so much of life that they could have enjoyed in better health. The fact that you have lost all this weight means your surgery will be much less complicated and you will recover faster all bonuses that we all strive for prior to our surgery. The real question is is your weight-loss sustainable with you being hungry right now and will you eventually break and turn back to food and regain every single pound you work so hard to lose. I cannot answer this question for you but I think you can for yourself and once you resolve it within yourself you have got to get your mind straight and at some point in time and never look back! Hope your torment is soon resolved

[Desmond Longbottom 147]

well. It's a week until surgery now and after a bit of soul searching and chatting to the correct people (that's you guys and a few friends and family) I am back on track.

It's one week until my surgery next Thursday. I am extremely excited about it again. I am drinking my Protein with a newfound verve and determination. I am six weeks behind schedule as regards my surgery recovery but seeing as i have lost so much weight from 6+weeks of Protein Shakes i think i can probably chalk that off as even.

Right now my outlook is a lot cheerier and determined. Thanks folks for helping me with that blip a few days ago.

Des x