Psychology 101

Today I am 23 days away from my operation. Thought it would be a good time to start the countdown :-)

From what I have already learned is that the weeks and months post operation are not exactly days and nights to look forward to. But then again, no post operation is exactly a fun time for anybody, so that didn't come as a surprise. In fact, there have been little or no surprises in my online research thus far, except then maybe the pre- and post operation pictures of people who have gone through the procedure. Some are truly not recognizable, very strange how much weight some have lost.

Again although no surprise, the diet after the operation is quite strict, no sugar, plenty protein, daily vitamins to take as extras for the body as the digestive tract has less possibilities to extract the necessary vitamins in the natural way. Apparently a lot of drinking will be needed as well, just like have seen some people do at Carnival, but in my case it will only be water, decaffeinated tea and that will be about it from what I understand so far.

One thing I have been told to watch out for is something called "gastric dumping". As the operation actually makes the stomach smaller, it can of course contain less food than before. If one eats too much, and the food doesn't fit in the pouch anymore, then the food gets pushed through into the intestines, but undigested of course....and that is a very painful experience apparently with stomach cramps.

I am sure that during the days immediately after my operation, I will care little for what, when and how much I get to eat, the weeks afterwards will be the challenge though. Apparently, that is one of the reasons why they employ the services of a psychologist on the team, to guide the patients through the period of behavioral change. People who are obese like me frequently would turn to food or sugars when they are happy or sad, when they want to party or rather cool down, when they are in company or when they want to be by themselves. It really is no different in my opinion to the person who smokes cigarettes or even worse, or the people who drink beers and stronger, or the people who become violent because they have no other exhaust for their energy or loneliness.

The psychologist comes in to make sure I can find other ways than food to deal with all of the above, but not including any other unhealthy vices as replacements of course. And that is important, because when I stopped smoking, that is when I gained weight after months. and continuing for years because I snacked instead of smoking. A positive note, is that they do some handholding to make sure the operation of this gastric bypass is not just the cutting and healing, but a process which is managed years after as well.

In fact, when speaking to the prof he told me already that I am due back in the hospital for check-ups on a very regular base after the operation, not just to check the physical healing, but also the emotional handling of it all. It starts two weeks post operation, then every month for the next six, then 6 months later again, then yearly for the next 5 years post operation. He told me though that most appointments are made way ahead of time, and in years 3,4, and 5 it is not uncommon that people don't show up or call in much later with much apologies, but they just forgot they ever had the operation, their new life is by then felt as "a completely normal life", just to show that normal life will return, but weighing less.

Do some people put back on weight? I have heard some do, but do not have any examples or references to fall back on at this time. I have heard of friends of peeps who have gone through the procedure that they were glad that their friends had put on a little bit of weight again, just to fill the deep pockets in the face as they looked like deflated balloons...lol...I am sure it will not go that far with me.

Ok, having shared that with you all, I am ready for the psychologist next week Friday, bring him on...lol ! You can post in the comments how many rounds you think this encounter will take and who will win...hahaha, wohoho...weeeee....YO... wow! Yipieee! ;-)

My 2nd life, thank you very much!

The whole idea of this intervention I am going to be going through is to start my second life.

I was actually quite fascinated by what my professor told me during my interview and questions and answers session with him. He explained thAt at one point in my life I would have deviated from my normal life expectancy in years as I grew bigger and fatter and more obese. For instance, if I had never become obese, suppose my life expectancy in "normal" circumstances would have been 80 years, then now after being obese it might have been diminished quite a bit, to let's say 70 or maybe even less years.
By doing this gastric bypass surgery, and by then losing most of the excess weight in the months and years following, I would actually return to my original life expectancy, as if I had never been obese or overweight in my life. In my example that would mean I can expect to become 80 again.
It means, and he clarified, that there is actually no "penalty" for having been obese or for having eaten improperly in previous years.
Today is Ash-Wednesday in the Catholic religion, as I am writing this article. And I  can't help but think of the forgiveness part in this religion. You know what I mean... if you have behaved bad in the past, although maybe not always completely  through your own fault, you can be forgiven if you decide to confess. I kind of feel a bit the same way now, I have confessed that I am overweight, that I have not been eating correctly, that I have splurged when I probably shouldn't have, but at the same time it was also my body type that played a role as well. And now that I have confessed, I kind of get forgiveness from my own body, and it will sustain me till the day I was originally destined to die. Kind of neat, if you come to think of it!
But what kind of a life will I be going back to? From what I understand, those first days, weeks, if not months after the operation are not exactly times to look forward to. Painful days ahead, learning a new diet, teaching myself new habits, physical pain. But I have been through al of that already once before, although not all together. Stopping smoking has been an episode of new habits, new ways of looking at life after the cancer sticks in the hand to rely on. Having had the gal bladder removed last year also gave me an idea of the physical pain to be endured, and it is honestly all manageable, or should I call it tolerable?
I have found some nice people Twitter and other websites who have been giving me some previews of what to expect, 1 month post operation and 3.5 months post operation. Nothing again really to look forward to, except then what I keep seeing on the other websites, the before and after pics of people who went through the procedure. Wow if you see those results! It is even a bit of a scary thought seeing myself as a new me after this procedure. One year from now I think that some people who may know me very well may not even recognize me if I change like the people I saw on some of those websites.
So what am I looking forward to then? I am looking forward to move around like any other average person my age, do sports and maybe even excel in one or two again. I look forward to going into stores and buy clothing from the rack, knowing my own new size and them actually having it in stock! I am looking forward to buying a suit without major modifications. I look forward to being less tired, with more energy, although I understand that in the weeks and months post operation it may be even a big challenge to find any energy at all.
In other words, I feel like I am now prepping for a second life in some form, I am being offered a chance to change another one of my bad habits, I just hope I take full advantage of it, that my character proves to hold up just like when I quit my nicotine habit 13 years ago.
Wish me luck :-)