The "Pre and Post" Post

Life has changed immesely with this sleeve.  Here's a little glimpse of what a day in my life looked like before the sleeve, and what it looks like now.


A Day in My Life: Pre-Sleeve
Get up. Grab headboard to roll self to side of bed. Sit on side of bed.  Get out of bed. Drag self to bathroom.  Sit back on bed to get dressed.  Carefully descend top flight of stairs to main floor as back is aching. Once on main floor shlep self to front of fridge to contemplate breakfast.  Not hungy as stomache still has food from last night.  Sometimes force self to eat something not neccessarily of any particular food group, most times not.  Drink something to take pill for back pain. Seek refuge in comfy recliner.  (General rule of the day is to move as little as is possible.) Continue to think about food as hunger increases.  Plan lunch. Execute lunch - all while planning and fantasizing about supper.  Cook or procure supper. Later that night eat again as still hungry (shouldn't have skipped breakkie maybe??).  Shlep self back up over the stairs and into bed.  Eat a TUM (reflux, but then again I'm lying down soon after eating...).

A Day in My Life: Post-Sleeve
Get up. Get out of bed.  Use bathroom.  Get dressed.  Hit the kitchen - HAVE TO DRINK SOMETHING!!  Take medication. Evaluate meals planned for the day.  Am I getting enough protein? Wait 30 minutes and eat breakfast carefully and slowly.  30 minutes later start sipping again.  Keep hydrated.  Consult daily "to do list".  Shopping?  Housework?  Appointments?  Not hungry but must eat. Lunch already planned. Stop drinking 30 minutes prior.  Eat lunch (slowly, as that is the only way I can eat).  Focus on stomache - is food tolerated?  Chew each small mouthful at least 30 times to a paste. Log all morsels in daily food diary app.  30 minutes later... keep drinking!  Stay hydrated! Get out.  Do something.  Avoid recliner (or limit use). Drink! Remember to stop drinking 30 minutes prior to supper (which again has already been planned due to neccessity).   Eat supper carefully.  Wait 30 minutes.  Drink drink drink.  Drink again.  Evaluate day's progress re nutrition.  Did I get enough protein?  Did I drink enough liquid?   Plan meals for next couple of days.  Sleep.

In a nutshell, pre-sleeve my life was pretty much consumed by food.  When I would eat, what I would eat. I would fantasize about the next meal while eating the current meal.

Now that I'm sleeved, I have to remember to eat and to drink.  I do need to plan meals and think about their nutritional content, BUT there is no fantasy involved - food has lost its allure.  It is quite a battle actually to try and plan meals when I am never hungry.  It is also a struggle to eat (and to drink!) - the process is exhausting.   It seems like with this surgery everything that I consume requires thought and preparation.  Mindless eating is not an option (thank GOD!).

Some people refer to weight loss surgery as "the easy way out".  Is it easy?  Hell no.  If I neglect myself I will end up in hospital within 24-28 hours.  This is a constant battle of trying to eat - trying to digest food - trying to drink enough liquid.  The only easy part of the whole thing for me is that I am physically unable to over-eat, but that has come at a cost.

That being said, this is the best decision I have ever made.  This surgery has changed my life.  Overeating is no longer an option - once my sleeve has had enough it lets me know by pressure and pain.  Mindless eating is no longer an option - I can only consume so little that it has to be as nutritionally sufficient as is possible.  Sure I could neglect myself still - for example, by skipping meals or liquids.  However now it is much more serious, with the outcome being dehydration requiring hospitalization.

Aside from moving better and feeling better, I have become ultimately aware of and accountable for what I put in my body.  While it is a complex struggle, it is a fight that I'm happy to have for the rest of my life.

I would rather live this life as a participant than as an observer, so fight I will!