Tuesday, 29 March 2011

17 Days - A thought, A dream, A reality


<span> A thought</span>.  Thinking about my past years of weight gain, loss and control and wonder where it all went wrong.  Do I even remember a time when I didn't struggle with weight issues?  What happened?  Where did I lose control? How did I gain this much weight?  Some of those questions I can answer some of them I can't.  Did I ever think that I would be here, at this stage needing help....no not just needing help.....needing extreme help.  I never thought I would required major surgery to get my weight under control, but here I am.
<span>A Dream</span>. Little girls grow up dreaming of weddings and princes!  My dream was to grow up and be thin.  Oh how I have dreamed of being thin.  Not saying that I am not happy with who I am now but I have always wanted to be within the "norm".  I have dreamt of the day that I could walk into any store and buy clothes from the rack.  I have dreamt of beaches and volleyball, swimming and sun where I was thin and no one stared and made comments like "beached whale" or "it's blocking the sun."  I have dreamt of the day I could walk without pain or at least with less pain.  My dreams whether awake or asleep has kept me thinking of a thin me for many many years.  Is it silly to dream?  Is it wrong to hope and pray that someday, somehow, someway I could be thin, be "normal" be accepted!  I have heard so many people say to have dreams like mine are just an attempt to hold on to a reality that will never be again. Well I am here to tell you they are WRONG!!

<span>A Reality</span>.  17 Days and reality begins.  My reality begins.  I am here I am living it and doing it.  I have committed to a gym been working out as much as I can ( todays ultrasound on my leg revealed the spider bite mass is down to 1 cm x 1.5 cm) and I am committed to this surgery.  Tomorrow is my pre-op appointment.  I will sit with my husband and wait to see the anesthesiologist.  We will go over the surgery plan and all the little details.  I have had difficulty with anesthesia in the past.  Simple day surgery is always dragged out because I cannot stop vomiting.  With this surgery we cannot allow for that because of where and how they have to close my old stomach and re-attach my new stomach to my esophogus. There is definite danger if I begin any vomiting so it will be extremely important to mix the right cocktail of medications to stop all nausea.  I also have to bring my CPAP maching....you know those noisy breathing machines that make sure you don't stop breathing during the night.  I didn't even know I have a problem breathing until I started all the pre-op testing for this surgery.  With the weight loss there will also be the loss of the machine as I will not need it after about 6 months of weight loss.  Reality is scary!  Reailit is exciting.  Reality will be weight loss and a new body, a much smaller body.  This is my reality.  I am a little frightened but my excitement and happiness far out way my anxieties.  Walt Disney said "if you dream it, You can do it."   I have dreamt it, I am doing it and I will succeed!
You're standing on the threshold of success. Don't look down, it'll make you dizzy.

- Timothy Q. Mouse in the Walt Disney movie Dumbo
Steph

2 comments:

  1. Never aim to become "normal". That can be so boring, and that's not a word I ever associate with you!

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  2. I just thought of a really good quote from one of my favorite shows (Mythbusters... such a geek!)

    "I reject your reality and substitute my own!"

    Normal is what you chose it to be, the happiness that you decide for yourself. Will this be a new reality, a new normal for you? Yeah. But it will be 100% Steph's reality.

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