new hope...

The 16th April 2010 came for my appointments to see Dr Desmond Burke the Anaesthetist and Lisa DiStefano the Dietitian, i was due to meet one of my best friends Kylie who had given me one very special 30th birthday present of not only a Pandora bracelet and charm but an extra few hundred to go towards the operation, as being a bandit herself understood how hard it was to come up with the money for the operation. I was excited to share the Anaesthetist appointment with Kylie as this was the man who gives the final 'YES' or 'NO' on the whole thing and knowing that he dose say 'NO' on a regular basis i needed a hand to hold. Half an hour before i was to leave to meet Kylie in Wangaratta i got a call from her to say she had just been called into work as one of the girls due to work that shift had been in an accident. Crap now what? I cant get Mum as she is picking up my Auntie and her friend from the airport two and half hours away. To late to get one of my sister in laws as they wouldn't make it in time either. Sally??? "hmmm its a long shot" i thought because Sally was heavily pregnant and having a few complications at the time, but i thought i can only ask. Expecting a 'no' and prepared to have to go on my own Sally said 'yeah why not' few such a relief i had a hand and a shoulder if i needed it.

We made it to Wangaratta 45min down the highway with 20 min or so to spare so off to macca's for some breaky for Sally as it ended up being a rush for her. We did drive through then went and ate it in the car outside the hospital before we went in, but oh boy little did we know this was just the start of an eventful afternoon...

We got in to see Des before the appointment time which was such a relief as i just couldn't get the 'YES' or 'NO' soon enough, Des asked allot of questions and i asked just as many back, some silly and odd questions but sure enough Des answered them straight faced, having someone there that had not been through the procedure before was great as she helped me remember the questions i wanted answered as well as some i had not thought of. In the end having Sally one of my other best friends there was better in a way as it helped her realise exactly what the operation meant and how the band really worked. Before that day Sally assumed i would not be able to have a normal life with food again with getting things stuck and throwing up every meal, eating next to nothing or basically living on liquids, so now i have one less friend stressing and questioning me if i was sure i wanted to do this. After what i thought was hours with all the questions and information including the one they have to tell everyone is there is a risk especially in someone my size, but Des needed my opinion on that so i answered what was true to my heart "Yes i know i can die on the table but if i don't try I'm going to die early anyway, i feel don't have a life now, this is my only chance on living and living an actual life, I wonder every day if today is my last day or tomorrow, i don't want to die yet, i don't want to die without at least trying, i would rather die trying than not try at all..." I said so much more but i was so emotional with tears streaming down my face as i really did (still do) believe i would die soon without this life changing operation. I also had faith that Des knew what he was doing and bring me through it. With that Des didn't do what he would normally do and still push the subject but he agreed with me telling me he thinks that getting the Lap Band is also my only hope and chance to achieve a longer life. Des then also measured my neck and throat and i swearer my tonsils too he finally gave me the official "YES" as long as my blood test and ECG (Electrocardiography - monitor of the heart)that he was sending me for before i went home. woohoo i was doing back flips in my mind, i felt like i didn't need the operation anymore with the amount of weight that lifted off of my shoulders i felt like i was on top of the world within those few seconds of joy, then the tears came as the realisation things were going to happen. Once Des told me yes i didn't remember anything after that so I'm glad Sally was there, Des was checking his diary for the operation date i was given at the end of my appointment with Tamaris the 2nd June 2010 (just 47 sleeps away...) Des came back into the room and said that date was fine but he would book out the whole day for me as i was one of the biggest patients he had done he anticipated id take longer than normal, he would normally do at least 2 a day while he was still recovering from an operation himself.

After finishing with Dr Desmond it was now time to see Lisa the Dietitian, I didn't get much out of that appointment as it was all basically what i already knew but i had to go for Tamaris. Lisa did throw out a question that got me thinking. "What activities will i like to achieve with the weight loss?" hmmm it was tough as i hadn't given it that much thought after i had given up hope years ago and didn't allow myself dream as most thing's in life were a failure so by creating a guard i got on with enjoying life, looking at life in a positive way, taking each day as it came not looking into the future, i just wouldn't dream of things i didn't think were in reach. After sitting for a moment i finally could come up with two, 1 would be 'go for a bike ride' and 2, 'play the Wii Fit" i have already been able to play the Wii before but not the 'Wii Fit' as the Wii Fit board has a weight limit of 150kg. So there where 2 active goal's for me, there are plenty of other goal's now and i will defiantly share the stories with you.

The pathology rooms were just around the corner from the hospital entrance so it worked out well.

I had the blood test first but i was worried it would not work today because by this time it was after lunch and very warm outside but with all of the rush we were in earlier on and not expected i had blood tests on the same day all the water i had by this stage was just half a cup, this was not such a good thing because on the best of days my body dose not like to cooperate with any blood collector. As soon as i sat down i apologised to the girl who was about to argue with my veins, but taking me by surprise she go it first go. But good things always come to an end so after my veins gave in and gave up some blood they decided to quit with just 1 more tube to go, hmmm i knew it was to good to be true. Three more pricks and 2 other nurses they found another spot halfway down the inside of my forearm so they took a spare tube just in case. With that done i head out with 4 holes in me to head to the next desk to go for my ECG. I have had this done in the past a number of times having a family history of heart disease and a scare once myself so i knew what to expect which was handy. This test was a nice and quick one, only needing enough time to put the dots on me and hook me up to the machine, then record it for only about 15-20 seconds and it was done, all looking GREAT. All i had to do now it to wait a week for the 100% ok for the operation to go ahead on 2nd June... (a week went bye and i heard nothing so woohoo all was a go ahead...)