The Real Work Begins

I'm likely repeating some stuff here that I've commented on before but I don't remember and I'm too lazy to ready back through everything to see for sure. Maybe if this blog had received more than 8 hits in the past few weeks I'd worry about something like that. 

At any rate, today is December 27, 2009.  That means that tomorrow I start my "liquids only" diet which I must remain on for the next two weeks.  There's something vaguely sadistic in telling a fat person that they have to go on a radical diet for two weeks prior to having their stomach stapled shut.  Let's face it, the fact that I'm this fat is a pretty good indicator that I've never been particularly good at dieting prior to this point in time.

Everyone who gets this type of surgery is required to do this diet prior to the surgery.  However, because I'm getting a single incision (small cut just above the belly button) i've got to go for two weeks.  The purpose of the diet is to shrink the size my liver and make it more pliable because they essentially have to push it out of the way when they do the operation.  If they open you up and you've cheated on your diet then you can't have the operation and you've wasted several thousands of dollars.  So, I guess there is some incentive to stay with it and not cheat.

So, I've decided that since this whole thing starts in earnest tomorrow, my wife is going to take few photos of me tonight and we'll take my current measurements and weight and post them so that we can start to track the changes beginning with this diet and going through the operation.

On another note, my wife has begun to get really antsy about this whole thing. Personally, I've trended toward being excited with just a note of trepidation from time to time.  She, however, has tended to focus on the possible negative outcomes.  The other night she asked me what I wanted to happen with my business should something go wrong.  As that is such a remote possibility, I haven't really thought that much about it but I suppose it's a legitmate concern.  I gave her the name of the person she should contact to take over my cases should I be incapacitated in some way.  My clerk is really good and would be a great help if that were the case.  I'm sorry that she has to feel that way and I'm sorry that I've let myself get into this position such that I have to take such drastic steps to fix it.  I'm just don't see a better option that has any realistic chance of succeeding.  If I''m diligent and this thing is successful, it will change both our lives in nothing but positive ways. That doesn't make it any less scary for her.

It's also becoming fairly clear that trying to keep this a secret isn't going to be very realistic.  Some folks are going to have to know.  My wife's family going to be hanging about for the next week and with all the food that flows around the holidays, someone's going to notice that the fat guy isn't eating any of it and just keeps downing those silly protein shakes.  Also, my wife already had to tell her sister because he sister is going to watch the kids on the afternoon/evening of the 11th of January when I have my surgery.  Furthermore, I suspect that once the weight really starts coming off there are going to be some questions. 

Pictures and measurements to come.