Reading this for the first Time?

This evening I am preparing for my operation and if all goes well I will tell everyone tomorrow what I am doing. I don't want it to be a surprise and I am not hiding it from anyone, afterall hopefully people will notice.

So if you have seen my Facbook or Twitter and been interested enough to follow the link, welcome. It makes more sense if you start at the beginning.

Last Supper

So I am here in Southampton ready for my operation tomorrow. Getting a little nervous but also excited about what it all means for the future.

I arrived on a flight from Brussels and the taxi I got from the airport was number was 42 so that should be a good sign.

I have spent the evening clearing my inbox and watching the Chilean Miners being rescued. God Bless Them All.

My daughter who I am staying with tonight made me my last supper. Soft boiled eggs and marmite soldiers, I love her. Not sure if Marmite is actually on the list but it was only a scraping and I know it is good for you.

Diet not that easy in a French Hotel

I am in Brussels for the 3 days before the operation, and the hotel and restaurant had more than 2 weeks notice as to what I could and couldn't eat. I know they had this because the hotel emailed me and said they didn't stock sugar free jam and could I bring my own. Looked like I was onto a winner.

Big mistake!

Cocktail reception on the first night, they offered me a salad.....as I said in my last blog just a good variety of leaves but just leaves.

Breakfast yesterday, I asked for eggs boiled, they didn't have anything ready so I had to wait, and wait and today it took 25 minutes to get a soft boiled egg, obviously that includes the time they spent chasing the chickens out back.

Lunch yesterday I had to ask, and then negotiate what I could have. If you know me well I don't eat fish but I did just to have something. Steamed fish and rice, not exciting but OK. They did give me a nice fruit cocktail.

Dinner was in a hotel, very posh but oh how painful it was. For starter they gave me pate, I explained I couldnt and they said fine and took it away. After prompting someone did come and discus the main course and we agreed on steamed chicken and rice. My colleagues finished their first course and then they tried again for me, a lovely plate of grilled vegetables with.........pesto sauce, not going to work. Off they went again and another plate arrived with no sauce (I wonder if they just washed them). So as my colleagues watched me each every mouthfull, we eventually moved onto the main course.

There was discusssion about the rice, the chef called it risotto which I think contains cream or fat of somekind, but she was adamant it was only steamed, however the final plate had no rice, but some broccoli and beans. However I have to say the fruit salad was great.

Lunch today was chicken and grilled veg and it was good, I did have to wait and they did have to be reminded several times through the morning but it was good. Pity I had no fruit today.

Still only 1 meal to go!

Two Days To Go

In 42 hours I will be almost ready for the operation.

Nerves are starting to creep in and my best friend worry has come to visit.

I am in Brussels for a couple of days until the evening before the op, so I hope keeping busy will keep my mind off it all.

Last night there was a reception at the hotel I am in this week and they offered to get me a salad, like in Berlin it was just leaves, to be fair a better selection of leaves but just leaves. I am here for 2 days so I hope it gets better. Again, thank goodness for my store of fruit for emergencies.

Today's Reminder

Today I caught the red eye out of Belfast and as ever it was packed. I was on the aisle, and two women boarded later to sit inside the row. The first lady was quite short but was as wide as she was tall. She tried to lift the arm rest on the aisle but that is fixed and she had great difficulty moving past it, as her height meant it was directly in line with her bottom. She was able to lift the two other arm rests but it took a good few minutes for her to huff and puff her way across.

She had a seatbelt extension and I have to say, when BMI had 1 1/2 seats in Business Class but a standard belt, I could only just use that. The lady was out of breath for a good 10 minutes.

I got off the plane quite quickly but was waiting for a friend at the back of the plane. There was a good 3-4 minute delay as this lady got herself out into the aisle and off the plane.

I don't think I would ever have got that big, my weight has its natural high, it is too high but hasn't changed in 20 years, but 'There but for the grace of God' did enter my mind.

Three more sleeps and then hopefully I am on my way to not being the person everyone dreads being sat next to on the flight.

Day Ten and getting very close

Today, I am determined to do 2 things. Get my expenses done and manage a whole day without lettuce!

I am travelling with work tomorrow for 3 days and then I fly direct to Southampton where I have my operation on Thursday.

Yesterday I got my final instructions from the hospital, which makes it all so real. I still want to do it but at the same time it seems so permanent, no going back. when I was 33 I had to have an emergency hysterectomy, I was very upset that it meant I could no longer have children even though I had already made up my mind I didn't want any more. So I want to be slimmer, I don't want to eat too much, but the thought of not having the option of a binge seems very final.

But this is what I want, and it is not about food, it is about health, being healthy, avoiding the problems my mum suffered and eventually died from, and then the benefits of health and being able to join in with more of life.

Goodbye Mum

Today we said goodbye to my mum, the main motivation for having this procedure in the first place.

It was a hard day in so many ways and it was the end of the day before I got a chance to eat, there was a reception in a local pub but nothing I was allowed to eat. So my brother in law Chris poached me some lovely eggs and I made a salad (for variety) with toast croutons.

Goodbye mum.