Haidee’s Blog

So I’ve resigned. Its still hard to say it and to think I am currently jobless. By choice of course, but still I’m 28 and this is more shocking that I would’ve imagined. I’m going to take a 3 month break from working while going on the sickness benefit.

Today I washed the rug Delphi threw up on. Took the two dogs my landlord owns for a 45 minute walk. Played a bit of Socio and sorted some grief cases. I have started finally cleaning up my bedroom, doing a big spring clean – sorting out things I want to keep vs things I can sell on TradeMe vs things to throw out. I can’t believe what shit I’ve held onto over the years.

Delphi is zonked out on the floor behind me and my calf muscles are protesting from the walking I’ve done, but I’m feeling good and still have a smile on my face. Bed in a few I’m thinking.

So I finally made the leap and signed up to Facebook on Sunday. My first go at any of the social networking websites. I can’t believe how many people I’d forgotten but have been making contact with me – even people from when I went to school in Australia before McAuley. Am totally addicted to playing FarmVille too.

My profile on Facebook for those that want to add me or whatnot: http://www.facebook.com/haideemowat

Apparently there is a McAuley 1999 reunion in October which sounds like alot of fun, can’t wait to catch up with everyone. I’m a little nervous about how people might react to the whole gastric bypass thing, but I don’t think I’m ashamed by it at all. So far people I’ve spoken to on Facebook has said its been fine.

Have been taking a mini-break from WoW since the weekend, will aim to get back into it today and this week. I need to farm up some gold and would like to work on more achievements.

Am seeing my surgeon this Thursday and my haematologist on Friday so wish me luck everyone. Can’t wait to see what Dr Chunilal (my haematologist) thinks of my weight loss since he was the first one to suggest me having the bypass.

Well thats about all for now.

So I’m over a year since my gastric bypass operation, my last weight check was 88kgs! Only a couple more and off the dreaded warfarin which I can’t wait for. Healthwise things are still not perfect, I seem very susceptible to catching anything and everything as well as always tired. Having daily iron injections, daily folate tablets, monthly B12 injections and daily multi-vitamins.

Things in my day to day life are going well though, working at the hospital still, playing WoW still and watching tons of tv. Delphi is doing well, he is looking really healthy and slender now which is good, the vets are very happy with him.

Mum and Mat are also well, Mat’s new BMW arrives this week so can’t wait to see it next weekend. Mum is job hunting at the moment, I have my fingers crossed for her but with this whole recession thing I know its not easy at all.

I’ve posted some WoW screenshots finally now that all my characters are 80. I’ve been loving the hunter and enjoying getting the achievements and mucking around. Next on my to do list is getting the rideable raptor mount in Un’Goro, finishing getting all the new Hatchling companion pets, Wrymrest Accord reputation and the Loremaster achievement.

And on a end note, hello to Havelan and Natalie, thank you both for your comments on my last post. Havelan, would love to catch up with you on ICQ or whatnot, I’m still the same number 60127898.

I had my very first lesson on Tuesday to learn to play the acoustic guitar. Its held at Rutherford College in Te Atatu which isn’t too far away from my home. The classes run for about eight weeks from 8pm to 9pm on a Tuesday night (its going to suck in the middle of the cold winter coming and going, but I can do it).

So I’ve learnt three chords from the first lesson: A, E7 and D and can play the middle verse to Johnny Cash “I Walk the Line.” I downloaded the song to listen to it more and have been playing along with it. I’d like to learn the rest of the song and some more chords so thats my goal for the next few days until next Tuesday.

I had a really nice Mother’s Day with mum last Sunday. I bought her some shoes she really liked (pretty red latex ones) and took her to breakfast at The Falls. I’m still finding it hard to eat when we go out, especially when I have to debate how much fat would be in each item, how its cooked and how big the meal would be.

Delphi is doing really well too. He had his six monthly check up at the vets for his urine test. The results are really good so I’m glad of that, especially when I think back to how close I came to losing the little FerretBoy.

Have been playing WoW mostly, a little of Sociolotron too. My hunter is now level 30-something and will be starting her next levelling phase in STV which is neat. Apart from that I don’t have much else to say, will be back to update sooner rather than later.

Yes I know its been awhile, too long in fact.

Life has been pretty crazy since my gastric bypass in July 2008. I’m coming up to my one year anniversary soon and looking forward to completing that first year where ‘everything goes wrong’.
- February I had to have my gallbladder removed acutely as it had filled up with sludge (not actual stones but like gravel).
- Now on fortnightly iron injections.
- Now on higher dosage of anti-depressants
- Now have monthly B12 injections.
- Still on warfarin but only 11kgs away from stopping it for life.
- My hair won’t stop falling out.
- My gallbladder surgery scar has popped open and loves to ooze pus on a daily basis despite two courses of antibiotics.

On the good news front though I’ve gone from 168.2kgs to a much smaller, healthier 96.4kgs. Not bad for a few months of pain and stress. I’ve been seeing a psychiatrist to recommended I started blogging again and here I am on a Monday night blogging and trying to convince myself that WoW can wait until I finish this post hehe.

Yep I’m back to WoW after about two months away. Am staff again on the Sociolotron team and looking forward to Sociolotron 2 when it comes out. PD is working his ass off and I can’t wait to see his dream come true. Have dropped Second Life and Puzzle Pirates almost completely now while WoW (its like crack) has sucked me in again.

Work is going reasonably ok, have convinced myself that I’m never going to take another sick day so am determined to stick with that while I’m feeling well and physically and mentally able to work. I just need to hang in there for the short term and now that I have longer term goals sorted I have something to focus on when I feel like quitting.

Mum and the family are doing really well. Saw Marilyn, Peter, Liam and Dallas (my Aunt/Uncle and cousins) when they came up for Easter this year. Marilyn didn’t even recognise me so I know this weightloss thing is making a big difference. The boys are growing up so fast and it was really fun taking them to the museum with Natalie and seeing the dinosaur show. Poor Liam (aged 6) put on a brave face but ran for his life when the dinosaur puppet got angry that the curator had pulled it’s tooth out.

Money is good for once in my life. Mainly because I’m not spending all my money on take out and junk food. Although I have tiny mini-splurges its nothing compared to what it once was. A few squares of chocolate, Chii and some popcorn is all I’m really interested in these days. Haven’t had any take out (McDonalds etc) for months now and funnily enough I don’t even crave it). Have still been watching the Food channel, but nowhere like it was when I first had the surgery. I don’t really miss food that much unless I’m out in a restaurant or watching others eating what I wish I would eat and enjoy.

Delphi is also doing well. He is laying on the floor next to me and the heater. He is due for his next check up at the vets this week, fingers crossed it goes well given all the money I’ve pumped in to keep him alive. He is still totally food driven but is a real comfort to come home to and to go to bed with.

Apart from that I don’t have much else to say at the moment but I will definitely make an effort to get online and post more inbetween levelling my WoW toons, hanging out in IRC and watching tv.

Haidee.

So here I am at my Aunt Leanne’s house about one month post-op. I’m down here in Dunedin on a one week holiday before I see the surgeon again at the hospital on the 4th September. My last weigh in was 23rd August and I’ve lost just under 35 kilos for the year and over 20cms on some of my measurements.

Things have been going ok recovery-wise. All my stitches have now fallen out with the big scabs and I’m just left with red/purple scars. One of my little cuts got a little infected but it looks much better now after some antibiotic cream on it three times a day for a few days. I’m still having problems with the nausea moreso now that I’m away from the comfort of my own home which I guess is a good test of how things are going. Walking seems to bring on the nausea faster but it still comes and goes how it likes.

Food, well I still hate the eating part. Not enjoying it much at all. I’m drinking nothing but Deep Spring (mineral water and fruit juice mix) and Nature’s Energy chocolate milk. The water down here tastes funny but I’ll get more into it once I’m back at home. Have been tolerating salt and vinegar potato chips and tiny amounts of chocolate but I’m not going silly – the goal is to still lose weight so I’m watching what I eat.

Delphi is staying at Mum’s house back up in Auckland this week. God I miss that furry little man. Mum and Matt will be spoiling the hell out of him I’m sure. I’m just hoping that he doesn’t put on too much weight while he is there so that when the vet sees him in October he has lost a little bit.

I should be back at work next week, nine hours which won’t be quite so bad. Edwina at Occupational Health will be calling me on Friday after the appointment with the surgeon to work out my return to work. Apparently the midwives and even Kerrie has been missing me – I sort of miss everyone too but I still think the work sucks.

It has been great staying down here to see everyone though, I haven’t been in Dunedin since April 2007, so Dallas, Liam and Scarlet have grown up just that bit more. I arrived late on Tuesday night and stayed both Tues and Wed night at Gran and Grandad’s house.

Thursday and Friday night I stayed at my Aunt Marilyn’s house with her, Pete and their three children – Dallas aged 9, Liam aged 6 and Scarlet aged 2. Dallas is now able to hold a conversation and is growing up to be a really polite and thoughtful boy – a pleasure to be around. Liam is still at that stage of packing a sad when something doesn’t go his way and goes off to sulk. Little Scarlet is the madam of the house and everything goes her way.

Last night I came here to Aunt Leanne’s house and stayed with her, her partner Mike and his daughter Paige. Paige is neat to hang around with, we have walked around the town together and down to the park and stuff. She is aged 12 and madly into Hannah Montanna who I have to admit I know nothing about apart from that she is the new hit wonder for the teenie boppers. Molly my aunt’s cat slept on the bed with me last night and god it made me realise just how much I’m missing Delphi.

While I’m down here the only other thing I have to do is catch up with Sharon. She is one of mum’s friends that has lived down here as long as I can remember. She currently nurses on a surgical ward where they do gastric bypasses down here in Dunedin Hospital so she wants to read my information and see the differences and stuff. It’s been over a year since I saw her too.

Well apart from that I’ve been hanging around at home playing Second Life and the odd bit of World of Warcraft. I’m not really in the mood for WoW at the moment it seems and SL is more exciting again at the moment which I’m happy about and I can take that at my own pace.

Thats all for now, gonna sign off as dinner is nearly ready. Over and out!

I had my first visit with Colleen (my dietician) yesterday and wow I can’t believe the weight loss already! Since the 12th July I’ve lost 10.1kgs! If I can maintain a steady loss I’ll be under 100 in no time.

I moved home in the afternoon, tiring but I managed it. Delphi cried in the car the whole way home so that wasn’t so great, but I was determined to get back here. Took about nine trips in the end back and forth from the car to the house to carry in one bag at a time since I’m not meant to be lifting so I had to take it all easy.

Had a great night’s sleep – funny how you miss things when you stay away from home. The high-pressured shower, my bed and my high capacity internet.

Played a bunch of WoW yesterday and getting close to get to 20 with some of the druids – yay cat form!

Well thats about all for now, watching the Home and Away omnibus, have Delphi on my lap and about to log into WoW. See ya.

Just came back from seeing the surgeon at North Shore Hospital this morning at 9am. I drove there and back breaking the rule that I’m not allowed to be driving, but I actually didn’t feel too bad doing it.

So the surgeon’s registrar said that I’m doing really well. She removed the dressings and the look like lil crosses with a dissolvable stitch in each centre holding it together. Mum said when she gets home tonight she will trim the stitches down as I think they might catch on my clothing. I’m feeling really low in energy and just drained this afternoon though, barely able to concentrate on what I’m doing or hold much of a conversation.

Thats about it for the last two days, sleeping well at night now and managing ok with food.

So I spent yesterday updating this blog and making contact through email and WoW to all my friends letting them know I’m ok. Satan seemed relieved but then again I could be reading more into that. Zu was supportive as ever and I’m so lucky I met her.

Pain getting better but still barely eating anything. I think I might try and get hold of Colleen to find out just what I should be eating by this stage as I’m feeling really tired and lethargic with low energy levels.

Sleep went well, almost find myself rolling over to my stomach for sleep but still worried about this crucial two week period in which the bowel seams could split so I don’t want to put added pressure on my abdo.

Woke up at 7.30am this morning still not feeling like I’ve had a proper sleep. Watched some TV on fox-hunting in England and I had no idea that they banned hunting there. Made me wish I was riding once again – I think once I lose weight I’m gonna take it up again. Was almost emotional to think of how much I’ve missed out on that.

Watched Oprah today – first time in ages. It was on parents and the lengths they went to for their obese teenagers. Was an interesting watch and was able to pick up some tips. Apparently your stomach goes from a melon size to walnut size post-op. I have to be careful with addiction-transfer as well. One of the teenagers turned her food addiction into alcholism after her surgery.

Went to the supermarket with Mum later on and she flipped out on the drive out of the carpark at an asian driver that had started to give way to her then zoomed past almost hitting me (I was closest to his car on the side). She slammed on the accelerator behind him at the red light where he was stopped. She started swearing and looked at me and said she was going to yell at him. I said please no and that it was embarrassing but she went ahead and knocked on his driver’s side window and let loose at him. She sped the whole way home in a rage and didn’t talk to me until we were inside and I was already crying and sore in my abdomen from her sudden braking so she didn’t smash into him.

Afterwards she came into my room to see me upset and tried to comfort me, but I was too emotional for it. She stormed out of the room yelling about ‘ungrateful shits’ and ‘the things she does for people’ etc etc. I texted Jen (my landlady) to check if the house was ready for me to move back into as they were redecorating my bathroom while I was away as I knew I just had to get away if Mum was going to continue like this.

Over the evening we have sort of made up but the decision is still mine to move out or not and I still don’t know yet. I do wanna go home to my own bed and internet and a place where I feel comfortable and safe. But then on the other hand I’m only a week post-op and not meant to be driving and what if something went wrong? I think after my surgeon’s appointment at 9am on Thursday that I’ll make the decision.

I almost made contact with Colleen (my dietician) and she said I’m not eating near enough food and no wonder I’ve been so low energy and stuff. I now have to force down two teaspoons of food every half hour whether I’m hungry or not – joy. Just feels weird having no urge to eat at all, no hunger pains, no stomach rumbling – just nothingness.

Well thats about all for now. Mum and Matt (her fiance) are in the lounge watching Coronation Street and Delphi is sitting on the edge of the couch looking really reluctant to jump onto Mum’s lap to sit (I don’t blame him). Might have an early night again tonight – I’m just so tired.

Had a pretty decent night’s sleep – with the storm going on and Delphi waking everyone up about 6am fighting with another cat I got at least six hours in.

Got up about 8am and watched tv in the lounge wrapped up with a blanket with the heater on. Mum got up and pottered around the house cooking as she was having a guest over for lunch.

The back of my left hand is killing me from that IV line. My arms look like bruised pin cushions from all the attempts in Radiology to get a line in.

Had a shower later in the morning and a lay down on the bed for an hour as I had a sore back and felt pretty exhausted just from the shower and getting dressed after. Not able to wash my back or my lower legs, or dry those after the shower so Mum comes and helps.

Fired up my laptop that afternoon to 354 emails! 99.9% of those were spam so I’m going to have to do something about that since its going to drive me crazy. Logged into WoW and sent ingame mail to friends Horde side and found Zu on the alliance side. She was doing a Kara PUG but was so happy to see I was around. Also spoke to Gen on MSN so that was good to catch up with him.

Spent the rest of the evening updating this blog site and started to post on the blog from the entries I had written in my diary. Got off the computer at 8.30pm and fixed Mum’s laptop for the internet and watched Sunday Theatre: Fanny Hill which was a really awesome movie.

Pain isn’t near as bad today. Able to sleep on my side now with pillows but thats a great improvement from sleeping on my back. Also managed to get down a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt, chicken broth and a tiny bit of Optifast.