Thin Fluids Diet – Day 3

Well its Saturday and a beautiful one at that… Forecast is for a sunny 29 deg… Last nights sleep was even better only had to get up once for the toilet and no additional pain killers which is great… I took one before bed and I’m still going over 12 hours later…


This morning finally after 5 weeks I was finally able to go down and have that Skinny Flat White I’ve been hanging for, while I read the paper… I only had a small and managed to make it last for over 30 minutes – it was even starting to get cold by the time I finished it… But you know what – I realized while I was there drinking it, I didn’t really miss it at all… I think a 4 week plus detox on the coffee has definitely been a good thing… If only I can keep to the smalls and maybe 1 or 2 a day max I’ll be right

The Road to Recovery

Last nights sleep was a little uncomfortable… I normally lay on my chest but that’s out for the moment so the next option was on my side which wasn’t much better either. That said I did get a few good hours of sleep in with some help from my pain killers


My chest/stomach is healing well… and a lot of the pain is starting to subside, especially when I'm sitting in a proper chair. Its still a little tender if I’m sitting on the lounge or lying in bed but I’m sure that will go soon. But the urge to cough hurts, so I’m finding that holding a pillow on my stomach for some reason does the trick.


Today has been relatively quiet… I went for a walk this morning… just 1.2km around the block, but it was enough to get the blood pumping… and the rest of the day has either been on the computer or watching TV as I can’t do much else.


This having to drink almost 3 litres of fluid a day though has me stumped… I just can’t do it at the moment with the pain, although I’m sure by the end of the weekend I’ll be there… I’m also full of gas/wind… I can hear it rumbling round inside me, and also have the urge to burp although I’m not supposed to… It just comes out… I don’t know if it’s the shakes, the juice, the soup or even the medication but something’s doing it…


I went for a trip to the shops today which was OK… I needed a haircut and also wanted to get some different soups to my Chicken broth and Tomato soup… I got a couple and even though they still have to be strained to get rid of any bits it’s a different flavour…


Tonight is yet another quiet one in (it’s getting boring – but saving heaps of money), and tomorrow morning I’m going to try to resume my normal weekend coffee and paper at the local coffee shop which should be good, provided I’m feeling OK. I’m hoping by the middle of next week I’ll be back to my normal long walks so I’ll be able to walk down to the shops then, in the meantime though I have to drive.

Liquid Lunch

For the next 2 weeks I’m on a liquid Lunch; make that liquid Breakfast Lunch AND Dinner…

The Thin Fluids diet is basically a constant intake of fluids for the 2 weeks… What is "Thin fluid" is defined as a lump-less, runny liquid that could be sipped easily up a straw, without blocking it.


So what can I have – my normal 3 Optifast “milkshakes" a day; 1.8 litres of other fluids such as water, low joule cordial, weight watchers drinking chocolate, tea & coffee. Thin, lump-less (strained) broths, consommé, diluted can soup can also be included. So back to a bit of real food with Coffee and REAL soup.


I’m also able to have up to a cup of each juice, drinking yoghurt and milk - but the milk will go in my coffee. They’ve even suggested 60ml of prune juice to keep me regular…


So I might be back on some ‘normal’ foods, but with the band on I have to take things slowly which I why I have to consume this slowly over a 10-12 hour period so as not to stretch my “new” pouch which is only about 15ml big.


Every cup (250ml) of liquid should take 10-15 minutes to sip slowly during the first week, and 5-10 minutes sipped slowly over the second week. That’s why they suggest to drink at least 1 cup of fluid every hour, in will be able to consume the 2 ½ litres over 10 of the hours I’m awake.


The reason for this first month of 2 weeks of thin fluids, followed by 2 weeks of baby food (puree) is designed to reduce discomfort; keep me well hydrated and help prevent headaches, fatigue, constipation or an attack of gout; help promote healing of the stitches holding the band in place; minimise the risk of stretching the 15rnl stomach pouch; minimise the risk of pulling the stitches out that hold the band in place.


Things I can't have yet include thick cream soup or with bits in it, custard, puddings or junket; set yoghurt or anything pureed… that all starts on 23 September the day I go back to work… Then I might finally be able to take my sister up on her offer of dinner and eat with my 9 month old niece Charlotte who’s also on puree…

24 hours

What a journey the last 24 hours has been… filled with varying emotion, excitement, trepidation, anxiety and pain


The new Norwest Hospital is lovely and how lucky was I to be done in there on Day 3 since it opened…


As I waited to be called to go into admission and pre-op, I was reading the Woman's Weekly from February. In there was letter of the month from Paula in Karratha WA. “I agree with Magda (Szubanski). You have to love yourself to make the changes. If you don’t you will think you are not worth it” I know I’m worth it for me, for how I want to live”; and I thought to mysel, yes thats me.


And so begins the new chapter in my life…

Kyle – Get a life

The latest Kyle Sandilands saga 2DAYFM has him bagging out Magda Szubanski for her weight loss efforts by saying the TV host and comedian could lose more weight if she was sent to a concentration camp.


Well Kyle, have you looked in the mirror lately… it’s the Pot calling the Kettle black really. She’s had the guts to acknowledge her problems and fix it! I applaud Magda for what she has achieved. She’s another inspiration for me…


Anyway I’m surprised at you Kyle, with the amount of verbal diarrhoea you have had over the last few years, I’m surprised you haven’t faded away to a shadow… If I never hear you back on Radio it will be too soon…

I'm Home

I'm home and it all went well...

I did try to blog from my Blackberry but for some reason an error came up so I couldnt... Anyway just about to rest for a little while but will be back on later to blog about the last couple of days

Thanks everyone for their kind messages

Craig xxx

The first day of the rest of my NEW life...

Here we are... after 6 weeks of preparation, the day has finally come...

The first day of the rest of my NEW life...

What can I say, that I havent already said... Over the last 24 hours a lot of feelings have been going round inside me and they still are this morning, but It all comes back to my conversation with my Surgeon yesterday afternoon. "You're doing this for YOU". For the first time in a long time, I am finally doing something for me, and bugger everything else...

I'm going into the operation at 121.1kg which is a loss of 13.6kg since I started 4 weeks ago... but theres a lot more to go... I made my goal for the operation 120kg, so I almost made it...

I'd like to ideally get down to about 80kg (this would give me a BMI of 25.8 which is classified as "average" - and i've never been average in any sense), but were yet to confirm my goal weight with the doctor...

But the operation wont keep me down for long... I'm looking forward to the recouperation and getting on with it once I'm back on my feet...

Thanks again to everyone for your continuing messages of support from all over the world...

I'm about to leave for the hospital, so I'll see you all after the operation

Dont forget the Toothbrush

It's been 20 years since I last underwent the knife, and its all changed very much... No longer do you go straight into the ward on admission, you go into a surgical admission centre only a few hours before you go in, and when I come out I should be back in the ward within an hour or so... My how times have changed since my first operation at the age of 4.

I've packed my bag all ready for the morning... Just gotta throw in the toothbrush in the morning (not that I can eat anything)... I've thown a few mag's in to keep me going before and after if I'm not too drowsy - great time to catch up on reading...

We'll its time for Packed to the Rafters and then All Saints; before a hopefully good nights sleep (Although I doubt it will be)

Night!!!

Last minute nerves

Medicare Card – Check
X-rays – Check
Medication – Check
Overnight Bag – Check…

In less than 24 hours I’ll be banded… Today has been a day of mixed emotions.

Trying to get everything finished at work before I go on 2 weeks leave; as well as trying to juggle scheduling for a story on Sunday Night…

Yesterday as I finished in Martin Place, everyone was wishing me luck, and I’m still getting them today, even by email… It’s a great bunch of people to work with, and their ongoing encouragement has been so appreciated, which has helped me look forward to this with the confidence that I am.

I’ve been psyched up all day, including chatting to the team at Sunday Night, then the bad news came that the Hospital were happy to do the filming, but it would have to be delayed until next Monday… What a roller coaster I was on for about 3 hours while we to and fro’ed what could be done… In the end I had to make the decision for myself, as I don’t think I could have lasted another 5 days, not to mention the fact my next month has been planned out with military precision to fit in with my work commitments as well as the follow up appointments I need to attend… I hope Sunday Night will still be able to do something, but I had to put myself first…

So at 9am tomorrow morning I’ll leave home and head for the Hospital… I’m number 4 on the list so that’s about midday and hopefully back in the ward by 2pm…

Today’s been just liquids as I prepare for the operation, Milkshake for Breakfast, with my first fruit juice in 4 weeks, a black tea, and then Chicken Consume for lunch, and then dinner tonight will just be some tomato soup and maybe a shake… I ended up ditching the Coffee, and the "chocolate" wasnt chocolate at all, it was a white power (not that kind) that cleans the system out... along with a few litres of water you have to keep pumping into yourself...

All that then Fasting from midnight…

One sleep to go

Tomorrow is the Big Day

Over the last few days I’ve been reading through my “Gastric Band Owners Manual” - which they give every paitent prior to going in for surgery. It’s a folder than contains information that you need for both pre and post op, including what I need to do today to ensure everything is right for surgery tomorrow.


No more greens is one. Today, and for 2 weeks after placement, I am on nothing but liquids – no solids at all. So its milkshake for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but I can have as much liquid as I need to including some of the thinks I haven’t been able to have for the last 4 weeks like fruit juice, COFFEE (on skim milk) – no problems there it’s the only way, and strained soup – the normal stuff; but nothing after midnight…


I also get to have some chocolate at lunchtime, but its no ordinary chocolate… It’s a special one that cleans out the system completely in about 10 hours… so I have to keep my fluids up… Lucky I’m working at Epping on today as the toilet is only about 20 meters away…


Then its off to hospital on tomorrow morning. This afternoon I have to ring them to find out what time I need to be there and what time I go in for the operation…

Word gets around

As I said back in my post of 27 August “the last thing I want is rumours going round (not that the TV industry thrives on rumours – Does it?); that I was sick or something”. Again my point has been proved, like I knew it would… There are certain people who you can tell something to; who you know will help spread the word… You know who you are because you’ve got a smile on you face as you read this… Hey it’s what our industry thrives on… and we're ALL guilty of it


Hey that’s great… It’s nice to be talked about for all the right reasons… People who I haven’t told personally or emailed about are now talking to me about it and asking how I’m going…


Seven is like a family, and after nearly 19 years there, it’s great to know some people really do care… Its not like that famous quote "The TV business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."

I’m FAT

For 35 years I’ve been FAT… I was the fat kid at school and I’m the fat one at work – And the way our industry works doesn’t really help those who are horizontally challenged. Sitting for hours in a control room; or on a stakeout eating crap if someone bothers gets you something… Have you ever tried to find something healthier than Macdonald at midnight on your way back to Melbourne from bushfires, when you haven’t eaten since breakfast or lunch?


One of my 7 colleagues asked me the other night why do I need to have the operation… My simple reply “I’m sick of being FAT!”


Finally I have found something that’s going to help me look like a “normal” person again. Never in any attempt at weight loss have I been so focussed and determined on what I’m doing. Nor have I even been so blunt about how I feel when I’m talking about my body…


I’m not happy with the way I was and being able to talk positively about the negatives, like the statement above; only serves as to reinforce what I am doing is the best for my life…


Don’t get me wrong, the cravings for some foods still haven’t gone away, but the good thing will be once I get the band, when I do fall off the wagon (I could say if , but we all do at some stage) I wont be able to eat as much crap food, or I the first time I try it, I just wont be able to eat it – which is what one of my colleagues who’s got a band has told me… I still walk past Subway and smell their fresh bread, or past a Pizza joint and think how nice; but for the moment I’m focussed on Wednesday and the month ahead of me before I can even think about what I might or might not be able to eat…

Blogging is addictive

When I first thought of setting up this blog to share my experience with everyone, I didn’t realize how exciting it would be and how easy it has been to write… It’s been a month and I have posted everyday except one. I’ve tried to make it as interesting as I can… I know loosing weight can be as exciting as watching grass grow or watching paint dry, but this is not just about loosing weight. It’s a life changing decision I have made which means it will change my lifestyle and everything about it, and this blog is a document of how I’ve done it…


At school I was always a middle of the road English student… It never really interested me; vowels, verbs, nouns, adjectives – the all blurred into one… My interests were more in Maths, Science and art areas…


It’s only in the last 5 years or so, that I have started to get interested in writing, and I have some regrets of not taking as much notice in English as I should have… Working in a newsroom though, has definitely helped though… When I first started back in 1990, it wasn’t an issue, you didn’t need a degree in English to listen to the police radios, nor did I need it when I worked on the road as a cameraman, but now as I have moved up the ladder, it’s something that I am using everyday. Be it emails, proposals and policy documents, or my favourite “Creative writing for Business Justifications”. This is where we have to write a “justification” to purchase a piece of equipment. It’s full of technical mumbo jumbo to confuse the hell out of an accountant and make it sound like we can’t function without it – Sometimes it’s so well written I even confuse myself, but it always sounds good in the end…


An interesting quote about TV news I found when surfing the net recently "The one function TV news performs very well is that when there is no news we give it to you with the same emphasis as if there were” - David Brinkley (1920 - 2003)


The same could be said about my blog…


Over the next week, I’m not sure how I’ll go with my blog posts – If I can get my blackberry into the hospital and use it , I’ll try and post a couple of short bits depending on how I feel with a full blog on Saturday…

My First Rant – the Heart Attack Grill

I’m not a big fan of rants, but what I saw on Sunrise this morning appalled me, and should be illegal… The Heart Attack Grill in Phoenix AZ, with its slogan “Taste worth Dying for”… It’s another one of those “only in America”: stories, but they mentioned that it might be coming to Australia soon…

As if Australian’s needs to be killed by 1kg of beef (4 ½ lb patties), let alone cheese, bread, toppings, chips and everything else that goes with this “burger” in a single sitting. I mean a double whopper from Hungry Jacks is enough to clog anyone’s arteries, let alone make them sick…


And what’s even worse is they are about to start filming a reality show, a weight GAIN contest…I wonder what will happen if someone dies during filming – that would be interesting


The really sad thing about this place is they promote it to those who need it least… FAT people who should be loosing weight if they want to live past 40. They even off free meals to people over 350 lbs (that’s 160kg).


The story was follow by a live interview with the “doctor” than runs the place… I don’t know if any of it was tongue in cheek, but I hope the “Doctor” or anyone representing this company is never let past the Australian immigration counter; as the FAT people of Australia don’t need any more distractions.


Government keeps on going on about what’s available in school tuck shops and television advertising during “C” time, forcing only healthy foods to be sold or advertised, well they should be taking a stance on companies like this one too (even if we are the 52nd state of America) – if not it will be sending the wrong message to our youth…