Today has been a whirlwind of a day. Wrapping things up at work, celebrating my birthday, and ignoring the grumbling of my stomach while partaking in a liquid diet today. It's enough to drive a person crazy.
I don't know what I expected to feel at this point. I will be at the hospital in a little over six hours. In eight hours and change, I should be in the operating room. It has been a long time coming and now...I feel conflicted on some level.
Tonight, I spent some time celebrating my birthday when all of a sudden, I just got an overwhelming sense of sadness and actually teared up. I don't know what was behind that feeling, but it has been lingering just beneath the surface ever since. I just don't know what to make of it.
I just need to shut my mind off, put the computer away, and get some much-needed sleep. Tomorrow is a big day and I will need to give my body all of the rest and energy that I possibly can.
Two to go...
Well today was my original surgery date. But that got changed rather quickly so I am left with two days to go before heading to the hospital. As I write this, I am probably 48 hours away from being under the knife.
I'm not consciously worried or anxious about the procedure. But apparently it is messing with my subconscious mind. Last night, for example, I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and could not go back to sleep. After 90 or so minutes of staring at the ceiling and trying to stop my mind from wandering, I finally grabbed the iPod and headphones and turned on some music. At some point, I think I dozed off again, but I'm not 100% positive.
Granted there is more going on inmy life than just the surgery. As I talked about a few days ago in the post entitled Life's Stress, I have some other issues going on that are bringing stress into my life. Maybe it is one of those issues that was keeping me up as well. I don't really know.
I was able to head off a bit of stress unexpectedly last night. My mom came in to help me during the recovery period so after we went grocery shopping last night, I showed her how to get to the hospital. Good thing, too...there is a road construction project near the hospital that required changing the route I would have normally taken. Better to know that now than to find out the day of the surgery and have to figure it out on-the-fly.
I've also been delving into the Gastric Sleeve forum to connect with other people getting sleeved and to learn from those who have gone through the procedure already. It is so good to read the comments from other people and to learn about their successful procedures. Always a good thing to put my mind further at ease.
I'm not consciously worried or anxious about the procedure. But apparently it is messing with my subconscious mind. Last night, for example, I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and could not go back to sleep. After 90 or so minutes of staring at the ceiling and trying to stop my mind from wandering, I finally grabbed the iPod and headphones and turned on some music. At some point, I think I dozed off again, but I'm not 100% positive.
Granted there is more going on inmy life than just the surgery. As I talked about a few days ago in the post entitled Life's Stress, I have some other issues going on that are bringing stress into my life. Maybe it is one of those issues that was keeping me up as well. I don't really know.
I was able to head off a bit of stress unexpectedly last night. My mom came in to help me during the recovery period so after we went grocery shopping last night, I showed her how to get to the hospital. Good thing, too...there is a road construction project near the hospital that required changing the route I would have normally taken. Better to know that now than to find out the day of the surgery and have to figure it out on-the-fly.
I've also been delving into the Gastric Sleeve forum to connect with other people getting sleeved and to learn from those who have gone through the procedure already. It is so good to read the comments from other people and to learn about their successful procedures. Always a good thing to put my mind further at ease.
Four (calendar) days to go
Here's tonight's video entry for your viewing pleasure:
As referenced in the video, here is a photo of my workout results from this afternoon:
Well it wasn't exactly a workout to be proud of, but I did listen to my body and went until things started getting uncomfortable. I just have to keep reminding myself that I don't have my old college body right anymore so having a "cruising speed" around 17mph isn't realistic at this point in life. Maybe next year. ;-)
As referenced in the video, here is a photo of my workout results from this afternoon:
Well it wasn't exactly a workout to be proud of, but I did listen to my body and went until things started getting uncomfortable. I just have to keep reminding myself that I don't have my old college body right anymore so having a "cruising speed" around 17mph isn't realistic at this point in life. Maybe next year. ;-)
Just a few, quick thoughts
Looking back at yesterday, there are a couple of things I want to get off my chest. I hope you're all listening.
First, to all the guys reading this, lose the macho bullsh*t and go get a physical. I know a lot of guys would carry around their wife's purse than set foot in a doctor's office. But it is imperative that we take care of our bodies. We only get one body to go through life with. Yes, we can transform this body, but we can't upgrade it or trade it in for next year's model. This is the only one we have. Look at it this way, fellas, when your car acts up, you take it to the mechanic. Well, let's start treating our body like that classic 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air (or, if you prefer, a 2011 Bugatti) and start paying attention to the engine (our heart), the fuel system (nutrition), the tires (our mobility), and -- yes -- even the exhaust system (our prostate). We've gotta do this, guys, or else the body we have been given is gonna crap out on us and leave us hanging.
Secondly, as I walked from my office out to my car yesterday afternoon, I passed a handful of vehicles with bike racks on the back of them. If you are taking to the streets and jogging, running, cycling, or otherwise exercising outside in the heat that has been settling in over the Midwestern Untied States, then, please, make sure you stay hydrated. Yes, sports recovery drinks (such as Gatorade and Powerade) have their benefits, but don't forget about good, old-fashioned water. We as humans are composed of approximately 70% water. And out system is -- at its core -- an electrical system which needs that water to transmit information, to transport resources on a cellular level, to regenerate injured and dying tissue, and to optimize mental acuity. So don't neglect the wet stuff, boys and girls. Aim to get at least 64 ounces of water intake every day.
First, to all the guys reading this, lose the macho bullsh*t and go get a physical. I know a lot of guys would carry around their wife's purse than set foot in a doctor's office. But it is imperative that we take care of our bodies. We only get one body to go through life with. Yes, we can transform this body, but we can't upgrade it or trade it in for next year's model. This is the only one we have. Look at it this way, fellas, when your car acts up, you take it to the mechanic. Well, let's start treating our body like that classic 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air (or, if you prefer, a 2011 Bugatti) and start paying attention to the engine (our heart), the fuel system (nutrition), the tires (our mobility), and -- yes -- even the exhaust system (our prostate). We've gotta do this, guys, or else the body we have been given is gonna crap out on us and leave us hanging.
Secondly, as I walked from my office out to my car yesterday afternoon, I passed a handful of vehicles with bike racks on the back of them. If you are taking to the streets and jogging, running, cycling, or otherwise exercising outside in the heat that has been settling in over the Midwestern Untied States, then, please, make sure you stay hydrated. Yes, sports recovery drinks (such as Gatorade and Powerade) have their benefits, but don't forget about good, old-fashioned water. We as humans are composed of approximately 70% water. And out system is -- at its core -- an electrical system which needs that water to transmit information, to transport resources on a cellular level, to regenerate injured and dying tissue, and to optimize mental acuity. So don't neglect the wet stuff, boys and girls. Aim to get at least 64 ounces of water intake every day.
Thoughts on the future. And sushi.
Thanks to technical difficulties, tonight's post is split into two video segments. Here is piece #1:
And here is piece #2:
And here is piece #2:
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