Updating...
Hi all. You may or may not have noticed that I've not been posting for some time now. It was a combination of health issues and... just gradually moving away from LJ.
The health issues have been pretty severe. I've always had a weight problem but it got really bad (195kg) and was accompanied by high blood pressure, sleep apnoea, diabetes and, worst of all, atrial fibrillation. The last one developed from about mid 2017 and was the most debilitating - heart palpitations and utter exhaustion to the point where I had chairs in every room in the house because just walking from one room to another exhausted me. Walking 20m would send my heart rate from 120 to 200 (measured via harness in hospital). The turning point was a cardiac specialist who was totally blunt and said that if I didn't do something drastic I'd be dead inside 5 years.
So I finally bit the bullet and had gastric sleeve surgery. If you don't know what that is, essentially they cut away 80% of your stomach so that you simply can't eat more than a very small amount (~1 cup) and, more to the point, so that you just don't feel hungry any more. It's something that I'm still getting used to - a full meal is now something that I would have considered a snack before. I have to really watch what I eat and drink because I need to ensure that my nutritional requirements are met. I've not had any problems so far but I've been warned that dehydration can be an issue because you can't drink much at a time. Plus the surgery was *very* risky because of all my other health issues. As in make sure your will is up to date risky. It was the first time I'd ever had surgery in my life (just lucky up to now I guess) and it was a frightening leap off the deep end.
But (obviously) I survived and the upshot is that I have lost 45kg since October 2018 and am aiming for 80-95kg. It's cost me about $10 000 so far. I have good medical coverage or it would be massively more but it's well worth it.
The great news is that I'm already hugely feeling the benefits - I'm no longer on any medication for blood pressure or diabetes and my AF is massively improved. Currently I'm walking 1km in a heated rehab pool on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (my knees and ankles are shot so I can't walk distances on land) and my energy levels are unbelievably improved. I've gone from being depressed to the point of being actively suicidal to being optimistic about things and planning what I want to do in the next 5-10 years. Amongst which is penne4m and I being about to celebrate our 10th anniversary of being together. I owe her an unbelievable amount for her support and tolerance.
Will you see me posting on LJ again? Probably not, at least not with any regularity. I've moved on to other things. But I do occasionally check my friends list and think of you all. I'm incredibly grateful for the support, encouragement and entertainment that you all supplied and I wish you all the best. Thank you all for your friendship and your wonderful fics. :-)
The health issues have been pretty severe. I've always had a weight problem but it got really bad (195kg) and was accompanied by high blood pressure, sleep apnoea, diabetes and, worst of all, atrial fibrillation. The last one developed from about mid 2017 and was the most debilitating - heart palpitations and utter exhaustion to the point where I had chairs in every room in the house because just walking from one room to another exhausted me. Walking 20m would send my heart rate from 120 to 200 (measured via harness in hospital). The turning point was a cardiac specialist who was totally blunt and said that if I didn't do something drastic I'd be dead inside 5 years.
So I finally bit the bullet and had gastric sleeve surgery. If you don't know what that is, essentially they cut away 80% of your stomach so that you simply can't eat more than a very small amount (~1 cup) and, more to the point, so that you just don't feel hungry any more. It's something that I'm still getting used to - a full meal is now something that I would have considered a snack before. I have to really watch what I eat and drink because I need to ensure that my nutritional requirements are met. I've not had any problems so far but I've been warned that dehydration can be an issue because you can't drink much at a time. Plus the surgery was *very* risky because of all my other health issues. As in make sure your will is up to date risky. It was the first time I'd ever had surgery in my life (just lucky up to now I guess) and it was a frightening leap off the deep end.
But (obviously) I survived and the upshot is that I have lost 45kg since October 2018 and am aiming for 80-95kg. It's cost me about $10 000 so far. I have good medical coverage or it would be massively more but it's well worth it.
The great news is that I'm already hugely feeling the benefits - I'm no longer on any medication for blood pressure or diabetes and my AF is massively improved. Currently I'm walking 1km in a heated rehab pool on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (my knees and ankles are shot so I can't walk distances on land) and my energy levels are unbelievably improved. I've gone from being depressed to the point of being actively suicidal to being optimistic about things and planning what I want to do in the next 5-10 years. Amongst which is penne4m and I being about to celebrate our 10th anniversary of being together. I owe her an unbelievable amount for her support and tolerance.
Will you see me posting on LJ again? Probably not, at least not with any regularity. I've moved on to other things. But I do occasionally check my friends list and think of you all. I'm incredibly grateful for the support, encouragement and entertainment that you all supplied and I wish you all the best. Thank you all for your friendship and your wonderful fics. :-)