I got a call from That's life magazine yesterday and they read my story back to me so that I could approve of what they were printing about me ! They had the usual stereotypical 'plates piled high with food and stodge' as being the reason for my weight gain but I set that bit straight because really it wasn't like that at all. They've used a bit of artistic license too with the details but nothing that bends the truth out of all measure, it just makes it more readable. They told me that the feature comes out on August 7th but the date on the front is August 14th. I hope I don't look like an idiot in it !!
The BBC are coming here next Thursday to do their background filming so I have been thinking.... omg, what will I look like with my big tired panda eyes ! I have decided that monday will be my last night before they come so I don't have those big black bags under my eyes, but now I am also worrying about what I should wear too ! I can straighten my hair, that's not a problem, but what should I wear to make myself look presentable. I don't want to have to 'suck it in' all day but at the same time I don't want to look like I wobble when I walk either ! Once I get past next thursday I have the 14th August to look towards too, and what I will wear and look like on that day in London ! Oh help !!! Why oh why did I put myself forward for this ?! I so don't want to look like a jerk !
Anyway. I am keeping this post short and sweet today. Nothing special to report really. Working crazy number of nights and feeling like a zombie. Have a headache today which won't shift too, and didn't sleep much today so I expect I'm going to be shattered tonight at work. Ho hum.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Sunday 13th July, 2008
I have been on a set of 4 nights so I have not had a chance to get to this blog for a few days. I wanted to post about the photographer that came round on thursday though, for That's Life Magazine !
I had all the usual panic about what I was going to wear, and a late night hair dying session to get rid of my roots, the night before he came, and Al was brilliant as ever, advising me what I should and should not wear.
He arrived about 11am, and was here for about an hour and a half. Al did not want to be in the pics at all which is fair enough, but they wanted pics of the kids and me together and they had a ball ! He had me sitting with the 3 of them on the sofa, and then some pics of me alone in the dining room, and then Michael came in to me and wanted to be picked up. The photographer nodded and was clicking away all the while I was cuddling Michael and giving him kisses ! It was so lovely !! He took pics of us out in the garden and then I mentioned that I had a pair of my old jeans which I'd put Aidan into with me at Christmas time and walked him round the house. He said ' ooh that's great, can you go and get them ?' lol ! So we did the skinny girl in big jeans photo and then Aidan in them with me, and then Rachel in one leg and Aidan in the other. At first it was funny and then it got me thinking that it was not actually that funny that I used to be able to wear these trousers without a belt even and that they were tight on me. These jeans were being held up for all to see what a grotesque monster I must have been pre op, and that I must have been so huge that it's impossible to believe such a woman existed. Ok, I am sure I am exagerating there, but you know what I mean. I WAS that person though, and I was ashamed of being that size and I AM glad I am not that size anymore, but I still have feelings and I still remember what it was like to fit those trousers.
I kicked myself up the bum though and decided that if even just one person reads my story and seeks help for themselves then it is worth the ridicule for these photos.
I had all the usual panic about what I was going to wear, and a late night hair dying session to get rid of my roots, the night before he came, and Al was brilliant as ever, advising me what I should and should not wear.
He arrived about 11am, and was here for about an hour and a half. Al did not want to be in the pics at all which is fair enough, but they wanted pics of the kids and me together and they had a ball ! He had me sitting with the 3 of them on the sofa, and then some pics of me alone in the dining room, and then Michael came in to me and wanted to be picked up. The photographer nodded and was clicking away all the while I was cuddling Michael and giving him kisses ! It was so lovely !! He took pics of us out in the garden and then I mentioned that I had a pair of my old jeans which I'd put Aidan into with me at Christmas time and walked him round the house. He said ' ooh that's great, can you go and get them ?' lol ! So we did the skinny girl in big jeans photo and then Aidan in them with me, and then Rachel in one leg and Aidan in the other. At first it was funny and then it got me thinking that it was not actually that funny that I used to be able to wear these trousers without a belt even and that they were tight on me. These jeans were being held up for all to see what a grotesque monster I must have been pre op, and that I must have been so huge that it's impossible to believe such a woman existed. Ok, I am sure I am exagerating there, but you know what I mean. I WAS that person though, and I was ashamed of being that size and I AM glad I am not that size anymore, but I still have feelings and I still remember what it was like to fit those trousers.
I kicked myself up the bum though and decided that if even just one person reads my story and seeks help for themselves then it is worth the ridicule for these photos.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Tuesday 8th July, 2008
I have been hard at work these last couple of weeks but here's my latest. I have managed to regain about 7lbs bringing me back to 9st 10 which still means I have lost 11 stone in total but I am maintaining here now and I am very happy at that. Although watching the scales go up again was scary and disturbing for me, I knew that I needed to regain some weight too so it was a case of grin and bear it. I have been munching away on anything and everything around me. I have found that since returning from Brugge I have been more tolerant to milk and bread which means I have been able to eat cereal and toast again. I have been eating my body weight in toast when I am at work because generally I don't know what cooking facilities there are on all the different wards I work on, but I know there is always toast available ! I have found that I have to eat every couple of hours though or I have a hypo - a drop in blood sugars - which causes me to shake and then sweat and if I don't correct it then I am in trouble ! I am thinking that I need to revise my medi alert bracelet because at the moment it reads 'No NG and No Sugar' on it but infact it's more complicated than that. I have not dumped in over a year or so, and I generally won't eat anything that will make me dump so if I do end up unconscious then I need to be treated as a diabetic having a hypo. So what should I have put on my medi alert bracelet ? I will have to get a new bracelet made up anyway because we are hoping to be on the move soon and the 'in case of emergency' telephone number for my husband will have to change to our new one. I will have to give it some thought.
Some exciting things have been happening today !! A few weeks ago I applied to the BBC for a new programme they are filming called Fashion Divas. I can't really say too much about it at the moment because I don't know much about it myself, but they called me 2 weeks ago and asked me to recommend a friend to bring with me if we got picked for the show. I recommended my mate Kelly who is also a Dillebabe and Dedonckerite ! I called her and she was up for it too, so she applied and sent photos, and they were on the phone with me asking me about my weight loss etc for over half an hour. Today they phoned me again and asked if they could come over to do some background filming !! Of course I said yes !!! The other exciting thing that happened today was That's life! magazine were on the phone wanting to run a story on my parents and me, and our bypasses. They have asked for photos of my parents and are calling me next week to do a 45 minute interview. When she phoned today to interview me, I directed her to my website http://www.wlshelp.co.uk/ and she went off and had a look at it. When she came back to me this afternoon my single page spread had become a double page feature article !! How cool is that !?
I called my parents straight away and they consented to it, and sent photos of themselves pre op and now. I have not seen them in such a long time so seeing these photos was superb for me too. They are looking incredible !! What a difference a year has made. The before and after photos are so amazing, and they both look so well. I am so proud of their achievements and am deeply indebted to Bruno Dillemans for giving them this wonderful surgery. Their health has improved a hundred fold and Mum says she has not been her current weight in 16 years ! Well done to both of you, Mum and Dad. I am sooooo pleased you bit the bullet and had this operation done. I know it must have been scary for you, but it has given you both a new lease of life that you could never have imagined before. Thank you for trusting me to find you the best surgeon and the best operation for you both. Your faith in me means a lot.
Since my return to Brugge I have gone from strength to strength. I am feeling so good now and cannot believe I put up with so much pain for such a long time. My lap scars are all pretty well healed up and I am moving about as if nothing had happened ! Wonderful !
Thanks again for reading my blog. I know I have a few faithful readers out there who have followed my story from the start and I wanted to thank you for your interest and continued support.
Some exciting things have been happening today !! A few weeks ago I applied to the BBC for a new programme they are filming called Fashion Divas. I can't really say too much about it at the moment because I don't know much about it myself, but they called me 2 weeks ago and asked me to recommend a friend to bring with me if we got picked for the show. I recommended my mate Kelly who is also a Dillebabe and Dedonckerite ! I called her and she was up for it too, so she applied and sent photos, and they were on the phone with me asking me about my weight loss etc for over half an hour. Today they phoned me again and asked if they could come over to do some background filming !! Of course I said yes !!! The other exciting thing that happened today was That's life! magazine were on the phone wanting to run a story on my parents and me, and our bypasses. They have asked for photos of my parents and are calling me next week to do a 45 minute interview. When she phoned today to interview me, I directed her to my website http://www.wlshelp.co.uk/ and she went off and had a look at it. When she came back to me this afternoon my single page spread had become a double page feature article !! How cool is that !?
I called my parents straight away and they consented to it, and sent photos of themselves pre op and now. I have not seen them in such a long time so seeing these photos was superb for me too. They are looking incredible !! What a difference a year has made. The before and after photos are so amazing, and they both look so well. I am so proud of their achievements and am deeply indebted to Bruno Dillemans for giving them this wonderful surgery. Their health has improved a hundred fold and Mum says she has not been her current weight in 16 years ! Well done to both of you, Mum and Dad. I am sooooo pleased you bit the bullet and had this operation done. I know it must have been scary for you, but it has given you both a new lease of life that you could never have imagined before. Thank you for trusting me to find you the best surgeon and the best operation for you both. Your faith in me means a lot.
Since my return to Brugge I have gone from strength to strength. I am feeling so good now and cannot believe I put up with so much pain for such a long time. My lap scars are all pretty well healed up and I am moving about as if nothing had happened ! Wonderful !
Thanks again for reading my blog. I know I have a few faithful readers out there who have followed my story from the start and I wanted to thank you for your interest and continued support.
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