My little pleasure

I have had 2 main cravings since my wls... fish and beetroot! More carb than protein, it isn't ideal for me, but is very low in calories, and touches that spot when needs be.

My NBFF!

British Museum

The imposing facade of the British Museum

I love the foyer... exquisite!

Walk like an Egyptian...

Love these ellies!!!

The Rosetta Stone is larger than I thought it would be... a shame re the reflections in the photos... as the detail of the stone is lost.

King Henry VIII's wives...??? hehe

The photo above and below look like a bath and a chest.. they are TOMBS! Amazing... they are tiny! The people back in these ancient Greek times weren't THAT short, were they?

We had a brief brunch at the Gallery Cafe.

Lance ordered a Quiche Lorraine (egg, bacon and onion pie), with chickpea salad, and tomato soup. I nibbled on it. It was lovely! Highly recommended.

Unfortunately our time here at the museum wasn't that long, as I got the shakes and felt so nauseous... so we had to head home early. We will go again soon!

A-ha ''Take On Me'' - Farewell Tour, London, 27 November 2010

A-ha 'Cry Wolf' - Farewell Tour, London, 27 November 2010

A-ha 'Living Daylights' - Farewell Tour, London, 27 November 2010

A-ha ''Foot of the Mountain'' - Farewell Tour, London, 27 November 2010

A-ha I've been losing you.wmv

Feeling pretty good!

I am doing pretty well, all things considering!

This wkend was my first proper outing, and the first day (Sat) went well... and I jived late into the night with Morten... and then Sun wasn't so good... nausea and the shakes... we got to British Museum, I had a little something to eat, took my meds, and didn't get better, so we came home. But what we managed to do was such fun :)

5 weeks out and my asthma has already improved, weight loss is good and steady (is unlike other wls procedures where they bypass your digestive system so you don't absorb any fats or sugars, so weight loss is HUGE and quick, my weight loss is steady and slower), I'm feeling better already. 2 top sizes down and 1 trouser size down.

We live on quite a hill and when I walk up it I am wheezing and out of breath, and take my pump when I get home... I haven't been taking it this past week... for me, this op has made such a huge difference already!!!

Lots I can eat, lots I cannot... depends from day to day with certain things... other things, like chicken, has to be very moist and shredded to be digested, even then I often cannot digest it and have to spit it out (sorry to be gross!).

I tried multigrain too early... my nutritionist said I must wait till the new year. It's all a learning curve for me, I am taking each day one at a time, listening to what my body needs.

It's shouting for beetroot and protein! I never used to have much protein, and for this wls surgery (and for asthmatics I have since found out!) protein should be key to one's diet... so this also explains why my asthma has improved so much already.

Usually , in this bitterly cold weather, my chest is continually tight and I am on steroids to help me breathe... and I am feeling light in chest and am not on the dreaded steroids :)

And it can only get better! :)

A-ha Farewell Tour

We went to A-ha's farewell Tour on last night... this was the last concert they'll ever play in the UK! :( They play a couple more times in Norway and then that's that... A-ha will disband. It's such a shame... they are SO talented!

Here are some images of the concert... Below I will pop some videos I took of the concert.

Farewell A-ha... thank you for the 25 years of music you provided. Your music WILL go on!

A room with a view... Wembley Stadium

This was the view from our hotel window. Wembley Stadium. I love how it changes personality as the light changes as night draws in.

A little bit of fun!

I have this new application on my new phone (iPhone 4 nogal! woohoo!)... it makes a coloured photo black and white, and then you can draw selected colour into it. Neat huh?

WLS stats

Salmon flakes, low fat cheese spread and pepper, on multigrain bread.

The nutitionist said I must stay off bread for a while longer still... my lil new tum probably cannot handle bread yet, and this might lead to a tear/leak.

I have had no pain when eating, and stop when full... so thought bread was okay (have had it twice), but if the nutritionist says it's early days for me and bread... then out goes the bread!

Crackers are fine. I love these low fat Jacob's crackers, with fillings on top.. they literally melt in my mouth. Just what's needed!

Sea basa fillet of fish with lemongrass and chili sauce... with rice.

I am being very careful with rice... just little bits at a time... hard to digest!

Below is fish pie, with side salad.

Two tablespoons of fish pie practically fills me up.. I then eat the salad as I am able. Focussing on proteing first.

5 weeks post surgery: 9.5 kgs weight loss.

Total weight loss (including pre op weight loss): 16.5kgs

I haven't lost weight hardly at all (as far as the scale is concerned!) in the last couple of weeks, but have been following my regime as much as before. I am losing inches though... my body feels so different.

I am down 2 t-shirt sizes and 1 trouser size... so it's all good... just wish the scales were being more generous.

I chatted to the nutritionist about this and she said I am doing very well and must just continue as I am... as long as I see change in my body shape, and clothing wearability, then I AM losing weight... and the scales will probably dip loads soon, to show this on there too.

Marrow Mmm...

Baby marrow (courgette), tomato, butternut, carrot, cucumber, onion, basmati rice (white), basmati rice (brown), chicken, red pepper.

I made this from previous 2 night's leftovers... and Lance loved it! I picked on this and that.

Such generous friends

Friends of ours are emigrating to South Africa next week and they've been clearing things out and they said they thought hard before giving things away... to the right person. Most of their stuff (apart from what's on a ship to SA as we speak!) has gone to charity.

He is a photographer and gave us a lovely tripod... woohoo!

He also gave me an .... ENLARGER!!!! I loved b&w photography at uni in the dark room and he knows this from a conversation we once had... and I am now the proud owner of an enlarger... with red light, trays, chemicals, the works (although will get fresh chemicals!).

They have a baby and she gave me a couple of baby furniture items that she knows I do not have yet (I have just taken on a 6 month old)... she knows exactly what I have as I've looked after her now 3 yr old for 2.5 yrs.

Very thoughtful in their giving to their friends.

And those items will not gather dust!

Time for lunch!

Onion and chives cottage cheese, salmon, cucumber and cherry tomatoes, on a slice of multigrain bread.

Cravings

Since I have been back on soft solids, I have been craving seafood, fish and beetroot. I've had fish (cod and bass fillet) twice, seafood (prawns) three times, and a slice of beetroot every day, this week.

What food cravings have you had lately? Do they change?

Meals today

For breakfast I had an egg. Till now I've only managed half an egg. Then I had a coffee flavoured slimfast shake for lunch.

I was a little naughty and had a couple pieces of VERY moist biltong... Mmmm... protein!

Tonight I had Cod & Prawn Ocean Pie, 2.5 tablespoons worth. First time I've had mash since the op... and I ate it slowly and didn't quite get to finish it all.

11/11/10

Remembrance Day.

My grandparents and great uncles and aunts fought for Britain in WWII, and I've always been so aware of this.

Of them all, I only have my gruncle left, he's 85 and still travels the world and tells the most amazing war stories. I love him to bits.

I scanned in all the B&W pics he has in an album of his time in Zululand, South Africa, in the early 1940s. Amazing photos.

The photo above is of my maternal gran and grand dad... Eileen and George.

I do believe we can never fully understand what they went through for us x

25 things about me... how many did you know?

1. I am a devout Christian

2. I had a motorbike accident when I was 11. I was then set on by a pack of dogs 11 months later, who ravaged my leg and made me terrified of dogs for years, till I got my staffy Max :) Twas a bad year! My scars still ache in the cold

3. My favourite photography subjects are children and wildlife

4. I do not have my drivers license yet

5. I used to sing soprano, till I developed chronic asthma and the lungs started resisting!

6. I am extremely loyal to my family and friends

7. I qualified as a graphic designer in 1995 and had my own product design company in Cape Town for 5 years prior to moving to the Ole Smoke. I worked as a senior designer in publishing for a few years, then started my own childcare business in 2007

8. I am an eternal optimist

9. I have been married for 9 wonderful years.. . wish for another 99 :)

10. I am learning to play the keyboard

11. I live near Wimbledon Common, but have yet to see a womble! I have also been to Wimbledon Tennis Championships a few times, including semi finals and finals

12. Do you recall the handmade paper greeting cards with pressed flowers and wire art, sold in Woolies (South Africa) for a few years? Those were mine. Did you ever buy one?

13. I would love to be a mum

14. I can sit in a bird hide at a waterhole for hours on end, this is home to me

15. I sorted post for one day at a mail order company in Tooting when we first arrived in London

16. My favourite subjects at school were English and Art

17. I have green eyes, can spread all my toes out, and have a geographical tongue - I am a super navigator! haha

18. I enjoy a variety of arts and crafts: painting (on canvas!), drawing, screen printing, making handmade paper, bead jewellery and wire art - just wish I had more time for it

19. I played wing attack in the Netball A-Team at school, and I used to run very fast! (what happened?? haha)

20. I cry loads when I laugh (and then my tummy hurts)

21. I made Nelson Mandela's 79th birthday invitations at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town

22. I have watched Pride and Prejudice (1995 Colin Firth as Darcy BBC series) at least 20 times (so far) – am a huge fan of Jane Austen

23. I used to work at a circus... Piccadilly Circus!

24. I was the second person in the history of the borough to receive the highest grading from OFSTED at their first grading inspection

25. I have panic attacks in water - plase don't expect me to rescue you. We WILL go down!

Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beauoooootiful day

Getting comfy for the rugby later, go bokke! Watching nz vs eng now.

Had our first lil outing, was great! Gentle walk in Wimbledon Village to the common, and a belated anniversary meal.

Before pic below.

Lance had bangers and mash with an onion sauce, and I had a chicken salad, with hummus, tomato, cucumber and hummus.. The tomato and cucumber were cut up finely which suited me perfectly. There were some slices of pita bread, I had half of one(very small little bites). Carbs are not the best thing for me to have, I need to focus on protein.

I LOVED this meal.. the first *proper* meal I have had in 2 months (taking into consideration I was on a liquid diet pre op too).

Made me feel almost normal again :)

I'm progressing quite quickly onto more solidy type food... just gotta chew it for ages and liquidise it before I swallow. And be very careful what I eat. Amount is tiny too. I had about a quarter of the lettuce, hummus and chicken. Lance had quite a bit of it too... he enjoyed my meal more than his he said hehe

After pic below.

Then tonight I will have half a cup of soup for dinner like I do every night. And I feel so full!

Must be careful though as eating too much, or the wrong type food will make me bring up, so I am wary of my new tum and how it's feeling at all times. Think I'm learning quite quickly what's good for me.

Walking through the village, it started to rain, a 'monkey's wedding' we say in South Africa :) It's cool but pleasant, blue skies, and there, amidst it all, was a lovely rainbow :)

Amazing how, even through stressful times, and we have had our share of that of late, it's the small things... holding hands with the love of my life, and seeing God's hand in the shape of a rainbow... that bring us back to earth and remind s how very blessed we actually are.

I feel so blessed to have had this surgery. And so quickly too. Others wait a couple of years to have it done, I waited 5.5 months. My asthma is improved too already! Not battling with our mighty hill where we live, and walking as much as I have before. Thank you Jesus!

Lance is doing much better. Light headed and weak, but doing loads better. We are taking care of eachother. He sees the doc on Monday, and will hopefully be back at work on Tuesday.. if the doc (and I!!!) let him ;)

Autumnal leaf

Is it floating in the sky?

Pretty, isn't it? It's a reflection on our car :)

The homecoming!

A quick post while Lance is splashing in the bubble bath... he is home.. woohoooo!!!

As cute as ever ;)

The neurologist said it was due to stress... and that makes perfect sense. He is so healthy... 'disgustingly fit' were the medics exact words haha. He has lost weight and has been very stressed about me.. and he keeps things to himself and of course, it does need an outlet, and then this happened. His body had taken too much. He is MUCH better and will be fine soon.

He also works 6 day weeks, and is knackered.. not sure how this will change, but hope it does. Looking forward to our break in SA next month.. and all that glorious African vitamin D :)

I am going to keep a good eye on him for sure. Looking forward to our belated anniversary dinner tomorrow night.. and a restful weekend. He should be back at work on Tuesday, has to see doc again on Monday.

My bruising is still there but is healing well. The wounds are also doing well, no infections or leakages. They were pulled a bit when I (in my shock) ran to the docs when he said the ambulance was coming to take him to hospital. Not sure how I got there so quickly as it's a mighty big hill I live on, but I got there when the ambulance did! Amazing what adrenalin does! Since then I've had a dull ache and will see the doc about that on Monday.

Thanks to family and friends who have been so supportive and concerned x

Still unsure

Lance's blommies. Cape protea and fynbos.. our faourite :)

I am battling terribly with nausea (and d & v too today), saw Lance yest at hospital but cannot get there today. The to'ing and fro'ing is also hurting my tum wounds, I think I've pulled one of them.

He is still weak on left side with little response, and docs have been doing more tests to see what is wrong - they are still not sure. He's seeing a neurologist after lunch. He is eating well though which is good. They've ruled out stroke, shingles and adult chicken pox at this stage. His left eye is still droopy, reflexes poor on his left side. Catscan came back clear thankfully.

We rescheduled our anniversary dinner for tomorrow night as I was too nauseous last Saturday, best I cancel that now.

I feel like such a rubbish wife that I am unable to give him the support he needs, when he was with me every day, all day when I was in hospital a couple of weeks ago.

Am trying to be positive and chipper, but battling tbh. Knowing family and close friends are praying and caring is helping loads.

Hopefully I'll have some good news soon, that they know what's wrong, and that my boy can come home.

Lance's turn to be tagged :(

Lance had a suspected stroke today. Doc didnt want to take a chance and he and I went to hosp in an ambulance.

Just got home.

They've ruled out a stroke thank God. But he has many other strange symptoms down his left side. Tests tomorrow.

Not feeling too good, we had 4 hours of hospital waiting this am for me (saw my surgeon who is happy with my progression), and then 7 hours of it this pm. I think I've pulled one of my wounds (drain site Helen), as I ran up the hill to the docs when he called me.

Goodness knows where I got the energy, but I'm feeling it now.

Missing my boy :(

WLS stats

12 days post surgery: 7.5 kgs weight loss.

Total weight loss (including pre op weight loss): 14.5kgs

This past week has been so weird... I haven't lost weight hardly at all, but have been following my regime as much as before. I think I am losing inches though... my body feels different. Lance says it looks different too. So.. even though the scale is not going down as quickly as I'd hoped for, the inches are working away, which is all good.

November time!

So, we enter November!

Christmas is next month, and a much-needed holiday to sunny South Africa and my wonderful family. I cannot wait for the Vitamin D, the smiles, the love, the food.

Yes, the food!

I should be on solids by then and I cannot wait to munch into a piece of soft boerewors or biltong. Mmm.

I am battling with nausea in a big way, every day. Some days I have nausea combined with dry vomiting too... sorry, sounds gross, but this is my wls diary... ;)

I see the surgeon tomorrow, Lance, bless him, is coming with me to the appointment. I am keen t hear how HE thinks I am doing.

My tum wounds are sore still, but are healing well I think. The ones on te sides pull a lot. I have to be careful how i do certain things with my abdomen. I am quite mobile and have been getting out and about as much as possible.