How it got started

How I Got Here

Around the end of April, 2018, I was laid low by Pancreatitis, caused by gallstones.  It was a bit painful.  While weight was not directly involved in the Pancreatitis (it is common for people of all fitness levels to fall prey), my self esteem did stop me from pursuing medical attention for months previous when I believe I was actually suffering from effects of it.  I also may have a high pain threshold.

The end result though was that I was forced to go see my GP for a checkup after the gallbladder removal surgery.

I'd been kinda avoiding my GP for a while.  He was very unhappy about my weight, and though he was making suggestions about how I could work on it, I wasn't doing anything.  At all.  Not even managing the 30 minutes/day of walking he wanted.

While I was getting my post-surgery checkup, he said I had crossed a medical line, and was now eligible to get referred to a weight loss program.  I jumped at the chance.

For note, absolutely everything else about the check-up; blood glucose, cholesterol, enzyme levels, etc were absolutely perfect.  Blood pressure was a touch high but nothing to be alarmed about.  I was just too heavy.

Though I absolutely wanted to pursue a medical (not surgical) program, my GP's referral admin referred me to a surgical program.  She said I could easily switch to medical, but wanted me to start there.  Ok, sure.

It took about 9 months to get into the Bariatric Surgery program at the Humber River Hospital in North York, Ontario, in the north end of Toronto.  I attended the first orientation session where I can honestly say, I was scared out of my wits. 

Bariatric Surgery involves things like gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, or a few other options.  That's the easy part.  The hard part is that each option has severe, and I mean Severe, consequences that will follow you until the day you die; food restrictions, quantity restrictions, mandatory vitamin regiments, etc.   Bariatric Surgery is NOT an Easy Button.  I talked to the presenter at a break, and asked if there was an easy way to switch to the Bariatric Medical program; there actually was not.  You must leave the program, ask the intake admin to switch the program, and get requeued into the BM program. 

Another 9 months later, roughly Fall of 2019, I got my invite.

Next:  The Program.