Newcastle's Wild June Long Weekend

My boys at Nobby's Beach looking at the Pasha Bulker

I have had heaps of emails and enquiries as to how I survived the wild storms and floods that hit the Newcastle/Hunter regions on the Queens Birthday Long Weekend. I thought I would do a blog entry and add some photos to give you an idea of the effect the natural disaster had on the area.
The amount of rain was horrendous, it torrential rained for 36 hrs and I mean it did not let up once, the drains and waterways had absolutely no way of dealing with the deluge of water that fell from the sky. The power went out at about 10.30am of Friday morning and we were blacked out until Monday lunch time. I was lucky enough not to get any damage to our house or property other than the pool looking like a dirty old billabong but here are some photos that were taken in the area.

My New Family Addition

Settle on... I don't mean a baby

Well theoretically he is a baby, he is 12 weeks old and the cutest little thing you've ever seen. My new pup, a red cattle dog called Rusty. He looks like a little kangaroo with those ears sticking up. The boys adore him and he has made himself at home straight away. (meaning left a deposit on the floor for you guest it... his mama to clean up) He has taken to our other dog Bindii (5 year old blue cattle dog) straight away.

Back to the band. I was saying how my Dr & Dietitian wouldn't allow me to have a fill until I got to 6 weeks post op, through the week I had had enough, I didn't feel like I had even been banded, my portion size was growing and my willpower was waning. This was getting me down and making me go back to the old emotional eating habit... and I wasn't happy. So I called the surgery and spoke to Shandelle the receptionist and had a whinge and asked if I could insist on having one early. She said that there was no reason that I couldn't have a fill, I have paid all this money and I know my body better than anyone. So she made me an appointment for the following Wednesday... I was stoked.

Wednesday arrived and I went to my dietitian appointment, where she spent the 20 min telling me about the damage she sustained in the huge storms and flooding we had, so I left her with a receipt, a weight and very little other info (not happy). Then I was went straight into see Dr Tony (the fills Dr) it was the first time I had met him, and he was lovely. He asked how it was all going, what textured food I was eating, and how hungry was I getting. Answers... feel fine... can eat everything except hadn't tried steak, and hell yes I was hungry...

He popped me up on the bed and started poking around for the port. I wasn't nervous, and felt pretty happy about the needle thing and all...... until...... he says, (whilst prodding) "So do you think that is the port.... or this". My eyes opened so far I swear you could see them from the moon and my mouth dropped open and I said with a VERY shaky voice "WHAT ! Can't you tell, how would I know, I thought you would?". He then laughed and said of course he can, he was just testing me and swiftly rubbed the alcohol swab on and stuck the needle in.

It only felt like a tiny pinch and he said he was going to draw out to see if there was liquid there before putting any back in. We were both shocked to find out I already had 4 mls in the band (and I had NO restriction) so we agreed to have 1ml extra put in. So I now have 5mls in a AP Small 10ml Band.

All up it was an ok experience, It definitely didn't hurt, him prodding my tummy was more uncomfortable than the fill itself. I then went onto liquids for 24hrs and mushies for 24 hrs and back to eating solids again. I didn't feel I was restricted at all until I tried to have a piece of chicken and the following day a piece of toast. I must not have chewed enough, cause I got that damn (heart attack like) pain in the chest and had to suffer through it.

Chew, Chew, Chew Tarnya.......................

Since then I do feel like I need another fill, I still need more restriction and I haven't lost any DAMN weight.... it's so frustrating !!!!

4 Weeks Post-op - 1st B.P

I need a fill !!!!!!

I thought i would get that out of the was before I started so I won't harp on about it...

Well, the weight- loss or should I say weight- stay has been pretty consistent over the last 3 weeks....... 0.... nil......zero....zip.....nudda... nothing. but hey, at least I am consistent and it ain't going upwards. So I am still 5kg down and I am glad of that at least, it just seems unfair that 5kg were gone in the first week and the nothing from then..... All in good time.

I had my first bad experience with food on Friday, I had a slimeing and BP episode.... and it was aaaaawful. I picked up some Chinese for the family on the way home from work on Friday night (that's our takeaway night) some fried rice, omelet and a beef dish, served myself 2 spoons of rice and some omelet and ate it and all was good. I then in my infinite wisdom thought I have a crack at a piece of meat from one of the kids plates , it did look yummy and one piece wouldn't kill me... right ?...... WRONG !!!!

I no sooner swallowed it and felt it stick and it started to hurt, not alot... but enough. I started to do this clearing the throat type of cough.... then trying to burp.... nothing. So I thought i would wash it down with water, but the band was not gonna give it just made it worse. I could feel something starting to ooze back into my mouth. I went to the toilet and lent over the bowl and I had this ooze coming back up from my stomach (sorry gross I know) It wasn't a vomit, it had no force behind it......... This must be slimeing or sliming. It was nauseating I kept trying to burp, but nothing was happening, and if I contracted my stomach the ooze would project like a vomit. At this stage my husband was starting to have kittens, he had followed me to the bathroom and was really worried, he could see me struggling ( he was about to break out the heinleicht manoeuvre at any moment)

Finally after a few minutes of this, I burped and it was a productive burp (BP) which released the meat or the rice or whatever was causing the blockage, and GOD it felt better. I had really started to get a bit panicky and was relieved that it was over. I am really surprised how taxing it was on me thought, I felt exhausted afterwards and flopped on the lounge like I had just run a marathon.

Lesson learned------ Chew chew chew------ Slowly Slowly.

I really am not looking forward to that happening again


OH and did I mention I need a fill......LOL