Dave's Journey

LOL…forgive me; if you truly knew what it was like to suffer a gall bladder attack, you would know. It’s actually quite a common disease (a modern one at that). For others whom may be reading and don’t know what the gall bladder is or does-it’s a small pear-shaped organ located underneath the liver. This organ stores bile which is a fluid composed of cholesterol and other digestive liquids. The function of bile is to digest fat in the small intestine. When too much cholesterol is concentrated within the bile, the particles of cholesterol bond together to form one or more gallstones.

This build-up of cholesterol and fat in the bile can be caused by several factors. In some cases, the gallbladder fails to empty properly, holding cholesterol and fat deposits there until they harden and form stones. Other factors can be obesity, excessive alcohol use and heredity, as in the case of Native Americans, who have a high incidence of gallstones. People who have a family history of gallstones, those with heart disease or cirrhosis of the liver have a likelihood of suffering from this ailment. Gallstones are most often found in women although they can occur in both sexes…me for instance!

For more information try this link:


The reason I had mine removed was the severity of my attacks and the doctor’s orders, not to mention that we are lucky enough to have FREE HEALTH CARE in our country. It was not cosmetic surgery…I can assure you of that! I also suffer from anxiety which triggered a lot of my gall bladder attacks. I suffered for 2 years before having it removed. Having a sick gall bladder brought on a host of other complications for me as well…Typically you start by having what you think is heart burn and attempt to alleviate the problem with things like Gavascon or Mylanta. Eventually when you start waking up in the late of night or early hours in the morning and find the attacks lasting from 3 to 5 hours of “extreme burning-stabbing pains you’ll find your way to a hospital weather it’s free or not. I went to my local hospital several times. With the waiting times being many hours, and the hospital being very busy, many of the times I went, by the time they got to seeing me, the pain would of subside, and I would contemplate that my gall bladder was not going to “BURST”…therefore hating hospitals I would thanks them for letting me wait it out and go home. A few times I was admitted in the short stay section, where I was put on morphine and under observation…eventually, after it became obvious that my gall bladder did not have much chop left, & most likely, it was going to be cheaper if they simply ripped them out. I was told not to worry as they had operated on over half the people in town with regard to “Gall Bladder operations…LOL!”

After the Opp, I was told that I had many large stones & also that the gall bladder was nacrotic (like infected/rotting) A burst Gall Bladder is known to kill in 20 minutes!!! Thank God we have free health care…

So…although the gall bladder is one body part you can live without, it does place an additional load on the liver as it attempts to break down what fats it can. Some people are unfortunately struck down with the runs, which over time for most is not such a major problem. Thankfully for me it’s not so much the case…I can pass wind without freaking out too much ... LMAO … sorry … for me, instead of becoming an instant bad food detector, I’ll stir in my bed or chair with an itchy bum after eating the wrong food. Like millions of others out there, I have the thrush thing that reacts to yeast; however what the liver does not break down seems to add to my other conditions. Despite having free health care, many of us are stuck to eating the bad foods that seemingly only adding to many many health problems…we do what we can…I grow a lot of stuff, when I can…when I do grow my own food or can afford to eat healthy, a lot of my problems go away. It’s great to have Google to help identify a lot of the problem we have- it’s helped me to sort out a lot of issues that is for sure.
Anyways…if your still with me…those people whom seem to struggle with weight control after having their gall bladders removed…well…the truth is, some think the trade off with the constant bathroom visits is well worth the take away feeds…for others…because they can now eat crap without a bucket load of bile eating through their insides, they simply do! For others that are serious about weight loss like me, who exercise and try to watch what they eat, but just aren’t losing it like they use to…..WELL…the more I read, the more I think it’s the new chemical changes that are now taking place. Losing weight too fast is one of the factors that adds to gall bladder disease…although the gall balder is now gone, perhaps there is still some correlation to the weight loss thing. The best thing I can do is look after my liver, research how to do that…watch my diet in regards to the no gall bladder thingy and above all EXERCISE as that is a big one for Health…as one can tell,. I prefer running & it’s really starting to work in so many ways for me…things like taking something on a full stomach does not really apply to me anymore as doing so is actually counterproductive…I take my omega 3 oils on an empty stomach…there is so much to do by trial and error…it’s all good now…Having my gall bladder out was the best thing that happened to me…I am so much better off for it…every comments on how much better I look…et…I am nowhere near as tired as I used to be & now able to do something about my health. There are worse things we can do to ourselves, such as simply eating the wrong foods. I was just a little down on myself for letting go over the weekend…had a good 10km run today…best time yet…under 1 hour and 5km sub 30…time for me to find some balance and perhaps, tap into my spiritual side…I might even start smelling the roses yet…hehe…It’s good to be ALIVE!!!!!!!!!

So…you take it easy Billy, I’m off to do some soul searching, and or go for a walk. By the way…thanks for asking & good luck with your goals!
Cheers
Dave
...First, I want to SAY...Thank God that you got this taken care of!!...I am so happy for you and can really sympathize right now since I'm having majore issues in the bladder department right now :blush05:!!...Regardless,....Thank God for free health care, and for FEELING ALIVE AGAIN!! :paprty:

...Way to go on getting educated and taking things into your own hands...and growing your own vegetables is FANTASTIC for your health...and it's so rewarding seeing your "babies" grow up..and then CHOMP!/B]..u eat them...LOL!!

...I knew you were a BEAST!! ;)! "reddevil"!! hahah!...Just kidding...but really...Love that you eat them!!
 
GET REAL!

Oh yea...another Great Incentive as to why I am watching my food intake, is the realization that I am not young anymore...That’s a biggy for those of us who continue to dream about not getting older, or simply get around in denial. With all those BS adds constantly bombarding us, is it any wonder we forget we are getting older...YEP...I’m 40 and looking at just what that means in terms of realistic Life Style changes, and I got to say, what I see on the Telly/Radio & all that, only serves to destroy me and everyone else that believes that crap. But the world is full of sheep these days...and where you have Millions in one spot, they only seem to be all the more susceptible.

I like my wrinkles!!!! I’m admire each new one...I find the more I can keep an even keeled face in a world so plastic, that when I meet someone real, I get a true sense of respect & appreciation. It all began when I decided to respect myself & give up smoking...I never thought I could do that after 24 years of it...but I am nearly on my 3rd year smoke & SLAVE free...it did wonders for my self-esteem to know I could beat something like that & best of all, I was please for doing something that shows I respect myself. It only makes sense now, after learning to deal with issues without my comfort of smoking, that I can beat all the other things that are holding me back...The one thing I seem to be getting good at is turning all the negative things (or things “I” see as negative) into positive things...It’s not that simple, but after TRYING and getting REAL with myself...it’s getting easier...I’ve dropped a lot of negative influences and that’s the Best thing you can do...(Even some friends! That was the hardest, as I naturally seem need to socialize)

Anyways...revelations aside...and getting back to how I’ve accepted being “older” (old as you feel) and all the above (an attempt to explain what REAL is)...AGE does take an effect on the way we Train & EAT. I’m just glad it’s sinking in is all...so hopefully I will continue to be real about what eating junk can do to an aging body......................Once I can truly follow good eating practices with this new found outlook...I’ll probably concentrate more on what comes naturally, from both healthy eating & exercising...Good Mental Health ?...Stability without Vanity...I guess that’s 2 separate things, the latter being prevalent in places such as this...anyways...looks all good DAVE...it’s at the very least REAL! (Just be real to yourself)...and be careful when & where you call a spade a spade- you OLD FART!
This is just So Rewarding for yourself that you are doing this!!...I really really encourage you, to once you are up to the marathon level,...and rearing to go...be a TROOPER and go sign up for a marathon some where near you!!!...Do it!! You'll love the aura and the motivation that people give you..and the METAL!! :D!!...I support training on your own, and completing it on your own...but do it for the METAL! hahah!!

...I wanna see some Australian metals!...and I love that Health care is free. Damn lucky bastards ;)!! hahah!!

...Being aware of your food and training for marathons is the Best route you can go...and you'll see that your body will call for more food as the miles go up and up... is my Favorite site!!...So many tips and such fun!!
 
Still going strong with the food...enough of the soul searching and into some Activity:
Ran 14.5km
Marks the beginning of my marathon training...If you’re interested in how someone as unfit as me, can train for long distances running check out my blog I just started:

I’m going to put as much effort into watching my food today. Feeling pretty good overall, however fighting the urge to rant so much & instead think a little harder before purging to hard...it's a new training method I'm trying out. Doing well Dave...keep it real... :bigear:
Nice photo of you in your blog!!1...I've always thought about starting one of those! :D!!...hahah....Glad you are actually doing it here buddy..and the informative links are cool. Haven't got the time to read now, but maybe I'll get a chance too soon. :)...So busy....

:party:...The best part: WAY TO CHEER YOURSELF ON!!!!

...at the end of story Dave...."We are all we have!"...."We have to love ourselves, and cheer ourselves on, and LIVE FOR OURSELVES!!"....:D!!!

...I always say that line to myself too: MIND OVER MATTER!!!....that's the way to go ladies and gents...!!! ;)!!
 
Wow…I kind of logged in thinking about the kind of a post I’ll be attempting to today. Now I am kind of speechless. I bet your real good at your job, which by the way sounds really interesting! As weight loss forums go, I don’t feel that confident as my last efforts in another, left me feeling quite alienated…I’ve since learnt to at least try and express some my negative feelings in a much more appreciative way. I still like to tell it as it is & accept the benefits of having a diary; albeit quite lonesome at times?. I can see I’ve been getting plenty of hits despite the lack of interaction, which in a sense helps me(in my own illusions) to keep it real or be accountable. The Blog is just as good for me. At first I wondered if I should even bother, but knowing the importance of setting goals and setting up the right environment to achieve such grand plans; I am really pleased I have started it. Just like here, I have been getting plenty of hits with not much interaction, but my motivational drive is really picking up and I am learning so much more. It can get a bit tiresome at times and others blame me of being full of myself, but it really has nothing to do with that despite being aware of how vanity/pride & not so many other helpful traits can take control.
mmmmmm…I was pretty unsure as to how long I would be sticking to this forum & you’ve kind of changed the way I feel about that. Yea!!! It is OK to cheer one’s self on hey…Keep Up The Good Work Dave!!!:smilielol5:
I guess another way to look at it, it some people look on and think...Sigh-Look at all the emotion, boy that looks exhausting, why do they bother! (liken to exercise!) But with persistence just like my running, I am building better & stronger pathways to success and slowly meeting the people that count.
Cheers
Dave:)
 
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