If you’ve been following since last summer, you’ll know the last update here was less of a “life with a gastric sleeve” post and more of a health horror anthology.
What was meant to be a few weeks away from writing turned into nine months of survival mode. Then another year of climbing out of it.
Picking Up Where We Left Off
Back in September 2024, everything fell apart at once – insomnia, pancreatitis, Kirsten’s health collapsing, and that heavy fog of exhaustion that seeps into every part of life. We thought we were dealing with Hidradenitis Suppurativa. It turned out to be metastatic Crohn’s disease – a brutal, rare misdiagnosis that meant we spent a full year treating the wrong thing.
By the time the correct diagnosis landed, we were both running on fumes. I became a full-time carer while trying to keep the lights on mentally and physically. Kirsten spent most days in bed, in pain, and on endless courses of antibiotics and painkillers.
It’s the kind of period that doesn’t make for good content – because you’re too busy just trying to make it through the next day.
The Turning Point
Things started to shift in mid-2025. Kirsten’s specialists finally pieced everything together, and in November she starts biologic treatment – our first real shot at getting her condition under control. For the first time in a long time, there’s light ahead rather than just another appointment letter.
As for me – insomnia, gallstones, fatigue, brain fog, and a solid dose of burnout are still part of the mix. But the difference now is perspective. The worst has already happened, and somehow we’re still standing.
We’ve learned that recovery after bariatric surgery isn’t just physical.
It’s mental.
It’s emotional.
And sometimes it’s painfully slow.
Where the Blog Goes From Here
When we launched Gastric Sleeve Journey, the plan was simple – document everything: the surgery, the recovery, the changes, the mistakes.
What it’s become is something else entirely. It’s about the whole picture – the highs, the relapses, the biology, the burnout, and the bizarre day-to-day stuff you never hear about.
Over the next few months, we’ll be rolling out a full series of new posts.
Everything from:
- What living with a 13% stomach actually looks like
- How to deal with regain without panicking
- Why fatigue, cold, and cravings hit harder than people expect
- The truth about the mental side of massive weight loss
If you’ve been here since the start – thank you for sticking around.
If you’re new – welcome. You’re joining us right as we rebuild.
Moving Forward (For Real This Time)
Kirsten’s starting biologics.
James is working on repairing sleep, reducing stress, and increasing sanity.
And together we’re getting back to what this site was always meant to be: a brutally honest look at what happens after the surgery brochure ends.
No filters, no pretending everything’s fine – just life, ongoing.
And that’s okay.