He's not a healthy man and he needs to make some BIG changes in his life. So Lee's started a blog explaining what's happened to him and documenting his journey back to health.
We thought we'd share it with you guys. We know Lee's not the only one out there struggling with his weight and his health and we hope his words can help you out too.
A week ago, I changed doctors. After having the same GP for the past 29 years, he decided to sell up his practice (Ranui Medical Centre) to the big boys at East Tamaki Healthcare……….EAST TAMAKI in RANUI?!. What absolute bullshit. This meant that no longer could I book an appointment with a regular doctor – They have adopted an ‘emergency room’ type of system, where you just walk in and get seen…………………eventually.
My very first appointment at my new medical centre was last Tuesday (15th May). I went in and informed my new GP that I wanted to get a colonoscopy as bowel cancer runs in my family. I know what you're thinking - I've seen the size of you, lee - No one runs in your family......... Anyway, 8 years ago, I lost my mother to bowel cancer and since then have had several aunties diagnosed with that bitch! He was very informative and told me that since I had had a first-degree relative die from bowel cancer under the age of 55 (she was 51) that he could refer me right away to a specialist and that it would be free. RESULT.
He also thought he’d better have a poke around inside me and check my prostate while I was there. I’d only just met this guy and within ten minutes he was already three knuckles deep inside the border line having a wee feel of me prostate gland – All clear, nothing to worry about. You know what?! It actually wasn’t that bad………..Wait…..Strike that. It was in NO way enjoyable, but for something that was relatively pain free and over in a matter of seconds, it was actually O.K. Making eye contact with him afterwards was surprisingly easy, too. He has such beautiful eyes. With my sphincter still in shock, my new doctor then asked me when I last had my bloods done, and I stopped to think;
That’s how shit my old doctors were. Maybe it’s down to me. Maybe I should have asked for them? Surely during my previous appointments over the past 14 years, my doctor should have sent me for blood tests……..Nope.
So, I went to get a full set of bloods done two days later (Thursday). I’m covered in tattoos so needles don’t really bother me. It was over in a matter of minutes (like me in the bedroom) and I left in a relatively good mood as I was heading into my favourite place in the world – Morepork BBQ (the restaurant where I work as a social media specialist) for a spot of lunch (I smashed back a fried chicken sandwich and some collard greens - So fucking good)! and I whacked out a quick Instagram story.
The next day (Friday) I was at Morepork again (working, not eating this time) I missed a call from an 09 833 number. I thought this was my sons day-care calling to tell me that he needed to be picked up (he had had a little cough that my wife and I thought may escalate while he was at day-care). It wasn’t. It was my new medical centre informing me that my new doctor would like to see me to talk about my blood tests on Monday……..Shit. This can’t be good. And it wasn’t.
The first thing that went through my mind was that I was going to have to stop drinking (this is where most of my sugar intake comes from). In fact, when I changed doctors I had to fill out a form indicating my weekly intake of alcohol and I put 10 – 12 beers a week. I only did this as there was no space to write
“On a usual night out I’ll start with a 12 box of Reds and then smash a 1L bottle of Jack Daniels when I’ve had enough of beer”.
I have been drinking (to excess) every weekend (bar my year off the piss in 2013) since I was 15/16 years old. That’s a fuck tonne of sugar and carbs……. Never really bothered me, though. Even when my weight started to creep up I just thought “all bought and paid for, innit”? I took pride in the fact that I could put away as much as I could and fuck me running I could put it away.
I once drank 15 beers during the first half of an All Blacks game. But my claim to fame was the way I poured my glasses of Jack & Coke. “Lee mixes” they were known as. One particular night before a concert I did a bottle of Jack in 6 mixes. So, the notion that I could no longer drink like that truly sucked! Safe to say I had a pretty heavy drinking problem…….I wouldn’t touch a drop during the week but when the weekend came along – it was all on! My wife said, ‘you can still have one or two beers every now and then’ to which I replied – ‘I’m not drinking for the taste - What’s the point’?!
Anyway, back to the DIABETE’S. FUCK! My doctor told me that it’s not the worst thing in the world and that it is 100% curable by weight loss. I AM UNDER NO ILLUSION THAT THIS DIAGNOSIS IS THE RESULT OF ME BEING SUCH A FAT FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT.
So, the action plan is simple – Stop being such a fat piece of shit. Kick the booze, eat better/less, exercise more and lose some fucking weight!
Read the full blog here.
We bloody love you Lee, and will be supporting you along your journey! You can do this, mate.
