After 3 or 4 months in lock-down, I am sure you are looking forward to the gradual easing of the restrictions that have dominated our lives worldwide since March (certainly that’s been the case here in the UK, where I reside). Whether catching up with friends and family again or returning to your favourite venues and haunts – most of us can now look forward to enjoying some of the pleasures that we previously took for granted. Let’s hope this gradual pathway delivers better outcomes!

But as we slowly emerge and move into our new ‘near normal’, it is increasingly clear that Covid-19 will still be part of our lives for months to come. And I know from speaking to many of you, that you are concerned and worried about the long-term effects of the pandemic on family and friends, colleagues and the general community, the well-being of the nation as well as pressing employment and financial affairs. I too worry about a second wave, the state of the global economy, how our health services will cope, as well as domestic and personal issues closer to home.

Many WLS patients will also most certainly be awaiting news of their scheduled or postponed surgery and any appointments post-op too. Please just hang on in there and trust the process will catch up – it will test the patience and your resolve for sure, but will certainly be worth the wait.

I have no easy answers and have been addressing my own concerns from all of these perspectives too.

Which brings me to a big announcement – as from the end of August I will be closing down Bariatric Cookery as a business. It hasn’t been an easy decision but nonetheless I know it is the best way forward and it will give me the freedom to pursue lots of other avenues and projects I have been mulling over for quite some time. I can also commit more to my general cookery work which has taken a bit of a backseat since I specialised more and more in the bariatric arena. I am excited about this – the lock-down has enabled me to work my way through some of these ideas and now I am itching to step back and put them into practice. Plus also explore some of those ‘bucket list’ things before it’s too late.

“I have spent the last 10+ years developing Bariatric Cookery as a resource for WLS patients and it’s been a privilege and delight to inform, sometimes educate, and hopefully inspire and entertain an ever-growing loyal audience. Saying goodbye is hard to do, but it is time to move on. I wish each and every pre-op, post-op and veteran bariatric great mental and physical health for the future. We’ve had a great ride on this sometimes bumpy weight-loss road together”.  CAROL