harmonysplace
some answers
Feb 04, 2010
Well, I went to see the Orthopedic today and got some news. it seems i was right, and we are more than likely dealing with a pinched nerve and it is coming from my back. He does not feel the need to do an MRI at this point in time which I am happy about. We are going to try to do six days worth of steroids to see if we can strengthen the are and decrease the inflammation and hopefully the nerve will settle down. I am so happy at the thought of getting back to my office on Monday. I wont be able to step into my regular six hours of deep tissue massage a day routine but we will start with two clients a day and I will just be thankful to get back to life again. He did tell me to expect some weight gain which is always a bummer to hear but I have already put on weight being on bed rest. I know it wont last and most of it is fluid from inactivity but still, I have gotten very used to the numbers dropping on the scale. One day at a time, but its progress at least and at this point, after two weeks of this, i will take whatever I can get!
0 comments
another hiccup...
Jan 31, 2010
Well, I must say the past few months since surgery have been such a blessing. I have lost more weight than I ever thought possible. I have started to feel amazing and am honestly really enjoying the attention which I never thought I would. I would love to contine with these rose shaded glasses but at this point.. the hiccup.. About five years ago I has some low back issues and eventually found out I have numerous different birth defects in my hips, back and sacrum. One of the reasons I did the surgery was in hopes that my back would do so much better with the weight loss. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. The past eleven weeks or so I have had nothing but problems with my back leaving it difficult to move around, exercise or work. In the past the severe amount of nerve pain caused my neurological system to overload, I cant remember the actual medical term for this but basically my nervous system shuts down because my body is enduring so much pain. I have had three or four of these in the past and what happned was I would lose my hearing and my body would break out in a sweat and eventually I would come back to, and be sore but go on. That was NOT the case on Friday. We were getting ready to go to bed when I started with some severe pain in my left hip and I could not get it to release. I was unable to move my left leg so I asked my husband to get it off the bed for me and I stood up falling into the closet door to brace myself when I told my husband my hearing was muffling and I was going out. This time was bad.. I went totally unconsious, pupils dialated, eyes rolled back in my head and my entire body went limp. Thankfully we were in the bedroom so he moved me away from the furniature and I collapsed on the bed. I could hear him but was totally unresponsive. My entire body started sweating and with his help he got me dressed and out to the car and to the emergency room. I started regaining my ability to move and speak while we were in the car. After being seen by the doctor we did two hip xrays and that set off another episode. The pain was uncontrollable and when they went to show me how to use crutches which they insisted I use and not put weight on my left leg, I started into another spell. That resulted in another two hours being monitored in the er and they gave me a shot of delodid to ease the pain. From here, they are trying to get my pain under control so my body doesnt go through another episode until we can get an MRI ordered and me set up with an Orthopedic. I am a bit frusterated, I am supposed to be enjoying life 86lbs lighter and so much happier, that was until we had another hiccup. :(
1 comment
Thankfully some good news...
Jan 14, 2010
Well, at best I can say that 2009 was by far the most difficult year of my life. I experienced more sadness and heartache that I ever knew was possible for a soul to endure. Lost both of my parents within 11 months and 2 days of one another and if I am being honest, will admit that Ive quite honestly been numb most of the year. By far the best thing that happened to me was my surgery in October. It helped me focus after losing my Father, remembering how excited he was at the thought of me losing weight and having children. Each and every day I knew that I was going to do whatever it took by any means necessary to have this surgery be nothing shy of a success even when my doctor doubted my decision to do lap band over bypass, I pressed on and it was the best decision made all year. Today, I went in for my second fill. I hit my 80lb weight loss, which was amazing. I had lost 17lbs since my last visit and because of all the weight loss they were a little hesitant to do a fill on me at all but decided to try .5cc's. Its so rewarding when they are so excited about my progress at my docs office. I a much needed laugh today when I walked in the receptionist Miss Kathy who always greets me by name, had to ask who I was. She said she didn't even recognize me, and that made my day. At my Mother's funeral I had more people than not that walked right by me. I guess with the weight loss and my new red hair I do look quite different and I feel different, I am truly an even better version of who I was. I have always loved who I am on the inside, but was frusterated when that didn't match what my mirror showed on the outside. Its been some time since I wrote anything in detail, as I said Ive just really been numb but somewhere deep down I'm finding more and more of a desire to push harder and focus more on health and well being. My original goal was to lose 100lbs in six months, but I have now decided that I want those remaining 20 gone by March 1st which will be six weeks earlier than my original goal. Steep goal, yes especially knowing the weight loss will slow down but that wont stop me from being driven to accomplish it. With my relationship and faith in God, and the wonderful support of loved ones I have made it through what hopefully is the worst year of my life, so further weight loss in my opinion... looks easier now to conquer than it ever has!
0 comments
My heart bleeds...
Dec 30, 2009
11 months and two days after losing my father my mother was killed in a head on car accident last night.. on her birthday... by a drunk driver.. my heart is bleeding.. please pray for my family...
2 comments
Merry Christmas...
Dec 29, 2009
Well, I did it.. Not only did I do well with my eating over the holiday but I managed to lose five pounds through it all. I never doubted my ability to do it, but I traveled home to North Dakota to be with my family of seven siblings and all their families which is usually nothing more than a mess of horribly unhealthy food. I was so pleased to find that all the junk that was around me all day and night was not even a temptation. It has been wonderful to drop the weight I have, 78lbs now, but truly the way I feel is the most rewarding and something I wouldnt trade for a temporary lapse in judgement. I knew this holiday was going to be full of emotional eating for my family as it is the first Christmas without our father and we are quickly approaching the one year anniversary of his passing. It is such a great feeling to come through it all feeling good about the choices I made. I had planned on working out daily when I am here, but I have had another horrible flare up with my back. I have nine different birth defects and abnormalities in my spine and they flare from time to time, but even without working out I did well. To date, I just feel incredible. Its been nice to see family which I havent seen since surgery so it has been a big change for all of them. It is so fun to get the "oh my goodness looks" Ive been getting. I have so much more energy and simply feel incredible.. I greatly anticipate 2010, the possiblities are limitless and for the first time in a long time I know I am going to accomplish my goals I set every year to make better decisions for a healthy and happy life.. heres to the New Year...
0 comments
wonderful news!
Dec 03, 2009
Well, today I went in for my first fill and was so happy that my doctor and nurse were so impressed with my progress. I am way ahead of schedule and am down 62 total and I feel amazing! After many praises, it sank in that my doc and nurse are proud that I stuck to my decision to go with the band when they pushed bypass from the beginning. THAT is progress for me. THAT is what drives me in this. Dont get me wrong, losing the weight has all been amazing but it is victories like that, proving to others what I knew I was capiable of doing and that is creating the statistics that they said werent possible with patients as heavy as I started out. When my doc was doing my fill he had me elevate both knees off the table to locate my port which was far deeper than I would have ever imagined. I held my legs out for probably 25 seconds or so as he pressed around to find my port, located it told me I could relax my legs then smirked when he said.. you do a faboulous leg lift by the way. All I could do was giggle. I then asked him if I could return to weight training and he gave me clearance and I am super excited to try a new POWER class at my girlfriends gym which is choreographed weight training to music. I will add that to my three hours of zumba a week. Im super excited! I can feel a difference in my band, its difficult to explain. No pain, no discomfort it is just tighter feeling. Im on liquids for the day and return to a regular soft diet tomorrow. I couldnt be happier! It has been a great day!
0 comments
a little update...
Nov 23, 2009
Well, today I am officially 5 weeks post op and I feel wonderful! I am down 56lbs since I started this journey and I feel amazing. If I never lost another pound, if I never felt any better than I do today, it would have all been worth it. And the best part is I am just getting started. Today, I went through some clothes I had in storage and I had so many new things with the tags still on that I had bought but didn't fit. It was a great feeling! It was an even better feeling to see the piles and piles of clothes that will be donated and given to others that I have lost too much weight to wear. THAT is a great feeling.
The past weekend was my anniversary weekend. 11 years with an amazing man who loves me for me and nothing more or less. It was great fun to get ready to go out each day/night of the weekend. All of a sudden getting ready is so much fun. I have so many adorable, stylish clothes that I have never been able to wear. I feel amazing right now. I also got so many compliments and comments while I was out as well. So much fun. The best part of all, the only man whose opinion matters.. my husband is noticing every bit of it!
4 comments
The past weekend was my anniversary weekend. 11 years with an amazing man who loves me for me and nothing more or less. It was great fun to get ready to go out each day/night of the weekend. All of a sudden getting ready is so much fun. I have so many adorable, stylish clothes that I have never been able to wear. I feel amazing right now. I also got so many compliments and comments while I was out as well. So much fun. The best part of all, the only man whose opinion matters.. my husband is noticing every bit of it!
I hit my 50!!
Nov 02, 2009
Well, I have officially hit my fifty pound weight loss since my journey with lap band has began. I am two weeks post op and I have lost 22 since surgery. I am feeling wonderful! I started my journey at 352 and today, I am 302. I still have a long way to go, but its so nice to have that number behind me. I cant wait to jump on that scale and see me under 300 and it will come soon I am positive of that. I went back to Zumba today for the first time and I was able to do the entire hour but my stamina is not back yet and I expected that. Until today, all I have done is walk for 15 minutes at a time so it was a bit of a change but I didnt over do it and I just made sure I moved the entire hour. I will go back to work tomorrow and I cant wait. I will never be able to do the amount of massages that I have done the past 11 years but I am okay with that.
3 comments
going b a n a n a s!!!!
Oct 28, 2009
Okay, so I am starting to go stir crazy! I have left the house once to go get groceries quickly and once to go to the doctor since Oct. 19 and Im really starting to go crazy. The flu is everywhere and has been proven to be deadly in people that had compromised systems and post op.. ding ding ding.. thats me! So, here I am. I was so hoping to get out and go to church tonight but I will do as Im told and stay in until Sunday. All is well, but Im feeling so closed in.. I get out to walk but that is it! Im bouncing off the walls!!!!
4 comments
one week out
Oct 26, 2009
Well, I just returned home from my one week post op appointment and I am very excited. I lost a total of 15 pounds since surgery one week ago and I have already started accomplishing one of my goals which is to get off my medication. One week out, I have cut my bp medication in half and completely disgarded the other medicine. IM ONE WEEK OUT!!! I was more excited about that than I was about the weight loss honestly. Now, dont get me wrong the pounds dropping is amazing but the medication is a big deal to me for sure. I am feeling wonderful, the staples came out all inscisions look great and Im super excited to take a bath! Oh, the simple joys of life. Today, I can start transitioning into mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and vegetables that are overly cooked and mashed and I am glad for that. I have not been hungry in the least but I am used to eating more fruits and vegetables and foods that nourish my body and I will be honest its hard for me to feel nourished eating popsicles, jello and pudding. I have decreased my exercise to one walk a day for now as I did have a tough day on saturday and it was due to me pushing and walking three times a day for 15 min each time, just too soon after surgery but I felt so good doing it, but paid for it on saturday. I left very encouraged and so happy that my nurse admitted to me how happy she was that I chose to do the band over the decision of my surgeon to do the bypass. It confirmed my decision to do what my heart was telling me to do! Oh, what a great way to begin! Thank you, thank you , thank you!!!
1 comment
