Wow! It's Been a Month

Sorry, I didn't realize I haven't posted for a whole month. I've never slacked so much on my blogs.

Health Issues: I've been going through some health issues. In August I had my gallbladder removed, which I'm so glad I did. I hardly ever have heartburn anymore. It was so severe at times I couldn't stand it. I was taking over the counter heartburn meds everyday. Now I hardly ever take them. Hooray!

On another note, I was dealing with feet problems before that. I got my left foot fixed up and now my right foot has been causing me all kinds of problems. I went for a x-ray and then a MRI. Well, the orthopedic said I have arthritis developing in my right foot probably brought on from foot surgery I had a good while ago. Well, I'm having a hard time excepting that so am going to get a second opinion in a week or so. It's not that I don't believe him as much as I don't want to except this conclusion, although I may have to. Unfortunately, my foot burns so bad on the bottom sometimes it's hard to walk, and I don't want to give up my volunteer work walking dogs for the animal shelter. So, a second opinion is the way to go. At least I need to know how to keep it under control so it doesn't get worse.

Exercise: Well, I've been doing some dog walking and love spending time with these animals. That being said, I only do that a couple of times a week, and when my foot hurts really bad I need to find other avenues to take when it comes to exercise. I went out last week and bought some of those stretch bands. Haven't taken them out of the box yet, but I really do intend to. With that being said, I only lost about 2 lbs. but as always, losing even a small amount is better than none at all. Right?

If anyone has any suggestions on what type of exercise to do that will take the strain off my feet, please let me know. Also, any tips on arthritis of the foot will be helpful and appreciated.

Some Suggestions from Others I've Learned: Well, I've asked several people since the doctor said I have arthritis and some people suggested these tips to help:
New Balance Shoes: I've found a site on the Internet but haven't bought any yet. Go here to New Balance to find a store close to you. Just type in your zip code and the closet store will come up.
Dr. Scholl's shoe inserts: I went to Wal-Mart to use that foot machine you stand on and then it recommends the type of insert you will need. This site HERE explains it. They are a little bit pricey but for the comfort, and if you can barely walk, it's worth the price you pay I guess. I guess it's half the price at a doctors office. At least that's what someone told me.
Cold Compresses: I've also been putting a cold compress on my feet when they burn and are inflamed, which seems to help temporary.

I guess everyone needs to find out what works best for them. Please make sure that you ask your own doctor about what to use. I'm not recommending anything, just saying what suggestions were told to me and things I've been trying.

Almost a Week After Surgery

Well, I had surgery last Wednesday and today is Tuesday. So, it's been almost a week since my surgery. Seems like yesterday I was all worried and getting wheeled in to the operating room.

I'm still having soreness which is understandable. I have four incisions in my stomach area and the one that bothers me the most is the one in my belly button. The doctor said that's where the camera went in. Then there are three other incisions where the instruments went in to get the gallbladder out. My incisions are starting to feel really itchy which is a good sign that they are healing. I still can't soak in water so I have to take a shower and then make sure the water is totally off my skin.

This week I couldn't drive because of surgery, but I can start driving again tomorrow. I guess because they don't want you twisting with the steering wheel. I haven't been taking much at all for pain as it really wasn't that painful except the first 3 or 4 days. And, then I wouldn't say painful. Mostly just a hard time moving around without it hurting.

I can't do any vigorous exercise yet. The only thing I'm allowed to do is some light walking. I have orders not to do anything with twisting and bending for at least two weeks. Then I have to start out slow and see how I feel.

Once I get healed then I have to start my exercise routine and get healthy. This is what you get when your unhealthy. Alot of organs that don't work properly.

On a good note, I have lost 4 lbs. since surgery. Although, that could have been because for the first day and a half I was on a liquid diet. I can't say for sure yet, since I haven't been quit eating like I was before the operation, but I haven't been having severe heartburn like I was before the operation. I am praying that having my gallbladder out takes away my heartburn. It's not a guarantee that it will, but I'm hoping.

So, for now, I've been catching up on my reading. Right now I'm reading, "Eat, Pray, Love". Anyone else reading it? Are you going to see the movie this weekend when it comes out? Julia Roberts plays in it. I want to start reading Nancy Grace's new book coming out today or tomorrow called, "Death on the D-List". Anyone watch Nancy and have you read her first book yet? This new book is a 2ND book with some of the same characters as she had in "The Eleventh Victim".

Other than that, I've made a few meals on the grill and haven't really been cooking much. Well, I'll report back here in a few days to my update. Hope everyone else's weight loss and exercise plans are going well.

Update on My Gallbladder Surgery

Surgery/Recovery: I had gallbladder surgery done on Wednesday morning and had to stay in the hospital one night. Out on Thursday. It's been going pretty well for the most part with recovery. Not in alot of pain yet.

After surgery I had alot of dizziness and was in recovery room a tad longer than expected. After I was getting over that, I was moved to my room. Had to have the leg compressors on while in bed just to keep from getting clots. I also have to use a breathing gadget to keep the lungs expanded after surgery. Just a precaution I guess everyone does. It helps get the air out of the lungs (I think).

The only problem I had after surgery was a major heartburn sensation. That was from the gas they give you while you're in surgery. The only way to mostly get rid of it is to walk so it gets the gas/air moving so you can burp and leave gas at the other end. (For lack of a better way of putting it.) That gets rid of the heartburn.

It's now Friday and I have some chest pain with tightness but not real bad. I'm sore in the four incisions they did while in surgery but not too bad. It isn't as bad as I anticipated. I have to walk a little bit each day to make sure I keep the blood moving in my legs so I don't get any blood clots. So overall not too bad.

I've had worse surgeries. Maybe that's why I can say it's not too bad. When I had open heart surgery that was far worse.

Well, back to this one. You can't sleep on your stomach but since I hate sleeping on my stomach anyway, that's not a problem. I like sleeping on my side which is somewhat a problem getting into that position with the cuts from surgery. A little painful. Probably for about a week I'll be sleeping more on my back. And, then in about four weeks I have a checkup with the doctor to make sure all is going well.

I'm just glad it's over. I had gallstones but the doctor said he didn't take it out so much for that, it was that my gallbladder was only working 17% which is basically not working at all. He didn't want me to end up with alot of other problems that bile can cause if it goes into the other organs. You can look up all about the bile (toxic in other body parts) on the Internet. Just type in gallbladder bile. I may have some trouble eating foods now with fat in for awhile which may give me diarrhea for several months afterward, but this is just a possibility. I've been watching what I eat right now, but I haven't been eating much since it's only been two days now since I had surgery. Not all patients have this problem with fatty foods, so I'll just have to wait and see I guess.

(Just want to add here, that this is my experience only so please make sure you ask your own doctor if anything like this happens to you.) I think everyone is a little different in their experiences.

Needless to say I can't exercise at all (except a little bit of slow walking) for about two weeks. When I say slow walking, I mean slow. I feel like I'm walking at a snails pace.

I guess I should add which I don't think I mentioned before why I went to the doctors in the first place and why they found this. I was having extreme stomach bloating, which can be one of the symtoms. I was also getting side pain (grant it, it was the left side and should have been the right side but they can't explain that one.) You're gallbladder is on the right side, but they said who knows sometimes what a bad gallbladder or anyother organ for that matter will cause when theirs something wrong with it.

Anyway, that's my update on surgery and recovery.

Gallstones and Surgery

Well, I'll be getting my gallbladder removed this week due to gallstones. This is what causes gallstones and I quote, "The most common triggers for gallbladder attacks are caffeine, chocolate, eggs, dairy products (especially ice cream) and greasy or deep fried foods." Pretty much everything I've been eating over the last several or more years. I found this information on this site here: Gallstones I'm definitely hoping for a quick recovery so I can get serious about my diet and weight loss. With weight issues, health issues sure does become a problem. This photo

also from this site shows the gallbladder and it has some really good info on this site.

I found this other photo

of a gallstone on this site here and also all about gallstone symptoms. I'm posting this photo because some of these photos with alot of gallstones just plain gross me out.

This is why when you're overweight you really need to lose and get healthy. I need to ward off all these problems associated with my bad eating habits.

I have also read through numerous other sites that 35%-75% function is normal for the gallbladder. Mine is functioning at only 17% which my doctor says pretty much isn't functioning at all. If your gallbladder stops working properly it can rupture and cause all kinds of other problems.

So, needless to say, Bye, Bye, Gallbladder.

Haven't Posted in Awhile - Health Issues - Decluttering

Health Issues: Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I just got my one foot healed up pretty good. They believe it was from a Planter's Wart on the bottom of my foot which she froze. It took two times but now my foot is feeling good.

That being said, my right foot is still hurting. After a x-ray not showing anything 3weeks ago, the doctor now believes it could be a stress fracture. There is no indication it is anything else. So, I will now have to go through another test. It's a bone scan for my foot kind of like the Hida test I just had done for my gallbladder. What they do is about the same thing by putting a radioactive dye into your system and then slowly scan the foot area to see how things are going.

This past week I had a Hida scan done about the same way to check my gallbladder function. The doctor said my gallbladder is only functioning about 17% and will have to come out. So needless to say I get to have surgery next week.

I'll have to then do the bone scan a few weeks after that to test to see if I have a foot fracture. If I do I may have to wear a shoe type cast or have a cast put on depending on what they want to do.

So, with all this I haven't been getting my exercise in and not eating so well either. Seems when I'm stressed I tend to eat more junk food. Once all this is healed up, I need to work on doing a food cleanse for my body.

Decluttering: Thought I'd let you know what I have been up to with my decluttering goals. If you want to see everything I've gotten rid of since Jan. of 2010, just scroll down to the bottom of this blog. But, yesterday I cleaned out some books and got rid of about 165 books. It feels good getting rid of this stuff that's taking up space. If you remember my goal this year is to get rid of clutter and to simplify what I have. That way I can find things easily. I'm tired of holding onto things or storing things that I hardly ever use or look at anymore.

Some of my next goals will be to clean out some cupboard space and get rid of some dishes and glassware. I also want to declutter my clothes that I hang onto just incase I'll get back into them. I say, the hell with it, I want to buy new clothes if I lose weight. I deserve it! Right?

Here's a few questions for you...
Do you keep your books that you've read or do you get rid of them? And, if you keep some, how do you decide on which one's to keep? Are they signed? Favorite author? Do you intend to read them again someday?

Do you keep clothes that you can't wear or do you just get rid of them? If you keep any of them, when do you decide you've kept them long enough? 6 months? A year? Longer?

Panel of Expert Weight Losers / Weight Loss / Feet

I lost 1.5 lbs this week! Woo Hoo for me! I love the losses. I've been exercising this week despite my feet problems and have been controlling my food intake. I've been bypassing the junk food, which is a great accomplishment for me.

I may have Plantar Fasciitis (not confirmed yet) of the foot but the doctor still isn't sure. It's where the muscle (I think) tightens up when your sitting or standing for long periods and then when you get up you have to stretch out your foot to get them moving again. The doctor said she wants me to change my shoes from wearing my sandals to wearing sneakers with tread for two weeks to see if that helps. If not, she'll give me a
x-ray when I go back to see her to see if something with the bones in the feet have something wrong with them.

Exercise: I didn't exercise yesterday. Decided to take the day off because of my feet. I'm getting back into it today. My feet still hurt but I'm hoping to push through it.

Panel of Expert Losers: (Which are really winners) Yesterday evening Weight Watchers got a panel of weight losers (which were really winners) to speak to the rest of us. They had people there that had lost 30 lbs to people who have lost over 100 lbs. They wanted people to talk to us that have done it and are keeping it off. Also, people who are committed right now. It was great! I loved hearing people talk about their losses and how they accomplished it. They are thinking about doing this again in the future. I hope so, because it's a great motivator.

The one thing they had in common over and over is that you HAVE to exercise. Find something you like and do it and stick with it. Change it up when your at a plateau. Drink your water and journal. For some reason journaling seems to help. Maybe it's seeing it in black and white on paper, staring you right in the eye that does the trick. Who knows? Just do it!

I asked how they keep it off once you lose the weight? I'm far from there right now, but about 6-7 yrs ago, I was at my goal weight. Then I got sick with breathing problems, quit exercising and starting gaining till what I need to lose today. One person in the group said think of it as a life diet. You will need to climb the mountain everyday for the rest of your life, living right at the peak but never reaching the top. Oh, you will get to your goal weight, but you always have to be aware of when you start to gain. NO more well it's only 2 lbs, well, it's only 3 lbs. No! When you start to go over that 2 lbs, get back to reducing your calories and exercising more. No excuses this time.

One girl said this which is so true, When you lose...you gain, and, when you gain...you lose. How true is that?