Six Months!!!

 Six months! Six whole months!

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Whoop whoop whoop!!! Yesterday was my 6-month surgiversary. I have been really crap at keeping up with life, let alone this blog. Apologies! Allow me to catch you up on my journey.

In June I flew to Chicago for a conference and barely need a seat belt extender. I had a great time tromping around Chicago, though I was not able to do as much as I wanted. My hotel was like 4 blocks from the Bean, and I couldn’t make it down to see it (it is new since the last time I was in Chicago), but I did make it to a game at Wrigley Field.

The new job has been crazy busy, and I am running to keep up, but also loving it. I love being able to help people in a meaningful way. I finally feel like I am flourishing, and it feels so good. Between the weight loss and improved health and the new job, I am loving life! However, I have been dealing with a few things.

Right before surgery I got plantar fasciitis and had to get some insoles. It seemed to go away, but then right after surgery it seemingly came back with a vengeance. So, for 5 months I have been dealing with pain in my left foot. I knew it got really bad if I walked a lot (like the day I walked in the Pride Parade for work and cried at the end) but I didn’t realize just how much pain I was dealing with.

Three weeks ago I went to the podiatrist because I thought to myself, “Self, I think something besides plantar fasciitis has to be wrong.” Come to find out, it was something else. For the past 5 months I had been walking around with arthritis and bone spurs in my mid-foot because my arch collapses too much, which then apparently caused a stress fracture in my heel.

So, yeah. Now, I don’t feel so bad about not being able to walk to the Bean in Chicago. *facepalm*

In good news, I have lost 80 pounds in 6 months!!!!!

To put that in perspective, here are some things that weigh 80 lbs.

•       A truck wheel for heavy machinery
• 10 gallon water bottle
• Dogs such as Bluetick Coonhounds, American Foxhounds, or Bull Terrier
• A punching bag
• A baby rhino
• A fiberglass canoe
• 2 bushels of gooseberries
• 16 bricks
• An e-bike
• Two large bags of dog food

I was already impressed, but that makes it seem much more impressive.

I will have the results of my blood work soon, but here are some of the improvements that have already occurred.

•       I can shave my legs pretty easily!
• Without going into much detail, personal hygiene is much easier.
• I can go up and down stairs without getting winded.
• I fit in my car better.
• I have outgrown (undergrown???) many of my clothes.
• I sleep better.
• I’m sooooooo much happier.
• I feel much more capable.
• I’m not overwhelmed as easily.
• I’m starting to pick up things that I didn’t have energy for before, like hobbies, or meeting friends, and even dating.
• I am excited to travel! In fact I have a couple trips coming up soon.

Life has not been a field of roses since surgery, by any means. Lately I have been stressed and tired and have wanted to mindlessly snack. Fortunately, I can only eat so much, unfortunately, I can eat more than I would like and I can still eat stuff that is crap. But, I keep reigning myself in and telling myself not that I can’t eat those things, but that I don’t want to.

I have a personal trainer/coach who lives in Scotland. Yeah, it’s all online, and yeah I love the accent, lol. He is great and really holds me accountable. He keeps prodding me when I drag my feet and he has gotten me back into the gym. Even though I have had to wear a boot to heal my heel, he has helped me figure out what I can do to still get some activity in and keep the gym habit going.

Ryan is awesome and definitely worth the money. Check him out at ryanyulecoaching.com.

Once again, I want to thank everyone for following me on this journey. Your support means the world to me. Now, enjoy some progress pics. And follow me on Instagram: @imsosleevingyou