Insert Howard Dean scream here and a mental image of a body builder curling his/her arms, showing off muscles. Oh yeah like the dude here on the Iron Man magazine website.
I really have struggled with the title of this diary for it is an update on me.
True I have posted a few diaries about the Friday manhunt for the Boston bombing, Mark Sanford giving his $0.02 on gay marriage, and absolutely amazing version of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile/Child" on a Korean Gayageum, the day we were also supposed to have an Obama RFID chip in our hand (according to baggers), being an avid reader with dyslexia, and yesterday's rec listed diary on Rush Limbaugh .
Six diaries since my March 6 diary, heh, I'm even surprised!
When I last posted a diary about me, Wednesday, March 6, 2013 it wasn't good. Three days before I had to cancel the March meet up for the New England Kossacks.
A short summary is that I felt like hell (for the long version please access my March 6 diary).
The surgery that I had in January had failed. I had been put on a hormone aygestin (Norethindrone) at a very high dose to shut down the bleeding. It made me feel awful. In fact in my head I would often say "I'm dying."
I felt so awful and have been dealing with poor health issues and issues related to being a DES Daughter that I relented and finally took Sara R up on her (and winglion - bluejessamine suggested) offer to make me a quilt.
The doctors also discovered that despite having iron decency anemia and being on a supplement I was still low on iron. So I began taking two iron supplements a day. And they scheduled me for another surgery, this time with robot assist. Because my body was saying things that the a first surgery didn't support. This new surgery was to take place April 11, 2013.
But I was in bad shape not just from these problems but from a back injury from a 2 1/2 year old car accident that by all rights should have healed by then. I couldn't even walk much, even with a cane.
Update since then beyond the orange fluffy cloud . . .
Now:
With the help of the robot and ultrasound they did find a (non cancerous) polyp. It was removed and I had another uterine ablation.
From a letter I sent to Sara R and KelleyRN:
My last surgery was April 10 (I believe it was). My post op appointment was last Monday [4/29/13].
After surgery I was in a lot of pain. So much that they had to give me four different pain killers. The second one they gave me dilaudid and that only knocked my pain down only a little.
I was also taken off the hormone aygestin (norethindrone) that day but left on the two doses of iron because my iron, even though I was religiously taking a supplement for my iron def. anemia was low.
The day after surgery I was fine, except for a little sleepiness. My back also felt fine, for the first time since the car accident (2 years ago). I had noticed that it felt much better a week or two after they bumped up my iron, but how I felt with the aygestin tamped it down.
The day after surgery I began working on my house. Since the car accident it hadn't had a deep cleaning and parts of it had not even had "maintenance" cleaning and I was sick of it.
But I felt good. Good, I felt GREAT!
Two years of watching shows like "Hoarders" left me with a desire not only to clean but to purge this house. Which is what is now happening.
I also felt so good that the next time I was to go to the grocery store I refused to use the electric carts (because I couldn't, with my back being the way it was, walk the entire store). It was slow, but I went shopping without the electric cart. I was so happy I posted it on Facebook.
And for the first time in two years, I went sans cane, to my doctors office in Boston. I parked my car at the garage, and walked to his office. It felt so good to be walking in Boston without a cane and to really walk (straight back and all) I texted my excitement on Facebook.
To force myself to do more walking I am only buying two days worth of food at a time, instead of a weeks worth like I have been doing for years. It may be more expensive that way, but for the walking, I will take the exchange.
I also wrongly attributed this development
The Norethindrone makes me feel like crap. It did stopped the bleeding BUT it also stops me from eating. It was (and is) doing a number on my stomach. If I eat I am in pain and then comes the gas and bloating. My doctor hoped that this would go away once my high dose regimen was over and I went to a lower dose. (It didn’t)
- March 6 diary
It wasn't the all the norethindrone, it was the increased iron. These issues I am still having. And because I have to watch everything, I have lost 30+ lbs. and am continuing to lose.
I have a goal of 50lbs lost by the end of June. We travel to Denver the first week in July to see our first grandchild and to go to the baptism. (the baby has already called the tower for landing instructions)
When I have 70lbs lost (and because my back is already better) the reward I've written down is that my husband and I will start ballroom dancing lessons. Well I'm starting, he's continuing (he learned for our daughter's wedding) - I'm hoping that will be Sept or Oct.
Then I am hoping to have 100 lbs lost in time for our nephew's wedding in December. And on from there.
Taking belly dancing lessons has also been suggested by my friends as one of my a reward. (which I've always wanted to do, Hula too).
The reason for my back healing (finally) and for my increased energy, better mood (coming out of depression?), etc. we feel is due to that second iron supplement a day. Iron helps the blood transport oxygen to your bones, muscles, organs, etc.
The thought is that my back wasn't getting enough oxygen to finish healing, when it did, viola!
This past Tuesday when I saw my eye doctor, I also found out that the lack of oxygen may have also been responsible for my periodic bouts of blindness (I kept that a secret), when I could not focus on a computer screen, book, etc. Since the increased iron I haven't had a "blind period." To make sure I will see my neurologist.
All it took was someone checking my iron levels, and my GYN and his team of doctors/nurses and all, did.
So I am on two doses of iron a day. And I am doing well!
I haven't yet seen a doctor for the mass found on one of my adrenal glands. It is probably nothing, but I will. Before I start down that road, however, I want to get this house in order(literally). Savers is loving me, Okicyap is going to be getting another box in a couple weeks, recycle bins are constantly full, the packrat in me is yielding .
I am, alas, part of the small percentage of uterine ablation failure rate, even though at first and for many years afterward everything was fine. And even with this new ablation it will eventually fail. Because, we learned with this second surgery, that I have adenomyosis, a condition in which the endometrial lining invades the uterine muscle itself.
The thought is that since I am now 50, by the time this new ablation fails I will have gone through menopause, so it won't matter.
But I feel good!
So, yes, I'm not here as much as I was, and when I am, it's usually on a time limited basis. . . but I am cleaning, walking, and enjoying life, once again.
Oh and btw my end weight goal is MILF . . . not a cougar, but MILF. ;-)
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If Robert Downey Jr. can look this good(sigh) at almost 50. This IRON woman should be able to at 51/52! (most people already don't believe I am as old as 50).
Meanwhile I'll stay away from blue women and a guy who wears a lead helmet.
