The Best is Yet to Come

..or rather, I’m saying a lot of big prayers for my aunt. We just found out today that she has stage 4 lung cancer.

I haven’t written much lately because I’ve been busy with a lot of stuff, including working out regularly again. I’m not letting the crazy schedule of my summer detract from that. Finally back to making forward progress once more and I’m not going to let myself backslide again especially considering how much healthier being in shape is.

This news is completely shocking, since her biggest medical problem to date has been menopause and the fact that she’s short - and I mean short, she’s maybe 4′11", but that’s good since she was an elementary schoolteacher until retiring last year. She could certainly relate to her students on their level.

Anyway, if you have a moment and feel like it, please say a little prayer for her too.

Yes I feel it getting better, better every day!

Fallin rain
outside my window
but all in all I know
its gettin’ better every day
soon the sun will shine
through my window
when its gonna come
you know i really, couldnt say
but i know, its gettin better
every day

It’s another rainy day in Chicago, but I’m in super spirits. My sinus problems are going away - I haven’t had one single headache since my surgery aside from the starting twinge of one that went away quickly with some sudafed. Still recovering and there are still some stitches inside my nose, but every day I feel better and better.

Tonight it’s back to the gym for me, and even though I’m going to be careful not to overdo things because there is still some pressure in my head, I’ll be happy to be back in the swing of things. Going to do a light chest/tricep workout with some cardio.

Breakfast was oatmeal and coffee with a scoop of protein added to it, skipped mid-morning snack, lunch is grilled chicken breast with rice which I’ll have again near the end of the workday before heading home. Not sure what dinner will be, but there will be a post workout serving of vanilla low-fat yogurt with protein added to it.

Now I need to work on getting my butt out of bed early in the morning.

I’m burning I’m burning I’m burning……

**** my nose.

This hurts. My sinuses burn right now - first time since my surgery that I’ve felt like this.

I feel like I got punched in the face and that my nose is the size of a damn football. Sooooo not cool.

My recovery has been pretty smooth for the most part, except some big ol’ nasty gooey blood/snotwad came out of my nose yesterday and it’s like the floodgates were opened because there’s only been more of the same since then. I’ve had more glop coming out of my head today than I did the day of my procedure. It’s pretty nasty.

Still eating mushy food since chewing is not exactly something I should be doing right now. I really miss meat.

Can’t bend or lift anything yet….so that sucks.

The only nice part is the company I’ve had since Wednesday. My parents came down on Wednesday to take me for the surgery and stayed with me overnight, then a friend came over Thursday and fixed the closet shelf that fell (I’d normally fix it myself, but can’t lift), one of my best girlfriends came down on Friday and stayed overnight and took me shopping in the morning for a new bed that my mom decided to buy me and I went to lunch yesterday with another friend. I’ve been quite the social butterfly, LOL.

Post-op and bed delivery are on Thursday, so I’m only working a half day. Hopefully the doc will get the rest of the crud out of my nose that’s around the stitches and incision and tell me that all is going well.

In the meantime, it’s mushy food, antibiotics and Vicodin for me.

Completely. No way do I want to be awake when the doc is poking around my head with an endoscope on Wednesday.

Only I would be having my head surgified on April Fool’s Day. It’s so appropriate, although the man I adore teases me and says the I’m not really having anything done and the doc is just playing a prank on me.

People have frequently commented on my progress, or lack thereof, since last Fall. Trust me, I’m not happy about it either, but hopefully I shall be feeling healthy again and can really get back to a disciplined nutrition and workout plan once again.

What sucks is that just when I start feeling healthy for a little while from the antibiotics, as soon as I stop taking them I get stuck with another sinus infection and go right back to feeling shitty again.

I’ve seen more freaking doctors since July than I have in the last ten years. But I was underdosed on my thyroid meds from August of 07 through spring of last year and it took a toll on me physically and mentally.

Even though my thyroid meds were adjusted correctly I’ve still been fatigued and not feeling well, along with having ongoing chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis which I’ve had for a long time.

- Went to my General Practicioner for initial visit since she was my first doc down here in Chicago and she adjusted my thyroid meds back up to where they should be

- saw the gyno for the usual stuff

- chiropractor for my back and hip (one leg is shorter than the other by 1/4" and it causes problems for me

- endocrinologist to make SURE that my thyroid meds were right on and to make sure there were no other issues that needed to be addressed. Turns out I’m Vitamin D deficient.

- allergist to fix my allergies, I’m now not only allergic to dust and dust mites, but also to grass. Taking 4 different allergy meds right now to prevent the allergic rhinitis which leads to the major sinus problems.

- saw the Otolaryngologist (ENT) for my ongoing sinus problems - I’ve been on and off of antibiotics since October for a sinus infection that won’t go away. CT scan showed a blockage in my left maxillary sinuses (behind my left cheek) with a blocked drainage tube as well as a slightly deviated septum. My last CT scan 5 years ago didn’t show any problems.

Hopefully, after having the corrective endoscopic sinus surgery on Wednesday I will be finally back to full health and with the new allergy meds, I should be able to stay that way.

/medical novel

…and also feeling sore! Yippeee!!!!! Chest and tris are definitely feeling some DOMS, chest moreso, but that’s typical for me. Tonight is abs and cardio.

Diet going very well today - brought in Egg Beaters to leave at work for mornings when I’m running behind and can’t make breakfast at home, but I really need to work on getting to bed earlier and getting up at a decent hour in the morning to fit in some AM cardio and not be rushed before work.

I’m finally back on track after multiple sinus infections and setbacks, and I plan to stay on track.

Ugh. Dust is going to be my damn downfall eventually.

OK, finally feeling a little better. Finished a full course of antibiotics - gotta’ love Z-Packs. Still stuffy and feeling like crud, but nowhere near as bad as last week.

Went to the allergist on Monday - turns out that in addition to the dust and dust mites that I knew I was allergic to, I am now also allergic to grass. WTF????

Anyway, taking new allergy meds and considering getting shots - if it keeps me from getting these recurrent sinus infections that **** up my progress, then it’s worth it.

Right now taking Singulair and some new nasal spray called Omnaris. Going back to the allergist in two weeks and have an appointment with the ENT tomorrow afternoon to have my head examined.

Going to the chiro after work to have my back and knee looked at and then getting a workout in since the chiro is so very conveniently located directly next to my gym - that’s actually how I found her, she was in the newsletter doing some spinal screenings or something.

Diet so far today: 2 eggs, 2 slices wheat toast with 1 large coffee w/skim milk and a little sugar - but NOTHING like the amount of sugar Xil loaded his coffee up with on Saturday.  Good lord, talk about a sugar high!

Not sure about tonight’s workout since all I did Monday was cardio…….so I think I’ll try to hit chest and triceps along with back and biceps. Shouldn’t be that hard to add in.

ps - it turns out that my normal temp is a degree or two below 98.6, so I truly was running a slight fever. Yay, I’m not completely nuts after all!

Alright, now that the vehicular bullshit has passed, time to get back to it.

Breakfast: 1 egg, coffee

Mid Morning: 1 scoop of whey protein w/4 oz skim

Lunch: Turkey breast and veggies

Afternoon: 1 scoop of whey protein w/4 oz skim

Dinner: Chicken breast on the foreman grill and a small portion of rice

That’s the plan, we’ll see how much I deviate.

Workout plan for the evening:
dumbbell presses superset with flyes
close grip bench
cable crossovers
bench press
military press superset with lateral raises - both starting from seated position and press/raise while rising to stand
skull crushers

Cardio to finish it up.

I must say, I’ve done pretty well with most of my New Year’s resolutions, but really need to step up my workouts and diet. Once I’m back in the groove of things it’s super easy to stay there, it’s just getting back that sucks.

As for my other resolutions, I’m ahead of my new shoe buying quota - planned to buy two new pair each month. In January, I’ve now purchased seven. I’m doing moderately better with cleaning up my foul language, but there’s room for much improvement.

Happy Monday!

So I was replying to a question in the forum, but the thread disappeared before I could hit submit.

[QUOTE=Sl@yer;275360671]my cousin has the thyroid problem or whatever and shes super fat (she is pretty active but wow large)

im not trying to be a douche im actually wondering[/QUOTE]

When I started getting fat I was not taking my medication because some moron doc said I didn’t need it anymore. I’d shot up from 135-140 to about 180 in a year even though I was eating normally and working out constantly - when I finally went to a different doc with my symptoms and they said I should never have been taken off of it and represcribed a higher dosage. I was about 21 then.

Then, after I WAS dosed correctly I was in a relationship that was less than healthy and I DID eat way too much and really didn’t notice the weight piling on because I was pretty depressed and come from a long line of emotional eaters.

I’d lost three people close to me in 2005 and it caused me to take stock of where I was heading. Subsequently, in January of 2006 I finally realized what a fatass I’d become and started eating right and working out regularly…..it was a pretty good feeling. And yes, I did lose quite a bit of weight.

Is it possible to be thin and in good shape with an underactive thyroid? Absolutely, as long as it’s being monitored properly. My doc had dropped my dosage down in August of 07 and since the symptoms and effects of the thyroid are gradual and cumulative, I didn’t really notice it until I’d hit rock bottom and was miserable in early 2008.

So, I finally got a new doctor down here in Chicago and my dosage was brought back up in March of 08, but it takes a while for it to really come back to normal - and with everything else going on last year, my progress pretty much sucked, although I didn’t backslide much either.

Fast forward to right now - my TSH levels are apparently spot on, but I’m still feeling some symptoms - sluggishness, fatigue, mental haze, being cold - so I’m now seeing an endocrinologist to properly analyze and make sure I’m getting the best treatment possible.

Apparently I’m Vitamin D deficient, as well as having very high thyroid antibodies - which basically means I likely have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Nothing overly new there, all that means is that I have an underactive thyroid, LOL. The ultrasound of my neck came back normal, no nodules or other irregularities.

My big problem lately is not eating enough, as ironic as that sounds. I’ve had three eggs, wheat toast and some low-fat yogurt today. And that’s it. It’s hard to change habits that took years to form - and I find I’m often in the opposite mode of when I was overeating - I frequently find that I don’t want to eat anything even though I know I should.

When I lost most of the weight I was only eating about 1,200 calories but I’ve since realized that wasn’t the healthiest way to do it. I’m still eating a high protein and low carb diet most days, but am working with my doctors to find the right mix. Thyroid patients are advised to eat three larger meals a day, whereas I’ve been conditioned to do the six smaller meals……with all the confusion and contradiction I often find it’s easier to just not bother at all.

…find me sittin’ by myself
no excuses that I know.

So it’s Thyroid Awareness Month - heck, I didn’t even know there was such a thing. I see so many people with misconceptions about what it means to have an out of whack thyroid and it doesn’t really surprise me when most people WITH thyroid problems, as well as many physicians, don’t fully understand the scope of what living with this encompasses. It gets frustrating to hear people say that it’s just an excuse to be fat and lazy, when it’s truly not.

I’ve been groggy, irritable and been getting cold much easier lately (I’m wearing two sweaters and shivering) - not to mention my damn hair is thinning and my skin is drier than it should be. There are so many symptoms connected with having an underactive thyroid that I never really realized until I started doing more digging into the subject - with many things it’s like having a light bulb go on over my head because it makes so much sense when I look back at how I was when my dosage was too low. Anyway, I’m noticing that even though my levels are supposed to be "normal", that I still have a few of the symptoms and am looking to see if any alternative medications may alleviate that.

Got in a LATE ab workout last night……….but I still got it in, along with 30 minutes of cardio. Woohoo!!!

Diet could have been much better yesterday.

Breakfast:
2 eggs
2 pieces whole wheat toast
1 cup of coffee….yes, I put some cream and sugar in it. I’m working on that one.

Lunch:
6" flour tortilla
Grilled chicken
Salsa
sprinkling of white cheddar
tsp of sour cream

Late afternoon:
6" flour tortilla
Grilled steak
Salsa
sprinkling of white cheddar
tsp of sour cream

Dinner:
6" flour tortilla
Grilled chicken
Salsa
sprinkling of white cheddar
tsp of sour cream
8 oz milk

Yes, I know my diet really sucked yesterday. But it sure beats Monday where I had toast and eggs for breakfast, turkey and melon for lunch and two pieces of toast for dinner that I had to force myself to eat because I had NO appetite.

I frequently don’t eat enough…..yeah, shut up. But it’s often true. Other days I overdo it. Pizza is my biggest weakness, but I haven’t had any in at least two weeks….nor do I want any. That’s not normal.

Today will be better, eggs for breakfast. Planning on grilled chicken and some veggies for lunch. Have a doctor’s appointment that I’m not looking forward to in the afternoon and might not be up to a rigorous workout later, but I’ll see how it goes. Also have an appointment first thing in the morning with the endocrinologist to have her take a full look at my thyroid and see if she can figure out why I’m so sluggish, cold and tired - not to mention moody, lately.

I’d taken sudafed Monday at work and was completely wiped out between that and my sinus headache. I’ll admit it. I did jack shit Monday night.

What sucks is that I beat myself up and that doesn’t help things. I’d come home on Saturday with every intention of spending Sunday getting unpacked from being gone two separate times since the 22nd for Christmas and New Years (I was home 2.5 days in between), and cleaning up my place so that I could have a nice fresh start on Monday to kick off the new year right.

Sadly, Sunday was pretty much a nonevent, aside from having breakfast at lunchtime along with 4 cups of coffee at the Cheesecake Factory with two friends.

Still had the headache but made a major score on some throw pillows at Crate and Barrel - only saw them because I had to use the ladies room but they were PERFECT! I asked the price on them and was surprised that they were only $20 each, when I was expecting closer to $50. Turns out they were originally $70 apiece.

Anyway, got some new perfume at Sephora and then stopped at my favorite store, Zgallerie and found these beautiful placemats for my table, also on sale. SCORE!

Got home around 5ish and pretty much just zonked out. Nibbled on some chicken from the day before but barely touched it. Sent my leftover crabby eggs home with one of my lunch companions - I should mention that they both had cheesecake while I sipped my coffee and only had a bite from each piece. I was a good girl.

Regardless, the point is that I have a hard time working out when my house isn’t clean. I’m weird like that, I guess. So I straightened up tonight before getting in my workout - but it’s not completely clean. I suck.

So, right now my biggest focus is on adjusting my diet while I make sure I get my workouts in and making sure that I’m taking the right steps to ensure that I’m healthy.

……they don’t work
No regrets now, they only hurt
Sing me a love song
Drop me a line
Suppose it’s just a point of view
But they tell me I’m doing fine

So, that’s it, I’ve made peace with what was and what was not in the past year and have no regrets about any of it.

Diet has been good today, and will stay that way. I plan on fully kicking my own butt tonight with my workout. Tonight is chest/triceps and some cardio. And add to that, I still have to finish unpacking from being gone over Christmas, not to mention the New Year’s unpacking. Oh, can’t forget about laundry too!

It’s with a spring in my step and a whole heart that I move forward into the new year and concentrate on the most important person in my life - Me.

I picked up a few gadgets for myself over the holidays to better track my workouts and progress. Got a Polar F11 watch and a new Tanita BC533 scale (much more advanced than my old Tanita).