Long Over Due Update

So I haven’t done an update to the blog in a long time. I spoke in church this past week and someone had pointed out that they haven’t seen an update in a while so I thought it was about time to update everyone!

I saw Dr. Rasmussen for a follow up in July. I have officially graduated from the monthly visits! Yippee! I will just see him on a needs basis. This is a huge mile marker for me!

Things aren’t much different in the sense of how I am feeling. I have basically accepted the fact that this is the way my life is going to be from now on and am just learning to live with it. I know for certain if I stay on top of taking my Zofran that my day will be manageable.  Each day has its challenges but I deal with them and always try to have a positive attitude. All I can do is smile and sometimes fake it until I make it. But I know that I will always make it!

There have been a lot of personal changes that have taken place in my life in the past couple of weeks as well. For those who follow my life closely, I have started dating again! I know, crazy right??!!  I haven’t been on a date since before I was diagnosed and that’s been over 3 years!  It’s hard getting back into it and things have changed so much, it really is crazy! Someone also recently reminded me of why dating sucks and I why avoided it for so long., I hate being a vulnerable person and dating tends to do that to you!  But I figured things are as good as they are ever going to be so it’s time to start that again. It is however hard to let someone in and know this side of my life but I figure in the end it will hopefully all be worth it. However, this is also a huge part of my life and it will take someone who is caring and compassionate with this illness to catch my eye!

I have started hiking again as well and am loving every minute of it! I try to do at least one hike a week.  It feels good to get out and in the mountains and be surrounded by beauty and feel the peace that’s only found in the mountains. You do however forget certain muscle groups that are required to hike when you haven’t been allowed to use them for 2 years! It does feel good though to be using those muscle groups again. Nothing that a hot shower can’t cure, right?!

I also recently signed up with a personal trainer at the gym and have slowly started to get back into it. I want to do some toning but I have to be careful to not lose any weight. When I first started at the gym however, I felt awful charlie-horse like pains in my upper abdomen. I saw Dr. Rasmussen and he thought that I was overdoing it and that I strained some muscles in my abdominal area. I was instructed to not do any abdominal toning for a week or running. He also gave me some abdominal strengthening/stretching exercises to do to try and engage those muscles again without overdoing anything. I have been doing the stretches slowly and the pain seems to be easing up in regards to the upper abdominal pain. It sucks that I can't take any ibuprofen, I am sure that would help!

I am mostly maintaining my weight. It fluctuates all over the place depending on the activities I am doing. I can lose 5 pounds if I spend too much time at the water park and then I spend the whole next day trying to recover. My body will always handle things differently from how it used to, which is something I have to remind myself of.  I have started incorporating more nuts into my diet and that seems to help make up for the loss of calories when I am not eating enough.

I am continuing to do the monthly vitamin B-12 injections and have finally started noticing a difference in doing that. My energy levels are increased for about 3 weeks and then I will feel a drop in those levels around the end of the month. I look forward to that shot each month!! 

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I will see Dr. Frech in the middle of August for another check-up. Hopefully my weight will stabilize and things will still be going OK. I do think that my iron levels are still low so we may have to do a re-check on those. I am sure this will always be a balancing act.

Thanks to all those who continue to offer their unwavering love and support. I finally feel like I am in a good place and am finally doing the things that make me happy again! This will be a lifelong battle and I hope that I can continue to be a beacon of hope for those out there who are struggling with those invisible illnesses.