Saturday 9 June 2012

Feeling the change!

Well its been awhile since my last post, it's been a busy last month!! Once I learned I'd be off work for the remainder of the school year I decided I had better take advantage of the extra time off while I had it and used some long earned air miles to fly home to Marathon for a month. I thought a change of scenery and some time with family and friends were in order. Best decision ever,it was so good to go home! I went out walking pretty much every day and had some nice relax time...and of course wok with chow haha. I just can't find another chinese restaurant that compares!! Anyway, I think the fresh air and walking has really started to make a difference because when I got back to Calgary at the end of May I felt so much better and actually noticed a difference in how I feel on a daily basis. No longer did I have to lay down for ten minutes after taking a shower and I didn't feel as sluggish as I did before I went home. I got to stop taking one of my heart medications as well which was so good!!


I was back in Calgary a week...and what a week! Janine came out to see me two days after I got back and we were sooo busy. We did a few of the touristy things of course...went to the mountains b/c you can't come to Calgary and not see the Rockies close up! We went shopping too and Janine really helped me find some clothes that were flattering and comfortable for my body the way it is now. I insisted I shouldn't spend money on clothes just yet b/c I'm hoping to lose a lot of weight, but she talked sense into me. You have to feel good about yourself as you are now and worry about new clothes later. What a great friend :) She was right, I am feeling so much better about myself just from those couple articles of clothing. I also convinced her to get a pair of Toms hahaha - she made fun of me when I got mine but she's converted now!! We went to our friend Marnie's wedding on the Friday and had a lot of fun. It was a great visit - so great it didn't have to end! I jumped on a plane with her and headed back to Ontario with her for a few weeks.


And that pretty much brings us up to date! I'm still at Janine's having a great time with her, Roger and their baby Gabrielle. Pretty sure she learned how to say Sarah yesterday hahaha. It sounded like it anyway so I'll take it :) Its hard to believe I've been here two weeks, time sure flies when you're having fun!! I've had a chance to see friends from high school and university that I haven't seen in ages which is always great. The only thing about living so far away is I hardly ever get to visit friends...its nice that we can always pick up where we left off though. 


Janine and I have also started weight watchers together. I'm going to try and include my progress on that in my blog just to share my experience with fellow people recovering from Cushing's as well as anyone else who's trying to lose weight! So far its been really positive. I have been here two weeks and am down 4 pounds!! It helps that Janine is doing it alongside me and we eat every meal together of course - what will I do when I leave her?? We've agreed to hold each other accountable. I haven't actually joined it officially yet either so I'm going to look into joining online. I also downloaded an app to my phone called "my fitness pal" which is super cool - I'd highly recommend it. You can enter all the food you eat in a day, the exercise you do, how much water you drink as well as track your weight and measurements. At the end of each day you complete your diary entry and it tells you how much you will weigh in 5 weeks if every day was like that day. You enter your initial weight and goal weight at the beginning and then go from there. The really neat part is you can scan barcodes on food and it can find all the nutritional info! You can also search a lot of restaurant foods which is handy. 


Losing weight is making me feel much better, as is getting more regular rest and exercise. I'm slowly but surely getting healthier I can notice a difference which makes me SO happy. I have more energy for sure. I still have off days but far fewer than before. Last Sunday I felt absolutely terrible and had to miss out on breakfast out with friends for a nap instead but I think my blood pressure was just super low. I went out later in the day to check it and it was very low and my heart rate was only about 50 which isn't good. I emailed my doctor and she took me off my other heart medication and things have been much better. Just indicates that that pituitary adenoma is really gone!! Its amazing what a tiny thing like that can do to your body...I finally feel like I'm starting to get my life back. I was so happy to come off the pills and after monitoring my blood pressure and heart rate for a week now I think I'll be ok to stay off the meds for good :) annnd...this may be an overshare haha but if you are suffering from cushings too I want you to know everything...i got my period back this week!! I never thought I'd be happy to get that but man oh man I was over the moon hahaha I feel like a woman again :) 


Thats it for now! Hopefully my next post will document some more positive changes :) Things are looking up! I'm looking forward to a fun summer and am so excited to get back to work in the fall. 

1 comment:

  1. Sarah, So wonderful to hear that you are feeling better. You are right, Janine is a great friend and she is right, you need to feel good about yourself the way you are now. We all need that reminder. Thank her for me :) Having gained about 20 lbs due to some arthritic and scoliosis issues in my back(and resulting lack of exercise) I am in that place - "why buy clothes if I'm planning to lose the weight?"....I am definitely going to buy a few new summer clothes :) Also, glad to hear you feel like a woman again! I would make a suggestion about a natural way to balance hormones that I learned from a naturopath years ago and pass on to as many women as I can. Buy bulk raw seeds as follows: sesame, sunflower, flax and pumpkin. Grind them(coffee grinder works great) and put in labelled bottles in the fridge. Beginning on Day 1(1st day of menstruation or for people without menstruation, on the new moon) is 1 T. of pumpkin and 1 T. of flax. At Day 16, switch to 1 T. sunflower and 1 T. sesame. Continue with sunflower and sesame until Day 1 comes again or for those without menstruation switch after Day 30. Mix in with yogurt & granola in the morning or whatever way helps you to do this regimen daily. It's an ancient woman's secret that's not a secret really :)Big hugs to you this day :)

    ReplyDelete