90% Excess Fat Free!!

The greatest wealth is health. ~Virgil

Almost one year post-op and doing great, great, great!  I saw my surgeon yesterday and she calculates that I am now 90% excess fat free and have been fortunate in exceeding both hers and my own expectations as I've lost 230 pounds now from my dreaded high weight a year ago April. My lab results just keep getting better and better - all my docs are happy, and happy docs adds to a happy Gail!  I think I may just have another 5 pounds or so I just might be able to get off this crazy new body of mine - truly astoundingly amazing!!  

Today I had my baseline bone density scan.  This baseline is recommended a year post-op as one of the risks of the surgery is developing osteoporosis if my calcium level doesn't remain high enough - and yes, I take supplements every day for the rest of my life now.  One of the good things about being overweight is that walking is the definitive weight-bearing exercise, so most heavy people have great bones.  My old weight seems to have made my bones nice and strong - the tech showed me my chart after the scans were completed and it couldn't have been greener or higher - as of today my bones look good.  Of course they're pushing against my skin and protruding in the oddest places! I did study anatomy so knew I had them, but haven't felt them in more decades than I'll admit to, so feeling them these days is a strange and wondrous thing...

Clothing is also interesting these days... believe it or not I'm fitting into Misses sizes - for the first time since I was a teenager.  It's quite a strange thing.  I suppose I'll blame this on Fern - she MADE me do it - MADE me try on a darling top she selected at The Rack that I would have never, ever even tried to pull over my head (and don't tell Fern this) and it fit and looked great! I bought some trousers that weren't pull on - zipper and buttons - and they look (and better yet feel) pretty darn good too!  

I'm still struggling a bit with recovery from my less than graceful work tumble 3.5 months ago. The latest update is a cortisone injection a couple of days ago in my left piriformis muscle (not so much fun, but nowhere near as bad as one in the wrist).  As described in Wikipedia: "The piriformis laterally rotates the extended thigh and abducts the flexed thigh. Abduction of the flexed thigh is important in the action of walking because it shifts the body weight to the opposite side of the foot being lifted, which keeps us from falling."  The latest suspicion is that I severely bruised this muscle when fell, hence the ongoing pain and slow recovery.  Before the injection I was frequently in pain and couldn't walk for more than a couple of minutes without having to limp.  Today I was able to walk about 5 minutes without limping and until then I didn't have any pain at all.  I'm pleased that the injection seems to be helping - but bummed that it's not an instant cure.  I was able to climb some stairs close to "normally" for the first time since the fall yesterday - so definitely progress.  The physical therapist taught me how to use my left leg by relying on a motion using the ball of my foot and my upper front thigh muscle to try to make it all work.  I have to concentrate as it's not at all a natural feeling, but I can do it - progress.

My new job is still great - still new in so many ways, yet I truly feel the professional satisfaction that comes with knowing that you're making some good contributions to your organization and the job satisfaction associated with the acknowledgement thereof.  It's so nice to work for and with people that thank and appreciate you!!  And my team is awesome - lots of caring, committed individuals.

I truly hope this finds you happy and healthy.  Both are wonderful things to be...

Photo is courtesy TGR via my cellphone (thanks T!), taken at the last Pompous Twits Event at the Grodins