Back in the game

 Today is 

A NEW DAY

A NEW MIND SET

A NEW WAY OF THINKING

A BETTER WAY OF EATING

A BETTER WAY OF LIVING

TODAY I AM GETTING HEALTHIER!

As I brought up before I have lost a lot of weight. A small human. 😀 I have gained a few pounds back and I am a little above my goal. I was managing. Or ignoring it. I was like I am not sure why? HMMM Really? Ok, Ok yeah I know when I got out of myself. I saw it. I am way off of my plan. Off, of what works for me. I was at first thinking it was my OA medications. I do think that has not helped. I think that has played a big part in my weight gain. Why? 

So what am I doing to get myself back in control and what through me off track. I am being open and honest. I am welcome for anyone who would like to help hold me accountable. DO not be sarcastic or rude. Unless I know and understand your humor. 

1. OA medications. Just being on pain meds on a consistent or more regular basis. Something I have never done before. Medicine can cause weight gain. Not taking it on a empty stomacher even. I think my diagnosis caused some depression. I noticed a couple times I brought home new medication I would say what # that one was. Couple times I cried.

2. I have been eating crap for me. When I eat crap I feel it. My body feels icky. Only way to describe it simply. I have been eating way to much gluten products. I usually follow the 80/20 rule. That works for me. I do this in all my foods. I have been eating sugar shit too. UGH. When I was in my huge weight loss push in my written dietary Dr. goal was I could have 1 sweet treat a day. And this could be anything. Not 2 or 3. There are days this happens but should not be a norm. 1 a day. I am back to this. Last week I cleaned out the sweet food out of our house. 

3. Food is comfort. Not that I was thinking about it that way. But was I subconsciously? 

New goals

1. I am craving carrots and broccoli. So I bought some yesterday. John has been having a big plate of just grilled vegetables. I have this prepped for both of us. Usually we have just 1 or 2 kinds that he likes. This week we bought lots of different kinds prepped them all as a stir fry mix. They are ready to just toss in a pan, on a salad how ever we want. Dinner a lot of times we do a vegetable with meat. I need a lot of protein so I drink proteins drinks that are low in sugar, 

2. I need to work harder on being hydrated. I am always dehydrated I am sure. it is a rare day I am not. Pretty much anything I can drink is golden in John and my book. This has not helped me feeling like crap either some days. I make a goal of 3 cans of  no sugar carbonated water. I can not do artificial sugar. Gives me migraines. I do 1 large concoction of a protein drink/ regular water clean cocoa for breakfast. That is my for sure goals. Hey it is better then it was. I gave up soda 2 1/2 years ago. now it is a treat!

3. I want warm weather. I took advantage of the day yesterday and was out on my bike. 4 miles 20 minutes. I LOVE my new bike. I was telling John that. He goes "I know you do."💓. If it is warm enough for my body to handle the weather I am out on my bike for a ride. I have been going all over. I have found new lakes I did not know were around here. There are some really pretty areas. Great trails. I am learning to road ride also because at my lake I will be doing a lot of road riding or bringing my bike places. And that is kind of hard. My bike is heavy. But I will. There will be some great bike trips this summer. John purchased one also. We want to start going together. This is much easier on my joints. And boy is do I get a leg work out. 

I am mentally back in the game. Back in life. For me that is 80% of the battle. I have tried all winter. But I have not felt good and it only lasted a short while. Now I am feeling better daily, mentaly, physically, less pain (but still plenty of pain). 

Please feel free to leave your butt kicking comments of holding me accountable, checking in or support. It would be great motivation. Thanks, Brenda

Injections- Blocks in my back, Covid test and Ribs starting to stay in place!

 Good morning friends, family and followers

What a couple days. 

Saturday, it started with my first ever covid test. I had it done at M Health Maplewood. I want to give them a shout out for there awesome service. I got to my appointment a few minutes early. No big deal. I was checking in. I saw a person before me. Not sure if anyone was in the testing room. I was checking in I said for my test was for a procedure. The nurse in the testing room popped her head out right away and said do you want me to do your test in your car? I was not sure she was talking to me she I was not even checked in but she had my name. I was like me sure. She said it could be a wait. Then I finished checking in and another person came in. She was following me right out to my car. As we were going out a a gentlemen came in. She said, Yeah it would be a wait.  My guess is that since I was not sick but since I was there for test for a procedure and the nurse wanted me to not take the chance of getting sick and get me out of the clinic right away. Again a big shout out!  I was fine waiting even in my car. But she came right out with me. We actually did it on the sidewalk. LOL. Thanks nurse! M Health Maplewood you rocked Saturday morning.

Yesterday, afternoon I had 4 injections in my ribs.  These injections where called blocks. I had 2 on my right side and 2 on my left side. The needles were placed between my ribs. To do this. I was taken to an operating type room. I was given O2. I was laid on a table on my stomach. Then a big x-ray machine went around me. My Dr. explained step by step what was happening. How she was draping a sheet over the area, magnets to hold it in place.... Then she put the first needle in. She did 1 side at a time. She placed both needles. Then she put dye in to see where the needles were placed. If they were not exactly were she wanted them she would move them to a new spot put more dye in and repeat until she was happy. Then she would put the medicine in.                                                                                              After the one side was done she repeated this on the other side. 

Out of the 4 needles. The first needle did not hurt going in. NICE! That was the only one that did not hurt. 2 were well..... 1 was really weird. Both Dr. Hudleston and I felt like 1 went through scare tissue. There was no reason there should be scare tissue in my back/ribs. Only thing John and I can think of is maybe from how many times my ribs have popped out of joint that this has caused scare tissue. With 3 of the needles hurting pretty "good" sometimes. a lot of times that can mean that they are in a good spot. They are in a spot that is pretty inflamed. Now this makes the procedure much worse. But in the long run more helpful. 

When I was done I felt like a pin cushion. Last night took a little pit to figure out how to sleep. This morning I have a ache back. Putting my bra on I sure felt everything from yesterday. But nothing as bad as yesterday. 

Would I do this again? You bet if this helps. And yes, I will be doing more injections in more areas. This is living the life of OA. I am working on excepting I have sever OA. Dr. Hudleston has committed to getting me back to living my life again and being active. This means injections, medications, essential oils, chiropractor, feeling well enough to excersie. And what ever else it takes. And working on eating right. 

A bit of good news. 2+ months of constant chiropractic care and my ribs are starting to remember to stay in place. I had them adjust yesterday and they where "not bad". For me that is good. If I have another "not bad" week I might be able to move to once every 2 weeks.