No need to be worried...

"No need to be worried. You are doing everything right." These are the words I heard today from my doctor when I went to find out why my feet and ankles had swollen up so bad this past weekend.

I have had so many obstacles over the years, many over the past year and a half. From two knee surgeries, to 4 bulging/herniated discs in my back, to asthma, to crushing my hand (and then breaking my wrist,) to a really bad concussion, to arthritis and bursitis in both knees...I often feel like I am running an uphill battle and I wonder if it will ever get any better. So when my feet swelled up this past weekend, despite drinking 3 liters of water per day and changing my diet and decreasing my sodium, I began to worry. When it didn't get any better after a few days, I called my doctor and made an appointment.

I was nervous today. I was worried about my heart and/or my lungs. I smoked for 12 years (and quit January 2, 2012) and was diagnosed with adult onset asthma in 2007. I have been told for years that I had crappy lungs...that the damage I had done to them from smoking would probably not ever get back to perfect. I was told to get used to bronchitis every winter and nebulizer treatments whenever I got a cough. I cried because it was my own poor choices that caused this. I accepted it and moved on.  So today when I talked to my doctor about what was going on and I had a bit of a nagging cough, she ordered an EKG and a spirometry test to rule some things out.

My EKG came back normal. My blood pressure was normal. My spirometry test showed that my age is 35 years and that my lungs are less than 35 years! She said that I had the best lungs that she had seen in a month. I nearly cried. After years of hearing about my crappy lungs, I finally got to hear something good about them. She looked back at my blood work from a month ago when I had my physical and said all my blood work was perfect. She looked at my vitals from a month ago and told me that I had lost 7 lbs since my last visit. That is when she told me, "No need to be worried. You are doing everything right."

I know that this is a long, hard road ahead of me. I know that it will not get easier (and if it does, I am not working hard enough!) But for a moment today, I had a glimpse of hope for the future...a future that does not include weekly doctor visits and daily medications. I long for that future and it pushes me to do hard things every day. I hope that it will push you as well.

Day 1=SUCCESS!

I'm so excited to have started my 24 day challenge with Advocare and I'm pumped to see where this all goes!

I started my challenge by weighing, taking measurements, and before pictures. I'm embarrassed to post that info for everyone to see because I can't believe I've let myself get to this point. But, I need to post it so it's out there for the world to hold me accountable and as a way to look back and see where this all began.

On Monday, July 28, 2014, I weighed 255.0 lbs. 

My measurements were as follows:
Chest=44 inches
Waist=41 inches
Hips=55 inches
Thigh=31 inches
Upper Arm=15 inches

Here are my before pictures...extremely unflattering!

I had also began to retain water over the weekend, so this number was much higher than the week before. I'm heading to the doctor on Thursday to get checked out because my feet and ankles are so swollen that they hurt. I have increased my water intake from nearly nothing to about 100 ounces per day. I have also decreased my sodium intake to whatever naturally occurs in food, so that is very low. My blood pressure is normal as well, but I'm still concerned. I just want to make sure nothing is going on with my heart or lungs.

However, despite everything going on, my first day was a success! My sister and I got up early and rode our bikes. It wasn't as long as I had planned for, but time got away from me. I'll have to get up a bit earlier to get it done on top of cooking breakfast, packing lunch, and getting ready for work. I felt good all day long, even though I feel like I'm always eating!

Day two hasn't been quite as successful. I was not able to exercise this morning due to a severe migraine that woke me from my sleep at 3:30 am. I also had a hard time eating any breakfast because I was so nauseous from the pain. I was able to choke down most of it and keep it down. I'm sitting here now trying to eat my lunch and it's hard to eat when you don't feel well and just don't feel hungry. But I need to eat, so I'll just keep trying. Other than my head hurting, and the resulting nausea, I still feel pretty good today...a little more sleepy, but a midday Spark should help that.

Overall, I feel better already and I'm praying that my health checks out on Thursday and that things continue to improve every day.

A new journey ahead!

So, I am not the best when it comes to writing, especially about myself, so you'll have to forgive me. But, I am embarking on a new adventure next weekend and I am so excited! I want to journal my progress as a means to inspire others and to hold myself accountable.

I weigh more now than I ever have. The past year and a half, I have had some major back pain and problems, crushed my right hand in the car hood, had hand surgery, had a major car accident, broke my wrist (of the hand that I had surgery on,)  and had a significant concussion that has turned into post concussive syndrome, leaving me with memory issues and a daily fight against headaches and fatigue. I see several doctors and therapists every week and I am on many medications to help with the results from all these things. I had pretty much given up on losing weight and feeling better.

Through a series of events, I have been blessed to have several people on a team behind me, helping me along in this journey. Starting next weekend, I will start a 24 day challenge through Advocare and a new way of eating. I am looking forward to this, but at the same time, I'm a little bit nervous.

My friend, Angela, has been cheering me on in my attempt to start exercising again, even creating Operation Caryn's Smiles, and it has renewed in me the fight to try this thing again. She put me in contact with Nathan, who is jumping in this thing with me...he has no idea what a mess he has on his hands...and after talking with him, I have a sense of hope that this might actually all be possible. For more info about @TeamEndured and Operation Caryn's Smiles, visit http://www.enduredgirl.com/

I am ready and I am hoping that someone out there can relate to my struggles and realize that anything is possible with the right team behind you. I am trying to be brave now, so I can be badass later!