I'm Normal!!

I've never been normal before!  But I have proof in black and white from my doctor...I'm normal!!

As some of you know, about a year and a half ago, I underwent weight loss surgery.  At my heaviest, I weighed 220 lbs.  I guess that would not be so bad if I was a man who was over 6 ft. tall.  However, I'm a woman and I'm only 5 ft. tall. 

I remember always feeling tired.  I remember my back aching all the time and my knees and feet in constant pain...or at least when I was standing.  Climbing stairs was such a chore and I would get winded with the slightest activity.

My blood pressure was through the roof and my blood sugar was elevated.  I also had high cholesterol.  And I was smoking.

In short, I was a ticking time bomb.

A few years ago, I lost my father to complications from Diabetes. 

Most people have this misconception that if just avoid sugar, you'll be fine.  However, these people didn't watch my father die.  They didn't see him barely survive major strokes.  They did not see him develop gangrenous infections that ultimately lead to the amputation of both his legs.  They did not see him go through dialysis.  All of these caused by Diabetes.

Once my daughter, after catching me smoking after I promised her that I would quit, asked me, "Mommy, if you die, who's going to take care of me?"  I felt like such an asshole.  She was only 5 and that should have been the furthest thing from her mind.

Not much later a nurse at a wellness fair at work put the fear of God into me.  My blood pressure was in stroke territory. After seeing my father survive strokes and having my daughter confront me about my smoking, I knew I was looking mortality in the face. 

I needed to decide...was I going to live or was I going to die?

I chose to live.  If I died, who was going to take care of my daughter?  My ex?  Please.  He can't take care of a pet rock let alone a child.  And what if I did have a stroke?  Or complications from Diabetes like my dad?  I didn't want my daughter to take care of me like I did for my dad.  Although I stepped up to the plate and took care of him when I could, because it was my duty as his daughter, it was hard.  It was hard to do and hard to watch.  And its painful to remember.  I don't want that for my daughter.  I want her to live her life.

So I chose to live, to do that I needed to lose weight.  A LOT OF WEIGHT.

I chose the lap band.

Today I received proof that I made the right decision.  I received a follow-up of my lab studies:

• My total cholesterol is 149.  Less than 200 is optimal.
• My HDL (good cholesterol) was 38.  Optimal is 40 or greater, so maybe I'll eat more fish or take an Omega 3 supplement.
• My triglycerides are 124.  Optimal is 150 or lower.
• My total cholesterol/HDL ratio is 3.9:1.  A ratio of 4.5:1 or less means I am at LOW risk of coronary artery disease.
• Blood Count - Normal
• Kidney function - Normal
• Thyroid - Normal
• Liver function - Normal

And finally my A1C test (diabetes test) shows no evidence of diabetes!  In fact my blood sugar, which has always been high since I was a child, is now normal.  In fact, my doctor wrote in a hand written addendum to his follow up letter, "REALLY NORMAL!"

I've never been normal before.  Today, I'm normal!

Now granted, the fact that I can see my toes and my pant size is a lot smaller than what I used to wear, is nice.  I love it in fact.  Not to say I am all done losing weight.  I actually still have a ways to go.  But I'm normal.

When I get a chance, I go hiking with my daughter.  Couldn't do that 2 years ago.  I can race my daughter across the park...and win!  I couldn't do that 2 years ago.  I can look forward to my future now...couldn't do that 2 years ago.

And I am finally NORMAL!

Its a brand new day!