Thursday, September 24, 2009

Good To Go For Another Year?

I had my annual doctors appointment today. I have had enough female/health problems that I don't go to the doctor. Literally. Wynn has always had to make my appointments for me, and then take me to them to get me to go. Seriously. I kid you not. And then in November of 2007 we found my current GYN and his PA. Can I just say.....Hallelujah!!!

They have never treated me like a stupid female. Two years ago the PA listened to my problems and told me it wasn't all in my head, it wasn't normal, everybody does not go through this, etc, etc......I had never said what the other doctors had been telling me, but this is exactly what I had heard my whole life. I literally started crying in the office. The PA put her arm around me and gave me a hug and told me they were going to help me. She wished she had met me 20 years ago because there were so many things she could have done for me. But at that point, there was really only one option open to me....to have a hysterectomy. I was fine with that. So the very next week I was in to see the GYN, the did some tests, I followed up the next week and was scheduled for surgery for one month from my first visit to them.

It has been a long road since then. My weight was up, ugh, which caused my blood pressure to be up, double ugh, and I was severely anemic. I was put on BP meds (1/2 pill once a day) for 3 months until I lost about 5 pounds and my BP went down. Then I was taken off of them, knowing that I needed to get more weight off and if my weight went up at all I would be going back on the meds. So started the long process of getting the weight off. I exercised, counted calories, watched as I did Weight Watchers with Wynn and he lost 25 pounds and I lost 2. It was hard. But the weight has started to come off. It's just such a slow process. When you basically eat healthy to begin with, no chips, sweets, pop, junk etc, there's not a lot to cut out to lose weight. It can be very frustrating.

So a few months ago I made my appointment for today. Yes, I made the appointment all_by_myself and today I went there all_by_myself. I was nervous about going because my weight is not to the goal we made. And although I take my blood pressure regularly just to make sure it is staying down, I was having Doctor visit anxiety. So on to today.....

They all raved about how good and well I look and how much weight I have lost. Then I went into 'the room'. Of course they wanted to get my weight and blood pressure. I_was_EXTREMELY_nervous for this. Drum roll please........My blood pressure was a good number. Yeah! My weight was down 12 pounds! Yeah! But even better was the fact that I had gained 4 more pounds after that appointment that they, of course, didn't have recorded. So I have lost 16 pounds. Hooray for me!!! Of course I still have to get to the goal weight I have set with the PA, but she was very impressed and very happy with my progress. I just know I can't slack off knowing I won't have another appointment for a year. Next year I know I can be at my goal weight if I just keep at it. It's not going to be easy, but I already feel so much better I can't wait. Plus I'll HAVE to get a new wardrobe. There's the best plus! Now we just have to wait for the blood tests to come back because she doesn't think I'm anemic anymore. Gosh. Once I finish getting the weight off, I'm gonna be a whole new me!