Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The Year in Review - Heather style.

What a year!

I started off the year gardening a lot, bitching about my side effects, and manic for soynuts. February was a month that changed my life. We had a scary meeting with the plant manager, who considered reopening the deli. I invented some Chipolte pintos that Ron adored. He also loved the fried sausage and onions. More gardening, of course, and Feb 20 I gave all my skinny clothes to the Salvation Army. Feb 26, I had enough:

"Now, I'm fat. Clinically, I'm fat. I weigh about 75 pounds more than my ideal weight. OK? I ate all kinds of bad things when I was sick, making me fat....I need to lose about a foot off my waist. I measured. YUCK." The first couple days were hard, but "It seemed like everytime I was about to give up today, I encountered a massive individual struggling to breathe. God really knows how to motivate me. No. Not if I can help it!"

I started my low-carb blog. Ron helped me by fixing me bacon and planned to build me a compost bin.

March, I lost 19 pounds. I had a nasty depression but I whacked it. Ron and I ate out a lot.

April, Mom and Dad came to visit. We all had a blast. I shrank 3 sizes total from when I'd started Induction in Feb. I began a gentle running and weight lifting program which I continued until August. I got down to a size L tshirt. I learned the importance of weighing and measuring to track weight loss.

May I got kicked with another depression and noticed some hair loss from the low-carb/lithium. Bubba brought me a live frog and left it in the shower, and I learned that lithium and salad don't mix.

June, we went to Galveston for a few days. We had a great time, but I didn't like the way I looked in my photos. My hair made me look tired and old, so I cut it short.

July, we had hurricane Dolly brush past, we donated blood, and we kept eating out.

August Ron mentioned he had a little bump on his jaw, which continued to grow, scaring the crap out of us. We bought some Pearl MP3 players - still have them, still love them. Ron had a violent allergic reaction to Bactrim which caused Peripheral Nerve Disease, Sensory type. For me, that means he's in a lot of pain, barely able to walk a few feet, and more dependent. I battled self-doubt and depression and decided at last to "Be rude to the 'tude"! Hurricane Gustav threatens New Orleans.

September: Ron cancels the hand surgery. I hit my first goal of Walmart size 12. Ron continues to do poorly, losing 30 pounds. Hurricane Ike hits! No power for 4 days, no damage to our home, while houses around us are in terrible shape. I discover the band "Skillet" and battle caregiver burnout. "So, when things are going to hell in a handbasket, don't be suprised to find me eating peanuts, watching a zombie movie, and knitting. It's the best thing I can do! "

Now peanuts give me migraines [Heather cries].

In October, Frosty got into a fight and had a terrible abcess. He still limps to this day. I resolve to make God happy, and decide I am not responsible for Ron's moods. Ron begins taking Neurontin for the neuropathy.

In November, I walked 5 miles to vote (Republican!). I discover that peanuts are triggering my migraines. I go manic for knitting. Ron is formally diagnosed with diabetes.

December my scale died. Ron finds a few foods he can tolerate. Business is incredibly slow. I get "back into" Ebay and discover it's a lot of fun when I'm on my pills.

What a year! Next year's bound to be better.

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