Summer 2011 - Almost here!

Here we are in June, school is a mere few weeks from ending and spring is teasing us with summer-like weather!

I have been plodding along with my Dr. Poon diet since September and haven't done too badly I think!  Since doing the Phase 2 for a few months I haven't lost much more additionally but adding the exercise in has helped to tone me some and I'm sure there has to be some muscle weight in there now LOL!

I started back with Phase 1 last month with strange results.  Now this could be because I've gotten into some sub-conscious Phase 2 habits, but even with a journal of my food intake I really can't see what's wrong!  My last weigh-in had me up by 1/2lb which was really odd since I lost 5lb of fat!!!  Apparently I'm retaining huge water that even that time of the month couldn't explain.  I don't eat processed foods, and I don't add salt and I drink tons of water....go figure!

Well anyways, when all is said and sifted, I'm at 165lbs at last weigh in (hopefully less next week) and down from size 18 to size 10 or medium just about anywhere I shop!!!  It is sooo weird to try stuff on and have to go back for smaller sizes!!!   I still want to lose another 15-20lbs.

The bittersweet irony of this weight loss is that it has not helped my knees much.   I know, I know, every pound of weight loss equals 4 pounds loss on the joints but seriously I thought that I'd be in a little less pain and have a bit more mobility....NOT.  I still can't walk the stairs properly; can't put any weight on the right knee coming downstairs at all.  I can't explain properly to the knee surgeon what/where the pain is....just all inside of my knee feels like it is ripping when I put weight on it or move it wrong.  I don't think he believes me when I say my pain level is always 7+ in that knee!  The x-rays don't show any reason for it except for the inflammation.  It is so frustrating because I really want to exercise more but without the brace (which is in the shop being re-sized) and without a cane I am limited to what I can do.  Swimming is a great option but I can't fit it into my schedule right now (I wish we had a pool LOL!)  I am icing both knees as often as possible but the inflammation just doesn't seem to come down enough for relief.  Next step is trying cortisone shots again, but higher doses this time.  We'll see.

Anyway, in techie news, I broke my e-reader!  Yes I did!  Stupid me put it too close to the edge of a table and it fell off and landed screen down on the wood floor.   SMASHHHHHH!  Garbage....I emailed the manufacturer to see if the screen could be repaired/replaced and they advised it would cost as much to fix as to buy a new one!  Hmmmm.  So now the hunt begins anew for a replacement, sigh.  Thankfully in the interim I can use my laptop to access my e-books library, but seriously a laptop is not a comfortable portable reading device LOL!

My Nintendo DS Lite is finally falling apart too.  Apparently I'm rough on my electronic toys (insert rim-shot here) and keep your mind out of the gutter LOL!  I am loathe to replace it since I've got my card thingy for downloading games from the Internet and I don't think I can use it on the newfangled DS systems out now.  The Boy really wants the DS-3D, The Big Boy is intrigued by the new Sony PSP Vita I think it's called, and I'm more interested in finding a Nintendo DS system that I can load my e-books onto (do they already have that?  I'll have to look into it!)

Well, I'm getting set for summer which means I'll likely not post again for months judging by my track record, but I'll try to remember!

WOW! What have I been doing????

We just celebrated the little man's 9th birthday on Valentines Day....where has this past year gone?  To be honest I forgot that I'd started this blog.....after I accidentally deleted my original blog I was so frustrated that I just stopped writing in the new one.....dummy!

Well, since last time I've finally had an MRI on the knees and they discovered that my right knee has lost most of the cartilage and the left is about half gone.  I KNEW I wasn't being a cry-baby when I'd complain on walks!  My right leg is bowed now as well...I don't know if that is because of the loss of cartilage or what.  I found out that the bones are grinding against each other and fracturing little bits of the bone off every time I walk.  Yuck!  (Hence the pain, duh)  I have a lovely green fiberglass knee brace now ($1400.00 later) which helps to hold the bones apart.  I'll do anything to avoid surgery at this point.  It is eventual, however.

So, on my quest to avoid surgery and minimize the pounding my poor knees take lugging me around everyday I asked my GP to recommend me to a metabolic doctor to put me on a strict diet...no more messing around with Weight Watchers, etc., I want a doctor to yell at me!  The beautiful part of this is that it is covered by OHIP entirely!  I started in September, 2010 weighing in at a hefty 208lbs (MOOOO) but so far have lost 40lbs.  I'm about to start with my physiotherapy/trainer person to set me on a modified exercise regime suitable for my bad knees!  This thankfully is 80% covered by our health plan so it fits into the budget. 

I haven't felt so optimistic is a very very long time.  I've come to the conclusion that perhaps I was suffering from depression last year....it felt like I was spiralling out of control and everything hurt so I didn't want to do anything and nothing fit....vicious circle.  I know I still have quite a ways to go before my body is "healthy" but I'm certainly in a better mental state to deal with getting there!