Making better choices

In my last blog I said that I would be quiet for a while. I also said I hoped that I could get the liposuction surgery. Well, both of those things have changed so here I am!

So, for quite some time I really thought I wanted to do the fat grafting surgery. Suck fat out of my love handles and put it on my boobs. It was the easy way to shape my body. But then last week Farrell's put out a FIT challenge that I am super excited about. Seven weeks. Before and after pictures, a commitment to classes, body scans, and food logs. This is my do-over. This is my chance to win after having to quit my 10-week session. I get to apologize to my body for what I've done to it over the last several months. Yes, chemo did a lot of bad and prevented me from being active. But I definitely played my part with bad food choices.

The challenge starts Monday, but I started tracking my food again on Friday. When you really pay attention to what you put in your mouth you will be amazed at how much crap goes in. This week I've been focusing on making good choices (for the most part...that delicious Chobani Greek Yogurt will need to go next week). Today and tomorrow I am exhibiting at a local conference. The focus of the conference would lead you to believe that perhaps healthy food would be an option. Not so. Breakfast was muffins, donuts, and scones. Sugar heaven! Two weeks ago I would have taken one of each and washed it down with a Coke. But I had my trusty protein bars on hand and avoided the empty calories. Then lunch came along. As the hotel staff was setting up the buffet I heard it was a fajita bar. Flour tortillas, chips, dip, iceberg lettuce, sour cream...doesn't that sound delicious? So delicious that I hopped in my car and sped to the Hy-Vee salad bar so I could have a better lunch.

The next many weeks will be hard work. Getting up at 4:30am for my 5:15am class is not fun. But I never regret going to Farrell's. And I get to go with the lovely Jen Owens. Keeping my sugar cravings in check will be hard. But I am so excited that I will get to finish this time. And my body will be on its way back to being strong and healthy, no liposuction required.

Normal and Boring

Hello friends! Life keeps moving along and everything is quite normal. My hair is growing in really thick and is starting to get some waves. I sported a swimsuit for the first time since my surgery and was pretty impressed with the results. I go see the ophthalmologist on Monday, as well as the plastic surgeon. I’m hoping that the plastic surgeon will recommend fat transfers; I think one of my tamoxifen side effects is weight gain. Ugh! I’ve almost met my out-of-pocket max with insurance for the year, so what’s another surgery, really?

My church posted the article written about me, as well as the video, on their website. I am really pleased with how everything turned out. It is still a little overwhelming to think about how many people my story has reached. I do want to take a moment to recommend a book co-authored by one of the pastors at my church: Visual Theology: Seeing and Understanding the Truth About God.  I’ve started reading it and it is good. Like, easy to read and informative and full of great infographics and all the stuff that makes a book good. You can pre-order it on Amazon. Oh, you ask how I already have a copy? I went to the release party. Yep. I’m that cool.

I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about when to end this blog. My life is pretty boring now. The cancer seems to be gone, I feel fine, and I’m back into my normal routine. Work, Farrell’s, church, spending time with Marah, sometimes seeing Troy, sleep, blah blah blah. So, I don’t know that I’ll post as much going forward as I have over the last several months. I don’t want to drag this out and then have this blog turn into something lame where I write about what I made for dinner. I’ve always believed in leaving the party while you’re still having fun. If anything big happens I’ll write a post, but otherwise I’ll be quiet. And maybe I’ll start a new blog someday and not even mention cancer at all. Who knows.