thanks

thanks for welcome everybody. glad your here my surgery was sept 12 06 with dr houston he took very good care of me. Ilove going to dr fry meeting every week.helps to vent alittle there too. Isure have learned alot here also.

Hi Sarah, 3 years ago on Sept 12, 2003, my wheelchair and I went airborne, it was a good thing I was fastened into as the rails on the ramp weren't up yet. I broke my pelvic and hip bone when the chair and I landed on my side. Since surgery in January 06, I have not had to be in my chair that much, and none since June. Having lost the weight, allowed my pelvic and hip to heal as they couldn't do surgery on it. I know you will do just as well as each day goes by. I have gone from 299 2 years ago to 145 today. January 9, 2007 will be one year, I lack 15 pounds to my goal. I am not even trying to lose weight because I have a rare form of Leukemia, it's a cancer of my blood. I found out about it before my surgery. I take chemo pills, but they are aging me in looks. The cancer is eating off the excess flab, so I even look 10 years older now. I would have loved to stop at 160 even 155 lbs. I looked healthy and no one to look at me believed me when I told them I had a son who is 30 the other son is 28, and a 2 yr old grandson and a 4 yr old grandson. Now I look like I'm in my 60's instead of being 53. I don't look healthy now, I have no meet on my bones including my face. I know it will take until next July for the weight to stabilize, and that I can even gain some weight back on, that is fine with me. The best advice I can give you just starting out, is get in your water, protein, and workout daily. When I was 102 at the age of 21 I felt healthy, and had the figure to go with it. But I am wearing size 12's now and I didn't wear that size until I was 117 lbs. I can wear them now. It's a great feeling, but I want to look healthy with glowing skin and hair, because of the chemo, I look old, fragile, and weak every day. My protein is going thru my kidneys and out with the urine. My hair is nothing but this frizz, it used to take an hour to blow dry, couldn't tie it up as it was so thick, now it takes about 2 minutes to dry and won't stay up in a pony tail. The more protein you can get into your system will help keep your hair from falling out. I eat protein all day and I drink things with protein, but because of the leukemia and the chemo, I have lost most of my hair, my natural wave and curl, to nothing but frizz. Take one day at a time, and realize what you may eat today and it doesn't bother you, next week it could make you sick or dislike it. Our taste buds change constantly. I love scrambled eggs, and tuna salad, but both make me sick just from the smell of them. I don't miss beef or pork, I can enjoy having chicken salad with out the bread. I use ground up chicken in place of beef, Krogers carries it, it's healthier and no fat to it. Can't tell the difference in a meatloaf, spaghetti, in tacos. When I go for a taco, I get the shredded chicken made with the taco mix, refried beans, and cheese. That's three proteins, and a taco will last me three meals. I keep refried beans in the house at all times, cottage cheese, and soup beans. As a single person, I buy the little chef boy R Dee's soup beans and ham. It's perfect for me, otherwise food is wasted on me. I don't know how to cook for just one person. I learned how to make my own spaghetti sauce for one person, and put it in small cantainers into the freezer. The amount in the cantainer will make me two-three meals. There isn't a lot of food out there made for the single person. Even buy meat, 2-3 bites of a chicken breast boneless and skinless, that piece of chicken will last me a week. I know cut up the meat before it goes into the freezer geared for just one person. I don't have room in my freezer for ice trays, but you can always put servings just for you in little baggies, twist tie them and stick them into an ice tray. Then just take one out for you to eat. Sorry for writing so much, but I do it to everyone. I have been on this site the longest almost 3 years now, I pray for each and everyone, I have met several when I would be in Nashville. Everyone here has been great, they're supportative, they're friends, they prayer for each other, and they make sure they stay in touch with each other. I don't have a support group in my area for my type of leukemia or for the bypass, this board is my lifeline. We're hear for each other. That includes you too. Always here, Kathy