My Body, My Self

Isn't that the title of a book? Anyways, it all started in December. I came home from the seminar jazzed, ready to read, go online, get started with getting healthy. I had a fitful night's sleep, due (I thought) mostly because of an active brain and the 19th being the last day of school before vacation. I had a weird dull pain in my lower abdomen which worsened as the day wore on. I barely made it through an afternoon party when I realized that something was very wrong. After calling my doctor, my son took me to the ER and I spent the next four days in the hospital with diverticulitis. I spent the rest of December getting well. January, February came and went. I had a list of a battery of tests that I had to complete or get records from. Let's see if I remember them all. Yearly exam and blood work, PAP, mammogram, colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, stress test and echocardiogram, angiogram (when the stress results seemed questionable), psychological evaluation (I was beginning to doubt my sanity by this time myself), visits with the surgeon, nutritionist, more with the surgeon, counseling sessions (both pre and post-op) and - just for good measure, a bout with pneumonia in April. I have seen nine different medical professionals (just counting those I made appointments with)

The good news - I am, surprisingly, in pretty good shape for someone with as many health issues as I have. If I take good care of myself and lose this weight once and for all, I will probably have many healthy years ahead. What wonderful news!! I feel as if I was waiting for the other shoe to drop during this long process of getting approval. Now, full steam ahead!!