I’ve been home from Africa 3 months already! Sometimes it feels like yesterday, but other days it seems like a lifetime ago. I don’t know how to feel about that, a little confused, I guess. Things were just so out of the normal before, during, and right after, that looking back it seems other worldly. Like, did I really do that? While we’re at it, did I really jump out of a plane 5 months ago?! There’s photographic evidence of these events. Videos showing it was me… but still…

Keeping with the mind-blowing topic, I’ve almost lost 100 pounds! 94 specifically as of this morning. I know not to put all my stock in the # on the scale, but 100 is a big deal! My medical team is encouraging me to get surgery to remove the loose skin in my abdomen. My dermatologist, pain specialist, GP, etc., are willing to petition my insurance to cover it too. So, I have a consultation scheduled with a surgeon early in July. 4 months will fly by (see above, right?!), but it’s to give my skin/body a chance to adjust to the 100. I don’t think I have much more I can or even want to lose, except my belly and ‘wings,’ but those are hard or impossible for me to lose on my own. Recent week aside, I have been getting to the gym regularly and enjoying it!

Back to the pain specialist… I’ve had pain that presents as sciatica and/or an issue with my SI joint. Which, it probably is those things, but this specialist discovered the source! My left leg is 10mm shorter than my right. She saw that on an x-ray, which no other doctor had ordered so far! I have a lift in my left shoe that will eventually help. Eventually because for now my body is protesting being corrected. Worse before better. I always thought/hoped the ‘fix’ would be something simple! I’m also doing more PT and the doctor has some other things in store for me, including a steroid injection in my SI joint (ugh!).

She asked me what I was going to do with my new life after things get corrected. I didn’t have an answer for her then (early February), but I’ve figured out one thing: I want to finish another 5k in a year or two. I haven’t been able to in 9 or so years, and can hardly walk .25 miles right now, much less 3.1. I’ve completed 30 minutes on the elliptical at the gym a few times recently, which is amazing. I plan to get to 60 minutes by the end of the year on that!

Well, I hadn’t written in a while, so I wanted to catch up a little. Hopefully I can post before/after pics soon when I hit that 100!! 😊