About a month ago I visited the VA in order for them to assess me. Loads of fun, right? They look through a military member’s medical records and determine whether or not service in the military caused any sort of disability. It’s always a good idea to get the assessment because even if the VA doesn’t feel you are “disabled” per se, they will document that certain injuries or illnesses occurred during your military service and if they become worse – the VA can reassess you and help out.
I was going in to have my hip and back assessed – you may or may not remember the multitude of shots and shit I had to get for my piriformis area (aka: my ass). One of the lovely parts of the assessment is the weigh-in. I confess, I was dreading it. I knew it was going to be bad. How did I know? Because I had been sitting on my piriformis area for roughly three months and not doing much else except watch CSI re-runs and eat pizza bites. Hey! I was celebrating my release! For nine weeks. ahem…
Yeah, turns out that particular combination can cause weight gain. And in my case, it was a lot of weight. Like nearly 20 pounds. Uh huh, I about had a heart attack. I now weigh more than I did when I was pregnant. And believe me, that’s saying something.
After that depressing event, I was sent to wait for the doctor – who was a very, very nice man. He checked me over and while listening to my lungs discovered a heart murmur. WTF? Why had no one else in my entire life ever picked up on that? So, he scheduled me for an Echo Cardiogram and some other thing. An EKG? Maybe. I had both done the next day. The Echo was kind of neat. It’s basically an ultrasound of your heart. The technician showed me my leaky valve and said that it was pretty small which would mean that I could probably manage without surgery or meds. HOORAY!
I’m glad that the heart thing turned out ok, but naturally furious with myself over the weight gain. I don’t know if the weight gain led to the heart murmur – but I sure as hell know it’s not good for the rest of my body. Now that I have a more positive outlook I intend to take much better care of myself. I need to. If not for me, then for my daughter’s sake. My mom looks awesome and she set a great example for us (not that I followed it much) so I want to the same for Muffin.
Guess that means I’m going to have to cut out pizza bites.
Damn.
10 comments:
An Echo is really neat. The docs did one on Roo when she had her first Respiratory distress hospitalization because they where worried about a heart defect. It was cool to see her little heart chamber on the screen and for the specialist to tell me her heart was in excellent condition.
Weight gain sucks – I’m in the same boat. Since my trip to Alaska I’ve done a whole lot of nothing and eaten whatever I wanted! I’m back on the diet/exercise wagon now.
you can do it.
I love CSI re-runs... and pizza bites.
I'm with Stacie - you can do it.
I know exactly what you're going through with the weight thing. I have a job that has me sitting for 10 hrs a day...all I do it eat & sit.
It's gonna suck giving up those delicious pizza bites but you can do it!
you can do it girlie!
you can do it girlie!
what goes up must come down. It must, right? Good luck on the descent and don't try to go too fast. Now, with all this good advice out of the way I'm gonna get back to my cheese.
here's what's getting me thru the whole "i gained a bunch of weight and it sucks' period in my life: one day at a time. Seriously, if I look at the next few months of my life, I could cry...but today? Today I can manage :)
Hang in there- you're in good company.
and I love pizza bites :(
Absolutely correct. If you don't take care of you - it could make it impossible to take care of her. Your health is important to TWO people - not just you.
But you know that already.
Do they make diet pizza bites?
I feel guilty for so many reasons. First, I got you hooked on the pizza bites. Second, as you know I also have a leaky valve so I somehow feel you contracted it from me. Realistically I know it is not possible, but you are my best friend and I can't help but feel like I should take some of the punishment with you. You know misery loves company! I can definitely commiserate on the excitement of the echo. I think I saw my heart as much as my baby during this last pregnancy. We will chat more about this soon but I feel for you and know how nerve wracking an issue like this can be. Just blame me and those damn pizza bites!
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