surgery

Another Surgery

Posted on July 11, 2018July 11, 2018 by Tony

Well, tomorrow morning I am having surgery on my left hand, another carpal tunnel repair. I had the right hand done last December. Right now my right wrist really hurts. I’m not sure what is causing it. I had thought it was driving the school bus. But nearly a month and a half on vacation, it still hurts. Maybe is the motorcycle riding. But I’m not giving that up.

I am still having issues eating right. I am trying to limit my carb intake. My doctor wants me to eat more proteins. I still try to consume more fats (the healthy stuff). What can I say? The high fat, low carb thing was working.

On a positive note, the results of my blood work looked better they have in the past. I still have some work to do yet. Of course, I will continue to fight. I won’t ever give up. Sometimes I just have to give it a break.

So, the surgery on the left hand should go off without a hitch and hopefully heal as well as the right hand did. The Doc said he believes the pain in my wrist could be tendonitis. Whatever it is, it hurts.

Well, I’m off to bed.

Doctors, Doctors, Doctors

Posted on June 29, 2018 by Tony

Yesterday I had a CT Scan with a contrasting agent. Doctors are trying to figure out why I am having pain in my left ear with no infection. The pain has been excruciating. Sometimes I can’t close my teeth together. My ears ring really loudly.

Today however, I am headed to the hospital with my daughter, who is having surgery on her right hand. She got hit with the college level fast pitch of a softball one too many times last season in the same exact spot. Her wrist has been swollen most of summer so far. She has been in pain since the last time she was hit back in April.

The doctors seemed to think it would heal on its own eventually. But Kat wanted it taken care of through surgery. I hope that it is an issue that can be solved surgically.

Personally, I hate surgery. For me it has never worked out the way it should. My lower back surgery, though deemed a success by the surgeon who performed it, has caused me nothing but pain since 2010. I had surgery on my neck two summer ago but my neck still hurts, though I think the pain I now feel is a new issue. I had carpal tunnel repair this past December on my right hand and my wrist still hurts.

So, I’m not a fan of surgery. Perhaps it will be different for my daughter. She is younger and stronger. And did I mention she is younger and stronger? Yea. Hopefully, she won’t be out of commission too far into the next school year, and will be ready for softball season. That is what she is shooting for.

Health

In Texas for mY Dad

Posted on February 8, 2017May 17, 2017 by Tony

My dad has been sick lately with some digestive issues. So on Saturday, I drove to Texas to assist him with doctors visits. The issue he is having will require surgery, which we are hoping will take place on tomorrow with Dr. Zamil, a gastroenterologist at Hermann Memorial hospital.

His condition caused him not to be able to eat. He hasn’t been able to swallow or digest any food. A surgery on his esophagus will get things back to near normal. He has gotten weak from a lack of nutrition. He was also dehydrated, so we took him to the hospital on Monday. He is feeling better after receiving fluids and meds for pain caused by constant vomiting.

I am looking forward to a full recovery. My dad was always a strong willed man. He was also strong physically. It is very disconcerting to see him in this weakened condition. Hopefully, this will all be over soon.

Change, Diet

Signs of Permanent Change

Posted on June 28, 2016May 17, 2017 by Tony

I have always known that change has to come from the inside. For me, this kind of impetus comes from the Spirit of the Lord that lives inside all of us. Once we begin to listen to that voice on the inside of us, changing is a little bit easier.

I had surgery a few weeks ago, to repair a herniated disc in my neck. I was pretty sore the first couple of days home but eventually started to feel better.

It would have been very easy to get off my diet. And in fact, the second day I was home from the hospital, I had some ice cream. I also nearly bought a lot more junk food. The original reason I went out for ice cream was to soothe my severe sore throat.

The surgery involved entry through the front of the neck, and moving my throat to one side. This is what made it so sore. It was hard to swallow. Eating ice, or ice cream, any cold things in general, made it feel better. Also, drinking hot tea made it feel better.

Fortunately, I chose to get back on my diet the day after the ice cream. This is because of a deeper change; more than a decision to change my diet, or to lose weight. I seem to have made a change on a deeper level. My desire deep down is to do something different; live a different way, a way that will benefit my health.

There seems to be, deep within me, a deep desire to change my lifestyle and habits. It is more than a decision, but a change in my very person. I don’t actually know how it happened, or when, but it has. More and more, I make better decisions about what I eat. I don’t always get it right, especially when eating out. But I do better every time I have the opportunity.

The change I am experiencing governs every decision when it comes to food, activities, and exercise. It was a change on the inside of me. Maybe it came from a desire to be healthier. Or maybe it came from being tired of being unhealthy. But the power of actual change definitely comes from the Spirit inside. This I am sure of. All it takes is agreeing to the change inside of you.

Diet, Health, pain

Posted on May 26, 2016May 26, 2016 by Tony

I am scheduled for surgery on June 13. It will be to repair a herniated disc in my neck. They will cut a hole in the front of my neck, move my throat to one side, and take the disc out, add an implant, and close.

Sounds easy enough but, as I found out with my back surgery, nothing is easy. My back surgery recovery was supposed to be about 8 weeks. It turned out to be closer to 8 months, and I still experience pain from it to this day.

I’m not expecting it to be easy this time either. I’m not really looking forward to it. However, it is necessary because the disc is pressing against a nerve, which is causing some weakness and numbness in the left side of my body.

On the right side of my neck is a bone spur, which is causing pain. This will also be repaired. I really hope this surgery relieves some of that.

I have been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, so, it may not be my last time in surgery. I guess that’s assuming I survive this one.

Anyway, I am still losing weight. The diet is still going well. I’m looking forward to more progress.

Diet, food

Diet Fail? Maybe but no Guilt

Posted on May 11, 2016July 29, 2016 by Tony

I had a bit of a blow out this weekend, including Monday. The weekend probably wasn’t that bad. I had a couple of bags of popcorn. But on Monday I was in Lexington for my daughter’s softball game (we won btw), and afterward we went to a restaurant called “Fatz.”

I had the quarter rack of baby backs and chicken tenders. I thought the tenders were going to be grilled, but they were fried. The rest of the meal was okay; collard greens and broccoli. But the fried chicken tenders did not serve me well the next day.

There were no stomach issues except for the constant hunger pain for nearly the whole day yesterday. I was very much back on my keto diet all day yesterday but I was constantly feeling hunger pains, which caused me to eat a little more than I usually do. I was still within a reasonable amount of calories though.

Today I feel much better and things seem to be back to normal. I gained a pound but that’s no biggy. I’ve been fluctuating all along. On average I have been losing between 2.5 to 3 pounds per week.

I have started strength training. Taking it easy though. I don’t want to hurt myself again.

I have no guilt about what happened. In fact I plan on sometimes breaking the diet but, I will always go back. The “no guilt” thing comes from my faith. I am not viewing any food as wrong. There is just food. I can eat anything I want, but, I choose to eat the things that most benefit me. Eliminating the pressure of staying on a diet frees me to do what I really want to do, which is to eat right (for me).

Anyway, I am currently at 248 lbs. as of this morning. I will probably walk today. I may go to the gym. I’m feeling pretty good. Oh yea, I may have surgery in a couple a few weeks to repair a bulging disc in my neck. I just want to get it over with. Other than that I’m doing great.