My Fluctuating Weight

Most of the people do not really care or pay attention to their weight and while that is fine for them it is not fine for me.  About a year ago, I was hospitalized with a staph infection and lost 10 pounds. I lost another 10 pound just by counting my calories and keeping my intake level at 2000/day.  Then I had a colonoscopy and lost another 10 pounds...  and, while I have about 20 more pounds to go until I am at the weight I should be for my age and height, I want to maintain my current level and not let it creep back up.

My scales are not the most expensive kind and have been fairly accurate with the digital scales at doctor's offices; however, my weight can fluctuate 2 pounds from one day to the next and according to my daily calorie chart, I am eating the same calories from one day to the next for those 2 days specifically.

SO...  why the change?

And, when my weight is down and I decide to eat more than I should at least for that one day, my weight does not change at all as far as those scales are concerned.

While this might not bother other folks, it bothers me...  which is odd because one would think that I have more serious things about which to worry these days...

Currently...

In March of 2020, I decided for whatever reason, to start counting my daily intake of calories.  Doing something like this is not new to me because back in the 1990's, I decided to start counting my daily intake of FAT GRAMS and after collecting that data for over a year, I decided to plot that data on what was called an X bar R Chart to see if I could determine any trends and after calculating was was called statistical control limits, analyzed the data to see if my eating habits were IN CONTROL or OUT OF CONTROL.  I still have that data somewhere.

When I started calculating my calories, my weight was right around 250 pounds although it could increase to 252 and maybe 254 but never went below 248.  After 2 months of collecting calories and trying to convince myself mentally to reduce my caloric intake, my weight dropped down to 240 pounds.  

When I started I was eating over 2,500 calories a day.  Then I tried to reduce it to 2,000 calories a day and then a further reduction to 1,500 calories a day...

A staph infection put me in the hospital for 6 days and the only positive outcome besides being released from the hospital was the fact that my weight was now down to 230 pounds.

My calorie intake started to vary more than I had anticipated where one week, my intake would be between 1,200 and 1,500 and the next week, my intake would be between 1,500 and 1,800 but seldom ever got close to 2,000 and only over 2,000 if my wife and I went out to dinner or celebrated a birthday.

My weight was now below 230 a couple of pounds and for some reason, I lost my appetite just before having to prepare for a colonoscopy...   and, when all was said and done, the day of my colonoscopy, my weight was 213 pounds...  the lowest ever.

Within a couple of days after the procedure, my weight increased to 219, mainly because of fluids I suspect and a couple of days after that and because I got my appetite back, it increased to 221 pounds, but seems to be holding steady as my body reaches a new equilibrium..

My plan is to watch my calorie intake

Maintain 1,500+/- calories each day

Stabilize my weight around 220 pounds

After I am convinced that I have been able to achieve these goals, I will start a plan of action to take my weight down to 205 pounds...  which was actually my goal in March of 2020 when I started.

Getting Over It All

Yesterday was my colonoscopy/upper GI and while the doctor took some biopsies in the upper part of my body and removed a polyp from my colon, my overall results were excellent to outstanding...  so, I suppose that is cause for celebration.

The operation itself lasted only 50 minutes as opposed to the 120 minutes I was anticipating and the recovery time was only about 15 minutes and I had my clothes on waiting for the doctor to report.  There was nothing in my stomach or esophagus like a cancer or a tumor or anything that could have caused my loss of appetite and nausea after eating.  But, he will obviously know more about the biopsy results come back which will, like always, take a week or more.

It was odd, but instead of being pushed in a wheelchair to my wife's car to be taken home, I was was escorted by a nurse who asked several times was I doing ok.  My wife had to sign a document saying she had picked me up which she nor I ever had to do at the other places.  Of course, this was TENNOVA and I imagine for profits must need to make sure they are keeping their costs down.

Once home, I took a nap for 4 hours as I was weak and had not gotten much sleep the night before.  In the early afternoon, I had a meal of rice and vege sausage and a couple cinnamon swirl coffee buns and some lemon and peach jello...  all of which was a strange combination but the food was convenient and easily available....   but, only after I had taken a shower and gotten all that hospital smell off of me.

My body still feels a little weird as it fills back up with food and the growling and gurgling of my stomach can be easily heard by those nearby.  It will probably take me until tomorrow before I am somewhat back to normal.

It's A Good Day For A Colonoscopy

This morning I have to report to the local hospital at 6:30 am which is about a 5 minute drive from the house.  Ordinarily, I would not even go to our local hospital to replace a bandage, but my doctor is driving up from Knoxville for the procedure...  He is typically up her one day a week for some reason and I take advantage of his kindness.

My procedure, I have been told is at 7:30 am and I am the second one of the day...  so, I should be done about 8:30/9:30 am (give or take) and out by 10:00/10:30 am if all goes well...  and, there is no reason why all should not go well...   there has never been a problem before...  other than removing polyps.  I am also having an UPPER GI which should add about 30-40 minutes which is the 9:30 am end time...   and, if I feel like it, my wife and I might just drive to our local Perkins for an omelet and pancakes.

This morning, and because of the prep for my colonoscopy, my weight was below 220 pounds which is good...   nice and slow losing program...  and, about 15 more pounds to go in order to get to my 205 goal.  All things, even though they seem negative at the time, end up being positive.

Pre Prep Prep

For the last couple of days, I have had to eat what the papers I was given refer to as a light diet...  no heavy foods like pizza and hamburger...  so, I am assuming that rice, fish, and eggs are ok for me to eat...   I also have to stay away from beans and corn and foods with lots of fiber as that clogs the scope.    And, if you have not guessed it by now, I am preparing for a colonoscopy...  I am getting one every two years because of my cancer history and because some pre-cancerous polyps were removed two years ago.  I will be having an Upper GI as well because of a "loss of appetite" issue that has presented a little concern.

While today is not that bad on the body, tomorrow will be the real test as I will be eliminating all waste from my colon while at the same time, I will be putting only liquid back into my system and according to the instructions, will be continuing with the prep at MIDNIGHT which means that in addition to little food, there will be little sleep as well...

I have also contacted the dentist with a tooth ache that has been persistent for the last several days that I cannot or should not do anything about until after the colonoscopy for fear that the procedure may have to be delayed...

It all comes at one time...  or appears to anyway...

I Have Watched Myself Grow Old

Ever since 1990, when I moved to TN from NC at the age of 43, I have been aware of myself physically and mentally rather than via instincts and have, for the last 30 years, watched myself grow old...  older and older each day...  each week...  each month...  each year...  each decade...  and, the aging process is not always that pretty or welcomed.  I lost my closest friend along the way who died of colon cancer in his 60's and my other closest friendship was ended when I decided to have my taxes prepared locally.  Losing friends is not so easy...  and, making new ones is harder than one might expect...  so, for the last 30 years, my friends have been my co-workers and/or the friends that my wife brought into this marriage...  who would not really be my friends any longer if we were ever to divorce...

So...  from age 43-60, there was hardly any aging process at all...  at least none that I could detect.  I was eating healthy, sleeping appropriately, never got sick, never got the flu, and my wife and I were fast walking 5 miles a day around our community (so it was not always flat) and the healthy eating included hardly ever any red meat, no fried foods, minimal sugars and/or sweets, minimal alcohol, and mostly fruits and vegetables...

My blood pressure was low and my cholesterol was low (both the good and the bad) and the only issue that could have bothered me during those 17 years of relative BLISS was the amount of STRESS that I encountered each day.  My career had taken off in that I was working 60+ hour weeks and bring work home on the weekends...  and, it was not because my bosses demanded that amount of time but because I wanted to give it or that I felt like my job needed it as I always went above and beyond.

AT THE AGE OF 60...  my world turned to shit...  not literally but figuratively or metaphorically I suppose would be better because my world of health turned upside down...  I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (SLL) and started treatment in 2008.  In 2009, it was discovered that I had experienced a heart attack while walking on the treadmill and exploratory surgery indicated that I needed a triple bypass.

My LAD (the widow maker) was blocked 100% and two other arteries on the left side of my heart were both blocked 90%.  Instead of having a bypass, I had my arteries cleaned out and stints inserted that took 3 operations in 2009 and 2010.  There procedures were performed at Presbyterian Hospital in NYC.  My Cardiologist said that because I was so damn healthy that my body created its own bypass by created dozens of vessels to transport blood which is what actually saved my life.

In 2012, Melanoma appeared on the bottom of my left foot probably brought by some of the drugs used for my chemo treatments and after being surgically removed reappeared in force in 2017 which resulted in me receiving radiation treatments.  Fatigue and nausea were my daily routine until my doctors discovered that my Thyroid was out of whack due to my chemo treatments.  And, while the fatigue and nausea have almost disappeared, they are lurking just around the corner I fear.

A prostate biopsy in 2020 left me with negative results but a high PSA puts me in a situation where I will be monitored often from now on...  And, because I had several polyps removed in a 2018 colonoscopy, my new routine for that procedure is now every 2 years instead of 5 or 10...  with my next one being scheduled for January 2021.

One would think that this would be enough, but the past July I was admitted to the ER with a Staph infection in my blood and because of afib, heart failure, kidney failure, and a blood pressure of 79/59, I was admitted to the hospital for 6 days.  Now my Cardiologist has informed me that once one has experienced afib, it will be with them for the rest of their lives.

My last PET scan that showed no metabolic activity in either of my cancers revealed that I have a tumor in one of my lungs that is just a few CM's in length (too small to biopsy) and I am scheduled for another CT scan in a couple of weeks to see if it has grown.

Because of all the chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation my body virtually has no immune system and is experiencing anemia...  so, every other month, I am now receiving an infusion of IVIG which is supposed to help supplement what the treatments have taken away...  but, I am still susceptible to catching almost any other disease...  especially COVID...  and, that scare has kept me in the house unless I have to leave for any doctor's appointment...  but, when I do, I ALWAYS WEAR A MASK...

For 17 years I did everything right and was a model of physical health, exercise, and eating habits, but that made no difference at all...  and, while I am not angry or feel wrong for what I did, I still don't really understand why it happened to me and not someone else...  especially that someone who does not take care of themselves like I did.

Today, except for some major and minor adjustment, I feel pretty good about myself and my health and if you were to see me on the street, you would not suspect that I had a serious heart attack and had been receiving cancer treatments for 13 years.