It is 2yrs today since I had my stroke and my life has has never been the same. I don't mean that in a drama queen or poor me way I mean it in the reality of life.
Before my stroke I worked hard and played hard, I was a senior nurse manager in the NHS and for most of the time loved my job. I have always been a yo-yo dieter and over the years was 'really good' and would lose weight but always slipped back into old habits so always regained and more.At my heaviest I was 15.10 and not even my husband knows that! I am now 12.3 and a 1/2 Ib.I am scared to count the money I've spend on diet clubs/fad diets/ books/mags all in the pursuit of wgt loss !!
Six weeks before my stroke I saw my GP for my yearly health check and she suggested I needed to lose weight and wanted me to take statins, as much as I like and trust her she sat across from me looking like Buddah, yes very overweight as well and I thought ' I can do this myself' so left full of good intentions that unfortunately never came till after the event.
After the stroke and I was discharged from hospital my sister printed off the NHS 12 week plan for me and although I was having intensive speech therapy and stroke rehab I was determined to change, plus I was really scared I was only 53yrs, and I knew this had to be for ever.
My journey began very slowly as I am left with speech and cognitive difficulties ( that's why my posts are sometimes really stilted because I struggle for words and miss out small words so bare with me !! lol)
I lost my job and was medically retired in Feb 2015 and this was devastating, work was all I knew, I had never has children so found life really empty. All of my friends worked and I was not one to 'Coffee' and it seemed to take a long time to turn around emotionally. This forum has really helped,I dip in a few times a day and it has also helped so much with my thinking, reading, writing and processing skills.
By Xmas 2014 I was doing really great, but the fear had left me a bit and by end of jan2015 was back up to 13st 5Ib, so much for change!! Then end of Jan I had a massive seizure out of the blue, and again hospitalised and need further rehab. I knew then that I had to get this health thing sorted, so for a few months muddled along losing a bit,putting on a bit. I was reading some posts and came across Juliet44, she had posted her weight (it was a Friday) her story really touched me and I decided then to join the gang and I haveπ
I added in exercise, I used to walk and I have a dog but that was about it.I now do a circuit class X 3 per week, aquafit on a tues am and at leat two walks into town a week ( about 3 miles) and feel really good.
When I look back I often wonder what would have happened if I'd heeded the GP's advice and done statins sooner, and not messed around for years eating and drinking too much, but hey ho it can't be changed,I am here and feel very glad and lucky to be here. I am not perfect I do make dodgy choices, I am a sugar addict and eat when ' emotional' but over all I'm doing ok.
I will not look back in anger, I look forward to living a long and happy life.( can't think of another song title lol)
Thank you all for your inspiration, humour, advice and support. Sorry for the epic tale but I feel in a good place and want to share a bit of me as you all do.
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