Mayo Holiday

We had a kickin' hotel room at Mayo.  We usually sport the cheapo rooms when we go overnight to Rapid City, but we wanted to be close to the clinic, and that comes with a pricetag.  Here is our room:

HH had important things to do like sort his M&Ms.

I may have single handedly overturned Doubletree's Cookie policy....those things are like crack good.

Other than our appointments, we really took it easy.  We had some fabulous meals and I got to read a bunch.  HH worked on killing things in his video game.

This dessert was from the restaurant Pescara in our hotel.  They had the best gazpacho since when I ate it in Spain!

HH cooking his scallops on a "hot stone" at a restaurant called Twigs.

I also had some appointments at Mayo.  I had extensive bloodwork done.  The internist referred me to an endocrinologist who specializes in people that have had weight loss surgery.  It was awesome for the doctor to know all about my surgery, asking me about my common channel length, etc.  My bloodwork came back stellar.  She said I take a lot of supplements, but it is obviously working for me.  So here is the root of the problem:

I feel tired ALL THE TIME.  I watch people who are almost twice my age having more energy than me.  I explained it to HH that at the end of a day, I feel as if I have been moving boxes all day, instead of just doing normal tasks.  This has really gone on for years.  Early out, I know it was related to rapid weight loss, and some deficiencies (iron transfusions in 2010).  She had ruled out internal medical causes, and said it was because I don't exercise.  I was all about exercise in the beginning, but I started losing weight rapidly, and I stopped.  I never started back.  I have not purposely exercised in almost four years.  This has resulted in me having the body of an eighty year old. 

I saw a sports medicine rehabilitation specialist at Mayo.  Doing the basic stretches, and tests, it was quite easy to see that I have no muscular abilities.  So here is the plan:  I am healthy enough (on the basis of both doctors) to have my plastic surgery on my arms and thighs on June 4th.  I will spend the remainder of the summer recovering from that.  Then, for 2-3 months, I will work on basic stretching exercises (think wheelchair activities....they are almost that sad).  After that, I will work on a walking aerobic exercise program.  She wants me to progress very slowly because of how much my muscles have gone down hill.  She says I won't "feel" like doing it for some time, but it is absolutely essential if I ever want to feel normal again.  I also have a prescription to meet with a Sports Medicine Physical Therapist on a monthly basis to get me back on track again.

Lessons Learned Five Years Post-Op:

• Every body is created to MOVE, even MINE.
• I had the ability to control my weight very precisely, but that did not mean I was healthy.

New Find for our Door: