Let me start off by apologizing for not checking in as often as I should. Sorry!

I received several messages as well as comments from people checking up on me and I really appreciate that. I don't recognize a lot of faces on here anymore so a lot of you may not recognize mine either! If we aren't familiar, feel free to read some of my older blog posts, if you'd like. 😊😊

I looked at my last blog post and realized IT'S FROM OCTOBER! I was just shy of two months post-op then. Today, I'm just shy of 8 months out and boooyyyyyy has this been crazy.

The craziness hasn't stemmed from the surgery itself, but from an illness that I suffered and am continuing to suffer from. In November, I was diagnosed with an auto-immune sickness known as Guillian-barre Syndrome. Some of you may have heard of it or may have even been diagnosed with it yourself, so you know, it's no day at DisneyLand. It started at the end of October with tiredness in my legs. I initially blamed my low food intake and started upping my protein. That didn't do the trick. Within the first two weeks of November, it progressively got worse. November 15th, 2013 I was rushed by my family to the ER after my legs had given out on me in the bathroom, I fell, and did not have the strength in my legs to get myself off of the floor. After I crawled and scooted on my hands and knees to the living room, my family was able to help me onto the couch. After realizing that couldn't stand, I was carried to the car and rushed to a Tulsa hospital for answers. In the ER, was poked and prodded and scanned and questioned for nearly 8 hours until the ER doctor told me he had no idea and would need to admit me for further testing. 5 weeks later, after countless MRIs, CT Scans, EMG tests, blood draws, spinal punctures, a gallbladder removal, 2 nerve biopsies, and 2 rounds of immuno-globulin IV therapy, I was released to an inpatient physical therapy hospital to begin my recovery. I was in the rehabilitation facility for another 3 weeks before FINALLY being released to my home. Not without my very own wheelchair and handicap-accessible devices though. To make it all worse, I developed severe depression in the midst of all of it.

Currently, I do in-home physical therapy 3 days a week and have regained a lot of my strength back. I do still travel by way of wheelchair but I am hoping to be out of it in the next few months. I can stand and walk with a lot of assistance from my physical therapist and a walker. I can't wait for the day when it's just me and the walker, then just me. Just yesterday, I walked 50 feet which is my longest distance to date. As small as it may seem, those kinds of advances in my recovery are what keep me motivated to continue.

Just to make things clear, after many discussions between my surgeon and my attending hospital physician, my illness had ZERO to do with my sleeve surgery. At first, I ignorantly cursed the sleeve endlessly for "doing this to me" but looking back, Gullian-Barre could happen to anyone and I just happened to be one of the unlucky ones. Today, I praise the sleeve and the weightloss it has helped me achieve. Without it, there is no doubt in my mind that I would not have been able to recover as well as I have. I could not imagine doing this 100+ pounds heavier. The sleeve has truly been a life saver to me.

Sooooo enough about the unfun stuff, here's the great stuff!!
I have lost 101lbs since my surgery, and 121lbs over-all! I am typing this while wearing a size LARGE shirt and size 16 jeans!!! That's down from a 2x-3x top and 22-24 jeans. I'm roughly 30lbs away from goal!!!!!!!

I hope everyone has a blessed day!

7 1/2 months down, a lifetime to go!!!