Do not let my story be yours...
mart001
Posts: 194 Member
Someone asked me if I felt better after losing all my weight, 114 pounds as of now.Here was my response.
I know the weight loss is great and good for my overall health, but just kind of sad thinking I would feel better after I lost so much weight. I have damage to my left side and always a tingling cold feeling especially in my hand and legs due to nerve damage, My balance is shaky especially when i look up or to the sides.
And even though, the medications I am on have come down, I am still very tired all the time. That being said, I know it is a positive thing losing weight and am thankful for the things I can do as my therapists I had after the stroke, told me a lot of people that had the type of stroke I had, do not survive, and those that do, many end up in a wheel chair. Right after the stroke, I was in a wheel chair and progressed to a walker, then a cane, and finaly nothing. I look at this diet like I did with my progression after the stroke. First to get out of the morbidly obese zone. the next step was to get out of the obese zone, then to get to the over weight zone and now i am about 8 pounds from getting into the healty zone.
But like i tell everyone here, do not concentrate on how far you have to go. Look at what you have accomplished. So do I feel like I wished I felt at this point, not really, but I am thankful for what may have been if I never recovered from the stroke and if I did not lose all this weight. I was told when you have a stroke, you are more likely to have another, so I knew being that heavy was something I could control, and did not want to go thru being in intensive care again for 2 weeks, or being in the hospital for 5 weeks. So if this inspires one person to do things that I did not, like watch your weight and watch your blood pressure, I feel this is helpful. I was the typical guy that ate bad, never went to the Dr's and figured, nothing would happen to me. Well it did and without warning. I went to lunch with a coworker, went to Target with her to get xmas decorations for our office, and just lost my balance and fell. I remember thinking that was weird. I got up, walked a little and fell again. I remember that is when they called an ambulance and a stranger sitting with me while my friend called for help. I was in no pain and did not know what was happening. I remember the paramedics getting there and nothing more for the next week until I had woke up, and remembering being upset not being able to do the tasks the therapists had me do that I knew a 3rd grader could do. And worst was having family not knowing if I would even survive. Pretty scary stuff.
I often think how my life would have been if I still lived in New Jersey where we grew up. What would my career have been? Would I have been married and had kids? It certainly would be different than it is now. That can be said for all of us. The choices you make determin your future. When you move, what college you pick, friends that you make or leave, will all change your future, and you will never know what would have happened if you made a different choice. I had the same decision when starting this, do nothing or do something. I knew the path I was taking, was not going to do me any good, and for that matter, I may not even been here writing this now. Or make the decision I should have done years ago, go down the positive path for me, to make the right decision. I hope this inspires or motivates just 1 person.So please, next time you are tempted by something, make the right decision, for your family, your friends and most of all YOURSELF!!! take care, my pals...p.s. - sorry so long...
I know the weight loss is great and good for my overall health, but just kind of sad thinking I would feel better after I lost so much weight. I have damage to my left side and always a tingling cold feeling especially in my hand and legs due to nerve damage, My balance is shaky especially when i look up or to the sides.
And even though, the medications I am on have come down, I am still very tired all the time. That being said, I know it is a positive thing losing weight and am thankful for the things I can do as my therapists I had after the stroke, told me a lot of people that had the type of stroke I had, do not survive, and those that do, many end up in a wheel chair. Right after the stroke, I was in a wheel chair and progressed to a walker, then a cane, and finaly nothing. I look at this diet like I did with my progression after the stroke. First to get out of the morbidly obese zone. the next step was to get out of the obese zone, then to get to the over weight zone and now i am about 8 pounds from getting into the healty zone.
But like i tell everyone here, do not concentrate on how far you have to go. Look at what you have accomplished. So do I feel like I wished I felt at this point, not really, but I am thankful for what may have been if I never recovered from the stroke and if I did not lose all this weight. I was told when you have a stroke, you are more likely to have another, so I knew being that heavy was something I could control, and did not want to go thru being in intensive care again for 2 weeks, or being in the hospital for 5 weeks. So if this inspires one person to do things that I did not, like watch your weight and watch your blood pressure, I feel this is helpful. I was the typical guy that ate bad, never went to the Dr's and figured, nothing would happen to me. Well it did and without warning. I went to lunch with a coworker, went to Target with her to get xmas decorations for our office, and just lost my balance and fell. I remember thinking that was weird. I got up, walked a little and fell again. I remember that is when they called an ambulance and a stranger sitting with me while my friend called for help. I was in no pain and did not know what was happening. I remember the paramedics getting there and nothing more for the next week until I had woke up, and remembering being upset not being able to do the tasks the therapists had me do that I knew a 3rd grader could do. And worst was having family not knowing if I would even survive. Pretty scary stuff.
I often think how my life would have been if I still lived in New Jersey where we grew up. What would my career have been? Would I have been married and had kids? It certainly would be different than it is now. That can be said for all of us. The choices you make determin your future. When you move, what college you pick, friends that you make or leave, will all change your future, and you will never know what would have happened if you made a different choice. I had the same decision when starting this, do nothing or do something. I knew the path I was taking, was not going to do me any good, and for that matter, I may not even been here writing this now. Or make the decision I should have done years ago, go down the positive path for me, to make the right decision. I hope this inspires or motivates just 1 person.So please, next time you are tempted by something, make the right decision, for your family, your friends and most of all YOURSELF!!! take care, my pals...p.s. - sorry so long...
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Replies
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Anyways, thank you for sharing your story, amazing job on the weight loss and I think I can see where you're coming from on how you're feeling about the weightloss and how different things could be with what ifs...either way, I'm glad you changed things around, it's better late than never!0
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Thank you so much for sharing
Your experience is such an inspiration and very motivational
Im glad to see youve gotten back on your feel after your health scare
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Thank you for sharing your story and I wish you the best. Good job getting it together dude
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Thank you for sharing your story. A little perspective can help us all.0
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I wish things could be different for you ...... but never give up !
Congrats on all the weight loss ....... and hoping that each day you suffer less & less ......
(((( hugs ))))0 -
Thank you, OP, for sharing your story!0
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This is real life stuff right here!!! You are an amazing example to us all. Your story should be shared. Congratulations on your continued success!0
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Thank you for sharing! I have a similar story. Roll over car accident 7 years ago. Broke my neck and my back. I am lucky to be alive. Very inspiring read. Hope everything continues to go well for you! :flowerforyou:0
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Wow! Taking charge and getting it done! Strokes are hideous. Most of my clients (home health) have had strokes.0
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Thank you for sharing your story! I do therapy with stroke patients and am constantly amazed at their bravery and hard work. It takes true courage to overcome the effects of a stroke...congratulations on your commitment to a healthy life!0
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thanks for sharing, Marty. Your story is inspiring and very honest, hugs to you, my friend.0
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Awesome job!0
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Thank you for sharing your story with us all. You have made such wonderful progress both in your recovery and weight loss. It is both scary and inspiring (and completely true) that our life is largely guided by our decisions.0
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