18 months ago today I was paralyzed. ---Pics.---

tripodsmom · December 2012

wow! amazing! what an inspiration!:flowerforyou:

shae68143 · December 2012

So absolutely amazng!!! Thank you for sharing your story with us!

Ladyslippers · December 2012

Awesomeness. And such amazing and determination. You are truly an inspiration. And you look fabulous. Thank you for sharing your journey with us!

Kryn_K · December 2012

Today is a big day for me. It was 18 months ago today, June 11, 2011, that I was rushed to the ER in an ambulance because I had lost all feeling below the waist. I was transferred to a bigger city hospital where I had emergency spinal surgery - laminectomy, discectomy, and decompression of my spinal cord. Diagnosis was cauda equina syndrome due to a severely herniated disc.

When I woke up I could not move my legs. I could not stand or walk. I was in a wheelchair. For a few weeks I lived at a rehab hospital to regain strength as I sloooowly regained sensation in my legs. It's not all fully back - to this day I'm still numb down the back of my right leg and the bottom of my right foot. Chances are I'll never get that feeling back.

At my discharge appointment with the neurosurgeon on August 17, 2011, he told me to prevent this from happening again, that I needed to lose weight. I took his advice to heart.

I've posted on here before but I wanted to again because today is a big milestone for me. It's been a year and a half. It seems like so long ago but 18 months really isn't that long. It's been 18 months of the hardest work of my life.

18 months ago when I had this injury, I weighed 270 pounds. Now I don't. I weigh about 161-165.

18 months ago when I had this injury, I couldn't walk. Now I can. And I can RUN 12 miles at a shot.

HOW? MyFitnessPal and exercise. That's it. Being accountable for what I eat, and moving my body more.

I'm 5'8" and have three kids, who were 9 months, 2.5 years, and 5 years old at the time of my injury.

Before:

In the hospital

Hours of daily therapy in the rehab hospital

About a week after surgery was the first time I could feel my toes. It was truly amazing. This is the morning I woke up and could feel the fabric of my sock brushing on my toes.

After a few weeks I was out of the wheelchair and using a walker and I was discharged home. I had physical and occupational therapists visiting my house 4-5x/week for about 6 weeks.

Then I graduated to a cane the next month. This is the only picture I can find of my cane. That's my youngest daughter.

A month after that my surgeon told me to lose weight. So I started walking daily and joined MFP that very day.

Old pants (size 24) vs new pants (size medium)

Now I run a lot.

And wear a size 8/10

If I could do it, you can too. Get up and move. Start logging your nutrition. Be accountable to yourself. You're worth it.

Thanks for letting me share.

you made me cry .. this is an incredible history about strength i don't know you but i saw enough to respect and admire you, not only for the weight loss but for the capacity of pulling through. :flowerforyou:

LorinaLynn · December 2012

Holy crap! You rock!!! :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

Begood03 · December 2012

You have come a very long way, congratulations on all your hard work. I too, have had back surgery, so I know what it is like to come back from it.

Sima05 · December 2012

You are amazing!!

bluiz13 · December 2012

you truly are an inspiration....you completely got your life back in the absolute best way...congrats....

abbezen · December 2012

Thank you for sharing your truly amazing story!

chickfromsc · December 2012

AMAZING story!! You must be so proud of all that you have accomplished! And you look WONDERFUL!

XtyAnn17 · December 2012

Such an inspiration!!!

redstampede · December 2012

Wow~ Thank you for sharing this! It is very inspirational!

HarlowS · December 2012

What an absolutely wonderful story! Thanks for sharing and congrats to you! You look great!

beckyinma · December 2012

Holy amazing transformation batman! I'm so inspired by your transformation. It stinks that it had to be such a terrible thing to get you to realize you needed to get healthy, but taking it to heart, that's the best thing you could do for yourself and your family. congratulations on your transformation and keep up the great work!!!