Staying on Track When Life Gets in the Way

Hello, good people!

Let me tell you, life over here has been crazy! And when I say crazy, I mean it's been impacting just about every part of my life. I'm sure many of you have had your own rollercoasters going on, too. But before I get into everything, I want you to know that I am still committed to my journey. I haven't given up, and I haven't forgotten what I'm working toward. I just wanted to bring you along for a little update.

So, what have I been up to?

Well, I had an appointment with a new doctor, and she is a lovely person. And when I say lovely, she's about the size of a teenager on a cheerleading team! LOL. She really is a beautiful person, and so far, I'm happy with her.

We spent quite a bit of time talking about nutrition. However, my biggest concern really isn't food. It's my fluid issues.

Let's Talk About This Fluid!

This has been an issue for me since I was a young adult, long before my weight was anywhere near where it is today. It's something that has gone up and down over the years. There are times when I seem to retain fluid, and then suddenly it goes away.

For the longest time, I thought it was related to my time of the month because the timing seemed to coincide with it. Well, I'm way past that stage now, so that theory doesn't quite explain things anymore!

One of my frustrations has been trying to get doctors to look beyond the usual advice of lose weight and move more. If you've read about me facing challenges on this path, you know how important it is to keep digging for real solutions.

I move. I urinate it out. (See y'all, I'm using proper language! LOL.) And then it comes back again, even after I've been moving around.

I'm hoping to get some better answers because this isn't something that just started with my weight.

I'm also going to be working with a dietitian, which is a free benefit through my health insurance. Remember when I told you this isn't a diet? Well, when I speak with her, we're not sitting down to discuss another diet. We're talking about nutrition, my eating habits, and some of the concerns I have.

And I'm looking forward to that.

Now, About These Teeth!

This is what has really been impacting my everyday life lately.

I need to have two molars removed, and I had the first one pulled last week. Let me tell you, it's not going as smoothly as I would have liked.

Especially for someone who makes cooking videos!

I mean, what am I supposed to do? I can't exactly make a big meal for a video and then not be able to enjoy it. And I certainly don't want to waste food just because I need something to film.

Lately, I've been hungry. And when I say hungry, I mean REALLLLLY hungry!

My food choices have been pretty limited. I've been eating yogurt, oatmeal, cream of wheat, some pudding, and potatoes, both white and sweet.

I've also been so afraid of getting a dry socket that I've become a little afraid to eat anything that requires actual chewing. I know, I know. Some people might think I'm being overly cautious, but that's where my head is right now.

I did manage to eat some meat yesterday, though. I baked some steelhead trout in foil and mashed it up. LOL! And you know what? It was good!

Oh, and I almost forgot hummus!

So, yes, I've been finding ways to get something into my system, but it certainly isn't how I normally eat.

And just when I think I'm getting through this, next week I'm scheduled to have the other molar removed.

So here we go again!

My Movement and Water Intake

With everything going on, my movement has been limited. Honestly, I just haven't had the energy. And because my food choices have been so limited, I've been dealing with hunger more than usual.

Now, one thing I haven't been doing is taking a bunch of pain medication. Thankfully, I only needed one pill a day during the first two days. I haven't had to rely on pain medication since.

But here's the thing. It's been about a week, and you would think I would be feeling better by now, or perhaps noticing some changes in how my body feels. I haven't.

I also haven't gotten on the scale, so I don't have a number to share with you this time. And that's okay. What I do know is that I don't want to respond to being hungry by eating everything in sight just because I finally can. We all know what can happen when hunger takes over and we don't stop to think about what we're eating. LOL. I'm trying to be mindful while still making sure I get enough nourishment.

But there is one thing I can say has improved.

My water intake!

I've been doing much better with drinking water, and here's something I never thought I'd say. I haven't had any coffee since my extraction! Yep, not a single cup. Water has actually replaced my morning coffee, and I've been drinking it first thing in the morning. Now, y'all know I love my coffee—just check out my coffee that brought the aroma back post to see how much—so that's saying something!

Finding the Win

I know this update probably sounds like a whole lot of things going on at once, and it is. Between doctor appointments, trying to understand my fluid issues, working with a dietitian, and getting these teeth taken care of, my normal routine has been turned upside down.

And with Thanksgiving coming around, I'm hoping I'll be able to enjoy a more normal meal by then. Although, at this point, I'm not making any promises! LOL.

What I don't want to do is lose sight of the bigger picture. This journey isn't just about getting on a scale and watching a number go down. It's also about learning more about my body, paying attention to what I'm putting into it, making changes where I can, and recognizing progress even when it doesn't look the way I expected.

So, for now, I'm celebrating the win. I'm drinking more water. I'm having conversations with my healthcare providers. I'm learning, adjusting, and doing the best I can with where I am right now. And that counts!

Until next time, good people. Remember, we're taking this one day at a time.

Get to taking care of yourself!