Barbara C.

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I fell on the icy driveway about a month ago. My feet flew out from under me and up above my hips. When I hit the driveway, I actually felt like I was being 'dropped' onto the cement. At any rate, while my back really hurt, it was my wrist that was screaming at me. It has quit screaming, but my back is still really hurting. My dear husband was worried about me and asked me to have the Dr. check it. I saw my Dr. today and they did a couple of Xrays which show that I have at least one compression fracture in my spine. I also had a DexaScan done to test my bone denisty and they compared it to the one done 2 years ago. It shows deterioration of the bone mass and that I now have osteoporosis. I had osteopinia, the precursor to osteoporosis when the last DexaScan was done. My Dr. said it's common among 'petite' white women. I laughed and said I hadn't been petite for very long. He said it is likely due to my family history of osteoporosis; my grandmother, great aunt, mother and sister all had or have it. He also said that my excess weight may have 'protected' me before because of the 'load bearing exercise' associated with carrying that excess weight. Now, I no longer have that 'protection.' 

They don't know if and/or how much my RNY has to do with my osteoporosis considering my family history. None of my other family members have had a bypass, but have been affected. My sister was just about 46 when she was first diagnosed and that is about 7 to 8 years earlier than myself; again, she has never had a bypass. That said, I have to admit to being ever more vigilant about my calcium and vitamin D supplementation. I worry that I have brought this osteoporosis on myself, but realize that now all I can do is work with my Dr's to treat it and try to limit the long term damage. I'm now being referred to an orthopedic back specialist and was told to take it easy until I see her next week.

Remember that success is not found perfection, but in perseverance.

As I start yet another new year, I have to say that I'm approaching it differently than years past. I've learned that success is not about doing 'it' right all of the time, whatever 'it' happens to be, but it is perservering towards the goals that I've laid out. I've learned that I will stumble and fall, but that the imporant thing is that I will also get up and continue to try. For me, continuing to try is the difference between success and failure. I think it has been my key to success.