Featured on Main Page today
Hi everyone,
It's been a long time since i've been on here. Life gets pretty busy these days! I was notified this morning that the before and after article OH requested a long time ago was published today. It has old information, and i've sent in corrections and it may get updated.
Mostly, it is missing the three surgeries i've had this year, which has turned my world as a triathlete, upside-down. The first surgery was in January, for a hernia repair in my bowel (can be common for us RNYers, no biggie). As I had a bit of medical information from my birth family, I shared it with my surgeon (colon cancer in the women), and even though I was only 42 at the time, she decided to "run" my bowel to check for any growths. Turns out there was a tumour! I went for a colonoscopy and a crazy CT scan and they weren't able to tell what it was exactly, or get a biopsy from the colonoscopy, because of the location of it. So, out it came, along with lymph nodes, and blood vessels surrounding it. A week after that surgery, I obstructed in that location. According to Dr. Aarts I was, "A complete mess." The scary part was hearing that I might lose more bowel and have a bag after the repair..but alas, I did not have to have a bag and two weeks later the results came back with a benign tumour. Yay! I was healing slowly, and my bowels are just now getting back to normal. Because of this, I was unable to train. I couldn't run, without running to the bathroom. Same with cycling. And once in my wetsuit I had a friend rip it off me, so I could dash to the toilet. It made me depressed and I gave up trying, and gained 25 pounds fast! No exercise and I didn't care what I ate. And at almost 6 years out, when you don't care what you eat, you can easily pack it on (hard to believe for anyone under three to four years, but it is the case).
Anyhow, I wrote my article before my last two surgeries. I'm not sure how much they will put in, but thought i'd get it down here. I am training for my second Ironman in July, 2017. I have been doing Bootcamp for the last month or so, and that has made a difference. I have been able to run 10k without stopping again, so this is great progress for me!
The moral of this story (which I think I mentioned awhile ago) is to always advocate for your health. Although my tumour was not cancer, it would have grown and blocked me entirely. I"m glad I went in with family history and advocated!
Hope you are all well! I miss the familiar faces! Good luck to those who are new!
Kelly
Surgery March 23/2011. Completed three full marathons and two half marathons, two half Ironman distances. Completed my first Full Ironman distance (4 km swim, 180 km bike, 42.2 km (full marathon) run) in Muskoka August 30/2015. Next Ironman Lake Placid July 23/2017!
Hi Kelly, good to see you posting. My you have been through a lot this past year. So glad that you are on the mend and training again. 25 pounds suck, but I know you will work hard to get that regain off. Join us again on the What are you eating thread. We miss your posts.
CENTURY CLUB MEMBER at 6 months post-op.
Referral to Guelph Feb/13, Sleep study and all bloodwork and ultrasound May/13, orientation July/13. Nurse, NUT,SW Sept/13, 2nd NUT, nurse and SW, 3rd round and cleared for surgery Dec/13. Pre-op Apr 7/14, Surgeon May 2/14, Opti Jul 3/14, surgery Jul 17/14.
I got a lot of flack when I posted on the WAYED thread when I was training hard. I kept trying to reiterate that I was eating differently for my VERY long distance training, that I decided to step back. I'm doing well and got about 10 pounds off so far. Won't take me long. Eating like a bariatric patient, as i'm doing very little long distance running (nothing over 10k). :-)
Surgery March 23/2011. Completed three full marathons and two half marathons, two half Ironman distances. Completed my first Full Ironman distance (4 km swim, 180 km bike, 42.2 km (full marathon) run) in Muskoka August 30/2015. Next Ironman Lake Placid July 23/2017!
Sent you a PM
CENTURY CLUB MEMBER at 6 months post-op.
Referral to Guelph Feb/13, Sleep study and all bloodwork and ultrasound May/13, orientation July/13. Nurse, NUT,SW Sept/13, 2nd NUT, nurse and SW, 3rd round and cleared for surgery Dec/13. Pre-op Apr 7/14, Surgeon May 2/14, Opti Jul 3/14, surgery Jul 17/14.
Oh Kelly, I know you will get your mojo back.
I totally get your wetsuit story. A number of years ago before I had my Ulcerative Colitis in remission and I was in the middle of a flare-up, I slipped on some ice and as I'm flying through the air - shat myself! It was a most unpleasant drive home, it was a holiday with no stores opened and a 3hr drive.
You will be as good as new with some time and work - but you are very good at the hard work part.
I am getting stronger every day. And my issues are lessening as the days go on. Yay!
Gross experience for you...sigh.
Surgery March 23/2011. Completed three full marathons and two half marathons, two half Ironman distances. Completed my first Full Ironman distance (4 km swim, 180 km bike, 42.2 km (full marathon) run) in Muskoka August 30/2015. Next Ironman Lake Placid July 23/2017!
