Medical Update in Beginnings

For those of you who are new readers, I'll give you a quick update on my health as it does play into my life.  At the age of 27 I was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Second hand smoke must be the cause because my parents, grandparents, etc. all smoked heavily as I was growing up. I couldn't escape it. The other risk factors don't match my lifestyle so highly unlikely.  I would go for same day surgery (TURBT) about every 3-5 months for years. They even tried BCG (TB virus) instilled in my bladder. Nothing worked and in 2009 I had my bladder, prostate and 97 lymph nodes removed. In it's place, a bionic bladder (called a neobladder) made from my small intestine. It's worked great and I've essentially lived a normal life, though this surgery was the beginning of the end of my marriage. Too much to go into on why, let's just say she made it all about her. 

2020 in covid I rode EMS on a 9-1-1 ambulance and taking the sickest of the sick to the hospital. Don't tell me that Covid wasn't that bad, I saw how bad it really was.  Despite me being inches away from people with covid, I never got it. My speculation is the BCG treatments. They were doing a study in Australia with giving BCG to EMS/Healthcare workers to defend against covid, but I never saw the results of the study. 

Between Covid and the failing marriage and the divorce, I let myself go. I didn't much care honestly. My new girlfriend has been a major positive influence on me and I've started to lose weight. I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes as well so that helped kick me in the ass.  Just like nursing school, this is a no-fail option. 

Since October 15th... 
I could barely do 1 mile on the treadmill and weighed 256 pounds. Today I'm doing 3.5 miles a day on the treadmill (60 minutes) and 10,000 steps a day. I'm eating better and my weight is down to 241.5.  The goal that was established with the wellness consultant from the insurance company was 238 by 12/24. I think I'll blow past that.  

The health charts say that I should be 165 lbs for my height. I don't know if I'll get there, but it is now stuck in my head since I looked it up. No fail, right? 

I'm feeling so much better. I can move around now, working on the ambulance has been easier, my clothes are getting loser and my face and stomach are thinning out.  My girlfriend is also very happy that my stamina in bed has increased significantly. 

I'm embarrassed that I let myself go to this point, but maybe I needed to get here to make the changes that will help me live longer.