No SugarCoating It...(163.6)

The scale read 163.6 today. I have lost about 3-5lbs. I have more 20lbs to lose.

I kept the weight gain from the ankle sprain in April & ankle re-injury in late May & through physical therapy in August and September & a knee injury in October to within 5lbs to 10lbs.

Beginning in Early March, however, I put on some additional weight. By the mid April, I had gained another 10lbs.

It's entirely too much on my 5'2" frame.

In January, my doctor recommended going back to Physical Therapy as I was still in pain and had limited range of motion & ability. I finished that in March. Actually, I stopped going to the sessions. They were expensive - $40 a pop - that's my co-pay - thank goodness for insurance :/. I had improved but I still was in a lot of discomfort and still had a way to go. I wondered if another treatment was more appropriate it. I wondered if I could do most of the exercises myself.

My doctor had mentioned surgery was option last year and repeated it again and again this year with my follow-ups. But, I didn't feel like he could concretely assure (or assure me enough) me that would take care of the problem. So, I sought out a second opinion from a doctor specializing in pain and pain management. She prescribed me a strong medication to help reduce the inflammation and water aerobics and more therapy. She also mentioned that surgery was an option - but offered up a less invasive option and then the more extensive option if that didn't work. She also reassured me that this length of recovery can be normal for an ankle injury.

I started out with the water aerobics and the medication. I really saw improvement with that. I then thought I would go back to physical therapy, but I ended up traveling most of May and a week in June on business travel. When I returned, I had improved enough that I wondered if I needed more physical therapy. But, I thought it best I finish the sessions out. My PT's office didn't want to take the script from April and the my referring doctor's office never returned my request for an updated request. Call it kismet...I kept going to the water aerobic classes and started walking a mile or two and doing mobility exercises. I finally realized in late June they had never called back, and I was doing pretty good. By July, I decided I wouldn't go back to physical therapy. I wanted to go back to my small groups/HIIT workout gym. I would just take it very easy at first.

I've been back for about 3 weeks. I'm feeling really good so far. Pain is down - I think I'm like 98% painfree! I'm also walking and running laps in the pool.

I'd really like to lose 10lbs by September 9th - which is my birthday. I'd like to be down another 5 pounds by late October. And another by November. That would put me back to within my happy, healthy weight range. That's just being realistic.