QUICK SUMMARY:
In just two weeks since the last update, I've lost at least 1/4in around my middle. I know that sounds trivial, but after losing 2 inches a year ago, then stalling for the last 10 months, I'll take the improvement and go from there.
But more importantly, I have some big news about a problem I've been struggling with for over 11 years now, which relates to my digestion, my absorption of nutrients, and my muscle loss.
If this improvement continues, I'll know I'm finally on the road to real, lasting recovery.
IN DEPTH:
I foolishly used to think that all one had to do to lose weight was to just eat less. And perhaps exercise more. That is, until I started gaining a lot of weight around my middle, even though I wasn't getting anywhere near enough calories!
That started about 8 years ago. My waistline grew while I remained bone-thin everywhere else. In fact, I gained the most visceral (belly) fat during the 19 months I had that c-difficile infection in 2019-2020. It grew to 43 1/4 inches, so bad that my abdominal muscles actually started to separate, putting me at risk for a hernia.
Then about a year ago I finally started losing this stuborn fat. I lost 2 1/4 inches, and then it just came to a stop. Perhaps I've figure out what was helpng and what wasn't, but I can say with confidence that I'm touching 41 inches again, and am committed to make sure this continues. I'd be ecstatic if I could get down to even 38 inches!
The 2nd area of improvement is HUGE.
I don't think I've ever talked about this on the blog, because it's both weird, and disturbing -- but I haven't been able to take showers for almost 10 years now. It's not the showers that are tiring, it's the drying off afterwards.
Sometime in 2011, I noticed that my skin would shed or peel when I dried off after a bath or shower. Neither I or my doctors could figure it out.
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| from 2019 |
My skin would even peel off in microscopic amounts all day long, building up on drinking glasses, on my computer mouse, etc.. Bizarre, right? Here's a pic of my mouse, from 2017, after two or three days buildup.
But anyway, after a shower, I'd start drying off, and as I rubbed myself with a towel, the damp skin would just peel or shed off -- like a snake! Sometimes it would be quite bad and would wipe me out for a day or so.
So I started doing spit baths instead. Legs one day, then arms, and with help, my back. The skin would still peel off, but it wasn't quite so draining. Over time, this became the new normal.
Until last Friday.
I asked Essy to help wash my back. She gave it a good scrub for 10 minutes, along with my neck and arms. I always check by rubbing the skin with my hand -- and it didn't seem to be peeling off as much.
Essy confirmed this. Said it was much better, by maybe 75%! We always have to lay down a few towels to catch the skin, and sure enough, there wasn't nearly as much desquamation as usual!
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| From 2019: This towel would be covered with skin, but it only shows along the top edge, because there was another towel laying on top of this one. |
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| And from this past Friday. The whole towel should be covered, but it isn't. |
Then washed my legs on Wednesday night and got the same results -- not anywhere near as much shedding!
THIS IS HUGE. It means I'm finally starting to digest, absorb and utilize protein better than I have in eleven years! Which means I'm not only losing less muscle, but should finally be able to regain much of what I lost, which means I should be able to increase my strength, my standing and walking time, etc.! I can still hardly believe it, but I'll take it for sure!
Friends, I couldn't have gotten this far without your help. And we've already almost reached the halfway mark for the Winter Fundraising Goal!
Thank you again for your support, and my Very Best Wishes for a Wonderful Holiday Season!
Dan