Showing posts with label dog bite. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog bite. Show all posts

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Here I Am

I'm back in the blogging world. For those of you that have not forgotten about me I thank you, and for those of you just tuning in, welcome to my life!

2015 was a crazy year for me...let's start with being bit by a dog in the park. Not so fun. Then I developed a case of oral thrush (candida overgrowth)..this was horrible! I will explain that more in another post. I dated a guy that taught me a lot of life lessons, but was in no way the man for me. In fact my best friend Debbie still wants to beat him up. What are friends for...love you Debbie!

Who knew a Great Dane would think I looked like his breakfast.
Yes I still have a scar. 
I also discovered that gluten, wheat, rice, soy, coffee, sugar, and potatoes are not my friends. Yes I said coffee, it's been since December that I gave it up and while I notice a difference in my body I still miss it every day. On the plus side I have discovered a love for tea. The first week I was off coffee my coworkers all brought me in different teas to try. I love yogi teas and the little inspirational messages on the string are fun to read.

Tea time favorites
My tea cabinet..Just a few of my favorites.
I have yet to try one I didn't like
So while 2015 was not the funnest of years for me, I am thankful for it. Without going through all of that I wouldn't be who I am today. I love who I am today and I love the path that I am on. Somewhere along the way I forgot how to dream and have faith that things do have a way of working out. I hope you enjoy going on this journey with me.  I am going to use this blog to share my highs and lows with you and I hope that you will share yours with me. One of the biggest lessons I learned in 2015 is I am not alone and with the support of friends (yes, even internet blogger friends) it can make a huge difference in your life.

Thank you for reading and please come back soon!


This is me, Cindy
And can't forget the cute furbaby on the floor, Abby 

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Time to Heal

I am not even sure where to start to catch you up on my last few months. It's been sort of a whirlwind. I'm sorry I didn't post at all while going through things.

My craziness really started the beginning of May. After joining Weight Watchers, and loving the program, I knew it was time to start working out again. I was not in the mood for the gym one morning so I went for a walk. I decided to head to a field/park near my home and follow that path. It was a beautiful day.

nature walks for your health
Pictures from my walk
It was such a beautiful day to go out for a feel good walk

I was enjoying the sun, the breeze, and my music. I was on my way back when I came around the corner and a giant, horse sized Great Dane and it's owner appeared.  I usually love dogs and have never been afraid but something about this dog threw me a little. I decided to walk very far off the path and out the dogs way. Well he had a different idea in mind. Within seconds he broke away from his owner (a very small women who could barely hold him any way) and came at me. Next thing I know he is latched onto my arm. I wish I could tell you what I did next to get away, but I don't remember. The next thing I remember is being halfway down the path looking at my arm bleeding and trying to get even further away from the beast. The owner's daughter came over to help. I called my parents to come and get me from the park, luckily they live nearby. I had to walk all the way across a big field holding my arm. The owner's daughter, while very nice, told me this isn't the first time they have had problems with the dog and think it might be inbred. I couldn't believe it. Why would they bring him to a park, why?!?!  My parent's arrived and helped me clean up the area the best they could. I gave a report to the police officer and off I went to the emergency room with my parents. They cleaned me up, gave me massive dose antibiotics and said yup that will probably scar.

Watch out for dogs on your walk
My mom took this picture of me in the emergency room
Somehow she had me laughing and smiling

I spent the rest of the day being cheered up by my truly amazing, wonderful, and loving family. My nieces checking on me and doing my hair. My mom and sister helping me with my bandages. My dad making me smile being silly. I love them so much. I spent the rest of the weekend trying to change my bandage with one arm and taking it easy. In addition, to my family, the wonderful man in my life checked on me constantly and sent me cute photos of him and his son to cheer me up.

family fun
To help me not be afraid of walking outdoors, they somehow talked me into going for a walk.
We had a blast playing in the fields behind my parent's house

Family is important
Kaitlyn always knows how to cheer me up

As the month went on I started to heal a little more, still a little cautious of the outdoor walks I stuck with the treadmill. I was losing weight on Weight Watchers and enjoying, but then I started really changing the way I had eaten for the last year. Instead of healthy non-processed foods, I found myself eating more processed foods. Instead of gluten free I ate lots of products with gluten. I didn't notice not feeling well so I thought it was okay. But then life happened, I started going to more summer parties, I started eating more desserts, I ate doritos like it was my job, I went on vacation with my man and his family and ate lots and lots of fried food. Somehow I had spiraled into a whirlwind of processed food, sugar, carbs, and fried yuck! But hey I felt fine, so it must be okay...until it wasn't!

summer vacation food
Just a few of my many indulgences...
don't be fooled by the s'more picture, I had many more than just one

One day I woke up and my tongue was swollen and painful, the side of my stomach hurt a little, and the pain in my mouth made me cry. I couldn't eat or drink, and was barely able to speak without pain. At my mom's suggestion I found a wonderful ENT Dr. who diagnosed my mouth infection.  It appears the very high dose of antibiotics I was on for the dog bite, combined with all the bad food, set my body into a tailspin of bad. While on the outside it appeared the different bad food wasn't bothering me, on the inside was an entirely different situation.

So where does that leave me....well I have spent the last 2 weeks living off bone broth, chicken soup, organic greek yogurt, and caulimash (mashed cauliflower). I am resetting my poor screwed up digestive system and healing the mouth infection at the same time. It's amazing that the less you eat the less you need. I do miss solid foods and flavors, but if this is what my body needs right now to get back on track, then that's what I am going to do.


healthy healing broth
Bone broth. I must admit it tastes really good
and even better, I made it, talk about feeling proud

Greek yogurt probiotic
All natural! It doesn't sound as exciting as other flavors but I actually really enjoy it
Even when I can eat other things I will continue with this yogurt.


I know it will take time before I am 100%, but I will get there. I will learn along the way and remember the horrible pain of what I went through and never repeat my mistakes again. I am so thankful for the support system I have. My family and the wonderful man in my life helped me through it all. My poor mom, getting text msgs from me about feeling miserable and encouraging me nonstop to push through it, and helping me come up with a plan of attack every step of the way. My man, who loves to cook, wanted to make me something I could eat. He made the most delicious batch of caulimash I have ever tasted!!! Instead of being cranky that I can't enjoy his foods, he told me to just keep finding recipes that I can eat and enjoy and be healthy and he will make them for me. My coworkers checked on me constantly while I was out and sent me funny emails and texts to keep me smiling. My wonderful boss let me pick up work and work from home so I wouldn't fall behind.


Whole Foods Side dish
Caulimash!!  He made it so delicious I now crave it.
I keep trying, but so far it doesn't comes out the same when I make it

I've been given the chance to help myself, to move forward and be a healthier better version of me and I will not take this opportunity for granted! This is no longer just about weight loss, it's about my future and my health.

After a rough month it was time for some much needed fun!
Mini golf last weekend