healthy and happy

Pseudotumor cerebri: (SOO-doh-too-mur SER-uh-bry) occurs when the pressure inside your skull (intracranial pressure) increases for no obvious reason. Symptoms mimic those of a brain tumor, but no tumor is present. Pseudotumor cerebri can occur in children and adults, but it's most common in obese women of childbearing age. The increased intracranial pressure associated with pseudotumor cerebri can cause swelling of the optic nerve and many have pulsatile tinnitus, a whooshing sensation in one or both ears. It is often reversible.

And, reversible it is!! Yesterday I received a clean bill of health from my neurologist. Thanks to everyone who followed my weight loss and health journey over the last ten weeks. Doc says my optic nerve looks sharp and there is no longer any signs of intracranial pressure. (My daily headaches and "whooshing ears" have also stopped.)

The last ten weeks have been very challenging, but writing here kept me accountable and made me feel a sense of community. To all those who supported me throughtout this - thank you. (Especially anyone who had to eat with me in the last 10 weeks!)

My instructions are to keep the weight off and get my eyes checked once a year.

week four: you can call it a syndrome

My Nuero Opthamologist called me plump.
My NEW doctor, that I had never met, called me plump.

He called me plump in front of four medical students.

Three attractive young men about my age, and one sweet, young Indian woman.

She cupped my face romantically when she looked into my eyes.

(I thought she was going to run her fingers through my hair next.)
They all wanted to look into my eyes.

There was something cool to see, but I don't know what it was.
When they told me my possible diagnosis, I thought they said Super Tumor Celebrity.

I knew celebrity was wrong, so when I told my mom I said blah blah blah.

Actually, I said "I have super tumor blah blah blah."

My eyes were too dialated to see what the name was on my piece of paper.
(They were probably too dialated to be driving too.)

It is actually not a super tumor.

(thank God.)

It's Pseudotumor Cerebri.

I wish I had heard that one right.

BIG difference between a SUPER and a PSEUDO tumor.

One is a tumor, and one thinks its funny to pretend to be a tumor.

Oh yeah - back to being fat.

So, the definition of Pseudotumor Cerebri says you should be a young, fat woman.

I am not sure why losing weight can get rid of this disease, but my doc thinks it can.

Yeah, I said disease.

I asked him, "Whoa! I have a disease?"

He responds, "You can call it a syndrome if you like."

Today I am not plump. I am down 6.2 pounds.
And this weekend, Jared told me I had 21 year old hips.
 (...when I was showing him my hot Gangnam Style moves.)

 

lose yourself

Did my doctor just tell me to lose 20 pounds by October 18?

Heck yes, he did.

Ten weeks to lose 20 pounds.

I have a feeling I just found something to blog about.