It may be a little hard to believe, but the first picture of me is was taken at the end of August. Seven months ago. No I didn't get them backwards, this isn't a weight loss photo. This is a weight gain photo. In the first photo, I was about 150lbs and had signed up for the Rock N Roll Half-Marathon in December. I didn't know at the time that I would be having emergency surgery just a week later. Amazingly I did manage to complete the half marathon just a mere 3 months post surgery. I've only run a few times since.
When your bowels aren't working right because of a stricture, like mine were, they are really in overdrive mode because they aren't getting enough stuff through to absorb all the needed nutrients. When the stricture is cleared through surgery, the bowels don't just reset right away. They are still in overdrive mode and you gain a lot of weight, really fast. I was 140 lbs when I got out of the hospital and 185 about 2 months later. Insane! Things have calmed down and I now weigh about 185 and have been this weight since December. It feels nice to be steady at a comfortable weight.
Recently though I've been really thinking about my fitness level. When you gain that much weight that fast, it all sticks around your belly. So while some of it may show in my face, I look like a woman in her second trimester. I don't necessarily want to lose the weight. I'd rather keep it if I could, but I want to redistribute it. So I have started running and cycling. In the midst of this it was suggested that I join some friends for the Pan Ohio Hope Ride I decided that I really should go for it. I have many reasons for doing it besides the benefits of getting fit.
A buddy of mine was diagnosed with Colon cancer at age 32 and had surgery to remove in in July. He just finished his last Chemo treatment and things are looking up for him. He is one of the primary reasons that I decided to take on this ride.
I know plenty of others both family and not that have had Melanoma, breast cancer, bladder cancer, and more. I ride for them as well.
One final reason is that because I have Crohn's disease, I have a much higher risk of getting Colon cancer myself.
Please help me raise money for the American Cancer Society and help fight cancer.
