Starting Over, Going Vegan and One Year Anniversary

Was that title long enough for ya?

Yep it was exactly one year ago today that I suffered my brain hemorrhage. 

I spent two days in the ICU then was moved to the Neuro floor for another 8. 

I spent Easter in the hospital.

Looking back now, I am extremely blessed at how the entire event unfolded.

I collapsed at home, feeling paralyzed in almost an instant from my neck down and unable to speak, but the actual bursting of the blood vessels didn't occur until the next morning in the hospital, on Good Friday.

They were about to let me go since they didn't see any blood.

But one of the doctors said, "Let's do one more CT scan before you go."

And bam! There it was.

If I had come home I would have died later on that week.

Yikes!

It was scary but at the same time it changed me.

I'll have to go over those changes in another post, because they are faaaaar too long to post here.

But needless to say, I am still here and loving my life and family.

The starting over part kinda goes along with the one year anniversary of the SAH (subarachnoid hemorrhage).

I've been on so many meds to control my headaches and other things that were residual effects of the stroke and now I am finally off them!!

Hurray!

I'm still on one medication but I was on it before this happened so it doesn't count ;)

The bad part about it? 

I have gained 10 pounds in two weeks!

I have NEVER in my life gained so much in so little time.

Well, except, when I was pregnant.

But I am not pregnant so I can't blame the kid living inside me :)

So anywho, I feel extremely bloated and not happy with the way my clothes have been fitting (tight).

And a year before my stroke, I lost a lot of weight,well about 13 pounds, and to my small frame that IS A LOT of weight, by going vegan.

I did the vegan thing for about 3 months and I felt stupendous!

But then I slowly started eating meats again, and it all went downhill from there.

So here I am two years later and I am going vegan again.

I am also severely limiting my calories to lose weight for about a month then I'll incorporate walking and working out to tone up.

I've done this before, and because of my very slow (read:  old) metabolism I only consume 960 calories a day.

I know, I know, it's not that much,but again, I am smallish

and I've done this before and as long as I don't work out

I am just fine.

I don't recommend you go out and do this too, but this works for me.

I'll keep you posted of my weight loss and post some pics.

Here are some pics that I took when I was vegan:

 {wearing size 2 pants}

And now :(

 

{notice the roundness of my face and blotchy skin}

wearing size 6-8 pants {remember I'm short!}

By going vegan I will eliminate dairy and my skin will clear up. I found this out by accident last time I went vegan, because once I drank milk, my face started to tingle and I puffed up. You can see those lovely pics here.
 I am hoping to lose 2 -3 lbs per week and next month I should be a size 6!!

I'll post my progress and some vegan menu items as I go along too!

Have a great weekend and don't forget to enter my Pioneer Woman Cookbook giveaway here.

Patty