Tanya: Where I Have Come From

Anyone who knows me knows that I am the basic metabolic nightmare... Seems like you name it, I have or have had problems with it!

Way back when, before I ever even got pregnant with my son who is now 10 years old, I was diagnosed by my doctor with PCOS and insulin resistance. Luckily, these did not keep me from conceiving.

Pregnancy was another difficult time. I had full blown gestational diabetes for both pregnancies. Both times required insulin injections. The first pregnancy I was diagnosed at the standard 29 weeks, and the second I was diagnosed by week 16. They were long and uncomfortable pregnancies. I worked full time, gave myself shots 3 times a day, took my blood sugars constantly. It was not fun. 

After my first pregnancy, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. I had nodules on my thyroid and  I was hypothyroid and on medication to keep my levels even. But the lumps continued to multiply and it was recommended by my surgeon to remove my diseased thyroid and begin supplementation of the hormones. This made perfect sense to me, so I scheduled the surgery. Post op the surgeon assured me the lumps were most surely not cancerous, but they were going to be biopsied just in case. Well, I showed up at my follow up appointment ready to discuss scar management, and he comes in, sits down, and delivers the news that I did indeed have cancer in the thyroid tissue. This was followed by a regimine of iodine radiation treatment that required me to stay in the hospital for a few days to kill any leftover, potentially cancerous tissue. 

As you can imagine, this combination of no thyroid and insulin resistance has caused me to struggle constantly with my weight and health. I have yo-yo'ed up and down most of my life. I was at my heaviest on my wedding day Nov 1, 2008. Luckily, I am married to the most amazing man in the world, so he loved me at my biggest, and I am thankful every day for that. 

November 1, 2008

Soon after our return from our honeymoon and the holidays, I was ready to tackle losing all the weight that had creeped on since my thyroid surgery. I began a weight loss program that was hospital based, and extremely intense. It was based around unlimited fruits and veggies, shakes, and pre-packaged foods and MEGA exercise. It was VERY expensive, but I lost a lot of weight and learned a lot. 

Dec 24, 2008 and June 28, 2009

I got pregnant soon after that photo was taken and then did that same program again and lost more weight. In the summer of 2011 I was exercising, and looking better than I had in a long time.

Summer 2011

Then, the year 2012 rolls around and I decided to try direct sales, which I LOVE, and it has taught me a lot of new things about myself. In many ways it has improved my confidence, stretched my skills and broadened my horizons. However, on top of a family, a full time job and all the health issues I have, it pushed out of the way many healthy habits mainly, exercise, eating optimally, and adequate rest. So, here I am creeping back up in weight, my thyroid levels have been out of control, I've experienced severe fatigue, memory deficits and some unexplained joint pain. I have found myself going through the motions just to make it through each day. I have decided that I am going to take control again. And this is the way I have chosen to try to get there. Uh  oh, Tanya's gone Paleo!  

I have no answers yet, as to the level of success this journey will bring to me. Things were just not really feeling like they have been working for me, so I have made some rather big changes in my life. I have accepted a part time job in the town where I live, cutting out an hour and a half commute and trading it for a 15 minute commute. This is going to allow my son to ride the bus to and from school, and my daughter to stay home with me 2 days a week before she starts school in a couple of years. It will allow me more time to focus on quality time with them, quality time with myself and my husband, and focus on optimal eating/health/wellness.

I am extremely happy to report that I am six years cancer free! I just had my last scan this summer and it was clear, and my doctor declares me healthy and past the thyroid cancer. However, I must admit, I am nervous, because leaving a job that I have been at for almost 10 years, and the best friends I have ever had since college. But it feels right, it feels like the time, and it is up to me to grab and take control of my life, my family and my health again!  

And so, here we are. Let's see where this takes me.