Wow folks...I just watched a bit of video from the GB Summit a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, My main takeaway was not the content, but how badly I looked! OUCH! Can you say "Eatasaurus Rex"?

So, it's more motivation to get myself together...which deserves to be more completely explained here...this is really personal stuff, but I've always kinda' wore my life on my sleeve..for better or worse, it's what I do.

Early last summer, I was hospitalized with dehydration. I honestly have not felt good since then and have not been able to lose weight and was actually slowly putting it on..approximately 30lbs since then. I constantly felt worn out, regardless of the hours I slept or lack of activity, I was tired 24/7. I thought "Is this just what getting older feels like?" and was trying to swallow that mind set.

Being self employed, I've typically been treated at the local clinic as needed due to lack of Insurance. $70.00 a visit out of pocket. Not too bad, but while I had great folks treating me. It tended to be a different person each time. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels created a new Insurance program called "Healthy Indiana Plan" and it is self-employment friendly! It bases the premium on 40% of your self employed income which put me under the $44,000 cutoff - which made it affordable for me! LOVE IT!!!..so all that to say: I am insured and no longer gambling with my health ...praying that nothing major would happen. :-)

So I go to my new Dr. (Dr.Manillo-Ibay) and she's awesome! She made some changes to a couple prescriptions that got rid of some nasty side effects I had been putting up with (Random forehead sweating, dry cough that sometimes gagged me) So I'm instantly feeling better after my initial visit.

I made a list of my "woes", printed it out and handed it to her, she addressed each one and noticed what I had put on the end. It just said "Low Testosterone?" A good friend from church knew someone close who had dealt with similar  low energy issues I was having and that turned out to be their problem..so on a whim, I added it...glad I did!

She ran a couple blood tests and my testosterone levels were WAYYYYYY low..STUPID low..like.."now I know why I watched those cake baking shows with Heather" low!

So now I'm getting hormone injections to bring the levels back to normal. A couple days in, I feel 20 years younger. What I accepted as normal was far below the norm. I kinda' feel like shouting "I FEEL FRIGGIN' GREAT!" in public places. In less than a week I have more energy, better concentration and overall mood, my self motivation to get things done has kicked into gear and the sluggish feeling is going.. going.. almost 100% gone!

Truthfully, my endocrine system is jacked..my thyroid gland stopped working in 1995 (or that's when I discovered it) and now the testosterone has gone on strike! But  hey, they are both manageable conditions!

My back pain ?- well, I do show early signs of arthritis in my lower lumbar area. No biggie to me at this point. Losing some weight can help that.

So now, I should be able to shed pounds and actually have the energy to be active..so I plan to be just that! I dont' wanna' be that middle aged Midwestern fat guy who gave up along the way. I still think big and wanna' reach for the sky in everything I do...or at least fail trying!;-)

Major props to Heather who got sick of my whining and got the ball rolling to secure my Insurance and Dr. visits. I'd still be putting it off and living in hypochondriac dreamland (aka: webmd.com) trying to diagnose myself.- haha!

For a great video that perfectly describes how I felt and subsequent treatment, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2uDGCMzS30

I hope this blog motivates someone to take better care of themselves and if they have similar symptoms to what I had to check into why it's happening and get help! Like I said, this was really personal but I have to laugh that low-testosterone is actually called "Hypogonadism"...you HAVE to find the humor in that! i also hope publishing this blog keeps me track to drop the poundage and get back into fighting shape..especailly in time for the South American Guardian shows in December! You'll know if I did it!

Much love!

jamie

¶ 8/16/2009