Derrick's ongoing journey
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Derrick
New member
Thanks Tig! 
Since my wife, you and Alta are the only ladies to ever come out and say which one of my looks you prefer, AND you all agree on the goatie, I will grow it back. Matter of fact, I already have.
Also, I'll make sure to sport a goatie when I do my 185 pic.
The last two mornings, Tanita said:
201.0 pounds
20% body fat
I have stayed within one pound of 200 for nearly a week now. The five pounds I gained back was necessary and completely normal. It is almost entirely water weight, the same water weight I lose immediately when on the RFL diet. Therefore, I think now would be a good time to do muscle/fat loss calculations.
Total real weight lost from 12 week RFL diet:
20.0 pounds of weight
19.47 pounds of fat lost
0.53 pounds of muscle lost
This was exactly what I was trying to do. Maintain muscle and lose fat. The best part of all is I actually gained strength.
Now, if I can just somehow do the same thing all the way to 185.
Since my wife, you and Alta are the only ladies to ever come out and say which one of my looks you prefer, AND you all agree on the goatie, I will grow it back.
Matter of fact, I already have. Also, I'll make sure to sport a goatie when I do my 185 pic.
The last two mornings, Tanita said:
201.0 pounds
20% body fat
I have stayed within one pound of 200 for nearly a week now. The five pounds I gained back was necessary and completely normal. It is almost entirely water weight, the same water weight I lose immediately when on the RFL diet. Therefore, I think now would be a good time to do muscle/fat loss calculations.
Total real weight lost from 12 week RFL diet:
20.0 pounds of weight
19.47 pounds of fat lost
0.53 pounds of muscle lost
This was exactly what I was trying to do. Maintain muscle and lose fat. The best part of all is I actually gained strength.
Now, if I can just somehow do the same thing all the way to 185.
Derrick
New member
Hanging in there. Have had a rough week. Been a little depressed. Probably due to the pain medicine I am on. I have a herniated disk in my neck. I'm also on a crap load of medications for ADD and BiPolar. I've been worried about drug interactions. I just need to finish up these anti-inflamation/pain pills and hopefully I'll start feeling better, physically and emotionally.
Derrick
Derrick
cowboy48
Well-known member
That sucks!! Hang in there and take care of yourself!!
Derrick
New member
Short answer: I'm still living, still have a lot to be thankful for, still have a lot to look forward to.
LONG ANSWER BELOW. More for me personally than anything. Plus it's just a long whiny rant. So my suggestion would be to skip it. I'll be just fine.
Had to spend a few days at the farm doing some work. I'm falling apart physically. My neck and lower back problems are really starting to make me irritable. The anti-inflammatory medication is not having a positive effect. Spending a couple days on the tractor and ATV's aggravated my spine even more. Then, to add insult to injury, my new bipolar medication is not only ineffective for what it is intended but it has also increased my appetite, one of the side effects listed on the label. So sleep has been very very poor this week. I'm in pain all night and I'm quite hungry all night.
I have been combating the hunger for almost two weeks but it has been very difficult to get through an entire day without having some sort of binge. I've caved in quite a few times last week and even more this week. I can't stop the medication until I see my doctor again in a couple weeks. So for now, I just have to do the best I can.
I also see my orthopedic doctor on Monday. I'm just really down about my neck and lower back. I may not be able to lift weights for weeks or possibly even months. At this point, I would like to try physical therapy. Hopefully they can help the pain go away so I can get back to training and losing weight.
The good news is my wife and I have really seemed to make strides in our relationship the past the past two or three months. It seems like each week is better than the previous. I am very relieved and thankful to God for things like that.
Unfortunately my wife and kids are all having health issues too. From minor to moderate to mental. LOL We're doing the best we can to get everyone the help they need. My daughter had surgery about a year ago but unfortunately the surgery did not resolve the problem and now we have to go back to the surgeon to see what other options we have. She has been on antibiotics nearly as many days this year as she has not been. Same goes for my son, who continues to have reflux. We have to take him to a GI doctor to try to figure out why he still has this problem. He has also had three ear infections this year and has also been on antibiotics nearly as many days as he has not.
The number of doctors we see in one week is equal to what I used to see in one year! Heck, just one day is ridiculous! Tomorrow morning at 9:45am my wife and I have marriage counseling. At 1:00pm my wife and I are going to a behavioral therapist who is going to treat our daughter. At 3:00pm we are going to a place that specializes in treating ADHD. Saturday I see my psychologist at 10:00am. Monday I see my orthopedic doctor about my neck. Tuesday my wife is taking my son to a pediatric nutritionist. Wednesday... you get the picture?
It sounds like I'm either making all this stuff up or my house is full of hypochondriacs. I'll just say, if you think I'm exaggerating or lying about any of this stuff, the truth is even bigger than the lie!
I can range from laughing hysterically at all of this to picking a fight with a hard piece of furniture. The furniture always wins. My fist always loses.
Maybe I just haven't realized that these things ARE normal?!? Maybe EVERYONE has a never ending flow of illnesses, injuries and trials? Maybe I'm just really poor at tolerating it? I'm sick of not only the injuries and doctor visits but also the damn pills EVERY day. I should post a photo of all the medications, vitamins and supplements I HAVE to take EVERY day. Most people would simply say, "you're taking too many pills." The only way for me to ever believe a healthy appearing 33 year old should take this many pills is for me to go through it myself. Well, I have and unfortunately I believe it.
So I guess I'll stop right there. I don't feel like typing any more tonight. I'm going to sleep, wake up, live the day and repeat. Maybe I'm not so poor at tolerating all of this after all?
LONG ANSWER BELOW. More for me personally than anything. Plus it's just a long whiny rant. So my suggestion would be to skip it. I'll be just fine.
Had to spend a few days at the farm doing some work. I'm falling apart physically. My neck and lower back problems are really starting to make me irritable. The anti-inflammatory medication is not having a positive effect. Spending a couple days on the tractor and ATV's aggravated my spine even more. Then, to add insult to injury, my new bipolar medication is not only ineffective for what it is intended but it has also increased my appetite, one of the side effects listed on the label. So sleep has been very very poor this week. I'm in pain all night and I'm quite hungry all night.
I have been combating the hunger for almost two weeks but it has been very difficult to get through an entire day without having some sort of binge. I've caved in quite a few times last week and even more this week. I can't stop the medication until I see my doctor again in a couple weeks. So for now, I just have to do the best I can.
I also see my orthopedic doctor on Monday. I'm just really down about my neck and lower back. I may not be able to lift weights for weeks or possibly even months. At this point, I would like to try physical therapy. Hopefully they can help the pain go away so I can get back to training and losing weight.
The good news is my wife and I have really seemed to make strides in our relationship the past the past two or three months. It seems like each week is better than the previous. I am very relieved and thankful to God for things like that.
Unfortunately my wife and kids are all having health issues too. From minor to moderate to mental. LOL We're doing the best we can to get everyone the help they need. My daughter had surgery about a year ago but unfortunately the surgery did not resolve the problem and now we have to go back to the surgeon to see what other options we have. She has been on antibiotics nearly as many days this year as she has not been. Same goes for my son, who continues to have reflux. We have to take him to a GI doctor to try to figure out why he still has this problem. He has also had three ear infections this year and has also been on antibiotics nearly as many days as he has not.
The number of doctors we see in one week is equal to what I used to see in one year! Heck, just one day is ridiculous! Tomorrow morning at 9:45am my wife and I have marriage counseling. At 1:00pm my wife and I are going to a behavioral therapist who is going to treat our daughter. At 3:00pm we are going to a place that specializes in treating ADHD. Saturday I see my psychologist at 10:00am. Monday I see my orthopedic doctor about my neck. Tuesday my wife is taking my son to a pediatric nutritionist. Wednesday... you get the picture?
It sounds like I'm either making all this stuff up or my house is full of hypochondriacs. I'll just say, if you think I'm exaggerating or lying about any of this stuff, the truth is even bigger than the lie!
I can range from laughing hysterically at all of this to picking a fight with a hard piece of furniture. The furniture always wins. My fist always loses.
Maybe I just haven't realized that these things ARE normal?!? Maybe EVERYONE has a never ending flow of illnesses, injuries and trials? Maybe I'm just really poor at tolerating it? I'm sick of not only the injuries and doctor visits but also the damn pills EVERY day. I should post a photo of all the medications, vitamins and supplements I HAVE to take EVERY day. Most people would simply say, "you're taking too many pills." The only way for me to ever believe a healthy appearing 33 year old should take this many pills is for me to go through it myself. Well, I have and unfortunately I believe it.
So I guess I'll stop right there. I don't feel like typing any more tonight. I'm going to sleep, wake up, live the day and repeat. Maybe I'm not so poor at tolerating all of this after all?
cowboy48
Well-known member
Holy Shit, man!! Sounds like you are going through a bad time. Things will get better. It always seems - at least in my experience that all the bad that happens in our life seems to all happen at once. I don't know why but it does. It blows chunks-lol. I know, just for instance that in one month my father-in-law and my wife's grandmother passed away. Just seems weird - my father in law was sick with cancer but my wife's Grandmother was healthy as a horse. Why within such a short time? Why did my mother die at 57? Again, didn't make sense.
I wish I knew a lot of things about this life. Like why mass murderers live to 90 years old when innocent little kids are dying? Why is there hunger, poverty, war, and sickness? As I get older I am starting to realize that some of the bad things in my life happened for reason. I didn't know it at the time but when I look back I can sometimes see why. How did I get through them? Why did they happen at that particular time? All questions that people have been asking themselves for thousands of years. We still don't know the answers. I do know though that all we can do is the best we can!! We have to just be thankful for the good things in our life and power through the bad.
I hope that the bad things in your life go away and that you can start to see the light at the end of tunnel. You have come so far so don't let life's bumps slow you down. Look after yourself and your family - Number 1 priority!! Take care.
I wish I knew a lot of things about this life. Like why mass murderers live to 90 years old when innocent little kids are dying? Why is there hunger, poverty, war, and sickness? As I get older I am starting to realize that some of the bad things in my life happened for reason. I didn't know it at the time but when I look back I can sometimes see why. How did I get through them? Why did they happen at that particular time? All questions that people have been asking themselves for thousands of years. We still don't know the answers. I do know though that all we can do is the best we can!! We have to just be thankful for the good things in our life and power through the bad.
I hope that the bad things in your life go away and that you can start to see the light at the end of tunnel. You have come so far so don't let life's bumps slow you down. Look after yourself and your family - Number 1 priority!! Take care.
dwwise83
New member
Hi Derrick,
I have to say that all of the doctor visits in a large family IS completely normal - but always stressful and hard to deal with. I have three kids and we are constantly at the doctor. My 2 year old had a UTI that took forever to diagnose (multiple trips to the ped / ER / etc...) and when she was finally diagnosed she had multiple follow-up appointments with specialized pediatric doctors and multiple tests. She was on antibiotics for 3 months. Then my back messed up. My wife hurt her ankle at the gym. My oldest had sever allergies. Two weeks ago, my 3 month old was taken to the hospital 3 times in one weekend and also diagnosed with a UTI (again, we have to go through all of the standard follow-up for UTI). In the meantime, my 2 year old had strep throat and the croop...
you get the picture. It is normal and it totally sucks. I think all we can do is hope to keep our families as healthy as possible and comfort them when they are sick. Good luck to you!
I have to say that all of the doctor visits in a large family IS completely normal - but always stressful and hard to deal with. I have three kids and we are constantly at the doctor. My 2 year old had a UTI that took forever to diagnose (multiple trips to the ped / ER / etc...) and when she was finally diagnosed she had multiple follow-up appointments with specialized pediatric doctors and multiple tests. She was on antibiotics for 3 months. Then my back messed up. My wife hurt her ankle at the gym. My oldest had sever allergies. Two weeks ago, my 3 month old was taken to the hospital 3 times in one weekend and also diagnosed with a UTI (again, we have to go through all of the standard follow-up for UTI). In the meantime, my 2 year old had strep throat and the croop...
you get the picture. It is normal and it totally sucks. I think all we can do is hope to keep our families as healthy as possible and comfort them when they are sick. Good luck to you!
Derrick
New member
Hi Derrick; sounds like you are fighting the good fight still. I had to see a counselor also to figure out what the heck to do in my life. So deepest respect for you and your wife !! Yes, kids and the never ending doctor visits.
Hope you enjoy your day.
Hi Lilli! Happy Mother's Day! (at least it is in the US, not sure if they have that in Canada)
Thanks for stopping by.
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cowboy48
Well-known member
Good Luck!!! I hope everything turns out for the best!!
Derrick
New member
I get an MRI tomorrow. I can not even lay down right now, my neck is almost completely locked up. Actually difficult to even swallow. Kind of freaking me out. However, I'll take this crap any day over all of the other evils that have attacked me over the past several years.
I wont find out the results until next Monday.
I wont find out the results until next Monday.
cowboy48
Well-known member
Derrick
New member
I didn't sleep much last night. One of the worst nights of my life, physically speaking. I was freaking out because one of my newer medications for bipolar warns about rare cases of meningitis as a side effect. In addition, many of my medications warn about allergic reactions such as tongue and throat swelling. I was almost certain it was related to the cervical spine issues I have been having the past 3+ weeks but there was a part of me that was at least a little concerned about the other possibilities. I slept with my phone in my bed because it was very difficult to even turn over let alone reach over to the nightstand. Sleep was minimal and painful.
I actually figured it out this morning, after talking with my wife. She reminded me how she had similar symptoms when she had whiplash. After I got off the phone with her I had a discouraging realization. Yesterday around 4:30pm, my friend and I unhooked the trailer from my truck. The trailer was loaded with heavy logs. When I was going to leave I saw some implements in front of my truck so I decided to reverse a few feet before trying to pull forward just so I could completely clear the implement in front of me. I completely forgot about the trailer, probably an ADD thing. So I backed right into it. It was only a total of 3 or 4 inches but the trailer was heavy and the impact did jar me enough to piss me off. From my friend's perspective it looked like nothing at all. The truck and the trailer were fine and I felt fine so I didn't think anything of it. Just two hours later, eating at a bar in town, my neck was starting to get very tight. I actually did my physical therapy stretches at the bar, embarrassing my friend at the same time. By bed time, my neck was completely locked up. I have no doubt I have whiplash. The reason why I have whiplash from such a simple impact is because my cervical spine is in bad shape. I already know I have a C3/C4 herniated disk on the left side and a C7 narrowing of the nerve pathway. I also have loss of normal curvature due to scoliosis. The MRI at 4pm today may reveal new problems or worsening of the existing problems.
I think it is more than safe to say, I will never be an MMA fighter.
I think that was already a foregone conclusion but it's kind of a blow to my manly ego to feel like a delicate old man at the age of 33.
I think it also may be God's way of choosing my path for me. I have struggled for the past two years deciding which sport(s) to pursue mightily. I was already leaning towards swimming but it now appears that may be one of my only choices. My doctor already joked with me that even a jab from my daughter could hurt my neck. Now I believe it. I just hope if I do get serious about swimming I will be able to dive into the water without hurting myself. The last time my neck locked up like this was from diving into the water. That's it! Just diving off the darn starting block like I did hundreds of times when I was a kid and adolescent.
I also plan on focusing most of my weight lifting and resistance training on core strengthening and posture improvement from here on out. I will make Yoga a priority too.
Well, I need to leave for my MRI in a few minutes. I'll get through this and when I do, I'll be exercising again...mostly in a pool, where I belong apparently. Hell, if I finally reach 185 from swimming of all things, I'll even do my final after photo in my speedo! Well, umm, maybe after sitting in the hot tub for a few minutes. 
Derrick
I actually figured it out this morning, after talking with my wife. She reminded me how she had similar symptoms when she had whiplash. After I got off the phone with her I had a discouraging realization. Yesterday around 4:30pm, my friend and I unhooked the trailer from my truck. The trailer was loaded with heavy logs. When I was going to leave I saw some implements in front of my truck so I decided to reverse a few feet before trying to pull forward just so I could completely clear the implement in front of me. I completely forgot about the trailer, probably an ADD thing. So I backed right into it. It was only a total of 3 or 4 inches but the trailer was heavy and the impact did jar me enough to piss me off. From my friend's perspective it looked like nothing at all. The truck and the trailer were fine and I felt fine so I didn't think anything of it. Just two hours later, eating at a bar in town, my neck was starting to get very tight. I actually did my physical therapy stretches at the bar, embarrassing my friend at the same time. By bed time, my neck was completely locked up. I have no doubt I have whiplash. The reason why I have whiplash from such a simple impact is because my cervical spine is in bad shape. I already know I have a C3/C4 herniated disk on the left side and a C7 narrowing of the nerve pathway. I also have loss of normal curvature due to scoliosis. The MRI at 4pm today may reveal new problems or worsening of the existing problems.
I think it is more than safe to say, I will never be an MMA fighter.
I think that was already a foregone conclusion but it's kind of a blow to my manly ego to feel like a delicate old man at the age of 33.I think it also may be God's way of choosing my path for me. I have struggled for the past two years deciding which sport(s) to pursue mightily. I was already leaning towards swimming but it now appears that may be one of my only choices. My doctor already joked with me that even a jab from my daughter could hurt my neck. Now I believe it. I just hope if I do get serious about swimming I will be able to dive into the water without hurting myself. The last time my neck locked up like this was from diving into the water. That's it! Just diving off the darn starting block like I did hundreds of times when I was a kid and adolescent.
I also plan on focusing most of my weight lifting and resistance training on core strengthening and posture improvement from here on out. I will make Yoga a priority too.
Well, I need to leave for my MRI in a few minutes. I'll get through this and when I do, I'll be exercising again...mostly in a pool, where I belong apparently. Hell, if I finally reach 185 from swimming of all things, I'll even do my final after photo in my speedo!
Well, umm, maybe after sitting in the hot tub for a few minutes. Derrick
Derrick
New member
OK, so I had it a little backwards. I just finished my third MRI on my cervical spine. MRI Company 1 did my first MRI in 2007 and found a small herniation at C3/C4 on the left side. MRI Company 2 did my second MRI in 2009 and found narrowing of the nerve pathway at C3/C4 right side, and nothing else. Today, MRI Company 2 did my third MRI and still found narrowing of the nerve pathway at C3/C4 right side and now a new disk herniation at C6/C7 but it is not yet touching the spine.
So, whatever happened to the C3/C4 herniation on the left side? On Monday I have to drive to Company 1 and pick up a copy of MRI #1 and then drive all the way to the other end of the county and drop it off at Company 2 so they can look at it.
Why is this important? Well, if I'm going to take giant needles in my neck they sure as hell need to know where to put it!
Today, MRI Company 2 did my third MRI and still found narrowing of the nerve pathway at C3/C4 right side and now a new disk herniation at C6/C7 but it is not yet touching the spine.So, whatever happened to the C3/C4 herniation on the left side? On Monday I have to drive to Company 1 and pick up a copy of MRI #1 and then drive all the way to the other end of the county and drop it off at Company 2 so they can look at it.
Why is this important? Well, if I'm going to take giant needles in my neck they sure as hell need to know where to put it!
cowboy48
Well-known member
Needles in the neck- that sounds painful. I have been dealing with a detached retina and have been getting needles in my eye. Needles in the neck sound just as bad. Sounds like life has been dealing you some crap again.
God has a funny way of pointing us in the right direction-lol. I wish he would just email me and let me know instead of getting the answers in less obvious ways. I always say that as I go through life and bad things happen to me - I wonder why me?? It isn't until some time after and I look back and I can then see why- you know what they say about hindsight? We go through struggles in our lives because it makes us stronger and better able to adapt. This is a bad time for you but good things will come because of it- sounds like I am some guru on a mountain top-lol. But it is true- we all go through shitty times and it is how we deal with them that determines what kind of people we turn into. With all the shitty things that are happening with you, you are GOOD people-lol. Hang in there!! You can make it through this!!
God has a funny way of pointing us in the right direction-lol. I wish he would just email me and let me know instead of getting the answers in less obvious ways. I always say that as I go through life and bad things happen to me - I wonder why me?? It isn't until some time after and I look back and I can then see why- you know what they say about hindsight? We go through struggles in our lives because it makes us stronger and better able to adapt. This is a bad time for you but good things will come because of it- sounds like I am some guru on a mountain top-lol. But it is true- we all go through shitty times and it is how we deal with them that determines what kind of people we turn into. With all the shitty things that are happening with you, you are GOOD people-lol. Hang in there!! You can make it through this!!
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