Better, faster, stronger!

Honestly feeling better and better everyday... I have been going to the gym everyday after work and walking on the treadmill. I have been trying to increase the time and speed a little bit each time! Monday I walked at 2.7mph for 20 min, tues 2.7mph for 20 min then 2.8 for 5, then today I walked at 2.8 the whole 25 minutes :) Feels gratifying... I love walking outside, but walking on a treadmill forces me to be accountable for my speed and really break a sweat! The only thing preventing me from walking longer at this point is pain in my lower back :( The pain is from falling weird while downhill skiing back in January and my back started to really hurt so I went to an orthopedist... He took some X-rays and discovered that I have had a stress fracture in my lower spine probably since I was 10 or 12. I never noticed the fracture because it didn't bother me, but the fall caused two lower back discs to herniate which is causing me alot of lower back pain when I walk for more than half hour and other activities :( Thankfully I can start going back to the chiropractor next wednesday which should help. I also need to buy some inserts for my sneakers because I have blisters from the high arches of the shoes (I myself have  ZERO arch soo most fitness shoes can be painful after a while).

I have also noticed that my energy levels are amazingly high everyday! This is probably due to finally getting adequate nutrition (from vitamin and calcium supplements daily) and high protein levels. It is amazing what a difference I feel from even just two weeks ago. I typically take 54mg of Concerta everyday to regulate my sleep schedule and keep me awake/from napping all day but I haven't taken any since surgery. I will consult my doc and psychiatrist, but it is possible I may not even need the pills anymore which would be awesome.

All of the suture strips have come off my incision sites and I was worried about one site possibly being infected because a piece of my internal stitch was poking out... however I talked to the doc and he said to just cut off that little piece and keep all my incision sites clean, dry, and band-aid free.

I have really been craving meat (I have not had meat in two weeks) and can't wait until next week when I can slowly start adding meat back into my diet (such as cooked ground turkey and super lean beef). Even though I am full everyday, I never really feel like I am eating real food because I am still on a "pureed" diet. That's all for now, I will write more soon!