I debated putting this in the Low Carb Cooking thread in The Galley, but decided the thread is a general discussion thread so decided to put it here. I went ahead and wrote my full story for another forum. I know I've shared bits and pieces here before, as well as the photo. And those who have been Facebook friends with me throughout will recall each step happening. But, I don't think I've ever told the whole thing in one go before.
I'm sharing in hopes some will find it encouraging, and possibly inspiring.
Why I started keto and chose it as a lifetime woe:
In May of 2018 I was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) in my left breast. This is after already having my thyroid removed in 2011 due to Stage 3 thyroid cancer, and being diagnosed with chronic (lifelong) myeloid leukemia in 2017. After doing tons of reading, I was hopeful of having a lumpectomy of the area affected, even though as Stage 0 breast cancer there was no lump to remove. However, when I met with my cancer surgeon, she informed me that the DCIS was spread throughout 75% of the milk ducts in my left breast, and it would have to be removed.
My mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer and had the one breast removed at the age of 42. The cancer reappeared in the other breast and metastasized seven years later, leading to her death on her 50th birthday. In 2018, at 58, I had already outlived both my parents ages at their deaths due to various cancers.
I decided to go for a double mastectomy, to hopefully eliminate a recurrence, which was done at the end of June that year.
Prior to surgery, I was told I should start thinking about reconstruction. My cancer surgeon waa hopeful to have both the double mastectomy and reconstruction done at the same time. However, that usually occurs with implant reconstruction, and hearing many horror tales regarding implants, plus the implant surgeon telling me my skin was too thin to cover the implants in an appealing manner, I decided to pursue DIEP FLAP Reconstructive Surgery, which involves removing fat from the stomach, basically referred to as a tummy tuck, to rebuild the breasts.
When I met with the reconstruction surgeon, she pinched my tummy fat and said I was definitely a candidate for the DIEP FLAP surgery. However, at the time I weighed 250 lbs. on a 5'3" frame. She flat out told me she would not put me on an operating table until I got down to 200 lbs. Then she suggested doing keto.
I told her I wanted to discuss it with my primary care physician (who had me on two blood pressure medications as well as a statin), as well as my endocrinologist for my thyroid cancer and type II diabetes (for which I was on medication), my oncologist for the breast cancer, and my hematologist for the leukemia. She told me to do so, and *if* I reached 200 lbs. to contact her office again. I suspect she has a lot of overweight patients she never hears from again.
All of my specialists and my primary care physician were in favor of me giving keto a try. So, I started keto the day after being released from my mastectomy surgery in June of 2018, and started a twice a day walking regimine when I was given clearance to do so.
In mid December of 2018, five and a half months later, I returned to the reconstructive surgeon's office weighing 196 lbs. The first words out of her mouth was, "Give this girl a goal!" We scheduled my reconstruction for April of 2019, but there was a cancellation and my reconstruction was done in January of 2019.
Even at 196, on a 5'3" frame, I wanted to aim for my high school weight of 112. A bit extreme, and if I hit 125 I'll be happy. I made keto my lifetime woe choice, and while I have a long way to go to get to the weight I want, I have had other benefits in the meantime. I have been taken off one of my blood pressure medications, and since my A1C has been hovering at 5.4 for over a year, I am no longer on any diabetic medication as well.
At 61 years old, I'm feeling the best I have since my weight gain started in my early 20s. Keto for Life!
Here is a side by side photo of me before my double mastectomy and at my current weight. As I said, I still want to lose another 70 lbs., if I can, but I'm on my way.
