Just over two years ago before I started the treatment for HS I was going to gym and had even started going to Pilates with my friend Heidi.  I was really enjoying it and except when the HS would flare up thought I would really get into it. Then I was diagnosed and started the treatment.

The dr warned me that I would have some muscle and joint pain but he couldn’t tell me how severe it would be.  I could carry on with normal activities unless it became too uncomfortable for me, which he thought it would to some degree.  Not even a week later that muscle and joint pain he spoke about appeared.  In a big way.  I stopped going to gym.

Obviously I started picking up weight.  I had extra to begin with but not moving didn’t help matters.  The medication made my whole body hurt.  When I got into the car it felt like my hips were being pulled apart by a torture machine.  Walking caused pain with every step I took.  Sometimes just lifting my arms to brush my hair was so painful.  All I wanted to do was sleep or lie down or sit.

As the weight piled on slowly I just got more angry with myself.  By the time I went in for surgery last year I couldn’t even face the scale.  When I went for the pre-op stuff I made them take my weight because I refused to look at the scale and I didn’t want to know.  For the second surgery I did the same.  When the bill came in the post for the second op I was reading through it and accidently saw my weight.  I was so embarrassed.

So now the weight has piled on and I hate it.  I had to do something.  Even worse was the way I was feeling.  Even if I didn’t lose all the weight I just want to feel better.  I wanted to be healthy.

About a month ago I told Willie that I wanted to make a change in my diet.  I told him that he didn’t have to change anything and I didn’t want to restrict him because of my choice.  He does after all not have extra weight.  I don’t think our meals were that bad.  My problem was snacking. I am a sucker for chips.  Even worse, I had to snack in bed.  When I went to bed at night with my iPad and watched shows I had to have something to snack on.  When I went grocery shopping I would buy so many snacks. Our snack cupboard was heavenly.  There was always something great in there.  Anything you could think of.  So I would go to bed and take a big packet of chips.  Before I knew it the packet was empty.  Such a pig!!

So when I decided to make the change I knew the snacking had to change.  I also knew that if I just stopped cold turkey that I would only stick to it for a week or so and then I would fold.   Then I had to work on our meals.  They were not bad but they weren’t the best.  I don’t eat salad (more the tomato and onion that I don’t eat) and Willie doesn’t eat veggies.  That’s do-able.  I love veggies so I would make veggies for myself and salad for Willie.  Since buying the Air Fryer our food had become much healthier.  So I would still prepare the usual meat / protein and just add the salad / veggies.  I didn’t want to get so bad that I couldn’t enjoy a nice meal if we were going out.  I just wanted to be healthier.

When I went grocery shopping in August I did not buy one single packet of chips.  No chocolate.  The only snacks I bought were dried fruit, rice crackers and popcorn.   I am really proud of myself.  I don’t feel like I am missing out on anything.  I won’t lie, I so sometimes get cravings for chips and then it is all I can think of.  I have ‘cheated’ but for the most part I have tried to make healthier choices.

I can’t say if I have lost weight but I am starting to feel loads better.  I feel like I have more energy.  I am starting to see what I can do and what I can achieve.  I have visions of a much thinner me.  I hope!!

On a similar note:  This winter has been bad flu wise.  It feels like I have been sick the whole time.  At one point while I was sick someone had recommended a humidifier.  I never thought it was needed in Durban but when I asked the pharmacist he said that with me being asthmatic he would really recommend it.  I couldn’t tell if it was making a huge difference but we used it every night.  2 nights ago I didn’t put it back properly after refilling.  I didn’t notice as it did come on initially but obviously went off once the water at the bottom ran out.  I woke up the next morning with my chest feeling a little tighter than normal.  I thought I might have just been getting sick again but once I noticed the humidifier I knew exactly why.  It wasn’t bad but I could feel it.  The humidifier is definitely making a difference. 

So let’s hope it works and that soon I will be shaking off the weight that is the bane of my existence and an ugly reminder!!

Willie and I have only been to The Barnyard once before for one of his staff functions.  It was really fun and we said we would definitely go again.  Turns out we didn’t but when our anniversary rolled around this year he booked tickets for us to go.  He also booked tickets for my birthday.

On our anniversary we went to “Six of the Best” and it really was so good!  It just kept getting better.  The cast was fabulous and we kept turning to each other saying “that was so good”.  There was the one part which was a bit of a play on Rocky Horror Picture Show.  Also, Darren Verciul who ‘played’ Freddie Mercury was absolutely fantastic! He lived the role and he enjoyed every second of being on that stage.  Of course all of them were absolutely amazing but he had just something extra!  I loved it.  It was just fabulous! We had really great seats and the evening was really great.  We also had really nice pizza.

I must just mention that the staff there are great!  All friendly and on the ball.  The guy that is at the pizza place is just so cool.  He is really funny and he makes you feel like he’s known you forever.

We walked out really looking forward to the next show which was on my birthday.

On Saturday we got there at about the same time we did last time.  It was pretty empty but I assumed it had something to do with the Sharks game that was on.  So we ordered pizza and drinks and we took our places.  Once again we had really great seats.  The place started filling up pretty fast after that.  It was pretty clear it was a different crowd compared to the last time we were there.  About 45 minutes before the show started the couple sitting next to me walked in.  It was  clear from the start that they had had a few drinks already.  They went to order drinks and came back with what looked like the whole bar.  Bottles of wine and beer.  In my opinion they didn’t need any more and besides,  Barnyard is not exactly the place you go to get drunk and party.  I would assume you would head off to a club or pub for that instead of a show.  They got really loud and seemed to hit it off with the folks that were sitting next to them.

The conversation got louder and cruder as time went on.  Eventually they got up to go smoke and pee (yes, they let us know where they were going) and then came back with 12 shooters.  12.  For 4 people.  It should have been pretty clear that it was all going to go downhill after that but it was my birthday, we had paid for the tickets and we were really looking forward to “The Final Countdown”.  Willie asked me if I wanted to leave and I said we will see how it goes.  I really thought that once the show started they would calm down and enjoy the show like the rest of us civilized people were planning on doing.

Well, the lights came on, the music started and Kirsty Madgin played the Saxaphone.  It was really great.  My neighbours however, went ape.  Stomping and kicking the platform and table.  Banging their hands on the table tops.  Screaming and shouting the oddest loads of rubbish.  I know it was sounding great but really?  Of course everyone turned to stare and look and we got loads of those stares as well.  The couple sitting next to W were also getting pretty annoyed and I could see that he was not the type of person to keep quiet.  In fact, he looked about ready to punch the guy in the face.

2 minutes in I spotted W sitting forward in his chair and he looked over to these folks with *that* look.  I knew it was time to leave.  They had really ruined the atmosphere and the night.  I couldn’t imagine going through a show with drunk out of their minds adults behaving like apes.  If I wanted to see and share in that I would not have chosen The Barnyard for the evening.  It is not how we have experience it before and not what we associate with The Barnyard.  Don’t get me wrong.  People were having fun, having a few drinks, being a little silly.  There was fun and then there was the couple from hell.

We ended up walking out before the intro was even finished.  I just couldn’t stand it.  I can’t understand why people behave like that.  To make matters worse, this couple came together.  Which means they had to drive there together. Which means they were leaving together.  Neither of them arrived sober or in a position to be driving and they sure as heck were not going to leave in a much better state.  I wonder how many peoples lives were in danger that night while they made their way home.  If they made their way home.

Thank you Barnyard for being great and for really understanding.  You guys are awesome!