Introductions

Hey all,

First of all I want to thank everyone for taking time to come to my page and read about me and my journey. Over the next 368 days I am going to be blogging about getting healthier and fit again. But first a little background information.

My name is Sarah Nelson I am 34 years old and I live in a small town in Nebraska called Ponca. I have been married to my husband Mike for 12 years. My first struggle in life was becoming a teenage mom, but it has also been one of the most rewarding struggles. Gracie is 16 and will turn 17 in October she is a Jr. in high school. She is into softball and she is working her first job at Hy-Vee I’m so proud of her and everything she has done so far. Our second daughter is EllaRay she is 11th and so full of life. She will keep us on our toes with her witty come backs. She is very athletic and loves to be in sports volleyball, softball, running, but her favorite is Basketball she is hoping to play on a summer league next year. She is in 6th grade this coming school year and it is hard to believe we won’t have any elementary kids left.

My weight loss journey and fitness journey started in Jan of 2017 I decided it was time to get healthy and better myself for my kids and me. I was doing great I was able to run a 5k in under 40 mins and I was going to boot camp 3 days a week and running at night. I was watching what I was eating and by June I had lost 60lbs. I started at a whopping 310lb which is embarrassing to admit but everyone starts some where. So I was down to 250lb I felt great. Then one day I had a doctors check up and I was asked if I knew by thyroid was enlarges. I didn’t think anything of it at the time and said that I was taking thyroid med’s at the time and ignored it.

I was in a great place I had just started a new job which I loved and working out. Then one morning I couldn’t force myself out of bed I felt mentally drained for energy and my body was aching. I thought I just had a virus and brushed it off. A few weeks later I wasn’t getting better so in the beginning of Sept I went to the doctor. I was told that I just had a virus and was sent home for rest and fluids. I went through all of September and just wanted to sleep and my body hurt physically I hadn’t been able to workout for weeks.

On October 15th I was feeling sick and my chest hurt and when you work in a cardiology office you don’t say that. One of the doctors looked me over and told me I needed to get in with my PCP because my thyroid seemed really enlarges. This was on a Friday. I got into my PCP the next Monday and we determined that I needed to have some labs and an ultrasound done.  The Friday I had a Ultrasound and as I was talking to the ultrasound tech she suddenly got quite and as I watched her measure a big black spot on my ultrasound. Now working in a medical clinic and having gone through medical terminology classed and biology for my Associates I knew exactly what was on the screen.  I waited two long days over the weekend to have my worst fear come true. I got a call on Monday morning to my family doctor telling me they found a tumor in my thyroid. I was sent to an ENT doctor that Wednesday and she said we can biopsy yours but I know what it is by looking at it. I was tested for an auto immune disorder called hashimoto which eats away at your thyroid until it turns to cancer.

I was scheduled for surgery the next monday to remove the tumor. What was supposed to take 2 hours took 4 hours. Because when they got into remove it it turns out my tumor had been growing for three years and was wrapped about my vocal cord which got nicked when they were scrapping the tumor off my vocal cords., I was then sent to UNMC in Omaha to under go Radioactive Iodine treatments for the remaining tissues in December and had a second surgery in May 2018 to fix my vocal cords.

In May I had started talking to Travis O Connor owner of Thrive fitness in North Sioux City , SD. I knew it was time to get back to my fitness and healthy and just needed somewhere to do it. I was not ready to sign up in May due to the 2nd surgery, but when I saw that he was running a deal in July where you sign up for 4 week quick start program you could earn a year free I decided that was my sign. I called Travis up and I said I’m ready lets do this. I started my journey with them on July 9th with 3 person sessions to get me ready for group classes. I started this round of fitness at the heaviest I have ever been at a whopping 325lbs 😦 but I am happy to say I am down a whole 13lbs already in 3 weeks.

I have never felt better or happier in a fitness community. They are never judging me and always pushing me to be better and reminding me why I joined. I am so excited to see where the next 368 days take me and you get to come along on this journey with me. I will blog everyday with before and after photos each month one at the beginning and one at the end. I will keep track of my weight loss or gain. My food journals and how I am feeling throughout the day.  I will also must inspirational pictures and scripture that have that may help me and you too. I am so grateful to Travis and my Thrive fit coaches for this amazing opportunity and I can’t wait to make myself and them proud. They truly are an amazing second family to be part of.

Cancer sucks yes but I beat it and now its time to make myself feel better. So glad you can join me.

Sarah