My life changed this year because I almost lost it. At the beginning of the year I discovered that I had a health problem. During a routine doctor’s appointment to address a gallbladder that had gone rogue they discovered that I had “places” on my stomach. A month later I was at the University of Washington and they were removing both my gallbladder and most of my stomach. I almost died during surgery and the recovery was harrowing at best. I had to relearn how to eat and the food I could eat changed drastically. Today I eat approximately ¼ cup of food at a time and I have to watch what I do eat. But…I am recovering.
I said all that to say this…the surgery turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I have always been overweight. I was thin as a child but adulthood brought on too many choices and I ended up way overweight. Having a job as a writer didn’t help because I was always behind a desk on my kester; I was doomed to gain weight as many writers tend to be. Before my surgery I was diabetic and on high blood pressure meds as well as 15 other pills daily; I was a mess. As of today I have lost 74 lbs., am no longer diabetic and take no meds at all. I feel amazing.
There is something else that has improved on top of my health….my writing. Wait! Hear me out…because it is true. I have more energy and I feel better so when I sit down to write I can concentrate on my writing instead of all the aches and pains. I am also not preoccupied with what I am having for lunch or stuffing my face with junk food as I shift through the crumbs on my desk. Being healthier has also made my writing healthier and that I wouldn’t trade for the world.
Now I am not advocating having your stomach removed but I am offering this piece of advice…if you aren’t healthy, work on that. I know it is a struggle, it was my own struggle for years, but in the end it is worth it. I am a better writer because I am healthier and that makes me happy, which in turn, makes me want to write more; hence…I’m better all the way around. Take baby steps if you have to but realize that what we do for a living sort of fights against us to begin with so it is important to get on top of it now. Go for a walk, join a gym…do whatever it takes to get healthier. After all won’t do you any good to write that book if you aren’t around to see anyone enjoy it.
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