Great! Thank you! Despite having someone else's lungs inside my body, I guess I never realized how easy it was to share body parts! I will by all means take your excess body fat off your hands (or, in some cases, off your stomach). In return, you may have your choice of any one of the following:
- My pseudomonas, because green is just SO not my color;
- My sinuses, which are full of . . . um . . . let's just call it "CF gold";
- My nose, but only because it's slightly pig-like (also, it's become quite attached to my sinuses);
- One slightly mis-matched pair of mutated genes;
- My pancreas, because I don't really use it anyway;
- My hairstyle from the 80s, which I swear is gonna make a comeback any.day.now.
Alternatively, we could all just sign up to be organ donors and leave the body-part musical chairs game to the experts. If you like that solution better, please visit the link below and share your gifts with someone who really needs them (when you're done with them, of course):
http://donatelife.net
Either way, I know you meant well, and thanks for the offer.
Author's aside: I'm sure you all know that this post is intended in only the best of humor to make fun of the weight issues that many of us struggle with as a result of cystic fibrosis. I've long maintained that weight/body issues are actually common ground for most of us in lung disease and transplant (and probably also in life): whether you're trying to lose OR gain, this stuff is FRUSTRATING. And being on so many drugs that change our size, shape, or other aspects of our appearance (oh, hello there, prednisone!) probably doesn't help much.
As for me, personally, I'm trying to gain. This past infection gave me a nice one-two punch to the gut (literally) and I've recently lost a few much-missed pounds. What's super annoying to me is that I've lost it despite being on a high dose of steroids, which typically helps people gain. I'm working on getting it back now by adding more small meals in the day and snacking constantly, but it's tough because, quite frankly, I already ate a lot to begin with! I'm also trying to do this without adding in 17 extra helpings of dessert each day. Prednisone + Diabetes + Extra Sugar = Comatose. And honestly, comatose just doesn't sound like very much fun to me right now. If any of you have any tips or suggestions, feel free to pass them along.
But whether you're sharing your stories, sharing your weight, or even just finally making the decision to share your organs -- happy sharing just the same, beautiful people.
xo,
Piper
I have had people say that to me as well. I have also heard "Boy, wish I could eat like that and not a gain an oz" Right.....
ReplyDeleteI would love to give you some of my CF weight lol....go on hormones. Seriously. Have that shit taken out and go on hormones and watch that scale just climb! Despite healthy eating and cutting back on the snacks.
ReplyDeleteBut since I know that isn't an option, I can commiserate with you. At one time I truly needed those 1-2lbs that would fall off with NO help whatsoever. That was 20lbs ago and its so strange being on this side now. Not that I am fat, I know that much. But trying to gain is just as hard as trying to lose I have found.
But I guess too, no matter which side you are on, you are never really happy with your weight :(
other aspects of our appearance (oh, hello there, prednisone!) probably doesn't help much.
ReplyDeletePiper!
DeleteThank you once again for making me smile and feel less alone. Your style and the bite with which you address the task of unburdening yourself of the stress and difficulty of being a pwcf in all its glorious permutations is always an inspiration for me to read.
Would love to meet you someday, we are just across the island I believe. In the meantime, be well and thank you for all your wonderful contributions.
Sincerely,
Timothy P. Stevens
OMG! This was so fitting for me to read this! This is what my facebook status was yesterday after clinic! "Good appointment overall! Need to gain weight ASAP! (Please no comments on how I can have yours, honestly I don't mean to be rude but I get sick of hearing it)"
ReplyDeleteDo you eat wheat? While most people go off wheat to lose weight, for people who have difficulty gaining weight, it can help too. The book "Wheat Belly" by Dr William Davis is fascinating. Also, protein can help with weight gain while not affecting your bg too much. At 150lb, my recommended protein intake is about 55gr--more than that and I gain weight; less than that and I'll be prone to eating carbs which you can't do. And don't forget the importance of fat. Although eating fat won't make you gain weight, it will make you feel full and won't affect your bg. It definately must be a struggle to be diabetic and try to gain weight while not having too many carbs!
ReplyDelete