Happy Anniversary!  Today marks one year since my surgery.  There are times when it feels like far less than one year ago….and there are times when it feels like it was years ago.  I’m told that my recovery will be longer due to the 3 times I was hospitalized post-surgery because of complications. However, the past 8 months have proven to me that there is life (a full, meaningful life) after having your stomach removed.  It’s amazing how our bodies are created to heal, adapt, relearn, and continue to function.  I remember when I was first diagnosed in February of 2022, I spent hours and hours researching what it meant to have CDH1.  It scared me that so many people started blogs, etc. about their journeys and after some time…they stopped.  I worried they were not doing well or died due to cancer re-presenting itself... for some of those people, that was the case.  However, for the majority, they stopped writing because they started living.  This is my first entry in almost five months.  I haven’t been writing because I’ve been living.

In the past five months alone I celebrated my and Joel’s 20-year wedding anniversary, spent a week in Mexico for Spring Break with my girls,  volunteered at the girl’s schools and with Girl Scouts, celebrated my 45th birthday, enjoyed a trip to New York, enjoyed Lake Martin with friends, spent time in Auburn to recruit new interns for work and to spend time with some of my dearest friends, traveled to Dothan and Fairhope to visit family to celebrate holidays and birthdays, and spent countless hours with my beloved village.  I will never be able to adequately thank everyone who has supported my family and me since this journey began.  It’s incredibly overwhelming to stop and think about it.  I feel so very appreciative, but I also fear some may not ever know just how much their thoughts, prayers, words of encouragement (or laugher), food, gifts, etc. all showed me how important it is to surround yourself with kind, loving people. Through trials, we are blessed with a perspective that no one would voluntarily sign up for, but the impact can be life-changing (for the better).

On Wednesday, I will fly back to Houston for my one-year post-op appointments at MD Anderson.  I will spend all day in appointments on Thursday.  I am going alone.  Both Joel and my dad were not happy with this decision, but they finally understand.  I need to do this by myself because I can.  I’ve relied on so many people to take care of me, it’s a huge blessing and achievement that I can do this by myself. 

The photo I've attached is the last daybrightener message I read before leaving the office for what would be the last time before my surgery: June 13, 2022.  We had no clue it would actually be four grueling months before I would return and when I did, it would not be the same for a long time.  It is a reminder that God's plan is far greater than anything I can plan, coordinate, or wish into reality.  God's purpose for me has and will continue to prevail.  I see the purpose for this journey often.  I've learned so much and have been blessed to share lessons from my experience with others.  I was not sidelined. I was not disqualified. I was not placed on the bench to wait out the rest of the game.  His purposed prevails and I am okay.

-Allison

Living without a stomach: 1-year post-op

-I continue to eat almost everything I used to eat. (Except steak. Steak is still a no-no).  I am able to eat larger servings than previously as well.

- I still eat ALL DAY LONG.  I have food wherever I go.

-I still enjoy white wine :)

-I’ve gained 20 lbs since my lowest weight post-surgery (82 lbs).  I’m only 14 lbs away from my pre-surgery weight which may or may not ever happen.  Regardless, I’m grateful for the pounds I’ve been able to put back on.

-I’m still tired.  Especially after meals, after work, or if I talk a lot.  Eating requires my body to work extra hard to break down my food so it requires me to rest and nap sometimes.  Talking requires a lot of work from my diaphragm, abdomen, etc. so I sometimes become out of breath just from talking.