Today is Day 1

 It has been 159 days since my day of surgery. The last 5 months (and a few days) have been spent wholely healing from surgery. Learning how to nourish my body. Focusing on my new needs and just letting my body heal from having 2/3 of a major organ removed and then healing my lower intestine. The days have both crawled and flew by. Last week I crossed the 90lbs loss mark. While I don't see much change in my body I am shrinking by the day and the Vicar and PKs tell me they see a difference. I am in transition with my body shape. Clothes are literally falling off of me but for now, we make it work cause I know more change is coming and as such, I don't want to keep dropping coins on new stuff. I also walk without pain. Without worrying if I'll be able to make it from wherever I am to my car. I can literally stand up and teach for 14 hours a day and have no pain. Living without pain has been the greatest blessing. 

Today I decided that it was time to face the gym again. I have no interest in using the gym to lose more weight, having a 3oz stomach will do that for me. What I want to focus on is building muscle. This will mean I have to also increase my protein and ensure I am fueling my body for the work it will need to do. I am going to use the gym to get stronger. Cause honestly, I have lots of life left to live and I want this meat sack to be ready for the adventures I have planned for it. 

I have a fitness assessment on Monday and I'm going to go into it with an open mind. Prep my ego for light weights and being slow. Reminding myself that forward movement is progress. I have a history of being very physically active and being an athlete and although that was decades ago, that work ethic exists in me. I am ready to be active and strong. Cause this relationship with myself is the longest I've ever had with anyone or anything and we have a long road ahead. 

For anyone out there wondering if you can do the hard thing, you can. It will suck but I'm here for you. And there is no easy way, all of the ways are hard. But I love you, mean it, and I'll be your biggest cheerleader/butt kicker. Let's do the thing. Things are less scary when you have someone to lean on. 

Another academic year ends....well for me anyway.

Today marks the first day of my non-teaching term for this academic year. Since March I have been teaching, course designing, course revising, or prepping to teach. I was so blessed to have co-teaching faculty who picked up the lion's share and more during my recovery periods. TFF, couldn't have done this without you. Your guidance, leadership, anticipation of needs, and general making sure I actually recovered and didn't stress too much are appreciated beyond words. I am indebted to you friend. 

Teaching in our student's first and last practice courses is so amazing. I mean, it is a helluva a lot of work too, but it gives me an amazing perspective. The distance they've traveled and the journey to becoming and embracing their role as student clinicians, it is the best part of my job. Watching them figure out what parts of this vocation light them on fire and the parts that are necessary but not invigorating. Watching your future colleagues put in the work, persevere, learn how to integrate and accept constructive feedback, and build resiliency, makes you so grateful for your own journey and builds my confidence that these people will take OT into the next 100 years. This cohort had the benefit of me having a year of courses under my belt. They got a better version of Dr. Callen than other cohorts before them. And next year's cohort will benefit from the things I've learned this year. The learning and growing never ends. 

As my advisees begin to inch towards being turned loose to live out their best OT lives, I hope they know I'm holding them in prayer. Sending them positive and confident vibes. Remember that they have the knowledge and the support to be successful. Go out into the world and do wonderful things. You are far more powerful than you know! I'm so proud of you! 

#HopeDealers #OTDin2 #GoBeExcellent