So here I am 13+ years post-op, maintaining, in the gym 5 days a week, living a fabulous life and what happens?  I am walking into the atrium area of the Hilton Long Beach hotel after a nice walk to Starbucks and back at about 8 PM - and I trip.  I tripped over a lamp base, fell into a chair, and then managed to crack the back of my head on a granite and metal table.  OUCH, right?  I thought I was okay, got up feeling embarrassed more than anything else, worried that I had hurt my shoulder where I bumped into the chair.  Well that was closer to my clavicle and it hurt, but appeared to be a bruise only - nothing cracked or super painful.  My hands were shaking at this point, and I was taking deep breaths to try to calm myself down.  And then I touched the back of my head.  Yes, it was bleeding, A LOT!  I started shaking some more.  Many of my friends were there because we were attending the Obesity Help National Conference and they came over to check on me.  By this time someone finally got a staff member over, asked for, and received, a makeshift ice pack and a wad of napkins to try to staunch the flow of blood.

Long story short.  I went by taxi to the hospital ER, was seen pretty quickly (I am grateful for that) and received 7 staples in my head.  Fortunately, no hair needed to be shaved and it was not very noticeable.  Except for my headache which was growing exponentially.  I was asked how the pain was and gave it a 3 because I’ve had migraines before and this didn’t approach those pain levels.  I left the hospital having received the staples in my head, 2 Tylenol, and instructions to have my doc take out the staples in 7-10 days.  I was told if I felt nauseous or dizzy or anything to head right back to the hospital.

I got back to the hotel around 10-ish and went upstairs and got ready for bed since we had to set up our table at 6:30 am.  I spent time chatting with my husband by phone because he was super worried about me and once I assured him I was ok I tried to go to sleep.  It worked for about an hour at a time - had to get up and use the rest room - I guess adrenaline rushes make you pee.  By 3:30 I could not go back to sleep at all so I began my slow shower and hair washing process (to remove the blood- I had the hospital’s blessing on washing my hair and letting the water flow over the staples).  I took 2 more Tylenol, got dressed, did my make-up and dried and styled my hair.  My goal was to head to the exhibit area and be presenting from 8am - 5pm as planned.  I had more Tylenol with me if needed.

I did just that - spent the day on my feet talking about WLS Success Matters, our programs and selling our cookbook - Eat Your Way To Success And Learn How To Control Hunger.  We sold out of cookbooks by about 2PM.  It was great.  I was busy and had no time to think about the dull headache that was gripping me.  I finished the day out, packed up and headed home.

So, how is falling and cracking my head open a Non-Scale Victory you ask?  Truth be told, it was not the fall itself, but rather my actions afterwards.  Had I still weighed 424 lbs my fall would have been harder, probably caused more damage, and no way would I have been able to put in a full day’s work the morning after.  It probably would have put me in bed for days.  THAT is how I have turned this entire embarrassing incident into a Non-Scale Victory - the realization that I am responsible, and have managed to turn I can’ts - into I cans.

I choose to LIVE my life, and just fyi I was in the gym Monday morning and all was ok.  I still have a dull headache almost all the time, however I don’t put myself on the disabled list for that.  I’d rather reach deep and do what I can.  I’ll see my PCP on Tuesday to remove the staples and see what she has to say about what, if anything is next.