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~ Diabetes, Cancer Fighter, Father of Twins, Kayak Fishing, Woodcrafter, Lover of Life

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Author Archives: Tim Hughes Living with CML

Fish On!!

28 Saturday Jun 2025

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Fishing, Kayaking

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Bass, Bass Fishing, Boat, Fishing, Kayaking, Life, Outdoors, Worm Fishing

I love to fish, and with being laid up for over a year, I can’t go fishing enough. I’ve been going at least once a week for the past two months. There have been a couple of weeks that I’ve been twice in one week.

I’ve started trying to film my trips so that I can share my little adventures, but I’ve been having some bad luck with my GoPro. It’s an old one, and I need to purchase another one. On my first trip, the battery died before I caught my first fish.

I hope you enjoy this little video of me catching one of the two fish that were caught on this trip.

14 Months Post Op

27 Friday Jun 2025

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in bariatric-surgery, Diabetic, diet, Fishing, Weight Loss

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Bariatric, blood pressure, Diabetes, Fishing, gastric bypass, kidney function, Meds, No Regrets

I know it’s been a while, so here’s an update.

My goal was 190 lbs from 260 on my surgery date. As of today, I weigh 171 pounds. Just a little more than I had anticipated. I’m now in size 32 from size 48. The downside is that I now look 20 years older. I do not regret having the surgery, it’s just a huge adjustment with the extreme weight loss. If you’re considering having a gastric bypass, I highly recommend it.

My current A1c is 5.2, down from 8.5. I’m no longer on insulin, heart meds, or blood pressure meds. My kidney function started going down, but for some reason has started going back up again. Not too concerned about that just yet.

I’ve started fishing again, which I thoroughly enjoy,y so be looking for posts about my adventures in my kayak.

Five Month Post Op

28 Saturday Sep 2024

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in bariatric-surgery, Diabetic, diet, Pets, Retirement, Weight Loss

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Cat, Medication, Soda, Surgery, Sweets, Vet, Weighloss

On September 24th I weighed 206.6 lbs, down 54 lbs since April and down 75 lbs since January. Things are still progressing, slow, but still progressing. I’m averaging about 10 lbs a month. It’s been five months since I’ve had any sugary drinks or sweets. I do, however, drink what I call yellow-capped Milo’s tea. It’s sweetened with Splenda I think. The money I’ve saved just by not buying the soft drinks, Little Debby cakes has helped. Also, not having to take all the extra meds has reduced my pharmacy bill greatly.

Since my surgery, my breathing has improved 100 percent. I guess my lungs were being compressed by my stomach and since the repair, I can tell the difference. I’ve been trying to walk about an hour each day. This boot does make it more difficult though. I had to make an appointment with my orthopedic doctor the other day because my left foot’s ankle had swollen. I immediately contacted my doctor and made an appointment. I was so worried that I was about to go through the same thing with my left foot that I went through on my right. It was just an aggravated tendon, and he made some adjustments to my shoe insert.

I had lunch with some of the guys that I used to work with before I retired the other day. It was good to see them. When I was signed in one of my co-workers asked what I did with the rest of my body? None of them had seen me in over two years or before COVID-19 hit.

I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to vote for the picture of my cat Clyde. He made it to the semi-finals and didn’t make the cut. Clyde has been sort of puny as of late. He spent four days at the vet trying to get rid of a UTI. We hated to have to leave him because he does not do well being boarded. We did go and visit with him every day just so that he wouldn’t think that we had abandoned him. It was really tough seeing him on that last day because all he wanted to do was find an escape route. I’m glad to have him home again with us. I know he’s nearly 20 years old and I know he won’t be with us too much longer. Every day with him is a blessing. It will be hard when he does cross that rainbow bridge.

September 6th Video Update

09 Monday Sep 2024

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in bariatric-surgery, Cancer, Diabetic, Leukemia, VLog, Weight Loss

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Bariatric, bariatric-surgery, Diabetes, life changing, post-op, update, VLog, Weight loss

Please Vote!!!

03 Tuesday Sep 2024

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Photography

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This is my 19.5-year-old cat, Clyde. I’ve entered his picture in a photo contest. I’m not sure if anyone reads my post or not but if you see this, please follow the link and vote for his picture. You can vote each day until the contest is over. We are currently in round five and I believe it goes to round eight. I could eventually win $10,000, but I doubt it will go that far.

Thank you for your time.

Please vote for this photo in the America’s Favorite Photos competition: https://AmericasFavoritePhotos.com/v/k3zp6h

Four Month Post Op

24 Saturday Aug 2024

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in bariatric-surgery, Diabetic, diet, Disability, Leukemia, Retirement, Weight Loss

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bariatric-surgery, crow boot, Doctor, orthopedic, post-op, Weight loss

July 24th 2024 226lbs
August 24th 216 lbs

Lost ten pounds this month. Everything is progressing nicely. The doctor wants me to lose thirty more pounds. If this keeps going the way they have, that should take another three months. I’m in no hurry. Just as long as I lose what I need to lose to get my BMI to a healthy range.

I go to my orthopedic Dr on Monday. I should know more when I get this boot off and in a regular shoe. Hope it will be in the next six weeks or so. The first thing I’m going to do is get my kayak out and go fishing.

Happy Birthday To Me!!

16 Friday Aug 2024

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Diabetic, diet, Weight Loss

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Birthday, diet, gastric bypass, medical test, Overweight, Weight loss

I turned 61 years old yesterday, August 15th. Several years ago, I would have never guessed I’d live to this age. With all the health issues that I had plus being nearly 200 lbs overweight, I didn’t have a lot going for me health-wise. Now that I’ve lost nearly 150 lbs and increased my lifespan by several years, I hope.

I saw my surgeon last week and she’s impressed with the weight loss. She wants me to lose another thirty pounds and then we’ll start talking about maintaining the weight. I’ve slowed down on the weight loss, about a pound a week. I still weigh myself every day and sometimes it gets discouraging but I know I’m losing inches as well. My wife bought me a new belt. The old one wrapped around me about halfway. I’m going to keep it to remind myself never to turn back.

I saw my primary care doctor and we talked about my last labwork. My A1c went from 8.2 to 5.5. My Creatinine levels continue to drop, now at 1.52. I’m no longer in the danger zone of kidney failure. I’m still at stage 3a kidney failure but they’re no longer talking dialisys. All my cholesterol levels are good. There were more green on this last report than red. I haven’t seen these numbers in quite some time.

Simi Annual Checkup

09 Friday Aug 2024

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in bariatric-surgery, Diabetic, diet, Weight Loss

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A1c, Doctor Appointment, kidney failure, Lab Result

I had my lab work done for my simi annual check up last Monday. The results are in. There were at least thirty tests performed on the blood work but there are only two that really concern me, Creatinine levels and A1c.

After many years of my A1c being 10+ or higher and 7.2 the lowest, I’m very pleased to announce that my A1c is down to 5.5. According to this report, I’m not even prediabetic any more. I’ll let the doctors decide when I see him on Monday.

My Creatinine levels are still dropping. My last labs from my oncologist three months ago showed my Creatinine was at 1.78. Today’s results showed them to be at 1.52. Still in class 3a kidney failure but it’s getting better.

Three Month Post Surgery Update

25 Thursday Jul 2024

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in bariatric-surgery, Diabetic, diet, Disability, Weight Loss

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crow boot, Diabetic, health, Weight loss

It’s now been three months since my gastric bypass. Since April, I’ve lost 35 pounds. Since the first picture was taken in 2003, 135 pounds. I’m now on 7.5mg of Mounjaro which has been a big help in losing weight. It’s also been a big help with controlling my blood sugar. My sugar still spikes but it comes down without having to take any insulin. I go to my GP in two weeks and I’ll do the blood work to see how good it’s been. I haven’t had a soda in three months, or sweets in four months and to be honest, I don’t really miss either one.

I’m still in my boot and I hope, according to my orthopedic doctor, in three months I’ll be able to get rid of it and go to a regular shoe with special inserts. There will be a list of do’s and don’ts that I’ll have to follow and I will follow that list to a T.

Update: May 26th One Month Post-op

26 Sunday May 2024

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in bariatric-surgery, Boy Scouts, Cancer, Diabetic, diet, Disability, Leukemia, Weight Loss

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bariatric-surgery, Boy Scouts, Charcot Midfoot, gastric bypass, mobility scooter, Summer Camp

Thursday, May 24th was one month since my gastric bypass surgery. I’ve lost 35 pounds. I’m eating way less than before surgery which is to be expected. So far, I’ve not experienced any sickness.

The doctor has taken me off of all my insulin and put me on mounjuro. (Sp) It’s a once per week injection of 2.5 mg for 4 weeks. I’m not sure if they’re going to up the dosage after that or not.

If I’m still in my boot and not in a cast, I’m planning on going to Summer camp with the Boy Scouts. There is no way I can hobble around the campgrounds in this boot so I’ve purchased a used mobility scooter. I had to drive 3.5 hours one-way to get it. I just couldn’t pass up the good deal. I’ll find other uses for it I’m sure.

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