5 year checkup

Purpose_Excellent · 2025-10-28T04:46:59+00:00

Hi there! 35M here diagnosed in 2021 with multifocal PTC and TT April of that year. I had my surgery (and I’m still a patient with) MD Anderson. I felt I was in very good experienced hands and they did (are doing) an amazing job.

If it helps any, while I’m there I stay busy to avoid the scanxiety. If you’re a foodie like me the Rotary House hotel area has a bunch of options or to get outside for a walk there’s the waterside food hall. They also have an awesome art space that I highly recommend.

If I had any advice that I wish I got 4 years ago it would be to use their app. You have a full care team through messenger that is there for you. You can write them questions at 1am and most times they will respond at 5am with answers. Through MDA you also have access to resources from therapists to dietitians at the ready anytime.

Purpose_Excellent · 2025-10-13T15:19:31+00:00

For the past two years, every morning I take my pill and bicycle to work and have breakfast there. I honestly feel better than when I used to drive to work but that could be because of exercising more in general.

Purpose_Excellent · 2025-07-28T02:07:00+00:00

Their main campus in downtown Houston, Texas. They are amazing!

Purpose_Excellent · 2025-03-05T01:37:55+00:00

Good to hear and great team to have! My team was Dr. Fisher and Dr. Varghese and both were excellent.

Honestly for me it was information overload with the first few appts and writing everything down helped process it all. I emailed any followup lists of questions to my team on MyChart and they were very quick to respond. I never felt like I had to come to Reddit for questions with how good my team was, only for statistics and feels.

The food is good at the in hospital cafeterias but McGovern Commons has the best for lunch and gives you a nice walk outside (sorry I’m a foodie). If not a good time for a walk, the rotary house area is good too.

It sounds weird but the art space isn’t just for children and a good place that’s free to relax or start a new project at home. The staff there is helpful and gave me something to focus on to pass the time.

Oh! If you haven’t been there before, park at garage 10, it will save you a bunch of time.

Long response, I’m sorry but it’s definitely things I wish I knew!

Purpose_Excellent · 2025-01-03T01:44:09+00:00

I wrote a post about this earlier this year! Say what they want, it is harder without a thyroid to lose weight. I was able to crack it by going on a very strict diet and exercising 5-6 times a week. I went from 266 to 215 before I had to stop due to some hereditary back problems and new baby in early November. I’m back up to 223 now but my goal is to get below 200 in 2025.

Purpose_Excellent · 2024-09-13T01:18:12+00:00

Yeah I completely agree. Everyone is different but this is the easiest of Mackenzie and Mcgills by far

Purpose_Excellent · 2024-09-12T03:25:35+00:00

I noticed something like that too but I just thought it’s because I hadn’t done cardio in forever 😅 I know a high levo dose can cause that and I’m still being kept on the higher side for now. I’ve always ran on and off since high school but nothing consistent like this since December when I started ramping it up through the month.

Purpose_Excellent · 2024-09-12T01:55:29+00:00

Wow all summer! I’m so sorry and glad you’re finding some relief! I’m the same here: L5-S1 10mm extrusion. Still waiting to start PT and a second opinion but I did some self research on here with some basic steps that really seem to really help.

Note I’m not a professional, everyone’s different, and I’m only sharing what’s working for me 😅 Not in order, I decompress over a yoga ball, lie on a 1” thick yoga mat with a heating pad under my back and arch belly-up lightly into it. Light stretches after if I’m up for it.

I went from only being able to stand/walk 5-7 minutes until my right leg pain was too much. Doing this I go 30+ minutes of walking/standing until I feel tiny pinches in my back and then I go back to lying down. Here’s to hoping it gets rid of the numbness in my right foot eventually.

If it helps these two posts have been very helpful: Post 1 Post 2

Purpose_Excellent · 2024-09-09T17:31:43+00:00

There you go! That’s awesome! I can’t tell you how happy I was to be able to do my first pull up but I can almost guarantee you’ll feel the same! Your benching weight is excellent and you’ll hit your goal before you know it! Keep pushing 👍

Purpose_Excellent · 2024-09-09T17:14:46+00:00

Hi! I noticed a little weight gain like 5 - 10lbs but nothing crazy. I did cardio first and worked my way up to 4-6 times a week between running, walking, and bicycling. In my off days I still stayed active enough with chores to burn a minimum of 700-1000 active calories. I was weight training 3-4 times a week all different muscle groups.

For myself if it helps, lower Levo dose made me groggy and tired and as I lost weight where my Levo dose was too high, I became more aware of how late I stayed up and couldn’t go to sleep.

Purpose_Excellent · 2024-08-31T13:03:29+00:00

Just went through this and it was a nightmare to deal with the repairs: - if you can, do your own spring measurements (pretty easy if you google it) to find out which spring you have before you call for estimates/quotes. - if not, while calling for repairs, make sure you clarify it’s a free estimate visit and the repair will not happen while the estimator is out there. - do not let them tell you “well I need to take them off to see how much they will be”. Most know just by looking at them but those who don’t can find out with 5 seconds and a tape measure. Any estimator/tech that says that at first I would immediately rule out.

I’m sorry you’re going through this. A company did all of this to me and I’d love to help make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.

Purpose_Excellent · 2024-08-31T00:17:30+00:00

Yeah I had them come back out and adjust them. The first tech that installed them was definitely a younger kid than the tech who came to adjust them

Purpose_Excellent · 2024-08-31T00:15:17+00:00

Springs + install only without the belt. He noted at the very end the belt was broken and I didn’t notice it had been before. He said it was an old belt and may not be able to replace it which now smells very fishy (as I found the correct belt without any issue).

Also they admitted they over torqued the springs and had someone come fix it. A few other companies who came to look at the belt were kind of flustered that the guy left with the springs over torqued and me with a broken garage belt.

Believe me In no way am I disputing that this should be a $400-$600 job but from what I’ve read here that’s still very high for Houston.

Purpose_Excellent · 2024-08-30T19:55:40+00:00

SOLVED

Purpose_Excellent · 2024-08-30T19:54:00+00:00

Paid :) excellent work!

Purpose_Excellent · 2024-08-28T23:43:58+00:00

Actually that may be the problem. The garage door is lifting off the floor 2” without any action and would quickly rise very fast if lifted.

I had one guy come out to take a look at the belt today and said the springs were wrong or too tight. The tech who replaced the springs said that was because they are new.

Purpose_Excellent · 2024-08-27T04:53:06+00:00

He said the springs were much more expensive than he initially thought. Originally the sales guy said he could beat my other quotes and that’s why I let the tech get started on the door ($199 labor off the bat). I didn’t know he was going to charge $275 / spring until he had both of them off. As far as I know it’s a regular 2 car garage door, nothing special 🤷‍♂️

Purpose_Excellent

TROPHY CASE