Weight Loss Goal Number One is No More -- Plus More Updates

Well, this has certainly been a journey full of many ups and lots of down but as of May 14, 2014, I am extremely happy to report that I have met and SURPASSED my initial weight loss goal of 50 pounds (down 53 pounds and 23 inches across my body). I began my journey on Jan. 13 at the Nuviva Medical Weight loss clinic in Altamonte Springs.

Making the decision to start this journey was easy. I had a serious health scare last October and was in the ER with a severe allergic reaction, I felt terrible for weeks but I didn’t have time to worry about me as just one week later, my beloved pug Biskit got extremely sick and died just a few days later in November.  

Not long after that, my lower back, which has given me issues before, started hurting and worsened terribly over Christmas. My doctor gave me some pain pills and muscle relaxers which worked before but I don’t like taking pills if I don’t have to and these weren’t working. So I decided that I would make the pain ease as best I could.

I began aggressive chiropractic treatment and started Nuviva. While the chiro helped a little, it was not doing enough so I went to my doctor and he ordered MRIs. Well, they weren’t pretty and I was (and still am) looking at a good chance of lower back surgery (severe disk isssues and spinal stenosis).

I saw a neurosurgeon and before operating, he wanted to do a series of three epidural spinal injections, the last of which I received this past Monday. They helped a little but would often quickly dissipate when I did anything such as run/play softball etc.

Regardless, I have kept my head up and am laser focused on getting my back fixed, continuing positive changes I’ve made in my personal life, being the best I can be at a job (and company) that I love and continuing to eat healthy. I’m not on a diet anymore, I have a new life and that includes healthy eating. Oh yeah, as soon as I reached my first goal, I set an immediate second goal of an additional 30 pounds. That will put me at or near what I weighed as a freshman in college/senior in high school, maybe even younger than that!

I did this for me and of course to help make me feel better, but many of you may remember that I made a promise to my Biskit and if you know me, I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep!

Thank you to all of you for reading and for your support throughout this roller coaster ride. I promise you, it will only get better from here!

Kraig Koelsch

p.s. So many of you have asked and since you're already here sharing this other good news, you get an additional bonus. I am not sure when, but I have made up my mind and I WILL BE GETTING ANOTHER PUG. I don't know when but the decision has been made. It's not an attempt to replace Biskit as that's impossible and just the wrong state of mind. What will happen is another furry creature that sheds to beat the band will get the privilege to call my home its home (likely another fawn-colored, female pug). So there, now you know!