The end.

Well folks, the end has come to the medical study I have faithfully participated in for months. I started the paperwork for this early last summer, started the blood work in August, started eating the food in late August, have given probably (what I would consider) gallons of blood and have conquered my fear of hospitals. Oh and I lost 45 pounds. 

me on the last day-I look like a tourist at Graceland

Very blurry, I was literally speed walking in for my last day.

I actually had two days of full blood work to complete in the same week.  

They ran two different tests, both of which were done the same way.  

I entered my room to a tray full of this fun business....

This used to freak me out and make me have the shakes, 

I'm good now...no shakes here. 

The second day of blood work I had to drink this icky stuff.  

Looks good right? Not so much.  It does say for RX uses only,
that should be a good indication that it is similar to
that nasty pink medicine you had to drink as a child. 

Now, I know you ALL wish you were there with me so here's a little bit of a preview of what happens...

Ewww. That's right, unoxidized blood is nearly black.  Isn't that crazy? 

When I took science classes in high school I was
to busy passing out to have learned this. 

So...this was wildly amusing to me now, some 10-12 years later. 

Here are photos from along the way.

 Week 2-food pick up

November-ish

 December-ish 

the end

the end

the end - 45 pounds lighter

November-2010

In the same dress March 2011

It's hard to tell a difference from these pictures,
but it fit completely different. 

There is a  25 pound difference between these two dates. 

Now that I'm finished, well, errr, ummm, I am on my own. (YIKES) I am trying very hard to practice these valuable lessons I've learned during the past six months, exercise a little bit more and naturally, not eat like a hot mess.