Pampering myself 8-12-2010

Pampering Myself – 8/12/2010
I decided to try having acrylic nails put on my finger nails. My daughter has had it done dozens of times and friends have had it done but I just did not want to spend the money. Well – the time has come – so I spent the money. I had a manicure for the first time in my life and now my nails are looking gorgeous. Still not sure if I will continue with them and get “fills” when needed but time will tell.’
The weather continues to be beastly hot and humid here. Supposed to get some relief starting either tomorrow night or Saturday night – would really love that right now though. Why is it we always want what we can’t have? Something to ponder maybe??? I’m having my class reunion this weekend so we leave tomorrow AM and won’t be back until Sunday night. So our poochies must go to the doggie motel at the Vet’s. They are so used to staying out there but when the pickup turns at the light (we only have 2 in town) they start whining like they do not want to go – and they most likely do not want to go – but it is what it is – so off they go. Animals seem to have a keen sense of things – something many people today lack. Something else to ponder – maybe???
I have followed the diet this past week and will do measurements tomorrow AM – and this time I will keep track of the total inches I’ve lost since my surgery. I have now lost 40 # since the beginning of last May – and – I will be losing more – but it will be gradual – no more than 2 – 3 # a week. I would be satisfied with 1 # a week. I am focusing on eating healthy and making a mental change in my thinking about what I eat, how I eat (still way too fast), when I eat etc. This is a lifestyle change for me and I do not want to blow it.
Windom is an amazing little town – pop. 4600 – give or take a few. I’m on a steering committee focused on bringing Broadband to the rural areas. A number of years ago, the city fathers decided to develop a telecommunications system in town – fiber optic to the home. There was a lot of opposition etc. but fortunately the citizens voted it in. Now we have a great opportunity to expand on that by offering lots of different things to the community. For instance, there is a project in MN called PCs for People – you collect a minimum of 25 recycled computers, they pick them up and deliver 25 refurbished computers, XP installed etc. and then you can give those computers to families with school age children who do not have a computer so the kids can keep up at school. More projects - developing a learning center in town, increasing the number of hot spots in town, perhaps developing a data center here for large corporations headquartered elsewhere etc. It is absolutely amazing to me all the things relative to a computer and how it impacts our lives. And then there is Social Media – I’m still trying to figure out all of that.
So – I’m following my diet, not exactly exercising everyday but trying to keep that up, pampering myself, and figuring out my computer etc. I think that’s enough for one day. Until later – Tikki/Karen

Hot and Humid
Temps and dewpoints in the oppressive range – UGH! This is the time to be thankful for a/c. There isn’t much moving outside except for people in air conditioned cars going from point A to point B. I have not gone for a walk on Sat. or today. I have had some problems with the stomach etc. yesterday and today so have been lying low. I suspect there may be some dehydration going on so I am trying to drink a lot of liquids today. So far – so good :0)! I have lost some more weight – down about 40 pounds so far and still have many more to lose. I’ve lost some inches as well and the next time I do the measurements I will keep track of how many inches I have lost since I started with the measurements. I am also now trying on some of my “smaller” clothes to see what fits etc. Actually I have enough in my wardrobe to fit into until I get down below 175#. Maybe I should open up an exchange store where people can bring in what they aren’t wearing anymore and exchange for the sizes they are wearing??? Well – that sounds good but we already have two of those kinds of stores in town already so I think I will pass on that idea :0)!
Saturday was the first experience I’ve had with throwing up since my surgery. Because it happened about an hour or so after I had eaten, there wasn’t much to get out. My apology if this is gross for some of you. I had taken my morning meds with water about ½ hour after I had breakfast and the dieticians say to wait an hour after eating before drinking anything. So – is that what caused this to happen or was it something I ate earlier??? Today (Sunday) I have been keeping food down (not eating much either) but now it is the bowels??? Same question – something I ate or what??? It could be a combination of both maybe? Searching for answers and there may be none? For now just concentrating on drinking fluids and figuring out what I can do for dinner tonight? May just stick with the old standby – Chicken Noodle Soup.
On a brighter note – I got a perm last Thursday and feel good about that. I am also going to get acrylic nails put on next Thursday. I have never done this before and not sure I will do it again – will see how it goes. It should be an interesting experiment anyway. Until later - Tikki

Exercise, exercise, exercise

We got our walk in this morning. I have a little pedometer that clips on the waist but I can’t find it. We are pretty sure we walked about a mile though. We took the Beagle – Lucky – this time. He needs the exercise too! Too many milk bones in his fat little tummy. Windom has some wonderful walking paths out at Legion Field near Cottonwood Lake, a small fishing and swimming lake in town. There are four full size baseball fields, one soccer field, a skateboard park and a children’s playground called Castle Kingdom. The city laid out a walking path in and around all this stuff and it’s really nice. There are some small hills etc. but I figured out how to get in a mile without too much of the going up and down. As soon as I find that darn pedometer I will know for sure if we are right about it being a mile. It is getting quite hot out and a bit humid so I doubt we will take the Bassett – Elvis – out later today.

I really need to get focused on using my Resistance Chair though because once winter gets here that will be the end of outdoor walking. Our little town does not have a nice indoor mall where someone can walk in inclement weather. However, a friend said she just goes to the grocery store and walks up and down the aisles a few times – HMMM – never thought of that but it’s a great idea.

Tomorrow we do not have church because of the Jackson County Fair where they have an ecumenical service tomorrow. We will be going to a Pancake fund-raiser for a family in a nearby town. They have a newborn at the U of M hospitals undergoing lots of surgeries etc. He was born without an esophagus and with major issues with his heart etc. They are stretching his esophagus through the numerous surgeries and are almost there. When he reaches 6 months, they can start in on the heart stuff. God surely has a special place for these little ones who go through so much just to live. I hope they are able to raise a lot of money for this family. It’s amazing how much this affects finances – having to be away from home so much and then who watches the children who are still at home while you are gone for days at a time etc. I’ve heard it said these are million dollar babies – I’m thinking more like multi-million dollar babies!

Medicine and the medical field have done so much and there are so many new discoveries and improvements every day. Thinking about all of this – how can one not believe there is a God in charge and providing for us always? Just when things are the bleakest is when God steps in and takes over. His answer is not always what we hope for but he does provide. I’m not sure that Obamacare is one of God’s answers however. Now that comment will surely stir up some opinions :0)! Until later - Tikki

July 29, 2010

Medical, Medical, Medical

Today was medical day in Sioux Falls for both my husband and I. He saw his dermatologist and heart specialist. I saw the Dietitian and the Nurse Practitioner to get my first adjustment of the lapband. Actually the rest of this week is Medical too. I had a blood panel done Wed. and will see my regular doctor tomorrow at 9 AM to discuss that and I have a dental appointment at 8 AM tomorrow. I continue to lose weight, slowly, which is good. My A1C is done to 6.6 and all my cholesterol numbers are well within the normal ranges – Yippee! Overall, the Dietitian, the Exercise specialist and the Nurse Practitioner were all very pleased with my progress. The Nurse put in a fill of 2 CC’s in the band for now and that seems to be OK but I’m back on liquids for today and tomorrow. I am now able to swallow all my medications, vitamins etc. without crushing them – another reason to celebrate! So – all things considered I am doing very well to date.

The one area that needs a lot of improvement is exercise. Although we do go for walks, usually on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, I should try to do more walking. I use my Resistance Chair other times during the week but sometimes that is difficult to fit in. There’s another area, too, that needs improvement – I have a tendency to gulp my food and need to constantly remind myself to chew, chew, chew, and then chew some more. And to put my fork down while I eat and count to ten or twenty before taking another bite. Back to the drawing board I guess.

I always get a good report at the dentist – he has told me I will not lose my teeth so that is good. It’s been years since I had a cavity and when I do need work done, it is usually to replace an old filling or an old filling has cracked or come out. I guess I am blessed with good genes for my teeth.

It’s been a long day so I suspect we will both be in bed early. Hubby got a good report at his appointments too. Looking forward to the weekend and being able to actually spend a good amount of time working on my blogging and websites etc. Until later - Tikki

Where's the Time?

It seems the hurrier I go the behinder I get. I’m really struggling with finding time for everything. My business (day job) is picking up dramatically and I am finding I have more in my schedule than I perhaps want. Balancing that out with my recent move and the need to maintain a certain level of financial cushion for the business and that gets me thinking I need to work as much as possible. I know it will mean I will fall behind in some areas and it will mean later hours at work. So – how does getting home after 6:30 and sometimes 7 PM affect the dinner hour at home and my diet in particular? This week is a good example. On Monday, my husband was gone to a meeting during the dinner hour. That was OK as I had made some egg salad and had some of that for supper. But it wasn’t a dinner so then I added a snack about 7:30 PM. I am allowed an evening snack. Yesterday I got home after 7:15 PM and he had already eaten, which is good but once again, what to fix for one person. I ended up finishing off the egg salad and about 8:30 PM started eating a snack. So I am wondering if having that snack so quickly after finishing dinner was a good idea. I have some fresh fruit in the frig and perhaps I should have concentrated on that rather than the RyKrisp crackers. Tonight I got home about 6:30 PM and found a bowl of pancake batter on the counter and the small griddle on the stove top. He had already made his dinner, which I did not know. I checked the caloric count for pancakes and determined I could have two 5” diameter cakes with blueberry syrup and still be less than 1000 calories for the day. I made enough pancakes for another lunch or dinner for me and another dinner for him so they went in the freezer for another time. Then about 8 PM I measured out a bowl of tortilla rounds and some peach salsa and had the evening snack and still came out under 1100 calories. So now – here I am, finally finding time to write in my journal, which I have ignored for far too many days now. And in about ½ hour it will be time to get ready for bed. I am usually in bed by 9:30 PM and up about 6 or 6:30 PM and at work by 8:45 AM. And I sleep fairly well – sometimes until 6 AM but more likely to 4:30 – 5 AM and then go back to sleep until after 6 AM. So how does my wonderful loving husband handle my evening snacks? Unfortunately he raises his voice, scolds me like I was a two year old child and then adds insult to injury by sending me two emails referring me to lapband websites – just to prove he is right and I am wrong. I know he means well but there are times when…. Now that I have it out in writing, I can deal with it more rationally and not let it escalate into an argument that will serve no purpose at all. I know I have done nothing wrong and I will work through the negative feelings surrounding this. I was not being sarcastic when I said my husband was wonderful and loving – he is. I would not trade him for anything and I/we are very happy together and looking forward to old age together. Everything in due time. So where does that leave me relative to the time issue – perhaps a need to prioritize, set a schedule, time aside for each project etc. Thankfully there is always the weekend for stuff at home. But still - I am still stuck with the hurrier I go the behinder I get!!! Tikki

Did I or Didn’t I?

You Betcha – I DID – Yea for me!!! It took about 20 minutes to go from home to the post office and then to my office. And – Yes – I was colorful – used my cane from Mexico. I took my time and slowed down when necessary. Today has been beastly hot and humid – again – and tomorrow doesn’t look promising either. But I walked around 9AM and it was still tolerable then.

My wonderful, amazing, and handsome husband came down to the office about 11 AM and we cleaned together. Left two rooms to vacuum and sweep but will go back and do that either tomorrow or Sunday. I hitched a ride home with him for Lunch and then made bank deposits and went back to work. Answered the phone and made phone calls and got some intake information out to two new clients. My schedule is really filling up fast – have about twice as many clients next week as I usually have. It makes me very busy but it is also good for the bottom line. Oh – also got some billings out too – that’s always good. Been thinking I should do some kind of Newsletter on my day job website – need to remember to add “email address” to the intake info so I have everyone’s email.

Listened to a webinar from Mail Chimp about how to use their service – very informative – and they provide a link to listen to it again – I like that. I have used Mail Chimp to send out a monthly Newsletter to the customers I have from Resistance Chair System website – you know – www.resistancechairsystem.com. I absolutely love, love, love that chair and the ease of use etc.

Have I mentioned disguising the taste of crushed meds and how difficult, if not impossible, it is to do that? Well – guess what? There is a way to do it so it is at least palatable. Mix them with a tablespoon of Chocolate Syrup – WHO KNEW??? Of course you must still count those calories in your daily caloric count – but come on – 50-100 calories depending on whether or not you use one tablespoon in the AM and again in PM or if you use a teaspoon for each. It is definitely worth it and it just means you cut back on something else. Otherwise, I followed my diet really good today. Seems I have plateaued at the same weight for the last 5 days – good that it is not going up – but I want it to go down, down, down. I need to be patient – hard to do :0)! Hey – thanks for dropping in and I hope you will come back – Karen/Tikki

Lend Me Your Ear!

OK - This is about support and motivation. I missed the exercise this AM - actually the second day in a row. I know, I know - this is an excuse and I just have to get my sorry ass outta bed in the AM so I can do at least 1/2 hour on the Resistance Chair. I've thought about walking to work - it is somewhat uphill and down so it is really uphill both ways but it is only about 1/2 mile - maybe a bit more if I stop at the Post office on the way in the morning. I SHOULD be able to do that - right. The issue for me is my balance. It just simply is not that good that I would trust myself for that distance. And, of course, I won't know unless I try it. I could use my cane that I got in Mexico 2 years ago - at least I would look colorful while walking :0)! I could try this tomorrow AM and see how it goes and ask my husband to come and get me at noon if it proves to be too much. I need to clean at the office tomorrow too and that is definitely exercise. What should I do??? Check in tomorrow night and find out :-)!

I am following my diet so far today and have stayed within my calorie count of 1200 or less. I took out some salmon for tomorrow night. Of course, my husband won't eat that so I have a very small steak thawing for him. One of my goals is to weigh less than my husband at some point in my life. The man eats to live and I live to eat :0)! His nutrition is terrible with all the snacking he does and the Coke he drinks and his smoking - Uffda! He really needs to own stock in CocaCola :0)!

I have been sleeping very well at night - at least 6 hours before I have to get up and use the bathroom. All things considered, it is because of sleeping in Goodnighties PJs and using my Buckwheat Pillow. If you have never heard of Buckwheat pillows or tried sleeping with one - you do not know what you are missing. The first time I heard about them was about 15 years ago or so - give or take 5 years - more likely to be 20 years rather than 10 years. Anyway - I heard they were good for absorbing heat - HOLD ON - a pillow that would absorb all the heat my body would generate during nightsweats - THANKS to menopause!!! We are so blessed as women to have to deal with childbirth and then when the uterus dries up we get menopause - Thanks to Eve and that darn apple :0)! So - naturally I had to try one. After I got it and used it the first night - Well - my guardian angel had to be watching over me that night - no wet pillow - although it did nothing to stop the nightsweats :0(! Not much does - they are just over when they are over and not one minute before - no matter how much we women want them gone! Now that alone sold me on the value of the pillow. But - hang on - there's another benefit here that was immediately apparent in the morning - well -actually the night before when I put my head on the pillow. This pillow molded itself around my head and actually kept doing so throughout the night - no more pluffing and plumping to get it just right at various times during the night. Is that an unexpected bonus or what!!! Since then I have purchased several more pillows for the bed - my side only - a neck pillow for the rocker etc. Here's my saying - You can have my first born but - nobody and I mean NOBODY - touches my pillow. It goes where I go- I don't care if it means another suitcase and a fee for that second bag - it goes - no matter what. If you are interested, you can check out one of my websites - www.buckwheatpillowsonline.com and see what you think. The other product I mentioned earlier is the Goodnighties stuff. You can check that out on www.goodnighties.com. The material feels so great on my skin and it is so soft and silky. I would recommend the PJs as the gown is more like a top than a gown - just not long enough for a gown in my book. However I do wear that under my nightie and that works quite well. This fabric also absorbs moisture and other nasty things floating around in the air that we are most likely not aware of. So it is great that the manufacturers of this product do know about that stuff and have developed a product that works to get rid of the effects on us . Great little product - check them out too.

OK - I've given my sales pitch. What are your recommendations for getting the ass outta bed in the am and for a solution to that walking/balance problem? I need some motivation and support here - Now it's your turn? Karen/Tikki

Just Another Day

The end of Tuesday already! Yesterday was my first challenge with eating out, out of town. I was at a meeting in Mankato, MN a large City (by small town standards) and soon it was noon and decision-making time. I was with 3 others and we all agreed to try Noodles, a restaurant within walking distance of the meeting place. I was going to order the Chicken Noodle Soup (small bowl) but one of the gals started talking about how good the Wisconsin Cheese and Mac was soooo good etc. etc. etc. So I switched and ordered that. It was quite a bit of food, even though I got the small bowl. Well, my friend was right - it was delicious and before I knew it the bowl was gone - well not before I knew it cause I did take my time chewing (and chewing and chewing etc.) When I got home I checked the caloric count for that lunch - which was only that mac and cheese. OMG - large amount of calories - BIG MISTAKE! I'm counting on the walk over and back to compensate for some of that. I should have stuck with my original choice. So - today - back on track! Unfortunately neither my husband nor I got up early enough to go walking this AM either. So - will try for tomorrow. Now they are predicting rain for tomorrow and that means no walking outside, if that's true.

Trumpet Roll Please - toot, toot, toot, toot, toot, toot, toot: There is something out there to masquerade the awful taste of crushed meds and you will never guess what it is. Plain old Chocolate Syrup - Yeah - Chocolate Syrup - Who Knew!!! Works like a charm - twice a day - 2 Tbsps - well worth the 100 calories in my book. No more nasty taste :-)!!!

Back to that lunch - It was pure and simple temptation and I lost that battle. Now - I could continue to beat myself up for being "weak" etc. etc. etc. and then - since I blew it anyway - continue to overeat the rest of that day. well - that only makes me bigger physically and that is why I had the surgery - to correct that type of thinking and make it possible to become "less" physically. So - that requires an attitude adjustment - getting back on track etc. etc. I think I was able to do that today so I'm hoping to extend my streak to two days by the end of the day tomorrow :0)! Tune in tomorrow for the results. Karen/Tikki

Alert the Media! Alert the Media!

Hey - Guess What? My absolutely wonderful, handsome husband (really a short little bald guy) asked me if I wanted to go for a walk on one of the walking tracks in town and we would take our roly poly Bassett with us? Are you kidding? Is the Pope Catholic? So I grabbed my ever present bottle of water, jumped in the car and off we went. We didn't go far on the walk but it was about 10 minutes, which is all the poor Bassett could handle (and me too truth be known). Our town has a players park out on the edge of town with several ballfields and a children's playground that looks like a castle (appropriately named Castle Kingdom) and they were kind enough to lay down a very large, wide walking path - actually several paths - winding around and about the ballfields etc. So - on the way back my husband - did I mention how wonderful and handsome he is - asked if I wanted to start coming out early in the AM - before work??? Did I hear right??? So I think Tuesday AM we will start that program - hard to do it tomorrow as I have to be out of town for work and will be leaving really early. I still intend to make my resistance chair system an integral part of my recovery. You can check out this chair at http://www.resistancechairsystem.com. It is so convenient and hardly takes up any space in my home. If you need to sit while exercising - this is the only think you will need to get the job done:0)! Onward and Upward friends - Karen/Tikki

Sunday - Sunday

Thought about that wonderful song by the Mamas and Papas - Monday, Monday. Well today is Sunday. I now fit into a pair of jeans again - Yea!!! I tried an old time favorite for Breakfast that I haven't had in a long time. A soft boiled egg with toast strips to dip into that gooey yellow yolk and try to get some of the egg white to stick to each piece of toast. Well - the egg yolk was already mostly cooked but - Oh Well!! Anyway - it brought back some memories of growing up and looking forward to that wonderful egg sitting in the egg cup waiting for my spoon to dig in.

Today I start exercising every day using my Resistance Chair System. My balance is not the best - something I am hoping will go away with the weight. Being seated is important for me at this point. I truly appreciate the resistance bands and what that means for strengthening muscles etc. I can also watch TV while exercising - just like in a gym or wellness center. I would really like to walk outside but I just don't trust myself to go alone yet. Supposed to storm later today too. OK - I know - that sounds like an excuse :0)!

I think I overate my evening meal yesterday. I know it took me longer than 20 minutes to eat it so I probably should have put it away. I still have some left over in the frig so I'm thinking I will split that in half - half for lunch today and the other half for dinner? Sounds like a plan :0)!
I am working on my websites today to clean up stuff etc. I am also working on all the social media websites where I have a presence and making sure they are all up to date etc. Well - time to get cracking - Karen/Tikki

Everything is going well so far. I am now down 32 pounds - 20 of those were lost the month before surgery. I am measuring everything that goes into my mouth. I thought it would be a struggle doing that but I am finding it is easy to do - the scale is always on the counter. I absolutely love my scale - I got it years ago from Pampered Chef (www.pamperedchef.com)but never really used it much until now. I'm so glad I got it way back then. The other investment we made was to purchase an electric counter top meat grinder. That also sits on the counter as we use it at least 2 times a week or more. My husband loves and eats just about any kind of meat - if it is ground up. Otherwise he does not like much meat at all.

The exercise part of this program is not totally functional yet. I forget most days but when I am at work and need to run an errand downtown, I walk rather than getting in the van and driving that block or two. My balance is still not the best though. Maybe I should invest in one of those "magical bracelets" they advertise on TV that are supposed to restore your balance and anything else that is wrong with you :0)! I really need to set up a routine and stick to it - be as diligent with that as I am with the measuring of food and recording it. I really appreciate the Lapband website (www.lapband.com)the doctor recommended. It makes it easy to do daily recordings of just about everything. I have chosen to do monthly recordings of my measurements but daily recordings of my food intake and my blood sugar readings.

The negative stuff right now is that I have a bit of pleurisy going on and that has resulted in feeling very tired, almost exhausted by late afternoon. There really is nothing that can be done to ease the pain I feel in my left lung area when I breathe. I have a prescription for Darvocet for sleeping and that helps. So - since it is Saturday, I may just take that nap this afternoon. Sounds like indulgence - where did that come from - well - how about always hearing "do something productive" and "suck it up and keep moving" etc. You know - things that always made you feel guilty - coming from parents, teachers etc. So - when do I or can I stop listening to those voices from my past and do what I now think is right??? The answer comes from within folks! There is no magic bullet or pill one can take that will provide all the "correct" or "right ways" of doing things. You only have three people you can rely on - the same three I have - me, myself and I. And we are all in agreement on this one - a nap this afternoon will be great - so there :0)! Tikki

Happy Fourth of July! I am celebrating a new lifestyle. Today was my first day on regular food - so far so good. The toast and cheese went down really well as did the 1/2 of banana. We will have chicken tonight - ground up into patties. I am feeling full and satisfied - that's great :0)! I am now back to work full time and that is great also! I'm contemplating what to wear when we go to Mexico next February - it will be here before I know it. I have enough clothes of all sizes in my "closet" that I should not have too much trouble finding stuff to take - swim suits included! I suppose I could almost open a clothing store with everything I have :0)! That would certainly help with the budget!!!

I am learning to chew everything slowly and carefully and to chew a lot - every bit of food. It took me 20 minutes to finish my breakfast - a slice of toast with melted cheese and 1/2 a banana - before I could've downed that in 5 minutes flat. Now being persistent with this change will really help a lot. I think I can have a small 3 oz can of tuna with mayo and 5 crackers for lunch along with a very well cooked veggie - like peas. Will figure that out at noon. I do have to go into the office this afternoon for a bit - just to get ready for Tuesday and to see one client at 2 pm. Then the rest of the day is mine - to do whatever I want to do.

My sleep continues to be good and I am convinced those wonderful Goodnighties PJ's are the trick. You can get your very own at www.goodnighties.com. They feel so good on my skin and are so soft and comfortable. I just wish their gown wasn't so short. It's about an inch longer than the PJ top - hardly what I would call a gown. It does fit nicely under a t-shirt though and makes my skin feel so good.

That's it for today - until later - Tikki

The first of July already. The 4th on Sunday and we are not doing a thing, which is fine with both of us. 3-4 more days of soft foods and then I can try solids - YEA!!!!! The weight is coming off slowly but surely. A bit too slow for me - I want more off NOW!!! Patience is the name of the game and settling into an exercise routine with my Resistance Chair. I just wish I could trust my feet to go out walking alone. Maybe if more weight comes off that might improve - sure hope so. I am finding I have more energy now too. I continue to sleep well every night and I think it is the Goodnighties stuff that is making that happen. I invested in a pair of PJ's from them and I like them as much as I do the very, very, VERY short top they call a gown. I will wear that tonight with the PJ bottoms and see how that works. I need to go to the grocery store sometime tomorrow for some of my "soft foods" for the next 3-4 days. I may just take another 3 days rather than 4. I'm feeling quite well and tolerating the foods and feel like I am ready to move to Stage 3 eating. I still DO NOT LIKE having to crush my meds and mix them in something - whatever I mix them in - well - it ruins the taste of whatever it is. I really need to call the Dr's office and find out when I can switch to taking them whole. And I need to call the Heart Specialist's office and find out what they want to do when my current prescription is up for renewal. I assume they will want to do a blood test and I'm dur for a blood panel in August so it would be nice if they could combine it all into one blood draw - I should be so lucky!!! I have a feeling I am not drinking enough water - not sure if it's because they are pushing the amount you drink every day or if there is actually anything not working just right because of missing some amounts??? I guess time will tell.

My incisions are healing up nicely. There is still one big scab but it is shrinking and hopefully will come off sometime soon. The original scabs have come off the rest but now have newer ones that are not so bulky and rough. I have not experienced any oozing, bleeding or infection in any so far - and - hope that continues. My blood sugars continue to be way down from before surgery so that is good. I have to remember to start taking down my measurements and entering that info on the Lapband Journey website. There will be times when the weight will not show up but a decrease in measurements will and it will be important to have that as a way to remind myself that progress is being made. Almost time for bed so best sign off for the night - Tikki

Everything continues to go well so far. I am tolerating all the foods and learning how to "like" the soft foods part of this process. A week from today I can start on solid food - yea!!! I lost another pound this AM so that is good too. I still struggle with that exercise routine everyday. I love my Resistance Chair and actually enjoy the time I do spend on it so what's the hang up? The biggest fear I have is a fear of failing at this. So far, I have been doing well so what's behind the fear? I will be fat forever and so heavy it will take a gazillion pall bearers to carry my casket? a fear of losing weight? a fear of being "skinny"? a fear of being successful? Why am I "hiding" underneath all this weight? What am I "hiding"? What do I do now? Get with it or scrap it? Seems like I've gone through an awful lot so far to get to this point so "scrapping it" is just not an option anymore. So - how do I get into a routine? Perhaps the best way is just set aside a time everyday when I can exercise - maybe over noon either before or after I've had lunch and before I go back to work? I would really like to go walking again but I just don't trust my feet. I hope that can change as I take more weight off. Getting my husband to go with me is a solution but so far he is not really invested in doing that. And what happens when winter comes - not so easy to walk outside and no malls within 30 miles. One thing I would really like is to go swimming everyday but there is no indoor pool and the pool hours at the outdoor one are not conducive to my working hours. Stay with me on this - I need to continue working on things. Tikki

We have sunny weather today - much better than all the rain we've gotten the past two nights. My blood sugar continues to stay within normal limits - thankfully. That was one of my goals for having this surgery - to get my diabetes under control. The weight loss is painfully slow so far - I want it to come off much faster. I'm following the recommended diet religiously and measuring everything that goes into my mouth. I am still in mourning for what I can no longer do - chomp into a big juicy burger from somewhere - anywhere - wouldn't matter. Likewise a big juicy Reuben at Cecil's Backroom in St. Paul by St. Catherine's University - absolutely the best Reubens one would ever want to eat. Those days are now gone - at least for the time being. Right now, I am thinking I will never be able to approach a meal from now on without looking at the size of the portions and adjusting downwards, especially in restaurants. Here's an idea - ask the waitress for the proverbial doggy bag when she brings the meal and put most of it in there for home later and just leave what I can eat on the plate. Here's another tip: when with someone you know doesn't like the big portions either, ask for two plates and order one dinner/lunch. My daughter and I did that a few years back on a trip to Atlanta and Savannah, GA - worked like a charm.

Here's a tip for women who experience night sweats because of a "broken internal thermostat"- there are some pajamas out there that can "fix" this issue. They are the most comfortable PJs I've ever owned. The fabric is luxurious and feels absolutely wonderful against your skin. It is designed to absorb heat as well. They come in all sizes too and some fashionable colors as well. You can find them at www.goodnighties.com. Give 'em a try and see for yourself.

Now to compliment those great PJs and truly make your sleeping experience complete - especially for you menopausal women - try a Buckwheat pillow. These pillows absorb the heat and absolutely mold to any part of your body you desire. This pillow has increased the quality of my sleep for the past 13 years. My Motto, "You can have my first born but nobody, NOBODY, touches my pillow". That pillow has been everywhere with me - always. You can find these wonderful pillows at www.buckwheatpillows.com. Between these two items - the pJs and the Buckwheat pillow - well - it is just like being in heaven all night long.

Tomorrow I go back to work - back to the grindstone - as they say. It will be a bit of an adjustment, what with the dietary requirements every hour or so. But I have a small refrig and microwave oven there so it should not be too difficult. I'm feeling better every day, my mood is improving each day as well, and I even have more energy now than I did three weeks ago. I need to exercise on my Resistance Chair consistently every day in order to maintain and improve on this. Onward and upward - Tikki

I did not expect to feel this good so quickly. I am now down 14 pounds from day of discharge (including the 8 pounds I gained overnight from all that nutritious and calorie laden IV I had while in there overnight). I have more energy and can move around easier. Even some of my clothes are starting to get too big - Yea!!! I go back to work on Monday and I am so glad I took the full two weeks off. I have been able to get about 1/2 hour in on my Resistance Chair every day and hope to increase that with time. Those resistance bands (cables) really make one work - good strengthening exercise. Unfortunately I am still crushing pills and mixing in something - there is absolutely nothing that will make that stuff taste good :0(!

I have been following the diet religiously and am now on soft foods - finally! I was so looking forward to being off liquids and now - well - the soft foods aren't much better - and - I still have about 10 days to go before I can even try solid food - and - then only in finely chewed food. I'm finding I still eat way too fast but I do now chew everything for a long time. I have not been hungry - yet! I still would very much appreciate a spray I could use in my mouth that would replicate all the yummy tastes of different kinds of food.

Today I am out and about for a bit this AM and through lunch. I will be at my office doing some things until about 11 AM and then will go out to some businesses in town soliciting funds for our local Girl Scout Swim Team and then will have lunch with my good friend Kathi. We always eat Chinese when she comes through so I'm looking at their menu to see what I can eat. The only thing looks to be their wanton soup. I can chop up the wontons and then grind down with my teeth. I like that soup so it's OK. Can hardly wait until I can eat solids again though.

That's the update - until later - Tikki

Today is Saturday, June 19th. A lot has happened since I last wrote. On Wednesday I had an appointment at the Surgeon's office in Sioux Falls. Everything is going along beautifully. It was bit of a trick to make sure I ate/drank every hour. I also had an appointment at the Endocrinologist office after the one at the Surgeon's office. I brought a small cooler along with everything measured out and packed so I was able to maintain the eating schedule - but it was bit of a hassle preparing everything the night before etc. The scale I got at Pampered Chef years ago is excellent for this kind of stuff - measuring everything that goes in my mouth. I also felt much better and the incisions are healing. I got my walking in with going between buildings on the campus of Sanford Hospital. Both my husband and I were able to get our respective appointments on the same day in late July for followups - his for his heart and me for the surgery. I see the dietician next time and the NP at the Surgeon's office for my first adjustment in the band. Right now, the band is open as wide as it can get to allow for healing etc. I suspect she will put some saline into the band in July to decrease the size of the opening.

Thursday we had to go up to Mankato to the Army Guard Armory to get a new military ID for me - mine expired on 6/15/2010. So had to get most everything ready the night before for food for the day, The good news is that we were back home before lunch :0)! So Thursday wasn't as much of a hassle as Wednesday. To say I am looking forward to this Wednesday is an understatement - Wednesday is the day I get to have 1/2 an egg for breakfast and applesauce. I am moving on to the Soft Foods part of this new eating regime - Yea :0)! I was able to exercise on the Resistance Chair and have set a goal for myself of using it for 30-45 minutes daily. It is so easy to get involved with something and forget to exercise and to eat on time - something I really need to watch.

Today I hope to get my husband to take a short walk with me. I do not trust myself because of the neuropathy in my feet. My balance is not the best so it is reassuring to have him by my side as we walk together. At least the weather is cooperating so far today - not sure if there is expected rain showers or not - hope not :0)!

For anyone considering this surgery, I recommend it, It is least invasive of the different bariatric surgeries with the fastest time for recovery. You MUST change your eating habits and lifestyle for this to work. This can be a life changing event in one's life - and I hope it will be for me.

Recovery

It's been a few days. I am busy with all the preparations for my liquid diet once every hour. I do not have any hunger pangs nor desire to eat more. I have not had any nausea or vomiting. I'm gradually learning how to measure everything etc. My wonderful husband took me to the grocery store today to pick up a few things for this wonderful diet. I have decided to withold all my vitamin supplements except the chewable multivitamin. I have not found anything to cover up the taste of crushed meds which have been added to milk, juice, yogurt, etc. I find I am still tired and need to take a nap at least once a day for an hour, sometimes two. Hopefully that will decrease. There are times when I wonder - "What have I done?" but then remind myself of my long term goal. Besides, my body would reject any kind of solid food once it exceeds a certain, very small, amount.

I'm supposed to walk everyday but so far have not been able to do that. I will try my Resistance Chair later today and see if that is tolerable. I need to do something. I am afraid of walking because of my bad right knee and the possibility that I might fall again. Then someone who sees it can come help or call for help - It generally takes two people to get me up. That is one thing I am looking forward to - getting up by myself :0)! Can hardly wait until I graduate up to Baby food.

The incisions are healing but two of them seem to bother more than the others. Some of the super glue came off in the shower today. Last night I had a problem with the evening meds and mixing them into a small amount of liquid. The end results is that some of those "crushed' meds landed on the very back of my tongue so now I have a sore throat - wonderful!!!! Dinner tonight consists of 2 oz cream of chicken soup and 2 oz of milk. The snoozies are catching up to me so I better lay down for a bit - Until later - Tikki

Well the surgery is done and I am home again. I'm learning how to crush pills and mix with water or juice. No matter how you want to cover up the nasty taste of crushed pills - well - haven't figured that out yet. It takes a long time to crush the pills and to make sure I haven't missed any. I have been really good about following the diet - all liquids for two weeks. During the operation, the Doc found a hiatel Hernia so he fixed that too - a twofer. Sleeping is not the best yet but I'm hoping that will improve. I've got two weeks to rest and relax. I was able to get some cream of wheat down at breakfast - as long as it was watered down with milk and almost the consistency of a liquid with some cereal in it. My good friend, Kathi, is due any minute and bringing me some wonton soup - I can't eat the wantons but I can eat the broth. We will visit for a time and then she is off to Sioux Falls for the afternoon.

I have five cuts in my stomach, four of them are about 1/2 inch and one is an inch - amazing how they could get at stuff with such small openings. I can feel the port under my skin - it is located about half way between the larger cut and a smaller one. the incisions aren't very big but they are uncomfortable. My insides from upper chest to waist feels like a mac truck ran through it - well actually the surgeon was in there and that is where he did all his work so I should probably feel like that. As my son would say "Whatever". The next thing is to start on exercising and taking walks. Until later - Tikki

One Day Left

I worked this AM and driving back to town was thinking about this procedure tomorrow and processing emotions connected to reviewing all the risks and benefits. The benefits outweigh the risks. I'm feeling confident about this and preparing myself for the recovery process. Was able to really cut calories yesterday and today I am on liquids only - so I've been drinking water all day. After drinking the Magnesium Citrate at 4 PM today, I have been making several trips to the bathroom. The Magnesium is actually better tasting than the stuff they give you the day before a Colonoscopy. I am hopeful for changes in my health after this - changes for the better. Up early tomorrow - 5:30 AM and leaving about 7 AM. Check in is set for 9 AM with surgery at 11 AM. Nothing to eat or drink after midnight.

I switched a blood pressure med from tomorrow AM to tonight so I don't have to drink any water with that. I'm actually looking forward to being put under - it's generally a good sleep and rest time for me - and that is positive. The pain from the 5 small cuts and having my insides juggled around will most likely result in more achy feelings than pain but even achy stuff can be painful. Can't be any worse than childbirth. In any case, I am able to tolerate a lot of pain, unlike my husband. The Meat Grinder arrived today so now everything is in place for the food I can eat.

One thing though - I love a good Reuben sandwich so I'm wondering how a Reuben would taste if it was reduced to puree status :0)??? Humor goes a long way in any kind of stressful situation. I find as I age it becomes easier and easier to be more positive and respect others opinions and not try to convince them to "see it my way" etc. Life is much better now. Life is too short for arguments and grudges. Today more than ever that is mindful as one of our church members, age 62 died in car accident Friday and her visitation is tonight and the funeral tomorrow. My husband is representing us at the visitation tonight and we will both miss the funeral tomorrow. Will be interesting how the rest of the night will go relative to being in the bathroom all the time - Oh Well!!

I will be out of commission for this blog until I get back home - hopefully by Thursday and then by Friday I can write more - until then - Tikki

Today was church with a brunch afterwards. Probably ate more than I should but I did pass on the cinnamon roll. Prayed about the surgery in church. One of our church members, in her 60's was killed in a car accident Friday night - a grim reminder of how short life can be and to make the most of it while you can. Listened to some mediation disks on the computer. Did not sleep well last night. Some joint and muscle aches most likely from the cholesterol med even though I stopped it on Friday. Not even the buckwheat pillow helped. That pillow goes wherever I go. It shapes itself around my head perfectly.

Trying to eat up what is in the fridge that my husband won't eat so ate two avocados - lots of calories there. That will be my dinner. Tomorrow will be cereal for breakfast, lettuce salad for lunch and nothing but liquid for dinner. Cleaning up my office area at home so I don't have that to come home to on Thursday. Started putting things together for the hospital. Went to my office to print out some stuff and my color printer decided to quit - spent about an hour trying everything to bring it back to life but I think it is the cable so will try to get a new one tomorrow morning. Seems as though I've been busy all day and I'm wondering if that might be way of avoiding the feelings associated with this lifestyle change? Still haven't taken a before picture - must do that before Wednesday. Hope I sleep better tonight. Tikki

Yesterday was busy but I was tired all day, I think because of the new meds (the antibiotics). I did manage to go out with a Membership Specialist from the Girl Scout Council to solicit funds for the local swim team. We managed to get to everyone on our list but will have to go back to a few places as we did miss a few who were "out" of the office. This will have to wait for two weeks until after I have sustained some semblance of recovery from my lapband surgery. We have a goal of surpassing last year, which was $1000 and got $500 yesterday so we reach that goal in two weeks. I was able to maintain my weight so I ate OK yesterday. Was very drowsy early last night and in bed by 8 PM, dosing off and on until about 10 PM. The only problem is that I woke up about 2:00 AM and after laying in bed, awake for two hours, got up and did some work online and cleaned up a portion of my work area at home. Went back to bed about 6 AM and napped until just before 9 AM. Now it is 2;30 PM and I am tired again so I hope I can sleep more tonight. As I age, it seems I can get by on less sleep, about 6 hours, maybe 7 a night.

I'm trying to remember which website offered free newsletters because I did set one up but didn't follow through with mailing it out. Now I can't find it :0(! Cleaned up my profile on some social media sites etc. Wondering how I will do with the liquid only stuff. Thinking a bit about the upcoming surgery and hoping it will go well with no complications. Looking at the possibilities for exercising afterwards. Since I sell the Resistance Chair System online, that is the logical place to start. My left knee does not work so well so I appreciate this Chair form of exercise. So far today I am doing well with my eating. I hope I can lose another 3-4 pounds before Wednesday. I'm thinking I may start the liquid diet on Monday - that may help. Until later - Tikki

Preparation - The Beginning

OK - It's taken me 9 months to get to this point and when I started I thought it would only be a month or so - wrong - again. My surgery is scheduled for next week but I had to go through a lot to get here. The first, and biggest, barrier was the requirement to be on a physician/dietician supervised diet for 6 months. The other requirements were: a trial on meds (didn't work), having a psychological evaluation (that's my profession and now I have to be the client - oh joy!!), a mammogram, a tetanus shot, and a cardiac workup. Once the diet was finished (it was a waste of time), it took another two months to get that first appointment with the surgeon - who, by the way, I like very much. So I took the final requirement yesterday - a three hour class, a consult with a pharmacist to review all my meds etc. a chest Xray and final blood work. That final blood work revealed a small glitch, which will not interfere with the surgery date, relative to the presence of bacteria in my system that may cause ulcers - well, let's just add another log on the fire :0)! So now I am on some "super" medication regime for the next 14 days that will (hopefully) get rid of the unwanted and unnecessary little pest.

So - here's what I am looking forward to - trying to lose as much weight as possible in the next 6 days in whatever method works best to get weight off quickly - it helps the surgeon if there is less fat surrounding the liver and apparently crash dieting hits that area first with fat removal. Following this surgery - it is liquids for 2 weeks etc. I am taking off for two weeks even though I'm told I can go back to work in one week.

I must take a picture of myself for the "before" and look at it while the weight comes off - well -- maybe not. It is and will be a grim reminder of the weight. How did I let this happen? Two children didn't help but - really - others have kids and take it off afterwards??? Is it lack of will power - although now, research tends to debunk that theory. I do know that I love the taste of food and I like just about everything. Everything I like is bad for me? I remember hearing from my Grandmother - "Clean your plate - the people in China are starving". So - now when I look at that - what do the starving people in China have to do with my eating habits? How did that get into my psyche? How many other things are buried inside of me? How do I get them out, deal with them, and move on to a healthier lifestyle. I want to see my grandchildren graduate from college and be at their weddings and perhaps if I'm lucky enough, hold a great-grandchild?

Today I was able to control what I ate - I think that is all I can do - just one day at a time. This sounds like AA? But food is an addiction - at least for me. So if I utilize some of the tools from AA and NA, is that a bad thing? Well - the 24 hour thing worked today and I hope it will work for tomorrow. Tikki