Jus4tday's Days

Back is fixed now....

2009-09-07T21:24:00.002-05:00

Three weeks ago tomorrow morning, I had major back surgery. I had a lumbar fusion and something else, that is a very technical term I can even say, much less spell. Oh well, what ever it was/is it seems to have worked well. I am already walking, albiet a little unsteady, but having very little pain. Dr. Isaza is a wonderful surgeon.

The first night of surgery, I had a very rough time. I just wanted the pain to go away and Tom said I begged God to take me. I think I was really begging God to take the pain, not me. Anyway, the doctors and nurses were finally able to get a grip on my pain and then I was able to rest some. Tom said I had that little pain pump button in my hand pumping it for everything I was worth. I just remember how bad it hurt and I just wanted it to stop.

Well, I just wanted to let everyone know I am still kicking.....litterally and I am glad that surgery is over with. I don't want to do it again any time soon.

Broken Back !?!?!?!?!

2009-05-24T14:30:00.003-05:00

A lot of you know the pain I have been in for a long time now. The pain has gotten greater and greater as time has passed. On May 6th I had to go for an MRI for my lower back because I was suddenly in so much pain I couldn't stand it. All of you that know me, also know I have a very high tolerance for pain. So when I say I couldn't stand it, that means on the pain scale from 0 to 10, it is a 9 or 10.

So, I had had the MRI and was on my way home, but before I got home, the doctor called my cell phone and told me to go back to the Imaging Center because they saw something on my MRI that was a shadow of something in my belly. His terms not mine. Heather and I turn around and go back to the Imaging Center where they did a CT scan of my 'belly' area. They discover a huge cyst on my liver. It is the size of a cantelope. Nice! I can't do anything just a little bit, I have to do it BIG! I should live in Texas.

Next thing that happens is I land in the hospital. Now I go to the hospital thinking they are going to take this thing that is on my liver out of my body. Not. They called in a liver specialist and he decided that this is a benign cyst and we will look at it again in 6 weeks to see if it is growing more or what. I know it is because 1 1/2 years ago there were 2 or 3 little cysts and they were pea size. So, yes, they are growing. But I will let him have his fun and look at them again in a few weeks. I think they are going to have to be removed, but what do I know? It's just my body.

So I was in the hospital and they called in a Neurosurgeon about my back. I saw him in his office last Friday. His exact words were "your back is effed up. Your spine is trash! and you have been walking around with a broken back." Hmmmmmmmm......broken back. This is a result of degenerative disc disease. The discs have deteriated to the point that the vertebre are falling off the top of each other. Thus a broken back. I am now using a walker and in constant pain. The only thing they can do for it is fuse the last 4 vertebre together L3, L4, L5, S1. This will be done in July. That is the earliest I can get in for this particular surgeon because he is very good and is booked solid until then. I can't think but waiting that long with the amount of pain I am in, so I just do today (one day at a time). So that is the story of the broken back.

Will write more soon as I am living on the couch these days. Love you all.

Skinny Little Butt

2009-04-21T11:55:00.000-05:00

Today my husband said something to me that I don't think he even realized until I started giggling and thanking him. My daughter and son-n-law, Allen, were in the back seat of our vehicle with me in the front with my husband driving. We were carrying a lot of stuff in the back end of the SUV and when we hit a dip in the road, the back end of the SUV bottomed out and hit the back side of the dip. My husband said "Cinnie, I am going to have to put your 'skinny little butt' in the back seat and put Allen up here with me." SKINNY LITTLE BUTT!!!!!!! Wow! He hasn't said THAT to me in a very long time. It was a wonderful thing to hear!

Me SICK!!!!!

2009-03-10T17:23:00.002-05:00

Ok folks, it is spring in South Louisiana. Flowers are blooming everywhere, pine trees are pollenating, oaks are showing an attraction for each other, and it's all in the air! Thus, me sick! This started for me last Friday and I am still down with it. I finally got an appointment with my doctor for tomorrow. I want SHOTS! One is each butt and I will be good to go. That is what it usually takes for me to get past this epizooty.

I have to get over this soon, because a week from tomorrow, we are flying out to Canada to visit friends and watch their daughter get married. We are really looking forward to the trip. I will try to post while we are there to keep you all up to date.

Well, I have spent all my energy for today, so I am closing for today. Will post more later.

Fantastic!

2009-02-21T21:28:00.005-06:00

Tom and I had to opportunity to see Cirque de Soliel's Salltimbanco last night. It was so good. Here are some pics I found of what we saw.

The fellow on the bike was fasicinating. Talk about control.......

And this guy here was so funny! I really enjoyed his parts......

These two men was so powerful. I could not believe my eyes most of their act. The strength they displayed was something!

And one of my personal favorites was the part these people performed. They looked like flying birds to me. It was stunningly beautiful.

I just can't say more about it. YOU MUST SEE IT!

Another strange visitor!

2009-02-07T11:40:00.004-06:00

These are the perks of living away from town in the country. Today a Billy Goat showed up and visited for a while. Here are his pictures.....

He is a hansome fellow isn't he?

I have some pretty unusual visitors sometimes, but I like it. I would have a menagerie if I could afford to feed all the animals. This guy lives across the street and he gets out of his enclosure all the time, but it's the first time he has ever come this far from his home. I just hope he won't get hit out in the highway.

Tom finally got the goat to follow him back across the street. He put him back in the enclosure. The people that used to live there are trying the sell that property, but they come out a few days a week to feed the goats and check on the place. The poor goats probably feel abandoned, but I know they are being taken care of. I will check on them every couple of days, just the same though.

Besides the goat, things are going well. Still having a LOT of back pain and have made an appointment with my doctor to talk about what he can do. He mentioned surgery several times, but I have been avoiding that. Now I am willing to listen.

Have a great day everyone.

Cochon de Lait

2009-01-18T15:54:00.004-06:00

Some call it a Pig Pickin'. Some call it a Pig Roast. Here in south Louisiana, we call it a Cochon de Lait. (Cooshau de lay)

Yesterday, at 2:00 am, my son-n-law, husband, and step-son, hung this pig up to cook him over an open fire for the next 13 hours.

There were right at 70 people who showed up for this. It was wonderful! Everyone brought something to eat, from macque choux (mach shoo) to Baked Beans. We had food enough to feed an army of friends. And we did.

Just about an hour into the party, the power went off. WHAT!? Yes, the power went off. I don't know what happened, but that does happen around here from time to time, but I really didn't appreciate it happening at THAT time! But it turned out to create an adventure for our guests. They all came in the house, got a plate, put stuff on it, and went outside to see what they had on their plate! Surprise meals! Yahoo!

The pig got cooked, everyone ate as much as they could hold, we laughed, visited, froze a little big because it was chilly outside, but I think we all had a great time. I know I did. It was nice to have everyone over at our house for a change. It was wonderful to see all our friends gathered together enjoying each other.

Thank you all that showed up. I appreciate all the work that everyone put into this gathering. It was so much fun. We will do it again next year!

Was she great!????

2009-01-11T17:08:00.005-06:00

Yes she was! She was so awesome! Heather and I went to see her in Houston Friday night and had a great time. Celine put on such an entertaining show. I want to go see her again now. I have been to many concerts in my life, but this one was, by far, the most enjoyable to me. She sang all her popular songs, especially the ones from the Taking Chances CD and had dancers, and her backup singers. Her stage was very entertaining as well. It opened up and closed, had elevators in each corner and in the center, turned, had a conveyor belt, etc. I enjoyed watching the stage doing things as much as I did everything else. She did all her entrances from under the stage in the center. Her band members were also on elevators near the corners of the stage. And the band came and went (litterally dropped) through the corner elevators of the stage. What an awesome show!

Celine's opening act was Gordy Brown, a commedian, and he was hilarious. He is contracted at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas right now and will be there for 2 years. He was too funny. He is an impersonator and is really good at what he does.

Gordy was on stage for about 45 minutes and then Celine was on for almost 2 hours. She talked some, danced some, sang a lot and I so enjoyed it. The one thing that made me absolutely sick, was that I didn't think I would be able to bring in my camera, so I left it in the car, and I could have brought it in. They actually allowed them. Sick I tell you, just sick! I had such good seats, I could have gotten some fantastic shots of her act. I guess I was just meant to enjoy it and not try to get photos.

Ok, I know you are tired of hearing it already, but SHE WAS SOOOOOOO GOOOD! I can't wait to see her again in concert somewhere. It was so worth the trip and the ticket prices. WONDERFUL!!!!!!

It's all gone now!

2009-01-01T19:25:00.003-06:00

2008, Breast Cancer, low energy, Christmas tree, Christmas tree needles on the floor, decorations, store crowds, traffic crowds ( I am at home), Hurricane Gustav, Snow.

It was a rough year for me as you all know. I am glad it's over. 2009 has got to be better than 2008. Is it because I am getting older? It seems that each year things are worse than the last. But not 2009. It will be great! Tell me that if I start whining about anything this coming year.

Happy New Year to every one of you!

FINISHED!

2008-12-19T11:05:00.003-06:00

I finally finished my radiation treatments last Saturday. I have never been so glad to finish something. Today is Friday and my energy level has come back up to about 90% of what it should be, so I am able to do a lot of the things I have been putting off, like go get my nails done! I did that yesterday.

Today I am going to lunch with a friend and I hope we can go somewhere to buy some specialized tea. I have a new teapot I want to use. I love spiced tea and special flavors.

I am not going to make this very long because I am at work. Don't tell anyone. My internet issues at home have gotten continually worse and now I can't even send out email. I can still receive it, but can't send, not get to ANY website. Hubby needs to get router VERY soon.

As soon as my issues have been resolved, I will post pictures on previous blogs and I will let you know they are there!

Leaving work in a few minutes, so I have to wrap up a few things.....

His eyes fell out and his nose fell off!

2008-12-13T10:57:00.000-06:00

The snow was so inviting Thursday, that I finally mustered up enough energy to go make a small snowman about a foot tall. I put an oak leaf for his tie, and sticks for his arms, and a piece of board for his nose/mouth, and little pieces of leaves for his eyes. I found a piece of marble to use for a hat. Well, folks, I tried. What can I say? It took every bit of energy I had left to make him and I just loved him.

I did take pictures of my snowman and I will post pictures later.

Still having internet issues. I think it is my router causing it. Husband said he will go buy a new one and hook it up to see if he can resolve my connection problems. I absolutely HATE it when I can't get online and do what I want to do. It aggravates me to no end. Now why is that you ask? I really don't know, except that I spend a lot of time looking around on the 'net and shopping right now for Christmas since I have no energy to go shopping with my feet, so I do it with my fingers. I love being able to look at stuff and just browse the 'net. So for me, when I can't get online, I feel really left out. What did I do before I had internet? I don't remember.....

Anyway, My snowman is gone now, but he sure was cute while he lasted.

Merry Christmas every one!

SNOW in LOUISIANA !!!!!

2008-12-11T10:50:00.000-06:00

I am so excited! We have 6 inches of snow on the ground! We get a good snow like this once every 15 to 20 years, so it is always something to see for us. It is absolutely beautiful. We are so used to looking a dried up grass in the winter that when we see the ground covered in white, it is truly a winter wonderland.

I wish I felt better, I would get out there and play, throw snowballs at my husband (he came home from work early) and make a snowman. Maybe later, I will go and make a small snowman.

It really looks strange to see the swimming pool sitting there full of water and the snow piled up on the edges of it and the deck around it. I can't post pictures right now, but I will come back later and post them. I am having internet ISSUES!

The cancer center changed my appointment from today to Saturday, so that is when I will finish my radiation treatments. I will be so happy to get passed this stage of my life. It has really brought my energy level down to zero. I haven't been trying to work, because it wears me out just to get up and shower and get dressed. No forward motion going on here.

I will update more later and post pics of our snow-covered property. It is lovely.

Good heavens!

2008-12-04T22:03:00.003-06:00

I didn't realize it has been so long since posting here. Gosh the stray horse seems so long ago now!

Just a quick update. I have now completed 28 radiation treatments. I was told today that I would have 5 more and that these will be more concentrated to a specific area of the breast instead of the whold breast as these 28 have been. I am looking forward to getting past all of this. Just the 69 round trip travel each day is a drain, but my body is also drained of energy right now. That is a side effect of radiation treatments. I thought I was going to bypass that part, but it finally hit me last week a couple of days before Thanksgiving. I haven't worked but 2 hours since then. I just don't have the forward motion energy. But after next week, it will take a week or so and my energy level is supposed to come right back! Yay!

Thank you all for your thoughts, support and prayers. It means so much to me. Because of all of you, I will be around for years to come! Right now, though, I am going to bed.

Stray horse???

2008-11-18T19:15:00.004-06:00

I got home today planning to pile up on the couch and maybe take a little nap. Fatigue is beginning to set in from having the radiation treatments. Anyway I went to put the dogs outside and there was a HORSE in my backyard! He was just grazing and acting like he belonged there.

Now I am looking at this horse, thinking to myself , "Cindy you have had a lot of stray animals out here but NEVER a stray horse! Now what are you going to do about it?" I tried to approach him but he started moving away from me and I was afraid he would go into the road, so I moved between him and the road and called the sheriff. I stood out there for almost 2 hours before the sheriff showed up. Meanwhile, I called everyone I could think of and finally figured out who owned the horse, so I was able to tell the sheriff that information when he finally arrived. He went there and left word for the owner to come get the horse.

Also I had called the stables down the road from me and a man from there came up here to see if he could help me. It only took him about 5 to 10 minutes to catch the horse and put him in my fenced area. He was then safe until the owner came to get him.

Here is a couple of pics of “BUCK” the horse.

Buck told me this was his good side!

He wasn't real sure about me, but after I brought him a bucket of water, he thought I was pretty nice. So he let me pet him finally.

Here is Buck and his owner on their way back home. I kind of hated to see the old boy go, I mean the horse!

Quite an eventful afternoon. I just wanted a nap and got a horse instead!

15 down, 20 to go....

2008-11-16T15:32:00.003-06:00

I know this color is hard to see, but I am doing pink in support of breast cancer patients. Yay us!!!!!

I am 15 treatments down and approximately 20 to go. This is going a lot faster than I expected. When you think of doing something 7 weeks 5 days a week, it sounds like forever, but it's really not bad at all so far. The next 3 to 4 weeks will get a litttle tougher because the fatigue will most likelyset in, and I am getting very tender where the radiation is being targeted. But that is ok, I can handle all of that. By Christmas this will all be behind me.

Thank you all for reading up on what's going on and for all the comments I have received lately. I love to get the comments, so please just say "Hi" if you have been here.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Sunday afternoon. It's fairly chilly here, for south Louisiana. I am really enjoying it.

Got my 12th treatment today....

2008-11-11T16:44:00.002-06:00

So now it's 12 down and let's see......ummmm.....I can't subtract.......I think it's 23 more to go. Yep, 23. I had to get the calculator. That is pretty bad huh! Oh, well, I was having a senior moment. Yes, that's my excuse.

Anyway, back to the treatments. They are going well. I am beginning to have some minor discomfort and soreness, but I asked about it today and they said all of that is normal. I am also beginning with the pink color to my skin like a minor sunburn. I will get worse, but that's ok. It is just something I have to go through. I can do that.

I just wanted to put this update out here for all who keep up with me through this blog. Thank you all for reading it and for caring enough to do so. Please leave a comment so that I know you have been here.

Three down, Thirty-two to go...

2008-10-29T09:55:00.003-05:00

Well, so far, so good. I have had three treatments now and it only takes a few minutes and I am on my way again. It is just the trek to go there every day for the next 6 1/2 weeks that is aggravating to me right now. It is messing up my entire life's schedule. If I want to get my nails done, I have to schedule it around my radiation treatments. Maybe I need to change the time for the treatments. I had scheduled them for 2:00 every day, but that is proving to ruin my entire afternoon.

Damn it! Why am I complaining? I should be grateful for the fact that I don't have to go through Chemo. So what if I can't get my nails done when I want to. There are a lot worse things in life! I could be loosing my hair and throwing up my guts for heaven's sake and feeling like warm crap! So, Cindy, stop complaining and get on with it. WAAAH~ WAAAH~ WAAH~

Ready? Set? GO!

2008-10-25T14:00:00.000-05:00

I have been preparing for this for the last two months and now we are at the jumping off point. So here is the scoop.

Back in June, I had a regular, yearly, screening mammogram. I am a strong advocate of having that yearly checkup. Anyway, a few days later the doc called me and told me that, just like last year, I had an abnormal area on the mammogram. Last year, they had found some calcifications and did a core biopsy. A few days later they called and said that it was nothing to worry about. Completely benign. Yay!

This year, however, when more calcifications showed up, I had to have another core biopsy. This time, it turned out to be Cancer. When I got the call (while I was driving on the interstate) I was stunned to say the least. I immediately called Tom to tell him what the doc had said. I couldn't see his face when I told him, but I believe he was just as stunned as I. We had to go see the doctor that afternoon. It is scary enough when they say the "C" word, but when they say, "I want to see you this afternoon to discuss your options," it really sounds bad. Of course, at that point, I was terrified.

After visiting with my doc that afternoon, I learned it was not as bad as my wild imagination had it. I had been diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ or DCIS for short. From there I had to make a decision of either a mastectomy or a lumpectomy. After much turmoil and about 200 questions and internet research later, I chose the lumpectomy.

The first part of having that done was to have an MRI done on both breasts to make sure there were no other areas of concern. There weren't. Whew!
The lumpectomy was done on August 20th. Since then, I have been working with a radiation oncologist at Mary Byrd Perkins Cancer Center to prepare for 35 treatments of radiation therapy.

First was to have a CT scan. That happened Monday, almost two weeks ago. They lined me up on the scan table and had me lay on a huge purple bag. When they got me positioned the way they wanted me, they vacuumed the air out of the purple bag and it formed to my body. They placed my name on the bag and now, when I go for treatment, I will lay on that bag so that my body will be in the exact same position every time. They also drew lines and x's on my body so that the x-ray machine can be lined up in the same position. It looks a little bit like targets on my body. They covered those with tiny plastic covers to keep soap and water from washing off the marks.

Yesterday, I had to go back in for the final x-ray line up. They had my purple bag ready for me and sure 'nuf, it was still molded the way it was two weeks ago. I laid on it and got in the correct position. Then the x-ray maching started moving around me. The technician called out coordinates to the other technician, did some final calculations, drew more marks on me and put on new little plastic covers and told me to come back Monday and we will get started with the actual radiation.

So after two months from surgery, I will finally begin 35 radiation treatments on Monday. I will have to go 5 days a week for 7 weeks to complete this part of my treatment. I have gotten READY, been SET and now will GO! Please keep me in your prayers and I will keep you posted as I go along.

Washington Parish Fair

2008-10-19T13:15:00.006-05:00

Tom and I met Heather and Allen in Franklinton to attend the Washington Parish Fair. I never realized what a big deal this is to the residents of this area of Louisiana. Also people come from miles around to join in the fun.

As we entered the Fair grounds yesterday, we were assaulted with the multitudes of fragrances of all the different foods being prepared as well as the odors of all the animals that are brought in for the rodeo and other contests and exhibitions.

I could smell cotton candy, smoked turkey legs, gumbo made with pheasant, quail and andouille. That was yummy gumbo. There was also steamed boudin, cane syrup being made, corn being groud for cornmeal, and huge round cheese blocks being sliced. What a terrible time to have a tiny stomach. I bought some of the gumbo, two turkey legs, a slice of cheese. No, I didn't eat all of that, instead, I brought it all home for us to eat today and tomorrow.

There ware masses of people everywhere. Bands were playing in several areas, people dancing and eating. Families were laughing and playing. It was wonderful!

I took some pics to share with you guys.
Heather waiting in line for her slice of cheese. She talked about it for two weeks! LOL

This is a pile of sugar cane they use to cook down and make thick cane syrup. I love it.

These ladies put on a show for us and then invited the audience to participate with them.

This is a bunch of smoked turkey legs. I could smell them a block away and started asking people where they were. They sent me right to them. YUMMY!

This is a Texas Long Horn bull. He was quite bored, but you could sit on him and have your picture taken......Um....no thanks.

Below is the last, but definitely not least, image. It is something you might not forget for a while......This is the "Largest Hog in the world". He was about 10 feet long and 4 feet wide, weighed 1500 pounds and had quite a large........let's just say 'rear' end. 'Nuf said.

My New Look!

2008-10-18T13:14:00.002-05:00

My friend, Terri, designed me a new look for my blog. I love it. She even put a pink ribbon on it in memory of my being a Breast Cancer Survivor. That's awesome Terri, Thanks!

The weather here is so nice today. Beautiful vividly blue skies, a light breeze, and temps in the low to mid seventies. What a wonderful fall day.

Tom and I, Heather and Allen, are going to the Washington Parish Fair this afternoon. With the weather so beautiful, it should be a really nice day to go. I had a steroid injection in my back yesterday, so I am bringing my wheelchair or my push-n-sit, so I won't have to do all that walking.

LSU is playing again tonight, so we have to get home fairly early. I know Tom doesn't want to miss the game. Last week's game was hardly worth watching, but we are going to do better tonight. I know it.

See you on the winning side!

Getting my marks!

2008-10-13T16:09:00.003-05:00

I am finally getting started with the radiation treatment program. Last week we met with the Oncologist and had first consultation. I liked her immediately. She is very personable and very down to earth.

Anyway, today I had to go for the planning session. They did a CT scan and put black marks all over the front of me. Then they covered the marks with waterproof clear plastic so they won't wash off. They also created a 'cradle' that has the imprint of my head and arm so that I will be in the same position for each treatment. All of that only took about 30 minutes.

Now the doctor will look at the CT scan and make a 'map' for treatment. They will call me when that is done and set up the appointment for my first treatment. Each treatment will take about 10 minutes. I have to have 30 to 35 treatments, then I will be all done.
As of now, I am a cancer SURVIVOR!

Practice makes perfect.....

2008-10-01T21:07:00.002-05:00

Practice patience as a means to an end.

I have learned something very important to me. Never pray for patience. God has a great since of humor. He will definitely give you things to do in which you can practice patience. Now I just pray for tolerance.

An important milestone today......

2008-09-15T19:25:00.004-05:00

Eleven months and 4 days from weight loss surgery, I passed the 100 pounds lost milestone! I thought this day would never come. I also thought I would turn summersaults too. I didn't. The day came and it went. It just came and went. I know I sound like I am whining, and I guess I am. I guess I thought bells would ring, fireworks would go off, SOMETHING would HAPPEN. It didn't. Nothing happened. I just looked at the scale, I said to myself...."you just broke 100 pounds", stepped off the scale and went on about my day.

That is all I have to say about it.
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YAY! I have lost 100 pounds !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here we are again....

2008-09-12T20:51:00.004-05:00

We are sitting here tonight while Hurricane Ike passes to our west. I feel badly about those folks in Texas. There is going to be terrible devastation there from this storm. However, I am glad it didn't come here. After Gustav almost 2 weeks ago, we don't need another one right now. We have had some pretty strong winds and some rain squalls off and on today. I can't see outside right now, but I hear the wind blowing pretty strongly.

I have been thinking about where to move to so that we don't have to deal with this kind of weather, but you know, anywhere you go, there is something you have to deal with. Heavy snow and extreme cold in the north, earthquakes in the west, drought and floods in the midwest, and storms like hurricane in the south and east. So.....where do you go? Something to think about. No place I know of is lovely all the time.

We postponed our Destin trip to the 20th of September. A week from tomorrow, I will be sitting on the beach in the afternoon. I have heard that the jelly fish show up 10 days after the full moon. Well, we will see because we will be there during that 10 day time frame. I'll let you know if this is true. I sure hope not.

God, bless the people watching this hurricane coming straight for them.

Hurricane Gustav

2008-09-10T20:44:00.006-05:00

Today is 9 days since Hurricane Gustav hit Louisiana. We were without power for 5 1/2 days. Yes, it was hot, and uncomfortable, but you know what? We didn't have any major damage, just a bunch of mess in the yard. We lost a couple of trees way in the back, but I am very grateful today. I have seen so many homes with trees 2 and 3 feet in diameter on top of their cars, garages and several right through the homes themselves. Here are a few pictures of the damage I have seen.

There is a truck and a garage under this tree.There is a 2 foot diameter pine tree through the middle of this home. The home is brand new.Another photo of the pine tree going through the house.

There were lots of pine tree (very large ones) that fell, but there were also LOTS of huge live oaks, white oaks, and water oaks that were just uprooted and just layed down. t is truly a shame that so many beautiful oak trees were destroyed or mamed in the Louisiana area. I know we are lucky though even through the destruction we did have, because there are areas that were hit a lot harder than we were.

I want to thank our Governor, our power companies and the folks that work for them, the folks that came from out of state to help us, the neighbors helping neighbors, families helping families, etc. Everyone pulled together and did what we had to do to help each other.

Ok, I am babbling now, so I will stop about all of this.

Another chapter begun

2008-08-21T12:31:00.003-05:00

Hi all,

Yesterday, I had the first stage of recovery from breast cancer done. I had a lumpectomy and am doing GREAT! I have very little pain, more like a slight discomfort. My boobie is swollen and bruised, but hey, I still have the boob!

There were two needles inserted in the breast just prior to the surgery. This was done by a radiologist. This actually bracketed the area of cancer so that the surgeon could take all of that area. All of the tissue they took will be biopsied to make sure they got everything. I am confident that they DID get it all, and will be having radiation as a guarantee.

Here is a picture of what they did yesterday:

I am glad that part is done. Now, I can focus on getting on with my life. My family and I will be vacationing in Destin soon and when we get back, my radiation treatments will begin. I will have 35 treatments over a 7 week period.

I will be posting here as it goes on, so that everyone will know what's happening.

Love you all! See ya all soon!

Decision made!

2008-08-04T16:45:00.003-05:00

After much thought, prayer, speaking with other survivors, and research, I have decided to have the lumpectomy and then the 35 radiation treatments. As it stands now, I will be having surgery (outpatient) on August 20 to remove the cancer as well as healthy tissue around the affected area. Recovery time is about a week. I will start radiation sometime around the middle of September. That will take 7 weeks.

I am truly feeling well, and very positive at this point. I have agonized over this decision, but now that it is made, I feel so much lighter!

There is a wonderful website that I have been reading a lot. It is cancergeek. He has lots of information there that is very helpful and he has written me a couple of times after my asking questions through email. He seems very kind and knowledgeable.

Thanks again to all who love me and have been saying prayers on my behalf. Tom and my friend Patsy have gone to the doctor visits with me, so I have 3 sets of ears listening to all that the doctor tells me. That really helps too! Thank you to Tom and to Patsy.

Am I not living right!!!???

2008-07-22T16:04:00.004-05:00

It seems as though I must not be living right lately, because this year has been one thing after another. Don't get me wrong, I am not whining, but just stating facts.

So far this year, we have had our central air and heat unit go out suddenly and had to replace it, a paralized dog (she has recovered nicely), wrecked my truck, still don't have it back, and now the biggie; I have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Yes, breast cancer. It is called Ductal Carcinoma in Situ. That means it's located in the milk duct and as of right now, it has not broken through to other ares of the breast. However, they did an MRI on both breasts last Friday to make absolutely sure that it is not located anywhere else. I am waiting for the results as I write this. The waiting is torture.

I have to make a decision that is proving to be very difficult. One, I can have a mastectomy and they can use abdominal tissue to rebuild/reconstruct the breast. Or, two, I can have a lumpectomy, but then I would have to have 35 radiation treatments in 7 weeks, 5 times a week. That is a lot of traveling back and forth every day (75 mile round trip) and I am not sure I would be up to doing that. They say you get very tired the more radiation you have.

Tom is standing with me on whatever decision I make. He said that, of course, it is my decision and he will be there with me however I go. He is my rock and I hold on to him. He also understand my anger outbursts, especially right now. I have been doing pretty well with all this until I pitched a 'Cindy fit' this past Saturday and ended up throwing my laptop. Miraculously, it didn't break. But Tom just wrapped his arms around me and let me cry. That is the way he is....'The Wind Beneath My Wings'.

I am in the process of doing a lot of research, reading everything I can find, and looking at different types of reconstruction surgery if I decide to go with the mastectomy. I will keep you all posted about this road I am traveling. If anyone is out there that has gone through this type of cancer and knows what to expect, please let me know.

Love to all of you.

Orange fluorescent eyes???

2008-07-11T19:29:00.004-05:00

I have a good friend named Cynthia that says I have to be one of the most observant folks she has ever met. She said I see and notice things that she wouldn't even give a second thought if she even gave it a first thought or saw it at all.

Anyway, This is also why I wrecked my vehicle last week, because I do get to looking at stuff and analyzing things. Maybe I should have been a scientist....or not! Instead, I am just a nut! LOL

Last night I went to get the dogs inside when I noticed a June Bug laying on it's little back 'looking' up at me. Now I don't like those bugs at all, because they fly and might get on me, but this little guy was looking up at me with ORANGE FLUORESCENT EYES! Can you believe that? Who'd a thunk it? I was fascinated and thought it was so darned cute! I don't think I will ever be able to kill another one of those little guys............But I still don't like 'em.

Eyes averted.......

2008-07-01T16:46:00.006-05:00

I left home this morning at about 7:40 am headed toward my part-time job. At 7:50 am, I got a lot more than I wanted. Now, I digress.

Today is my daughter's birthday, so I was chatting with her (on my bluetooth handsfree) about when she was born and the time of day, etc. By the way, she was born at 7:46 am thirty three years ago.

Anyway, I digress further. A few weeks ago, we had some pretty severe storms here and they blew down a LOT of trees around, most of them uprooted. So, back to this morning, I was driving along, talking to my daugher, and looking at the tree damage. I was following a pickup truck who was a fair distance in front of me....I looked over at the root ball of a huge tree (I was wondering if there was a big hole in the ground where the tree roots had been) and when I looked back at the road, the pick up truck had slowed down and was about to turn right. After my eyes popped completely out of my head, I hit the breaks as hard as I could and plowed right into the back of the pick up truck. BAM! The pickup truck ended up on the side of the road in the ditch with his bumper bent in some and I ended up with the entire front end of my car torn off. Damage is very similar to this.

The radiator was busted, so it couldn't be driven. The State Trooper called a tow truck and it wasn't long before Mater showed up to take my poor hurt truck to the truck hospital. I rode with Mater to the truck hospital and was able to get Enterprise to come bring me a rent vehicle. They'll pick you up, you know.

The other driver was not injured, thank God! And neither was I. However, I was issued a ticket for following too closely. I wasn't following too closely until that guy slowed down to turn! Then I got close to him really fast! The trooper could have ticketed me for reckless operation but chose not to. Whew! What a day.

Ask and you shall receive....

2008-06-30T16:24:00.004-05:00

Several folks have been asking me about pictures since I made it past 8 months. So I am posting these for now. They were taken on June 11, 2008. As of this picture, I had lost 86 pounds.

As of today however, I have lost 91.2 pounds, so I have shed a few more since these photos were taken.

This has been the most wonderful thing to happen to me since I met my husband 19 years ago. It has truly been a Godsend. So far my discouraging times have been few and far between. Every now and then I get into a stall, but I think it's just my body trying to catch up. Then suddenly I start loosing again. It's just great!

Well, that's my post for the day and probably for the week.

A favorite spot now....

2008-06-18T19:59:00.009-05:00

Last week I wrote about the bittersweet weekend we had with the moving out of my Mom's bedroom furniture and the moving in of my grandmother's bedroom furniture. As it turns out, That room is one of my favorite spots in my house now. Here are a couple of pictures of the bedroom as it is now.

I still need some white blinds, and I will use my Mom's lace curtains on the window. I think they will complete the softness of the room very nicely. Also, my Mom did the needlepoint flowers to the left of the vanity below. There are three of them.

I found two of these lamps in an antique store. They go in the room perfectly and compliment the ambience. I took off with the mauve/coral color in the lamp globes as an accent color in the room.

I love this little table. It is about 1 foot square and is just perfect between the two closets in the room. I am very proud of the way this all turned out. And the room has some of my Mother and some of my Grandmother. How could I ask for more? I can't and don't. I love them both for each of their parts in my life.

This was where my grandfather kept HIS personals. He used to keep silver coins in the top part that includes two small drawers. He would let me count them over and over when I was a little girl. I don't know what happened to those coins. I hope whomever has them appreciates them as much as I appreciate that special memory. It is worth so much more than the coins to me.

A Bittersweet weekend.....

2008-06-09T16:03:00.005-05:00

Hi guys! Just wanted to touch base with everyone. I have been so busy lately, I haven't had time to keep up my blog and it's something that IS important to me.

This past weekend was a bittersweet weekend for me. Heather and Allen came in Friday night to spend the weekend. Of course, I was very glad they were here. However, my brother came over Saturday to move my Mom's bedroom furniture that she left to him in her will out of my house and to his house. I hated to see her things leave here, which was the bitter part of bittersweet. It was a sad thing for me, because it was part of her and I didn't want to loose that last part of her that was still here.

The sweet part was that my grandmother had left me HER bedroom suit, which is antique, in her will. We had put it in storage and after my brother moved my Mom's furniture, we moved my grandmother's furniture in the room. It is so homey looking and very pretty and it made such a difference in the room. I am very happy with the way it looks. I want to get some sort of arrangement to put on the little table next to the bed, and I need to get curtains for the window and it will be a very nice quiet room. I love it.

So even though that part of my Mom is no longer here, I do have a part of my Grandmother here with me. And I still have my Mom's recliner too. This all may seem silly to some, but I know most of you will understand how I feel about all of this and the sentimentallity of it all. But then, I am a sentimental person, so that's just they way it is.

Allen, and Tom and I went to Wanetiri Lakes on Greenwell Springs Road yesterday and rented a small boat with a trolling motor and went all over the lake trying to catch fish. We caught 4. Four itty bitty tiny little fish. We threw them back in to grow some more. But we did enjoy it.

Here are a few pictures I took while there.

Woody the redheaded woodpecker.

Mr. Heron in the top of a huge cypress tree.

Teeny tiny fish and Allen getting romantic.

Still Loosing.....

2008-05-26T21:18:00.002-05:00

I am still loosing weight. It is amazing to me how this works. From time to time, I hit a plateau and don't loosing anything for several weeks. I think my longest stall has been 3 weeks. Then, suddenly, I start loosing again. I am averaging a little over 11 pounds a month. That is awesome to me. All I have to do is make sure I get in my protein and I loose weight.

I am giving away clothes as fast as I can to make room for smaller ones. Just a few more pounds and I will leave the 200s forever. I will hit ONEderland! I can hardly wait.

By the time we go to Destin in September, I will have lost another 30 pounds if I keep loosing at the same rate I have been loosing. That is so awesome! I can't buy clothes right now, because by the time I buy new ones, I turn around and they are too big. So all of my clothes are either too big or too small. Few are just right. Oh well, at least I get new clothes a lot. That is fun.

I am also buying new shoes, because my feet were fat too. I didn't realize how much weight I would loose in my feet. When I was younger, I wore a triple A heal. As I gained weight, I ended up wearing a wide shoe. Now my wides are too big and fall off my feet. Strange.

For those of you that I have recently told I may have to have my hips replaced, the doctor told me I will NOT need them replace for now. I am so glad of that. I am hoping that as I loose weight, the hips will get better too.

Things get better every day! Can't 'weight' till tomorrow!

Paralyzed Dog......

2008-05-18T17:06:00.002-05:00

We have a precious little Miniature Pinscher that is 12 years old. Three weeks ago, she started having trouble with her hind legs. Things like falling over and not being able to get back up by herself. If I picked her up, she would be able to stay up. She kept getting a little worse each day, so by that Friday, I took her to the vet.

After a couple of hours, the vet called me and told me something was wrong with Gretchen's spine/neck and that it was out of his league, so I needed to take her to LSU Vet school to be seen by the professor/veterinarians there. Thank God, we have LSU Vet school nearby.

I took her there that same day and the kept her until the following Monday. The Doc called me and said they would have to do a Mylogram on her to see exactly what was going on. They did that, then had to do immediate surgery to remove a herniated disc from Gretchen's neck. That was two weeks ago. They kept her at LSU for another week and in intensive care for several days.

We have had her at home now for 7 days and she is better, but still paralyzed. She can move her hind legs now, but not her front legs. Tom and I have to do everything for her. We have to hold her up to walk around the yard, hold her up so she can drink water and eat, and clean up behind her. She is unable to potty standing up, so she does it laying on the pad.

They say she WILL get better and she actually has progressed within the last two weeks, but she has a very long way to go. LSU said it may take 6 to 8 weeks before she recovers and maybe even longer. We are doing physical therapy on this little dog on a daily basis. She has to be able to get control of her front legs before she will be able to walk or even stand up again.

It is so sad to see her just lay there looking at us as if to say "Help me walk!" Tom and I both are very worried about loosing her. She is part of our family. If you are a pet lover, or not, please keep her in your prayers.

Six month pics

2008-04-13T20:25:00.002-05:00

Here are pictures of me six months after weight loss surgery. I have lost over 77#s. I even bought myself some shoes with wedged heals! Wow, I haven't worn shoes like that in 15 years!

Amazing the difference in 6 months! I feel so much happier.

'No bathtub' story

2008-04-08T11:14:00.002-05:00

When we made reservations for our trip to Orlando, I requested a handicapped access room. That was to make it easier to get the power chair inside the room and easier for me to shower. I usually sit on a bench because my back hurts to badly for me to stand while showering.

We got into the room and it was large and the bathroom was large too. It was nice and clean and nicely decorated. But when I went into the bathroom there was a bathtub with a bench and a shower head. No shower curtain and no rod for one to go on. The shower head was fixed, and they are supposed to have the hand held type that attach to a post half way back into the tub.

I called the front desk about the problem and the girl said "you asked for a handicapped room, right?" I said "yes, but there is a bathtub in here and no shower curtain." She said, "Ma'am, we don't have bathtubs in our hotel." I said "What? No bathtubs?" I am thinking, are we supposed to take our soap and towel to the pool to bathe or what~!!!! I told her that I was sorry she was misinformed, but that I was looking at a bathtub in my room. She finally called Maintenance about our problem (no shower curtain).

The maintenance man, finally brought a hand held shower head, but his supervisor's solution to the lack of a shower curtain and rod, was "just put towels on the floor to catch the water that escapes the tub while showering." WHAT??????????? NO! That is unsafe, and we are not doing that. Tom and I had to go to Wal-Mart and buy a shower curtain, curtain rings, and a rod and installed our own curtain. The hotel would not reimburse us for those things either.

As I said it is probably anti-climatic now, but I promised I would explain it to you guys. I am thinking I will ask my attorney about their lack of supplying what we needed and then refusing to re-imburse us for our $15.00 purchase.

By the way....it was the Clarion Waterpark Resort in Kissimmee Florida. It was so noisy there, you could hear everything from the room next door, the stair cases and the floors above us and outside noise too. I will NEVER stay there again.

The only nice thing was the furnishings and the bed. It was a good bed with a nice lightweight comfortor. I want to get one like it. And they had it between the top sheet and another sheet on top of it. Nice! But I still won't ever stay there again.

Later folks.

Kid wreck! WOW!

2008-04-06T20:28:00.004-05:00

I forgot to tell you about this one.....Tom and I were walking through Magic Kingdom on Thursday. It was packed with kids on spring break and their parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. etc. The expression "everybody and their brother" fits here.

Anyway, one parent in the crowd had a female kid by the hand walking toward us and another parent was walking in the opposite direction holding a male kid by the hand and as the parents were passing each other, the kids SLAMMED into each other! The expressions on the kids' faces were pricesless! And the parents glared at each other as if to say to the other parent "what the heck do you think you are doing!?" It was hilarious! The kids were not hurt, but they were stunned at what had happened. Tom and I just roared. Funny Funny.

Then, on our way home, we stopped at a fruit stand/gift shop place. I went to the restroom and when I came back, Tom had our sandwiches out and we sat in the parking lot to eat them. There were huges bins of grapefruit, oranges, etc. There was also one with pecans in it.

While we ate, we watched a squirrel scamper across the parking lot toward the bins. He had been here before, because he went directly to the grapefruit been, jumped up onto it, sat a minute, then hopped over to the pecan bin. He disappeared into it for a couple of minutes and then up he came with a pecan in his mouth. He sat a while working on the shell of the pecan, then went to another bin that had a roof. He jumped up into the open rafters of the roof area and stored his pecan.

By that time, Tom was finished eating and walked into the shop to go to the restroom. As he passed the manager, he said to him "How much are you paying that squirrel?" The manager said "excuse me?" Tom said, "The squirrel is out there shelling pecans for you.....how much are you paying him?" The manager's jaw dropped and he came tearing out to the roofed bin to chase away the squirrel.

That squirrel ran back and forth on the rafters, and even jumped to the backside of a hanging bag of pecans hiding from the manager who was running around and back and forth yelling at the poor squirrel. I wish I had a video of that, because it was so funny I had tears running down my face from laughing so hard.

There were many comical things that happened on our trip. I wish I had the time and energy to tell you guys about all of them. I still promise to tell you about the non-existant bathtub. But it has lost some of it's hilarity by now, but I will tell you anyway. Maybe I can get to THAT story tomorrow night.

By the way, we are home now and safe after driving through really bad thunder storms for several hours yesterday. We found out that approximately 100 miles west of us, got over 8 inches of rain. I think we got 6 inches while driving through it. I am happy to be home.

Renee, looking forward to lunch this week.

Later folks.

One more day.....

2008-04-04T20:08:00.002-05:00

I know you all want to hear about the bathtub at the 'resort', but you will have to wait until I get back for me to let you all in on the story....sorry. I just don't have time right now.

We had our last day at Disney today. We spent it at Animal Kingdom. It was awesome! I have enjoyed most every minute of this trip. This week was spring break for Orlando however, so there were thousands of people here. At one point, I couldn't even see further than those folks that were right in front of me. The parade was going on, and we were packed in like sardines. I did NOT like that, but the ambience of the place is amazing. I don't know why I waited until I am 56 years old to come here.....

Tom has enjoyed it as well, but since he is walking and I am using the power chair, he tires out sooner than I. He has been very patient with me and has waited outside the shops when I have wanted to go in to see what they had. He has even joined me in many of them.

Today we rode a roller coaster at Animal Kingdom and now we can say, "we rode that thing, and never will again!" I haven't been on a coaster since my early 30's and this thing went up a mountain, and then came down going backwards inside the dark mountain. UGH! That was wild!

Tomorrow is SEAWORLD for a few hours and then we are on our way home! I miss my babies, my dogs that is. I won't get to see them until Monday afternoon and I really wish I had them in my lap right now.

More later folks.

Meeting new friends...

2008-04-02T21:47:00.003-05:00

We were washing clothes at the resort where we are staying and met a family from northern Australia. Her name is Lucy and his is Terry. They have 5 children. I can't remember all their names, but I do remember the two younger ones...Dale and Emma. I remember Emma because of froggiemom's Emma. Dale is the youngest one, so I remember him because he spent the most time helping Lucy with the clothes she was washing.

They are a great couple and family. I hope to keep in touch with them. I have their email address, so I plan to write them. They own a camper park in Australia and an amusement park. I really enjoyed talking to them.

When they 'croak', that means they are sick......when WE croak, we DIE! What a difference. Their government took away all their guns (at least from the honest people) after a shooting spree like we have in the US almost on a daily basis. The government destroyed many antique guns. Sad.

Lucy and Terry and family, I hope you have/had a wonderful trip to the US.

What? No bathtubs?

2008-03-30T08:29:00.001-05:00

I have to tell you guys about this.....it's truly amazing that people can be so absolutely stupid. But I don't have time to go into it completely right now, so I will tell you later what happened about the bathtubs at our 'resort' in Orlando.

Funny people.

Made it to the half way point!

2008-03-25T18:38:00.002-05:00

I know you are all probably tired of hearing about my weight loss, but I just can't help myself. I finally made it past the half way point of the amount of weight I want to loose to get to a normal BMI. Now that is exciting! The worse part is that I have only lost 4 pounds in 30 days. That scares me, but I was told that the weight loss amount would slow down. I am 5 1/2 months out from surgery and it definitely has slowed down. It's ok though. I am still loosing!

I got myself a part-time job. I am actually working again! YUCK! I don't like getting up in the mornings so early, but I do like the job. It's an Administrative Assistance to an independent insurance salesman. He is really nice. I am enjoying it so far. The great part about it is that if I want to, I can quit anytime. For now, I will stick with it.

My hubby and I are leaving Friday to go to Orlando and Disney World. We will be there for a week. I can hardly wait. We have never been to Disney so we are both really looking forward to it.

See ya when we get back!

A weekend with my daughter....

2008-03-16T21:20:00.007-05:00

Heather spent the weekend with me and Tom. She and I spent all day Saturday getting beautiful, shopping and just spending time together. We shopped again today. I have really missed her since she moved to Franklinton (since we don't see each other as much) and works so hard at her job. She has a long commute each way, so we do get to chat almost everyday in the afternoons on her way home.

She is a very funny person. She has a beautiful smile that makes everyone around her feel good when she shares that smile. And her sillyness is catching too! She has a loyalty that is unending. To know her is to love her.

Heather:

I enjoyed this past weekend so much. I had lots of laughs with you. We are so different and yet we enjoy each other's company so much. It's funny that even though we ARE so different, we are so much alike too. We like the same clothes, movies, music (sometimes), foods, etc. I just love being with you when you are happy because that makes me happy.

And, of course, I will always be there when you are sad, so that I can hopefully cheer you up again. You always do the same for me!

Heather, you are a beautiful woman! You make me laugh, you make me smile, and I have so much love for you, it makes me cry sometimes too. I am so proud of you. You are such a special part of my life. Thank you for sharing your life with me! And thank you for all your support. You are my daughter and my friend.

Much love,

Mom

It keeps going and going and going....

2008-03-08T21:37:00.000-06:00

It's sort of like the Energizer bunny....the weight keeps going and going and going. :-)

At my last post, I had lost 65#s and was big time stalled. Since then I have lost 6 more pounds and am at 71#s now. Yahoo! This is really exciting.

My biggest problem right now is finding clothes. I used to know exactly what size to buy without trying them on at the store. Now I don't know. They are either too big or too small (just a little snug) when I get home. If they are too big, I take them back, if they are too small, I just keep them, because one day I will get in them. It will be pretty soon probably.

My weight loss has slowed down, but that's ok, because my body needs to catch up with itself. My hubby looks at me every few days and says "you are getting skinnier." That's nice to hear.

Chickadee!

2008-03-07T18:55:00.004-06:00

I finally got a new mouse, well ok, new used. I found it in the drawer and it works fine. It is an optical mouse like my other one, but the left click stopped working on the other one. I was getting pretty good at pointing with the mouse and clicking with the finger pad. I will have to get a brand new mini mouse sometime soon though. This one is too big. It'll work out.

I am watching the birds starting to show up at my feeders. I try to keep them filled with seed. Besides the beautiful cardinals, this little black-capped chickadee is showing up regularly. He is a pretty little bird. He is only about 4" long, tail included. It looks like someone took a paint brush and painted the black on him. It is so defined.

I have a feeder right in front of my living room window, because I enjoy watching them off and on all day. I have seen them do some really cute things and funny things too. I saw one dove running after another dove the other day. The chaser ran the runner all over the yard. It was funny. I never did see the end of the chase, so I don't know the end results. Oh well.

We are having a few VERY LIGHT snow flurries right now. It's so cold outside and the wind is blowing. It makes it feel a lot colder than it really is.

Just wanted to say hello and let you all know what's going on in my life, which isn't much right now. Yay!!!!!!!!

Broken Mouse

2008-02-26T14:02:00.002-06:00

Why is that mouses (or is it Mice) break so easily. I have bought quite a few mouses for my computer and they always break. Now this one is broken too. It works for everything except left clicking. ARGHGHGHG!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I use the mouse for pointing and the finger pad for clicking. What a pain in the a$$. I quess I will buy another one when I go to Wally World. I should go today, but I don't feel like getting out today.

I have spent the last two weeks taxiing a member of my family around the world, so I just want to stay at home right now. I don't want to go anywhere. With gas prices as they are, I feel like I should stay at home as much as possible.

Tomorrow, though, is a different story. I am going to a line dancing class at the Brec park. That should be fun and it will give me some badly needed exercise. I was supposed to start last Wednesday, but couldn't so I am starting tomorrow

I will let you all know how it turns out.

When I break it, I break it good!

2008-02-22T11:55:00.003-06:00

Please notice the ticker above. I was stuck for a couple of weeks, but I broke the stall and not the pounds are coming off again. I am almost half way! I hope I can keep this up, because if I do, I will be at goal weight by the time we go on our family vacation in September. Woo hoo! I need to exercise!

I broke it.

2008-02-19T19:25:00.003-06:00

After about a week and a half of not loosing anything (ok, maybe 2 weeks) I have lost a little more than 3 more pounds! I hate it when I get in the stalls, but it happens to us all, so I am not alone. Some have stalled within weeks of surgery and stayed stalled for several weeks. So far, I haven't had a lenghty stall. I am glad about that. So, I am really doing just fine.

It was a year ago today that my Mom passed away. I thought today would be a very bad day for me, but I have actually done well.

I did go to the cemetery though. The silk flower arrangement that I had put out there a few weeks ago, was gone. It appeared that the styrofoam the flowers were stuck in, had broken off and the flowers blew or got thrown away. I guess the storms we have had recently had blown the arrangement apart.

Anyway, I went to the florist across the street and got new flowers for Mom and Dad. I know they were probably happy that they had new flowers. I really had a good day. I hope you all had a good day too.

Later folks!

I have stalled!

2008-02-12T19:52:00.000-06:00

I have finally hit a wall I mean stall! I have been here for about a week now. I am not worried about it....YET! Everyone stalls now and then, so it's ok. My body is catching up with itself. I will let you know when I come out of the stall.

Here is my 4 month pic taken earlier tonight. The lump on my right side nearest the door knob is my cell phone under my shirt. LOL

Sorry about the half grin, I have a terrible headache today. I can't shake it.

Hope you all have a great week.

I told ya I'd do that!

2008-02-01T22:10:00.000-06:00

I said earlier in the week, that by the end of the week, I would have my BMI in the 30s! Well, I did that. It's 39.5!!!!! I am 11.1 points down from where I started. And 64.6 pounds lost! YAY! Enough of that now.

I went to Kiva's Restaurant today. That was my first visit there. Tom and I and our friend Cynt went for lunch today. It was really delicious! I ordered a grilled pork chop with creamed spinach and rice pilaf. The bread they brought to the table was so light and buttery, I had to eat some of it. I also ordered a cup of Shrimp and corn soup. Yummmeeeee! It was so good. By the time I ate a few bites of bread and half my soup, I could only eat about 4 bits of my pork chop and 2 bites of creamed spinach. I brought the rest home for Tom for dinner. He enjoyed it too.

After lunch, Cynt and I went to a movie and Tom went back to work. We went to see Untraceable. Diane Lane plays in it. I don't think Cynt nor I took a breath during the whole movie. It was INTENSE! It definitely kept our attention.

Cynt, I really enjoyed spending time with you today my friend! I always do.

Keep coming back to check on my weight loss progress. I changes almost daily. Peace!

One more point!

2008-01-28T15:08:00.000-06:00

By the end of this week, I will have dropped my BMI from 50.6 into the 30s. CHECK THAT OUT! This photo was taken on my 3 month surgery anniversary.

I feel a lot healthier already. I am 62#s down and moving easier, walking further and standing longer.

My BMI was in the SUPER OBESE category when I started this endeavor. At 50.6, I was a walking time bomb for heart attacks and strokes. Now, at 40.0 I am still considered Obese, but after 10.6 points down, I am a much healthier person. Normal is somewhere around 23. I hope I can get there or close to it.

On a different subject: A former co-worker passed away this past weekend. She was at home with her loved ones around her. Julia had only recently found out she had pancreatic cancer. The doctors gave her a few months, but it took her a lot faster than was expected. Julia will be missed by so many people. She was a very sweet woman, a good listener who never repeated what she heard, and a person who shared a little bit of herself with all those she met. I am glad I knew her.

I did it!

2008-01-21T14:07:00.000-06:00

Friday, I was wondering if I would break 60 lbs. by today. I did! Yippee! I have now lost 60.6 lbs. I think, though, that my body is reacting unfavorably to the amount of loss. I have been really tired for several days now. I might have to get another B-12 shot. I got one about 2 months ago and it helped me a LOT. I am taking B-12 orally, but sometimes it's not enough.

Vitamins seem to be more important for weight loss patients than for other people. I guess it's because we don't eat nearly as much as normal people, so we don't get enough vitamins from our food.

I had to buy a new pair of jeans too. I went down two sizes. My others were just hanging on me and I was beginning to wonder if they were going to fall down. LOL I don't want to spend a lot of money on clothes right now though because I am not going to be in them very long. I think I will get one more pair of jeans for now though. I can wear one and wash one.

Oh well, at least I made my Monday goal!

By Monday?

2008-01-18T13:51:00.000-06:00

Hopefully, by Monday, I will break 60 lbs. lost. I am still doing really well. I need to exercise more, but I don't do well (and never have) in that area. In highschool, I was so active, ran track, played volleyball, basketball, etc. But now, just to walk up and down the drive way and around our property takes all my resolve. I should just get my camera out and go outside and walk around to take pictures, but here I sit.

As I told you guys earlier this week, I went to have my hip injected Monday and had good results with that. It is much better and not causing me nearly the pain it was. It was keeping me awake at night, but I am sleeping again, so that's a great thing.

Oh! I got a part-time job. I know....I said I probably would not work any after I retired, but I found something that I think I will really like and I don't have to work if I don't want to. I am a driver for new automobiles. Sometimes dealers have to swap vehicles or go to another dealer to get one for a customer. I have been hired to drive the new ones from dealer to dealer. The man I am working for will call me and tell me where to go to pick up either a program car or a new car and where to deliver it. I should start getting calls next week.

Occasionally, they need two drivers, usually when you have to take the program car to drive to the other dealer to pick up the new car and both come back. Sometimes, I will fly to another city and pick up the new car and drive it back, depending on how far away it is. (Maybe I should invest in a GPS system) They pay a flat rate depending on the distance, plus any expenses, including hotels, flight costs, and food. Anyway, I am looking forward to it. I'll see how it goes. I know it's not a get rich quick thing. Just something to do. And when Tom retires in 3 years, we can be a driving team if he wants to join me.

More later. Have a great weekend.

Raving Reviews....

2008-01-14T17:06:00.000-06:00

I went to the doc today for my 3 month checkup since my weight loss surgery. He said I am doing really well. I knew that already. I know I sound sarcastic, but I am miffed with the doc and his office staff. I won't go into that here because it's a very long story, but let's just say the staff is very disorganized and none of them know what the others are doing. Therefore, I wrote a 5 page letter to the doc and handed it to him personally today.

Oh well, enough of that. I also had to go to the pain management doctor (Dr. Blue Eyes)this morning. He put me in a twilight sleep and put a needed through my buttock and into my hip socket. He injected cortisone and lidacain (sp) into the socket to help alleviate some of the pain I have been having. A couple of weeks ago, I could not walk for two days. Could not put ANY weight on my right leg. I am still extremely careful about putting my full weight on it even now. I am afraid it will make me fall and then possibly break the hip. Don't want that for sure. Dr. Blue Eyes told me that I would eventually need a hip replacement because of all the deteriation in the joint. I actually expected that. But I know the weight loss will help with that too.

I don't have to go back to surgery doc for 3 months, and I have to go back to Dr. Blue Eyes in one month (I think). They gave me Demerol and versed to induce a twilight sleep, so I am not sure what he told me now. I don't even remember the actually procedure. I will ask Tom, he'll know. I sure do love that man! He takes such good care of me. I don't think he really knows how grateful I am to have him as my husband.

Well folks, that's about all of the updates for now.

The rest of the story......

2008-01-07T22:29:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to update everyone about the stray dog saga. I finally went to Petsmart and bought a collar, a leash, chew bones, and dog food for this white dog. (pictured below) She ate, drank lots of water, started walking with me on the leash and howling at the top of her lungs when I would leave her in the kennel in the barn.

Tom and I went to a wedding Saturday afternoon and we had left the dog in the kennel in the barn. When we got back, houdini had done it again. I know she is Houdini reincarnated as a beautiful white dog. She had actually pulled the kennel door INto the kennel (which is supposed to be impossible) and chewed the clasp and pushed the barn door open and was gone again. She had chewed the brand new leash into about 5 pieces. Amazing.

Anyway, we started looking for her again. We found her way in the back of the property and brought her back to the barn and kennel again. This time, Tom got a chain and chained her to a clothesline pole. Poor baby. It held her though.

Sunday, we went to the No-kill shelter in the next city over from us and the people there said they would take her, but not until today. I got so upset, I cried all the way back home. I just wanted her to have a safe place to live where she wouldn't get hurt.

Tom took off from work early today and came home and we went BACK to the shelter. They tried to tell me they couldn't take her at all. I got really pissed when they said that. They tried to tell me to come back tomorrow. I told them "NO WAY. They told me to come today and here I am!" They finally called the supervisor. She happened to be the one that told me yesterday to come back today,so she took the dog. I was so happy for that dog. The lady said she would worm her and give her her shots immediately. Now she is safe, she will be spayed, someone will love her. I am happy!

There was a woman and a little girl watching the dog when we left. They were there to adopt a dog. Maybe that little girl will want her and they will get her and love her. I will believe that anyway. I can just see her playing with the little girl and sleeping right next to her, safe and happy...both of them.

Starting a New Year.....

2008-01-01T21:19:00.000-06:00

Along with everyone else, we are starting a new year. I haven't posted since Christmas Eve as we have been fairly busy.

We spent Christmas Day with my daughter's in-laws. That was nice. I didn't have to cook! Yahoo! This is the first Christmas in years that I didn't cook for everyone. That was different, and nice. Heather's MIL had some great food at her home. Of course, I didn't eat much, but ate what I could. It was a really nice day.

Since Christmas Day, Tom has had to fix the leaker in the front bathroom. The tank on the toilet started leaking. Actually it's been leaking for over a year, but it started pouring water on the floor, so he HAD to do something. He finished that today and is very proud of his work. It involved patching and painting the wall behind the tank, putting a brace behind the tank. It looks good and turned out really well.

There has been a dog hanging around our house for over a month. I think she is beautiful and if I didn't already have 3 dogs, I would keep her. Anyway we have been trying to find her a home. Two days ago, we found a lady who wanted her, so we caught her and put her inside our fenced yard and about 10 minutes later she was gone again. Later we caught her again and put her inside the barn with all the doors and windows closed. When we went back to take her out for a little while, she was gone again. Houdini or ghost?

Anyway, our next door neighbor kids caught her the 3rd time and put her in a kennel, so now she is BACK in the barn inside the kennel. Now the lady has changed her mind. UGGGGG! I have contacted one of the rescue societies and am waiting to hear if they will take her. We live on a major highway and I don't want her to get hit by a car. If I don't find a place for her by Friday, I am going to have to take her to a no-kill shelter in a neighboring city. There isn't one in our neck of the woods. I have to use someone elses name to take her to that one, so it's my last choice.

Here is her picture, if anyone knows anyone near Baton Rouge that might want her. Look at that smile!

Tom is going back to work tomorrow and I will resume my daytime usual. But this year has to be a better year than 2007.

Happy New Year everyone.

First Christmas Eve alone....

2007-12-24T22:29:00.000-06:00

All the kids, except Ashley, were here yesterday. Kirk & Deirdre & Deirdre's 2 yr old niece Joslynn, Heather & Allen, Tom & I were together yesterday to share our gifts and eat a simple dinner together.

Then today, Tom and I were alone all day. We didn't even get out of our night clothes. Our phone didn't even ring until about 7:00 pm. I can always count on Heather to call at least once a day. This is the first time since we have been married that we were alone on Christmas Eve. We also, for the first time, shared our gifts with each other on Christmas Eve, rather than Christmas Day. It was nice just to spend some quiet time together. Normally, there is so much hustle and bustle going on with everyone here, we don't even get to see each other open our gifts.

We used to have everyone at our home for Christmas dinner. My two brothers, their wives and children, our three kids and their spouses or girlfriends....usually about 14 to 16 people. This year it was just 6 of us. Ashley couldn't be here this year and my brothers are staying home this year, and Mom and Dad are both gone. It was very different from the previous 17 years. It made me a little sad.

This year, we will be joining Heather's in-laws for Christmas dinner. I made a couple of things to bring, but again, for the first time in 18 years, we will be traveling to someone else's home for Christmas. Different. Just different.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Rain Rain Go Away!

2007-12-20T13:22:00.000-06:00

Normally, I don't mind rain very much unless I have things to do outside my home, like purchase stocking stuffers for my sweet husband. It has been storming all day today and we have a tornado watch until 4:00 pm this afternoon.

Anyway, I have finished wrapping everything, and have stuffed all the stockings with stuff, so I am just sitting here watching Storm Stories on the Weather Channel.

I also need to go to the Women's Hope Center to bring some clothes out there that are too big for me now. Yay! Tom looked me up and down yesterday when he got home and said "You are getting skinnier every day!" Now THAT is a nice thing to hear!

Well, I think I will find something around here to do. I used to take a nap every day, but I rarely do that now, so maybe I will watch a movie or read my book.

Hope all of you are finished with all your shopping and wrapping.

Later.

Getting to Know you......

2007-12-15T12:12:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Change all the answers so that they apply to you.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both, I like a mixture under the tree, and the bags are getting prettier and prettier.
2. REAL OR FAKE TREE? I prefer a real fraser fir, but this year, I am using my ceramic tree my Mother and I made 12 years ago. It's in her honor, since this is my first Christmas without her. (the picture above is our tree last year)
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the 2nd week of December or just when I get around to it.
4. When do you take the tree down? Usually the week between Christmas and New Years.
5. Do you like eggnog? No way Jose'. It's yuck!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Judy Baby. It is a life size baby doll and when you turn her on her tummy she says "Ma Ma". I still have her and she is now 52 years old. I have actually received her 3 different Christmases. My mom & dad had her redone at the doll hospital and gave her to me again when I was 8 years old (the first time was at about 4 years old) and my husband brought her to the doll hospital again when I was about 45 years old and he gave her to me for Christmas again then. She has been around a long time! I still love that baby doll. She is my Judy Baby. That's what I named her when I was 4.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes! I have a couple of them. I usually put a tiny one in the bathroom and the bigger one in the den, but this year I am not putting out anything except the ceramic tree.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My oldest son. He will never say what he wants.
9. Easiest person to buy for? My daughter. She starts telling me in January what she wants for her birthday in July and then for Christmas the next year.
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I think the worst was a dirty looking fuzzy owl that someone picked up at a garage sale, but it's the thought that counts. Right?
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? I like Snail Mail because I like getting the cards in the mail too. I hang them all around the door to my den.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I still love the movie "Christmas Carol".
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? In the summer usually. Sometimes in January.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? ...yes. But only a couple of times.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Pecan pie and my sister-n-law's Forgotten Cookies.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I have used both, but I prefer the colored.
17. Favorite Christmas song? The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose)
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home preferrably, but this year we will be traveling to my daughter's in-laws for dinner. That will be nice. I won't have to do a lot of cooking OR cleaning. Yahoo!
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Ok, I cheated and looked them up on Google. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner/Donder, Blitzen, and Rudolph.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? My beautiful Angel .
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Normally, on Christmas Morn! But this year, we will be doing our Christmas gifts on the Sunday before. Everyone is going in different directions for Christmas.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The traffic and the rude drivers. Why can't everyone just be nice?
23. What I love most about Christmas? Being with family & friends and everyone smiling and laughing and having a fun time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas Season!

2 months post surgery....

2007-12-11T18:43:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! Tom took my 2 month post surgery pictures today. I am doing very well. I have lost 43 pounds! I am posting my Surgery day photo along with the one taken today.

The difference already is amazing. I am having less back pain and can walk for longer distances without getting so winded. There are somethings that I don't like about the way I have to eat now but I get full so fast I don't eat very much.

One of my favorite foods is icecream. YUM. Is icecream a food? Of course! It's dairy! I LOVE Blue Bell Homemade vanilla icecream, but since my surgery, I have had no desire for it. That was my downfall. I actually use to think about icecream all day until I got to have some after dinner. So the surgery fixed THAT craving for me! Thank goodness!

Just wanted to post my progress. More later.

Christmas this year....

2007-12-10T11:32:00.000-06:00

Christmas is coming up fast and furious. It puts stress on everyone. We all look forward to it and some of us dread it at the same time we look forward. This will be my family's first Christmas without Mom. I put out my ceramic tree this year instead of a real tree. Mom and I made the ceramic tree together about 15 years ago. She added the snow to the ends of the branches and I did the rest, so I thought it only fitting to display it especially this year.

I only have two more gifts to purchase and I will be done. Tom and I will be going this coming weekend to get things finished. We still need stocking stuffers for the 'kids'. It's funny that we all love our stockings so much. All of our kids a grown and in their late 20s and early 30s and our stockings are still such a treat.

This is my Mom last year. She got this fuzzy hat in her stocking. She loved it and it was so cute on her!

That is something I really enjoyed when I was coming up. The stocking my Mom put out for us always had the best stuff in them. I remember having gold earrings in the toe of my stocking one year, and a birthstone ring another Christmas. This is a tradition I have tried to keep alive in our family.

Everyone rushes in and the first thing everyone goes to is their stocking. They are always overflowing with stuff. I put everything I can think of from deoderant to tools and toys in the stockings. They are fun to do and fun to open. I enjoy watching everyone dumping out their stockings and going through the contents.

In the last few years, it suddenly occurred to Heather that I was the one doing my own stocking. When it hit her, she talked to Tom about it and started doing my stocking herself. It's been fun to open my stocking on Christmas morning and not know what's in it already. Now I get surprises too.

Now I need to get busy around here, so I will post more later.

Craft Fair Flop!

2007-12-04T15:34:00.000-06:00

I spent $75 for a booth at the Craft Fair this past weekend. I spent untold hours making fabric Christmas trees and egg basket lamps. It takes me almost 4 hours just to make one tree. The comments were great! "look how beautiful", "these are gorgeous", "how unusual", "it must take a long time to make these", "these are sooooo pretty". And then they kept walking.

I sold NOTHING! ZERO! ZILCH! NADA!

I had CHRISTMAS trees! It's Christmas time people! Buy a dad-burned CHRISTMAS tree! Here are some pics of my merchandise.

Can I tell you, this is the first and LAST show I will do? I was exhausted. One the positive side, I made new friends, and I had lots of fun, but the work was "too much shit for a nickle."

Well, so much for that.

Busy crafting for fair!

2007-11-27T11:52:00.000-06:00

Hi everybody. I have committed to something I have never done before. I have rented a booth at a local craft fair. I think I am crazy, but I am going to give it a whirl. I hope I will be successful, but it sure is a lot of work. Time is critical and I am in a crunch. Wish me luck.

I am doing well in the weight loss endeavor. I am up to 37.8 pounds lost now. My clothes are beginning to fall off me. I have already gone down a shirt size, and my jeans are getting looser, but they are stretchy with elastic waists so I should be able to wear them a little longer without them looking too big.

To answer Mark's question...the reason I had to have some medical tests done after my surgery was because the doctor that did my surgery saw something on my liver while he was in there, but couldn't really tell what it was, so I needed to have a CT scan to make sure everything was ok. It is. I am very healthy and getting healthier the more weight I loose. Thank you for asking Mark.

We had a very nice Thanksgiving weekend. There was 79 people at our Thanksgiving dinner/family reunion. There was food spread out onto 4 huge tables. It is amazing how much food shows up at that event. Needless to say, I couldn't eat very much more than a small amount of turkey and some beans because the rest of it was starches and deserts, but I still ate a bite or two too much and really enjoyed what I had. Tom said everything else was delicious too of course.

We also got to babysit our little 3 1/2 # granddog for the weekend while my daughter and her husband went Christmas shopping. She is a very cute little dog, but she is so spoiled, she is a little pest. One time she shot out the door when I opened it and it took Tom and me about 15 minutes of running around the yard after her to catch her. By that time, I wanted to kill her. Everytime we got close to her, she would take off running again. Damn! I got my exercise that day for sure. I was so afraid she would run out in the road, I was in a panic. Since we live on a main highway, it would not have been a good place for her to run. She finally ran back toward the back door of the house and I got her back in. The little turkey, she is something! But she sure is cute.

Well, I guess I better get cracking around here and work on my crafts. I have 3 days left to work before the Fair and it is really hurting my back now because I have to sit in one position for so long. If you live in this area, come out and shop. It will be held Central Middle School at the corner of Hooper and Sullivan roads, 4 to 9pm Friday the 30th and 9 to 5 Saturday the 1st. Again, wish me luck.

Busy these days....

2007-11-18T17:33:00.000-06:00

I know some of you are wondering why I haven't written in a week.....nothing is wrong, I am just busy. I am not really sure what is keeping me so busy, but it just seems like either I am not at home, or busy when I am here.

My liver CT Scan was fine. I do have some cysts on my liver but they are benign and nothing to worry about.

So that's it for update for this week. Not much I know, but there is really not much to tell.

Break on through!

2007-11-12T13:43:00.000-06:00

To the other side!

Yes, I have finally broken the stall. I am one month out from surgery and have lost 31.4 #s. YAY! Thanks Markd60 for the nice compliment, and also thank you Renee. I am happy to be on the other side of my stall.

AND, we finally got one of the storage units moved out from in front of the house. Now when I look out the window, I can see the whole yard all the way to the road, instead of seeing the wall of that storage unit. I can see trees and grass and leaves falling. Yahoo, I feel like I have been release from a prison of sorts.

All of this makes me feel so much better.

My newest challenges

2007-11-11T23:05:00.000-06:00

First of all, I am stalled right now for some reason. They said it would happen but not to worry about it, but gosh, I didn't think it would be this soon! I go from 28.8 to 28.2 and back and forth. Oh well, if I get my butt off the sofa, and go outside and walk my property, that should help a lot. Tommorrow, I am going to buy some fresh shrimp and cook those for our dinner.

Another challenge happened last night. Several of us went to visit Ashley last night for about 2 1/2 hours. We were told there would be plenty food for everyone. We are talking about 150 people. Well, we waited and waited, and finally a hospital brought a bunch of donated food over there for us to all eat. There were beef tips in gravy, rice, black eyed peas, uncooked vegies and vegie dip, and lots of deserts, pies, and cakes. The only thing I could eat out of all of that was the black eyed peas, and the mushrooms out of the beef tips and gravy. So on the way home, I had to stop and get some pintos and cheese at Taco bell. That satisfied me.

I know I just need to move more, but my energy levels have been so down since the surgery, I have had a hard time getting going. The doc finally gave me a B12 shot last week, so I am feeling a little more energetic.

Here are a couple of pictures that are comparisons from 1 month ago on the 11th, to

today the 11th :

Day of Surgery Exactly one month later (28.8)#s lighter.

I will have to have my wedding bands cut down, and have already moved down a shirt size and have even given them away! That felt good. I will miss my tie-dye shirts when I have to give them away. I guess I could wear them to sleep in.

I will break this stall this week. I am determined to break out of it.

Finally called the Doc back.....

2007-11-04T21:49:00.000-06:00

It seemed to be taking me forever to get over a sore throat and general lethargy, so I finally called the doc's office again and they told me to take my cortisone and it would help to kick it out. So I did and I am feeling better.

Yesterday and today Tom and I worked a lot around the house. He cut limbs away from the roof and then got all the leaves and pinestraw off the roof. That should help to alleviate the porch roof leak that had pinestraw piled up right were the leak was occuring.

I finished going through some boxes in one of the storage units so now BYE BYE STORAGE UNIT! YAY! Gotta call them tomorrow to tell them to come get it. It will be odd to look out the window and see something other than the steel wall of a storage unit.

I attacked the pool which had a cracked lid on the pump housing, so I had another pump just like the other one and got parts from it and fixed my pump. Now the pool is running again which will help with the algae it forms when it sits still.

The desk was cleaned off, all pool accessories we stored away. More things were cleaned away from the back porch and put in storage. Somewhere under all that stuff, there is a metal table I haven't seen in a couple of years. Maybe I will see it again soon. LOL

Under the weather

2007-11-01T11:36:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days, but I have been sick with sore throat, fever, chills, and other things, etc. I went to the Doc-in-a-box (aka-Walk-in Clinic) and got medicine 2 days ago. I am beginning to feel a little better, but no energy.

Today would have been my Mother's 73rd birthday. I had planned to go to the cemetery to bring flowers to the gravesite, but I don't feel like getting out today. Mom wouldn't want me to get out anyway. She would tell me to stay home and rest. Maybe I will feel better by the weekend and if not, I can go take care of that early next week. Dad's birthday is in November too, so I want new flowers out there for both their birthdays.

I just wanted to update everyone, but I am going back to bed, so I will post more when I feel better.

Shattered glass!

2007-10-28T17:03:00.000-05:00

Friday, something really strange happened to me. I was driving down the highway going toward town from our house. There was a man on the right side of the rode, very close to the edge, mowing grass with one of the ZTRs (zero turn radius lawn mowers). I was watching him and just as I passed him, I heard the loudest explosion sound! I nearly jumped out of my skin. I thought someone had shot at my car or something. But what happened was, his lawn mower threw a rock and it hit the rear passenger door window and shattered it.
Anyway, I was shaking like a leaf and in tears at that point because it scared me so badly. I turned around and went back to find the man and he ended up paying to replace my door glass. $215.00. I am glad I went back, because I sure didn’t have $200 to pay for a new door glass.

I went to the Glass Doctor in town Friday afternoon and they replaced the window, but when they were doing that, they broke the switch that makes the window go up and down. Now they have to order a new switch, so I have to go back there one day this week to get that taken care of. Man! What a day! And all I wanted to do was go to the Produce stand to get some fruit.

Dropping off!

2007-10-28T12:13:00.000-05:00

I weighed in this morning and I am down 3 more pounds! I know this will slow down as I am able to eat more things, but I am certainly enjoying this. I can see the weightloss in my face now. I am starting to get definition to my face and have already lost a couple of chins. LOL

My mood has been different the last few days. The doc says that my harmones are crazy right now because of the surgery, and that it will settle back down by mid November. I sure hope so, because I am happy one minute and chewing nails the next. My hubby doesn't have to do very much these days to really piss me off. But it's more about me than him. He is just being himself and doing the same as always, but I am very irritable right now.

The weather here has been awesome for the last few days. We have had clear skies, mild temps, and low humidity. Today it is very windy and still very clear. The State Fair is here in town, so it's a really nice time to go to it.

I haven't been in years because it's too much walking for me, but for all the people who do go, it should be great this year. Most of the time it rains when the Fair is here and it's a mud hole out there, but, so far, not this time. Blue skies for everyone today!

Big surprise!

2007-10-25T21:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I went to the doc for my two week check-up. They weighed me and said I had already lost 20 #s plus..... I told them that was not correct because I had weighed the day before and it was 16 plus then. They repeated my new weight. Hmmmmm......

I got up this morning and weighed first thing and it really was 20.2 less than when I started. Awesome! I can't get over how well this thing works.

Today am allowed to start with soft regular foods. For dinner, I had a piece of baked catfish about the size of a quarter.....4 green beans......4 tiny cooked soft carrots. I was full! Amazing!

Tomorrow, I get to have an egg for breakfast! WOW, I used to eat 3 eggs plus 2 pcs bacon, 2 or 3 pcs toast. But one egg will fill me up now. I just can't wrap my brain around this. It just blows me away.......literally! Even my BMI is down about 3 points already.

I am actually shrinking right before my own eyes. I love it.

How it's presented...

2007-10-24T21:50:00.000-05:00

When I was in the hospital after surgery two weeks ago, I was totally amazed at how pretty the food trays were when they got to our rooms. I kept telling my friends I felt like I was eating at a 5 star restaurant. All I was receiving was 2 ounces of strawberry sorbet or broth and 1 oz of Crystal Light, (I know, not much huh?) but it was set up so pretty, it just made all the difference.

I actually called the cafeteria at the hospital this week to speak to the Cafeteria Manager there to tell her how nicely the trays were presented and how I felt when eating my minute meals. Here is what she said "Oh, thank you. When I was a little girl, my Mama always told me 'It's not what you give a person to eat, it's how you present it. You can give them crackers and water, but if it's presented well, they will think they are eating steak and potatoes'. " And she laughed. But what she said was so true, and I can just imagine her mother telling her that. She sounded so sweet remembering her mother's words, I just had to share the story with you guys.

I met the lady behind this story today and I took her picture too. I won't identify her by name, but just look at the sweetness of her face. She gave me the biggest hug when she met me. Such a sweet lady.

Here is a picture of one of the dinner trays we were served and all the trays were presented just like this. How impressive! And such a sweet story behind them.

Notice the linen napkin covering the tray with another linen napking folded on the right. It has a small spoon inside it. The champagne flute holds the Crystal Light. And then there is a doilie under the scalloped edged cup holding my broth. Pretty.

Can you believe I was actually FULL after drinking this lunch???!!!!

Over did it!

2007-10-23T18:01:00.000-05:00

Yes, I over did things the past three days so I finally had to suffer some consequences. I forget that even though I am loosing weight, I had major surgery 12 days ago and I still have a bad back.

After helping Tom all afternoon on Sunday, my back was telling me to stop. I didn't. I went walking around Hobby Lobby yesterday with a friend for over an hour and then we went to The Dollar Tree for about 20 minutes. My friend kept telling me I was doing too much, to which I, of course, replied, "I'm fine". I wasn't fine.

By the time I got home, I was extremely energy depleted and in excruciating pain. All I could do was sit. I finally went to lay down for a little while. When Tom got home, I got up and came back to the living room and sat until bedtime.

Today I have spent the day resting, resting, and resting some more. I am feeling much better, and I have learned my lesson.

Tomorrow, I have a doctor appointment for my two week post-op check up tomorrow and I will be driving myself for the first time since surgery. That will tell me just how strong I am at this point. In addition, my blood pressure has steadily been rising since surgery (they took me off me BP meds) so that is something I need to discuss with doc tomorrow.

Will update you guys tomorrow evening.

Another task accomplished....

2007-10-21T21:15:00.000-05:00

Tom and I worked most of the day today cleaning out one of our two storage units that have been sitting in front of our house now for over a year. Here is a link to the post about them when they arrived. http://jus4tday.blogspot.com/2006/07/accomplished-weekend.html .
I have been looking out my front windows for over a year now and seeing nothing but the side of one of these units. Just getting rid of one of those things will save us $109 a month.

And I will be able to see my yard and the cars going down the road and the mail lady when she passes, and see the trees, squirrels & birds, and whatever else happens on the other side of the 'train car' storage unit.

Also, as soon as the storage unit is gone, then I can get the concrete poured to extend the length and width of the existing front patio. Once that is done, then I am putting a metal awning up to cover the entire patio and screen it in. I have already bought my porch furniture which include 4 chairs and a table that turns into a fire pit with a ledge around the fire to prop our feet or roast marshmallows. I also bought a fountain to make sitting on the porch with my feet up even more relaxing. I want an all-weather rug to lay on the concrete floor and last but not least, I have the wicker rocker ready to go out there too. I have it all lined up, just gotta get the train car moved first.

This was a dream Mom and I had dreamed and I am going to have it and enjoy it in her honor. She and I had planned to spend evenings out there with our little fire pit just sitting and talking or reading or what every came to mind. I may even put a small TV out there. It'll be a nice place to sit summer and winter and not get eaten by mosquitos or other pests. And even though she is not here in body, I know she is here in spirit, and she will enjoy the fact that it's finally finished.

Ok, I have rambled enough for now. Happy sleeping tonight!

Giggles with Tom.....

2007-10-20T23:22:00.000-05:00

I have been ordered by the Doc, not to drive until next week. So I have been stuck at home for 9 days and haven't been anywhere. I have been feeling a little better the last couple of days, so I asked my sweet hubby if he would take me to do a few errands. Normally, he would moan and groan about having to go all over town to take care of these things, but today he gladly agreed to drive me. It was nice.

We had to go to vote in our State Election; then across town to the Health Food store; then to pick up a dog house south of town; then to Lowes where he helped me figure out how to do one of my craft projects; then last, but definitely not least, to Wal-Mart. Gosh, it turned out to be a long day, but we had fun.

Several times we got tickled about something and just laughed and laughed. Once thing that struck our funny bones was when we stopped at Burger King to get Tom something to eat (I had to bring my lunch because of my current very restricted diet). Tom ordered his meal like this "a Whopper, hold the pickles and onions, NO cheese, just the whopper without cheese and a chocolate milkshake." The driver-thru speaker immediately burped at us and said, "Sorry sir the pickle machine is broken today. Ummm, I mean the shake machine." All we could do was howl in laughter. So the rest of the day, anything that went wrong was because 'the pickle machine was broken'. I know, I guess you had to be there.

But then later, we were sitting outside Wal-Mart waiting for a handicapped parking spot while the lady with the baby in the shopping basket, took forever unloading her groceries into her trunk. She very carefully placed each and every bag into a strategic spot. I am observing her maticulous placement and I suddenly popped out with "You know....she should have put the baby in the trunk first, because after she finishes unloading all the groceries into the trunk, the baby won't fit, and then she is going to have to ride him in the back seat."

Tom was silent for a moment and then burst out laughing. It finally hit him what I had said and we were off with the giggles again. No, I wasn't serious about putting the baby in the trunk, but the thought DID occur to my sick brain.

We were both exhausted when we finally arrived back at home, but we had a great day and one that will be remembered because of the broken pickle machine and the baby in the trunk.

Have a great day people, and LAUGH A LOT!

Have you noticed?

2007-10-19T22:08:00.000-05:00

I love this new ticker I have up here. Just above my entry, I can change my weight loss ticker every time there is a new update. Pretty cool, huh? It let's me keep all you guys posted on my progress.

Today has been a pretty good day for me. As of today (8 days home from surgery), I can eat more solid foods. So for the first time in a week, I feel stronger and have more energy. I did spend a few hours today just watching TV, but got in a couple of chores in between TV shows. Dr. Phil wasn't that interesting to me today, so I started doing a few other things such as dishes, and clothes.

Just before my surgery, I bought the 1st season of Grey's Anatomy. I never had watched all the shows, just one here and there, but I liked it, so now I am watching them all from the beginning. Heather brought me the first couple of seasons of Charmed and I haven't watched any of those, so maybe I'll get those watched pretty soon too. Don't know if I will like those, but I'll try a few shows to see.

I will be glad when this election is over because I am sick and tired of all these candidates calling my house all day long. A body can't even take a nap around here because some voice message is going to call the house and say "Please vote for me!" Sick of it! Sick, I tell you!

I get to go somewhere tomorrow! Yahoo! Tom is going to take me to Wal-Mart and a couple of other places tomorrow. I am not allowed to drive yet, but I can still go.

Well, that's about it for today. See ya!

More gone!

2007-10-18T17:29:00.000-05:00

As of yesterday, I had already lost 12.5 #s. One week out from surgery. I did have a slight rough spot yesterday though. I won't go into details, but let's just say I had gotten a little dehydrated. I went through a very weak, nauseated spell for a while. I finally just had to go to bed at 8:30 because I felt so bad. I know that is part of the recovery process, but, right then, I sure felt like maybe I had made a serious mistake by doing this to start with. I don't feel that way today though because physically I am somewhat stronger.

Some folks still do not quite understand what I had done, so here is the photo again of what they did. They actually cut away most of my stomach (internally) and removed it from my body. Think of me standing in front of you, facing you. If you look at the photo to the right, there is a large portion of the stomach (pictured here as the right side, although physically it's the left side) that is cut away. It says "Portion of stomach which is removed".

This does nothing to change what I look like on the outside until the weight comes off. As the weight comes off, I will post some progress photos, so all can see the results.

Everyone has been very supportive and concerned about me and lots of friends & family members have called, or emailed me to checkup on me. Thank you all for your love and support.

As soon as I can drive again, (next Wednesday) I will be out and about visiting all of you again. We can still meet for lunch, I will just eat less! LOL

See you all soon!

Nope, can't believe it, but ......

2007-10-15T20:53:00.000-05:00

As of today, I have already lost 10.5 pounds! That's 4 days out from surgery! All I can say is WOW. And I feel pretty good. Still recovering from major surgery, but am able to walk around the house, prepare my own 'meals', and post to this blog. I am almost completely off of my pain meds now and that's a good thing.

The hospital nurse called me today and asked about me and while talking to her, she asked me if I had weighed. I laughed and said well, yes, but it was just for kicks. She said 'today?'. I told her no, it was 2 days ago. She told me to go weigh today while she was on the phone and low and behold! 10.5 pounds down. She said that was pretty normal and that I am doing well.

I am already looking forward to Friday when I can add a few little soft solids to my diet. I can hardly wait to eat some cottage cheese! I know, you are all out there saying, oh yuck! But it really sounds good to me. Cottage cheese with a little bit of pineapple juice on it. YUMMMMY! And yogurt and 'cream of' soups. Another YUMMMMM!

Ok, I'll quit grossing you all out and get back to what I need to do.
See you all soon!

Home and Recoverying

2007-10-13T19:27:00.000-05:00

I had my surgery two days ago and came home yesterday. I am doing well, just a little tired, but nothing serious. I will post more as I am able to spend more time here. Thank you all for your calls, your thoughts, and your prayers. Talk to you all soon.

Damn! I'm gonna miss Hollydays

2007-10-10T18:26:00.000-05:00

Hollydays is an annual shopping extravaganza for Christmas gifts or for yourself that I just love to go to. There are so many booths, It's hard to see them all. Well, it's this weekend and since tomorrow is surgery day, I won't be traveling anywhere except from my bed to the sofa this weekend. But that's ok. Next year, I will weigh a lot less and be able to really enjoy the shopping.

Yep, tomorrow is the day. Today is my preparatory day. I was allowed 2 eggs, 2 pcs. bacon, 2 pcs. toast and a small glass of skim milk. That was at 8:30 this morning. I can only have clear liquids for the rest of the day until midnight then nothing else to eat. I have had some sugar free jello late this afternoon and I will have soup broth for supper. Then that is it.

Tom took me out last night to a Chinese buffet for my 'last supper'. It was really good and the music was soft and relaxing, so I enjoyed it all. We came home after that and watched a movie together. We watched Evan Almighty. It was pretty cute. We enjoyed it.

I spent today wrapping up paper work for the month, so I won't have to worry about that for about four weeks. What a relief that was. I hate doing that kind of stuff, until it's all over, then I see the clean desk and I am glad I did it. It's just the idea of getting started. And that reminds me of something:

People are always saying that I advertise for products that I like, and I do. But I can tell you, NEVER do business with AAA Visa card. Those people are nuts. When I first opened the account they had offered a 5.9% interest rate. Ok, that's pretty good, so I went for it. Well things went along well for a little while and then they wrote me a letter saying they were raising their rates and would I approve my rate to be raised. Of course, I declined. What idiot would agree to raise their rate? So they told me I could no longer have the account unless I agreed to raise the rate. I saw red and I closed the account.

Meanwhile, I set it up to automatically be paid each month from my checking account. I paid out the account, had a zero balance. They continued to deduct money from my checking account ( I have never had this problem with anyone else. If you have a zero balance, there is nothing for them to deduct for). So last month I called them and they refunded my money and told me their apologies, and that it wouldn't happen again.

Well, they lied. This month I get another notice they have deducted ANOTHER payment from my checking account! I lost it. After I got through reaming the ass of the guy that answered the phone, I am getting another refund and they are zeroing out my zero balance account and he promised no more will be deducted. I got his name and badge number this time. If it happens again, I will go to the bank and put a stop to it there. Larkie, you will appreciate this......there are little indentions in the ceiling of my house where I just about went through the ceiling with this idiot. I was looking over the top of my glasses at the phone. I wanted to punch his lights out.

Okay everybody. It'll be a few days before I post again, so say prayers and when I get back home, I will start posting again as I loose weight! Yahooooooooo!

Just a day of rest

2007-10-08T20:45:00.000-05:00

I have done absolutely NOTHING all day. It was nice. No clothes to wash, no dinner to cook, no work to do, (did I forget to pay bills? uh oh). Anyway, I watched a lifetime movie, took a nap, and watched the storm this afternoon.

When I went to see Ash Sunday, I didn't post his pic here to show all of you how good he looks. So here are a couple of pics for you. He has put on a lot of weight and some muscles and seems very happy and healthy. I loved seeing him.

And of course, they had to take one of me with him.So, this has been a good, do-nothing day.

Visit with Ash and Chair Turtle

2007-10-07T23:31:00.000-05:00

I got to see Ash today for the first time in 3 months. He looks so good. He has gained about 30 lbs. and has built muscles, has a great tan from working outside a lot. It was nice to sit and talk with him for a while. We had a 3 hour visit and it flew by so quick, I thought my watch was wrong. I won't be able to see him again for about 60 days, but it helped to see him today and I think it helped him too, just to know someone is out there pulling for him. He has gotten lots of mail and received lots of birthday cards, so everyone that sent one, he appreciated it a lot.

He was a little bit down inthe dumps today because one of his peers was evicted from the program and that upset Ash. He was also upset because he had been called down about something he said he didn't do. Well that means he will be working in the kitchen for 30 days and it takes him just that much longer to gain his visitation priviledges. But I just told him to live for today only and do what he has to do today and don't worry about tomorrow or 30 days all at once. I hope he listened. I love him so much and I just want him to be a healthy responsible man that can ultimately get married to a nice wife and have a family. This is a start.

Remember the other day when I tried to upload a video to show you guys the 'chair turtle' at the beach? Well, I am going to try it again. I compressed it, so maybe it will work now. We shall see:

Yay!!! It worked! Now you too, can see the chair turtle. I know, we have a weird sense of humor. What can I say?

Butterfly Life

2007-10-06T10:13:00.000-05:00

While we were in Destin last week, there were quite a few butterflies actually flying over the Gulf waters. One of the other guests that were staying at the same place we were, said that butterflies only live one day! I couldn't accept that, so, of course, I had to come home and look that up. I wish I had known this so that I could have disputed that woman's erroneous information. How could something this beautiful only live one day?

Butterfly Lifespan

The lifespan of butterflies depends on the species in question and, of course, the conditions they are kept in (and whether they hibernate or not, which is not taken into account here). Generally speaking, there are two types of butterfly (as far as longevity is concerned).

Firstly there are the species that only consume nectar - these are species like papilios and nymphalidae. Nectar is purely an energy source and consequently the lifespans of these species are short - sometimes as low as a week but usually up to three or more in good conditions.

The second type are those that feed on both nectar and pollen; pollen is a protein source so allows some rejuvenation of body tissue and thus these species live longer, around three months or so as a general guide. This category is filled by species like heliconidae.

FERN

2007-10-05T11:07:00.000-05:00

FERN is my middle name. I have been tagged by FroggieMom to do this and I thought it might be fun. Thank God, I have a short middle name. :)

F - Friend, Friends, Friendly - Someone said just the other day that I meet no strangers. That is very true. I love people and meeting new people and I make friends easily. Maybe that comes from moving around so much when I was a kid and my Dad was transferred a lot. It was a very nice compliment to me anyway.

E - Energetic - I don't mean that I am energetic when it comes to exercise and stuff like that, but energetic about traveling and meeting new people and spending endless hours on my computer looking around at sites I have never seen before. I am also very energetic about things I believe in. I don't give up easily.

R - Real - That was something my husband said about me the first day he met me. He said I am real, like ice and fire. I am not quite sure what he meant by that, but I thought it was sweet and I have always loved him for it. He even put a ruby and a sapphire on my wedding band to represent that about me. I love it. And I love him. Thank you for loving me Tom.

N - New - I love to go to new places and learn new things about the places to which we travel. and I Never want to stop learning. So Never is another N word. I am also a little Nerdy because I love reading, and I was a programmer before I retired and I love word games.

I am not going to tag anyone, but it was interesting to do. Please do it too. Well, maybe I will tag Gerrygirl.

I have the finally go-ahead.....

2007-10-04T22:42:00.000-05:00

I have finished all my pre-op tests now and have the final go-ahead from all the docs for my surgery next week on the 11th. When they said everything was cool, I suddenly started going through a lot of fear about it all. It's not the surgery itself, it's the aftermath and the clear liquid diet I will be on for 9 days. There will be no solid food for at least 3 to 4 weeks, and THAT is what is terrifying me. Can I do it? I have to.

A beautiful world....

2007-10-03T17:24:00.000-05:00

We arrived about 6:00 pm on Friday the 21st, and at first had a little trouble finding our rental condo, but once we found the right place, it turned out to be beautiful. The sand was vivid white and the water was clear green close to shore and then a beautiful blue further away. Awesome! All I could do was stand there and stare at the beauty of it all. How can anyone see all that and not believe there is a Higher Power?

There was a storm in the Gulf that came inland right over the top of us, but it was mild and just brought rain and large waves. Lots of folks enjoyed those waves for surfing, and it was fun for us to watch them try to actually ride those waves. We laughed a lot at the amount of work they did to ride a wave about 3 to 5 feet. Somehow it just didn't seem worth it. But hey, they were having a good time.

We enjoyed watching the 'chair turtle' come out every morning and every evening putting out and taking up the chairs and umbrellas. I took a video of it being done and you will see why we called him the 'chair turtle'. Check this out: Well, after trying for hours to upload this video, it would not happen. Damn blogspot. Sorry, I can't show you now how funny the chair turtle was.

Tom and I were alone until Wednesday when the kids started showing up. Allen and Heather arrived Wednesday night just in time to go out to eat dinner,yay! And then Kirk and Deirdre came in Thursday morning around 10:30 am. Kirk was like a kid in a candy store. He loved being in the water and trying to body surf. We all ended up buying boogie boards and spent endless hours boogying in the surf.

By Friday the surf was so calm it was impossible to do anything but just float in the water in the calm seas. Of course we spent a lot of time eating and going to the souvenier shops, and chasing down the Dippin' Dots stores. YUU-UMMY! My favorite flavor is Strawberry Cheesecake Yogurt...

There I go with the advertisements again! LOL

Saturday the waves started picking up again so Kirk was out there 'surfing' again. He, Tom and Allen were on the first sandbar and suddenly they saw a very dark image in the clear waters. Yes, it was a shark about 5 to 6 feet long. It was between the guys and the shore, so all they could do was stand perfectly still. I can't imagine being this close:

The shark was apparently fishing, so it went around Allen, then around Tom, and then back out to open water. With a breath of relief they all clammored out of the water and sat on the beach watching along with the Fire and Rescue Beach Patrol. Thirty minutes later, no one had seen the shark again, so back in the water they went! Not me, no way, un uh! Two years ago, there was a 14 year old girl killed by a shark 8 miles east of there. So I was finished with being in the water.

We all had a wonderful time and we all wanted to stay, but Sunday morning came all too soon and we had to come home to reality again. Thank God, we all came home in one piece with beautiful memories and lovely pics to remind us.

"Cindy-ness"

2007-09-19T22:31:00.000-05:00

I got the sweetest email from my neice last night and I wanted to share some of it with those of you who know me personally and those of you who have known me through this blog for a while.

This is a portion of the email: "I've been reading your blog and your tone almost sounds like the word "blog". You don't seem to have your "Cindy-ness". How are you?"

Her next sentence was referencing how much I must miss my Mom and how much she misses her (grandmother) too. She made me start thinking about all the whining I have been doing on this blog for quite a while now. Depression was kicking my butt. Yes, I miss my Mother terribly. She has been gone 7 months today. The time has really flown by but while it was moving, it felt like it was all in slow motion to me. 7 months.....that's a long time to live in slow motion.

I realized today, that I am feeling much better and though I miss Mom so very much, I no longer cry constantly, and I can go through a day without total heartbreak. I can talk about her now without falling apart. I went to the cemetery today and for the first time, it didn't rip my heart completely out of my chest to go there and sit by my parents' graves. My Dad is gone as well. He has been gone for 4 years now.

I have started laughing again and not feeling guilty about it. I am doing crafts again and not sleeping my life away. My energy level has increased. I had NO energy at all for the first 4 months after my Mom died. I felt like I could not live without her here with me. It was difficult to put one foot in front of the other.

Today I can get up and do things, work around the house, the pool, feed the birds, and take care of my personal business without it just being completely overwhelming. I have met new friends and spend time with them, as well as my old friends. I have joined the living again.

Thank you Allie for helping me to realize that. I AM BETTER. And I love you very much. You are truly a blessing to me. Please don't ever forget that.

Packing it up!

2007-09-18T22:58:00.000-05:00

I am in the process of gathering and staging all the stuff to go with us to Destin. This is the first time that most of it is already packed up from two years ago. I just left most of it in the boxes when we came back after Hurricane Katrina when we ended up in Panama City Beach. Yay! Not much packing this time.

This should be us this time next week:

Wow just 26 days to go!

2007-09-15T23:34:00.001-05:00

When I looked at my ticker, I was surprised that I have just 3 weeks and a few days to go before I have my surgery! I get excited and scared all at the same time. It will be here before I know it.

Tomorrow is Ash's 29th birthday. I won't be able to share it with him, but at least I know he is doing something wonderful for himself and that he is safe. We had a little scare earlier this week when he was thinking of leaving Cenikor, but he IS still there and that is a miracle. I was so relieved to hear he had decided to stay. Thank God, because I have been praying for His support to keep Ash working his program.

We had dinner with friends tonight and we both really enjoyed the outting. These are new friends and the more I am around them, the more I enjoy their company and so does Tom. That is another Thank you to God, because He put this lady in my life when we needed each other's support. We have become good friends. I am so blessed to have so many good friends in my life.

Tomorrow I start packing for our trip to Destin. I will post some pics when we get back. I have a lot to do in the next 5 days to get everything ready. Plus I have to see two different doctors this week to get final ok's for surgery. So I may not post very much in the next week.

You all have a great week!

On a good note!

2007-09-10T23:41:00.000-05:00

I have realized that I have so many people in my life that love me and care about me. I got a call from two special people today. Sometimes I forget that there ARE people out there that are not mean and hateful and that will listen to me when I am in pain whether it be physical or emotional. Thank God for all of you out there that love me.

I went to the post office today to mail Ash his birthday package. He is still at Cenikor and doing very well. His 29th birthday is Sunday coming and I will miss being able to see him or call him, but at least he will know he is thought of and loved by receiving his package. Carla helped me with it to make sure he got the things he had requested. When living as a resident at Cenikor you can only receive to packages per year, one for your birthday and one for Christmas.

He seems to be really trying this time and I am praying that a power greater than he will bring him through this time. For those of you that don't know about Cenikor, it is a behavior modification program for people who have all sorts of problems, from drugs and alcohol to anger management, etc. One must request permission to enter the program and be accepted by a panel of peers. I am happy for him that he made the move. Over the door, it says "A Place for Change." I pointed that out to him and told him if he wasn't ready for change, don't walk through the doors. He proudly went in anyway. If he completes the program, he will be there for a minimum of 18 months. He can leave anytime he chooses; it's not a lock down.

I guess that's all for now. Have a great day.

Feeling better today...

2007-09-09T23:58:00.001-05:00

Yesterday when I wrote my blog I was in such a rage! I am feeling better today, still very hurt, but not angry. What I have decided tho, is not to make any more attempts to contact my sister. When she gets over herself, she can contact me.

Since we have different Mothers, we were never really a part of each other's lives until we were both adults....about 9 years ago actually. We actually spent time alone together for the first time ever in our lives. That is when our relationship began to grow and we got closer over the years. Well, it's over now. I lived 46 years without her in my life and I can live the rest without her in it. No one is going to treat me like that and have me lay down and let them walk on me.

On to other things.....today was quiet. Kirk and Deirdre came over and Tom and Kirk worked on their 4-wheeler trails in the woods in the back of our property. Deirdre and I watched part of a movie and we ended up miss the end of it because we went to pick up poboys for lunch. I think the name of it was 'Living with the enemy' not 'sleeping with the enemy'. So if anyone knows how it ended, let me know and I can share it with Deirdre.

Only a month and a day from surgery now. I am getting nervous about it; not the surgery itself, but the aftermath and what will happen to my body and if I will be able to handle the things I will have to do as far as what I will be able to eat/drink.

Since I retired.....no, since my Mom passed away, my life seems so boring. Like I have nothing to share on this blog.

It's late and I'm going to bed. Good night.

Forgiveness....

2007-09-08T23:24:00.000-05:00

There have only been two people in my life that I could not forgive. One is an ex boss and the other is my natural father. Forgiveness is something I feel is important in my life and the lives of those I love. Life is too short to go through it holding grudges and anger. I have always said "What goes around comes around".

I don't even know where I am going with this, but I am feeling a smoldering anger right now at someone I love dearly. I am tired of being hurt by that person. I am referring to my 'loving' sister. For those of you that keep up with my blog, you know that I had an argument with her recently (about 2 months ago) and have tried every way I know to apologize for my part in it. There ARE two parts you know. I does take two.

I emailed her (because she won't answer my calls) the other day to tell her about my upcoming surgery and to tell her that we are still going to Destin at the end of this month and I would love it if she and her husband would come down to the condo and spend some relaxing time on the beach with me and Tom. Four days later I get this back from her:

"Hi
I hope and pray your surgery is a success and you come thru surgery with flying colors.
We won't be coming to destin in October (we aren't going in October either, we are going in September as I stated in my original email) so don't look for us please plan other things for your selfs hope you have a good time."

My response to her was this:
"I am sure we will have a great time as we always do. We have lots of things planned to do. Just thought you and Mike might want to join us for a day or so. Sorry you won't be there."

I decided that since she had responded to my email that maybe I could call her. So I did. She actually answered the phone. I asked her if she was still mad at me and she stated that she wasn't "over it" yet. I told her again, that I was sorry for anything I might have done, but that I would like to ask her what the problem is from her side. She said, "well, for one thing, you slammed my bedroom door". Slammed her bedroom door? Are you kidding me? She is holding this grudge because of a slammed door that I don't even remember slamming? This sounds like something that should be on Dr. Phil, or maybe even better, Jerry Springer.

And so it went from there. She ended up hanging up on me and that is one thing that REALLY PISSES ME OFF! DON'T HANG UP IN MY FACE, EVER! That is so childish! We are adults and we should be able to act like adults. Well, I have decided that I am over with that part of my life. I don't talk to my natural father, who is also her father, and I don't need to talk to her either. (we had different mothers) I haven't seen or spoken to my father in about 8 years (wiht the exception of attending my grandmother's funeral where neither he nor I spoke to each other) and I can do the same with my sister. I do have another half-sister, by the way.

Thank GOD, I was raised by my mother and my stepfather (my daddy). I feel so fortunate that the SOB who fathered me didn't raise me or I would probably be just like my sister. An angry unforgiving person that loves being miserable, one who apparently feels superior to others.

As I said earlier, I don't know where I am going with this, but I guess I just needed to vent. I want to write her another email and tell her how stupid and childish she is being. In fact I did write that email, but saved it as a draft. I will think about it for a day or two before I send it, IF I send it.

That's it. Venting over.

Happy Blogging birthday to me!

2007-09-03T22:31:00.000-05:00

I just realized I have actually stuck with this thing for 2 years now. WOW! When I first started, I would never have thought I would have enough to say to keep this up for 2 years. So much has happened in two years. When I think about it all, it's overwhelming. There have been losses galore, both friends and relatives, hurricane damage, then house damage from a ceiling water pipe...retirement. That was about the only good thing during the last year and a half. But all of you who know me have kept up with all that and there is no sense in rehashing it all.

That reminds me. I need to redo my tickler since it's been more than a year since retirement. I think I will do a weight loss tickler now. That sounds like a plan. That will give me something to play with for a little while.

We were supposed to go to a get-together this afternoon with the others from my grief support group, but I didn't feel quite up to par, so we stayed home. I wanted to go in one way, but in another, I just didn't want to be in a large group of people. Is that a phobia? Hmmmmm......
Maybe I need to think about that for a while.

I hope Markd60 is ok down in the Caymans. I think he is pretty far north so probably won't get too much wind from ole Felix.

So I am going to play with my tickler. Talk to you guys later.

Lots of support!

2007-08-31T22:31:00.000-05:00

I have lots of support on my decision to have the Gastric Sleeve done. I even found out that one of my friends I hardly ever see may have her surgery on the same day by the same doctor at the same hospital. How cool is that! I told her we should ask for rooms next to each other. LOL

I still haven't heard a word from my sister. I thought about calling her to tell her about the surgery date but then I decided not to. Since she hasn't chosen to call or contact me an any way, I guess I will just let that dog lie. I have already tried to mend fences enough without laying down and begging. It's rediculous to me that she has let this stupid crap get this far, but that is how they (my half siblings by my natural father) were raised. If she doesn't want me in her life, that is her choice. It's sad. But I can live with it if I have to.

Update on my son.....he is still in Cenikor Recovery Center and has been now for 54 or so days. He is doing well with the exception of an absessed tooth. They had to send him to the emergency room to get that taken care of until he could get to the dentist. One more month (probably right before surgery) I will be able to go see him. They can't have visitors for the first 90 days. I am looking forward to our visit. We write letters back in forth and he sounds really good in his letters. He writes very well. Please pray that he continues with his recovery process.

Heather and Allen and of course, Lacey, my granddog, are coming for the night tomorrow night and I can't wait to see them all, especially the dog.........Sorry Heather. I think Kirk and Deirdre will be here on Sunday and we are going to cook hamburgers on the grill.

You can find my recipe for those on Yahoo Groups Recipe_Favorites. Check it out and join if you haven't already. That's all for today. Nothing too big going on.

Obesity Surgery Plans October 11, 2007

2007-08-29T21:55:00.000-05:00

Ok, folks, here it the decision. Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. That is what I am going to do. For those of you that don't know me personally, I am just a tad, ok a LOT, overweight. This has caused and is causing me a lot of health problems, from high blood pressure to back to knee problems and more. I have trouble walking or standing for any length of time, can't fit comfortably in an airplane seat, can't sit in a booth when I go out to eat with my friends, etc. These are only a few of the problems faced. And let's not even discuss the depression issue.

Recently my family and I went out to eat for mine and Tom's anniversary at a restaurant in town. There were six of us and when the hostess brought us to our table, it was a booth. I stood there looking at the seat KNOWING I couldn't sit in it. I was so embarrassed. I quietly told her I could not fit in the booth and she was very nice and said, “no problem, I will get you a chair and you can sit on the end of the table” (sticking out in the isle), but it worked. Never-the-less, I was humiliated. My husband said I handled it well without letting anyone know how embarrassed I was. But he knew and I knew.

I have thought about having this surgery for several years, but just didn’t have the money to do it. My insurance will not pay for it, even though it’s medically necessary. But you know, God does for us what we can’t do for ourselves. My grandmother (who passed away over a year ago) had written me into her will to get part of the proceeds from the sale of her home and though it isn’t very much money, it’s enough for me to have this surgery.

So here is what I am going to do on October 11, 2007. The pictures below will show you what will be done. With the three pictures included in this blog you can see exactly what will be done to reduce my stomach to the size of a large egg.

I am really excited to be able to finally get this done. I have talked to many people that have been through it and they are all having wonderful results. The average weight loss is 15 to 20 pounds per month. At that rate, by next year this time, I will be wearing clothes a LOT smaller than I wear now. And I will be a lot healthier too. Most cases are able to stop all medications for blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes (I don't have), and cholesterol meds, etc.

My last hoorah is our vacation we have planned for September 21 thru 30th. We are going to be in Destin and the kids will all be joining us for the first family vacation ever. I want to be able to eat this year, but next year, I will be able to walk to beach too!

Pray for me and my family as we approach this huge life style change.

People don't like my melting head!

2007-08-27T23:17:00.000-05:00

I have gotten some comments about the melting head on the previous post, but that is really how I felt. Sorry. I thought it was a very good analogy of the way I felt. I felt like the witch on Wizard of Oz, "I'm Mellllllttttinnnnggggg!"

Ok, it's better now. Of course the weather is not as hot either right now. Last week we had temps in the triple digits with very high humidity. It was so hot, that when you walked outside it would take your breath away. I didn't even want my poor dogs to have to go out to pee.
We are getting a little bit of rain now so things have cooled down.

We still have the A/C problem, but they are supposed to come back tomorrow and relocate one of the units as they put them too close together and they are cancelling each other out. It's sort of hard to explain, so I am hoping what they said they will do will take care of the problem.

Yesterday afternoon about 3:20 pm we had a little thunderstorm move through here and my power went off and stayed off until 9:45 pm. That sucked. It got pretty hot in here. I was lucky because I had made plans to go eat with some friends, but Tom was here and ended up sitting in his truck with the A/C running for a while to cool off. I am really just rambling because there is nothing going on really.

I have an appointment with the gastric bypass doctor Wednesday. I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but I have decided to have the surgery. I have to get this weight off somehow and dieting just ain't happening! Tom will go with me to visit the doctor so we can get our questions answered.

I am considering two different types of surgery.....one is gastric bypass and the other is vertical gastrectomy. I have to pay cash because insurance will NOT pay for this type of what they consider 'elective' surgery. Idiots. This surgery will save my life and ultimately cost them less in the long run. Vertical gastrectomy is cheaper by about $7,000. So that is why I am considering that one, but I have lots of questions about its success rates. At any rate, by this time next year, there will be half of me left and I will be much healthier and happier.

If anyone has had these surgeries or knows someone who has, ask them to email me so I can talk to them about their experiences.

Ok, I am done. Good night.

New air conditioner!

2007-08-20T23:30:00.000-05:00

I finally talked, ok nagged, my husband into a new airconditioning/heating unit for our house. The old one was from the caveman days and it just wasn't able to do its job anymore. It has
been trying really hard for about 10 years now (it was about 30 years old) and I just finally literally had a melt down last week.

They came today and installed said new air conditioner and it is finally cooling. We actually have two units for our home since our home has and added on part that is heated and cooled separately. We kept wondering why it wasn't getting any cooler in here earlier and realized, finally, that the older unit was set on HEAT! Imagine that! It's 96 degrees outside and we have our heater running. Twilight zone here. Crazy things happen around here sometimes.

We had the guy put a new thermostat on the old A/C and since we are technology challenged, we can't figure out how to program the stupid thing. We finally got it set on cool, so I think we are in business, at least for 7 days. That will give us time to study the instructions on how to set a programmable thermostat. LOL

Well, going to bed now, hope it's cooler than 82 in our bedrooms now.
Good night.

18 years!

2007-08-18T00:03:00.000-05:00

Today is mine and Tom's 18th wedding anniversary. Gosh, so many things have happened in these 18 years. It's hard to even think about where our lives have taken us over the years. We have built fun memories, sad memories, tragic ones, hilarious ones and everything in between. We talk a lot to each other, laugh a lot and have cried a lot. We have fought and made up and loved each other no matter what. Can't say we always liked each other, but the love has always been steadfast. Happy Anniversary to us! I love you Tom.

It's been a month since my last post. Sorry, it's been so long. I was in a deep slump again, completely filled with sorrow. Last week, I felt like I had lost everything and everyone in my life. My sister (the one in the wreck last year) and I had a huge disagreement and now she won't even speak with me at all. It was all over trivial crap, but apparently she is going to hold onto it for a while. I have called, left messages, apologized, and even wrote her a letter apologizing for my part in it all but she has chosen to ignore it all. So now, the ball is in her court. I can't do any more than I have already done. As I said, it was all so trivial I can't imagine her holding onto this like she is, but it's about her now and not about me, so I have had to let it all go.

Heather was here a couple of weeks ago and bought the cutest little puppy ever. She is a Yorkie Poo. Her name is Lacey and here is her picture. She is my new granddog and I love her so much. She is such a ball of activity that makes me laugh all the time. She loves to throw her own ball and go get it and bring it back to where she was when she threw it the first time. She weighs 2 pounds right now and is 11 weeks old.

Lacey and Heather are here with us for the weekend. Allen is coming in when he gets off from work this afternoon. We are all going out to eat tonight for our anniversary dinner. I still haven't decided where I would like to go, but I am thinking Olive Garden. But I might change it to Ralph and Kakoo's. We don't go there very often and it's really good food.

Last weekend, I went to a retreat for women. It was a very awesome experience for me. It lifted my spirits and helped me learn more about myself and my feelings. I even ended up in a small group of women who had all recently lost someone in their lives and that helped too, because we all had something in common and were able to hold each other up. I am so grateful that I was there and know it was the Big Man upstairs who led me there and grouped me with those particular women.

Well, just wanted to let you all know I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, although last week, I just wanted to step off the edge, but I am back and stronger now. Love to you all!

Hi everybody!

2007-07-18T22:04:00.001-05:00

Not much is going on these days, so that's why I haven't been posting. I guess it's almost a relief that things are sort of quiet for the past few days.

Today I took my sick computer in to a place in Baton Rouge that I will now start using for all my computer needs. Those people were so nice, I couldn't believe it. My computer is a Gateway and I am (or at least have been) a diehard Gateway user. Well I finally got pissed at Gateway last night after waiting for over a month for an A/C adapter and power cord. They kept giving me the runaround about when it would get here. Finally I told them to forget it and to cancel my order.

The place I went to today took my computer and called me back in two hours and told me exactly what was wrong, which was the adapter and power cord, and told me they would order one for me and have it in in 5 days. The man was so nice and knowledgeable. He even told me I have one NICE laptop and not to ditch it, but to fix it because it is so nice. Thank you Shane.

So my laptop should be back up and running in a week or so. I have been frantic to get pictures of my Mom off of it and Shane told me he would do that for me too. How nice of him. I have definitely learned me lesson about backing up my data too. I will do that from now on. I won't get caught like this again, I assure you. I have experienced the pain of not having the backup, so I won't do that again.

Oh no! I spoke too soon. I just get a phone call from my daughter. Her little dog got killed today. Her husband was in a hurry going up the drive way (it is a very LONG driveway) and the dog ran out in front of him and he ran over her with the truck. They are both so very upset. Poor Heather and Allen. I feel so badly for them. They both loved that little dog. Say a prayer for them please.

Going to bed now, I am very sleepy.

The Fly Won!

2007-07-13T13:42:00.000-05:00

I never did get that pesky fly, BUZZ.. but I tried really hard. It's a good thing they only live 30 days! I haven't seen him today, but he gave me a run for my money last night for sure.

I sat here with my zapper in hand and everytime he would fly by me, I would wave that zapper and the fly would wave at me and laugh. BUZZ.......... Oh well. I lost that battle. Buzz... Can't win them all I guess.

Heather is here tonight visiting me. I am so glad to see her. It's been about a month since she was here. Actually it was Father's Day weekend, so it has been a month. I miss her so much that today I called her and said "Are you comin to pen da nite wit me tonite?" She said YES!

She got here about 9:00 pm and we have been playing Martina McBride videos on the computer and crying and singing and laughing having a great time. Talking about my Mom and the fact she would probably tell us girls to go to bed and go to sleep and quit talking and giggling. She would too! We both miss Mom very much.

Tomorrow will be a big day. We are going shopping at Hobby Lobby, Wal Mart, Lane Bryant, and where ever else we end up. I am excited. I get to go somewhere. I have been at home since Tuesday after having my back injected. Now I am ready to RIDE!

Today I got a chance to get in the pool and clean and vacuum it before the weekend. It is supposed to rain, but maybe we will get a chance to float a while. I sure hope so. We enjoy just chatting with each other. I am blessed, truly blessed, to have such a great relationship with Heather. I enjoy her company, doing most anything with her.

We are also planning our vacation in September. We are all going to Destin. Can't wait!

That's all for now. Will write more later. Beddy bye time.

Oh and one more thing. I heard this song on the radio the other day and I finally found a way to put it on my site. Click on that big arrow in the middle and it will play. It is Martina McBride singing 'Anyway'. It's beautiful and means so much to me in my life.