My Adventures Today :)

Hey Y'all,

We made it up the hill with no difficulties thank goodness!  It had snowed over night, but had stopped by this morning & the roads were already cleared & dry.  So no ice either, yea!  This morning, I weighted the same (211.0) as yesterday.  Then, I weighted myself just before we left, after I had drank a shake & I weighted 211.4.  At the Doctor's office, I weighted in at 212.6 after I had drank 2 Protein shakes & barely urinated all morning!  So my DH figures that our scale is for sure within 1 lb of the Doctor's which makes me feel good.  But since the Doctor only requested that I lose 11 lbs, & even at a slightly higher weight this morning, I was still showing a 16 lb loss!  I will take that! 

The Doctor didn't say anything about my weight loss though.  But then, DH kept him busy answering questions regarding the type of band & how much fill he was going to have in it initially.  The Doctor says that he generally puts in 2-2 1/2 cc's of saline.  So I will have a small restriction right off the bat!

However, I was not a happy camper this morning. :(  I received an e-mail from my Patient Advocate Sarai, at the Surgeons office last night, right about the time their office closed letting me know that they were still missing the results of my Blood Work & my Chest X-Rays!!!  Say What???  So last night I called THE LAB & told them that the Surgeons office hadn't received the faxed test results.  They said that they were waiting for the Doctor's office to call & request them!!!  The order slip requested the results be FAXED!!  I also advised them of this myself last week when the blood was drawn.  They said no problem.  So last night, the woman I spoke with, said no problem, she was faxing them right then, so the Doctor would have them this morning.  I thought great!

Then I called the Hospital & spoke with someone in Imaging & went through the whole talk again.  She said they didn't know they were to fax them, I advised her that I told the Technician that they needed to be faxed immediately upon reading & provided the fax numbers to both the Doctor's office & the Hospital.  She wrote all this information down on the slip in front of me that day, so I know they had it!  Anyway, the person I spoke with last night, said that she would fax the results last night as well.  Great!

This morning, I call the Doctor's office to verify they received them only to find out that they still had not received them, from either place!!!  WTH???!!!  So I told them that I had called & was advised by both entities, they would be faxed last night.  Since they still hadn't received them.  I gave them the numbers to call, since maybe they would get better results, coming from the Doctor's office instead of me. Thankfully, they called back & said they finally got them, AFTER THEY CALLED!!  How many times do the results need to be requested???  This is sooo frustrating.  Anyway, if you have not been following a new blogger named Tracy (Metamorphic Journey) already, please check her blog out.  She is getting banded on Friday & today's post made my day look like a ride in the park!!! 

Tonight, we went to The Outback & I had a fantastic Fillet Mignon, baked potato & salad.  Even the salad tasted great!!  We had dinner with our friend Nadene & had a nice long talk with her.  I am really going to miss her when she leaves for Virginia next week.  :(

As for the Buffet on Friday, I will take everyone's advise & play it by ear.  My thoughts are that I will probably not make it.  But who knows!!

I want to give a shout out to Tracy (Metamorphic Journey), just in case I am having trouble tomorrow & don't blog or I forget, I want to wish you well in your Surgery on Friday!!  I am sure you will have no problems.  And let you know that I will be thinking of you.

Also, I want to wish Dawn B (What I Weighed In High School) a HAPPY 45th BIRTHDAY tomorrow!!

Well, I better go for now.  I need to at least attempt to get some sleep tonight!!  LOL

Aloha My Friends  :) 

1 Day To Go!! I'm On My Way!!

It's One Day Away!!  Yippee!!  Is it Christmas?

Hey Y'all,

I am writing this late at night before I go to bed as I am not too sure how much time I will have in the morning before we leave & I want to post.  If I do have time, I will post a quickie in the am on our way out of the house.  My DH is bringing his Laptop Computer with us so I will check in tomorrow night to let you know how my appointment with the Surgeon went.  I will also try to post the day of Surgery (if I feel up to it???).

Can you believe this?  Since my Mother-In-Law found out that we will be in the Reno area this week, she invited us to lunch at one of the Casino/Buffets.  I think I mentioned in an earlier post how my Father-In-Law was recently diagnosed with Cirrhosis of the Liver.  He is not doing well, & my MIL believes that he probably won't make it through the Winter season.  So she called up his sister in So Cal & convinced her that if she wants to see him before he passes, she better come up.  So this is a gathering of the family.

Unfortunately, it is the day AFTER my SURGERY!!  I told my DH that if I am not feeling up to it, he can go without me, but that I would try to make it.  What do you think my chances are of feeling up to going to a Buffet & sitting for a couple of hours watching everyone eat?  Do you think I should attempt it or stay in the room & crash?

Well, I better go for now, I needs me some sleep before the long drive in the morning.

Aloha My Friends  :)

Welcome T J :)

I just noticed a new follower, TJ.  I wish I knew what your blog name was so I could check it out!!  Let me know, ok?  So welcome to my blog & "welcome to my nightmare", eh, eh, eh.

Aloha My New Friend  :)

Yes! New Weight &&& 2 Days To Go :)

It's 2 Days & Counting!!  :)

Hey Y'all,

I lost another .4 lbs!!  I know it isn't much, but I will take it.  This makes me at an even 18 lb loss so far.  :) 

Sorry I didn't post yesterday.  I meant to but just didn't quite get to it, although I did try to read some of the current posts & I managed to comment on a few of them. 

I was doing laundry allll Dayyy longgg!!  I still have to do a couple more loads of laundry :(.  But at least I have plenty of clean laundry to last a couple of weeks! :)  Today I have to do all of the preparation to go to Reno for my Surgery.  I have to go to Costco to purchase some goods, check the mail at our PO Box, go to the Bank, change the sheets on our bed (I like to come home to clean sheets after being gone, that way it feels like we are still on vaca so to speak since you get clean sheets every day while gone), shower & shave really well, pack & write a few e-mails to family & friends, etc, etc!!!

April (Band New), if you are reading this, I have been trying to leave comments on your blog, but it won't let me scroll down far enough to type in the special letters & to push the final send button.  I have been trying for a long time now.  Hope you get it fixed!!

As for my diet my amigos, or is it amigas (I think it is amigos)?  Anyway, the DIET really hasn't been bad at all!  Nothing like I had feared.  But then, it all depends on if you can get a Protein Drink that is at least palatable for you.  I was lucky to have found one that I actually like, so it has been no problem drinking them.  And as for hunger, I really haven't been hungry.  Head hunger at times, but actual hunger, very rare.  Of course, this might have been much worse had I had to go to an actual job.  I am retired (disability) so I only work at home.  My DH is self employed & I keep the books, etc.  So I sit at my desk most of the time.

I just finished reading an e-mail from my friend Nadene up in Truckee, letting me know that they are expecting a good snow storm tonight that is to last until morning.  She is telling me this because we have to drive up over the Sierra's & through Truckee on our way to Reno tomorrow morning.  So we will definitely have to deal with some snow!  Damn, I was hoping to not have to deal with it.  So I guess it is a good thing we are taking DH's 4x4 TRUCK! 

Although, I am taking a blanket to cover up with & extra pillows to lay on for the return trip, to try to cushion the bouncing since I will only be 2 days out of Surgery!  LOL  The people at the Hotel/Casino Valet will think it strange, this middle aged woman stepping up into this truck with a double step collapsible step, onto some positioned pillows!!  Oh well.  Maybe DH will take some pics to show how comical I looked.  Umm, maybe not, we'll see.

Well, I better go for now, got lots to do!!

Aloha My Friends  :)

Hello New Follower's :) A Late Hello To 2 Other's :(

Just got back on the ole computer, & noticed I had some new follower's.  I like to say welcome to everyone, so...welcome to Nessa (Nessa In November), Linda O (Redoing Myself In Royal Oak), Shanazing (When Push Comes To Shove) & A Sunny 23 (unfortunately, I can't find your site, I would love to follow it).

Upon checking out my site, I appear to have missed welcoming a couple of follower's from wayyyy back.  So please forgive me, I would like to also welcome Stardustic & Myra (As My World Turns).

Gotta tell ya, it is getting harder to figure out who I am missing sometimes!!  But I asked for more follower's so I will continue to do my best to always welcome you.  And..."welcome to my nightmare".

A New Follower!! :)

Welcome to my new follower, Melissa!!  I wish that I could check out your blog & follow it too, but when I pull up your profile, it doesn't list your blog site.  If you would like to provide it, I would love to check it out!!  Otherwise, hello, & "welcome to my nightmare".  If you are a newbie, I hope my blog helps you, as well as the others that I follow, they have a lot of information.  If you are an experienced bander, then, I hope you get some giggles out of my misadventures!!

2 More LBS Down, YEA!!! :)

It's 4 days & counting now!!

Hey Y'all,

I just stepped off the ole scales & was very surprised to see that I have lost another 2 lbs since yesterday!!  I was hoping for a measly .5, so I am truly amazed.  I might just make my goal of making it to 210.0!!  Dare I hope for 208.6, which would put me at an even 20 lb loss for pre-surgery diet?  Well, if I make it just 1 more lb, I will be happy, but more is always better in this instance!!  Only time will tell.  :)

Yesterday, DH & I went to visit with my parents.  Neither of them are doing well (at all).  My Mom is in constant pain.  She has a Heart Condition & she should have had a Bypass yrs ago, but didn't because they didn't have Insurance.  She also has severe Back/Spinal problems & was supposed to have had Back Surgery yrs ago, but didn't because of the Insurance thing.  She also has Fibromyalgia, Diabetes, Kidney & Liver problems, etc, etc, etc.  Her Diabetes, I believe is getting out of hand, & she has severe Neuropathy due to the Diabetes. 

Her legs & feet hurt her so bad, she can't even stand to have shoes on anymore!  She told me yesterday that her right foot is starting to freeze on her, she can't move the right toes at all!!  My dad told me she hurts so bad, she rarely gets out of bed except to go to the bathroom.  Unless they have a visitor, then she gets up & puts on a good face trying to make you think she is doing ok.  But she can barely walk anymore, even with the walker that we gave her.  Back Surgery is out of the question now, the Surgeon said that her back is too far gone & he can't help her.  The Spine has deteriorated too much.  I would have taken my camera with me to take photos, but she would not have allowed me to take her picture, which is sad, because although she doesn't look good, it is what she looks like now, which should be preserved. 

My Dad had to undergo a Quadruple Heart Bypass about 15 yrs ago, which rendered him totally Handicapped & unable to work as he had fallen while having the Heart Attack & broke his Neck in the process, then had a couple of mini Strokes while in the Hospital.  Unfortunately, he has not been eating the proper diet he should have been eating afterwords, so his Heart is bad again.  Then a couple of yrs ago, he fell out of his car on New Years morning, breaking his Hips & one of his Legs in multiple places.  He had to undergo a very long surgery to place rods & pins into his Leg & Hip.

Anyway, he has been in constant pain ever since & it is only getting worse (he is now 76 yrs old).  Yesterday, he was telling us that he gets very tired if he exerts himself even a small amount (which is telling me his Heart is not functioning properly again (he got like this before his Heart Attacks yrs ago)).  Which is bad, because he is now having to do a lot of the work in their house since my mom is barely able to move anymore herself.  AND, they are raising their Great Grandson who is only 7 yrs old & has ADHD!

Why doesn't the child's Mother or Grandmother take care of him do you ask?  Good question.  Because they are both lazy, good for nothings that would rather sleep & take drugs than help my parents around the house like cooking & cleaning.  Yes, they do live with my parents as well (at least on & off, one of them is almost always there)!!! 

The sad thing is that my Nieces son Charlie, is all my Dad thinks about.  When you talk to him, he never talks about his other Grand Children, just Charlie (even in front of the other GK's).  He doesn't realize that he is hurting the feelings of the others, because he knows that when he dies, Charlie will either have to go live full time with his Mom/Grandmother in the most scary part of town, or he will be put in the system.  Which sad to say, I think will be the best, because maybe he would find some stability there with someone who is young enough to be able to really handle him & help him.

My Dad hints that he would like either my Brother or myself to take Charlie in when he dies, but we wouldn't even consider it unless we were able to adopt him, & the Mom & Grandmother not have anything to do with him & us.  Because, they would always come around with their boyfriends, etc.  Charlie's Dad is one scary dude (violent, he beat my Niece multiple times), he is one step away from Prison right now (he has already served time in Jail multiple times).  And we just don't want that element coming to our homes!!!!

Besides the fact that my Brother has become Disabled himself (long sad story), & can't keep up with Charlie.  Myself, I couldn't deal with him either.  I am Partially Disabled, mobility wise & any stress just sets off my pain levels through the roof.  I was lucky in that my Daughter was the most perfect child anyone could ask for.  Which is why I never had another child.  I knew that if I did, that child would be the total opposite, & I could not have dealt with it!!  LOL.  She never gave me one ounce of trouble, even as a teenager. 

Now, my Step-Son was another story!!  He was the opposite of my Daughter, so he was the child I was afraid to have.  LOL.  When my DH & I got together, Russ had just turned 5 & he was a lot like Charlie (energy wise) & had some other issues as well.  So we had about 3 yrs of trials & tribulations with him, but thank god, he finally settled down & it has been mostly smooth sailing ever since.  Now, I couldn't imagine our lives without him, but for a few yrs there, it was iffy.  But that was many yrs ago & I was much younger. 

I can't imagine having to cope with Charlie day in & day out, I would go stark raving mad.  It's hard to even visit for more than an hour or two, before my nerves start screaming to get away!!  So as much as we love Charlie & feel bad for what will become of him, we cannot take him in.  Nor will we support my Sister or my Niece.  They are both adults fully capable of earning a living, they will just have to go out & GET A JOB!!!

My parents do not read this blog, thank god, as it would kill them to know how everyone feels about my Sister & Niece.  But once my parents are gone, we will not support them, nor have anything to do with them.  We have been trying for yrs to get my parents to do "tough love" with them, & refuse to support them anymore, but they just can't.  My Sister is 44 yrs old (9 1/2 yrs younger than me) & my Niece is 27 yrs old.  So we will not support them, period!!  Anyway, sorry that I went off on a tangent today.  But sometimes it is nice to get things off your chest, even if it is just to vent on (paper) so to speak.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend, sorry for the downer today.

Aloha My Friends  :)

 

Wow!! 21 Follower's-Welcome!!!

Hey Y'all,

Just wanted to say a big fat welcome to my newest follower, Kathy (Don't Look Back).  I have been following your blog as well.  I noticed on your site that you are a big fan of NASCAR.  Well, I am glad to see someone who is interested in racing as well, unfortunately, my favorite form of racing is NHRA Drag Racing.  But I only like to watch the Funny Cars & Top Fuel.  Anyway, "welcome to my nightmare" as the lyric goes in one of Alice Cooper's old songs.  But honestly, I am not considering this to be a nightmare, it is just a term I like to use.  I am actually looking forward to my journey that will begin in only 4 days!!

Aloha My New Friend

A Shout Out To A New Follower

Hey everyone, I just noticed that I have a new follower.  I just want to say welcome to my world, Banded For Life-Nicole!!  Hope you enjoy my blog, I will definitely be checking yours out now too!

Aloha My New Friend

Down A Tad Bit More!!! :)

It's 5 days until Lap Band day!!  :)

Hey Y'all,

Happy Saturday everyone!!  Hope everyone has a great weekend planned & doesn't have to work.  I jumped on the ole scale just a few minutes ago & found that I lost another .6 lbs!  I know it isn't much, but, hey, I will take it!!  Here's hoping (imagine my fingers being crossed) that I can lose another 3 lbs by Wednesday when I see the Surgeon.  That would make me an even 210.0.

I've decided NOT to ask my Surgeon for permission about eating a REAL MEAL on Wednesday, the day before Surgery (if anyone has any comments, for or against this move, please let me know)!  We will have my appointment with the Surgeon at 1:15, then we will go to the Hotel/Casino & check in so we can drop off all our bags & all of my pillows (which I will need to be laying on in our truck for the return ride home), then I have to go to the Hospital to Pre-Register at 3:15.  Once we are done with that, we will go have an early dinner of my choice with our friend Nadene.  Then back to fluids only for the rest of the day!

Well, yesterday was One Of Those Days that most people HATE, since it lands on what most people consider an unlucky number.  How did everyone fare?  What is strange, is that my DH & I consider the number 13 to be a lucky number for us.  In fact, we were married on a Friday the 13th!!  LOL.  We have been married for 16 yrs (17 in April) & have been together for 18 yrs, still going strong, so I guess it is still a lucky number for us!!

Well, I guess I better go for now.  Got lot's to do & so little time to do it in.

Aloha My Friends  :)

My First NSV's Yea!!!

Hey Y'all,

Just wanted to say that I have finally noticed some amazing changes, but I forgot to post them.  Tuesday, when I went to the Hospital to finish my Pre-Op Lab Work, I put on the shoes that I had bought to wear last Winter, as my feet had become so swollen that I could no longer wear my usual shoes (& hadn't been able to since April 08)!  I had been getting by with wearing flip flops most of the year (thank goodness we live in California).  But it does get cold in the Winter, even here. 

So last year, I purchased some pull on shoes online from LL Bean, that has a zipper on top & in a 1/2 size larger in Wide Width, making them easier to get on.  Even so, usually when I first put them on (every time), I would have to force the zipper up on the left shoe, & it would be tight until it stretched out.  But Tuesday, they came right on & was almost too large (actually they were too large, but I was afraid to try on my regular shoes).  So I wore them anyway & they were just swimming on my feet all day!!

This also means that my legs & ankles are not constantly swollen!!  My legs & feet feel much better.  I just wish the Restless Leg Syndrome would go away!!  LOL

Also, my hands aren't as swollen anymore, I can almost get my rings back on my fingers.  I haven't been able to wear my rings in at least 2 years!!!  The only exception to this is when I go somewhere where it is much cooler than I am used to, then the swelling in my hands go down & I can get on one of my larger rings on temporarily.  Which is sad, I love my rings.  However, I really only wear my wedding band on a daily basis (when I could that is).  I wear the fancier rings when we dress up.  So, when we were on vacation last month, I was able to wear one of my rings, but not my wedding band.  :(

The last but best NSV is; I can bend over to pick up something without feeling like I want to die.  Before, I could barely pick up something that I dropped on the floor, even from a sitting position!!  So I am definitely feeling much better already!  I can't wait for more weight to come off!!

Aloha My Friends  :)

Hi J M Who Ever You Are!! :)

Just a quick shout out to my new follower J M.  Not able to see what your site is, so I can check your blog out as well but, maybe in the future?  Anyway, welcome to my nightmare & my world!  Have fun!

Aloha My Friends  :) 

Less Than A Week To GO :)

Hey Y'all,

Well, it is now only 6 days until Surgery!!  I can't believe how fast it is going!!  OMG, it seems like I get out of bed & the next thing, I am going back to bed!  Where did the day go?  I am not getting anything accomplished!  Right now, I can't seem to concentrate on anything except for the upcoming Surgery.  Did anyone else have this problem?  Or were you able to get on with your normal lives with no problems? 

I have a small beef to talk about & I hope it doesn't offend those that caused me to be concerned.  I have been catching up on all the blogs that I have been following, as I am a bit out of date in them!!  I have made comments on some of the blogs without any problem, with my comment posting immediately.  But with a few of the blogs, I received a message saying that my comment will be posted, only after it has been reviewed.  I hope that this isn't because they have had some bad experience with comments in the past. 

I would never make a bad comment on someones blog & I hope that everyone else would only make good, helpful comments to me as well!  It is just sad to think that they feel they must review the comments before allowing them to be posted!  Please tell me that you haven't had anything bad posted on your blogs. :(  These blogs are our way of working through our challenges & being encouraged along the way!  Not for someone to bash us for our choices.  Anyway, I will get off my soapbox!!  Sorry if this upsets anyone, I didn't mean for it to & I apologize upfront, if it did.

Let me post a few pictures that were taken last weekend while my friend was here.

One of my two BFF's Nadene & I

Nadene with my fantastic Step-Daughter Kat

Kat & I, she wasn't too happy, she didn't have full makeup on, but I insisted she take photos anyway, sorry Kat, but you look beautiful anyway, as always!!

My sweetheart (DH), getting the chicken ready to go on the rotisserie on the barbecue!  And I didn't get to eat a single bite of it, & I got to clean up the mess!!  Lucky me, watching them eat & worst of all, smelling all the great food, & all I got for it was to clean it up!

Well, I guess I better go for now.

Aloha My Friends  :)

A Quick Shout Out To Nad & Yana!! =:o)

Hey Y'all,

I just logged in & found that I had two new follower's, Nad & Yana.  I just wanted to say welcome to my world.  So thanks for following & good luck in your journey to Lap Band & beyond!

By the way, Nad, you really through me for a loop!  I didn't realize who you were at first!  Thanks for following me, I will always follow you.

Aloha My Friends  :)

One Week Away :) But Scary News

Hey Y'all,

Well it is now 7 day until Lap Band day & the time has just been flying by.  Just like everyone told me it would!  LOL.  I need to start pulling everything together that we need for the trip.  Like clothes, what drinks I might need for the 2 days after Surgery before we arrive home, etc.  I also need to wash all of the laundry before we leave so I don't have to worry about it for a couple of weeks.  Yes, we have that many sets of underwear & outerwear to not need to wash every week if I so choose.  But then again, that means I have a FULL DAY of washing ahead of me at that time!!

I put in my RX for my after Surgery Pain Medication at the local Pharmacy (CVS) a couple of days ago.  Usually I wait in the store for the RX to be filled, so I don't have to make a return trip.  Especially when I am trying to not go out of the house.  I really don't want to get around sick people, PLUS, I am afraid that I will slip up & eat something not on my allowed list again.  Which, right now, unless it is Green Beans or Carrots, it is not on the list!!  The reason I couldn't get my RX filled the other day is that, they claim they do not carry in stock my RX in that high of a dosage!!  I guess, someone might want to break in & steal it!  Anyway, I am going to coerce my DH to go pick it up for me, for the reasons listed above.  :)

I just finished checking the weather forecast for the drive over the Sierra's, & (cross your finger's it stays like this) it is supposed to snow on Tuesday, but not on Wednesday (the day we drive over).  And snow on Friday, but be somewhat clear on Saturday (the day we drive home).  Of course, when you are talking about weather & mountains, I'm sure you are as aware as I am, how volatile & unpredictable it can be!

So instead of taking my smaller, much more comfortable (not to mention much easier to get into & out of) Honda CRV (unfortunately we purchased it without 4x4 or all wheel drive), we are going to take my DH's huge Dodge Diesel (Cummins) 4x4 truck!  It is so high, that even with a step attached, I have to jump up into the cab (remember, I am only 5' 3".  Which I am a bit concerned about since it will only be 2 days after my Surgery.  I am worried that it may be too difficult or painful to get into the truck with my Incisions.  So, my DH is planning on taking one of our small step stools as an additional step up. 

Unfortunately, even if this makes it ok to get into the truck, the truck is still a truck & most importantly, DRIVES LIKE A TRUCK!!!  Luckily, it has a split bench seat, so I can tilt my seat back for more comfort if necessary, which I am absolutely certain I will!  Plus, I am expecting to need to place & hold a pillow over my stomach for support while the TRUCK bounces, all the way home!!!  But at least we know that we will be able to drive there & back.  Here are some pics of the truck, & remember,  it is larger & higher than it looks.  My leg is just about perpendicular to my body when my foot is on the step.

If you look closely, you can see my small Blue Honda parked on the other side of the truck!!  My DH said that he may be able to get another set of steps put on the truck that fold down lower before next week.  But I am not going to hold my breath!!  LOL.  Oh, & please disregard the dirt in the front yard, it is a work in progress.  My DH started to redo the front yard landscaping but only got so far as clearing out the unwanted grass, trees & bushes.  Since it is now going into Winter fast, he is not planning on finishing it until next Spring!  Unfortunately, the neighbors have to look at a lot of dirt too!!  But at least we don't have to worry about mowing anything.  :)

Well, that is about all for now.

Aloha My Friends  :)

Woo Hoo!! 8 Days & More Weight Loss :)

Hey Y'all,

Well, it is now 8 days & counting!  Yesterday, I went in for my Pre-Op Labs (EKG, Chest X-Ray & Blood Work) at the local Hospital.  It took over half the day as my Surgeon's office didn't put the Diagnostic Code on the lab slip!  So they refused to draw my Blood Work without it.  So, I had to wait at the Lab until the Dr's Office reopened from lunch in order to call in & get the STUPID  DIAGNOSTIC CODE NUMBER!!!  Anyway, I got it & they took my 6 vials of Blood.

DH if you are reading this, you can scroll down to the next paragraph!!  After leaving the Hospital, I drove to Sams Club to pick up some more Veggies & String Cheese.  Now comes the confession time.  Since I was out so long, & I hadn't had anything to eat or drink as yet, I started getting a bit light headed, which means that I needed to eat something soon!  So, I drove through McDonald's.  But...I managed to keep somewhat control over what I ordered.  I really wanted to order a whole meal, but I held back & only ordered a Cheeseburger...no Fries or Soft Drink!!!  So, in my book, that is an accomplishment!!  It's funny, but the burger didn't taste the same to me.  It kind of tasted like a Bison Burger, or maybe it was the salt I was tasting, I'm not sure, but it definitely tasted different!

Anyway, once I returned home, I saw that our Palm Tree guy, Dan was here.  So I visited with him a bit before he had to leave.  So by this time, it was getting pretty late.  Since I had ate the burger, & I wasn't hungry, I decided to wait until dinner time to have my first shake.  I ended up having only 2 shakes, the burger, one helping of the veggies & one string cheese & THANK THE LORD, I LOST WEIGHT!!!  I was expecting to have gained!  I lost another .6 lbs!  I know it isn't much, but I will take it.  And for your information, my scale only shows increments of .2, so I could have lost .79 & it would only show .6, unfortunately.  So I have lost a total so far of 15 lbs, my current weight is 213.6.  I still have one week to try to lose another 3.6 lbs to make an even 210.0 by Surgery day.  I can dream can't I?

Well, I better go for now,  have a great Hump Day everyone!!

Aloha My Friends  :)

It's 9 Days Till Lap Band Day!!

Hey Y'all,

Well, not much to report, except that it is only 9 days until D Day so to speak.  Today I am going to the local Hospital to get my Pre-Op Labs completed.  I hope it doesn't take more than half the day!  You know how it is, when it is first come first served!!  Since I am getting a later start than I had hoped, I am only hoping that the wait isn't all afternoon long.  LOL  I will report the experience after I return home.

Aloha My Friends  :)

The Dash Inspired Me!!

Hey Y'all,

Well, if you haven't read The Dash's blog today, you must!!  Her story is hilarious & embarrassing & yet she still found the courage to tell something really embarrassing to potentially thousands if not millions of people!!  Maybe not millions or thousands, but you get the drift I'm sure.  Well, since she told us her most embarrassing moment, I will tell you mine.  Unfortunately, I have not one, but 2 most embarrassing moments that deal with swimming pools!!

My first embarrassing moment, was while I was still in High School in So California.  At that time, I was in the best shape of my life (between 98-100 lbs)(thank GOD!!), but that still didn't help the embarrassment.  Every Friday, during our PE Class, we had open swim day.  I loved swimming & I looked forward to this every week.  I had my teeny weeny polka dot bikini on (no joke, red, white & blue at that).  I went to the lower of the three diving boards & dived in.

Unfortunately, I clipped the water just perfect.  As soon as I did, I realized that my bikini bottoms were pulled straight down.  The only thing that kept them from being pulled totally off my legs & down to the bottom of the 12-15 (I don't remember which it was) foot depth, was I closed my legs immediately & they stayed at my feet!!!  Let me tell you, I didn't come up until I had them pulled totally up.

When I came out of the water, any hope that no one had noticed was immediately destroyed when one of the young boys was right there hoping to help me out of the water!!  And everyone else watching as well.  Well, I can tell you that I NEVER dove in the pool there again!!  I stayed in the shallow pool instead!  LOL

My second most embarrassing time was probably the worst though.  It was summer & extremely hot that day.  I had went to visit my mom with my daughter to get out of our house that had no air conditioning.  They had friends, Nikko & Ina, visiting from Holland who wanted me to go swimming with them in my parents pool.  I didn't have my swim suit with me, but my mom lent me hers.  Well, even after pregnancy, my mom was more well endowed than I was, but it didn't fit tooo bad.

So I go out to the pool.  My Aunt was there as well & said, "why don't you dive in so Nikko could get you diving in with his video camera?".  So I said sure.  I dove in & swam all the way across the pool to the shallow end before coming up.  When I did, I was smiling & so was Nikko (who was still filming my exhibition)!!  My Aunt was standing behind him making funny faces & motions trying to get me to look down.  After a few seconds, when I finally did, I realized that one of my boobs had completely come out of the swimsuit!!

Now, as people from Europe, Nikko & his wife Ina, didn't think anything of nudity, but let me tell you, I turned around & swam all the way back to the deep end & stayed there as RED as I could be!!  I am not an exhibitionist.  The worst though, was a year later.  My parents went to Europe to visit with Nikko & Ina.  Nikko thought it would be nice to show his home movies.  You guessed it I am sure, I was in one of them & my dad was NOT happy!!  According to my mom, he was more embarrassed than I was!!

So, does anyone else have any embarrassing pool stories to tell?  LOL

Aloha My Friends  :)

It's Now 10 Days And Counting !!

Hey Y'all,

Well, it is now only 10 days until the big day, & I am still holding at 214.4 :(.  Now I am really just hoping to make it down to 210.0 before the big day!!  Please, please, let me lose at least another 4.4 lbs!!!  That would make my total loss from the initial consultation at 18.6 lbs.

Sorry, I don't have much to say today.  My friend Nadene, definitely decided to move back to Virginia.  She will be staying with us for the next 2 weekends until she leaves.  She will be leaving early (like 4 am, early) in the morning on Thanksgiving to start her drive East.  Since the weather has already produced massive amounts of snow in some areas that she would normally have to drive through, cutting straight across through Colorado, etc.  She is going to drive South first, then head East.  I will really miss by friend.

Anyhoo, I guess I should get off here, I need to continue pulling our tax information together.  Then I have to finish my Pre-Op Testing this week!!  I still need to go to our local Hospital & get the Blood Work & EKG done, then I am finished & waiting patiently (insert biting fingers to the bone) until the 19th!!  :)

Have a great day!!

Aloha My Friends  :)

Finally!! Lost again!! :)

Hey Y'all,

I stepped on the ole scales this morning & was excited to see that they finally moved down again!  I am now 214.2!!  Which means, I am down another 1.8 lbs for a total loss so far of 14.4, woo hoo!!  I still have another 12 days to lose more.  Hopefully, I will make that 20 lb mark????  Here's crossing my fingers. 

My friend Nadene is here for the weekend & we were all supposed to go see our friend Dan (he is the guy who sold us our Palm Trees & keeps them looking great for us) & his band play today at a small, local Vineyard for a couple of hours.  But I am not going, since I am still on the strict liquid diet.  There will be wine tasting, & appetizers I am sure, so I just don't want to put myself in that scenario right now.  So Walt will go with Nadene alone.

Then tonight, Walt's daughter Kat & her husband Elliott, Russ, Nadene, Walt & I will eat dinner here at our house.  Or should I say, everyone BUT me will be eating dinner tonight!  Walt is going to rotisserie some Chicken (yum).  Just the smell is going to drive me crazy.  This is one of my favorite meals.  Well, maybe I will have just one small piece of the meat! 

Kat wanted to be sure to see Nadene before she moved back to Virginia.  Which Nadene has decided that she is definitely going to move back & will start the drive back about 4 am on Thanksgiving Day!  Which means that she will not be able to partake in a great meal this year.  She is going to drive all the way to Flag Staff, Arizona (hopefully) in one day, where her mom is flying into.  Then they will drive the rest of the way to Virginia together, taking about 3-5 days to get there as they only want to drive during the daylight hours.  Can't say as I blame them there. 

Anyhoo, I guess I better get off for now.  Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!!!  :)

Aloha My Friends  :)

I'm a big ol' copy cat.......too, Cara!! :)

Getting to Know You...

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ


A
- Age: 54 - eek!!

- Annoyance: NOT getting paid on time!! We are self employed & sometimes the checks don't come when they are supposed to!!

- Animal: Cats

- Actor: Mel Gibson, LOVE those pretty blue eyes

B
- Beer: Yuk!! Can't stand the taste or smell.

- Birthday/Birthplace: August 17, 1955, So. California

- Body Part on opposite sex: Eyes and smile

- Been in Love: Yes

- Been bitched at: Yes

- Believe in yourself?: Haven't for the longest time - but am starting to

- Believe in God: Not in the usual sense

- Before weight: 228.6 before my liquid diet - As of today, 214.2 - Lowest Weight Ever: 89 lbs - Goal Weight: 130-140 lbs

C
- Car: Metallic Light Blue Honda CRV

- Candy: See's Milk Chocolate Patties, yum, just milk chocolate & caramel

- Color: Pink (now), growing up (Blue)(I still like Blue too)

- Cried in school: No

- Chocolate/Vanilla: Vanilla

- Chinese/Mexican: Mexican baby!!

- Cake or pie: Cake! But Pie is good too

- Country to visit: Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Figi, etc.

- Countries Visited: Mexico, Canada, England, Ireland, France, Haiti (only a small tip of it), Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands

D
- Day or Night: Night

- Do the splits?: Used to - wouldn't dare try now, lol

E
- Eggs: Scrambled, Fried (over medium) or Omelet


- Eyes: Light Blue/Gray

F
- First crush: One of the Cowsill brothers (remember the band The Cowsill's, back in the late 60's, early 70's, that included their mom? The TV show The Partridge Family was loosely based on the life of the Cowsills!! One of their songs was HAIR (give me a head of hair, long beautiful hair, shining, gleaming, stringing, flaxen, waxen...Please don't tell me I'm so old that no one else remembers it?))

- First thoughts waking up: Just another hour, please???

- Food: No Fish, no Seafood, nor most Veggies-I'm a picky eater, get the picture????

G
- Greatest Fear: Fire (I always joke that I must have been burned at the stake in another life! It's one reason I never smoked, I can't lite up a match or lighter, my hand is too close to the flame)

- Goals: To lose this extra weight within a year

- Get along with your parents?: Yes

- Good luck charm: My family

H
- Hair Color: Blonde

- Height: 5'3"

- Happy: Yes! Most of the time

- Holiday: Christmas - I love all the lights & decorations

- Health freak?: No way Jose', but I am hoping to become much more conscious of the foods I eat from now on

- Hate: Rude drivers

I
- Ice Cream: Vanilla or, if it's Hagan Daas-Butter Pecan

- Instrument: I would like to learn to play the piano

J
- Jewelry: Diamonds are a girls best friend!!

- Job: Retired

K
- Kids: One daughter, Christa, One Step Daughter, Kat & One Step Son, Russ

- Kickboxing or karate: Neither

- Keep a journal? Only if you consider this blog a journal

L
- Longest Car Ride: 4 days driving from California to visit family in the South as a child in the very back of a station wagon with my brother!

- Love: The smell & sound of the Ocean, freshly mowed lawn, the sound & smell of a rainstorm/thunderstorm, etc...

- Laughed so hard you cried: Yes, many times

- Love at first sight: Lust perhaps - love...hm-mm verdicts not in yet

M
- Milk flavor: Chocolate

- Movie: Apocalypto

- Mooned anyone?: No

- Marriage: I'm a big believer - it helps that I have a great one

- Motion sickness? Once on a cruise with high seas for 24 hrs.

- McD’s or BK: McD's

N
- Number of Siblings: One brother & one sister (through my mom), one sister & two brothers (through my biological dad-whom I haven't seen in 29 yrs, except my dad, I saw about 4-5 yrs ago, don't ask, long story)

- Number of Piercings: 4, two in each ear

- Number of tattoos: 2, one across my lower back & one on my left calf

- Number: Lucky #13

O
- One wish: That my husband is able to actually retire in this economy & we can live somewhere beautiful & still be able to travel

P
- Place you’d like to live:  On or at least near the Coast somewhere

- Perfect Pizza: Pepperoni & Pineapple

- Pepsi/Coke: Diet Caffeine Free Coke!! But now it has changed to Sugar Free Cherry Kool Aid

Q
- Questionnaires: Love them, most of the time

R
- Reason to cry: Any reason is a good reason & at the drop of a hat

- Reality T.V.: Love it

-Roll your tongue in a circle?: Not quite

S
- Song: At Last

- Shoe size: 7

- Salad Dressing: Honey Mustard (love the sweet ones)

- Skipped school: Yes

- Smoking: Never

- Sing well?: A long time ago, in a land far, far, away

- Strawberries/Blueberries: Strawberries

T
- Time for bed: In bed by 1:00-3:00 am ish

- Thunderstorms: Love Them, so long as I am inside watching!!

- TV: Love it

U
- Unpredictable: Rarely

V
- Vegetable you hate: Most of them, too many to list

- Vegetable you love: Corn

- Vacation spot: Hawaii

W
- Weakness: Cake and Ice Cream, Candy

- When you grow up: Always wanted to be a dancer, now I can't dance

- Which one of your friends acts the most like you: Probably Kelly

- Wanted to be a model?: For about three seconds when I was a teenager

X
-X-Rays: Had many MRI's, CT Scans, and Mammograms

Y
-Year it is now: 2009, duh!!!

-Yellow: Part of the color of Sunset

Z
- Zoo: Great place to see animals

- Zodiac sign: Leo

Still Holding At 216 ??? :(

Hey Y'all,

I can't believe it, after a day of just liquids & some veggies, I am still holding at 216 lbs (WTH??).  So, what is this all about?  I thought if you drank your diet as given, & you didn't cheat & you were only at 1000 calories, you would lose.  So what is up with this?  Most of the blogs that I have read had them losing up to 20 lbs or more on the Pre-Op Liquid Diet phase.  So why not me?  Am I doing something wrong?  Other than NOT exercising?  Am I expecting too much too soon?  Please tell me so.  :(

Aloha My Friends  :)

216!!! Yea!! :)

Hey Y'all,

Woo hoo!!  I lost another pound yesterday!  And, today is the first day of my 2 week Liquid Diet for Surgery!  Luckily, the shakes still taste good.  But...I would really like to have some real food.

My friend, is coming down again for the weekend tomorrow, to get away from her ex-boyfriend.  So I will have to resort to some real will power to not eat when my DH, Step Son Russ & my friend are eating.  We told her that she could stay here as much as she wants, until she moves back to Virginia.  So this way, she has at least a couple of days without the tension of being around someone who is now seeing another woman, but who you still technically, live with!!  :(

Remember, she is still currently living with the asshole until she moves back to Virginia.  She has been working longer hours (on purpose), then keeping busy after work somewhere else for a while, then heading home about 9 pm, just in time to start winding down & going to bed (in order to not have to interact with the asshole anymore than necessary).  Luckily, they have a spare bedroom which she moved into.  She is planning on moving out at the end of the month.  So she still has about 3 weeks of this nonsense.

He is still whining...oh woo is me, you should feel sorry for me, because I am having a midlife crisis & I feel sooo bad about doing this to you....but please move out asap!!!  Asshole!!  Do you see a trend here about what I think of this guy???  :~(

Anyhoo, at least he showed his true colors before she married him!!!  And he seemed like such a nice guy & we thought he might be "The One" for her.  Well, if he was going to do this, I'm glad it was now, rather than later, after possibly marriage.  Well, I better go for now, I have lots to do & sooo little time to do it in!!

Aloha My Friends  :)

Do You Have To Deal With This Too???

Hey Y'all,

You are not going to believe what my DH just said to me!  Or maybe you will!!  LOL  He called out my name from the bathroom, asking me if we had anymore tooth paste.  I asked him if he had looked in the cabinet under the sinks.  He replied, "no, it isn't my job to look for things, just to use them up & whine until you eventually replace them"!!!  And he wonders why nothing seems to get done around here!!  LOL.  So I'm curious, any others have the same problem?

And, by the way, I am sorry that I have posted sooo many posts today!!  But things happen that I don't want to wait to write about, as I WILL FORGET IT!!

Aloha My Friends  :)

Early Pics Of Me!!

Hey Y'all,

I found some REALLY OLD pics of me starting from when I was 17.  They are really grainy but it is the best I can do since a couple of them were so old & washed out, I had to try to bring in some detail.  Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy them!  I wish I looked like these again!

I was seventeen here & in the best shape of my life & I was about 100 lbs here.  We were camping out at the Colorado River & boy was it hot!!!  My husband says that there is NO WAY he wants me to get this small again.

This photo was taken when I was 18 yrs old & about the same weight (100 lbs).  Not a care in the world, sitting on top of my boyfriends car (now my ex-husband).

This photo was taken at Disneyland & I made a giant foo pah of wearing a Knott's Berry Farm t-shirt!!  The character acted like they didn't want to take their picture with me!!  But of course, they did.  This is my daughter Christa in the picture with me.  She was about 6 or 7 in this photo, so I was about 23-24 yrs old & about 130 lbs.  Can you believe that my ex-husband told me I was OVERWEIGHT!  And needed to go on a diet???

This photo was taken while I was practicing my line dancing with a friend Little Richard.  This was taken in 1991, I was 36 yrs old & about 130-140 lbs.  I met my current husband shortly after this photo was taken.  And I have been battling my weight ever since we stopped dancing.  I just wish my Spine would let me dance again, it was my favorite thing to do!!!  Hopefully, after I lose weight, I can at least dance a couple of dances now & then.

Of course, I battled by weight off & on from the time my ex-husband & I got divorced (which was in 1979), until now.  But when I was dancing, I was able to keep it off!!  Well, that is it for this walk down memory lane.  I hope everyone is enjoying themselves.  Ta Ta for now.

Aloha My Friends  :)

Only 15 Days Till LB Day!! :)

Hey Y'all,

It's 15 days & counting!

Not much happening here except the Pre-Op diet & my pulling our tax information together.  The diet is going well, so long as my husband doesn't cook here at the house.  Then I smell it & want to eat too.  I have only lost another .6 lbs so far, but with the liquid portion of the diet to begin tomorrow & last through the last 2 wks, I am hoping that I will lose at least another 5 lbs by then!!

By the way, if anyone is reading this that is a Pre-Bander & hasn't started their Pre-Op Diet yet & wants to know of a good Protein Drink.  I have been drinking a great one.  It is called Premium Pro Rated, it has 26 grams of Protein, & is only 160 calories per serving, IF you use water.  I was using Non Fat Milk which made it 250 calories, but decided to cut it back to 1/2 c NF Milk & 1/2 c water, making it 205 calories per serving.  For the last 2 wks, I am planning to cut it down to 1/4 c Milk & 3/4 c Water making it 182.5 calories per serving to keep my calories below 1000 with the added veggies allowed (so long as the taste is still good). 

Anyhoo, I purchased this Drink at Costco for only $28.99 & it has 70 servings in it!!!  The Protein drink that the Surgeon is selling is over $50 per container & only has about 25 servings!  At the Steps 2 Success Class that we were required to attend, my husband asked the PA if he thought this drink from Costco was comparable to the drink they were selling, & after reading the label, he said yes, it would do fine!!  So, lets seeee, $50 for less than 30 servings (& nasty tasting as well) vs $28.99 for 70 servings (& great tasting), duh!!  OH & DID I MENTION THAT IT TASTES GOOD TOO???  Here are some not too great photos of the product that I took at Costco.  They thought I was nuts, taking photos of the bag there (it was before I actually bought it, so we could compare products, etc.).

This shows the website on it at the top if anyone wants to look up the company & product information.

Did I mention that this is a 6 lb bag?

Have you ever had someone who likes to come in while you are blogging & begin to read while you are still typing?  My husband just did it & he knows that it bothers the s--t out of me!!  I looked at him & asked him, couldn't he just wait to read it, after I am finished?  (he knows my blog address & reads it daily)  He said, "of course I could, I just like to come in & irritate you"!!  And he is sooo good at it!  But, he loves me more than I could hope for, so I put up with his idiosyncrasies.  LOL.  Well, I guess I better go for now, lots to do!!

Aloha My Friends  :) 

I Hate My Medical Supply Group!!! :(

Hey Y'all,

I just got off the phone from my Medical Supply Company that supplies my equipment, etc for my Bi Pap Machine.  I have a unique problem in that I am allergic to the standard masks.  I am allergic to the neoprene, plastics & rubber.  Anything that comes in direct contact with my face, breaks it out really bad.  Here are some (blurry) pictures to show how bad it gets.

This is what I looked like after sleeping with the standard mask for one night!

These two photos were taken after wearing the mask for two nights!

And these photos were taken after three nights.

And the last photo was taken one month later, after my reaction was gone & I wanted to try the mask again just to make sure that I truly had a reaction to the mask.  I did!  And it was after only one night!  The reaction not only looks bad, it was very painful as well.  At some point, I broke out in pustules.  Yes, I looked horrible when I had to go out of the house!  LOL.  People were looking at me like I was a monster, & I felt like one too!!

So we found out that I could use a Full Cloth mask (made just for people like me), to reduce the amount of reaction.  It works great, unfortunately, it is not covered as a standard mask under my Insurance, so my Medical Supply Company, doesn't want to provide the mask to me, unless I pay $130 out of pocket/up front.  Then, I am supposed to send in the bill to my Insurance for reimbursement.  This is totally ridiculous.  So I filed a complaint with my Insurance (Blue Cross) & they have been working with the Medical Supply Company for about a month to resolve this.

Finally, they came to an agreement.  I will pay $54.56 up front, then they will bill Blue Cross, & then Blue Cross will advise how much of a co-payment I have on the balance.  Which is $14.58.  For a total amount of $69.14.  Considering it would cost me $170 to purchase it directly through the company that manufactures it.  I figured this was the best I can get from them, & at least it was better than full price.  Then I asked the BIG QUESTION.  Is this from now on, or is this a one time deal (as I have to have the mask replaced about every 3 months)?  She said that she made an agreement for this ONE TIME ONLY & that we will see in the future, what, if anything they will do for me!!!  :(  GRR. 

But at least I have a new mask on the way, thank god as my current one is going downhill fast!  I cannot afford to not use it due to my medical condition.  If I only had Obstructive Sleep Apnea (the common form), then it wouldn't be such a big deal.  Unfortunately, I have to be one of the very few that also has Central Sleep Apnea (where the Brain periodically stops sending the signal to BREATH).  Meaning, if I don't wake up enough to gasp for breath, I could very well die or have a Stroke or Heart Attack!!  So this is a very big deal to me.

Oh well, I guess that we shall see what comes next time I need to replace the mask.  Well, I better go for now, got lots to do!

Aloha My Friends  :)

I Was A Bad Girl :( 17 Days & Counting :)

Hey Y'all,

It's 17 days until LB Day!!

I was a bad girl over the weekend!  As I said in my post yesterday.  My friend from Truckee was visiting us over the weekend.  She found out Friday, that her A$$ of a boyfriend, was seeing another woman.  A very young woman.  My friend is only in her 30's, but the new girlfriend, is 24 yrs old!  The really pissy thing, is that he apparently was seeing this girl for about 6 months!  Allowing my friend to help take care of his young son (they live together), cook & clean the house & pay half of the bills!!  :(( 

But now that he wants to see this new girlfriend more often, he finally comes clean & tells her that he was seeing someone else & he wants her to move out asap!!  The a$$hole!! (envision a pitchfork stabbing him right about now).  Sorry, I just can't stand someone who would do this to my friend.  So she has made the decision to move back to where she grew up & where her family still is.  I will miss her as she is one of my best friends.  But I do understand & I think that this is probably the best move for her at this time, as the only thing keeping her here at this point is her job (with no benefits) & us.

Anyway, I digress.  Over the weekend, since we had company, my husband Walt barbecued a great piece of meat with corn on the cob & asparagus.  I am supposed to be on this strict diet.  This week on the diet, I am allowed one meal of 300 calories or less.  So I ate 3 oz of the meat & 3 oz of the corn after cutting it off of the cob.  This in itself wasn't too bad.  BUT, I only drank one of the shakes yesterday, & ended up eating one of the 290 calorie frozen dinners & 2 pieces of fruit as well!!  I did still drink all of my water for the day though.  This morning I stepped on the scale & I had gained .4 lbs!

So today, I am back on the diet 100%.  I will not deviate from it now.  Unless, on the last day, the Surgeon gives the go ahead to eat a small meal.  I have read in a few blogs that the blogger had eaten on the last day/night before surgery.  How many of you that are reading this did eat a last meal the day before their surgery?  Did it cause any problems?  If you did eat, was it approved by your Surgeon?  These are questions I would really like answers to.  :)

Well, I better get off for now, till next time.

Aloha My Friends  :)

Eighteen And Counting!! :)

Hey Y'all,

Just wanted to say hi & that it is now only 18 days until LB Day!  So far I am doing fine on the Pre-Op Diet, we'll see how it goes next week when I go to full liquids.

Right now I have been visiting with my other BFF.  I only have two & I don't get to see either one as often as I would like as they both live a distance away from me.  But she is here spending the weekend with us & that is great.  She has told me she is trying to decide if she wants to move back to where she grew up to be closer to her mom.  I hate to see her go, but, I do understand & I think that this may be the best thing for her right now.

Well, it is getting late, I should go to bed.  Hope everyone had a great Halloween!!
Aloha My Friends