2016: First Quarter of January 1 through March 31, 2016
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Pam - I'm glad you got through the doctor's visit but sorry it was so tough! Best of luck on the surgery. I'm hoping you're back home before you know it.
DH got his back x-rays back. Apparently the doctor is saying mild osteoarthritis.
I had an appointment at 11 am this morning with the retina specialist. I finally saw her a few minutes before 3. For a 3 minute appointment. She wants to see me in a year but I wonder. I feel like I worked hard or something today - I'm tired. When I got home I had to try to get all my work emails caught up because my vacation message said I was out until early afternoon.
So far I'm sticking to plan today with the exception of subbing the NS lunch bar in my purse for my planned lunch.
I had the NS french toast for breakfast. It's actually good. Better than the Smart Ones version. For dinner I had the NS frozen ravioli - that wasn't bad.
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For breakfast today I had the NS "omelet".
Then I went to the dermatologist who "froze" something on my face. He says it's almost certainly benign but that if in 2 months it hasn't disappeared I need to go back. Almost no wait at all unlike yesterday.
Then I went to the vet to buy cat food and then to the grocery store.
Once I got home I had a big salad with turkey.
Then for dinner I had the NS stuffed chicken breast and brussel sprouts.
The stuffed chicken breast isn't outstanding but it's certainly a little variety not available in lean cuisine.0 -
Surgery is over and I'm back home. They did a nerve block on the leg that will keep it numb until tomorrow, so I'm feeling no pain right now. Apparently it went well according to the doctor.0
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Maryanne--I think you should have charged them for the waiting time based upon potential lost income if you were working. Wait all that time for a 3 minute appointment? Outrageous!!
Pam--I am glad that the surgery is over and that the nerve block is helping with the pain.
Helene posted this in the old last quarter thread:
Pam...I can see why your DH was scared by you passing out. Offering you chocolate was interesting. Maybe it was to bring your blood sugar up quickly? DH's appointment was canceled last minute yesterday. we were supposed to get the stress test results. The doctor and his staff were called to the hospital for emergency cardiac surgery. I hope the patient survived. So we're waiting for a call to reschedule. I'd hoped to head south in a week but it's wait and see for now.0 -
Pam -I'm SO glad you're back home and I bet you are too.
It's 8:25 and the phone is ringing. Telemarketers are relentless. There are so many exceptions to the no call list rules that when you add them to the scoundrels it's just never ending.
I've got my food planned out for today. I usually do a little different - and a little higher calories - on the weekend. Hopefully that will keep me going.
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Helene, I thought they gave me chocolate because it's a health food! Seriously, it was exactly for the reason you suggested. So sorry your trip south had to be postponed again. I'm sure you are ready to enjoy some milder temps.
Last night passed uneventfully. The nerve block is still keeping my leg and foot numb, though I am starting to regain some feeling from the knee down. It's a weird feeling because I want to move my toes, but they just won't cooperate. Gives me an idea of what it might be like to be paralyzed.0 -
Maryanne--You are so right about the "do not call" list. I think one of the exceptions is that of charities, etc. We can't give to everything! For some reason, I don't get the political calls that some do. Caller ID is great!!
Pam--I am glad you are getting continuing relief from the pain block. I do hope that by the time it wears off that the pain will be minimal.
Helene--It doesn't seem long since you just returned from the South. Time does fly. I do hope DH's tests can be rescheduled soon.
Despite cutting back, this was not a loss week. Patience, patience!0 -
Charities are an exception so is everyone you've ever done business with. Add that to the schemers and scammers and you have a TON of calls. It's hard for me during the week because I want to be sure to answer business calls. Many of them have caller ID that shows who they are but a lot of people use their personal cell phones and so there's no company name.
I decided to sign up for a Penzu journal. I've always wanted to try journaling (spell check doesn't like that word) but I'm WAY too lazy to write by hand. OTOH I'm a pretty danged good typist if I say so myself. It has military grade encryption - not that I"m likely to be spilling too many secrets.
I'm rewatching season 1 of My 600-pound life. They are just now starting up with season 4. I've seen most of the episodes but not so much season 1.
Today was day 6 of eating "on plan". I'm trying to keep my mind going down two tracks. On the one hand taking it one day at a time. On the other hand, being motivated by now much better I could feel next year at this time if I just lose a pound a week. Hopefully the two sides of my mind won't trip over each other. LOL!
The new season is also started for Finding my Roots on PBS.
I started a family tree on ancestry.com. I need some new interests. We'll see how far I get with that. One thing I'd love to know is when the branches of my family came to this country and from where. I doubt I'll get that far just at the computer. May have to wait until retirement. But I can maybe learn some interesting things.
I don't remember if I ever mentioned I sent in my DNA. There was always talk about us having native American ancestry. Well, that was bunk. As suspected we are mostly German with some English/Irish thrown in. But I did discover a close relative on ancestry.com on my mother's side. She has a MASSIVE tree built up. I bet she knows where some of our people came into the country. Once I'm farther along I need to get back in touch with her. I asked her about my aunt's info. I wondered what ever happened to that. She says she has tried without success to pry it out of my cousins. I think my dad threw out all my grandmother's ancestry information when he moved her into a nursing home. So whatever she had worked on is also gone. I wish I had been interested while all these people were still alive!
Someone else who ancestry thinks is my third or fourth cousin has a tree up. I looked at it and really didn't recognize ANY of the surnames but I had this gut feeling that I was related to the Wentz line on her tree. Nothing in my conscious mind, though. Well, working on my dad's side of the family tree I came upon some Wentz's. Obviously I heard that name somewhere and my subconscious recognized it.
On my dad's side of the family we have a long line of farmers all from the county in PA where I grew up (I was about to say where I was born but I was actually born in another county).
I'm also reading. Remind me not to ask DH for books for Christmas. He is so anxious for me to be reading them he's driving me a little nutso. A couple of them are in a series that I'm not caught up on. Haven't broken the news to him yet that those aren't going to get read for awhile.
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Pam-I'm g;ad the surgery is behind you and went well. When do you go back to the dr for a progress report"? We get the same junk phone calls too. If we don't recognize the number or no name comes up on caller ID, we let it go. Most rarely leave messages so if we missed a legit call and they leave a message, we call back. We called the doctor's office Friday and didn't get a call back. If we can connect, I think they could tell DH his test results by phone. He has a question about one medication and needs refills but again, I think they could be handled with a phone call. We still hope to leave by next weekend.0
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Helene--I hope you and DH can get the needed info; it is frustrating waiting for info
The temperatures have dropped with a dusting of snow. Someone posted a pic on Facebook of a neighboring town in which the people had cleaned out the shelves in preparation for the bad weather. Spring, where art thou?
I have plenty of NS food here to last me to the Spring thaw. May run out of veggies, etc. but the shelf stable should last.0 -
I was just thinking today how short this winter is going to be. It really hasn't started here yet and it's always over for all practical purposes by the first week of March.0
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The sun is shining brightly here although it's cold.
I'm on day 8 of my new effort. Had my first week "big" loss last week although it wasn't huge.
I had a NS "biscuit" breakfast and just had a NS "melt" lunch. I so seriously do not see what people see in most of the NS frozen food. These meals were both like eating dry bread.0 -
I'm logging in at the library. I have such problems with this site with my laptop. I get loads of pop ups and often get knocked out completely. SO if you don't hear from me regularly, it's the frustrations with trying to get in. I'm sure my computer needs major tune up/cleaning. We're out and about finishing up tasks we need done before traveling. And DH is still waiting for a phone call about his stress test. The receptionist said she gave the test to the PA Friday. We're hoping she calls today. That's the major thing keeping us here now. Say a prayer we get that call.
I hope all is well with the rest of you and that Maryanne is right about the short winter since it's getting such a late start. That would be wonderful after the misery of last year.
Pam..I hope you're still not in too much pain and the healing is going well. Sending prayers your way.0 -
I went to the city yesterday and then when I came home, the internet went out. We have a prediction of 1 to 3 inches of snow with high winds. Gr-r-r-r! I work today.
Helene--I use a laptop and have no problems with pop ups. You need to enable your popup blocker which should take care of most of the popups. I hope DH hears about the test results soon, as I know you want the warmth of the South.
Maryanne--I've never tried the NS frozen food. I'm perfectly satisfied with the Lean Cuisine, etc. out of the supermarket. Good job on the loss!
I've finished my Quaker weight control oatmeal and am now off to get ready for a fun day of subbing.
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Helene - computer frustration is the worst. I've long been amazed at just how the PC world sprang up. They basically expect every household to essentially have the equivalent of an IT person. These things are SO not just plug in and go. DH had the hardest time the other day just installing the H&R block software. I'd have been completely lost.
Jean - sounds like you're getting the winter that we're not. I hope it doesn't show up just in time for the pet expo. I fret over that every year. I'm not so much worried about losing money as getting my inventory snowed in and not being able to get to it.
I "stuck with the program" yesterday and did my treadmill time (I'm trying to increase a little each week).0 -
PA called yesterday and the doctor saw something in the stress test that he wants a closer look at. So DH is scheduled at the cath lab for an additional test next week. At this rate, we might make FL by February. The delay is disappointing but better safe than sorry.0
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I went to work today but school was dismissed at 12:30pm because of snow destined to arrive in the afternoon. It was a good call as the snow was heavy and with the dropping temperatures, wrecks were all over. We are on a delay tomorrow morning because of the cold in the teens tonight. I also work tomorrow.
Maryanne--I hope the pet expo is not affected by the weather as you put so much time and effort into it.
Helene--A delay is disappointing but you are so correct that it is better to be safe than sorry. I do hope DH's test next week doesn't reveal something major.0 -
Helene - here's hoping for a good doctor visit! Better safe than sorry is always a good motto!
Jean - I bet the teachers were as excited to send the kids home early as the kids were. This is a dreary time of year at any job.
I can't tell you how many (used) copies I've bought over the years of 100 days of weight loss by Linda Spangle. Never stuck with it. I decided to buy a kindle copy so I could read it on the computer while I'm sitting here in the morning Each day is only two pages. Ya know, there are some good thoughts in there. So far I haven't figured out how to copy and paste. Yesterday she talked about being interested vs being committed. She used as an example that you don't weight to go to your work or change diapers (I thought scoop litter boxes hee hee) until you "feel like it". You "just do it". For some reason that really stuck in my head. She's right.
I had a JC frozen day yesterday and stuck to it really well. Today I'm having a JC shelf stable day. I keep thinking "what can I do to reward myself". And I keep in my head answering" one of these days I want to sign up for JC for a couple months". Maybe this will be the year. No firm thoughts yet as to rewards. Except that going off plan is a terrible idea but what I usually seem to end up with to reward myself.0 -
Are there words that you hate when you're reading about weight loss? I can be reading an article that seems somewhat scholarly and I'm paying attention and then they use a word like "guzzle" or "veggie" and suddenly they don't seem so serious any more.0
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Maryanne..How about saving $10 per pound lost and use that towards full JC for a month. If you like it, sign up for a longer time. You'll have a goal and a reward in one.
Jean..I'm glad they sent you home early so you weren't driving on heavy snow.0 -
Maryanne--Of all the weight loss authors I've read, Linda Spangle has some of the best ideas and expresses it in a way that can making a lasting impact. I also remember "Just do it!" I think I have that book on my Kindle, and I use to quote from it.
Helene--The snow was freaky. In some sections of our area, it was just flurries but in others it was so dense that it was hard to drive when coming down.
I was to have worked today but they had a delay in the start of school. Since what I was to do couldn't be done in the shorter time, they called and cancelled my job for today. I waited to see if I would be needed else. When I wasn't called, I went to the city to sign the papers and pick up my new car. I was tempted to eat out but didn't.0 -
I've been struggling a lot with pain for the past couple of days. We ended up going to the ER last night because the pain had become so severe. They did an x-ray to ensure there was no problem with the surgery and unwrapped the splint to check the skin and make sure there was no infection or abrasions developing. Long story short, there was no explanation for the sudden spike in pain, but they gave me enough morphine to bring the pain level down to a manageable level and sent me home with instructions to help keep the pain level manageable. So far today, it has been better. Hopefully it will remain so.0
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Pam - I'm SO sorry to hear you are in such pain but glad you got some help with it.
Jean - new car? Do tell!
Helene - that's a great idea!
I've got to work today and go to at least one grocery store. I try not to do more than one a day! When I do go to the store I'm trying to remember to go up and down all the aisles. Little extra walking. It really hits me when I'm at the store that when I'm eating like this I shop in totally different parts of the store.
When did NS change their oatmeal so it's made with milk?0 -
Jean..You haven't mentioned the car. What did you get? Maryanne..I remember when I started NS, they said to shop the perimeters of the store. That's where the real food lives. The aisles are mostly processed foods. Pam..That's awful about the pain spikes. I hope what they told you to do helps. I know taking meds on time makes a difference in keeping pain at a manageable level.0
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I did a mostly grocery store frozen food day yesterday. I've got my spreadsheet set up for today. I'm headed to the hairdresser so I decided not to cook eggs today but move that to tomorrow. When I thought about moving pancakes to Monday morning I thought "packet day!" Haven't had packet day for aeons. Rooted around on the computer to find the packet day spreadsheet, updated it and saved it for 2016.
Our new cat Sammy is too daggone smart. He figured out where the treats were and got up on the stove to go after them. New plan was needed asap. I looked around the grocery store yesterday for something to serve as a treat jar and put it on the counter in the kitchen where even if he tries to get it he won't hurt himself!
DH actually ordered two courses from a catalog that came called something like Great Courses of the World. I can't believe he'll sit and watch those but I hope he does. He needs to do something other than just lie on the couch.
Talked to my sister about our brother, who has been living in the family home. He is complaining of more physical symptoms and now some memory issues. Are they real? Who the heck knows. She and her husband have offered to let him live in the in-law apartment in their new home. It's become increasingly obvious that even if we all gave up our share of that home and gifted to him he wouldn't be capable of keeping up the house physically or financially. But she told him one condition was he had to have health insurance. If he got sick she doesn't want to feel financially responsible. All this is somewhat a shock to us. It's not like we had a younger brother who had cerebral palsy and we all knew we'd be responsible for him eventually. Anyway I stopped the world yesterday to find and send her info on how much insurance on the exchange would be and what the due dates are as well as requirements for medicaid.0 -
Maryanne--It is a real concern when a family member appears to have difficulties maintaining a home in the normal way. At one time when people did not live as long as they do today, many did not have to face this issue or the family had the resources to take someone in if they had not been living with them already. I even wonder what I will do when unable to do things normally.
Regarding Sammy, I remember once packing Midnight's "go to the vet for boarding" box of things. A couple of hours later, I found the box had been explored and the unopened bag of treats outside of the box. Midnight was unable to open the bag but he sure knew how to find the box and remove the treats.
Pam--I am so sorry about the pain. It is so difficult to sleep or function when in pain. I do hope you are improving.
Helene--The car is a 2016 Chevy Cruz LT, a sporty little thing in champagne silver. I'm a good negotiator. I had considered getting a used version of it but by the time I finished negotiating and applying credits I had from the GM Card I was in an acceptable range of price for the difference. This is the first car that totally met my criteria. It is a personal thing but I don't like black cars or white cars. There was a blue one I would have considered but someone got it. They had a dark blue which was almost black in the LS or lower line at a lower cost but it just didn't grab me and was missing some features I wanted. I now have 48 months of car payments ahead unless I pay it off earlier. This likely will be my last car if all goes well so I feel comfortable with it.0 -
Jean - sounds like a fun car! My lifetime cars have been: beige, white, black, navy and maroon. Because of CROM I need a van now (so much for the Corvette dreams of my younger days). I saw the most gorgeous Sienna the other day - sort of a metallic blue but prettier than any blue car I've ever seen. Not sure what year except that it wasn't real new since the new ones look a little different. I have 122,000 miles on my van but it's had SO few problems that trading it in seems silly. The only bad thing is that the tires cost a FORTUNE. I wanted an all wheel drive and they come with run flat tires (and don't have a spare).
I'm gradually remembering all the little tricks to my diet plan. E.g. filling an 8 ounce container of skim milk. I use skim milk as one protein for the day. It goes in my coffee and on cereal/oatmeal. Measuring it out in advance is simple but I'd sort of forgotten it. Forgot about using the NS beef stew to balance out a higher calorie breakfast. Stuff like that is coming back to me.
I have concerns about the future, too. Actuarial tables make it sound likely I'll outlive DH and that's a scary thought. Our house is just FULL of stuff so once I actually retire or at least go part-time pitching will be the order of the day. Wish I could get DH to start pitching.0 -
Maryanne--I think it is all coming together for your weight loss. I'm a hoarder in training. I have a small home so stuff needs to go. It is so hard to get rid of stuff here as the thrift store is only open 3 days a week and closes before I get off from work. I've been taking things to Good Will in the city. As I look at something, I try to remember the last time I used it. If not used frequently, it is going bye-bye.
I just went out to put the emergency supplies in the trunk of the car. I have a detached garage, so the trip to and back was very nippy. The wind chill is expected to be minus 20.0 -
Well, the weather onslaught worked its wonders. (sarcasm) The wind chill did get below zero and the snow hit and roads froze. We have cars in ditches and one in a river. We have these patches of roads without guardrails on hills by streams and rivers. I cancelled my appointments for today and tomorrow. I was able to reschedule one to Jan. 29, so let's hope the weather is better. This is the appointment to likely schedule another bladder scope to see if the cancer is back.0
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Jean - sounds bad! May be heading our way. We are expected to get significant snow Friday and Saturday. Hopefully it gets it out of its system before the pet expo the following weekend.
I lost a pound and a half last week. Hopefully I can keep this up throughout 2016!0
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