Nov 18 - Nov 24

GaGasheesh

LW: 131.6
TW: 132.2

Uck, I know it's not a big uptick, but still frustrating. Maybe sodium.

I got up before 6 today because the wind is whipping around here, and I just have too much on my mind. It's been warmish the last day or so, but so windy that my eyes are itchy and nose runny . . like allergies. Strange in November . . but nothing about 2020 surprises me anymore. I thought I may as well get a jump on the Mac ahead of hubby and start the weigh-in thread. I had a good strength and cardio workout on Monday. Yesterday, hubby and I cleaned our house. . Ugh. That's a workout. We're steering clear of our cleaning lady.

Daughter had a negative Covid test . . whew! We still did the masks and social distancing when we were around her until 14 days had passed, which was Monday. Last night we had our weekly family Zoom . . thank God for technology keeping us in touch with our family. Our 2 (almost 3) year old in Cali was jabbering his head off with all of us last night So cute and funny. I'm glad he knows us even if it's just on a screen for now. I have a playdate with his older sister today. Last night she said she "has been planning what we're doing on Thanksgiving for weeks" LOL! She has online games all set for us to play. They are so funny. It's going to be a very different Thanksgiving.

Now for the bad news. My sister is in the hospital. It's not Covid, but one of the health problems she's been having. She started throwing up big globules of blood a couple of weeks ago. It got to the point where she was up all night throwing up, and couldn't sleep or keep anything on her stomach. She went to her doctor and had a scope, gallbladder scan, and a bunch of other tests. They found a hiatal hernia and a bleed near it. But in the meantime, it got so bad that she was dehydrated and really weak. Her husband took her to the ER, and they admitted her on Monday. Unfortunately she's on a "Covid Floor" . . . I suspect all the floors are Covid floors these days. (The hospital she's in isn't very large.) Even though she forbade her hubby and kids to go with her to her room, her hubby defied her and is with her. The hospital allowed it. The doctor decided to not immediately do surgery (as the ER doc had said she would need) and is running other tests first. It takes forever for tests, etc. because of Covid. But, they got her stabilized with medication and fluids, and she was able to keep chicken broth down last night. She also has a schwannoma benign tumor near her brain that will probably need to be surgically removed very soon. It's gotten larger and causes dizziness and hearing loss. I've wondered if that might be what I also have. Anyway, I'm very worried about her, and her husband being there. Please send her your positive thoughts and prayers.

While I was typing the above, my sister called me! She sounds so much stronger! We could only talk briefly as her nurse came in, but she says she feels much better and finally stronger. She said the imaging yesterday showed a large hiatal hernia, and she believes she will need surgery, but not sure when. She said she feels safe regarding Covid. . the staff assure her that nobody has gotten Covid from the hospital. I don't know if that's true, but I hope so.

Sarah, I feel your frustration regarding your employment dilemma. I hope the CDC (and all of government) will get their act together under a new administration. These agencies are essential! We need good people. We need good leadership. I know you're good at your job, and if you want to work, they would be lucky to have you in any position. I wish it wasn't so stressful for you though. Keep getting your walks . . amazing for stress relief.

Lois, looking forward to your checking in. I hope all is well with you and yours.

Lastchancelj

great to hear from you Sheesh!!! It's been awhile.

Rhea's daycare had two infants test positive so the center is closed until after Thanksgiving. THe kids took care of her last week - just in case she had been exposed and this week we're helping. Hubby has her in the am on Tues/Thurs and I have her afternoon Tues/THurs and all day Wed (today) and Friday. I just got her down for a nap...whew...23 minutes of walking around the house in the stroller...but she's down. My DIL and Rhea are staying here with us to make it easy for us to help with Rhea. Rhea slept well Monday night, but last night, was kinda grumpy and woke up in the middle of the night. Mama had trouble sleeping. Grandpa told Mama to give him Rhea if she wakes up again tonight. They plan on staying through Friday. Saturday we're doing a drive through dino tour....pretty excited.

Had to jump on to handle a couple of work issues and figured I'd give a quick update.

SarahMaxx

LW: 138.4
TW" 137.8

Well, I guess I did something right. I think the main thing is that I'm being more successful at not eating a snack after dinner. I'm bouncing around a lot though, and I'm not this low every day.

I'm sorry to be checking in so late. I weighed this morning and it was my intention to post before a 10:30 appointment I made to help a friend with a report. But just as I sat down at the computer, our internet access went down, and it did not come back on until 10:45. This friend/former coworker is the person who got me the job with CDC and made it possible for me to telework for 16 years. She also got me away from having to write proposals for no pay after hours and weekends, which is something government contractors who can write are often stuck with. So I owe her and was glad to help, but it took all day, and I think I will probably be helping her again tomorrow. In the meantime, I had a phone interview about that Covid Response Team job with the vaccine unit, but I haven't heard back. I told them I'm only interested in part-time work, so that might be an issue. But knowing how high stress it would be, I don't think I'd want to commit to 40 hours a week, which would probably end up being more, as it always does.

Because I worked on the report, I did not get a lot of other things on my to-do list done, but I did get my 10K steps in by walking in the mall (it was so empty it was almost scary and they hardly had on the heat even though it's in the low 30s today!) and finishing up on the treadmill.

Sheesh, I am so happy to hear about your daughters' test and I'm glad your family is being so careful. The rates are going up everywhere and I'm really concerned about what will happen after Thanksgiving. Sounds like the grands look forward to visiting online. Kids adapt so well. And I am so sorry to hear about your sister's health problems. I hope that all goes well with her. I'm always holding my breath about my own sister, so I know that kind of worry.

Lois you are such a trooper for always being there for family. Taking care of a toddler and having an older person in the house while you try to telework earns you superwoman status in my book.

Well I am beat and it's almost midnight. Take care my friends. I am thinking about you both and sending good vibes to you and all your loved ones.

GaGasheesh

Great job on your reduction, Sarah! And getting your steps. I've had workouts every day this week until today. I'm just kind of tired today, and worried about my sister. Her doctors decided to forego surgery and after getting her stabilized with medication, sent her home. She immediately began having issues again at home, and so another endoscope was scheduled, during which they dilated the hiatal opening. At least there's no more blood coming up, and she is keeping broth and liquids down. The Covid numbers are off the charts here, and I'm so concerned about our hospitals. I sure don't want her (or anyone) there.

I hope you'll get the part time job you're hoping for. We need all the help we can get on the Covid Response Team. Also, I'm praying your sister is healthy.

Lois, I agree with Sarah, you ARE doing superwoman things right now! I'm so sorry about the day care positives Poor little kids. We just need to hang on for a few more months for one of the vaccines! Stay safe.

SarahMaxx

Hi, Ladies. I'm a bit unsettled at the moment. I just realized that my new computer and my monitor are not compatible. It's a good monitor, quite large, and not THAT old, but apparently the port is not the same type as my new laptop. So I need an adapter or a new monitor. I thought I'd be able to just quickly set up the new laptop in anticipation of my new part-time work, but I'll have to go visit Costco or Best Buy first. I had this same monitor issue with the new laptop CDC sent me a couple of months before my contract ended and I was working on my home computer while waiting for them to send the adapter. That never happened and it turned out to be moot when I wasn't renewed. One thing I do not look forward to doing is dealing with computer issues again.

By the way, I should be starting work again in a week or two. I spoke to the contractor I mentioned in my last post again on Friday, and they have the budget to bring me on part-time for 9-1/2 weeks. But there's a lot of paperwork to do first and I also have to have a drug test and get my CDC SmartCard reinstated, so I think I'm looking at around the second week of December.

Sheesh, I hope your sister is continuing to improve. I am continuing to send good energy her way and yours, too. My sister is still dealing with new pain for which they can't find a cause, but at least she sounded a little more like herself when I talked to her on Friday afternoon. Thanks for the healing thoughts you have sent her way.

Mentioning sisters, a close friend of ours lost her 63-year-old sister to Covid on Friday. She was living in Brazil where things are really super bad. But since that put it in our minds, we took advantage of having free testing at our pool parking lot on Saturday. It was super busy in the morning, but we were able to go just before they closed and it took us probably 20 minutes door to door. Can't beat that. I'm not sure how long it will take to get the results. It took me 2 days and hubby 6 days last time we went, but that was a CDC mobile unit and this was our county health department.

Back to the task at hand, I've been able to walk outside with a light jacket and gloves the past two days. I'm really grateful because I think just being out in the open breathing fresh air helps me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I am dreading the cold months when I'll have to exercise inside.

And mentioning exercise, I had been using my five pound dumbells to do bicep and tricep exercises, but this morning, I felt pain when I tried to lift my left arm above my head. This was not a muscle soreness pain, but "something isn't right" pain. So I think I may have pulled something. I think I have no choice but to rest the arm for a couple of days to see, and I'm also taking some Aleve because of its anti-inflammatory effects.

I decided to weigh every day for a while and enter that on Fitbit so I can watch the trends. Yesterday, I weighed less than I have weighed in a long time, but today I was up a pound even though my intake and activity were both okay yesterday. I am a little concerned about how I am going to handle sitting a desk again for a chunk of the week, but I know that if I plan and stay focused, I can work something out.

Lois, I hope you had a blast at the drive-through dino tour. Little kids seem to all just love dinosaurs for some reason. We put on some spaghetti for dinner and I thought about you. I had not realized that your family is Italian. Where hubby grew up in Northeastern PA, there were lots of Italians and he loved to go to their houses for dinner!

Well mentioning dinner, it's time to go down and give him a hand.

Lastchancelj

I'm here!!! Sorry I had Rhea's Bootcamp last week. Oh boy did I get a workout! We had so much fun with her!! She's such a good little girl for us and so much fun. She discovered the marble maze thingy we bought for Cameron so many years ago and oh how she loved to "go way way up high" to the top row and drop the marbles and gather them. We started with 10 marbles and ended up with 6...I'm sure we'll find the others when we move the furniture for the Christmas tree on Friday...lol. Oh and the dino thing was cheesy but we really had fun. I recommended it to a coworker who has 4 boys. Told her not to have too high of expectations, but we five adults and Rhea made it a good time. My son said he wasn't sure if it was infants that had the COVID or staff in the infant room. Anyhow, they're supposed to re open next Monday.

Hubby's phone died sunday morning so I spent the better part of the day finding and buying a new one so no housecleaning got done for the holiday. I'll figure it out tomorrow night. Wed my sis is coming in from Cali and we'll have Rhea on Wed. Sis has been alone for the past two weeks and is driving in so she will be ok to be around for MIL and the rest of us. I was frustrated Saturday as three grocery orders and no pies or TP...so I had to go out Sat am early to get those - and had success. I can't believe people are hoarding again. Oh Geez.

Sarah - I'm including your sister in my prayers as well...hoping she feels better. Congrats on the part time work - that is kind of what you wanted!! great job on the dumbells...now I have to start taking my own advice and adding some weight work to my daily life to keep from dying carrying Rhea.

wiredkell

It's me! I'm here. For how long, I'm not sure. I wanted to come back and read what's happening with everyone and just touch base as I miss you ladies and think about you all the time.
My weight, since COVID, has been a struggle, like a lot of people. A lot has happened since March, but I'm working from home now and that has lead to less activity. Anxiety has lead to less activity. Boredom has lead to less activity. I could tell you every excuse in the book I'm sure.
The biggest thing that has happened is that I got a new position with my company I am now working in Winnipeg all the time and I'm not having to travel to Kelsey anymore. It's a 7 minute drive to work and not an 8 hour drive every week. I get to see my husband and kids all the time, which is the best part of it all. The position itself is a step higher, but I make less money since there is no overtime and I'm working in the South instead of the North. Money itself doesn't matter though.. my family does
I'm going to make every effort possible to come on here to check and post more often. Maybe tomorrow I will post my starting weight.. just to get me going. I know it's somewhere in the 160's.
We're currently on a "lockdown" of sorts in our province. We can only buy essential items at stores, we can't have people over at our house that don't live with us and restaurants are only open for takeout & delivery. Our numbers have been high lately with a 5 day positivity rate of 14% and our hospitals are almost at capacity. It's definitely sad and I'm sure COVID has affected you all in some way or another. I hope all of you have been safe and are doing well.
I'm going to go read the recent posts I have missed to see if I can catch up.
I will post again tomorrow.
Missed you ladies!

SarahMaxx

Kelly, I am over the moon happy to see you on the board again. You certainly have been missed and I've enjoyed at least seeing some pics of you, Shawn and the kids on Facebook. I had great hopes for this year, but 2020 has been a difficult year for most people. We had a nice long vacation planned for September that we had to cancel. It would have been the first time in a long time that I would have taken a chunk of time for something other than going down to NC to check on family. We were going to spend some time in San Francisco and then drive up the coast. As you may figure out as you read posts, at the end of August my contract ended and I was not picked up by the new contractor, so 2020 really threw me a curve. Out of the 9 professional services staff on that contract, the 4 most senior were not picked up. They gave various reasons (mine was that I am a remote teleworker--which I've been for the past 16 years), but the real reason is that they wanted to put more junior people in the positions so they can pay them less.

But sometimes God does for us what we won't do for ourselves and I've enjoyed a break from the long hours and stress. I am now looking at a part-time job and had a zoom meeting about one today. I'm a little leery though because the people I talked to could not answer even basic questions. I think that's because it's a Covid Response Team position and staff rotate on and off, and the two ladies on today's call have only been in the response for 3 weeks themselves. So we'll see.

I really popped on to the board tonight because I just need a safe place to vent--and maybe cry! A neighbor two doors down from us removed a very tall, healthy, and beautiful tree today because it sheds on his car. Most people trim branches, but he took the whole tree down. It was almost 50 years old and it lent great character to our street. I am so sad and so angry. When I asked him why they cut it down, he was flippant. (I asked because I thought perhaps there was a disease that is not evident yet that made it necessary.) The family is from Bangladesh and I don't know if they just don't see and value things the way we do. But we've gone out of our way to welcome this family and help them out and now I am just heartbroken. I think part of the reason is that we were very close to the original owner of their house and we know how much he loved that tree. Honestly, I wanted to tell this guy that the original owner who loved that tree so much died in that house and is now going to haunt him!

Well, folks, please pray for me to accept things I cannot change. I will be back in the a.m. to log my weight and check the board again. I know that the upcoming week is going to be a bit of a challenge with intake and activity and I hope we can all keep each other moving in the right direction.

By the way, I think I've almost got everything up and running on my new laptop.

wiredkell

So sorry to hear about that beautiful tree Sarah! I swear...sometimes people just don't think.
Today is a better day for me than yesterday, but not so much for my husband. He did something to his foot and I now have to take him to a clinic for an appointment shortly to get it x-rayed. We haven't been in a clinic type setting since before COVID, so I'm sure it'll be all different. Right now he can't even walk on it, so we have no choice. Hopefully it's nothing major and resting it with ice and meds will help it.
It's a big day for us on Friday. We're adding a puppy to our family We've named him Cash and he's a golden lab/german shepherd/husky. He'll be 8 weeks when we get him. We figured it was a good time, especailly with us all being home much more because of the pandemic. I work from home, Shawn works still at his work but his schedule is still Sunday, Monday & Tuesday, our daughter goes to school every weekday and our son only goes every other day. There is no sports happening at the moment (shut down over a month ago now) so we aren't at hockey all the time. Plus our 14 year old black lab (Diesel) needs a friend for the last bit of his life. It's definitely the 1 positive in our lives at the moment.
I am really trying to look at the positive but some days are harder than others. We have been lucky that COVID hasn't completely affected us. None of us have gotten sick and we both still have our jobs and so do the kid's Mom. My sadness comes from not seeing family and friends. My brother moved South and is only 2 hours away from us now, but we can't go see him. My parents live super close and we can't visit them. I haven't seen my friends in months. Because I work from home, I rarely see people other than my family. I only get to go to the office when I absolutely need to.
I totally forgot to weigh in today, but I will set a reminder for tomorrow. Not looking forward to the number, but I have to start somewhere!

SarahMaxx

I have my fingers crossed and am sending prayers your way that Shawn's foot will be something minor that heals quickly. The news about the puppy is awesome. A new pet just brings so much laughter and love into a house. I don't know what we'd do without our two hooligans! And don't be concerned about a number. I've always said the thing I need to fear is not a number I'm unhappy with but letting myself stay in denial. So I always put down what the scale says even though through the years, there have been many times when I so hated to do so. I'm actually making a little progress now because I'm not sitting a desk 10 hours a day and because I'm doing better with managing the late night snacking. I think part of that was stress, too. The stress just made me want to comfort myself with food.

I'll start the new thread later if Lois or Sheesh doesn't beat me to it.