WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR AUGUST 2105

Heather ~ Here is our young friend's latest blog report.

http://www.iatemywaythrough.com/2015/08/my-big-fat-slovakian-wedding/

Carol - Peach

Woo-hoo! Yesterday at 'weigh-in' had only gained 1lb even though had gone on a 4-day vacation and did not stay w/i my caloric intake. Knew I would not be eating 'right' - DGD can 'put away some food'. Wondered if we had brought someone else's DGS along. We did a whole lot of walking. Maybe that was the reason that I only gained 1lb. My calves were 'screaming', especially the day we walked for 4 hours solid.

Lump in my left arm removed yesterday and will be sent to pathologist - might hear back on Friday or Monday. MD did not think it would come back as anything but 'B9' nodule. But it had increased in size, ergo the minor surgery to take it out. Four stitches to close. If I get in pool, I will have to remember to keep that arm out of the water; but, MD said it would be ok; but, to keep it covered and change the patch daily. Can shower today and change patch! Yeah!

I've got to enter my weight for this weigh-in. Might start entering the other things such as size of arms, legs, and whatever. My shorts are hanging on my hips. They'd still hang low because my tummy is going 'down' a lot slower than I want; but, at least I can bend over and fasten my shoes without help. Feel so much better.

Yesterday my BFF was sick so we could not 'go out to eat for lunch'. I decided to ask my DDnL (one that lives next door - who I've had a slight problem with getting along with). She was surprised; and our lunch was pleasant. We talked about weight and loss and gain. She made the comment that her SnL thought that I should be eating more calories. I told her that I would continue eating the caloric intake that my MD has set for me to lose weight. It's low; but, protein shakes and bars and then a 'meal' that is no more than 550 calories (or less). Told her that I had a 5-page meal plan and would copy it for her. She's tried just about everything; but gives up after 10lbs lost because she is not losing it all 'overnight'. She 'thinks' there is a magical pill on the market that she can take and lose 100lb overnight. She's a big eater, too, and the foods she eats are not good ones. Mac & Cheese, and other starchy foods. She admitted to weighing 260lbs and saying she knows she is a 'big' woman. Guessing weight on women is hard for me - mainly because I don't 'look' like I weigh as much as I do; but, 30 more lbs and I will be at the goal set for me by MD. He even decided that 150lb (more of less) would be a 'good weight' for me since I can't change my height (5' 4"). DnL is at least 5' 8 or 9" - a good 1/2 head taller than I am. Newest DnL is a thin woman; but, at least they (DsnL) like one another. I had told my (then at the time - fiancée of DYS) that I was not going to comment on my 'thoughts' about my DOS's wife - it would not be fair for me to comment and she needed to make her own decision about how she liked DOS's wife. I think that was the best thing for me to do and say. I know that DYS would not have liked for me to be disparaging towards her and I wasn't. I'm trying to have a good relationship with DOS's wife but I do see in her some of the things I haven't liked too much about myself at times.

I personally 'think' that she might be Bipolar as well. But, she would not agree. In reality - she is naïve about a lot of things and she wants to get into the middle of things and 'fix' them. Which can't be done - other than run the risk of making others 'mad'). She and DOS have a couple they are friends with (both wives and both husbands like one another). She wanted my DS to speak to this friend's husband and he told her 'no', because it would only prove that his wife had said something about their issues to DDnl) and he only thought it would cause more problems. She has another 'friend' whose husband neither of them 'like' and she wanted DS to say something to him. Again, 'hell no'! Apparently this friend feels like her husband is working all the time; but, one of the things that she mentioned is that she stays on the phone a lot - just like she does (only DOS won't say anything because he knows it will start an argument). But DH, who DOS works for, says she calls several times an hour to ask 'stupid questions'. Like what are you doing? How is 'working' a wrong answer? She would not know the people whose houses they are painting anyway - and as DH says 'what business is it of hers anyway'? He is far more vocal about the phone calls and some days it is worse than others. He was surprised that I had asked her to go to lunch with me yesterday; but, I will continue trying to put my best foot forward towards her so that DOS will see that I am 'really' trying to have a 'good relationship' with her and that I do not 'favor' my newest DDnL over her. But, she and DOS are already convinced that I 'favor' DYS over DOS as it is. Not true, how can you pick one child over another - when both are so 'wonderful'? Can't do it. I love them equally, just differently because they are so different in temperament.

PIP - you really need to give 'it' a rest when it comes to exercising. I know you are active; but overuse of a muscle meant to hold a bone in a certain position isn't helping it heal and might be making it worse. Try finding a pool to go to and do some movements there that will help all of your body. None of us want to see you hurt yourself more by continuing to work out as if you don't have broken bones (or concussion). It is hard to do; but, sometimes it is the best thing to do.

Thanks to all who have commented on my situation - I'm thrilled to have been seizure-free for a year. Hope that the seizure meds continue working for me. I just need to make sure that I don't miss dosages. Like I did yesterday. Forgot to take my AM meds before going into town and then spent all day there between appointments; and, by the time I got home, too close to time to take evening meds. Oh well, once in a while isn't too bad.

I love the support I get on this thread - just reading other's comments make me know that I am not in this boat all by myself.

To the person who commented about Windows 10. I've been told that it has some issues that need to be 'fixed' before I should add it to my computer (this coming from my technical support team). Sending my laptop back to HP for them to either service it (keyboard is not working correctly) or replacing it. I've only had it less than 6 weeks. I can hit keys and no letters/numbers will show up; then if I hit them again - it puts extra ones up; same with backspacing. So irritating when you are use to 'not looking' at keyboard or screen when you are typing, only to find out that you have to start over. How do you like having Windows 10 on your computer?

Dr Katiebug - the little house was darling! I know it will really be so 'cute' when y'all are able to get it cleaned out and cleaned up. Looks like it has a lot of privacy around it, too. Metal roof is great - we have one, too. Would never have another shingle roof on my house - ever!

Happy Wonderful Wednesday
And I pray that each of you will have a wonderful Wednesday

I will be back to "talk" when I am ready for a break! That seems to work best for me

A belated Happy August to you all! I've been a little depressed lately so I've been quiet. We're having plumbing issues with the new house, and there were some large expenses, and I haven't been doing a good job of staying active or limiting my calorie intake. It'll turn around soon, but in the meantime it's kind of a slog to get through the day. I keep sitting down to post here and then not doing it because my brain won't come up with anything useful to say. But I'm still reading, and you are all such an inspiration.

Here's a photo of my dog helping her dad snake the kitchen drain:


August goals will be pretty much the same as July's except that I'm trying to set some measureable targets instead of just having ongoing goals. We've committed to hosting a party here in September, so hopefully that'll help light a fire under me to get things better organized and settled around here.

This weekend we're going to Dad's place in Wimberley with some old friends. I think it'll be a nice chance to relax and watch the river flow by! It's so, so hot - I'm ready for fall!

-Yvonne in TX

August goals:
1. Track on MFP every day.
2. Cardio at least four times a week.
3. Start and finish a sewing project.
4. Clear up the back patio so it's ready for guests
5. Clear out the storage unit (a repeat from last month, alas!)

this is what happened to me yesterday morning as I got off the train yesterday morning. this is the customer service compliment email that I sent to give feedback:

This morning I rode (bicycle) to the 6:40am sounder from Tacoma Dome Station to Puyallup Station. When I got to work a co-worker told me that my backpack was open and I didn’t think anything of it.

I was looking for my mesh bag that had my compression sleeves and compression socks (they are not cheap). I figured they had to have fallen out of my bag. The local attendant (Daniel at Puyallup station who is also GREAT with customer service!) said that he would keep an eye out and let me know if he heard anything.

Well, I got a call from my doctor’s office AND THEY TOLD ME SOUND TRANSIT CALLED THEM!. I figured that I must have left an appointment card in the mesh bag. They gave me their number. I called and spoke to Mercedes who told me what they had and that it would be there at the station in Seattle. I was willing (if I had to) to take a joy ride over there some day to pick it up and I guess she talked to her station manager and they were going to transfer it (special arrangement) over to the Tacoma Dome station and meet me there for me to pick it up!

I LATER REALIZED THAT I LEFT MY WALLET TOO!!!!!!!!!!! I called Mercedes back and she confirmed it! Talk about saving my life and going above and beyond!!! It has been nothing but a positive experience in riding the Sounder Train. Lately, I have been riding my bike from Tacoma to Puyallup and back again but when I take the train, it is nothing but A1 customer service..

Please forward this to Tatum, Mercedes supervisor, she needs to know how great of a job she is doing, this was above and beyond!!!

well, when I went to pick up what I thought were both items, my wallet AND my mesh bag (that held my compression socks) the guy only had my wallet (it has a little mesh in front of the pouch, so the person I was talking to THOUGHT all along that I was talking about my wallet when I didn't realize I had lost that too when I was talking to her).

now I have to go pick up the mesh bag in seattle, no biggie, I was just going to take a joy ride. Kirby later told me to call the station to let them know he'll be there to pick it up tomorrow since he works in seattle. nice man huh.

GE Repair saga continues. Talked to 2 Customer Dis-service Supervisors this am. They had NO notes from my calls yesterday. Nobody is taking responsibility for:

1. Damn Technician refusing to do the emergency door unlock this past Monday (8/3).
2. Dispatch failing to call me yesterday afternoon, after they promised to do so.
3. Technician failing to show up late afternoon yesterday.

Suddenly, the last person I talked to in GE Consumer Affairs Dept. now claims that the Technician "tried everything possible but could not get the door to unlock". That's a total LIE. He NEVER said anything like that to me at the time. Also, the front panel can easily be popped off with a putty knife. There is an emergency door unlock lever. He was just too damn lazy and didn't want to bother with it since he needed to come back to do the actual repair.

Anyway, the 2 Agents called Dispatch again. Same BS story from them: NO earlier appt. is available, so I have to wait until the already scheduled appt. on Monday, 8/10. No Technician is available to do an emergency unlock. So my WET clothes have now been locked inside for 1-1/2 weeks. I have very few business casual office clothes to wear. They are wet and ALL locked inside the broken washer. Grrr! Before I hung up, GE finally provided a phone number to their Insurance Claims Dept. If my clothes are ruined, I WILL file a claim.

Called Nebraska Furniture Mart. They are wonderful. She called GE Repair and just called me back. Magically, I received an email from GE showing my appt. is now Sat. morning. NFM Agent said GE Dispatch miraculously told her they would try and send 2 people to do the emergency unlock today. (Will see if that happens since I don't trust GE Repair at all.) Another great thing, after the 1 yr. manufacturer's warranty expires, I will not have to deal with GE Repair if there's a problem. She said I would call NFM and they use a national warranty service.

Will definitely post negative reviews all over the internet about GE DIS-Service and Un-Repair.

Thank you all for the support! - Nancy in FW, TX

We arrived at the pediatric oral surgeon's office only to be told that her appointment had been cancelled. Nobody told us! The nurse said that somebody told my son on Friday that it was cancelled, but obviously that wasn't true or we wouldn't have been there. Do they think we got up before dawn and drove two hours in a thunderstorm because it was fun?! My son got her out of bed and ready at 6am, and he would not have done that if they told him the darned thing was cancelled. And he was jumping through hoops on Monday getting the paperwork done and called back and forth to their office a couple of times and was not told it was cancelled. I was annoyed, but my son went ballistic when I called him. So now it has to get rescheduled, and it will be done at the hospital in KC instead of at their clinic. Apparently they are concerned because she tested positive for the Alpha 1 disease that my son has.

But we made an outing of it, and went shopping for a gymnastics leotard thing for her to wear in the next session of gymnastics. While we were at Target, I even found myself a swimsuit on clearance for $11! And IT FITS and is a SIZE TWELVE, I saw the size tag but held it up and thought, "I think I can get into that". Hee hee hee! I'm getting better at judging my size, I think. I showed the tag to my DGD and told her I used to be a size 26, so she was suitably impressed.

So, we found a silver lining. If the appointment had not been cancelled she wouldn't have a cute gymnastics outfit and I wouldn't have a new swimsuit.

I hope you are all having a great day.

Sylvia

whippet - sorry bout the app. being cancelled and glad you made a good day out of it anyway. YEAY FOR CHEAP SWIMSUIT AND A GOOD FIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

charg4u, - sorry bout the washer issues, THAT MUST SUCK big time!!!

terri_mom - YEAYYYY FOR HUG OVERLOAD!!!!!!