Missy, so glad baby is doing well! Praise the Lord she gained that weight back. Mom's milk is so important to the baby, especially those first days when she gets her immunity from Mom. I bet you are enjoying taking care of a little one again - and you don't have to be the one to get up for the middle of the night feedings! Hmmm, if you are helping at the house, maybe you do - oh my! You have lots of goodies in your garden. When we grew okra the past two years, the four or five plants we had just kept producing over and over. We ended up with a freezer full. It's very good for weight loss and you can't even taste it if you put it in a smoothie. The smoothie is a bit "slippery" though. The cantaloupe was sooo sweet! Both of the ones we picked had some bug damage, but it was fine when we cut it away. Just a small part of the fruit was effected on this one. I eat mine sprinkled with salt (a Northern thing?). The watermelons we got last year were small, single person size.

I've got my arm and leg compression on and am hot! But, it's good for me so I will adjust.

Bren, it's good you go see him, especially if your are having angina. I know it's hard with your hearing, but it's better than having another heart attack! I didn't hear back from her. I told her what I planned to do to help the problems, so I suspect that she is just going to wait to hear if what I am doing is going to work. She knows I do research into the stuff that I have, so I know some things about it - she once even told me that I had something, the fibromyalgia I believe, and said that I could do the research on it - which I actually prefer because I could never remember everything she would tell me about it! LOL! What I would really like is to find a lymphedema/lipedema specialist, but I would have to go a couple of hours away to find one. And if it's anything like the first time I saw a therapist, I went twice a week for awhile and then once a week, and that's just too far to go. So, I do research! Wearing the compression is important. Some sites say, drink water, others say restrict it - I drink when I'm thirsty! Some say exercise with weights is fine, others say, don't use weights! I use one pound weights, otherwise I don't feel like I am accomplishing much. Walking is good, everyone agrees on that, it keeps the blood pumping and fluids moving, so we will do that in the house. Phew.

I hope y'all have a great day, stay cool and spend time with Jesus! He's waiting just for you!

Bren, with

Good morning, my beautiful lovelies! I hope you are doing alright. We are awaiting Debby and praying that we don't flood out. We have flood insurance - praise the Lord for that, so if the water gets that high we can fix it, but our prayer is that we stay nice and dry! Our neighbor's yards will flood, they do on far less rain, but praying they also do not suffer in their homes. Their houses are built up higher than ours, but their land is lower. God knows exactly what is going to happen and we will watch over us! I'd appreciate your prayers. Lord willing we won't lose power and I'll be able to let you know how things are going! Love you.

My heart goes out to those who are in the areas that receive the greater impact. We aren't going to get as many inches as they first predicted - praise the Lord! We are having heavy rains off and on but no winds yet. It looks like it is going to go inland and we, on the coast of NC, will get the outer bands which we are seeing now. The problem is, it's a slow mover and the rain will go on for a couple of days! I so appreciate your prayers. When our water goes up, the road floods and there's no way out! No fear, just trust!

Well, I tried to post before, but we had a 2 second power outage which takes out my internet and I couldn't get it to download. You know me, I'll never remember what I had on there! LOL!

Bren, I hate that you had that angina attack. I know you hate to, but you might have to call for help if it happens again! Or at least call your doctor and let him know it's happening! Jesus has known from before your mama even knew you existed the day and the how of when you will go into eternity - but we still have to take care of ourselves because you can advance the day by doing something stupid (like walking into an oncoming bus) - oh, He knows that will happen, but it's not what He originally had planned! He had a time for Hezekiah to die, but Hezekiah prayed sincerely and God extended his life 15 years. Hezekiah had to make that choice - yes, God knew what he would choose, but he still had to choose. God may foreknow, but He doesn't predestine it to happen! What He did predestine was that we are to walk in holiness before Him, walk as Jesus walked when we come to now Jesus. In this crazy world we live in it's hard to find biblical truth anymore! Anyway, I need you to take care of yourself.

We didn't get the BAD weather that they had predicted, Debby went farther inland. We've had some wind and rain, and it looks like rain for several days, but more on and off for us. The wind is gusty and then calm, back and forth. Praise the Lord, He is so very good! Prayers for those in the storms path.

Love y'all.

What a beautiful picture! I'm pulling for you, sister! Your meals haven't sounded bad so I'm not sure where you are having a problem, but for sure get the salty stuff out. Have you ever tried a TENS unit on your back? It works great for me when it's running, blocking the pain. You may need to ask your doctor if you can use something like that. It only affects the muscles and nerve endings in the area where you have placed the pads (never on the spine or head!), so I can't imagine it being a problem. You could just wear it when you want to get something done. They have them fairly inexpensive lately too. I'm just not sure you could see the tiny buttons! The one I have I pretty much know what the buttons do and don't need to look at them, but learning or re-learning I did. Mine is https://amazon.com/gp/product/B071YTVGYB, but there are cheaper ones that are good - https://amazon.com/gp/product/B06ZZ19MS3 I've had both of these.

I'm glad you said something about doing some exercising. I keep my 1lb weights at my desk and while I'm reading stuff I do some arm exercises - triceps, biceps, and shoulders. I can't hold any heavier a weight because it hurts my hands. Thanks!

Don't push yourself in getting things done or working out, build up your strength. Love you, sister/friend!

Amen, Marilyn! Wow, you have accomplished a lot! As we get older it gets harder because our metabolisms have slowed, but you have consistently moved downward! Awesome! I am still floating between the same to pounds - but for me not to gain while having lipedema is actually a win. It is constantly adding to that fat layer. I eat less fat, especially saturated fat to not give it much to add! I think that the lipedema weight is about 40-50 lbs, so that meals there is at least another 40-50 lbs I can lose - just have to figure out how to make that happen. When I was on a diet back in my 40's, I did the 1200 cals a day, worked out for 45 minutes five days a week, and took Bios-life (from my nutritionist at that time). It took me a year to lose 20 lbs. She was flummoxed. I should have been losing weight like crazy, but my body doesn't like it so it hangs on to it! I did get down to 205 about 8 years ago, but within two weeks put back 20 of those pounds and have been steadily gaining since then up to this 240 where I am hovering. Sometimes I eat what I want to, but I just don't want to get any higher. If I want to lose weight I have to eat no more than 1000 cals a day, and that just isn't healthy. I can't work out enough to lose that may calories! I am so happy for your success!

Love y'all. And I agree. Keep our eyes and our faith on Jesus!

Doing three meals a day will help your metabolism. I eat five small meals. I have my protein drink and Aussie-bite for breakfast around 7 AM, I do lunch around 11, often a tortilla sandwich and my veggie chips or some fresh fruit; dinner is whatever we have on hand, chicken and fruit, or chicken and applesauce - something like that. I then have a bowl of Cheerios Oat Crunch for an evening snack around 6:30 - my tummy will grumble if I don't and then Wade looks at me and tells me to get something to eat! Oh, I also do a small snack in the afternoon, sometimes a bag of veggie chips if I didn't have them for lunch, or more fruit (which is incredibly refreshing when it's so hot out). Occasionally I remember my cranberry juice smoothie! I really need to get back on those. I'm getting ready to do my arm exercises. Love y'all.

Bren, think about getting something into your body every four hours. That's a 7 hour gap and your metabolism is slowing down for at least three of those hours. Save some fruit for a 2:00 or 3:00 snack to give your metabolism a burst! Just a thought!

Hurting a lot pretty much all over. Last night my knee started hurting. With the brace on it is doing better. I have my TENS unit on for my back and hip. My tummy is hurting too. I need to do more of my Dulcolax chews. I did MiraLax and a couple of those chews about 8 days ago and haven't had any need for more until today! Despite all of this, God is with me and I just need to bring Him glory and honor despite what I am going through. Please keep me in your prayers, you are in mine! Love y'all.