Hi ladies,

Jennifer seems to be mad at me but you know what, I'm not going to let it hurt me.

I am her mother, she's not mine. Be mad, have at it. If she's still being a **** at the beginning of July, ill drive to My nieces wedding by myself. I'm not going to walk on egg shells anymore.

Hey ladies,

There is a couple interested in my mother's house. Just wanted to let you all know. We'll see how things go.

acaligirl:
to the group!!! When did your doctor increase your medication dosage? If the mood swings started soon afterward, I would think the two are related. Regardless, I would notify your doctor of the mood swings you described (if you haven't already). Hopefully, he/she can provide you with some guidance or change up your meds or the dosage again. You deserve to be happy and engaged in life!

Lisa: Wow, that's a big decision on whether to move or not. I can only say to follow your heart. While I totally understand your sad feelings about leaving Jennifer (and would feel the same), this is your life and you are the only one who is responsible for your own happiness... so it's really all up to YOU! I would hope that she would understand that and want what's best for you... or at least come to that understanding in time. Have you been able to talk to her about it yet? Pray for guidance and watch and feel for signs. I believe you will get it/them.

JessikaBeth: Sorry you are coming up on 5 months since your mom's death. But it sounds like you are coping as well as can be expected. It also sounds like you have discovered some good insights that are helping you to process your grief and everything. Your plan for taking your mom's ashes to your aunt does sound bittersweet. The cruise sounds wonderful! So happy to hear that you will have the opportunity to just get away with your wife for awhile. You deserve it! How is the no smoking going?

Holly: Sure sounds like you are keeping very busy at work! You wear me out just thinking about it. That is great that you are doing so well off of Wellbutrin. Seems odd to me that your doctor prescribed weight loss meds given your height and weight stats. You sound very proportional to me. Geez... he'd freak out if he saw my stats!!! I wish I could get some of that weight loss med! Let me know how it works and if it causes any GI upset. I can't afford any further GI upset. Already have plenty from the current meds I take. Good to hear that your blood pressure is down significantly and why!

Coop: How are things going with you? Has your OH been retested yet? When does your new diet begin? Please tell us about it. Hope all is well!

Monica (EasySpirit): Are you still checking in and reading along? If so, please drop us a line and let us know how you are doing. I miss hearing from you!

good morning

Lisa - it always makes me sad when I hear of a grown child giving their mother grief but good for you for not letting it hurt you! Hope she is 'over it' by now. Hey that is great news about your mother's house! Have you gotten out and socialized much lately? I know when you are feeling quiet it is really hard to make yourself get out but sometimes it helps thinking of you! Is Elvira's doggy friend still visiting?

Kathleen - always so good to see your name here and you always have such great personalized notes to us! Hope things are going good with your son.. and all your family. How has your weather been , warm enough to use your pool?

Hi to JesikaBeth, Coop, and oops that I didn't remember to say Hi to our Monica

Kathleen, I am just torn about the weight loss drug phentermine. Still totally mystified that the doctor even suggested it, because I thought he was kinda 'anti-drugs' and that was one of the reasons I chose him as my new doctor!! Like why did he suggest to get me off Wellbutrin? And when he said, the phentermine could up blood pressure, I said, "um, if the purpose of losing weight is to lower my blood pressure, why....." and he kinda hemmed and hawed. I really though that some drug company had a camera on him and was forcing him to suggest the drug!

and it doesn't help that when I posted some comments in a thread here about phentermine, the last post from someone chided and shamed about using weight loss drugs, and insinuated that we are without strength or courage.

the fact is, that since Monday, my appetite has been CUT so severely that I am loving it. I used to always think about what there was to eat, now I can 'take it or leave it' which means I can have something totally nutritious. My stomach growls occasionally but I don't have the corresponding 'mouth want' of some food or sweet. I haven't felt my heart be racy nor have I felt lightheaded. Sleeping fine also. No tummy upset, and bathroom habit seems exactly the same. And I am in such a good mood because I am not chastising myself constantly . And in a good mood because I think I might have some success.

Kathleen,

It is great to see you post. I hope you are hanging in there. I know you are soooo disappointed with your lopsidedness. Please do not worry about me, I will keep you all updated, concentrate on yourself. It is a huge decision and I'm not rushing into it. If I leave, it won't be until next spring.

I have talked to Jennifer about this again. I did not want to spring it on her, I want her to know that I am still mulling this over. She took it really well. Her life is taking postivtive strides. She is close to having her Masters done and she's got 3 job interviews in Dayton. Her current job is not interested in giving her more money for having a Master's degree. I think she's happy about getting out of there, truth be told.

Holly,

Jennifer is over it, she's fine.

I have not gone out anymore. Maybe, I'm feeling too old? I think some of it is my weight, too. I'm not pushing myself to go, when the time is right I'll be ready.

No, Mia the rottie has stopped visiting Lily the kitten. Not sure why?? Lily is fine, she's still fascinated by Hazel. Hazel is still a Hazel. Hazel rules the roost. Lily and Buggy run from her when she starts biting them.

It's been really warm here. I am feeding and giving the pets plenty of cold water. I keep a close eye on Elvira because she is black and gets sooo hot. I point a fan at her, to help her. Its on her now.

I have big news.

I called the lawyer today to get an update.

Mom's house IS on contract already. There is a buyer. It's been on contract for a while. The closing is tentatively set for July the 14th. I'm excited but I'm not going into this saying, yes, we are definitely closing on this day. I know this whole process is hard and unsure.

I just wanted to update you all.

Have a great Friday.

Lisa that is great news! but yes, keep guarded and don't get too excited until it happens, right?

You sure have a house full of furry lovely animals Yes labs get SO warm with their black fur. Eddie also likes to have the fan on him.

I"m sorry you haven't felt like going out, i also think you will when the time is right . Must be alot of people out on the lake with the warm weather.

I had a crummy day at work, I had to call out my co-worker for going fishing for 40 minutes! on the clock! You can't make this sh*t up and he got SO pissy at me, for the next 3 hours, slammed things around and did NOT speak at all. Big effin 30 year-old-male baby who can't stand to have a woman tell him he did something wrong... He's been there a month...I've worked there for 17 years...gawd! Jerk

and I cannot believe, that I was looking at the summary of my doctor's visit this week (where he prescribed diet pills for me?) and saw he wrote I had "non-morbid obesity". What .. the ... eff!!!! I am 5'6" and weighed 164 at that moment, I will surely admit to being 'overweight' but not obese

AND my husband has a doctor's appt monday to check a suspicious skin mark that he is petrified is cancerous.

Lisa: That is GREAT news that your mom's house is in contract!!! I am cautiously optimistic for you. What a relief and some closure it would be for you if her house finally sold. Please keep us posted!

Holly: Your co-worker sounds like an immature crybaby! Good for you for reporting him ~ for fishing on the clock, for God's sake!!! What was he thinking?!? And what in the world is the deal with your doctor even thinking of categorizing you as anything resembling "obese" with your height and weight stats? That is just crazy!!! Although it sounds like the weight loss med is helping you, so that part is good. Our weather has been extremely warm and our swimming pool is open but, although I've sunbathed briefly around the pool one time, I haven't swam yet because I've been so busy. My kids have used the pool though, so at least it's getting used.

We have had a few more incidents with my son that have raised my level of concern about him and his mental and emotional health. He assures me that he is okay, but some of his behavior says otherwise. It has us worried sick. He has been following up with the DBT counselor one on one four times now and made several more appointments the last time he was there. I am pretty sure he will get into the DBT group, which I think will be a great help to him. It is an eight month long program, so it's pretty intense. I think it involves both individual and group weekly counseling. He needs that ongoing support, and I think it will really help him to know that others have similar thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as he does. I might have him continue to follow up with his original therapist as well, because he really trusts her and she obviously cares about him a lot (especially evident in some personal contacts I've had with her recently). He simply cannot hold a job right now, as I had hoped. He needs to get emotionally and mentally stable first. I am just praying like crazy that it will happen as soon as possible. He desperately needs some relief! Our concern and worry about him has dominated our lives for so long that it has really taken a toll on all of us. We all need a break... but nobody more than him. All I can do is pray, be there to love and support him as much as possible, and have faith that brighter days are ahead. That is my hope and what keeps me going.

Tomorrow (Monday) will be six weeks since my surgery. I was finally able to get a silicon balancer form to add to my bras and swimsuits to balance out my breasts. That has helped me to be less self-conscious in my clothes, which is a relief. It does mean that I still have to wear mastectomy bras and swimsuits, which I already had but had hoped to get out of, but at least there was a solution to my problem. Six weeks out also means that I can resume exercise, so I am looking forward to that!

Well, that's all for now. Hope all is well with everyone!

Hi all! I'm so rubbish lately, barely checking in! I need to catch up, I'll try to read some tomorrow

OH will be tested in the next couple of weeks - he's been seen by the the gastro now, but they messed up - he should have had his test before seeing her. She said he's definitely coeliac though, so we know it's going to happen.

Still eating as much gluten as we can while we still can. I feel like I'm the Christmas Turkey right now - I'm never without food in my belly my food isn't very nutritious though, so I'm a bit sluggish (partly why I've not stopped by much). I'll let you all know when we're on the changeover!

Coop, good to "see" you here You made me laugh at the comparision of being the Christmas turkey I guess if you're going to miss gluten, you want to get as much as you can now

Lisa, hope the ball is rolling on your mom's house.

Kathleen, oh so sorry to hear of the setback with your son, gosh we will be hoping and praying with you!! glad you got the OK for exercise again, and hope you don't feel too self conscious in your clothes

husband is very relieved that the spot on his face was pronounced benign but still had to have it cold-burned off. AND it was his first doctor visit in YEARS so he has been told officially to lose weight to help his health, at least we can do it together.

The co-worker was STILL not talking to me (for 2 days! and being sullen to others too) because I "b*tched" at him (his words) the jerk would be fired but they cannot find a replacement. On Sunday I left work early and crying because of him; the boss told me ' now that we know he is an immature unstable person, be aware of that, and don't say anything that might upset him'. Yeah. It will take ALL my concentration to try to tune his existence out and try to enjoy my job!

My flowers are doing really well, they don't need watering with all this rain, some sun and warmth should make them flower more though.

I am down a couple more pounds and one pair of jeans feels looser, gosh that is a great feeling!!

I was all set for a huge catch-up, but got as far as Jessica's post before I started getting confused, so I'll do some individual posts I think...

Jessica - gosh 5 months since your mom passed, it's so tough. It sounds like you are doing really well with your therapy - I hope it continues!

Good luck with your studying - 6 months will fly by!

Lisa - I'm sorry you're not feeling as happy as you hoped. It is a really tough decision whether to move or continue where you are - without being in your shoes, I don't know the answer.

I moved away for work once though, and had a very silver-lined picture in my head how great it would be to move back. I've been back for 3 years now, and I'm happier than I was, but not as wonderful as I imagined when I was longing so much to be back here. I don't know if that helps you at all!

So good to hear your mom's house is under contract - fingers crossed all goes through well!

Hi to Holly & Kathleen! I'll try to pop by with something more to you both tomorrow, but afraid I'm out of time tonight!

Hi guys

I hope everyone is doing alright. Things here are ok, pluggin' along. Still stressed and overwhelmed, but working in therapy through some stuff and it is helping

On a frustrating note, my vasovagal syncope has returned. I was diagnosed with vasovagal syncope in my 20's, but it had gone away for about 10 years. It's come back, and it's really annoying me

Still not smoking, on day #17! Doing ok with it I suppose. I'm using the nic lozenges and vaping. While this time quitting has been easiest compared to the other times, I'm finding that as the days add up I'm wanting a cigarette. Or maybe not a cigarette, but the idea of having a cigarette, is often enticing I'm really wanting this to be my last quit though.

I hope everyone has a good day. I'm into work early this a.m. to get caught up (we're forever getting caught up it seems). Our census is high and up to 43 (and in the IOP department there's only 3 of us counselors!) Yikes. So yea, busy - stressed - overwhelmed. BUT grateful today is my Friday.

Have a good day everyone. I'll be back on Monday.