Oh my dear ladies…You will NOT believe this! In fact, if you called me a liar, I wouldn’t blame you a bit.

I have SHINGLES!

Honest to God! I went to the surgeon yesterday, he looked at my stomach and saw the rash that I thought…and my PCP had agreed…was heat rash and said, “That looks like Shingles.” I’m like, “No. It can’t be!” He insisted that I see the PCP again…I saw her TWO DAYS AGO…and she said, “Yes, that’s Shingles.” I asked her why it wasn’t Shingles two days before! I guess its appearance had changed in two days.

So…there’s that. Yeah.

In the month of December, I’ve had Bronchitis, Gallbladder, and now Shingles. And my dog died. Honestly.


Get this…the surgeon said what caused the gallbladder to go crazy was “rapid weight loss”. I told him, 35 lbs from March to December is NOT rapid. He said, “Yes it is.” Again, I pointed out it was only like 1 lb a week and he said, “Well we won’t argue about that.” As in, I’m right and your wrong and we’ll leave it at that.

So apparently normal, healthy, weight loss can lead to Gallbladder attacks. I thought it was just “rapid” weight loss…but I guess not. Doesn’t mean anyone should stay fat!

On the up side, I can eat again. On the down side, no surgery until the Shingles are gone. On the up side, he told me to eat a normal, low-fat, diet. So I can eat again. Kind of. Between the soup and lunch meat yesterday, I gained 2 lbs, probably due to sodium. But it has to be a healthy diet, so I have a really good reason to be good and I’ll lose some more weight.

I’ve spent too much time on this today and work is backing up on me! Got to go. I’ll try to get on this weekend. If I don’t:

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

MERRY CHRISTMAS

lil: man - you have gotten hit with it all but I know shingles can pop up w stress. Isn’t it fun the way the body responds? Just know it may take some time and did they quarantine you from others? Or does it matter if you have been put on meds?

Diane: I’ll try my darndest on loosing something by 12/31. I’ll post the final up and down abacus journey I’ve been on.

Am: like Diane, who knows; especially this weekend, how much I’ll be on here - I’ll see where the need arises depending on how I feel I’m struggling. W/traveling and finishing gifts (hey I just cleaned my living room and front hall!) and now back to my sewing projects - ugh but that’s half done too. Progress - slow progress. Maybe I’ll get done maybe not!

So:

Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year ahead to you all. I wish you all the best and thank you for encouraging me to keep up the loss even when I seemed stuck on a gerbil wheel from hades. Thank you thank you. And if I don’t get back here much I’ll see you all in 2018.

Shingles is not contagious. The only way to catch Shingles is if you come in contact with fluid from the blisters when they break. As it's under my shirt, that's not going to happen. In that case, if you've had chicken pox you'd get shingles. If you have not get chicken pox, you'd get chicken pox.

Lilion – I just don’t know what to say. Shingles? On top of gallbladder stones (from “rapid” weight loss, which is supposed to improve your health), bronchitis that bordered on pneumonia, father-in-law health issues, and the traumatic death of your puppy? I am hoping that this is it for you. It needs to turn around soon, right? Glad you’re still able to function well enough to be at work. (I guess?) Sending positive thoughts your way. Hopefully, the next update is about how your shingles are gone, your surgery is scheduled, and your father-in-law is the picture of health.

LemonThyme – The gerbil wheel seems like a constant for mothers. And probably for fathers, too, I suppose. I, too, have been on the abacus journey when it comes to weight. Hopefully, you’re still well in the 22xs! Both of the kids have permits now! It’s good. They’re both surprisingly good drivers, even if I don’t love letting them drive all the time.

Diane – So glad that you are able to take a bit of time off work! I, too, did not make the challenge. I am going to do a last-minute push to see how close I can get to my STARTING weight. **SIGH** But I do think I minimized the gain, at least in part because of the challenge, so I appreciate you starting it. Like you said earlier, it’s so much easier in the New Year when it seems like the world is focusing on weight loss instead of pushing sugar and holiday treats on us! Hope you have a relaxing week off, and that we are back in fighting form (at least mentally) for the start of the New Year.

Bookmark – I love the term “unsexable.” And you’re right. No matter my size, sometimes I feel super sexable (or horny enough that I don’t care as much about my sexability as I do about my husband’s =)), and sometimes the hormones and depression and binge eating make me want to completely ignore that part of me. Hope the headlight situation is resolved, and hope that you made it through the holidays fully intact. Argh, though, on my avatar mistake. I love Agent Carter too! Still going to think of her as Ingrid Bergman, though. Good for my humility to be so wrong, but feel so sure about it, I suppose. =)

Toasted – So glad you’re finally getting some rest and relaxation, even in “morethirdworldthanme” land, though I suppose that might make it even better? Can’t wait to hear about the trip, and the new projects you’re going to be totally revved for doing, and any weight loss epiphanies you have. Cuz it’s the New Year! Time for the world to join us, however briefly, for this relatively-constant part of our lives. #foreverTLTMAS

I lost an entire post last week, but not sure how. Going to do better about checking in regularly. My ex-husband’s current wife filed for divorce, and he’s in full meltdown mode. I wish I could just ignore it, but there’s so much at stake. My kids need their dad, and he’s been pretty supportive of me for the last few years, so I feel like I need to help him get through it. But he’s completely drenched in bitterness, and some of it is getting on me. Too much time dealing with him. Too much stress trying to protect the children from the crazy while encouraging them to support their dad through this. (Four of them are 17+, so it’s okay for him to lean on them for support, to some extent.) Argh.

Goals –
1 – Get the sugar out of my house finally.
2 – Weigh tomorrow morning
3 – Get on a better sleep schedule
4 – Get 20K steps today.
5 – Get up in the morning and go to the gym. So much easier when I don’t have to take kids to school, and they’re off for the week.
6 – Plank routine x 1
7 – Report specifically on 3FC tomorrow on whether I met these goals to keep myself accountable.

Hope everyone has a great day!

I’m back and tomorrow begin the normalacy without having all sweets at ready reach. I ate way too much and had a bit of drink that I’m sure won’t help the scale. I do not plan to hop on said scale until 12/31. I will work on the weight in the next few days; return the GI to some normal routines/schedules and skip the call to Christmas goodies that may remain in my house or ils. Hah!

Christmas went well as can be. Lost a relative to unexpected death on the morn of the day. We weren’t really close as we live in different areas of the country and they were newer to our family (2nd marriage, elderly). But he was a sweet man that treated my relative well and he will be missed.

Otherwise my little family had a nice time here at home and traveling to relatives but I think we are all ready to return to some sane normalacy from eating and sleep to getting our days back on track without worrying if presents are done, school work completed, money spent and check book balances. Heck no - I just want to wake, have my coffee and a slower start to my mornings. As is this week is filled w doctor visits midday twice this week. And somewhere in there I need a haircut and do some more sewing but now for the vacay. But for now I’ll relish being home even though we are in the deep freeze tonight with windchills -25 to -35 below zero. I loathe that weather. But I’m a hearty soul and have dealt with that my whole life in the winter.

Alright gals - wishing you well. May your end of year scales be good and personals tomorrow when things aren’t as hectic.

228.6

The abacus is back at it! My goal this week is to just work the scale down until 12/31 when I’ll have grilled burgers NYE - which we started when we were first married instead of fighting for reservations and since we have kids it works as a way of celebrating the new year in zero temps or snow. So I’ll have a good burger and a few fries and of course a bit of bubbly. But the good news is I’ll weigh in that morn and with some hope it will be back down to where I was last week and start the new year on maybe a downward trend - a girl can hope.

Also it’s flipping cold out as in like -20 below. I had to go start the car and it was sluggish while it turned over. I guess this will make me enjoy the warm weather soon! Either that or freak out when they de-ice the plane (not my favorite part of flying in winter). But in general warm weather is good!

Ok finally a bit of personals:

Laurie: I’m glad you have confident drivers - that helps immensely. I do hope the new year brings you lots of good things in all aspects. How are you and DH going on right now? I hope all is smoothed over well. I’m sorry you are dealing with kids who are having a time w a divorce. I don’t think there is anything easy when that happens. Strength for you to help as needed.

Book: I hope your celebrations turned out well. Did your students enjoy their treats?

Lil: I couldn’t recall if it was passable to others - I had a sibling that had it when I had an infant - hers was stressed induced as she was younger than usual and she stayed away as she was afraid to pass something on. I hope yours doesn’t get too painful. I know it’s not fun at all. Will they still be able to do your surgery soon? Is it an inpatient procedure or out?

Toasted: what are some things you’ll be able to do on your trip? How many of you are going? I just seem to recall the lights at night against the backdrop were what impressed me in photos and video. Enjoy!

Diane: how were your celebrations? Did everything get done? Mine didn’t quite get finished where I had hoped. However I had gifts for everyone and that’s what was important. Anywho - will you be doing all your gym activity in the new year? Adding the tougher instructor? That might be good change for you if your body and spirit found after a night or repair you felt good. Sometimes a good mixup is what we need.

Hello all! Sorry if I missed anyone I’m on my phone.

AM: today I’m inundated with travel laundry and new clothes laundry. I’ve got doctor appointments and a bit of shopping (kids need jeans) todAy as well. We’ll brave the blast of cold and go.

I do hope with the great Christmas germ swap we’ll be fine. However seems out of all of us I have multiple in laws w stomach ails this am. Yeah. Except my kid is complaining of sore throat - so totally different. It always amazes me what is shared.

Ok I’m off to finish up my fast (FINALLY) and not feel like a overstuffed chair as I have been feeling the last few days. The food was good but now it’s more than time to move on.

Happy end of slow week for you all!

Good afternoon!

LemonThyme - Things are going remarkably well with the hubby - thank you for checking in. I'm surprised. The ex and his drama (and the subsequent impact it has had on the kids) have been eating up an enormous amount of time, and the hubby has been pretty patient with it all. I always love the way you describe things. I, too, have been indulging far more than I need to be. As a result, I have been feeling like an “overstuffed chair” as well. As much as I enjoy the act of eating, I really hate feeling uncomfortable because I’ve eaten too much. Yay, fasting! And yay getting back into routine. Much as I hate the post-holiday chores, it’s great to get it done and not have all the holiday stress.

Progress on goals – Did not get the sugar out of my house. In fact, it got worse, as the hubby brought in treats from his parents’ house yesterday. =( Kids in house today, though, which means the sugar will rapidly disappear. I did weigh! I am back up to 157.6. Not great, but haven’t broken the 160 threshold. Gotta get a grip or that is imminent, though. Sleep schedule – ugh. Forgot about that goal, but need to do it. I hit about 18.5K steps. Good enough. Didn’t even consider the gym this morning. Need a better sleep schedule. No planking yesterday either. But I am reporting here! Woot! Will do better with goals today/tomorrow morning.

Goals –
1 – Get to sleep by 10ish.
2 – Do plank x 1.
3 – 18K steps. It’s super cold outside!
4 – Weigh tomorrow morning.
5 – Go to the gym in the morning.
6 – Make deliberate choices about sugar. Not going to try not to eat any of it, but won’t mindlessly consume it either.
7- Report whether I met these goals.

228.6

My scale doesn’t like to move too fast too often I’m coming to figure out. But I did kind of ok all day, until right before bed when I found some extra cookies I didn’t need. But I ate them because I was freaked out. Not much freaks me out but remember in november when I thought I heard something in my walls? We set a trap and never caught anything because we were guessing the path the creepy thing was running. Well I found the d@mn thing. And I screamed, but it was dead and it smelled to high heaven. I made DH remove it because all I did was close the door and not look at it further. I made him bleach the area etc. holy yuck!

Totally gross.

Enough on that. I have my doctor appt today, just a yearly but I’m not sure what we’ll discuss as my pap is not necessary as she did the newest one and that moves all that off for a few years. My moms like cancel the appt but i have kept it. Maybe she’ll notice my weight is down since I last saw her. Not as great and by the time I throw clothes on for when they weigh me I will be over 230 I’m sure. But it’s better than 250s.

Laurie: I’m glad things are better. Sometimes you need to pull things in the open/front and get it discussed and move on. Hang in there w the kids and be a sounding board if thats what’s needed or just to let them know they are loved - hopefully the ex doesn’t keep dragging everyone down, that can be difficult. Hope your weight rights itself as well! You can do this!

_____

I also forgot - I’m hesitant to get in the car today - I had a sealed coffee mug that tipped and ended up w a wet butt when I got home and my oldest was like Mom you have a problem. In the end it was the coffee (much to said child’s relief!) but because of the temps outside that I can’t fully cleanup and scrub the seat and I’m not 100% sure it will have dried or thaw and redo said butt decoration - I best take a towel with me I suppose.

Ok - I’m off to fast some more too and get to the appointment and maybe she’ll tell me I’m on be right path. I hope so! So my mini goals for today are to eat well, fast until 11, drink my water and find some good things in my day to celebrate that are simple.

And I’ll take the overstuffed and start trading it in to feel like a slimline modern - a bit of padding but smoother! Hah! I’m a couch! I know I’m not and I nkniw my shape is changing which is nice to see.

Happy day all I’m off to slay more laundry.

Quiet on here this week. I know that several of us are enjoying much-needed vacations, and that poor Lilion is coping with both gallbladder stones AND shingles. But we're continuing to think of y'all and can't wait to hear about good times and astonishing (hopefully) recoveries.

LemonThyme - Glad you're keeping the doctor's appointment. I think it's important to just get some reassurance that things are good, and potentially to get some baseline data to keep you healthy. Yay for fewer paps, too. Maybe I'll ask for the new one! Ugh on the ever-present sugar. I was surprised to open the fridge yesterday and discover cookies and brownies. I'm not even sure where they came from. With kids popping in and out and spending time with grandparents and our respective ex-spouses, and my son's girlfriend temporarily living with us while she looks for a new apartment, it's hard to track all of it. As I've said multiple times, I'm really looking forward to the world getting on board with this weigh loss thing, at least for a month or so. =)

Yesterday's goals did not go fantastically. I did get to sleep shortly after 10. I did not do the plank routine. I did get 18K steps, even going out in the super-frigid night air to do it. I did weigh this morning. I did not go to the gym, though I did shovel some snow. I did okay about sugar, and I am not reporting on the goals. So, I guess I did sort of okay, but I need to actually get to the gym tomorrow.

Goals
1 - 20K steps
2 - plank routine x 2
3 - Sleep by 10ish.
4 - Weigh in the morning
5 - Limited sugar intake
6 - GET TO THE GYM IN THE MORNING.
7 - Report on goal progress tomorrow, and make sure I can report 100% completion. NOT casual goals today.

And now I'm off to court! I really like going to court, actually. It's cold outside, and snowing, but the snow is kind of beautiful.

Have a great day everyone!

Sadness. The doctor didn’t notice I’ve lost some weight. Well I’ll just keep going as best I can and maybe next year I’ll be even lighter - we’ll a gal can hope! I got a vax and was sent on my way.

So it’s horribly cold and we had snow today and lots of people in accidents, not even off in ditches but full fledged road closures or the like. Makes you wonder if it’s due to people being on their phones and not paying attention or road crews squeaking year-end budgets to limp into a New Years full one and saving in whatever helps when temps are so darn low. Anywho I’m back home and thats what is important. I may not see my DH as he’s at work and right now the road condtions were last marked as ice covered. He may choose to stay with a friend as he’s about 45 mins away on a good day.

Well I do hope others pop in and say hello too Laurie!

I ordered from amazon yesterday before 5pm and I have prime. That said my packages won’t be here until 1/2. What’s up with that? They were both prime available. Ugh. You get so conditioned to get things quickly and then when you want quick it’s not. Im waiting for some last minute items for the trip. I was going to go shopping before my appt today but w the traffic issues I didn’t. So there are lots of things I need to do before the middle of jan. I just havent gotten there yet!

Ok wishing you all well! I discovered today that I’m getting closer (SLOWLY) to a 99.0 reading in kilograms at the clinic. I just have to break through the 220 lbs number to do it - so another goal is to be a two digit KG weighin and leave the 100s alone KG wise.

Happy afternoon I’m off to continue freezing and think about some sewing.

Btw: haystacks are chow Mein noodles, one bag chocolate chips, one bag butterscotch chips, peanuts. Melt the two chips throw in the noodles once melted - toss to coat add peanuts if you like. Drop by teaspoonful on parchement let set. You now have a haystacks.

No w/I today

I didn’t fast as long as I should have as I went to town early and wanted to be sure I had something in me before I went. So today I’ll try again and see how I do. I am not recalling if I posted my happy thought that my KG weighin is getting closer to 99. Sounds so dumb doesn’t it and it will take forever I’m sure to get there but I can’t wait to be just a double digit when I hop on the doctors scale again.

I will weigh in on 12/31 and post my diane challenge start and finish. I hope I can stay lower than I was when I began. I’m not super easy/focused in loosing, but I’m trying, holidays and all. And eating salads when it’s negative frigid windchills - something about that feels wrong but I think that’s what I’ll be doing today to help my bod on out.

I think.

Anywho - that’s where I am at. I’ve got my lottos for tonight and tomorrow .- they both are over 300 million and why not? That would be an unexpected but interesting way to end the year. I’m all for that! I keep a notebook with what I’d do if I won - from philantrophy to my house. Hey, I’m a planner!

Laurie: do you work in corporate law? Do you go to court often? Oh the sneaking in of sweets - yep we have that too! I found a bag of chocolates yesterday. It was not there the other day but just appeared I swear! Well I can imagine that - but it’s funny how it finds your periphery. May you stay away as I need to too!

Hello all!

Ok, I am off to measure the body and see where I fall on the pattern front and begin adjusting it to fit my shape. I’ve got 3 shorts to make, swimsuits and coverups. They are all in theory simple projects but I’ve got to work them to my shape first!

Happy day all and before I forget HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

You want a smile today - watch the video in this link! Oh my goodness is he smooth!

Greetings Ladies!

Official WI day - 268. Up a few lbs from a couple weeks ago...but I should never have logged the weight when I dropped 11 lbs in 5 days from the gallbladder attack. I'm eating again after all. If you ignore that, I'm still down from my last "real - non-sickness" weight. I seem to have halted the upward climb and so I'll take it. Now to get it moving back the right way! I'm attaching my WI history for 2017. There's been some ups along the way, but more downs. A general downward trend and ending almost 40 lbs from where I started over in March - This does not displease me.

Moving the right way may be a little bit rough over the long weekend. Hubby and I are finally finishing the candy/cookies we are making to send to my son in Colorado that we couldn't get done for Christmas. Hated that I missed the holidays, but munchies are never turned down (especially in Colorado - ). Hubby will be dipping his peanut butter balls in chocolate and making peanut brittle. I will be making chocolate and peanut butter fudge. We finally stuck the Tollhouse cookies in the freezer! They HAD to leave the kitchen or there would have been none left. I do love my cookies. But once packed and mailed, there will be a lack of sweets in my house that I hope to maintain! It's hard with hubs - he loves his sugar.

Laurie and Lemon - you've been keeping this board going all by yourselves!

Lemon, I'm going to have to get my lottery tickets too. My husband and I long ago made our plan. #1. Call our accountant and have him recommend a financial advisor. #2. Call and meet with the financial advisor and an attorney to take care of all the business end of things and paying all our bills off. #3. Quietly arrange first-class flights out of the country. At this point, I'm pretty sure we'd arrange in-home care for my father-in-law and maybe buy my kid a good car, have someone do all the repairs to our home and get it listed to sell, and notify our jobs - once we're in our secret vacation spot - that we QUIT! Yeah. No thought at all has been given to this.

Laurie - Thanks for asking, the gallbladder isn't bothering me a bit (knock wood). I'm trying to keep the spice and fat in the diet low so as to not aggravate it. I had a bobble - when I realized I was only counting SATURATED fat and not TOTAL fat. So I was not, in fact, eating low-fat. But I've pretty much corrected that. Staying away from spice is easy...though I would dearly love some Mexican food. Thankfully, it's soup weather. Yesterday was Ham and Beans from the left over Christmas ham. This weekend, time to dig out the turkey carcass and make soup.

The shingles are clearing up quicker than expected - yay! But ITCH and BURN like crazy! I'm sports-braing it at work today - yesterday it was all I could do to not go braless before I left the office. That is really unpleasant. The darn spots aren't even up at strap level! Thank goodness the state gave us two weeks of blue jean days - from the 18th thru the 1st, so baggy sweaters are the order of the day and a sports-bra will do.

Speaking of work, I best get to it. I still have to get ahead before I schedule that surgery.

HAPPY NEW YEARS TO ALL MY 3FC FRIENDS!

158.6. Ugh. Still just a sodium swing from violating my upper limit. Since I have a HUGE 20-pound range, that seems ridiculous.

Lilion – So glad that you posted and that you have some pretty great updates. Problems aren’t solved, clearly, but it’s great that you are not paralyzed by pain. I approve of sports bras, by the way. Hope that the itching goes the way of the extreme gallbladder pain, and that the surgery takes care of the gallbladder pain forever. Woo hoo on being down forty pounds since March. That is incredibly fantastic!

LemonThyme – Nope, no corporate law. Both Lilion and I are government lawyers working for Midwest states. =) I am frequently in court, though. My practice is varied enough that I find myself in administrative law proceedings, state district and appellate courts, and federal district and appellate courts. State district court is by far the most common, though, and it’s where I was yesterday. I am working on getting rid of the sugar, but it’s not easy. I remembered yesterday that I still have a stocking full of sugar that was purchased specifically for me by a very thoughtful husband. I am “generously” sharing my bounty.

Yesterday’s goals were okay, not great. I did get 20K steps, even though it meant walking in 12 degree weather. I did the plank routine x 2, though the second time was abbreviated. I did not get to sleep on time, but was asleep by 11ish, so not bad. I ate too much, and did not get to the gym this morning. I am still hoping to get there before going home today, which will require a lot of focus on work projects this afternoon.

Goals-
1 – 20K steps
2 – Plank routine x 1
3 – Sleep at least 8 hours
4 – Weigh in tomorrow morning
5 – Get to the gym tomorrow morning
6 – Limit sugar intake

Hope everyone has a great weekend and New Year’s holiday!