Nancy is still in intensive care. I think they expected her to be in a step-down room by now, but her progress is very slow. Her brother is happy that although progress is slow, there have been no setbacks. She is just inching forward. She is no longer using the respirator, but it's still hooked up in case she needs it. She hasn't needed it lately. She still cannot vocalize, but is communicating with shrugs and head nods. Her mood is good and she expresses humor at some things. Frustrated that she can't speak. Brother doesn't know why, but maybe the doctors do. Ironically, she is/was a speech therapist before she became a stay-at-home grandma. She sits in a chair part of the day. They move her to the chair....no walking. I think this is because she still has that artery 100% blocked. She tried using a white board but cannot manipulate the marker. Brain scans show no damage. I forgot to mention before that she is type 2 diabetic and her sugar was over 800 when she was admitted.

Jacqui, I am in the same spot you are. My healthy eating, salads every day, etc, has gone by the wayside. I'm eating more hot food and am up a couple lbs. Whatever you do in the interim, don't let yourself regain like you did before. I know you know that, but I just wanted to preach to you. LOL

Also, I have heard some people say that eating low calorie is beneficial, but I think if doing so, you need to make sure that every bite is full of nutrients. Some say going below xxx calories causes starvation mode, and others say going below xxx calories extends life expectancy. Here are some links I found. I don't think they quote actual studies, and I know anyone can put anything on the internet. But did you ever notice that the little old ladies who live to their 90s and beyond are almost always extremely thin? When do you see an obese 90 year old?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3557899.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4875614.stm

"Low calorie" is a relative term. How low is low? If you normally eat 3000 calories a day, then 2000 calories is low by comparison. Only one of the articles actually stated a calorie amount for one of the studies and it was in the 800 calorie range.

It's freezing here! Florida here I come

Carol Sue glad to hear about your niece. It takes time or the body to heal.

Break - Red's steak/cheese burrito
Lunch - 1/2 portion of bourbon chicken/rice/veg
Dinner - 1/2 bacon cheeseburger, hand cut fries, lite beer
Snack - cran water

Carol Sue, I'm so glad to hear that your niece is improving and it certainly dooes sound like she is. It may be slow, but it's progress. That is strange about her not being able to speak. And a blood sugar level of over 800, wow! So are they saying the high BS led to the heart attack or that the heart attack led to the high BS?

Thank you for the bit of preaching! That's exactly what I keep reminding myself! Every time a thought slips through, asking "what would it hurt if I just had a little (whatever food I'm craving, usually chocolate)," I remind myself that it can ruin everything I've worked so hard for, because I know that I won't just stop there. I will ask myself that same question each day, and then it will be more than once a day, and then it will be "Oh, what the heck," and I'll throw the towel in completely! No, no, no! I don't want to get on that roller coaster ever again. That little bit of whatever I can have on Saturday, and that should and has to be good enough! So thank you for helping me by backing up what I know is absolutely true!

And I decided to go ahead and get on the scale this morning. I just knew it was going to say 170, I fully expected it, but thankfully no! I am still 167.5! If I can stay at this weight until spring arrives, I'll be thrilled!

PrairieQueen, I am SO envious! Warm sounds wonderful! You are escaping the cold just in time! It's going to be in the single digits this weekend!

Today Earl told me that the reason Nancy can't speak is because she has a tracheotomy, and she cannot get her wind. Whatever that means. They expect it to come back in time. When I ask him questions he calls Nancy's daughter and asks her. I think my questions are helping him find out more about her condition.

I think the blocked artery caused the heart attack, and maybe the blood sugar shot way up because of the heart attack. She was never good at controlling her blood sugar. Also, the heart valve might have had something to do about it since they felt that it was necessary to replace that valve right away. She got a mechanical valve replacing her Mitral valve.

Good for you on the scale, Jacqui. I'm back up, knocking on the door to the 200s again.

Carol Sue, yes, I am sure your questions are helping him. He just may not know what questions to ask, but others will ask him, so it's good you are helping him learn the answers! Okay, that makes sense that she can't talk if she has a trach. I bet it's along the same lines of you can't hum if you hold your nose. (Where's Mars when we need her?!)

Thank you! I'm really surprised I don't weigh in the 170's but then I think I'm just confusing maintaining with gaining weight. Since I was actively trying to lose all those months, when I eat a little more, I automatically think I'm gaining. I keep forgetting there's a level in between losing and gaining, lol!

I hope you don't cross into the 200s, but if you do, we'll both have to get back down to business when it warms up. (Darn those winter comfort foods, haha!)

I didn't weigh this morning. I'm going to keep trying to skip a few days, and see how it goes. :

PrairieQueen, did you make to Florida?!

SeeMyFeet, how's your RA in this bitter cold weather? You doing okay?

Rennie, UpandAWay, and Trish, how's it going? I hope y'all are having better luck with your diets in the winter than I am!

Evening all!

Carol Sue great to hear Your niece continues to improve! Good vibes still being sent her way.
Jacqui I fly out of Cinci at 6:55am so I'll be leaving my house by 4:30am!
It's supposed to be between 73 and 79 the days I'm there

Break - Reds Canadian bacon/egg/cheese burrito
Lunch - 1/2 bacon cheeseburger
Dinner - beef pesto pasta, lettuce wedge/blue cheese dressing
Snack - cran water

I am not a FL lover, but 73 degrees sure sounds good right now. Single digits here. Brrrrr

I didn't know you couldn't hum if you hold your nose, but I tried it and you're right! Who says you can't still learn at 70?

Did I tell you about Nancy and the tablecloths? At the picnic this summer Nancy brought tons of table cloths and I helped her put them on the tables. I told her I never knew anyone who had so many, and she said whenever anyone dies, she always gets the tablecloths. So I told DH that when I die, make sure Nancy gets my tablecloths. So she HAS to live longer than me! LOL

Happy Saturday! Arrived in FL before 9:30 am yesterday to warm sunshine. It's supposed to be 75 and sunny today. Hubs has 7 with a wind chill of -8!

It was a great reunion going to farmers market in a bit.

Friday's menu...

Lunchfast - 6" subway club w/mustard
Snack - prosciutto roll
Dinner - cinci chili spaghetti three way
Snack - apple

Here is the latest email I got from Earl.

Yesterday they moved Nancy to a rehab center right next door to where Courtney works. I think it's called "Life Care." Courtney doesn't have a lot of details, but she thinks they will do occupational and physical therapy, and maybe even speech therapy, which is intended to help her re-learn to eat. This is ahead of the schedule we all anticipated, so we're pretty happy and thankful for this development.

http://www.lifecare-hospitals.com/hospital/pittsburgh

Seems like a nice place. I hope her insurance is going to pay for this. So great that her daughter works next door. So ironic that Nancy is a speech therapist.

Carol Sue, that is wonderful news about Nancy!!! I am so glad she is on the road to recovery and ahead of schedule! And that is funny about the tablecloths, lol! I've never heard of anyone coming away with the tablecloths before.

PrairieQueen, warm weather sounds like heaven right now! It has been so cold and snowy here! Poor hubs, lol!

I'm sorry I've been AWOL all weekend. DH and I were down at our house on the river trying to get it back up to par. I'm afraid it's going to take a few weekends, but at least we got it started. I went on youtube to learn a technique for repairing holes in hollow doors, so hopefully it will work and we won't have to replace doors! And I'm hoping the fact that our carpets are Stainmaster will make a difference when we get Stanley Steamer in there and they will come clean. They are such a mess. The renters even destroyed the handles on the sliding glass doors, oh and the curtain rods! I just don't understand how people can live like that. But anyway, we are working on it and hopefully we can get the house back into some kind of good shape. It's just really disappointing. And my arthritic hands are feeling it today. Too much scrubbing! Oh well!

Carol Sue, I just clicked on the link to the rehab facility for the one in PA, and it looks really nice. I hope Nancy does well there!

Jacqui, I don't understand how some renters live! I remember one time the people were complaining about the conditions in the projects in my old hometown. The news went in with their cameras and showed conditions. There were bathroom sinks pulled off the bathroom walls. I don't care what they say, that is not normal wear and tear! Some low life did that purposely. I hope it doesn't take too much to get your place back in shape.

This is the deadest I've ever seen this thread. Where is everyone? We really need Mars and Chickadeee!

Prairie, Rennie, Seemyfeet, Upandaway, and whoever else is missing!

I'm drowning in work....weight loss is stuck...big time...Fortunately, most things in my life are ok, except for the usual, and oh so predictable, conflicts, roadblocks, and back stabs at work...Not doing a good job with taking care of myself, or my family...but trying to hand in there.

I'm back! My flight out was canceled yesterday after two delays, so the whole crew (mom, stepdad, bro, and bro's little Pomeranian) all came back to airport to fetch me. Back up at 4:30am for the new 6:20am flight that actually took off at 7. Only stepdad was willing to get up and drive me in the pouring rain. I had to use one of my two remaining personal days for missing work today.

Carol Sue that is fantastic news about Nancy. She'll be talking in no time.

I was pretty good with my menus even though we ate out a few times.

Sunday
Breakfast - Red's chicken/cheese burrito
Lunch - Apple
Dinner - 4 oz baby sirloin steak, mashed potatoes, steamed carrots/green beans/peppers, two lite beers

Monday
Breakfast - Red's steak/cheese burrito
Snack - Apple
Lunch - 6" subway Italian bmt
Dinner - three fig newtons

Today DH shocked the heck out of me when I asked him what he wanted for dinner and he said Salmon. That is one of the things I keep in the house for those nights when I cook separate meals for each of us, because he doesn't eat certain things. I cooked it on my grill pan and it turned out so good. DH left his on the pan a few minutes longer because he likes his food cooked to death, but he said he liked it and ate 2 pieces. I'm happy on one hand, and on the other had I realize I now have to share my Salmon with him. For our sides I made green beans and Uncle Ben's Broccoli Rice and Cheese. All gone! LOL

SeeMyFeet, sorry you are having troubles at work. Don't let it put you in a tail spin.

Prairie Queen, glad you had a nice visit and are home safe and sound!