Had my consultation with the doctor who will do my colonoscopy. He says he already knows this will be a difficult one due to my scar tissue. He says I will also have to lay on my left side which is my damaged shoulder as I figured. He said he will prop me up on pillows and will only start when I'm comfortable. PT says do not lie on it and I'm concerned not only about pain (I realize I'll be sedated) but also about function afterwards. I also asked him if this is the last one if it is clear and he said no. He says everyone should continue getting them done unless you are not likely to live another ten years. I said well, I'm 72 so that could happen and he agreed it could but I know he was talking about someone who is very ill etc. I had read that 75 was the cutoff but apparently not according to him, but of course ultimately it will be my decision. Anyway I am scheduled for Sept 17 but I told them to call if they have a cancellation. We were trying to plan a trip sometime toward end of summer but may not work out. Our oldest dd is coming middle of this month so also want to avoid that.

I'm tired today and feeling a bit sad, about family issues. Think maybe I just need a nap. I took Tyl pm last night and I did sleep but knowing I had to get up early made it hard to really relax and of course my sleep is always interrupted anyway.

Glynne - I can understand your hearing could be a problem with jury duty. I have always loved having jury duty, but have to admit the last time (my second time) I got awfully tired. There was SO much waiting in between sessions!

Carol Sue - Ok, our critter is definitely a mole then. Nice you can trade off babysitting duty with the other grandparents. We are babysitting (overnight) for our dd's kids Friday. Haven't had them for a quite a while so looking forward to it. You mentioned Val, I remember she used to eat only a few carb servings a day. If I remember right she had only 1 at breakfast and lunch and two at dinner.

Glynne/Sandy/Carole Sue - I agree with what Carol Sue said about blood sugar. Make sure you get some protein and fiber with your carbs too. Protein slows down the rise and both are filling. I know Carol Sue is good about that but sometimes I am not unless I make myself do it. Thats what is so good about this plan, it makes you work at getting the right combinations to make a fatloss meal. As I mentioned I got off plan for a few days and my bs were still pretty good, sometimes even better, but that was just for a while. It has caught up with me now...my weight was up 1.5# this morning and my bs was quite high too.

Sandy - Sounds like you have always lived a healthy life. That's wonderful, I wish I'd been more like that. I have always eaten healthy foods but too much and also the junk too in between. I still don't know about the garage door..it hasn't happened since..but no one in our cul-de-sac has a door opener except us. Congrats on the pound lost and the new number...wowsie, that's good news!!

Today the doctor told me he feels the abdominal discomfort I've had is related to my heavy belly. As he checked me over he said that my body structure is tiny (I'd say small), and that I am putting way too much strain (pulling down) on it with my added weight being mostly in my belly. He said my body is probably only made to weigh about 110#. I agree with this and suspected this was the problem. I weighed 108 when I graduated high school and 103 when I got married. I always felt too skinny. I know now what I needed was to tone up, not gain. I remember when I was 22 after the birth of my second child and breast feeding (I always maintained weight when breastfeeding), I weighed about 120# and an acquaintance (older women) told me not to gain any more weight. At the time I didn't think I could ever be fat as I'd always been so skinny, so it was difficult for me to understand...later I saw photos of me at that time and realized she was right and I should have listened! I did lose weight after that but then again started gaining and never stopped except for a few times of dieting. I realize now it is very stupid not to take care of our bodies! So today I am back on plan so maybe his talking to me about it has helped.

Need to get to work, hope you all have a good day!

Love2garden, my step-son and DIL are wary of hiring a paid babysitter that they don't know, and I don't blame them. Otherwise, they don't have anyone close enough to do it. One time they paid the daughters of the couple they were going out with and that worked out great, but there was no indication that these girls wanted to do this as a regular job. They don't ask often. I'm not crazy about sleep overs because I like to go to bed early and John won't go to bed. DH waits until he fall asleep then carries him to bed. At home, his mother comes in and lays with him until he falls asleep and I'm not going to do that. I feel that he's getting too old to need that, but he wants it so she does it.

I would have a hard time with jury duty because of my chronic cough. I would cough all through the trial and no one would hear what was being said. I've had this cough for about 15 years. I have been to so many doctors and had so many test done but no one can say any one thing is causing the cough. I was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia, but I don't get any other symptoms from it. The DR prescribed a med but my insurance wouldn't cover it and substituted Nexium, which didn't really help the cough. The only time this cough went away was 2 times that I had a gynocological procedure done and the doctor prescribed Darvocet for pain. Something in that pain med stopped the cough temporarily. Now Darvocet is off the market. I've taken several pain meds with all the different surgeries I've had but none of those stopped the cough. There are a lot of places I don't go publically because the cough would annoy people around me, such as to movie theaters. No cough drops or cough medicines help either, even prescriptions. The thing that gets me is when I'm coughing and someone will say "You better see a doctor about that cough!!" If they only knew.

Mary, I don't go for my colonoscopys. I have heard of people whose bowel got nicked as a result of them and they needed a colostomy bag. After going through that once, I don't ever want to go through it again. The last time my doctor suggested a colonoscopy I mentioned having the bowel nicked and he said that's always a possibility, so I told him I wouldn't get it done. He accepted that. If I was having a particular problem I might consider having it done, but not routine. I hope you figure out a way to do it without further injury to your shoulder.

You must have a very small frame. I was probably 103 in 5th grade. LOL When I graduated high school I was 125 and I was neither fat or thin. I have a medium frame. Most of my weight is in my belly.

Mary, I also wanted to tell you that I was told once that you have ground moles because you have grubs. Get rid of the grubs and the moles will leave, as that's what they eat. I think you can get a preparation to put on the lawn to get rid of grubs. DH can ask about it where he buys his lawn and garden supplies.

Just got home from gym and a little grocery shopping. Probably will go back tomorrow to get some treats for the kids but didn't want to buy them too early and be tempted myself. At the gym I only walked 1/2 mile then rode bike for 20 min so got my 30 min of cardio. Also used the hand bike for six min. No weight machines again today though..would really like to get back to them. Dh is usually too tired by the time he walks and uses the elliptical these days. He says he gets the strength building enough working in the yard. While we were out we remembered we planned to go to the county fair on Friday as it is free day and that's the day we babysit so ask our dd to bring them over earlier and we got tickets for the kids too. They will like that.

My weight was back down to 166, so even though it is not a new loss, I was glad to see it. It's only been a two pound loss since signing up for the Food Lovers Online diet but I know it's because of all my cheating. Even yesterday I cheated a little. My bs before bed was good though yet very high this am. Maybe I need to have a 3 am snack like you Glynne!

Carol Sue - I'll tell dh about the grubs. I think I've heard that before but not sure I've told him, probably forgot. Surely your doctor would have picked up on this but some medication can cause a chronic cough. I had to change BP meds for that reason once. My hernia seems to cause me to cough...but it seems to be positional. I can sure understand your not getting your colonoscopies!! I wouldn't either if I'd gone thru all that! I'm still a little leary of the procedure because I know bad things can happen and I also realize that because of my scar tissue, the procedure is more difficult as the doctor mentioned. Several times I've considered saying no, but then I think I'll do it one more time. I've only had it done twice and one more time it was attempted but they failed because of the scar tissue. Only once did I have sedation and then only after I told them it really hurt. I expect this time to be sedated right from the start though. If they do it with something like Versed though..I always think...sure I don't remember the pain, but I went through it.. With my last one I even remember complaining that it hurt bad but I don't remember the pain so I'm sure they gave me more right then. I wish they could give something to just eliminate or at least ease the pain. I don't like the idea of having pain and reacting and yet not being able to remember it. Well not much I can do about it once I'm there...these medical things can sure make one feel vulnerable, can't they.

I used to be at least 5'4"....I think there was a time when I was 5'5" in fact in my late teens. I'd got down to 5'3 1/2" when I started PT for my back and at the end of the PT I was back to 5'4", but I'm starting to wonder if it just depends on who measures me because now the doctor's clinic says I'm barely 5'3! I used to feel so tall esp when I was skinny but have felt short now for several years probably esp because all but one of my kids are so much taller. Dh used to be 5'6" but now sometimes I feel taller than him when I wear shoes and he doesn't. When he wears shoes I think he is slightly taller than me though. My bones are fairly small though and I think this is what the doctor is talking about...I have one dd who has very small bones...mine aren't that small but I have narrow hips and tend to have slender legs. I just wish my torso matched the lower parts better! If I had a waist I'd look so much better! Guess we are never satisfied and I tell myself this is how God made me (minus the extra pounds), so it's good, I just need to lose weight and tone up.

Hope the day is going well for you all..

Mary, I hope all goes well with your colonoscopy. It really sounds scary! I have never heard anyone else speak of pain with it. It must be the scar tissue. I would definately want the sedation.

I have shrunk too, Mary. I always thought I was 5'5" but lately I've been measuring a little over 5'3". DH says he's 6', but he's really more like 5'11." I let him think what he wants to think. LOL He has one other brother who is tall like him and the other 3 are a few inches shorter. His son is not as tall as he is, but his daughter is around 5'7", taller for a female. I take after my mother...short and stocky.

Have you been using your exercise equipment you have at home? If so, maybe you could spend your time at the gym on the weight machines and just do the cardio at home.

CarolSue I'm short, for sure but still measure only 1/2 inch below original teenage height but over 100 pounds heavier. My upper body is much smaller - I buy one size for lower body and smaller for the upper body.
In high school I was about 112 and looking back was a good size. Wish I had been more careful, especially after I retired when I really began gaining more.

I am 77 and after my colonoscopy Dr. A told me to get one in 5 years because 10 years ago he removed some polyps but none this summer. I'm not sure I will go back again.

Mary Understand your concern with your shoulder. Sure hope they are able to help you cushion that area very, very carefully and all is good.

Talk with you all later, Supper is on table thanks to DH.

Went to the gym this am and just did weight machines and the arm bike. Want to keep my arm as healthy and flexible as I can before the colonoscopy. Also got an appt with my primary care doc for an appt to have him check my shoulder...I remember my previous doc thought it was bursitis and suggested a shot. I declined and chose to do PT instead as he said that might help too. I was also already seeing a PT for my back and neck. It is much better but it has been almost 4 years (Dec) and still hurts at times esp if I try to lay on it. I was thinking if this doctor agrees about the shot, perhaps if I get it, it might give me some relief before the procedure and make it easier. Also just realized last night that one of my diabetes meds is about to run out! Apparently it had no refills as it was a new meds and kinda a trial but when asked for a refill from the previous doctor and got no response even though I am pretty sure if I'd stayed his patient he would have refilled it. I just wish someone had informed me. If they emailed me I didn't get it and my old doctor's office didn't call me for sure. But one thing I really like about this new doctor is he responds quickly. I already have picked up my prescription from a local pharmacy so I don't miss a day and another prescription has been sent to the mail order pharmacy (our main pharmacy) for long-term. If I message this clinic about anything I hear back within 24 hrs.

We went to Costco to do our coupon shopping. Only bought a few things. Then to Winco for some groceries and treats for the kids. Since I got home, I lay down for about an hour, then started on my housework. Still need to clean a light fixture and mop kitchen/dining room floor as I interrupted my work to do some online ordering of OTC drugs/supplies...is is a great benefit from our insurance co so I try to remember to order every month.

Sandy - Your active lifestyle has probably helped to prevent some bone loss. My bones improved when I started working out plus took Fosamax for a few years. I still have osteopenia but not osteoporosis. Dh started taking Fosamax in 2010 (after his fracture) and he's about the same as me now.

Carol Sue- I'm thinking to do cardio at the gym on MW&F if I can get there. Otherwise I do it at home. I prefer the gym machines. Then on T & Th I'd like to do weights at the gym. Started that today but don't know if we will be able to continue that schedule or not.

Told dh about the grubs so he is going to look for a product to get rid of them.

Good afternoon GG's,

Haven't been on here for a few days ~ we were gone again.

Got back last evening from another adventure with Maddie. The Six Flags amusement park, partnered with the schools and awarded kids who read (don't know what the goal was) a lot of books during the school year, a free pass to get in to the park for a day. So, we took Maddie ~ Six Flags is in San Antonio ~ about 4 hours away. Did a couple other things while there ~ also Maddie related ~ things that we usually do by where we live, but were going to miss by being away. DH found locations that had the same program (the lego building kit and the $1 family movie). DH keeps us on the run. It is nice for Maddie to get to do so much stuff, but it is exhausting. Don't know how he keeps up. I think he pushes himself.

I think I will be glad when summer is over ~ maybe then I can rest up a little. 16 more days until school starts ~ I feel bad to say ~ but, yippee.

24 more days until I can resume my RA meds. Getting closer. Yippee also. Maybe I will be up posting more often and personals after that. Not feeling much up to it right now.

Hope you all are doing well.

Gayle Maddie will remember this exciting time with you two for a long time. Understandable that school starting will give you a break.

Mary I'd love to go to gym to use the recumbent bikes more than just Wednesdays and Saturdays when I also use the machines for strength. Sure is exhausting. I walk in neighborhood as I did today on the in-between days. Or, if I do lots of gardening I forget the walking.

Carol Sue I agree with you that children should learn to go to sleep without someone beside them, or rocking them, or letting them fall asleep where ever then carry them to bed.

Once we were at neighbors playing cards. Their 2 kids, about 4 and 6 years old were loud, boisterous, constantly trying to craw under the table where our feet were and kicking us, etc.

Finally peace, they fell asleep about 10:00 PM and we adults could talk in peace, except, one was under my feet and I didn't dare move. Finally their dad picked one up put her to bed, then the second. I asked how often did this happen. He said, "Oh, this is the only way they get to sleep."

Ours learned to go to sleep on their own after bathing, a story read to them, and night prayers. Night light was left on and I left, shutting the door. Even as they shared bedroom I expected them to whisper a bit then go to sleep. All four were just fine with this. Noticed when I spent the night with our grandkids while our son and DIL were on business trip, that I followed the same routine and had no problems.

Enjoy this weekend, hope it is cooler for you as it is for us. Sandy

Yesterday was a busy exhausting day. Really enjoyed taking the children to the fair but we were there four hours and by the time we left we were both exhausted and hurting. I think if we'd been there much longer we might not have been able to walk to our car, it was very hard as it was! The kids were tired too and no way could we carry them since we could barely walk ourselves. I think we realized our limits and I would never do that again. It was in the 80s and that contributed to our fatigue too. But we did have fun but we were all glad to get home and into the AC. The kids were really good and went to sleep easily thank goodness after watching a movie. However I hurt all night and didn't sleep well. Dh was also up with the dog twice as son is gone for the weekend. That alone is hard on us at this age. Then there were some other family issues that came up that hit me kinda hard emotionally. Guess in a family our size there is always drama and you love them so much it's hard to go through these things.. So it was a difficult evening. I noticed yesterday too that I was sore from one of the weight machines..that contributed to the pain also and this morning I'm still sore. Need to get back to that machine and work it out. It is my abs and biceps two places that really need work.

I agree with you both about kids...they should be taught to go to sleep by themselves after a little ritual like you describe Sandy. That's the way it was with my children and is with the two we are now babysitting. Some other gc we have though insist on watching a movie in bed, sometimes more than one and don't go to sleep often til the time we go to bed!! This is because the parents have allowed this and it makes it difficult when we babysit. If you want others to be able to babysit your children, you should teach them routines that will make it easier.

We will be babysitting these same gc for a few days later on this month. We haven't taken care of them much for over a year (only once before this time) and this will probably be the last time for a while since they will be in school soon.

Mary Had to smile as you mentioned that with family there is always "Drama". One of my sisters was really great for that. She was 12 when I was born, but she lived with her mother and I lived with our Dad and my mom. Glad we didn't grow up in same household altho I enjoyed her in small doses. She is gone now.

Moving is so hard today, yet nothing really hurts. Just takes so much effort to do anything physical. Worked a bit in the shady garden before sun got so hot. Glad for the 2 five gal. buckets of weeds I pulled in an awkward area behind bush and lots of daylilies.

My dear friend MCM will never come home from nursing home. We talked last night and I heard her desire to simply let go life and go to Our Lord. She is on year 11 of kidney dialysis and her veins just won't let them put "Ports" in to access and clean her blood 3 times a week. So many weeks in the hospital and nursing home has left her so weak she can't stand. She is 80 and the strongest person I know with the will to keep going. I pray for her peace.

Love2garden, I feel sad for your friend. It bothers me that after living such a long life that people can't just go peacefully in their sleep, but instead have many struggles with illnesses along the way. I know that life was never promised to be easy and that it's the life beyond that counts, but it's just sad when some people have to go through so much.

Mary, we used to go to the county fair every year but now walking around in the hot sun is just too hard. We haven't been there in a couple years. I realized that mostly we just go there to eat at the carnival stands. LOL Everything else is just the same thing as last year.

Gayle, I'm glad you will be getting a bit of a break when Maddie goes back to school, and will soon be able to take your meds again. At least you got the shingles shot and don't have to worry about that.

I have to go to Target to get my RX refilled. The pharmacy closes at 5 so I'd better get moving!

This morning was cool and nice as we choose the 8:30 am Mass today. By the time we returned home and took coffee on back shady patio it was already getting so hot. Gardening will wait till in the morning.

Finally have my night time sleep habit moved back into a decent time so that even getting up at 6:30 am wasn't at all bad today.

Love to watch the tall decorative grass flowers bounce in the breeze. I have the red Miscanthus in huge pots with silver/white wave Petunias. Stunning and also give us a bit of privacy when we sit on the front porch. The Japanese forest grass is only about 12-15 feet tall but look like flowing stream as it cascades in the Oval garden out front. In back we have Japanese Silver Grass that has grown above the roof line of neighbor's shed. We put in the grass to block out the sheds that are on that corner for the 4 of us who all meet at that corner, 3 have sheds and we have plants to hide some of those sheds.

County Fair? How my parents loved our State Fair each August. Both grew up on farms and missed that experience when we lived in a small city.
DH and I took our kids once, but it was such a long trip, and as Carol Sue mentioned, the August days were so hot that "once was enough for our kids."

I stayed home from church again today. I rarely miss church unless we are traveling let alone two Sundays in a row but being exhausted from the fair, the lack of sleep and emotional unheaval around me recently has worn me out and I needed just to huddle under the covers and be alone with God and center myself. I feel much better now except I'm still tired.

Halo kept us awake much of the night. We each got up with her but I didn't let her out ..just told her firmly to go back to bed. Well that lasted a few minutes Dh let her out twice and both times she stayed out there a long time. The last time he had to go out looking for her and found her behind the shed. She likes to hunt at night I think. She's a sweet dog in many ways but we need our rest. She sleeps mostly on the love seat and sofa during the day and evening, but I hate to start that at night too and that is where she would head I think if free to roam inside. Its possible if we moved her bed into our room she MIGHT stay in there..but not sure as we don't like to close the door if our son is not home so we can hear the ding ding. So she might go to the living room to sleep as it seems to be her favorite place to be. I don't really want her in our room but since right now it would only be when our son is not home, if I knew she'd settle down there, I MIGHT be willing. The trouble is we really have no where to put her bed in our bedroom right now. I don't want her where we might step on her or fall over her when we get up. I think when our son leaves he may have to give her away. Its too bad as I doubt we'd ever find a better dog, but we didn't care about having a dog before so maybe we won't care again.

Sandy - sad about your friend and yet, going may actually be easier when we come to that point of weakness. I remember my grandma saying she just wanted to go on, she was tired and didn't feel she had any purpose here anymore. She felt this way long before she actually died at 104 so guess God felt differently. Is your friend in much pain? Hope not. Nowadays they can relieve pain pretty well, but I wouldn't want to be "snowed" either at least not as long as I still was able to appreciate having loved ones with me, their voices and touch.

Today for lunch I made chicken adobo in the slow cooker...actually started it last night, then put in the fridge and this am restarted it, cooked it on high so it was ready when dh came home from church along with rice. I went back to bed and when he came home I just poured out a salad blend from a bag, chopped up a tomato to add to it, and lunch was ready!

I downloaded and installed Win 10 and so far I like it. Not really much change for me since I don't use the start menu much anyway...they added it back because some people missed it. If you have 8 or 8.1 you know they eliminated it then. I mostly just navigate from my browser (Chrome) and have my bookmark tool bar set up customized as I like it. Only problem I had for a while was that it couldn't connect to my wi-fi but called Centurylink and they got it set up with a stronger connection and it's fine now. Win 10 seems to move smoother if that makes sense, so fine so far. It's free for a year so you should reserve a copy if you want it.

Enjoy whats left of your Sunday..

Mary, I'm still using Win 7. I am putting off buying a new computer for as long as I can because I don't want to go to 8. Once I get used to one thing I don't like to change, as it takes me so long to learn technical things.

Our dog mostly sleeps in our room, but also wanders the house. He has never liked being on the furniture since we got him. He will occasionally jump up, but then gets right back down again. I think maybe he was not allowed on the furniture in his other home. He got up onto the bed many times when we first got him but we quickly chased him down and now he doesn't try to get up anymore. He sometimes sleeps in a little dog bed next to my side of the bed, sometimes in front of the dresser with his head under the dresser, and sometimes under the bed. But he is much smaller than Halo. I worry about tripping on him if I get up, but it seems that as soon as I get out of bed he jumps up and follows me. He comes into the bathroom with me and just lays on the floor. He also comes in when I'm taking my shower. He looks into the tub as if he wants to jump in but I tell him no. I was thinking that maybe his previous owners gave him his bath in the bathtub.

I wish I had called in my prescription refill instead of going in to wait for it. They didn't have enough pills on hand to give me and I have to go back this afternoon. I have enough left for the rest of the week. I never run myself that close to run out. If I had called it in like I usually do it would just be ready when I went in to get it a day or two later. I'll have to keep that in mind for next time.

Someone else took over Target Pharmacy. It's not owned by Target anymore, so it's probably being run differently as far as being well stocked.