Good morning-we are down to the 60's with some rain. I went to 2 docs yesterday and I am being treated for diverticulitis.I hope that will cure my stomache problems. Then he gave me some samples of something like Zelnorm but I will wait. Then I went to gyno and I had to have a biopsy on something-no details but it hurt. He says it is common in older women. Now I have to wait for the results before I can get the prescript filled. I am so psyched to go to the beach. And it's supposed to be nice. Hope you feel good Meme. No one wants to be in pain when they are away. I made a ponch for the church fair and I can't put it together. It's made from 2 rectangles. I will have to unstitch what I have done. Well, bye for now. Mima

I just have let you all read this email I just got from my daughter about Jenna ... it's too funny not to share.


I have to tell you a couple of things that Jenna has said recently.

1. Kristy gave me some of Kaylyn's clothes for Jenna and Jenna heard me telling Mark about it. I said that I didn't know how much longer Jenna was going to be able to wear the clothes that Kaylyn has grown out of because she (Jenna) is growing so fast. Mark replied that Kaylyn probably wouldn't be as tall as Jenna and I said that it depended on whose genes Kaylyn got: Jimmy's or Kristy's.
Jenna looked at me and said, "Momma, am I going to be taller than Kaylyn when I grow up?" I said, "Honey, I don't know...it just depends on who Kaylyn takes after. If she takes after her mom, you probably will be taller than her. But if she gets her daddy's genes, she may be tall, too!" Jenna looked at me, thoughtfully, and said, "So, if I get tall, do I get your pants?"

2. Last night, Jenna came home from Bible School at Deloris's church and said she had learned some new songs. She asked me if she could sing me the "Seem Thong." (Translation: "Theme Song.")

Meme- Do you remember an old T V show." Kids say the darnest things?" Art Linkletter was the host.. They will amaze you a few times in your life.. Then they grow up.
Mima- 60's !! We won't see that till after November here. It is in the 90;s alreadt. I worked outside today. I gave myself an hour. I very nearly didn't make the hour. It took a while for me to feel like I wasn't going to die from the heat. My son going to N Y for a couple days. I hope they think to take a jacket.. His s/daughter has a audition for a dance school in Chinatown. Her mother is really nervous about her going there to live.She has never been anywhere but Fl.
Hello everybody...Joanne

I can bet she is nervous. How old is the s/daughter. That is funny meme. Evan is learning to talk-one of his favorite words is pizza. I am feeling a bit better. I bet I had that infection for a while. I bought some Ensure to have for lunch. It's still miserable here and Brad wants to wash the camper. We did a huge shopping last night and also bought a tv for the camper and possibly in the house. We also bought a dvd player because we left ours in FL-that's where we left our other tv. I can't wait to go to the beach!!Maine is so nice , I see how hot it is in FL. Bye for now Mima

Well ... I bought a really pretty short-sleeve dress to wear to my Aunt's church Sunday ... have to sing. Then hubby got on the computer last night and accessed the NC weather and told me I'd better take something with long sleeves and a sweater because it is supposed to be cool in the mountains this weekend. Bummer! Guess I'll have to wear my navy suit. Then I'll probably burn up at the cemetery afterward if the sun is out. Just can't win, huh? It gets cold over there sometimes this time of year. Can't EVER tell about NC ... Maybe I'll take a suit AND the dress and wait until Sunday and see what it's like.

I can't find my old swim suit. I ordered a new one from Penney's but it hasn't come yet. We're staying at the Baymont and they have an indoor pool. I'd like to swim but I only have one suit and it's two sizes too big. I had another suit that I think would probably fit better but I cleaned my whole dresser and walk-in closet out last night and this morning and can't find it. (Well... at least I got those cleaned out, anyway!) Gotta go finish packing. If I don't get back in here hope you all have a good weekend and I'll "see" you all again Mon. night or Tuesday.

Hi everybody,

Just jumping in here. My name is Colleen, I'm 39, married (coming on 3 years), and live in northcentral Wisconsin (since Nov, after living in central Illinois all my life). I have fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and possibly an autoimmune disease. I also weigh 364 lbs (down from 394).

I seem to be on the disease train. I still look younger than my age (fat fills in wrinkles), but I feel like I'm 80. My husband is also a big guy, a few more pounds and I'll weigh less than him, but I think we're about tied right now (not really, since he's 6 or 7 inches taller than I am). He's type II diabetic, and a carb junkie. I can't get him to keep the stuff out of the house, although to his credit his eating habits have improved alot since his diagnosis a couple years ago.

I've slowly been digging myself out of a killer flare. Having a hard time staying on a regular sleep schedule (my husband works nights, so this can sometimes be a challenge). I've also learned that a lower carb diet (whole grain carbs as much as possible) diet, really seems to keep the pain at bay to a point. For the most part, it also seems to help reduce the constant carb hunger. I tried a low carb diet, but that doesn't work at all. I need whole grain carbs or I would have no energy at all.

The weather really beat me down. We've been having alot of storms and I am a human barometor, and have a flare everytime the weather changes. Has anyone else ever had vertigo as a symptom? I had two a bout a couple weeks ago, and thought it was a virus, because I was also congested. Took a hot steamy shower and stayed in bed for two days, and was fine. Yesterday it happened again, and I'm wondering if it is the fibro or something new.

We have all been through the ups and downs of fibro. Cutting out sugar-using Splenda-does help the pain. I like whole grain carbs-they digest more slowly-but you also need to eat protein-low fat-. If you only eat carbs, you are hungry all the time. The South Beach diet is great, Best to you.
Hay meme, have fun, I put myself on a liquid diet for the diverticulosis. Ensure tastes good. I'll do it again today but hope I can eat tomorrow-the 3 party day. It rained again last night. Brad has to do a roof job today so hope it clears. Bring both Meme-you never know. Bye for now-Mima

Mima you're absolutely right. My diet is pretty balanced, lower carb, but not as low as Atkins. More like South Beach or Weight Watcher's Core program. Whole natural foods. I try to eat only one starchy carb (like a potato, some corn, or brown rice) per meal, as much fruit and veggies as I want and 3 - 6 oz of protein, and I try to drink skim milk, but I may have mild lactose intolerance, because I always get an overfull feeling from even one glass.

I need to get back to my water exercise routine. There's a warm water therapy pool in our area that is perfect for arthritis and fibro. There are even wide stairs and wheelchair ramps into the pool. Ooh, maybe I can get my husband to take me tomorrow (I don't drive more than a couple miles on my own, the city is too new, and I get too distracted). My husband is supportive, but he works nights and comes home exhausted, so I do tai chi, and recently bought a yoga tape to do at home. Most days I've been too tired even for that, but the warm water is so soothing, it's a real treat. If there was a whirlpool there too, I'd never leave.

Hi Fibropals.

Sorry to be gone for so long. Hubby has been on holidays this month and we have been in and out - seems like mostly OUT!!!! The weather this month, has been wet and dreary, and boy, the pain has been unrelenting. Haven't had much pain for the past 4 months prior to this. Yesterday, I couldn't find a spot that DIDN'T hurt! Went to the chiro and he sure did help. Today, feels a lot better, but still very stiff.

Enough complaining! Welcome to our group Kaplods. Hope you enjoy it here.

Tammy and Meme - hope you enjoy your vacations.

Mima - I thought Brad retired?? Hope the diet helps you out of some of that trouble your having.

Candice - how are you doing? I am sure you are well on your way to a full recovery by now - unless, of course, you are straining yourself. Now, you wouldn't do that, would you??/

Joanne - So you are going to Florida for your holiday are you I guess a Floridian has nowhere else to go! I will bet you are looking forward to it. Rain, I could sure send you some. Lot's of places in Southern Alberta are flooding, as they have had 12 inches of rain or more! Here, we are having just steady rain. We have been in a drought for the past few years, and the rain is a blessing (just not for people with chronic pain).

I will be gone again until next Wednesday, and then MAYBE I can stay home. Hubby starts back to work on the 27th so eventually I CAN stay home

Hope you all have a good day.

Welcome back Anne. Let's see, Meme is in NC, Tammy is in PA, Hope you are having fun. Stomache is better-I think I had this for a while and was blaming it on IBS. I still took it easy yesterday but ate some. Gotta be good today with all the parties. Rats-good Chinese food and the Sahara restaurant is catering th shower.Kaplods- Wow-the regime of Tai Chi and Yoga are good but take it easy with the Yoga, Fibros can overstretch and get hurt. Tai Chi seems to be great. Tell me why I don't watch my video. Did some packing yesterday-it's not too hard when you can put it away in the camper. Bye for now, Mima-where are you Candice? Hi Joanne.

Thanks Mima, I will be careful. I bought the tape because it looks like gentle "baby step yoga" for older and disabled exercisers. At 364 lbs, I'm not going to be doing any hand stands! (ooooh hooo hooo the thought of that is cracking me up!)

What is the name of it exactly? Sounds good. I went to a Yoga class in FL and the teacher went way too fast and I hurt myself right away. Yesterday I put my cousin's grandson in my lap and I can feel a twinge in my back. hope it goes away. I finally ate something yesterday at the 3 parties but I took it easy.-except for the cream cake. Chinese at noon, Lebanese at 3, and snacks at 7. The baby shower was nice because I could visit with my relatives. The girl got enough outfits for 5 babies-not kidding-but the poncho I made was a hit. I also got to see my neighbors from my former life at the grad party. And my kids were there. Gotta go to church-mine , then Brad's. Happy Father's Day. Mima

Kaplods- I lost a lot of weight with Weight Watchers. They have a good program. I now belong to Tops.. They have a better support group.. I use a modified eating plan of WW and South Beach.. I cut out the white carbs. I have lost 74 lbs.I am on goal. I see you have a lot of weight to lose. You can do it. Good food plan and exercise and the desire to lose will do it..What is the name of the yoga tape you use?
Mima.. Our son took us out to eat at Barnhills.. I ate too much and now I will have to face the scale tomorrow..It is not good to go to those food mills!
Meme- Hope you are having a good trip.
Happy.. Yes ,I am vacationing in Florida. This beach is great! Quiet. No industry,Not even a real grocery store. Just a quick stop market and a few tourist shops.We go there and just watch sunrise,sunsets ,read, swim,fish,walk the beach and just be together. My daughter and her family will go with us..
Hey Candice..Hope you are doing ok..
Bye..Joanne

Mima - It is called yoga mind and body, but I did try it and i have to adapt a lot of the poses, they're out of my range of motion, but I did hear about a "Just my Size Yoga" DVD for plus size exercisers that I have to look for. Maybe I'll check on amazon.com since I'm not sure of the title.

Thanks Joanne. Since my husband works nights and I don't feel safe driving most days, I don't go to any group meetings anymore, but I am trying to stay pretty close to a WW Core type plan. Lesser amounts of refined carbs really help with pain. I'm not eating huge quantities of meat, so I would call it moderate carb, moderate protein. I have been doing pretty well, but today went to a family picknic and ate completely off plan. I think it clashed with my PMS (which usually precipitates at least a mild flare). I'm tired and an emotional mess. I've had to file for disability and got my first rejection letter. Because I have a master's degree in psychology and a certificate in computer programming, it's going to be very hard to prove I can't work. I don't want to believe it myself, but what employer is going to hire someone who misses 2 - 10 days a month depending on the weather, messes up the simplest tasks on mildly bad days, and needs a two hour nap by 1:00 pm. I'm getting pretty depressed which isn't helping anything. Just feeling like a big worthless mess.

The physical symptoms suck, but for me the mental fatigue and brain fog are the worst. I get so absent minded that I can be a danger to myself (and anyone living in our apartment, technically) since I tend to forget when things are on the stove. I used to pride myself on an almost photographic memory, but now I forget conversations that occured five minutes ago. I try to explain this to doctors, but so far none of them seem nearly as concerned as I would have expected. I've burned myself severely several times due to complete absent minded carelessness. Once bumping myself in the chest with a hot bread pan, and once on a hot light bulb (reaching over a bare 60 watt bulb, I got a 3" blister that was in a really bad spot on my forearm). Both took a long time to heal, and were partially a result of my not taking normal precautions, but since everyone can have a brain spaz moment, I don't think anyone takes me seriously, except my husband who has taken to checking the stove, refrigerator, windows, and doors before and after work to make sure I haven't done anything stupid.

I feel like such a worthless lump today! (Just venting, sorry for the bummer)

So sorry about your forgetfullness, Kaplods. I only have that problem because I am older but I can sure identify with needing a nap. Are you taking any meds? Sometimes a muscle relaxer can make you feel like a zombie-I hate them . I take a low dose antidepressant at night to sleep soundly-fibros need a good nights sleep.
We are getting ready to go to Maine this am. Stomache was acting up yesterday but I ate too much too fast-probably dairy. Brad's sister took us out to eat after church because he fixed the air in their camper. And so I ate tapioca pudding with cream. It tasted so good-I haven't been able to eat much so I am craving. Gotta get some energy to get ready now. Mima