Day 2 of eating healthier. I think I am getting back on track dietwise.

Where is everyone?

Hi guys. I'm Summer and almost 31. I have 3 beautiful kids; 2 girls who are almost 9 and almost 3, and a little boy who is 13 months old. This year has been very rough for us. We found out my FIL had Stage 4 lung cancer the same day that we found out our son has Chiari Malformation (google it). Then March 5, we lost my FIL and May 9th, our son had surgery to release some of the excessive fluid on his brain. Since then, he's been doing wonderfully; however, our almost 3 year old (Alaina) may have epilepsy. So as you can see, it's no wonder why I've gained weight. I weighed myself last week and was sitting at 252.4 lbs and now I'm at 247.0 lbs. I've started watching my calorie intake and drinking fruit/veggie smoothies to help off-set the cravings. We'll see how this goes.

Summer (Mama_Angel_2006): to the group! I am so sorry about all that you have gone through! I am happy, though, to hear that your son has done wonderfully since his surgery. It must be scary to know that your little girl might have epilepsy. You are going through so much stress, but you have managed to start losing some weight. That is great! Keep up the good work in the calorie counting/weight loss department!

I am actually familiar with Chiari Malformation because my (now 15-year-old) daughter had it due to hydrocephalus which accompanied her Spina Bifida. We had her lesion closed in utero, and then the Chiari Malformation corrected itself, thank God! Those were scary times, though.

Anyway, I am glad that you posted! Best of luck to you with your weight loss journey! I hope you will find some support here in the group. Also, I will keep little Alaina in my prayers. Hope she's okay!

Trish: Way to go on day 2 of eating healthier!!! Keep up the great work!

Hi, IBelieve...he was 6 months old when we found out. We were hoping to avoid surgery but he started having severe headaches to the point that he'd repeatedly hit his head and tylenol wasn't working anymore. The doctor who did his surgery is an Associate Professor at the hospital near us and she is an amazing woman.

I weighed myself and I am down a little over a pound. My diet was so bad for a couple of weeks and I didn't gain weight. I was eating massive amounts of pizza, wings, cheeseburgers, chips, etc. I don't understand it. Tonight my dinner will be a turkey sammie, greek yogurt, and a banana. I don't usually update my ticker for small amounts of weight but I broke 350, so I am going to.

Trish: Congratulations on breaking through 350!!!

Thanks!! My next goal is to get into the 2s although I should probably have a smaller one.

Hi everyone,

I've had a busy week or two and wasn't able to get on here to post. School is keeping me busy and working out during the week doesn't give me much time to do anything else.

To share some good news with everyone, I weighed in today and was 169.5lbs. We planned to eat at Joe's crab shack today and so I doubt I'll still be at that number tomorrow. I do my best to just weigh once or twice a week and it seems to work for me. I've also been going to the cycling class at my gym nearly ever day monday thru friday. I only missed thurs and fri this past week. One day I just wasn't feeling up to going and friday I had already planned to go to the store and get my hair cut.

The bad news.. today would be my daughters 6 month birthday. It was a hard day for me. We went to mass in the morning then picked up some fresh flowers for her grave. We went to the cemetery and replaced the artificial flowers that have been there since the stone was placed. We got her crazy daisies. They are my favorite because they are these really vibrant blue, pink, green, purple, and orange daisies. Really pretty. They looked wonderful. I'm sad because I just want to hold her and have her here with me.. I know where she is and I'm happy, but I just wish I was the one holding her instead of Jesus... :/

Sabrina (FleurDeLis): Happy 6 month birthday to your sweet Isabelle, who is watching over you from Heaven, I'm sure. Having lost my darling Sean, I know that incredibly painful ache of wanting to just hold them close. It always seems worse on their special days. My heart aches for you. I am sending many BIG HUGS your way. The colorful crazy daisies that you placed on Isabelle's grave sound beautiful. I am so sorry you had a rough day. Keeping you in my prayers. On a brighter note, CONGRATULATIONS on getting down into the 160s!!! That is just awesome!!! You are doing so well to get a lot of exercise in along with work and school. That is great! Keep up the good work!

Trish (lilturtle): It IS helpful to set mini goals on your way to the 200s. I have had the goal of getting to the 100s again for a LONG time now, but the scale will not budge down for me. I have kind of been in "give up" mode with food the past few weeks because of it. I truly feel as though all I can do is GAIN weight. It is so darn frustrating!!! I hate it. It makes me want to give up much of the time, but something in me keeps trying to get back on board, thank God.

Waving HELLO to everyone else and wishing you well! Have a great week everyone!

Hi ladies and welcome Summer to the group. I hope you find it useful on your journey. This weekend hasn't been great at all. I've been so down but today I feel better so I hope this week will be a good one.

My daughter who is 17 has depression also and has been on meds for the past 3 months. I can see she is a bit brighter but we had our first follow up visit with our doctor on Saturday and she says she doesn't feel any improvement. He is giving it another month and then we move onto Plan B but what that is I don't know. I am so worried about her.

Sabrina - congrats on breaking through the 170's. A belated happy birthday to Isabelle, I know that its a tough week coming up to birthdays and things like that. I lost my daughter Grace through miscarriage in 2008, mostly I am okay and then on special days it hits you like a train, its as fresh as it was at the beginning. The gaps between the bad days do increase and you will start to find joy in your life again. Hang on in there.

Fi - I hope you are doing okay today. I'm thinking of you xx

Trish - congrats on your success, its wonderful to hear.

I'm still not feeling very well, still in the midst of a bigtime episode of depression. I have reason to hope that it will come to an end soon, but in the meantime I'm still dealing with a lot of pain.

Not all is downbeat, though. This morning it happened that I tossed my tie-dye skirt on the couch, and immediately the kittens jumped up on it. I grabbed my iPad and started taking photos of what started with them washing themselves apart, then soon became a frenzied bout of tussling combined with mutual washing. They looked like they had a fabulous time, and at the end of it they went to sleep. Obviously most of the pics I snapped were too blurry to use, because of how fast the kittens were moving, but I did manage to find fifteen that had temporarily frozen motion, so I give them to those of you who appreciate my kitten pics. They are absolutely in order of how the events occurred. I hope you find them amusing. They're certainly colorful, I can promise you that.

Here they are:
one--two--three--four--five--six--seven--eight--nine--ten--eleven--twelve--thirteen--fourteen--fifteen

aryastark: Sorry to hear that you have been down and that you are dealing with your daughter's depression, too. I hope that things begin looking UP for both of you soon! Sending you BIG HUGS! Hang in there!!!

Fi: Absolutely LOVE seeing those adorable kittens all curled up together!!! They just look like the best of buddies!!! What great photos with your colorful skirt for a backdrop! I love the one where it looks like one of them is either laughing or screaming! Sorry to hear that you still aren't feeling well. Hope this passes soon and that get to feeling better as quickly as possible!

We went on another college visit with my son, who is a senior, on Monday and my hubby turned 50, too! It is hard to believe that we are truly "middle-agers." Despite the excess weight and all of my aches and pains, I usually feel much younger on the inside....... until I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror! We visited Xavier. Didn't like it as much as the University of Dayton, but he did like the school, especially the cute tour guide! I have to keep reminding him that we are searching for a good school and not for the one that has the "cutest girls!" Anyway, we celebrated my hubby's BIG b-day all weekend and I ate way too much unhealthy food. No exercise either. I feel like a big whale right now, but it is back to the drawing board in the morning with my trainer. YIKES! I hope to get back on plan this week!

Hello friends,


I see some having difficulties and I have not been here for support. I am not been a good friend.

Lots going on here!!! They have diagnosed my condition that is causing my migraines but do not seem to be in any great hurry to help me. arghhhhhhhh It is NOT life threatening and I still have them although they are better.

I think I am losing a little bit of weight, my pants are just a TAD looser around the waist. I haven't been eating as much. No idea what my weight is??? Will find out in the future some time.

Fi, I see you are struggling. I'm so sorry. *hug*

aryastark, hello, it's nice to meet you and I'm sorry you are struggling with depression, as well. *hug*

IBelieveInMe2, I see where you were visiting colleges. My daughter goes to Ashland University, near Mansfield. She is a Senior there.

Sabrina, I am so sorry about your daughter. I really am. I have no words. Just a hug for you.


Trish, congrats on your weight. woooooo hooooo girl, you go!!!!!!!


I will really try to get back in here more often. Twice a month just won't do it.*hugs*

Lisa (ohiofreespirit): No place for feeling guilty in this group, okay?!? I am just glad you checked in here so that we can get an update! Sorry about your migraines and that they don't seem to be in any great hurry to help you. That must be frustrating. Glad to hear they are somewhat better, though. What is causing them? I am curious because I also suffer from migraines. I hope you can get some help soon! HOORAY for LOOSER pants!!! How does your daughter like Ashland? My son seems to want to stay fairly close to home, so maybe that would be another place to visit. Great to hear from you! How is school going?