Wow, so much seems to happen around here!
Mel, rest those sore eyes. I'll email you later with something to make you laugh. In large type, of course.
Annie, I agree with the general concensus: you and DD are two gorgeous peas in a pod! Such good news that the prognosis has improved after the last biopsy, she's awfully young to be dealing with so much worry. I had one of the infamous biopsies years ago - it wasn't too painful, but they touched the vagus (?) nerve and I fainted.
I have a vague memory of being half-dragged, half-carried in my little gaping hospital gown across a hallway - in full view of all the ladies waiting for the same procedure. Then coming to with a terrified loooking med student rubbing my legs and wondering what to do with the corpse. By then, of course, the doctor had moved on to his next victim... What was very unpleasant was the laser treatment on the displasia. They had just started using laser for the procedure, and the doctors (all men, of course) felt it could be done with no anesthetic or freezing at all since it 'wasn't painful'.
Happy, good for you, keeping up with the exercise and other life changes! I have a feeling you'll start reaping some impressive benefits soon. I'm with the others on eating real food, except of course for my beloved diet pepsi addiction and one spoonful of splenda in my morning cappucino. If I have any other coffee I use regular sugar. The really tough thing for me is moderation - every time I buy any cookies they're gone the same day.
I bought some off-brand fig newtons this week on the grounds they're full of fibery goodness, only to realize after eating them
all that the number one ingredient was HFCS. So I won't do that again. Well, at least not right away.
I love the mental picture of your DH in his gel cap. What a sweetie to model it for you and give you a good laugh!
Shad, I loved the cat story. They are so silly! My big boy (who you'll remember as an Olympic-level bladder jumper) likes to stalk squirrels when he's outside on the leash. Once he almost caught one, did a terrified back flip, and came running to his mother for help. Now he just watches them, althoug he would like to get his paws on a chipmunk or two.
As for the Olympics, here we get a little more international stuff on tv, mainly because we don't have that many champions of our own. (Hmmm. Maybe next time I should enter the cat...) Anyway, they show all the big impressive guys like Phelps or Bolt. My biggest peeve with Canadian coverage is that they don't clearly distinguish between live and repeat footage, and that they don't have a line on the screen showing which event they're covering. Very confusing, as one bunch of runners looks much like all the others to the uninitiated like me. I don't usually watch that much Olympic stuff, but I've been awake a lot during the night this week, and it sure did help pass the time.
Too bad we can't send you our rain so you could avoid illegal activity!
Madcat, good to see you back. Congrats on the 8 pounds lost!!!
I have big plans to get back to a gym as soon as the doc says I can exercise again. We'll see if I follow thru or wimp out as usual.
I notice there's no chipmunk/sunflower seed photo following this year's trip to the bush. Did you whack the poor little guy, or did you leave the seeds at home?
Anyway, your posts always make me smile. By the way, I'll be working for a few days in TO this December - maybe we can get together for supper again, that was fun last year.
Ruth, sorry about Hershey's illness. What time will you be in town for her appointment on Tuesday? I have an appointment in the afternoon, but if you'll be around in the morning, maybe I could meet you at the clinic with some coffee and muffins or fruit and we could take the doggage for a run at the Arboretum? Just an idea, but I'd love to see you and meet the girls. By the way, I hope Disney has recovered nicely form her close encounter of the pit bull kind. Poor baby.
Michelle, do take care of the back. It's always best to take it easy while you heal, and the more you rest now the sooner you can get back in the gym.
Ceejay, you really do seem to work an awful lot! I'm hoping B will get back to work soon, or, failing that, that they hire someone else to take on his share of the work. Look after yourself!
Shy, I hope you don't let the scale get you down. With your discipline, the weight will fall back off after you get off the meds, and in any case you were due for a plateau after the steady 1lb a week every week march towards ideal weight. As soon as you can walk and run easily, we'll send some ninja turtles over your way to chase you around until you sweat every ounce off.
Once again, I'd like to thank you all for your kind support. I'm doing fine, apart from some tenderness at the navel incision. In fact, apart from the horror of being shipped out while still nauseous, I really think recovery is faster at home. If I ever have day surgery again I think I'll ask whoever's driving me home to wait at least an hour after they get the call before picking me up, which would give me the extra time I need in recovery. Devious, but effective. I'd also like to have someone else to deal with the incision care - I'm a total wuss about things like that, and had to lie down and take a gravol the first time I changed the dressings. Pathetic, I know.
This morning was quite funny - I had a shower, and was washing a little more thoroughly than I had since the surgery, and discovered bits of tape residue on my left boob. I'd like to know what the heck they were doing with my left boob, since the surgery was centre and right side - maybe they had to build a tape sling to hoist the poor old girl out of the way?
The mind boggles...
My eye is still bothering me, but at least it's nothing too serious, so it can wait until I'm back to normal to be seen to again.
And, with that, I have a long to-do list, so it'll be bye until next time.
although tonight I do have the exercise session from the diabetes program. I notice that DH is soaking up the zzzzz's himself. I think I told you about the gel "helmet" he ordered for his headaches. It came yesterday. I said I was going to wear it to work today and just noncholantly walk in and say nothing and get the reaction. Of course I probably would get no reaction as people are too polite to say anything 
DH warmed up helmet last night and put it on as he was getting ready for bed. He came to kiss me goodnight and I was laughing so hard I almost fell on the floor. I couldn't keep a pucker cuz he looked so goofy. Maybe he'll let me take a picture. 
Sorry to hear the back is so hurting that you need one of those shots. But if it works, that's good. 
on refocusing and losing 8 pounds! That's awesome. Spending time in the bush/cabin sounds wonderful. Nothing like nature to get you rested nicely. Hope they sort out the tug of war over you at work soon. 
GREAT NEWS ANNIE!!!
My neighbour came up with a more reasonable explanation for the tape - they probably had heart monitor sensors taped here and there. I liked my explanation better. 
And I agree with you on the shot - much better to let up a bit on the exercise for a short time, get the treatment you need, and then be able to go back full tilt and pain free. When I was still running a lot a eight years ago I decided to "run thru the pain" instead of get immediate treatment for a foot problem. Well, my plantar fascia ruptured halfway thru a half marathon, and I haven't been able to run consistently since. Not to mention being stuck in closed, lace-up orthotic-friendly shoes year-round - a real fashion statement with shorts... Since then I've had a less cavalier attitude to managing bobos! On the positive side, the sensible shoes, a less gung-ho attitude, and opting for alternate types of exercise have made it possible for me to hike and run a little and do most things I really want to do without pain. 
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