Do I win the prize for having the LONGEST posts or WHAT?!

Afternoon Ladies,
I enjoyed my quiet evening at home last night. Now I am really glad that I didn't go. There were 5 softball teams having a pool party. Too many children for me to see on my summer vacation all at one time. :)
Today I am planning on going for a bike ride when everyone gets home again. My stepdd spent the night at her best friend's house and my dh took the boys to his brother's house. I didn't want to go back there after what happened last Saturday with my sister-in-law's drunk brother. I am in too good of a mood today to put up with his crap.
Robyn you are a hoot girl! Your posts make me laugh. Glad to hear that you had a great visit and lunch with your best friend yesterday. I only see my best friend when I go home to visit my family. Her work schedule doesn't provide her a lot of free time to come visit me at times. She has only came to see me twice since I moved out of my parents house 5 years ago. So enjoy all the special times with your best friend. We talk on the phone and computer all the time though.
Mouse how is your health today? I bet the heat doesn't help you either.
Summer are you going to take Robyn up on her idea about giving the triplet's mommy some strecth marks? Sounds to me like Robyn must have done this before. LOL :):)
Chili I hope we didn't scare you off. We are a fun loving group of ladies.
Ginny I hope your get together was a success!
Well I need to go and make some beds. Yeah!! More laundry I had to do today.
Take care,
Kerry

Hi, all. I'm here, and relatively healthy. No throwing up today, though I sure have wanted to! :) We'll see what happens when I add the contraceptives back in, as I start those again tonight. It was interesting last time.
Its not all that hot here, only 83... and I'm inside with the A/C. I'm the dispatcher this weekend, again, but because it was really my turn to do it and I'm not covering, I'm kinda stuck inside all weekend. I have to do 4 papers (3 of them for that silly class!) and laundry, so its not too bad. I also need to change the cat box, and empty the dishwasher. So far, I've been motivated to do none of it, and its 3 p.m. on Saturday. :shrug: It'll get done before Monday morning. But I'd rather go swimming!!!!!
Robyn: Yes, I do know a lot about assistive technology. Its my main concentration for my 2nd masters/doctorate/whotheheckknowswhatitwillbe program.
I heard from my endocrinologist yesterday. Because of the endocrine disorder that caused most of the weight gain (remembering that I wasn't skinny before, but wore a 16-18-20), I have developed this thing that hangs off the front. Its where all the weight went. Apparently its medical term is a 'pannus'. Anyway, once there it won't go away...Its one of the indicators of a serious endocrine imbalance because women don't usually get them. My oh-so-lovely students tell me that it looks like I have two butts. Aren't teenagers, especially emotionally disturbed ones, WONDERFUL??? :devil:
So...my endocrinologist has been pushing me, since January, to find a plastic surgeon to get it removed. Her theory is that having it removed would alleviate some of the out of whack hormones. I produce too much testosterone, insulin, cortisol. The ones I produce too much of are produced mainly by fat cells. So the development of the pannus is kind of a way for the dysfunction to continue, the way a tumor produces its own blood vessels. Having it removed would solve some of the problem, although I'd likely still be on at least some of the medication I take now for the rest of my life.
However, I mentioned a plastic surgeon a few posts back... I found one on my insurance, and met with her. She seemed fairly upfront, answered most of my questions, and didn't push issues like making me undress in front of her right away. She said the surgery was possible, and we could probably get it approved by my insurance. But then I saw what she submitted. The insurance company sent me a copy when they denied the claim. Oh lord... I was :mad:. She said that I have personal hygiene issues, that I smell, that I have rashes under the hanging part of the skin, and that I don't exercise! And then, when I talked to her office about this, they initially denied all of it, then agreed that yes, she had written some of that down... and refused to believe that I exercised! It was awful. I decided that I couldn't, and wouldn't deal with that, and asked for my records. That was 2 weeks ago, and I haven't gotten them yet.
So... My endocrinologist decided that SHE was going to find a plastic surgeon. And she did. In Virginia, where she is...but that isn't so bad... but he's not on my insurance. My mother said she'll pay. Which I don't want her to do, but she won't take no for an answer. She is insistant, because I told her what the endocrinologist said, that having it removed will help. The only reason she can pay for it is because she's retiring this year, her contract was bought out so she'd leave early, and she's getting a lump sum plus her retirement.
I'm scared, though, because what if it turns out the weight gain wasn't from the endocrine disorder, and it really is because I eat too much??? Despite being told by my endocrinologist that the cause was the endocrine dysfunction, I have a really hard time believing it. I keep thinking that if I ate less, and exercised more, I'd lose the weight. Even though I know that isnt happening now despite not eating much and exercising everyday.

:mouse:

Ahhhh, Mousie, what a mean horrible thing for the dr to write on the insurance forms. I can certainly understand why you'd want to find someone else! Where in VA is the other doctor? AND what or why did the insurance company turn down the surgery? Get those medical records back from Dr.Mean. How stressful!

About this AT business.... I really need to pick your brain! Know of any software for math besides MathPad?

Kerry, I, um, don't know what you, um, mean.... I sound, um, as if, um, I've had experience with giving Twiggy stretch, um, marks... WHOOO me???? 5 teams at 1 pool party! You were soooo wise to stay behind! Laundry...my nemisis....Did I spell that correctly??

Summer....Where areeee youuuuu???? Out with Twiggy again?

Ya'll take care,
meee

I'm so glad that people here understand and that my friends understand, because that surgeon's office sure doesn't get it! They really don't understand why I was upset over the clinical summary. I tried to explain it to two different people, her assistants, and got NOWHERE. They did say that she only 'added' the intertrigo (the rash under the skin) as a diagnostic code, but that it wasn't in her notes. They told me she puts that on ALL of the patients she sees with this issue because otherwise the insurance company won't pay for it. She also submitted it as a procedure solely for weight loss. Yes, it will cause weight loss, but its primary purpose was to control the endocrine disorder. However, because of the way she submitted it, especially the part about how I don't exercise, the insurance company denied it saying that they don't pay for weight loss procedures! :mad: And the kicker was that they utterly refused to believe me: I offered to get the records from my gym proving how often I go, and I have eyewitnesses in the form of life-guards and other swimmers who see me there all the time. In fact, I'll probably get asked where I was this weekend because I've become a fixture! I can't swim when I'm dispatcher because I can't have the pager in the pool (though believe me, I considered putting it in the pouch I use for my CD player!!!!). The new plastic surgeon is in Fairfax County, VA. My endocrinologist knows him because he used to practice at the same hospital that she does; but he changed hospitals because the one she is at (according to her) charges quite a lot for surgical procedures. And since he's a plastic surgeon, he has clients who are mostly self-pay. I know the hospital he is at. Its not the one near my old school (THANK GOODNESS!), but I've been over there. I lived in Fairfax County for 2 years; its a pretty decent school district, but my principal there was just as whacko as my principals now. She liked me, and said I was a good teacher; she just didn't want the MR kids in her building, so she refused to let me teach them. I tried to transfer out of the building, but she blocked my transfer (she could do that 'cuz I was the only MR certified teacher, and MR is an area of teacher shortage). And I was half-heartedly looking for jobs elsewhere... so I took the one I have now. I'm looking to leave, too...hopefully in 2006. If I can stand it, I'll let them pay for the 30 credits I need for the second masters/whateverprogram. I'm already committed for the next year, so they'll pay for at least 15 of the credits.

Robyn: send me a private message or email about the assistive tech questions... I need to know how old your son is, why he's using the stuff, what he's currently using, diagnosis, all that jazz. ;) Okay? I do know some software, and have access to people who know a whole lot more than I do who will answer questions if needed!

:mouse:

Well haven't all of you been busy posting away!

Kerry, I plan on using permanent marker on Triplet Twiggy! I have sharpies in every color...I wonder what color I should use...RED!!! We are leaving for Disneyworld on July 21st...11 more days!!!

Mousie, I can't stand how those of us who are overweight are treated with such disrespect. What a horrible plastic surgeon. She doesn't deserve your business. If she doesn't want to go broke, she'd better learn how to treat people with dignity and submit the insurance forms so the insurance companies cover the charges. DUH!!! She only hurt herself in the long run. I think it is great that you will earn money doing something that will be good for your body at the same time!

Robyn, SOUTHERN BELLE...YOU ARE SOOOOO FULL OF IT!!! I haven't been to a store since you added your book to my summer reading list. Before August 23rd, I promise to pick up a copy and inhale it. What is a link? And, how do you embed it? Do I do link the link while I'm in bed? Do the links come in rainbow colors like the plastic links in my math center at school? Don't you dare call yourself dumb when you have me around to compete for 1st place! Go back and do it again. You will find it. Put on your glasses.

Last night I went to a pool party with DD. DH stayed home and slept. The hosts of the party live in a friggin mansion. The front yard was bigger than my entire lot. I have some wealthy friends who are living large, but this family is living in decadence. DD was so flabergasted. She kept sliding down the pool slide for hours and didn't get out until the host started setting off fireworks...and I'm not talking about the amateur ones. These went high in the sky like the famous Grucci fireworks. Amazing. Afterward, I dragged DD home...she was ready to be adopted by them. Since then I have had to emphasize that people matter more than money...that money doesn't buy happiness...you know, the usual. She didn't buy it.

Today, we picked up our documents at AAA. We agreed to buy DD "Pal Mickey," an interactive plush toy who explains everything about Disneyworld. She knows that she can only spend a certain amount of money down there, and now $60 of it is gone. Then DD rode her bike to her school to play on the playground as I walked (jogged) beside her. After she played, we came home and she swam the rest of the day while I read trash. It was a nice, relaxing, enjoyable day.

Take care my friends. And please, someone try to find my new thread and help Robyn find it. Or someone teach me how to link stuff in bed. :?:

I am envious! I want so badly to go to Disneyworld, and haven't made it yet. I just adore Mickey (though I'm not overly fond of Minnie). For years I had either a Classic Mickey watch or an Eeyore watch. But bewteen the kids, my cat, and such I've lost them. Several times. :sigh: My cat thinks that watches are collars. He won't wear his collar AT ALL, so he applies the same philosophy to my watches. He steals them and hides them who-knows-where. I never do find them again. He must bury them in his litterbox! ;) I try not to bring it in the apartment, but sometimes I forget, and then BLAM! The watch is gone by the next morning, no matter where I put it!

And no, frankly, I don't understand why medical professionals feel the need to treat people who are overweight with contempt and cruelty. I don't care WHY a person is overweight, you shouldn't treat people in such a fashion. As for this particular surgeon, and the other doctor at Hopkins that I reported... Let's just say that when your hospital has the reputation that Hopkins does, she's not going to go broke anytime soon. There is no need for her to change her attitude or outlook, because she will get people just because of the hospital she is affiliated with.
I mean, really: I work for them, and people are continuously awed that I do. People are continuously awed (at least outside of the greater Baltimore area) that my master's degree is from Hopkins and that I'm working on another one from there. I admit to some of that awe myself, and it did help me sell my house quickly (I told people that I'd been offered a job working for Hopkins Medical and couldn't turn it down, so PUHLEEESE buy my house quickly!!!). And yes, they do perform incredible things for many people. I can't condemn an entire hospital system based on the attitudes of 5 people (2 doctors, 2 assistants, and one nurse practioner). But I also don't have to choose to be treated there.
I'm noticing that many of my current physicians have privileges at another hospital in the area; coincidentally, the same one that runs the gym I belong to. These people don't treat me like I have leprosy, and for the most part accept the fact that my being overweight to the extent that I am now was not caused by a lifestyle choice I made. It is certainly worse because it took me so long to seek medical help, due to the way I'd been treated in the past, but that is not the issue.
Its hard to deal with, and in some cases, I know that if I were petite and skinny, I'd get better care. I've often wondered if the risks associated with being obese are solely from being overweight or if the lack of professional medical care and kindness by medical professionals doesn't play a role as well. Certainly it is like pulling teeth from a chicken to get me to go to a doctor. I threw up and was nauseated for 6 weeks before I finally told my primary care doctor and my endocrinologist!
:mouse:

Morning All,
Mousie I am so sorry for the way you have been treated lately. That is not right. It ticks me off how medical professionals will make assumpations about why someone is overweight and that they are just lazy. When for most people who are overweight have a serious medical condition that cause the weight gain. Sometimes I think medical people are plain dumb. I think that is one of the reasons it took me over 6 years before I went to find a regular family doctor for myself. The one I have now is really great. He gets all the facts from you before he makes a decision. Keep your chin up, you know in your heart and mind what you do on a daily basis. You probably excerise more than that doctor does anyway! :) :)
Here is the latest with my dh's leg. He reinjuried the sprained muscle and now thinks he might have torn it. He can hardly walk on that leg. He did this yesterday evening and refused to go to the hospital last night. He told me that he would go today. Then right before I went to bed last night, he said that he will go first thing on Monday morning. I told he if he injuries it more, I am not going to feel sorry for him. Looks like my summer is down the drain if he did tear the muscle, because I will have to be taking care of him and his kids needs. I will keep you updated.
Summer sounds like you went to a better pool party than the one my family went to at the city pool. LOL I am glad that you are teaching your dd that money isn't everything. It amazes me how people think sometimes that money can buy anything, especially love. I would rather be dirt poor than have tons of money! So the countdown is on for your vacation, huh?
Robyn did you make your ds turn down his music yesterday. Did you atleast wait until your favorite song was over? :)
It rained here yesterday afternoon, so I didn't get my walk or bike ride in. So I am going to try to excerise today. I felt like crap yesterday. Wait I did get a workout in yesterday. It was called we watched one of my favorite movies on DVD last night, 8 seconds. Everytime it would get to a good part,either one of the kids or my dh needed something and I went to fetch it for them. LOL :):):):)
I think I best go and finish getting the children ready for church. They are going with their grandma to her church this morning. Then after they leave,I will be able to get ready to go to my church.
Talk to you all later. Have a wonderful day!
Take care,
Kerry

Mousie, I know what it is like to avoid getting medical care because of a doctor's bad attitude. Where I live, an hour outside Manhattan, the common saying is, "You can never be too rich or too thin." Many people's value systems are totally screwed up. I've seen a lot of anorexia and bullimia. The pressure to be PERFECT is HUGE. I haven't been to see my primary care physician in almost two years, because I am tired of him lecturing me about my weight. The last time I saw him, I had lost some weight, but because I wasn't at my goal, I had to listen to him talk me to death about BMI, diabetes, and the evils of carbs. He, of course, has a PERFECT physique. His father, who was also a doctor, smoked, drank, and was obese. He died too young, so my doctor is SUPER PARANOID about weight. I understand his concern, but if he would only acknowledge my progress and give me positive reinforcement rather than condemnation, I would see him more regularly and in turn receive better medical care than I am at the walk-in clinic I go to instead. At the walk-in, they don't lecture me...then again, they don't really care about me either. The most recent doctor I've been avoiding...but because he prescribes my Nexium, I can't avoid him for long...is my gastroenterologist. He's a real prize too. He is friendly with my primary care doctor. He blamed my gallstones on obesity. Well, let me tell you something. After doing extensive research, obesity is only a small piece to the puzzle. These are some factors leading to gallstones: Being female, late 30's-40's, drinking cola, having an overabundance of estrogen, being pregnant. There are more, but all of these apply to me. I used to drink diet coke a couple of times a day. I did In Vitro Fertilization to have my DD. I had more hormones (including estrogen) injected into my body than you've ever seen for over 3 years. I gained about 30 pounds before the pregnancy as a result of the hormones and stress eating and 30 more during the pregnancy. My gallbladder was removed when my DD was 18 months old. So, yes, I was/am obese. But, I also had all those other risk factors contributing to my problem. My gastroenterologist only acknowledged the obesity as the cause. AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! He, like my primary care doctor lectures me till he is blue in the face and hasn't acknowledged the 30 pounds I have lost since the surgery. All he sees is what I have left to lose. I was due to see him in April. I have since cancelled and rescheduled my appointment twice to avoid the lecture. I have lost 12 pounds since I last saw him, but since it has been over a year, he will expect a larger weight loss, so I know he will give me the same old routine. I have to see him in August...no more putting it off, I need my meds or I am in agony. So, Mousie, I can really relate to you and how you feel. You are not alone girl. Not ever.

Kerry, did your DH reinjure himself just to ruin your summer? Only kidding. I am so sorry that you have to work so hard taking care of those yahoos when you deserve some TLC yourself. Please try to carve out some Kerry time. If your DH wants to know why you need time for yourself, just tell him that if you don't take care of yourself, you won't be able to take care of the family. If he doesn't understand, do what you need to do anyway. I've started just demanding what I need and taking it. If I wait around for DH to give a sh*t, I will be out of luck. We girls need to watch out for each other.

Robyn, where are you? Are you lost in cyberspace looking for my thread? Tee hee hee!!! :rofl:

Today is bill paying day, clean up day, laundry day, grocery shopping day, etc. I have a full week of playdates for the next six days straight, so this is the only chance to do what I need to do.

Have a wonderful summer day!!!

Its nice to hear that I'm not the only one that has issues with the medical profession. I think it really, really upsets one of my closest friends to hear me tell her about the various issues I've had with doctors because she is the one person who KNEW that I didn't gain the weight because of overeating. She pushed me for years to go to a doctor to get some help with the issue, giving me articles on PCOS and everything. But she felt like her hands were tied because she didn't know what to do when the doctors were so nasty. Ultimately, I think that is why she wants me to move back down to Fairfax County: my endocrinologist is there, and the primary care doctor that shoved me down the path to find my endocrinologist is there too. Although, I have to admit that my new primary care doctor is pretty good (I'm not entirely sure she believed the story, but she now has the records from my endocrinologist so she knows that there is SOMETHING there!), and she referred me to a fantastic gastroenterologist. That woman is good. I like her, so far. She's very direct, and she's got one heck of a mouth on her. She is the only doctor (other than my endocrinologist) who took the whole story at face value, looked at the blood results (I now get copies of everything from various doctors and organize it in a notebook. I'm tired of answering the same questions over and over again!), and said, "Wow. You're really :censored: up, aren't you?" She saw how much weight I'd gained and said she would have lost it... and I told her the truth, I did. I was a nasty, nasty person for those few years. And very angry and unhappy at just about everybody.
The gastroenterologist at least doesn't think my gallbladder issues are caused by the overweight: she thinks its caused because when they got the medication right, I started dropping weight. Rather quickly. Since October, which was about the time I started on the sprionolactone in earnest, I've lost almost 65 pounds. I don't think that's quick since I put on 180 in 2 years! I expected to lose more weight faster, because I go to the gym so often and am so finicky about what I'll eat most of the time. I admit that I've lost more of the weight since April when I started getting sick, but I'm not entirely sure that is from being sick: It might be from all the swimming I've been doing too. And I plan to attend weight-lifting in there, because I'm due to be released from PT and hopefully from the orthopedist the end of this month.
And Summer: I totally understand about hormones not working, because none of mine do. I just wish we could make the medical community understand that not everybody is overweight because they sit around stuffing their faces with junk food. Some, probably many, are. A friend of mine says that there are very few people who are overweight because of a primary medical condition, and I think he's probably correct. But there are people who aren't in that boat. And giving those of us who watch what we eat, exercise like mad (how many people do you know that REALLY HONESTLY do at least 60 minutes of vigorous exercise 5 days a week? And if swimming a mile isn't vigorous exercise, I don't know what is!), and still never lose weight. Doesn't that count for something?

:mouse:

I JUST POSTED A REPLY AND IT GOT LOST IN CYBERSPACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE WHEN THAT HAPPENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

Mousie, I totally get it.

I don't remember what I posted, so now that I am all crabby from losing my post, I shall ***** and moan. :mad: I think I might be going into Perimenopause. :o I think I just had a hot flash! :o I was on the phone in my cool kitchen when I suddenly began to sweat like crazy...it was dripping down my body...dripping down my right leg like I was peeing on myself only it was sweat! :o When I hung up the phone, I ran into the living room and turned on the A/C. My DH looked at me like I was nuts :?: since it wasn't hot, and yet, I was sweating like a pig. :o I still get my period regularly, and I totally know when I am ovulating. Yet, my PMS has gotten a little more intense with some panicky feelings (not panic attacks) and some anxiety creeping on me especially when I drive.

I don't need this crap. :mad:

Ohhh, Summer....that sounds horrible...and yet very familiar! When I had my hysterectomy, they warned me that "messing in there" would cause me to have some
symptoms of menopause. I had sweats like that for about 2 months. Thought I was loosing my mind! Also, my dear friend at school went thru the change and got EXACTLY like you described...in less than 3 seconds! From dry and fine to freaky and literally dripping with sweat in less than 3! It was horrible!

Just what you need something else to have to deal with! Arghhh!

the children are interrupting me......I'll be back!
meeee

Afternoon Ladies:
I was going to check back in with you all yesterday afternoon or evening. But everytime I went to go on-line, either we were leaving to go visit his family or my dh was on the computer. So I said fine, have at it. Then when he said it's yours I was really for bed and went to bed. I was tired after taking care of him and a sick kiddo all weekend long.
His leg seemed fine yesterday after he got up. He has finally decided that he needs to rest and let it heal some more before he plays ball or plays any games outside with the kids. He told me that on Friday night when he went to the pool with the kids for their lessons that there were no more chairs. So instead of asking in the office for one, he stood on his leg for an hour or so. So I think he put to much pressure on it on Friday night and then Saturday he was walking around the house and took a few wrong steps and he went down in pain like a load of bricks. I don't think he liked it too well when I had to help pick him up off the floor. Once he was back to a standing position, he informed me he could hobble over to the couch. But I was proud of myself, since I had to pick him up off the floor. I guess my workouts at Curves are finally paying off. LOL.
I have been making time for myself though. Even if it is, getting up before everyone else is up and just reading a trashy novel for a few chapters.
I hate to see what the scales say tomorrow night at TOPS. I was doing really good about watching my carb intake and measuring out my food portions. Then yesterday, after church, they had a surprise 80th birthday party for one of the members. They had ham spread sandwhiches, chips, punch and cake. So I ate a small handful of chips, two little sandwhiches and a little piece of cake. Then I came home and didn't eat anything until dinner last night. Then after dinner we went over to my sister-in-law's for her birthday. She had homemade carrot cake and so I couldn't pass it up and had a piece of that. Then I came home and just had the munchies all night long. I had some grapes, a few handfuls of chips and then some celery sticks with carb free ranch dressing. I just felt like a pig yesterday. But I got up this morning and measured out my cereal, milk and grapefruit juice. So hopefully it was only a one day off the band wagon type deal.
Sorry to hear about your hot flashes, Summer. I can sort of sympathize with you. When my grandpa was a live, he had his wood stove going all year run. It was bloody hot in his house. We use to dress in layers in the fall and winter when we went to see him. We would start shedding our coats, sweatshirts on the back porch and then just wear short sleeves in the house. My grandpa would say aren't y'all cold. I was freezing so I put some more wood on the stove. It was an hourly thing for him to put more wood on the fire. I guess he just wanted to prepare us girls for what menopause feels like. :) :)
Mouse, I hope things go well for you at school today. Don't let those other people get to you. You do what you need to do to teach your student's the skills they need. They will look back on it in a few years and remember how you went the extra mile for them.
Robyn, is today you started back on WW's? Good luck! You can do it! I have faith in you.
Well ladies, I guess I should stop being a lazy bum and go get my shower for the day. I have been back from the gym for about 1 1/2 hour now. I usually hop in the shower as soon as I get home. So I am a little sticky and stinky right now. Maybe that is why everyone is not bugging me right now. :) :) LOL.
Have a great day ladies!
Take care,
Kerry

Hi!
Sorry for being MIA for a few days.......getting ready for the invasion of my house by 8 14/15 year old boys and surviving the aftermath was something.
I did this as Dh was off at a softball tournament all weekend.....and I mean all weekend, came home only to sleep and have breakfast. Ds is going nuts- and needed something for him- so we did this get together. Most of them slept over too. I must say, they are a great bunch of kids...well behaved, polite, no bad stuff at all- just normal teenaged boy stupid humor. Ok it was a lot work and I hardly slept ( they got even less than me!) but it was fun, and I am glad we had them over. But my eating has been all messed up.....oh, do I really have to face the scale at WW this week??????
I have a lot to do online and little time, so I'll say hi and be short.......

Welcome Chilli! These ladies have been gracious enough to have me here ( I just started at this thread a short while ago).... and I am sure you will fit right in!!

Robyn-don't you hate that when people lurk and read a post but never post themselves? (they have nothing better to do?). If I missed your answers forgive me.......but yes I do attend meetings. They are the only reason I stay honest......and can lose, the threat of facing that scale. I get LOTS of info from them. Ask away if you have any questions, and I can get answers for you. How is it going?

Summer- gee the hot flashes......sound awful. I guess that stuff can happen anytime from 35 on.......I know my body hit major changes at or around 35 and I probably went into a perimenopausal state then. Never done much reading on it though.....they say that there are some herbal preparations (black cohosh???sp) that can help. Hugs to you....hang in there.

Kerry- well, it is 2 hours later than you and I did not shower yet either!!!! (at noon I was doing my WW tape). Good for you, you strong lady. And no matter what the scale says at TOPS- just regroup and have a great week. No sense beating up yourself with a bad day or so......look foward and make better choices in the future. You are doing fine!!!!!!

Mousie- gee.....you have had some major health issues......sorry that the medical community has been so out of touch with you. It must be so frustrating. But it does sound as though you are getting back on track.....and your game plan is a good one.

Gotta go......2 very insistent 8 year olds are waiting for me to play badmitton with them......sorry if I missed anyone.
Ginny

Nice to hear from you Ginny. A group of boys well into puberty sleeping over for the weekend...You are a better woman than me!!! :coffee: I guess God knew that I more suited to be a Mommy to a girl when He gave me DD. I am experienced with girl sleepovers (since I used to frequent them), but teenage boys...eek! You are a brave one! I'm sure it helps that they were good boys.

Kerry, if you look at the foods you "pigged out" on, you didn't do badly at all. Heck, you could have eaten much more fattening and unhealthy food. Don't beat yourself up!

Yes, Rob, :o HOT FLASH :o !!! It hasn't happened again since. I suppose I should just get used to the idea that they will be occurring over the next several years. I can't change the aging process...and I'm not quite ready for the alternative!

I'm in a better frame of mind today. I rode my bike for 30 minutes and cleaned my entire house for about two hours. We had a short playdate this afternoon. I hate short ones...anything less than 3 hours. I enjoy chatting with other moms, and DD gets very involved playing. So, when our guests arrive 30 minutes late and leave 2 hours later, it seems like DD and I are getting jipped. :( The other thing that was weird was the mom made it clear that she was coming over after lunch. She didn't tell me that any of them are on a special diet (which I would have accomodated). I don't really know the reason. So, as someone who is BIG on hospitality, I feel like she didn't get the whole experience of a playdate at my home. I did get to give the girls chocolate frozen yogurt in Oreo cones with sprinkles! Well, even if it was short, it was nice. Tomorrow we will be going back to the family cottage to visit my cousin Mo. Her side the family is all morbidly obese. Her DS had weight reduction surgery 15 years ago, living with diarrhea and eating only a liquid diet for a looooong time. She is back to being obese. Her other DS has diabetes and so many other health problems including being wheel chair bound. They are such wonderful people, but are all on disability and miss out on so much of the joy of living. I love to visit them because they are very funny and bring back wonderful childhood memories. It is raining now, and is supposed to continue tomorrow. Yuck! A day at a beautiful beach house in the rain. :p

DH is putting in 5 hours a day at work and is trying to rest more. He doesn't have an infection though!!! Boy is that lab lucky! ;) He still has a lot of diarrhea...and it appears that is how it is gonna be for a while. I guess we will be familiar with every single bathroom in Disneyworld!!!

Hi Ladies,
Glad to hear that everyone is having a great start to the week. It was a hot and muggy day here in Ohio. It was too hot to be outside for long. So now that it is getting evening time, I hope we can enjoy the weather outside some. I am praying it cools off so I can either take the kids for a bike ride or a walk.
Ginny glad to hear that you had a nice weekend with the boys. My DH's two nieces are in from Kansas for a month long visit. The kids have been begging us to let the girls spend the night at our house. We are still refusing, because the one is an 8 year old hellion. She thinks she can do anything because her mommy and daddy are divorced. She has been allowed for to long to get away with murder. I told my DH that I would not put up with that in our house. He agreed. We were able to get by with it lately because of his leg. Plus the fact the kids have their art lessons and the summer reading program to go to this week. So I hope we can stall them some more without telling them the real reason we don't want them over. I told my DH he really would be testing my nerves and my patience if he allowed them to spend the night this month. LOL So how was the softball tournments?
Summer sorry to hear that you went to all that work for a playdate and it didn't go as you had planned. I would feel awful if I told someone I would be at their house at a certain time and showed up late. I can't stand being late to anything. Sometimes knowing were all the bathrooms are in Disneyworld isn't a bad thing. LOL I hate going to theme parks and drinking tons of iced tea and water only to have to walk what seems like forever to find a potty. I hope his diarrhea clears up before you go to Fla. though. Have a great time at the beach house tomorrow!
Robyn did you say that you like Debbie Macomber books? I just read one by her called Navy Blues. It was a fast easy read at only 298 pages. It was about a lady who tricked her ex-husband into getting her pregant and the problems they encounter getting back together. I am like you picking out the really long books at the library. The last two books I picked out were each 400 pages long. So did you pick out a shorter book at the library?
Mouse I hope you were able to get through the day without being sick. When do you go for your test, is it this week sometime?
Well ladies, my one stepds invited his aunt and cousins over for a visit tonight. I was not too happy, since our house is sort of a wreck and my sinsus' are killing me. So I am going to be in a really good mood to visit with a sinsus headache. Wish me luck that I don't kill anyone. LOL
Take care,
Kerry

Dh has me back here to check the softball tournament results......they played 3 games on Saturday and 4 on Sunday......had they not been eliminated they would have played 6 games to win it all....any wonder why I dislike those tournaments so much????? Think I would rather have root canal....anyway the server for the tournament was down. I'll have to check later.

Kerry- don't you hate it dealing with someone elses spoiled monsters??? (does this have anything to do with the fact that we deal with them all the time anyway???). But how sad- all too frequently, children are being spoiled with stuff.....lack of parental guidance. You see it all the time. And who would want to wreck a week in the middle of summer with that! What kind of books do you like to read?

Summer-when are you going to Disneyworld?????? Enjoy the trip! Too bad that the play date did not work out for you. SOunded as though they just got there and it was time to leave. I like the longer playdates too, the visit is nicer for us moms and it gives the kids time to really engage in some creative play. Glad that you were free from hot flashes today.....not something I am looking foward to either.

Did some stress eating today......but if I behave myself I can finish within points. Got the WW tape in (have not done that in almost a month, but I have been walking instead). I am a bit sore, but it felt good.
I rented Cold Mountain for tonight- is it any good??? (I have no life when school is in session- so I have to rent everything. Come to think of it.......I have no life when school is not in session either......... :lol: ).
Gotta go. Have a great nite.
Ginny

Ginny, we are leaving for Disneyworld in nine days!!! We are going from 7/21-7/28. Not knowing if DH had another infection was rather nerve racking, since it would have meant follow-up surgery and him not going with us. That would have been awful. But, God is good. So, we will have our first trip to Disneyworld together as a family just as we intended.

Kerry, don't be surprised if I return from Disney with a map of all the bathrooms in the park!

I am sitting on the most stubborn plateau right now, and I'm so pissed off about it. I am so close to a binge...I am holding on by a thread.

NINE MORE DAYS TILL OUR VIRGIN EXPLORATION OF DISNEYWORLD...

I know there is absolutely no way I'm going to hit everybody. I had class tonight, and so just got home at 10:30 pm. Only one more night of this, and that is IT. I'm finished with grad school for the summer.

I totally understand hellions... My cousin was one growing up,and I loved hanging out with her when I was little, but now I understand why my mom was more 'iffy'.
What else? Glad the leg is getting better from the husband, and I STILL want to go to Disney! Two people in one grad class are going... I keep asking if I can hide in luggage!
I haven't been too sick today, but I also haven't eaten much. I'm eating dinner now which I know is a cardinal sin, but I figure missing grad classes and failing is WORSE. Plain salmon, romaine lettuce, plain potato and plain broccoli. All pretty safe foods, I think! We'll see in about an hour! :)
Yesterday, I did some weights because I couldn't go to the pool...
My appointment for the endoscopy is next Monday; I like the GI doctor who is oging to do it. She's very respectful and straight-up. She's also a member of my gym, so she between seeing me swim and getting my blood results from my endocrinologist, she totally believes the whole medical saga! My endocrinologist also called on Friday to tell me she found a surgeon who might do the other surgery... I think I explained this in another post in this thread... Anyway, I talked to his office today, and one of the things I always judge is how nice the staff/nurses are on the phone. This lady was very nice, and quick to set up a Friday appointment when I told her I'm off Fridays during the summer... very accommodating to me. So, we'll see how that goes... That is on the 23.

:mouse:

Good morning!!!


Summer- how wonderful that you are getting to Disneyworld!!!!!! (don't tell my Dd, the 8 yr old- that is where she wanted to go for vacation this summer). My BIL moved to Fla about 5 years ago.....so we were there 2 years ago to visit him and spend some time with Mickey. See if you can get your hands on a Birnbaums Guide to Walt Disney World. It has some great tips for how to avoid crowds.....what parks are busiest when etc... Not that that their strategies always work, but it can be helpful. Also for the kids there is a Birnbaums's (our library had a copy) and it was neat for the kids to get an advance heads up on some of the attractions. Take me with you please!!!!!! I live in southern NYS......you could pick me up enroute along Rt 95...........just leave me off in Epcot somewhere so I can dream I was in all of those countries. Hope you survived the urge to binge! I know it is tough to break out of. WW suggests that you find something else to totally break the mood....try to find out why you are upset (guess that is because the scale did not budge). Go for a "non scale victory" , how much better you feel or how much better your clothes are fitting.....or even that you got your workouts in. Plateauing is normal....and so darned frustrating!!!! Hang in there.....you will break out of this.

Mousie- congrats on getting to the last day of grad summer school!!!!!! Bet that must feel good! How much time off does this give you? How did dinner end up- hopefully it did not throw your system off much. (I have irritable bowel syndrome, so I too have issues with food messing me up). Good for you getting some weights in....... Sounds as though your medical team is a good one. That must make you feel better already.

Opps.....gotta go wake up Mr Sunshine.......(Ds- who is a grump in the am) for work.
(He helps landscape). I'll be back in a wee bit!!!
Ginny

Hey there hi there ho there gang! All this talk of Disney makes me just plain ole grin as I remember our trip to Florida (and Disney) in December! That place is something else! What a wonderful time you are in for, Summer! AND there are worse things that you could be looking for than bathrooms! LOL I'm with Ginny.... you MUST plan your attack and bathroom stops prior to going! Have you done the actual park planning yet? My dh laughed at me, shook his head at me, and even threw his hands in the air at me PRIOR to us going....BUT I had researched stuff....and KNEW and while the parks were not crowded at all like they are right now, dh had to admit that my research and plan was useful! LOL hehehhee I highly recommend something along the lines of the books written by Bob Sehlinger called the "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World" or even better visit (and pay for...) TourGuideMike dot com's schedule and list and READ all of the stuff about going left instead of right cause everyone else goes right! LOL
I used Tour Guide Mike's tips as well as all the info from the "unofficial" book and had a wonderful trip! Anyway...Enough about that! Both were WELL WORTH THE $$! If you get a guide book...go buy the NEWEST one! The times and stuff will be accurate and well worth the cash 2! :)

Kerry, love the discussion of little evil monsters! We've got a few in our extended family and what a JOY it is to be around these little boogers! NOT! Actually our family has spent less than 3 hours around our nephew who is perfectly placed between our dss but whose behavior is sooooo horrible that we can NOT tolerate being around the Prince! We take a LOT of grief from my dh's parents who don't understand..... OH WELL! Glad that you could pick your dh up off the floor. Mine would have had to crawl to the couch or a chair to pull himself up! LOL Weights or not, I"m not superwoman! I've never read any books by the author you mentioned. Yesterday at the library I checked out a bunch of books...that were non fiction.... Dave Berry essays, a book written by Patricia something or the other...the actress who plays Ray's wife on Everybody loves Raymond.... other stuff.... I did get a fiction book, but I can't recall what it is...haven't started it yet! So far, the actresses book is funny....written like she is talking to you....just cutting up and stuff! LOVE IT!

Ginny, I am doing the old points plan..... don't know why I stick with the old plan except that it worked....My mom did buy the newest "At Home" kit..... I should REALLY mess with it and see what I can learn and do! WW works for me! That and good old exercise.... together they will melt your mass right off your bones! I've never gone to a meeting due to money and time..... I bet I'd get a LOT out of it! I've got the exercise dvd....it is a tough cookie! Sometimes I use it...most often I'm working out with The Firm tapes/dvd. I hate the old firms...but LOVE the newer ones! :) babble babble...sorry! LOL I'm glad that you are here to tell me that 12 year old boys grow up! LOL Our oldest is a good kid...but mannnnn, some of the changes in him are sorta mind boggling....1 minute he is off riding a mini bike the next minute he is sitting in the floor playing with his brother's Lord of the Rings figures! He can't decide if he is a kid or a teenager.... AND the dag on aggressive girls that call here are scary! He doesn't talk to 1/2 of them! But geesh!

Summer.... You MUST change the type of exercises that you are doing! Did you add any weights? I know that your knee can't take too much....but add upper body and weights! Two cans of veggies work...just make sure your dd isn't standing too close when momma starts slinging the peas around! Also.... eat at the top of your points. Eat at the maximum do that for 3 days and then go down to the minimum for 1 and then up for 2 and then minimum for 2. Alternate your point intake to keep shaking your metabolism up. ALSO, don't eat the same food intake for days and days....like everyday don't eat the same breakfast, lunch and dinner.... Your body freaks out or something and gets stuck.... I'm NOT a doctor or WW specialist....I just play one while on the Message Boards here at 3FC! I'm all set for a famine! I bet I'd be the last person left alive..... my metabolism is that of a sloth! Then again.... don't do anythign that could hurt your body 9 days from Florida!

Mousie, how did the food sit? Grad school over?! Hip Hurray! NOW what are you going to fill your time with? (that is a joke....I know that you have more than enough to do!) Eating so late is hard on a healthy body! Hope you managed ok! Did you hear back from the Evil Dr's office? You need to make another call and get ALL of your stuff out of there...... I also tend to judge drs offices by their phone folks and the way they "handle" me. I called a new dr yesterday to make an appointment for a check up and DEAR MEEEEEE....I'm sort of afraid! I was offered an appointment on August # at 10:45. When I remarked that I was having some dental surgery the day before that and was there any other date available, she clicked around on the computer a bit.....and then said...nope and your appointment will be August # at 1:45. To which I commented, "What about 10:45?" she clicked a bit...and said "Oh that appointment was taken while I looked at the other week"....so I said, fine...August # at 1:45. to which she clicked some more and said... Sept.# at 10:15. WHAT THE H#@$? I said, "No, Sept doesn't work for me. What happened to 1:45 on August #?" She said "Oh it got filled while I looked at 10:45." I said, "I will call back in a little while and make an appointment for the End of December (You know...christmas break!)"....To which she clicked some more and said ..."Ok...August # at 10:45." #$%#)@*#$& Considering that this was the 3rd person I'd talked to during this phone call...... AND I have a very hard time believing that there were THAT many people calling and asking for appointments at the VERY SAME TIME I was??!!! I'm a bit concerned about this office! The only good thing....The office that I had to call is NOT the office that I am actually going to be seen in...(Don't you HATE that?!) I'm very hopeful that the local office will have a brain. I'm changing drs because I want to get out of a giagantic practice that makes me feel like a very unimportant #. However, I'm not too sure that the one I selected is the answer! I love the dr that is at the new one. I've been to him before when he was with the Gigantic practice and left due to not wanting to work for some giant organization..... My favorite "issue" was the billing that I got from the Gigantic practice that I had to literally FIGHT over.... several years ago, they sent my papsmear out to the wrong lab. And tried to bill me for it! I ended up having to talk directly to the doctor and ask him and I quote, "What was I supposed to do with the Q tip? Drive it over myself? I wasn't given that option... Next time, I will do that tho. I'm not paying this outrageous charge because my QTip was put in the wrong baggie in your office." His response was, "You're right. And nope, you don't need to drive your own papsmear to the lab." HE fixed in less than 3 minutes what I couldn't argue the office chicks down on for months. I'm ready for a change!

WELL.....enough words of wisdom...choke, choke....from me for now! I'm off to get my hair cut! Gotta go by the vets to pick up our elderly cat some more thyroid pills AND of course no trip out would be complete without a visit to WalMart! Yahooo!

Ya'll take care! Behave!
meeeee

I'm back!!
Gee, Robyn you can write, girl!!! (even beat me on one of my good days!)
But I agree~ all the planning for a WDW trip is well worth it.... I have been with WW for a year and a half and much prefer the old winning points system....even like the old journal better (which I would kill to get a copy of now). I agree with you. Something psychological about handing me 35 flex points a week and then telling me to hit exactly 22 points a day seems odd..... Which DVD do you have (the Get Fit one from WW?)

So for me today.....think I might skip a strenuous work out......just not into it today and I have been doing great in that department anyway. I should be doing a ton of things now.....all the stuff I can't get done during the school year... Guess I am just a bit frustrated with Dh at the moment. He is off at softball tournaments all weekend with Dd, plus he gets home from work too pooped for much of anything except watching the home run derby on TV.
I have been doing a lot of stuff here that really he should be doing or helping with. Seems as though I am alone most of the time (not counting our youngest Dd). And I am expected to shoulder most of the load with raising our kids and all of the housework. He has a good job with a major corporation, which unfortunately is so stressful.......so he comes home with little or no energy. (except for softball!) Ok, he is a good provider- and thankfully supported my decision to leave the private sector to work for the school. Aw, I am rambling....guess I'd better shut myself up. Just had to vent. But he got to me this am, telling me to fix the garage door sometime today. And those were his last words to me (the door did not close properly last nite- don't know who left it open- so a racoon got into the trash, leaving me a mess to clean up and now a door to fix). Sorry I sound like a raging moron......I rather feel like one too. But I will be fine.

Off to clean up the mess and fix that stupid door. See ya!
Ginny

Well then...you ladies REALLY want me to map out my plan of attack on Disneyworld ahead of time...I guess you don't want me to fly by the seat of my pants? So far, we have scheduled two character breakfasts, one with Cinderella & the other with Mickey at Ohana. And we've scheduled the Luau at the Polynesian and a dinner with Minnie at Hollywood & Vine. We are going to Pleasure Island on our anniversary while DD stays in the room with a sitter. See? I've been planning. Since we are staying in the park, we know that we have one hour before the crowds outside the park converge on us. So, on the mornings we don't have a breakfast scheduled, we will be ready early to do the rides. We have the Ultimate Park Hopper Plus for 7 days, so we can go anywhere at anytime on any day. We plan to use speed pass. We plan to either play in the pool or visit the water parks during the hot July afternoons. I'm not sure how we will avoid the crowds since for us to really enjoy our stay, we will most likely want to do the same stuff as everyone else. Hopefully getting up early and using speed pass will help. DD begged for Pal Mickey (the interactive tour guide plush doll). We were gonna rent it, but the 7 day rental costs as much as buying it, so $60 later, DD has already started spending money in Disneyworld! She knows ahead of time that between us needing to watch our spending and needing to fit everything in our baggage when we fly home, she can't go nuts with buying everything she falls in love with. I have checked off everything I am interested in doing/seeing. DH and DD pretty much have the same interests as me, so we can hopefully avoid doing/seeing things unnecessarily. I just don't think I want to do anymore planning than this. This is our vacation after all. I am such a planner in my "real" life, that I would sort of like to take it as it comes and plan things day by day once we get the "lay of the land."

Ginny, I wish I could help you, but we are flying out of Hartford not New York. I wanted to avoid taking Connecticut Limo (it is soooooo expensive), and I hate the hectic NY airports. Bradley Airport is a lot smaller and calmer. You know if we were flying out of NY, I would have no problem smuggling you along. Sorry! ;)

Robyn, I know you are gonna be on my case if I don't get the tour books. How about this? I will check out Mike online. If I like what he has to say, I will take the next step. Oh, and THANK YOU for the advice about switching up my points. That sounds nutty enough to actually work! It is certainly worth a try. I have some hand weights I can start to play with. I just can't seem to get myself to the gym to work out there. I don't know what is keeping me away. DH is home more since he can't put in a full day at work. I really like exercising at home without being watched. Maybe that is my hangup. Good news though, The Caribbean Beach Hotel has a health club. So, I can work out in Disney...not that all the walking I will be doing won't be sufficient!

Mousie, I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU HAVE FOUND DOCTORS WHO GET IT!!! About time. You must be quite relieved.

Hellions. Well then, have I got some opinions about them. First of all, my best friend's kids are hellions. The girl, DD's best friend, was just diagnosed with ADD. Based on my experience as a teacher, I can pretty much verify she actually has ADHD. The boy, 4, hasn't been diagnosed as of yet, but I guarantee he will be in K or 1st grade. It is hard because I love my friend and her family. And, she is VERY INCONSISTENT in her discipline. :( I think I may have told this story, if so, ignore it, if not, enjoy it. One day they were at our house swimming. The boy wanted his life preserver taken off. The catch was that he was standing on the end of my deck, and my friend and I were on lounge chairs by the pool about 15 feet away from him. He wanted her to come to him to remove the life preserver. She told him to come to her. He refused and started to fuss. She started to get out of the chair, and I told her, "If you go over there I swear to God I will jump on your back before you get to him. Don't you dare move. Make him come to you. You are the parent." She laughed, then realizing I was serious, looked shocked. She didn't know what to do. She looked at him then at me. I said, "Just ignore him. He will come to you." Within one minute, the boy was at her side getting is life preserver removed. :coffee: "See? I told you!" She thanked me for stopping her, and then we talked about consistency. Unfortunately even knowing the right thing to do, she continually gives in. And, if she holds strong, it is her DH that gives in when she leaves for work at night. I watch her other friends parent, and I go nuts. Their kids are even wilder and brattier than hers! I feel like conducting a behavior management class for them! And the worst thing is, DD has slept over their house. It is my turn to invite their hellion over my house for the night. :p

Well it is a rainy day, so we will not be going to the beach cottage. My cousin will be pissed, but DD will go nuts looking out the window at the beautiful beach and not being able to play on it.

Have a great summer day!

Well Ladies we survied the visit. We even had fun. When it was time for everyone to go home, the two teenage boys asked if they could spend the night. Then the little hellion asked and my dh said that he would only take two kids at a time. So she would have to wait her turn. So instead his dd went to spend the night at her aunt's house. So guess who had to get up this morning early to get 30 minutes in on the excerise bike, wake the boys up, fed them and get them ready. Plus get a shower and get clothes on to go out the door at 9:10. You all guess right if you said me. I had to run across town to pick up stepdd and then go to their art lessons. Thank God I took a really good book to read. Came home to do three loads of laundry. Help fix lunch for everyone and then clean up the messy kitchen. I did go outside to play with the two nephews and stepkids some baseball. I quit after my one stepss said to me that I couldn't throw worth crap and that I should just give up playing ball. Mind you he is only 6. I was instantly pissed off. I know that I am not the world's greatest ball player, but I was only out there to have fun with them. It has taken me several years to work up the courage to play baseball. So I think I am just not going to play with them for a few days and see what they all have to say. Then I am going to tell them that I don't appreciate running my @%& off for everyone and then being told that I am not good at something. That I was just out there to have fun with them. The only saving grace I have is that tonight is my TOPS night. I will be able to go out of the house for a while. Maybe I will treat myself to dinner out after my meeting.
Congrats on being done with grad school for the summer, Mouse! I need to start thinking about starting grad school myself. What I want to do is get my master's degree in Library Science. But no one seems to be able to tell me if that would apply as an earned master's degree for my school system or the state. So I am on the hunt for some answers. So how long do you have off from school until you start again in the fall?
Summer sounds like you are going to have a great time at Disneyworld. I wish I could go with you. I have never been there. But I have been to Fla. three times to visit my aunt and uncle. They only live about an hour away from Mickey. Oh well, maybe next summer I can go on a vacation. Sorry to hear about your missed beach house visit. I can understand about not taking your dd to visit because she would want to be out playing on the beach.
Ginny sorry to hear that you have been left to shoulder so much of the household burdens this summer. I can sympathize with you big time. I can't believe that I am going to say this but I am looking forward to go back to school next month. Then I wouldn't have to take care of everything at home, run the kids here and there and do all the household chores. I am hoping by the end of this week or next my dh is back to helping out more. I am so freakin' tired that it is not even funny.Sorry for my little rant there.
Robyn glad that you were able to find some shorter novels to read. I think that one about Patricia from Everyone Loves Raymond would be a good one to read. I am currently reading I Am A Soldier, Too The Jessica Lynch Story. It is interesting. I will have completed the reading program for my sister's library after I finish this novel. So I am happy that I was able to find books in each 6 caterogies and even enjoyed them. :)
Well I guess I better go and fold the last load of laundry in the dryer. Then I think I might go hide in my bedroom and watch some tv and even take a quick nap. Talk to you all later.
Take care, Kerry

Great news ladies I lost another pound. I was very surprised when I stepped on the scales at TOPS tonight and saw the results. I had thought that having cake twice on Sunday and punch would do me in and I would gain weight. But I didn't and am glad that I had those sweet treats since I don't have them that often anymore.
Hope all is well with everyone. I will talk to you all later.

Okay... I'm home way earlier tonight, and I still can't keep up with all the posts!

Kerry: Congrats on the weight loss!!!!
WDW Crew: Plan,plan, plan! And I *still* want to go! PUHLEEESE???

Yes, grad school is over tomorrow night. I'm counting the hours and as soon as I'm done here, I'm going to go over to our website for the one class and turn in my final project. The instructors already saw it, since I showed it to them last night, I just haven't uploaded yet.
I've had a great endocrinologist for the last 3 years, and she's doing what my primary care doctors do not do/haven't done (well, I don't know the new one well enough....she might be doing it!): she reads EVERYTHING from ALL my other doctors (except my orthopedist, she didn't think she needed to be that involved since I'm not on any medication from the ortho!), and coordinates everything with an eye as to how it might effect my endocrine dysfunction. She's amazing.
Most of the food stayed down last night, but I woke up sick today... so I didn't eat anything again and am slowly working my way through what I consider a HUGE amount of food because I had PT and then went swimming, plus work... on 53 calories during the day before that. I know if I don't eat, I'll be in a lot of trouble later. So, we're hoping its going to all stick! This is getting so old! My curriculum & instruction grad class is going out for dinner tomorrow night, and they picked Macaroni Grill. I have no idea what I'm going to get there. They don't have PLAIN anything!
And I hate making all these substitutions in a huge group (there will be 14 of us).

Oh and free time? What's that??? I have FORTY-SEVEN new kids, and one class that is 15 large. I swear, I just about lost my mind this morning. The kids came in off-the-hook (to quote my TA), and just couldn't settle. They were loud and chatty the whole time they were doing their work. And then, one of the girls who has a seizure disorder had a full-blown petit mal seizure. Sometimes she fakes them, but when she does that she's oriented and responsive... she fakes them more often than she has them, unfortunately, so I'm never SURE... despite years of having kids with seizures. Usually, my clue is that she's completely unresponsive to her name, pitches forward, and when she does respond has no idea who she is or where she is or who I am. So I'm dealing with that, my TA is trying to get the class under control, and it was horrendous.

:mouse:

Okay Robyn, I logged onto Tour Guide Mike and, what the heck, put it on my Visa. I just spent 4 hours surfing his website and getting info.
OH MY GOD!!! I AM TOTALLY INTIMIDATED BY THIS TRIP TO DISNEYWORLD!!! I AM SO OVERWHELMED AND JUST PLAIN DIZZY!!! :dizzy:

I'm afraid of making a mistake. There is just too much pressure to get this right. I'm used to going to Cape Cod, lying on the beach or switching it up and going to the pool. The only decision to make is where to eat. I love to relax and chill. I return so calm and serene. I don't think I will be allowed to relax in Disney. I feel like I must do everything at the most optimum time in the best way or else!!! Geesh!!! Yes, I want to have the best time possible. No, I don't want to waste time waiting in lines. I just hate it that I have to plan so much.

I thought Mike was supposed to do the itinerary for me...isn't that why I filled out the questionnaire? Instead, I have to read 12,000 articles, piece all his advice together and figure it out myself. I am such a friggin basket case now.

I appreciate your advice to plan now, because otherwise we would have flipped when we arrived. And, we probably would have really f*cked up the whole vacation doing everything wrong. So, thank you for that Robyn.

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!! :dizzy: :?: :(

Kerry, congrats on your weight loss!

Um, for some reason I am feeling horrible for telling you about TourGuide Mike! I didn't mean to cause you such horrid stress! I'm sooooo sorry! I FEEL HORRIBLE! I'm sorry!
I still have my printouts for Mike....want our list of the order of the rides? I did not mean to cause you this grief! I 'm sorry!

I really didn't want you to be standing in lines for wasted hours....
I'm soooooo sorry!

I'm just about sick of thunder, lightning, and RAIN! What is up with the rain this summer? Summer, pack some cheap rain ponchos!

soooo.....here is my latest! I originally posted this to a group somewhere else that are all using TheFirm tapes ......please forgive the cut and paste...but, well, you know!

Today is my WI and measure day. When I got on the scales, they say I've GAINED! The tape measure says that since July 2nd, I've lost inches in my calves (combined 1.5 inches), thighs (4.25inches combined), hips (1 inch), waist 2 inches, bust 3 inches, bicepts (combined 1.25 inches)..........
My pants fit differently. BUT the scales say I've gained 2 pounds? WHAT DO I DO NOW? I don't want to be a 200 pound muscle bound gal! I'm using 3, 5 and 8 pound weights. I don't use any weights when I use the fanny lifter because of my knees! I can't GAIN more weight...I'm supposed to be shedding it! arghhh!

Can anyone help me? I *can* do better with my WW, but please know that my food intake is NOT out of control! I'm staying within my points range with my WW most every day! (But that needs to be EVERY day!) I am so distressed over the darn scale this morning! arghhhh!

I am drinking all of my water or more daily with an only an iced tea or crystal light every now and again..... ???

I had a hysterectomy but I still have my ovaries and do go thru monthly changes (TOOO MUCH INFO?! :) ) but I have NO clue of the cycle....I stopped paying close attention to it after a while....... I don't KNOW! I'm trying to find SOMETHING that would give me some great EXCUSE for this change on the scales....


Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

take care,
Robyn

Robyn: It is muscle. I know you don't want to be muscle bound, but that is the only thing I can see since you say you're not eating more. I freaked out a few weeks ago for the same reason: I gained 4 pounds despite my lack of eating and throwing up... But I have been swimming like no mouse should! ;) And my friend who works at the gym said it was muscle, and that my arms and legs are developing muscle...
Its the funniest thing: I can see little teeny tiny ab-type muscle where they should be, and then underneath that is this huge freaking pannus from the endocrine disorder! Drives me nuts!
But I'm there... you're fine. Muscle takes more calories to maintain than fat, so you'll lose more next time you weigh in.
I swam 1.25 miles today in 1:20 minutes... and it was a little too much. I couldn't walk afterward for nearly 30 minutes (15 in the regular pool, then another 15 in the much warmer therapy pool).

:mouse:

I don't have time for a decent post...I have to return to Tourguidemike. But, I did want to tell you Robyn that I second what Mousie said. It is muscle. Focus on those inches lost girl. It would be different if you gained and didn't lose any inches. But you did...YOU LOST INCHES!!! YIPPEE!!!

Well, I'm off Tourguidemike for now. Robyn, I am making progress. I still have quite a ways to go, but now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Phew!

Sorry for being MIA for a few days. Summer, I am so sorry - I think I started this whole thing by suggesting you look at a tour book for your Disney trip. The place is so overwhelming.....but so is planning to go too!!!!! The only thing I can add to this is at least you have an action plan now.....or sort of know what you options are. And be ready to quickly launch "Plan B"- because sometimes you get to WDW and weather or whatever (large tour groups etc....) just blow your plans out of the water. But at least if you have an idea of what you really want to see you can quickly regroup and move on.

Robyn- sounds like muscle to me!!!!! The only thing I could add, is are you sure you are within points (portions measured out etc.......) no hidden point foods- and are you journalling everything??? Check your BLT's (I learned this one at Tuesday's meeting!!!!!!) At first we thought BLT's were, well the traditional bacon/lettuce/tomato sandwich until the group leader told us BLT's were bites, tastes, and licks. Bummer........ Journal all of them.... BUT it does sound like muscle to me.
And you WILL NOT become "Mrs Muscle" with the lighter weights you are using. Hang in there. You have hit a "non scale victory" (another WW meeting gem)- in that the tape measure says you have lost. You are doing great!!!!!!!!

Mouse- glad that most of your food stayed down, and good job getting your swim in.
Today it must feel good.....done with grad school today, right? Sorry your kids gave you such a hassle, it sounds like a LARGE class!!!! As far as dinner goes, try going to Dotties Weight loss Zone (search on yahoo for the web page). I know you are not on WW, but she has gone to most restaurants and converted most entrees to WW points. Figure anything at a restaurant for less than 13 points is pretty good. Or you can try getting a normal meal and taking home half with you for tomorrow? At least a little bit of dammage control.

Me, I am up to my eyeballs keeping up with our children. Dd goes off to college orientation Monday- Wednesday next week, and instead of getting ready, she seems more intent on spending time with her Bf......grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr........think I am going to have to hide the keys to the car or something. And weekends she is busy with softball, but then I do not want to go there about that...... Today Dd (8) has swimming lessons, so I will get my walk in while she is there. Fortunately, Ds does not have to work today- because they were desparate and asked me to sub today on a special ed run. I should have a monitor, so it should not be too tough. In an odd way I am looking foward to working the 2 hours- gets me out and not colliding with Dd(the 18 year old).
Better go get ready to take Dd to swimming......... see you later.
Ginny

Thanks for the restaurant tip. I was more concerned about getting something that wouldn't make me throw up at the table or make me really sick since I had to present in my 2nd class right after.
I can really deal with the kids. Its the adults I can't stand. I am really getting to hate the people I work with, honestly. So many of them have such huge egos and think they're so wonderful. I'm there to teach, not kiss butt, not socialize, not go to a bar... Just let me teach and LEAVE ME ALONE.
I will work with other staff in a team situation to deal with the kids, but beyond that I'm not really interested in you or anything you wear, how your hair looks, etc.
And I'm especially not going to cause MYSELF stress because YOU can't do YOUR job.
:mad: :mouse:

Mousie,
Sounds as though we would in a real life situation get along great. I too could care less about all the nonsense politics of work.......I just like to work and perform to the best of my ability. Love your line about not causing yourself stress because the other person is unable to do their job...... Good luck with the restaurant!
Ginny

Hi Ladies,
Sorry I have been MIA for a few days. We had company over on Wednesday. It was the let's just pop in on them kind. They stayed from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. We had a nice visit. We played outside with the kids and talked. But I had really wanted to take a nap and then go on-line that afternoon. Yesterday we went to Art lessons, came home and worked out of my stepds' workbooks so they wouldn't lose anything they learned last year over the summer. Went for 2 bike rides with the kids and then went to water aerobics last night. I was fine in the pool until I got a horrible cramp in my calf. I could hardly move. But I made it out of the water and walked around for a little bit. Today I had to go workout at Curves, run to get my paycheck and then go to the bank and pay bills. Fun stuff. The dh and I are going to have some quiet time to ourselves tonight. Since his kids go home with their mom for the weekend. Then starting on Monday they are only with us for the day Monday thru Friday. So hopefully I will finally get some rest. Enough about me.
Robyn, I really agree with everyone else. Honey you are building up muscle. You will become a well-toned figure. Your are going to be some muscle bound chic. Trust us on this! :) Congrats on the inches lost! Keep up the good work!
Summer are you relaxing a little more about your trip to WDW? How many more days until your vacation bound?
Mouse congrats on making it through grad school this summer. I bet you are glad it is over for a little bit. Have a nice time at dinner tonight. Good luck on your presentation tonight too!
Ginny I hope you enjoyed your trip today. Sometimes it is nice to go back to work just to get away from everyone for a little while. :):)
Well my stepdd just learned how to ride her bike. So she wants to go try it out on the bike path. Talk to you all later.
Have a great weekend!
Kerry

HAVING computer issues..... arghhh...I will return! SOON, I hope!
Robyn

Kerry- was that just a really tough "charlie horse" that you had?? Gosh, they can be so painful.....sometimes they are caused by a lack of potassium, I was prone to them while pregnant. Glad that you were able to get over to the side of the pool ok. Walking does help. Do you like Curves? I am trying to decide if I want to join the one here after school starts. Just something to break up the workout routine....but I doubt I would have time to go. Glad you enjoyed your company! Hope this weekend is good to you.

Robyn- don't you hate it when the stupid computer acts up!!!!!!! Hope yours gets over its hormonal state.....and that your weekend is going well.

I must say, I rather enjoyed my 2 1/2 excursion yesterday. I drove, and the great lady who trained me was my monitor....it was nice to spend some time with her again (I spent huge amounts of time with her while training). I knew we would be on a special ed run- and you see a real mix of students with all kinds of different needs. Some who really appear as though they could/should be mainstream....yesterday we took home a student, wheelchair bound who remained totally expressionless during the entire trip. Not just expressionless, unresponsive to all attempts at communications.
Until we pulled up in front of her home.....she broke out into the most beautiful smile... I will never forget her or her face.......breaks your heart to see how limited her life must be, but then that smile told it all....ok I am a mush....but I was glad to take her home and witness her joy. And I came home and hugged all 3 of my cantancerous but otherwise healthy kids.

Went to one of Dd's softball games today......then came home to be with the other two. I forgot how much I have grown tired of softball-one game seems to slide into the other- yawn! I love her to death- just all the years of summer ball (average of 6 games per weekend and no time to do little else) for the past7 years have taken their toll on me. It is good to be home.

I am taking the remaining two to see I Robot this evening- hope it is not too violent for Dd to handle. So few movies that everyone can see these days.......Ok I am tired (can you tell?) and had better go. Dd and her buddy want to go swimming.
Enjoy your weekend!
Ginny

Hi, everyone.

Kerry: this must have been the week for charley horses/leg cramps. I swam way too much on Thursday on top of physical therapy for my ankle. The PT changed the routine: I normally do the exercise bike first, then stretches... but they stretched first, then bike... and then I had issues getting started with swimming, so once I got started i didn't want to stop. A friend had to help me out of the pool, right in front of the physical therapists! The PTs are at the gym I belong to, and so use the pool for some clients (not me, probably because I already swim). I was pretty embarrassed, to be honest.
Ginny: Let me know if I, Robot is any good? I'm not a big Asimov fan, but I did like some of the books with Daneel (the robot). I might go see it. But I'm afraid they might do to the movie what they did to Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers.
Also, if you want to join Curves, finding time would be 'you time', right? Last year, I did a lot of time on a handbike (you pedal with arms instead of legs) because I didn't want to make time to swim. It takes longer, because of changing and such. But this Spring I had no choice: I either swam or did nothing. So, I swam. Of course, I don't have kids so that makes a big difference. I just have a demanding pussycat who meows frenetically when I'm not home by a certain time! ;) I swear he can tell time.

:mouse: