I'm ok .....surgery went fine but I am still not able to eat alot and very very sore..even hurts to breathe and I can't even lay down due to the pain..been using the recliner........gotta go rest...........I knew the Fibro would make the pain worse but didn't think it would be like this...........Probably be a dew weeks for me to start feeling normal...been trying to move around alot and have been outside a few times but get carried away and trying not too over do! Move like a turtle! LOL Rabbits still eating everytring, now they are working on my lettuce!

Hi Candice: I"m so glad to hear that your surgery went well. I guess not being able to eat is one way to lose weight, but from my past experience with my surgery, it all came right back on after i began to feel better. That is why i have finally gone back to WW. I just need the motivation to stick with it and get back to my goal weight. Hang in there and donn't overdo, and you'll soon be fine. Ann

Where is everyone? Are we becomeing a dying thread? Ann

It appears so, Ann.

I've been busy and not so busy these days. Finished 2 baths and DH working on the woodwork in the guest room. Did my first planting today since we've had cold and rainly weather. Today was sunny and 72 so just right for planting. I planned to go out again after dinner and just as I did it began to rain. I'm not inspired to work in the garden this year. Don't know why.

5 of us in Italian class have asked the teacher to continue so she will teach 8 more weeks in her house.

I've been seeing a physical therapist for back pain. It has done some good cuz now the pain is confined to just my back and doesn't shoot down my leg or into my foot. Just as that seems to be on the mend my "good" knee is swollen and achy. Am I 95 yr already! No, I just feel like I am.

At my weigh in today I was exactly the same wt (down to the 10th of a lb) as I was lasst week and there was NO cheating either. Next week I expect to see the results of this week! Instead of being discouraged I'm focusing on how disciplined I was all week and will continue to be so this week.

CANDICE--How is the recovery going? Is the garden managing without you?

I can finnaly lay down now and climb the stairs to my own bed! Still alot of abdominal pain so can't do all my Fibro stretches, yoga, pilates and stuff......post op appt said all was fine and I did really well for a Fibro person..whatever that means....I hope I have not over done..been in the yard about everyday watering and doing something......no rain here at all......didn't plan on that! The really bad pain lasted about 4 days..and then nausea set in...not sure why..gone now. He said it would be about 6 weeks to full healing....he was running late so he rushed me and I forgot to ask lot of questions. Like when do the surgical strips come off and when can I take a bath instead of a shower and when can I dirve and etc so the nurse will call in the morn. I still was not prepared for all this pain since everyone said it would be a snap!!!!!!!!! I do not like having to be careful not to over do! I just do not want my Fibro to flare because I can't do my exercise! I have to be acitve or I get bad............

siwa..glad the back is doing better.....maybe taht is why you are not into the gardening mode?

Lizzie...I'm down 2.5 and I was really op before and have been keeping track of steps and pts the whole time....I even wore my pedomter to the hospital! I'm sure I will gain some of it back but it would be nice if stayed off since that is what I was trying to lose!

Hi Candice and Siwa:
Candice so glad to hear you are recovering nicely. those peri strips will fall off by themselves. At least that is what I was told, and they did, little by little. So it is shower until they are gone. by that time you will be pretty much healed. Did you have a large incision, ot the small one for the laparoscopic surgery? Your body will tell you what you can and can't do that is for sure.

Siwa: You sound very busy. Probably you need to take it a bit easier for the knee and back. Ladder work and garden work are hard on those areas. We were supposed to have our weigh in yesterday a.m. but all of us had so many things to do that we are going tomorrow a.m. Then we will get back to the Thur. schedule. I hope I havae lost something. See you all later. Ann

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you Lizzie...nothing like a loss to keep you motivated! I had the small incisions but they still hurt!

I need your help again....you gals have such good advice. We have a wedding coming up, DH's nephew and they are having big fancy wedding with a sit down meal. They both have rather high taste.......now what is the going rate for a gift and do you have to send a shower gift if you are not attending the shower????? DH will be going to the wedding but I will not, and maybe my son might be and what does he do for a gift? Neither one of my boys can afford much right now with school and no jobs. My MIL says we have to spend enough on the gift to cover their cost for the meal and wedding....I do not agree with this...so help me out please with the proper wedding gift etiquett. Thanks

Have a great day!

Good Morning:
Candice: I don't know exactly what the 'proper' etiquette' is about wedding gifts, but I have always just tried to find something that I thought the couple would really like, and that would be useful, not some 'pie-in the sky' sort of gift that will sit on a shelf forever. As to the shower gift, I think that is entirely up to you. If you were invited and cannot attend, I think you are not obligated to send a gift, but if you choose to, fine. As for your DS how about a nice set of towels, or a pair of beach towels. Those are always good to have, or the bath sheets. They are not'chintzy' gifts but they are not too costly either. And I have always been of the opinion that if the wedding invitations are sent only to receive gifts then something is wrong. So if your DS can't afford to do anything, give them a nice card, and just being there is a support for his cousin. Don't know if this is any useful advice or not, but that is sort of how I do things. I don't think that there is any requirement for the cost of a gift to be a pay back for the meal at the reception. Good luck with your decision. Ann
p.s. Love your flowers.

Thanks Lizzie...I'm still not sure what I am doing....he is registered for tols at Sears so we got a gift from our boys there. I stillahve to decide for me..I still would like to do the cookie sheet, silpat and scoops but not sure it would be appreciated...you know me and my cookies! I told DH that his mother was way out of line telling how much to spend...and then she went and bought some shirts for DH's dad for his BD and father's day and charged him way too much for them...she buys evrything on sale and couldn't remember how much she paid. Well I buy the same shirts for DH and they do not cost what he paid her....made me furious! We do not spend that amount on his dad......

I am watering like crazy...no rain here at all! Enjoying my garden lettuce.....

Hi everyone, Haven't had access to a computer for ages so haven't kept up with you girls. Hope all is well. We came back from Fl after going to a 3 day wedding in Boca and it was hot and humid so I couldn't wait to come home. We were in Fl 6 months this time loving every minute of it. Hot in NJ as well and we have been home a week running to Drs appt getting caught up. Have bursitis in my left knee and now on cortisone as I can barely walk. Received my first social security payment and was giddy about it.
Alice-sorry I didn't get back to you but we had company all winter or my hubby kept us very busy doing shows and exibitions. I apologize.
Ann, hope all is well and you are feeling great.
Candice- wishing you a speedy recovery.
To all the rest of you a big Hello! Bernice

BERNICE--Is it a cooincidence or double bad luck?--I was just diagnosed w/rt knee bursitis on Monday. I'm not as bad off as you sound tho. My knee is still swollen but no problem walking. Glad to hear you had a great winter.

CANDICE--Hope you're continuing to improve from the surgery.

We had some excitmement here very early this a.m. During a storm a neighbor's tree went down and took power lines with it. Then something in the neighbor's back yard was on fire--not just once but 2ce--2 hours apart, beginning at 3:45 am. I couldn't get back to sleep after that and I can't believe I'm still awake. 4 hours of sleep just isn't enuf but here I am sitting at the computer. When we saw the flames so high and the wind still blowing we were fearful for the neighbor's next door--afraid the flames would jump to the house. Since the power was out we couldn't tell who was awake and aware of the situation so I went running next door in my gown and pounded on their door. They were up and watching the flames. It was also raining and boy! was I soaked after just running a short distance. Everyone is ok and all but 2 houses have electriciity again. We were out for 17 hours but the other 2 houses don't even have power lines running to their houses. The next door neighbor's DH had to go out of town at 6am and she was left at home w/3 kids under 5--one of them a 3 week old. It was a frightening experience dealing with fire. Luckily all 3 kids slept thru it all and never knew until today. I don't need excitement like that again. Looking forward to a dull day tomorrow.

Sorry to hear that you gals are having knee trouble. Sure hope you improve soon and will find walking easier and painless.

Siwa: A scary way to wake up in the night. Hope you do have a peaceful day tomorrow. We have had buckets of rain today. The downspouts could hardly take it away.

Bernice: It is good to hear from you. I am doing well, back to my old self and busy most of the time. DH is still having iron infusions and B12 shots. We don't know how long that will continue.

Candice: Hope you are now more recuperated from your surgery. Have you had any rain? We'd be happy to send you some. We have turned off the sprinkler system since the lawn is getting lots of heavenly rain.

I am excited about our crepe myrtle tree. When we planted it it looked like a dead stick. Now it has grown a lot, and it has flower buds pm the tips of every branch. I can hardly wait for it to bloom. I think it will be very pretty.

Hi Alice and Kate. What is going on with you two. Or have you given up on us. Ann

Hi, Still hot and disgustingly humid in NJ. On Cortisone for the knee and it still hurts like H-ll. Going for PT on Friday, hope it helps. New problem arose,see spots in my right eye, went to the retinologist and being watched for a detached retina. Aging certainly has its disadvantages. My son is finally engaged and will be married Nov 20th. His fiance is a sweetheart. We are happy. got to get serious about the diet. Our supermarket is having a sale of lobsters 3 to 6 lbs for 5.99 a lb. Guess what we are having for dinner. Listen at our age why not treat ourselves abit. Got to go. Hope everyone is keeping cool. Bernice

Oh Bernice: Lobster is not only a treat, but very good for the diet plan. Congratulations on soon having a new daughter-in-law. Glad you like her. That always makes for happy relationships. I am back at WW and so far have lost 41/2 lbs. It is such a struggle and I don't lose quickly. Especially the older I get. : I do like the flex plan as it seems to be easier to follow and there is a bit of leeway.

Hope you don't have problems with the eye. Laser treatments I guess would be in order if you do haave a detached retina. Have you had a cortisone shot in the knee? or taking pills ? We are hot and humid here, and certainly have had our share of rain. A 30% chance of showers today in the late afternoon. I guess they don't call it the 'rainy season' for no reason. Take care.

Hi everyone. Ann