If you have 50 or more pounds to lose, or are in the process of losing, this is the group for you! So jump on in and join; you'll be sure to get a warm welcome!

Wow, Carol, sounds like you are really busy! Hope you get a little time for yourself this week, too.

Have to share this great, easy recipe I tried last night: roasted asparagus in balsamic browned butter (from cooking light mag). (8 servings, but could scale). Salt & pepper 2 lbs fresh asparagus and put in single layer on Pam-sprayed cookie sheet. (I lined w/foil.) Roast in 400 degree oven for 12 minutes. The last few minutes, make the sauce: 2 T butter, browned in small pan or skillet for about 3 minutes. When browned, throw in 2 teaspoons lite soy and 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar. Pour over cooked asparagus and toss to coat. One pt. per serving. The flavor was terrific! We also roasted some brussels sprouts, 25 min at 425, and they were great in this sauce too. I think the roasting caramelizes the veggies or something. Sure was good.

Hope everyone's having a good week so far! Sure has been quiet in here ...

Regards,
Jan

Hi girls -

Had my surgical appointment yesterday and I am checking in for the operation next Wednesday morning - the 24th. The surgeon joined my other 2 doctors in telling me I had been very fortunate not to have experienced any rupturing and I really should not wait any longer. They wanted to do it on the 29th but I urged them to find me a niche sooner than that so they set me up for next week instead. At this point, I just want to get the whole thing over with - although I may be singing a different song next week!

The dr told me I would be in the hospital for about a week. I told him I didn't think any hospital would let you stay that long anymore! He said that's a normal stay for this type of surgery & not to expect much less time there. Hopefully, my insurance company will cooperate. If I need help after discharge, I will probably stay at dd's for a few days. Sil sleeps during the day but could be awakened should the need arise - How, I don't have a clue - he sleeps like a rock. And dd would be around at night.

So the ball is now rolling. I need to go in for some pre-op blood work this week and just check in for surgery Wednesday morning about 9:30 w/surgery at 11:00. I will work Monday and take off Tuesday as I have to go through all this "cleansing" on Tuesday and it would probably be best not be too far from bathroom facilities that day!

I heard about the lawsuit with Pirate's Booty!! How dumb can you get! If every single jury who hears one of these stupid lawsuits would find in favor of the defendant, a lot of this nonsense would stop. Just let the plaintiff pay all those attorney fees and get nothing in return - now THAT'S justice!

Gotta go for now. Thanks for all the kind thoughts - keep 'em coming!

Texaslady, I'm so sorry that you have to have surgery; but at least the doctors are catching this before it gets worse, and can take care of it right away. In a way, it's a good thing that you get to stay a week; I was pretty upset when I had to go home so soon last summer. (Insurance companies ... ugh!) This way, you'll be in much better shape to go home (or to dd's, rather), and that should be reassuring. You know you'll be in all our thoughts and prayers (and I do believe there's a certain power to that!). And you're in the best city in the world for health care. I know everything will be ok for you!

I agree re: that silly lawsuit; guess someone wanted to play litigation lotto there. It's pretty scary, esp. for those of us in education. Lots of frivolous suits filed in that area, too.

Hope everyone has a good week! Say a little prayer for rain for us, if you have time. A huge storm passed us by last night, no rain at all, though we were under a tornado warning! Isn't that weird? We are in a very bad drouth right now, though it keeps raining all around our county.

Jan

texaslady, I hate that you have to have surgery, but am glad that you were able to get the earliest date. I detest waiting for such things. I want to get it over if it has to be!

I saw the lady on Today show this morning talking about her suit against Pirates Booty. She repeated several times that it was because she had given it her 2 yr old thinking it was a healthier product, (sounds like he is really hooked on it too), and now she feels it is not safe for him. Claims it is a class action suit and that her share willl be given to some charity.

I finally feel like I am well enough to go see Mother, so am leaving tomorrow morning and will come home on Saturday.
so will checkin when I get back...sure is quiet here!

Good morning, ladies! I am really singing the "TGIF" song this morning! It's been a hectic week.
Texaslady, I am so sorry you have to go through that surgery, but at the same time am glad that you don't have to wait and worry any longer. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers. Is it possible that your dd could get word to us, either by posting here on the board or emailing one of us to let us know how things go? We'll all be anxious to hear!
Jan. the asparagus sounds wonderful- I love the stuff, any old way!! Once I get in my own place, I'll have to try it.
Joyce, I'm glad you are feeling well enough to go see your mom. What is with this Pirate's Booty lady? And they probably paid her to go on the Today show? I give Pirates Booty to my 2 year old too, and the fact that it has a couple more grams of fat than they said hasn't hurt him! Besides, we all know that junk food is junk food, whether it has 2 grams of fat or 5! She's probably hoping the company will settle out of court to avoid all the legal mess and that regardlesss she's going to get a nice chunk of change. I hope they laugh her out of court!

OOPS! Time's getting away from me. I've got to run. Have a good weekend, everyone!
Carol

Carol, I'm with you, asparagus is great any way you fix it. I've been trying to grow it for years, and finally have a few shoots we could harvest, but not enough for a meal. I agree re: the lawsuit; how absurd! Though if it makes companies a bit more careful w/nutrition labels, that would be good.

JOYce, have a great visit with your mom! So glad to hear you are feeling so much better now!

I agree w/Carol, this is definitely tgif day; this has been a long week! We're heading to SA tomorrow for ww and a little grocery shopping, and I have a couple of projects to work on. (I'm doing some curriculum writing work, part time, and the deadline approacheth!) Also have to put together a presentation for a seminar in Dallas the next weekend.

I am really stuck on this plateau, at ww goal but still about ten pounds from my personal goal. I know why; I've been journalling every day for 7 weeks now, and my points have never been at the low end of my range, sometimes over. It's a miracle I haven't gained, actually. I need to get motivated!

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend. Texaslady, as Carol said, could your dd maybe post or email one of us (who can then email the rest) next week, so we can know how you're doing?

It's too quiet in here! JOYce, hope you had a great visit w/your Mom. Texaslady, if it wouldn't be too hard on your DD, could you pm or email one of us with her phone # or email address, or maybe ask her to email one of us with an update after your surgery Wednesday? We'll all be thinking of you this week; I know it will all go well!

Good Morning!
Yes Jan, I had a nice visit. The weather was great, traffic wasn't bad, and I found everyone in good health and pleasant attitudes.
I played Bingo with mother one day and went to her exercise class one day as well. They sit in front of a huge big screen t.v. and watch a tape of low impact exercises that they can do in their chairs. Very similar to the ones we did in water aerobics. (I'm going to try the water class again on Thursday I think.) I got the first Bingo when we played. that is an activity that is enjoyed by a large group and they are pretty serious about it!
Mother enjoyed going out to dinner and I ate with her in the facility for lunch one day.
Now that I'm feeling good, it is time to go for consults for my oral surgery. I see the dentist today and the oral surgeon tomorow to determine if I am ready for the next step, the sinus graft.

{{{{{{texaslady}}}}}}Hugs and prayers are with you!

Wishing you all a good day and a good week.

Hi everyone! I hope the week is getting off to a good start.
I had a busy weekend. I babysat some, and then on Sunday met up with my "bestest buddy", who lives a few hours away, and we spent the day at outlets, a movie and dinner. It was fun and relaxing. I'll miss our visits when I move to Florida- they'll be few and far between then.
The work week started out with a bang. I went in to work at 6 as usual and discovered that our office suite had been broken into over the weekend. This is not exactly the best way to start the day, especially since I am the only one in the whole 4 story building at that hour and had no way of knowing if there was still someone in there! I high-tailed it out, called one of the office managers and we checked it out and called the police. They did a little damage, all looking for cash, but they got less than $50. Then of course I couldn't get my work done because my office was part of the area they went through looking for stuff and I couldn't touch anything till they fingerprinted. Then in the midst of all this one of the other nurses called in sick, which meant I had to go to VA this afternoon- a drive that took twice as long as usual because I first had to drive 1/2 hour to my house to change into a uniform (I was in street clothes today because I didn't plan on doing patient care) and then drive to VA. Then the bridge to VA was way backed up because of construction and a lane closure. And on it went from there. Not a good start to the work week!
Texaslady, good luck and God bless. Hugs, thoughts, prayers and good wishes are coming your way! Can you feel 'em???
Joyce, I'm glad your visit with your mom went well. It sounds like you are finally starting to feel like your old self!
Jan, some years back some friends of ours had luck with asparagus- but they were good right out of the garden! I could live on those things! When did you say your next trip to your ds' place is planned? Was it July? We will have to be sure to get together while you are there. I'll email you my address and phone number one of these days so you'll have it.

I'd better run. Hi to Janet and Linda. Have a good Tuesday, everyone!
Carol

Hi JOYce! So glad you had such a good visit with your mother; I'm sure she really enjoyed seeing you, too. That exercise tape sounds like something my Dad should try; will have to shop around for one of those. There's also a tv show called "Sit and Be Fit" that might work for him, if he can get up early enough for it. (He likes to sleep in most mornings!)

Carol, whew, how scary! And how wise of you to get out right away and call the police. Do you think they may also have been looking for drugs? I'm glad they didn't do too much damage, or get lots of cash; they won't want to ever come back, with that little a "haul." Thanks for the email with your FL address; I emailed back some info reur trip to DS's house. So glad you had such fun with your friend; I'll bet that she'll come to Florida to see you often, and y'all can have a great time at all the outlet malls there, too! (I love those places! Dh and I will be stopping at one near Dallas this weekend. That is, if I make sure I'm driving at the time!)

Hope everyone is having a good week. Texaslady, you are in all our thoughts; I'm sure all will go well tomorrow!

Regards,
Jan

Hi girls - here I am at home today. With all the "cleansing" I have to do today, figured it wouldn't be wise to be too far from bathroom facilities today. I haven't eaten any solid food since yesterday morning - and I have the most vicious headache. I called the surgeon's office to see if I could take some tylenol but they haven't called back. I won't stay on too long here in case they are trying to call and I have the line tied up.

Thanks for the wishes and prayers. I am definitely getting nervous about the whole thing. I will give some of your e-mail addresses to my dd and I am sure she will get some news to you in a day or two.

I will out of pocket for a while, but I will check back in when I can get back home to the computer again. Again, thanks for all the great thoughts - I CAN feel them!

Texaslady, I just checked in after an absence from this thread for a couple of weeks or so, and I realize that it was this morning that you are going to have your surgery. I know you probably won't be reading this for awhile, but know that I was one of your group of "pray-ers" today for you. A speedy and thorough recovery to you! Having "been there," I wonder if the preparation for your procedure was worse than the procedure itself? I hate that "cleaning out" business, bleh!

Hi all,

Just got an email this a.m. from Texaslady's dd, who reports that all went very well with the surgery. She will be in the hospital seven days, and then will go home with dd. She also sent her room number, hospital name and phone, so email or pm me if you'd like that info! I'm going to call her tomorrow (she's probably sleeping a lot today, I hope!) and will post to the group if I can, from Dallas. (Dh and I are leaving early in the a.m. tomorrow, Friday, for a conf. in Dallas; returning Sunday afternoon. I think the hotel has dataports...)

ttyl,
Jan

Jan, I got an email from Texaslady's dd too. I am so relieved that it is over for her and that things went as well as could be expected! I figure on calling her dd in this evening or tomorrow, and Texaslady in a few days. Let me know if you have any updates, and I will do the same!
Carol

Carol, please give Texaslady my best, will you? I have been thinking about her a lot since yesterday.