Thursday

Good morning all.  I don't see a post for Thursday yet so I start it.

This is my Friday!  YEAH.  It makes for long days but I really look forward to my 3 day weekends.  We are going to the Earth Festival in Atlanta Saturday.  I've never been and am looking forward to it. 

Going to see my PCP next week.  Since my surgery almost 3 years ago I haven't been bothered with my arthritis, in fact even stopped taking my meds.  But this last two weeks have been getting pretty bad.  I don't know if it's the change in weather or a foreboding of what winter is going to do to me.  It doesn't help that they keep this building so cold.  I brought in a heated throw yesterday and it sure helps.  I know when it's discovered I'll have to take it home.  I'm hoping the dr will write a script that says I need and and can keep it.

Sherri, hope things are looking up for you medically.  You have sure been through a lot in the last year. 

May everyone have a blessed day.

Julie,

Yep Jules..2006 was a horrible year for my family...and yet, we feel blessed at the same time. It started off with my son's testicular cancer in February but they were able to get all of it and when they removed his abdominal lymph nodes, they were all clear. Then he got in trouble with the law (with a little finangling from his ex-gf..long story!). He's on probation now from that and ishaving a VERY hard time finding a job now. But..again, on the plus side, he FINALLY learned his lesson about that b*tch and has a new gf that I think is terrific for him. She has three kids and really doesn't care if she has more or not. Jay loves her kids like they were his own so..the long-term diagnosis from the cancer that it will be VERY hard for him to father a child doesn't bother either of them at all.

My daughter & step-daughter's lives have been fine...just the upheavals caused from Jay, Bill's eye surgeries, and of course, my stuff. With my stuff though, we were able to find a new pcp that we both are crasy about. We both feel very fortunate! My medical stuff. hopefully, is on a better note now. I finally found a GI that 'gets' that my problems began with my intestinal inschemia last October..NOT with my RNY 3 years before that. I have had a sneaky suspicion for quite awhile now that there was either damage done to the intestines then or that there was some kind of blockage. It was wonderful last Friday to hear a GI suspect the same thing...rather than just KNOW that my problems would all go away if I had my RNY reversed! Yep..I was going to an idiot. This new one is at IU and he's really on top of it all. I'll be having a test on October 10th to see if there's blockage. If that test doesn't show anything, he'll schedule one to where they place a pill-sized camera in my intestines and let it travel through them & give them a first hand view of any damage that may be in there. They can't do that one though until they know for sure that there isn't an adhesions/blockages that it can get hung up on. So...I have at least one..if not two test to go through yet. The first one isn't a very pleasant one but a neccesary one. I am assuming that if there's blockage, they'll need to schedule a surgery to remove the blockage. I'll also need one down the road once all the intestinal distension is taken care of to close up my abdominal wall (technically I don't have a hernia right now because there's a piece of mesh covering the opening...trust me, it is nothing like having the abdominal wall closed up instead). So..1-2 surgeries yet before I can put this stuff behind me. Oh..and all of this started NOT from blood clots, but because of scar tissue. My body needs to slow down it's healing mechinisms sometimes! LOL!

TMI? LOL! There is light at the end of the tunnel. I feel like 2008 was just a year of maintaining. Jay..his health, probation, gf. Bill...his eye surgeries continue. Tiffany, Rod, Shellie, the grandkids...all doing what they do. And me...just trying to get well. I am really hoping that 2009 will represent a year of complete healing for me & Jay both. Jay's body may be ok..but I think he needs to be off probation before his spirit will be. Me, my spirit is fine, but my body isn't.

Sorry to hear that your arthritis is back. We have this really long hallway (~1/4 mile) that we have to wall through to get to our lab from the parking lot. It is FREEZING in there. I have complained to every maintenance guy I see. I keep thinking that if I complain to the right one, something will be done about it. The end of October, we will be moving to a lab on the other end of that hallway so we won't have to go through that icebox on our way in or out. In the meantime, I have a hoodie and 2 thermal jackets at my desk. It get's pretty cold there too sometimes. Since I work in a lab though, anything electrical (heater, blanket, etc) would be out of the question so we all just bundle up. To think, when I took this job, I LOVED the chillroom. Amazing how much insulation fat has, huh? I've been fortunate and not really had much problems with arthritis every since my RNY...I was told I had it starting in my knees. I dread winter though. I have never been a 'snow bunny' but I'm even worse now. My motto 10 years ago through-out the winter months was 'I wanna be in Arizona!'. Now, after losing ~200 lbs? I desparately want my motto to be 'but it's a dry heat'..and yes, said with a south-west accent! LOL! It'd be interesting to see some stats on how many of us post-ops eventually retire to the SW, huh? I'd like to see if the # of retiree's increase at the same rate as the # of post-WLS'ers do! LOL! I hope your doc can get you something that will help. Meds have come a long way in the last 3 years so maybe there's something new that will do a good job with very few side effects. Hey..one can hope!

Oh..I'm on 10 hr days too. Reality, it's 10 hr 45 minutes. Our lunch isn't 100% included in our time. I've been taking Fridays off too. I love having the 3-day weekends! Well..it also gives me a weekday off to try to schedule doctor appointments/tests for (like the one on 10/10). I don't think my boss has gotten in the right paperwork yet but we have flex time here too so it doesn't really matter as long as I put in my time and he doesn't care how.

We'll all have to get together for dinner again soon.

Sherri

Sherri,

WOW, when you put it all down, it's unbelievable what you have been through.  I knew you were one tough lady, just didn't realize how strong you are.  I stand in awe of you!

How ironic that Arizona has been your dream of how to spend the winter.  I loved the winters I spent there.  In fact when I retire ( 4 more years) I plan on being a snow bird and returning there for the winters.  I wouldn't change the move back here to be with the kids.  I really enjoy our times together, but do miss the southwest and it's climate.  And you're right, it is a DRY HEAT.  If no one has experienced it, they don't understand it.  Give me 105 degrees in AZ anytime vs an 85 degree humid day in Indy in the summer.

Would love to meet for dinner.  I'll have to ask Brenda to let me know when she and Floyd meet you and Bill and I'll join you.

Julie

Julie,

Usually, when we get together with Brenda & Floyd it's a VERY last minute type of thing. Brenda will call me when they get out of work and ask 'what's for dinner?'. If I haven't already cooked something (which has only happened a few times...lol), we'll decide on where & when..usually within 2 hours from when she calls. So...be ready for a call at 3:30 saying 'can you meet us at 5?'. lol. We usually stick to places on the east side. Bill doesn't like to travel much 'just' for a meal. He's adventurous with cuisine..but not with distance. lol.

Oh..when we move out west (notice, I did not say 'if'), I would be shocked if the kids didn't decide to move then too. I think they all stay in Indy right now just because that is where we are and that's where their siblings are.

Sherri

Good morning all.  Not ready to start my work week, but I only have to work 3 days this week, so I am ok with that!

Mariah just now told me that today is only a half-day, and that they get out of school early. Now I have to try to get them in to the after-school program to stay there until their Dad gets off work.  Keep your fingers crossed.

Prayers going out to those in need.  God Bless each of you.  Take care and have a wonderful day!

Good morning everyone!

I'm with Julie..today is MY Friday too. Boy am I glad! I HATE getting up with the alarm clock anymore. It wouldn't be so bad but I am several years away from retirement! (~18 years!) I have alot I want to get done today. I've been going over data that will be used for a report my boss is writing. He asked me to because he knows I'm good at finding mistakes...and the one who produced the data, he's good at making mistakes. I've been with the company for almost 20 year though and him only about 4 yrs so I should be better than him at finding them.  I have post-it's & tabs all over the place. I want to get through the last section that he recorded in his notebook so that tomorrow, while I'm not here & needing his binder, he can go through and do a bunch of corrections. I hope he does anyway. I suggested it last Thursday and he didn't touch it. The rest of the stuff, he never put in his notebook at all which was pretty duh. Oh..and he never put any of the data in a spreadsheet (Excel) so a report could be written using it. So...I'm also entering all the data into Excel as a surprise for my boss. Otherwise, he would had to spend a month or so doing that before he could even think about writing his report.

Bill & I tried a new (to us) restaurant last night. It's at 10th & Shadedland. It's called Oishi Sushi...it's Japanese cuisine. It was SO good! We both got the Seafood dinner which came with Miso soup & ginger-topped salad. The entre' had shrimp, scallops, Sea bass, brocolli, onions, carrots, and baby corn and a bowl of white rice. We also got an appetizer of chef-choice sushi; octapus, tuna, shrimp, crab, and egg. They were so yummy! It was a little pricey ($70 with tip) but very, very good. I get to enjoy the rest of mine today for lunch. Usually we go to an oriental or chinese restauant so this was our first time at a Japanese one. It was strange to not see ANYTHING made with won-tons on the menu..and nothing fried except some of the rice! LOL! So no eggrolls and no rangoonds. lol! Next time (and there WILL be a next time!!), we'll probably try the shishumi out. We asked what the difference was between it & shushi and she said there wasn't any rice in shishumi. We brought home one of their menu's so we can look up what some of the stuff is! LOL! I told Bill that our tastebuds were getting cuisine diversified! Last weekend we tried Sero's...a greek restaurant (E Washington & Cumberland) and both of us ordered greek dishes (also, very, very good!). Hmm...about time for a fahita! lol!!!
 

Yesterday, I had a little scare. My engine light had came on & stayed on. Here's a lesson for all of you. If this happens to you, undo your gas cap and then re-do it to make sure it closed with a good seal! That solved my problem. Aparently there's been alot of that lately since that's what Eastgates service rep told me to try. Cheap fix, huh?

Well..I better get busy with this data! You all have a good day. I'll be poking my nose back in through-out the day (as always when I'm at work)...I have to have something to give me a break from staring at numbers! LOL!!!

Have a good day everyone!

Sherri

PS....Jodi...where's our questions sweetheart?

Good Morning Julie and all,

It was good to see you again yesterday.  I need to make it up to your desk more often.  I'll email you a reminder next week about support group. 

I had my first adjustment with the chiropractor last night.  I really like this doctor and it's nice that it's so close to our house.  They are having an Open House tonight, so we may try to attend that.  My next appointment is tomorrow afternoon.  He twisted me like a pretzel, so I'm feeling it today, but I'm hoping it will help.

Hope everyone has a great day.  Got lots of work to get done, so I better get busy.

Floyd

Floyd,

I'm glad that the chiro appointment went well. I hope you are able to get some relief soon!

Sherri

Good morning all!
Another day at work...blah!
We have been slow lately, which is good that nobody is getting hurt, but it makes for a long day.  Oh well, I just sit and play Pogo all day unless I have administration stuff to do. 

Just have to vent a little....but I am getting so sick of people that i havent seen in awhile say "you need to stop losing weight."  I say I am not trying to lose anymore.  I am actually eating more frequently and higher calorie foods. My body is just not ready to stop yet.  I tell them it will stop and then I will most likely gain a little back according to the nuts and dr.  It is just getting old to hear this all the time. Anyone else have this problem?  I know I shouldnt be losing anymore, but there isnt much I can do until my body decides to stop.  I am at 134 or so. At least I am not in the dangerous zone, like weighing 110 or something like that.  People just need to stop. Ok, Im done venting now.

2 more days and I will be heading to Louisville to see my aunt, cousins and friends. I cant wait!

Everyone have a great day!

My mom tells me all the time I'm getting too thin. She thinks more along the lines of "Fat and Happy". I get tired of it, but I love her. She's worried I won't be able to stop losing, I think.