Last week: 186.4

This week: 187.0

Day late, Monday, and several dollars short.

Stress is common factor this week. Already have four reports to write when I get to office. Friday was a sum*****! Nothing like trying to run somebody's ID and get a reject message saying my certification to do so had expired. Unlike your driver's license no reminders that the certification(s) are no bueno. Got it worked out with Austin and have to retake an on-line test I failed Friday. Got past the other two but this one.

Did put my "baby girl" down last Monday. Was not getting any better and suspect she had a second stroke. Seventeen years with a peaceful end was a Hell of a run for a dog.

Nice gathering in Waco for a former member of the Texas OH board. She had died late last year so a lot of the former Texas board folks met in Waco for a memorial service, hang out, and get caught up. Regain is REAL!

Got to make like a banana and split!

Thanks, John. Yeah, the stress has been terrific. But I am holding up. This whole event has been a life changer. I just got promoted to head of the family and guardian of my mother's well being.

I am back home for a couple of days. I managed to catch a vicious cold, and I don't want to give it to Mom, so I told her I would be resting up and then getting back with her in a few days to continue on with all that needs to be done. She's got some great people looking after her, so I can relax on that score.

I weighed 271 1/2 lbs this morning. I hit a low of 270 during the week last week, but I think it was anomalous. I discovered I was very dehydrated right about the same time, what with all the running around, disrupted schedule, etc. I've been eating stuff not really good for me, but mainly because that was all that was available. Now that I am home again, it is actually a relief to get back to my regular eating pattern and food choices.

Given that my last two "official" weigh ins have been 272 lbs, I can't really complain. The fluctuation in my weight is less than 1%. And I will say, being that dehydrated is NOT a good feeling. Lots of water and decaf coffee fixed me right up though.

High weight 481

Current weight 272

Goal weight 300

337.6: High weight Dec '13

311.3: Surgery day 1/16/14

191.8: 1st Surgiversary

199.2: 2nd Surgiversary

201.6: 3rd Surgiversary

215.0: 4th Surgiversary

214.0 Last Weigh in

215.0: CW

Food: C

Water: C

Vitamins: B

Exercise: B+

Stress......Lots of it these past few weeks. Reading the posts from last week, this seems to be some bad times for a bunch of us. @LittleBillJr - I can't even begin to understand what you're going through, and I hope and pray for your well being through these times.

As for me, my stress is more a sum of whats going on in my life: Dying parent, and I can't be there for either her or my dad and my family who's there every day; Insane travel, and getting worse the next few weeks; Upset wife about the insane travel; and now a new job when this project is over.

I guess there is some good news in that I am getting a pseudo promotion this week. The bad news is that I have no idea what this new job is going to entail and what's going to be expected of me. I'm heading to the marketing department as my company tries to reinvent itself. As an engineer, I tend to think more black and white. I think I'll be living in a grey world going forward. Its called a promotion because its a higher job class then my current one, however no change in pay.

Looking over the past four years, I'm not happy about my trend in weight gain. I had a little epiphany the other day when I realized that while I need to lose a few pounds, I don't need to do it overnight. Its OK, and probably more healthy, if I lose a pound a month for a year or so. So that's my goal in 2018. Lose a pound or so a month. Its going to be tough with all the travel, but I believe its possible.

Have a great week everyone.

Hi Dave,

You may experience hair loss, and most certainly sagging skin. For me, its a pain in the ass, but the benefits of the weight loss far a outweigh my hair and some skin. You can choose to wear the sagging skin as a badge of honor, or you can choose to get it cut off. Either way, its your choice and you get the bonus of a healthier life.

Before you can heal - you're going to have to hurt. Day at a time.