Ha!! What's New Monday....I DID IT!!!!!

Hi Wanda, Funny how this journey differs for all of us, but your diving is a very physical job, so I would think extra calories in the form of protein would help you, though losing too fast has never been my problem (lol)! Just good to see your post and I wanted to jump in and say hey, as I am busier these days with the freedom of living my life more now that I am healthier and thinner.  My life is good and glad to hear yours is too! Hugs, Laureen

Laureen, I always so happy hearing from my angel. Losing weight too fast has never been a problem for me either until now. It is surreal. I went through a little bit of a stall in my 140's but the 130's are falling off fast. Glad to hear that your life is going well too. I keep thinking about the changes WLS has made for all of us.  We are so lucky.  It sounds like you had a blast in Germany. I know you were so excited to see your grand child!!! I found out recently that my daughter is having a boy.  We are all so excited!!   Life is slowing down just a little at work.  I have days off now so I hope I will be able to post more often.   Wanda

Hello Karen, too funny about the posting.. it is like getting the Sunday newspaper on Saturday... LOL I have insomnia now too. Some nights I wake up and am wide awake for about 1 1/2 hour then can go back to sleep. When I get sleepy I can usually take a nap but I try not to cause then I'm awake again during the night. I don't take meds.. sleep aids really don't work well for me; but naps do. lol******** Mom and I didn't go much of anything yesterday. Watched several TV movies and I did some sewing. I'm making a cloth book for my 2 1/2 yr old grandson. Has zippers, snaps, hook & eyes, colors, match the shapes and a few other fun things to do. He is such a cutie and fun to be around. Today mom has PT but other than that nothing going on. * * * * Today started out sunny but now I see a mist moving across the air. Going to be another dreary day. I will not complain after seeing the devastation in other areas. I can only imagine, and I don't want to, the hardship of having my home flooded. Have a Wonderful Day, Millie

Good Morning Karen.......how wonderful to see you so bright and early this morning!! You know how much I want to live in Maui. Your dicriptions are so vivid. I remember it ecactly that way. Hopefully someday I will get to at least vist there again. Paradise!!!!! Margo...continued prayers for your g'ma and you!! So sad to hear that she is failing so quickly. Bless her always!! I don't usually have a sleep problems. I take 50 mg of trazadone and I am out about 6-7 hours  most nights. Since surgery I don't get up very often at night to use the bathroom anymore. What a blessing that is!! As for me.....running into alittle depression right now. Nic has chemo this week. Usually I go down for it but couldn't get away this time. That is bothering me that I am not with him.They will be in Mpls the next week for Nic's scans, testing etc......always scary to wait for those test results to come back. I will be with him then to get through all that. The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day. I am going to try to be outside later to enjoy the rays!!! Hope you all have a great day. Prayers always to those in need. Love and hugs to all....connie d

Hi Karen and my OFF Family! Happy to see that you managed to do the thread today and as everyone else has said, you make the paradise of where you live come to life for us in your descriptions, someday, I will get there and see it for my self. . . As for sleep, I don't get much to begin with, a good night's sleep for me is about 6 hours, I wake up for potty breaks, depending on my water intake, at least 2 times a night, but usually am able to get back to sleep, I generally go to bed at 10:30 on worknights and wake up, pretty much on my own, around 4:30 or 5 a.m., on the weekends I can usually get an additional hour or two, but I remember my cousin had the same problem, not being able to sleep, after her WLS, not in the beginning so much, but after she hit her 1 year mark, so we shall see, I hope it does not happen to me, as I really don't do well on less than 5 hours sleep, cranky is a mild word to use for me with less than that (lol)! I had a very busy, but somewhat relaxing weekend trying to get back into my home life, after being in Germany for 6 days and I am still somewhat jetlagged.  I finished going through my drawers and closets and now have 6 bags of clothing to give away, I finally parted with things that for some silly reason I did not want to get rid of.  I threw out all my old lingerie and undies and have a whole new wardrobe of size 14s, large and a few extra large shirts that fit me now, most of which are things people I met through this journey have given me and I can honestly say I don't need to buy anything for the time being, other than bras, as mine are definitely too loose now (lol)!  The only thing I have left are winter coats which I will hang onto to give to people when they are needed. My stall which I complained about has broken, I have lost 5 lbs. in the last 11 days and am happy that the scale has decided to give me some play and I am amazed at the thought that pretty soon, my BMI will be in the "overweight" as opposed to "obese" or "morbidly obese" category.  Thanks again to all of you folks for your encouragement when I get stuck in the thought process of  "is this all there is". . . Wishing you all a wonderful day and sending you hugs, positive thoughts, as well as remembering you in my prayers, Laureen

Good morning sweet sister Maui Karen and all my other sisters and brothers. I am so glad to see that you got to start the thread this morning. You gotta do what you gotta do to get things done, Karen. If that means starting it before you go to bed then so be it! lol You know that old AA saying~"If it works don't fix it". This works so it's alright with us!! Today is cooler and sunny. I have my sliding door open and the windows and it is lovely! So nice to breath "real" air instead of fake air. lol Maybe we will have spring after all even if it only a couple of days.  A friend of ours died yesterday. She has been so sick for so long and finally she got home from the hospital last week and the doctor's said that there was nothing more that they could do for her. He boys were out and so that worked out good. What really threw Bill for a loop was that he saw Bob crying and he was shocked. Bill is one that won't cry in front of anyone. He will when is alone and then he tells me but he is of the thought that "real men" don't cry. I am hoping that helps him to realize that crying is not a weakness but a strength. Wednesday is the funeral and so that is where we are going. I am glad that it is early enough that Bill is going to be able to come. He is close to Bob. Joan was a sweet woman and very loving. It is sad but now she is at peace and home with God and there is no more sickness and pain.  I have to go the pcp this afternoon. I hate going but I hate the thought of changing doctors too. That is such a hassle and one that I hate but then again I hate change of any kind anyway. I know that it is something that I need to seriously act on. I am not happy with her but the last few times I went they ended up being good visits. So......we shall see today.  Bill goes back to work this afternoon. I hate to see him go, because I miss him when he leaves. There was times that I was ready to rip his head off during the last week but at least he still has his head so that is a good sign. lol I have to leave to go to the doctor before he leaves for work and I think that is bothering me more since he isn't going to be here when I get home.  I have problems sleeping most of the time. But honestly lately I have been sleeping like a baby. I do wake up sometimes during the night and early morning but then go back to sleep for an hour and sometimes 2. I have suffered from insomnia since I was in my 20's. It is a real pain in the a$$ that's for sure. I use to take a Tylenol PM but if I took 2 I would feel drugged all the next day. Now I jus****ch t.v. and eventually I go to sleep. Bill also suffers from insomnia too but it seems like it is never the same time as me. lol So that disrupts our sleep too, when the other one has it.  Better get going. I am sending love and hugs to all. Prayers are going up for everyone and special ones for those in need of them.

HIJACK........ Brenda I just would like to express my sympathy at the loss of your friend. My thoughts and prayers are with you and yours at this difficult time. God Bless. Hugs, connie d

Sorry about the loss of your friend.

Aloha and good morning my OFF family!

Wow...I woke up, turned on computer and there were SO MANY posts on What's New....I LOVE IT!

It's 5:30 a.m. and I just turned on ESPN and have the play off of Tiger and What's his name (LOL) on while I chitchat with you all. What a game that was yesterday!! Tiger always adds interest, and especially since he's playing with a bad knee and still WINNING!! I'm pulling for him this morning.

Golden is the word for this morning! Sunshine, turquoise ocean, gently swaying palm trees, sweet aromas from the plumeria trees....aaah, life is good. I wish I could send you each a blossom to put in your hair to make you even more beautiful, and to tickle your senses all day.

Margo, dearheart.......you have so much on your plate right now. Please take care of yourself in the process.

Thanks to all of you who commented on sleep problems. I am comforted knowing that I am not alone in the quest for a good night's sleep. Funny thing is that when I'm traveling, or at my kids home, I sleep much better. I've never understood that, and it makes me know that sleep IS possible. Tis a puzzlement!!

Tomorrow I fly over to Honolulu for my two year check-up. It won't be two years until July 26th, but they made an appointment for me I think because of the stomach problems I've been having. It is kind of a hassle going through the whole airport drama just for a 20 minute flight. It takes most of the day to do my Honolulu appointments. Then, I go over again on July 7th to consult with the plastic surgeon to see if he will do a lower body lift on me. I'm afraid he might not think I have enough belly skin to make it worthwhile....I hope not.

My lovelies.....it's time to start my day officially. THANK YOU ALL for giving this Monday a great start. I hope you are all having a good day, and that tomorrow you will have some excellent news for us. Hugs to all who need them......(helps me probably more than you!)

Aloha nui loa,

Maui Karen

Hi Karen and all my OFF friends, I have yet another new pic today.  I had to get a new one for my security badge at work today and it actually looks like what I see in the mirror so I asked them for a copy.  I don't get to fix the pic on my drivers license until next year.  I have much more trouble getting to sleep than staying asleep.  My mind does not want to shut off the thinking cap.  I worry, obsess as I'm trying to fall asleep.   I average two pee breaks during the night but I can usually go right back to sleep.  Good news I heard on GMA ~ That doctors research has changed the necessary sleep per night to 7 hours not 8.  Getting 8 hours of sleep a night can even be detrimental.  Luckily, WLS cured my sleep apnea so the sleep I do get is sound. Prayers to those who need them today for sick and lost loved ones.   Hawaii is one of the destinations on our list of must see.  My husband Bill was stationed there for a little while during the Viet Nam War.  He loves to take me back to all the places he has been stationed in the Navy.  So far we have been to San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle but we have not made it to Hawaii yet ~ but we will! I don't think we will get as far as Japan and Viet Nam though. Debbie - I got new glasses too.  There was a change in prescription which I was sure of before I went.  I bought the frameless glasses.  They are so light and it seems like I have more range of vision.  But I really got them for vanity because they practically disappear on your face.  We have Costco here and the glasses and the optician check-up/prescription came to $280.00.  I thought that was fantastic.  This is my second pair from Costco and I'm very happy with them. Have a great day everyone. Bev