What's New- Friday, January 15!

Hi All,
I hope this works- my OH is acting kind of funny! I'm having trouble getting to sleep so I'll go ahead and start this thing! I'm back from San Francisco with a clean bill of health. It looks as if I'll be going every 6 months for the rest of my life though. My blood pressure was 105/60... the nurse said that I must be very calm. My job has been changed somewhat- I will be covering for another therapist who is taking an extra two months off with her new baby. So I am having to drop all of my extra reading groups in order to do that. The district has no money so even covering for illness is not possible. It's quite frustrating... I just have to cut as much as I can. The hardest part is that there is no end in sight. Every year we have to cut more... but we are legally mandated to do so much... this stuff makes me look seriously at retirement. If my medical would be covered I would seriously consider it.
Anyway, it's FRIDAY! I have a memorial service to attend on Saturday and I'm going scrapbooking on Monday. I hope that you are all hanging in there with the crazy economy. I'm feeling very sad about the devastation in Haiti.
Julia

Good morning OFF.

  I'm having a hard time.  My labs (preop) came in yesterday.  Not good.  My LFT's *(liver function tests) are up again.  My PCP is worried about non alcoholic cirrosis of the liver.  My CO2 is a little high, as is my sodium.  My calcium has gone down a little..not much. 
   My protein is low (hence the brittle fingernails and thinning hair)...and My red blood cell count was low.
   I'm tired of feeling sick.
   SOOOOOO,  now I'm getting ready to go to school cause no matter what's going on with me I have students who are depending on me being there and being in a good mood.  (As she picks her self up by her boot straps and slaps a big ole smile on her face.)

   I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday...and a great week-end.  I'm trying to get my kids (all in their 20's ) to help me take down the Christmas tree  (YES!!! shock its still standing with all the decorations)..and clean up my house before my surgery on Wed.

   My granddaughters birthday is Sunday too!!!!  My little sweet pea will be 6!!!  Where has the time gone???

   Chat away...have fun.  Catch you all later on.

   (((((HUGS)))) to all who need them
    Susan...oh my G...how do I increase my protein without feeling like I've eaten a cow????

    Connie...prayers continuing for your family.

    Annette...what would I do without your wisdom and your patience when I bend your ear and vent?  Love ya...

    Good Friday to everyone else.
   Marcy

 Marcy,
You give me your ears and  also.

Marcy,  for protein, whenever I want a snack, I grab some cubes of cheese.

Thanks you George...usually I reach for a cheese stick...but ...my PCP says my sodium is too high so she told me NOT to each cheese for a few days...OMG...its like going thru withdrawal!!!!  Cheese and yogurt and cottage cheese are about the only dairy products that don't bother my stomach as I am lactose intolerant.

  Thanks for your support...love to you and Mary.

If they ever tell me no cheese, I am in big trouble. 

cheese has been a staple for me too-but dairy depletes iron......i learned that last winter when i was donating blood plasma...ouch!

For extra protein, I supplement my day with my Matrix 5.0 hot chocolate protein drink..it's low in calories (120 cal) and has 23 grams of protein. I drink it all year round.  I have difficulty eating solid food for breakfast so my usual breakfast is the hot chocolate protein drink....easy to take.

Also, another idea is to use the TASTELESS protein powder and add it to your cereal or coffee/tea/soup.

Nancy B

Thanks Nancy...I have heard of the Matrix...I spoke to Annette about this last night.  Guess I'm going to have to drink 3 protein shakes a day instead of two for a while.

 Food just makes me feel so full anymore.  And eating 5-6 times a day is seriously a drag.  But, we must do what we must do.

 

  Thank you again for your support and encouraging words.

  Marcy

I understand completely..I don't feel hunger anymore so I have to force myself to eat sometimes and that's a great irony!! I drink alot of my hot chocolate protein because its fast, easy to prepare, gets the protin in and i dont feel all stuffed. Matrix 5.0 is one of the few protein drinks that I can swallow..I gag on most of them.

I always bought the Matrix 5.0 hot choclate protein powder from Bariatric Eating.  Last week I called them to order more..usually two five pound bags at a time. BariatricEating no longer carried Matrix..why? because they have developed and are selling their OWN brand of drink. 

This is fine EXCEPT that their new product that is to replace the Matrix is a one pound bag for $19.99 !!! I've been paying approximately $40.00 for a five pound of Matric 5.0.   Add to this, their shipping price is $8.89 in the US (I'd hate to think what it would be for me in Canada)!   That means a one pound bag of BariatricEating brand hot chocolate powder will cost approx. $50.00 US funds!  Talk about a RIP-OFF!

So I went searching and found the Mattix 5.0 at BariatricAdvantage instead. It's $39.99 for a five pound bag and FREE SHIPPING if you allow a regular shipping (dates set by you) for at least two times..they automatically charge you for the Matrix. 

I ordered two bags now and two more to be delivered (and charged) in mid March...that's using two scoops per day.  If I use more drinks per day, I can easily adjust the delivery date  at no charge or penalty.

I find that the hot drinks (especially now) are soothing, give me the protein that I need and are easy and tasty, & don't make me feel uncomfortable...and I dont have to worry about "what do I eat??"

Nancy B