Monday Monday

Good Morning OFF Family,

Quick note here.  I'm heading over to play with Frankie this morning.  School year ends in a few weeks, and then I get to play with all of them.  I need to sign up for the Kids Bowl Free program.  It's a great program at a bunch of bowling alleys across the country.  www.kidsbowlfree.com is the link.  It's during the summer for all kids at a lot of places.  

Just got a text from Colleen that she's running late, so I can breathe a little.

I am so grateful for the friends we have here.  I don't get to reply to everyone all the time, but I love each of you, and pray for each as well.  

Love,

Trish

Good Morning Trish & All Who Follow!

I am also looking forward to the end of the school year...June 11th here so Jazz & I can hang out without the pressure of school stuff. We have a backyard pool & we both love to swim. Her friends come over, but we have times it is just the two of us that I enjoy most. We are also 45 minutes from the beach, and her favorite thing in the world is to go down there for daytrips...lunch, beach, boardwalk...one of life's guilty pleasures.

My knees are killing me...I am proud of myself for working up to one 25-30 minute walk daily, but I wonder if it is too much considering I am still so obese. Went to bed with ben-gay last nite, and have been taking Tylenol a few times/day. Nothing compared to what a lot of you deal with, but why are they hurting now when I want to walk? Ugh!

I have Jim's honey-do projects lined up for this morning as well as my own so I'm gonna get going.

Hope Vickie is feeling better and everyone else is going to have a good day!

Good morning Kathy...

Kathy....I agree that long of walk for you right now may be too much. Maybe you should try 10 to 15 minutes once a day. Increase as you feel up to it. That is how I started out. Listen to your body. You do a lot of walking all day long. I walk more because I pretty much can't do anything else. You get in a lot more walking then you think you do!!! 

I am sure you and Jazz will have a wonderful summer having fun and making good memories!! 

Don't overdo...let your knees rest today!

Love and lots of hugs to you...connie d

Good morning all,

Trish, Thank you for those beautiful words of gratitude, for your love, and for your prayers.  I too am so very grateful for you and for all here.  What a lovely, welcoming and supportive community.  I am lucky to have found you all and luckier still to have been welcomed so warmly and so completely.    I hope you have a lovely morning with Frankie!

Kathy, you are doing such a great job with your preparation! Do what you can, but don't get hurt.  If you can possibly continue those 25 - 30 minute workouts, 4 times a week, you will be in such great shape heading into surgery.  I host Thanksgiving dinner for the extended family (14 - 18 each year) and this year, it did me in.  I was walking with a cane for weeks after. My PCP had been suggesting I look into WLS for a few years but I wrote her an email on Thanksgiving night saying, yes - I'm ready to consider it.  I had 14 people at our home on Saturday night for desserts, drinks, etc (after dinner) and was still dancing... yes, dancing... at midnight.  So now, I can't wait for the holidays.  I bet you and I will both be dancing through the parties this year! 

Carla, you got a good trade by lending your SUV for Vinnie. :-) good luck on your physical today! Nothing weird this time!!!

Jeannie, your stories about tornadoes give me palpitations.  Tornadoes are my worst nightmare, honestly.  God bless you and keep you safe!!! And regarding eggs, I don't have a problem yet.  I have only tried them scrambled though; I haven't tried a hard boiled one yet.  

Judy, oh dear, its just a never ending parade of "joy" for you, isn't it?  Sorry to hear the latest.  Hang in there.  Black pants, ugh.  Do you have a Kohl's nearby? I have good luck with basics like plain pants at Kohls.  Plus you might find a coupon too!

Fran, you can do it! I've read that cutting back on carbs can restart your losses too.  Whatever you do, its great that you're continuing all the workouts.  That's awesome!

Vickie, my dear, as I replied earlier (on yesterday's thread) I wouldn't wish your decisions and heartache on anyone. You are anything but selfish. You may be doing too much for everyone else, at the expense of your own health.  Regardless, we are all here for you, with support and no judgements, ever.  Please do try to recover and be good to yourself.  If you enjoy fixing up that new porch, then do it - enjoy yourself.  It will be your sanctuary! In the meantime, go somewhere peaceful today, just yourself.  Take a little time - even 30 minutes - for peace and solitude.  You can find that time in your schedule, Vickie - make it happen. Hugs to you!

Mary, I love your metaphor/visualization for Vickie.  I am going to remember that and use it often. I hope and pray you are doing well, and that Jim is starting to follow some medical directions.  

Eileen, I hope you survived the Great Coffee Crisis! Gosh I love coffee, but I had developed a real big problem with it.  I switched to decaf 2 years ago - it was brutal.  And I can't drink coffee without something in it - and 1% milk will NOT cut it for me. :-) So my decaf is now a planned snack with 1Tbs of half and half, or I will occasionally treat myself to a skim latte as a snack.  Bottom line, I don't drink coffee every day which is weird for me! 

Connie, oooh dear, you're having those tornadoes too?  Oh stay safe.  And I know that just makes the pain worse too.  Praying you have steadier air pressure and less rain today!  I am sure you would be happy to talk with the Lord under a sunny sky :-) 

As for me...

I mentioned to my reply to Kathy that we had a big party at my home Saturday night - it was really the "after party" as dinner was at a restaurant.  It was great fun.  It was an action and activity packed three days!  I didn't wobble at any of the events, but I had this one moment while cutting up my stepdaughter's cake... it was chocolate with chocolate mousse filling... and after cutting and serving I had chocolate on my hands.  It would have been so easy to just lick it off.  But instead I ran, and I mean ran, to the bathroom to wash those hands ASAP.  Oh I will have chocolate again someday, but I'm not even considering letting the carb or sugar genies out of their bottles until maintenance.  And only under my nutritionist's supervision.  That's just my choice - to each their own - but I know I can't trust myself with those foods so i am going to be very cautious about how and when I re-introduce them.  

Anyway I am very glad I had the energy and ability to enjoy every minute of this past weekend.  This surgery is already proving to be a miracle for me.  I can't wait to see even more energy and improvements as I continue to lose weight.  Speaking of losing... 

Drumroll:  I am no longer morbidly obese! As of this morning's weigh in, I have a BMI of 39.4. While this is not exactly cause for celebration per se, its a big improvement from my starting BMI of 47.  And I like losing that "morbid" word!

Well ladies and all those lurking, I send you all my hugs and my prayers.  Have a great Monday!

Christine

Hello Christine....

We really are blessed to have such a wonderful group of ladies on this board. We just sail away with each other knowing we are secure, safe, supported and loved!! What a great feeling to know we have this family here for the good and the bad times!!!  

I agree with Jeannie...I had problems with eggs for the first couple years after surgery. I could not get them down no matter what I tried. I have them now but not real often. 

I am so excited for you....YAY....no more morbidly obese!!! I know how hard you worked at this. I laughed at you running to wash your hands...good choice!! Dancing at the party...you must have felt so wonderful...good for you!!  I always hated that word "morbid" too!!! 

Lots of love and many hugs to you....connie d

Congrats on losing the "morbidly" word ... I remember that day, too. And once, when I had my work wellness check up and the nurse did the BMI and said, "well, this means you're obese." And I said, well, yes, but I used to be super morbidly obese. So 170 is much better than 355. 

Celebrate your victory. 

Good morning Trish and everyone.....

Trish...I hope you and Frankie had a lot of fun today. I can't believe how fast this school year has gone. I know you will have fun with your grandchildren this summer. Lots of good times and great memories ahead!

I remember that last year you did that bowling with your grandchildren. It was you wasn't it? We have that summer program here as well. It sounds like a good time!!

We all love you too Trish! You don't need to answer each person every time. I do it because I have the time to do it and it makes me happy! I probably drive everyone crazy with all my chatter!!

As for me.....I am feeling really weak today. Everything I attempt to do I can't finish. My limbs feel like lead. I am hoping that improves soon. 

I still need to get to the grocery store. I have been out of fresh fruit for a few days now. I don't think I can make it on the bus today. I will have to ask around. 

I will check in again later. I hope Vickie is feeling better today.

Wishing you all a blessed day!!

Prayers for our sweet OFF Family and their families.

Lots of love and many hugs to all...connie d

Connie, Sweetie, I do not believe that any one of us minds your "chatter."

Frankie wasn't feeling so great this morning.  His nose was running like a leaky faucet and Mommy had to buy more tissues on the way home.  She also got him some children's Claritin.  We did puzzles, games, and played with planes and cars.  

Love you.

Thank you Trish...I know I chat too much...but this group is all I have some days. I love being with all of you!!

Sorry Frankie's is not feeling the best today. I hope the meds help so he can feel better soon.

Love you...HUGS....connie d

I am with Trish.  We love your chats and your personal replies! You are such a lovely ray of sunshine and light and humor and wisdom.  Don't even think about changing.  I will send the posse out after you.