Friday Already!

Wow, where did this week go???? and can you believe it's May already!??!! Time has really flown by this year...seemed like only yesterday (President's Day in 2/2013) I was bemoaning the fact that we have that long dry spell without any paid days off until Memorial Day and now it's just a blink away!!!!!  Wish my extra fat was disappearing as fast as this year is hahahaha

Had a great day yesterday, had good healthy meals and was still under 1300 calories and I walked too.  I made sure at work to walk fast and really pump the arms now matter where I was walking.  Today has started off great too! Got up and walked my 30 minutes while listening to a book and then had a soak in the hot tub...Now I'm dressed and ready for work.

Breakfast: homemade smoothie with an extra 17 gms of protein whey

Lunch: Salad with tuna including 25 calorie per 2 tbs serving

Snack:  Fuji apple, fat free yogurt and celery sticks

Bedtime:  most likely my cheese and crackers although last nite, 2 slice of turkey deli meat (only 30 calories per slice)

At any rate, fills me up and satisfies my mouth with crunch.!!  Ya'll have a great day!!

Good job Debbie!  Have a good weekend!  Weekends are hard for me!!  Keep up the good work!!

This week has been BUSY. Work has been crazy (in a good sort of way). The end of the month is normally always our busiest time for real estate recordings and we're also becoming quite an attraction for destination weddings so marriage license keep us hopping. At the end of the day ----I still love my job.

I saw a quote last night on pinterest that said "I wish I was as thin as my patience!!" I can honestly say that I am not a patient person. I have a sneaky suspicion that it's about to be tested some more in the coming weeks. Moma gets her stint put in on Monday and then we have at least a month long wait until the carotid artery surgery. She's great at nursing on the family but she too sucks at being the patient. So my prayer is that she becomes a patient patient and not test my patience.

I am happy to report (at hoping I don't jink myself) that the hypoglycemia seems to be more under control. Timing my small meals, even when I'm not hungry, is what I think is helping the most. I really didn't learn all that much from the nutritionist last month. What I'm reading about the Vitamin D deficiencies and the suggested diets to help curb them is also part of the trick (Plate method with 3/4 produce and 1/4 lean protein) trying to eliminate the carbs and junk food. Today was our yearly health fair at work and they fed us really BIG sandwiches. I may have eaten a 1/4 of the bread and I started feeling foggy. Finished off the "innards" of the sub (lean ham, lettuce, tomato, red onions, cheese and pickles.

For all you smoothie lovers out there.....I've got my family hooked on strawberry-banana smoothies using frozen bananas, fresh berries, greek yogurt, vanilla whey protein and flaxseed. They think it's strawberry ice cream that I use to make  it creamy.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

- Iris

Good evening, BOTT friends,

Well, I saw my neurosurgeon for my first visit since my last back procedure which deadened a few problem spinal nerves.  My spinal instability is worse, as is my osteoporosis, so at first he mentioned wanting to do a spinal fusion, but when he viewed my last DEXA scan results, that killed it.  My L-spine bones are too fragile for the plates and screws needed for the surgery.

That means I should get an easy approval from my insurance to graduate to injectable osteoporosis meds (I.V. meds "Reclast" or I.M. meds "Prolia").  My PCP called me today and said she's referring me to an endocrinologist to evaluate further, and as I always suspected, much of this is "probably" due to malabsorption of my meds as well as the normal malabsorption of vitamins and minerals following wls.  Therefore, I again stress to anyone interested and within listening distance, TAKE YOUR MEDS AND SUPPLEMENTS ....GET YOUR LABS, SCANS, and WHATEVER.  Follow-up with your docs!   

In the meantime, I cannot return to my nursing job, am still on worker's comp, and have applied for long term disability and social security disability.  I am, by no means bed-bound...just under severe restrictions and cannot even do what I love most which is FISHING!!!  But I am staying on track, losing weight and trying to maintain what muscle strength I have by riding my recumbent bike, which is the only approved exercise besides swimming, and I can't swim...YET.

Rode my bike for 32 mins this evening, covering 4.1 miles.

Today I ate:

B:  protein shake made with 1 c 1% milk and 1/2 small banana

L:  grilled chicken thigh (skinless) on sandwich thin with 1/2 tbsp mayo

S:  1/2 Quest protein bar, 1/2 oz natural almonds

D:  grilled chicken breast (skinless), cooked kale

S:  possibly another protein shake with 1% milk, or protein bar (or might go to sleep and just call it done)

Good night friends :)