Friday June 30

Tomorrow is July 1st already! Time is flying. My boss and his boss now know I am retiring at the end of the year so next steps are planning for it. Funny thing! I had a 1:1 meeting with one of my Business Analysts and she is retiring in 3 months (ahead of me)! I had to laugh at the timing when she told me (I told her why). She is leaving for a lot of the same reasons I am: mostly personal, but we just don't want to try and work through this latest reorganization, as it has already been so painful.

No weight as DD is in scale room. We are leaving for Boston at 6:30 for DH's trial starting physical and to get his pills (for starting tomorrow). We wanted to go early so we could get back over the bridge to the cape before there was much traffic. Friday's in summer are brutal but especially the Friday before July 4.

Paula, glad to hear that DH's treatment so far has worked and it sounds like surgery will be an option (though it will be a tough recovery). Ann, I will be praying for good results returning next week!

Have a great Friday (and weekend for those not posting during it)!

Good morning!

Liz, I can't believe how fast time is flying, too. You will be retired in a blink. Fingers crossed for DH and the trial.

Paula, well, count me in as someone who is grateful that DH can have the surgery. Such a satisfying fix. Get it out, now! It is wonderful that there is a pathway to simply removing what is left. But goodness, terrifying all the same. I know that the right thing to say is that it is all worth it (and it is) but I also want to acknowledge that cancer treatment is brutal. I know you and DH will savor these days before surgery and hope your DS's cooperate as well!

DD has a job interview with Starbucks today. Bittersweet. It will be interesting to see how it goes. More importantly, I'm taking off work early today for hair appt's. Hiking planned for this weekend. Can't wait.

Hug your skinny!

Shel

141.6. Good walk in yesterday too!

Most of you that have been following DH's Caring Bridge know the good news. No cancer in lymph nodes and original tumor much reduced. Looks like surgery (and only chance for a cure) will be a go. Feeling more empowered!

No big plans for the weekend. DS#3 gets home from scout camp on Saturday. Work a little shorter of a work day on Monday then have Wed. off for surgeon's consult and Friday off for the long weekend away with DH. It will be his birthday also, so lots to celebrate right now!

Happy weekend going into a Holiday week!

Congratulations to all of you ! It is a family blessing !!! Such wonderful news !!

206. I am far behind and need to do some reading to catch up.

My daughter had another surgery that was successful, part one of two so she is moving along. Hopefully, she may receive the transplant before Christmas if one of us is a match. No testing yet.

My ex-husband's wife has been harassing me horribly. I showed one of her emails to my boss, saying how mean she is, and he cracked me up asking if I thought she was my friend.

Wednesday morning, I got up at 4:30 to take my daughter to the hospital for surgery. I thought my jeans were feeling very comfy and looked in the mirror to check the fit. The whole ass along the pocket was torn. I laughed, I cried... I put on a more sturdy pair of jeans that were snug. As the day drew on, waiting, drinking lots of water, I went to the ladies room and discovered that I ripped the sturdy jeans under the zipper. Luckily I was wearing a sorta long Tshirt that could cover it. I kept tugging to make sure. Oh, and she forgot to tell me that her surgeon was dreamy, so yeah.

I cannot placate myself that my jeans still fit. Many of my clothes still fit, but a lot do not. My daughter asked why I don't do what my mother always did when she gained weight -- my mom was a light weight -- and she would chew gum when she was dieting so she wouldn't eat. She thought dieting was so simple, because it was for her. I told my daughter I cannot chew gum after surgery. She asked why not. I could not answer her intelligently (I have not swallowed gum since I was a little kid). So I bought a giant package of sugar-free gum from Costco. Anyone know any good reasons we should not chew gum?

Fwiw my center never cautioned me about gum. Sorry about that SIL!

I'm allowed to chew gum. It was on the "avoid" list for the first 3 months post VSG due to an increase in swallowed air and saliva production while chewing gum, which could prove uncomfortable for a newly made sleeve.

Advice I got was same as Devon's instructions.

My surgeon said no to gum early on, but after a few months said sugarless gum was fine as long as I didn't swallow it. I chew gum a lot especially when I work at home and am next to the kitchen all day.

I am going to pray for a kidney match for your daughter. You have all been through an awful lot. And what is wrong with ex-husband's wife???? She has no business saying ANYTHING to you.

Weight: 134.0

Macros: Cals - 1,478, Carbs - 222, Fat - 32, Protein - 60, Fiber - 19

Veggies/fruits: 6

Sleep: 10.5 hours (was pooped!)

Exercise: Yoga class

* * *

Yea, Ben and Paula! Very good news that Ben's surgery is a go and that his esophageal cancer treatment can continue to rid him of it all. Excellent!

Well, goody! The boob biopsy is over. I'll offer no details, but if you ever need to know what's involved in a stereotactic breast biopsy call me and I'll tell you all about it.

The after-care means no pool this morning, wearing a compression bandage on my boob, using an ice pack, no heavy lifting, and Tylenol (no NSAIDs). So this morning before today's first rainstorm I was mowing the lawn in overalls, denim shirt, and bill hat with an icepack stuck in my bra. ;) That's how country girls do biopsy after-care.

This morning I also had a big urge to play dress up, which is going into my closet to make up new ensembles, try them on, and record them in Excel so that in future when I wonder "what the hell can I put on today?" I'll have some ideas. Recently, OH poster "Gwen" said on a general forum post that her therapist observed that Gwen's clothes are like toys. That really rung a bell with me. My clothes are my toys, too and one of my favorite hobbies. :)

T.G.I.F., skinny people!

Do the smart thing.