Tuesday. June 5

Good very very early morning

insomnia at its finest ha****! Plus pain does not help. Cecily you have my deepest "sorries". I do hope that soon the healing corner will be turned.

Sooo this is the 7 th post op week for total knee replacement and today, for the first time walked, minus cane, along the pole line. This is a very rough dirt road that everyone uses for walking dogs. It skirts the massive electrical pylons, and deer, cougar and bears use the surrounding bush to gain access to this 52 mile right of way. No sign of wild life today but the scat indicate that am not alone.

Walked for only 25 minutes but for the first time did not need to immediately clamber into bed to elevate, ice and rest. I keep telling myself that there is progress but it seems glacial at times.

Sending hugs to you all and especially Paula. Read a good article Liz, about a village in Holland, that was built to give Alzheimer's patients room to roam and enough safety features that they feel safe and secure. You are walking a hard journey.

Enough yammering. Lights out, tablet down and eyes shut.

hope your sleep is deep.

Weight: 133.2
Macros: Cals 1,490, Carbs 155, Fats 53, Protein 91, Fiber 41
Sleep hours: 9
Vegetable/Fruit Servings: 7
Exercise: Aquarobics, Mowing


Carbon, I'm sorry about your insomnia. But how kind of you to leverage it to get us rolling this morning. I think your 25 minutes of walking with no cane along the deer, cougars, bear interstate is outstanding! Progress, indeed. :)

And down here in the Lower Midwest, the pesky pound that reappeared has again left town. Its departure is my persistence prize. :) It's also possible that during the last few weeks I have been rebuilding a few pounds of muscle tissue I lost while partying heartily around the North Atlantic.

BTW, I really enjoyed my return to the pool yesterday. There were 30 people in there sloshing around!

Happily, my night-before-last insomnia went bye-bye, and I slept 9 lovely hours. One of my good sleep hygiene behaviors seems to be hydrating well before going to bed to prevent me from waking up thirsty in the middle of the night.

Diane S., I've always loved your favorite vegetable, coffee. But this summer I'm loving it even more because I'm sipping it when the mornings are brighter and prettier.

Yesterday, the neighbor farmer hayed the field I loaned him. I hope he wants a second cutting so I don't have to start cleaning it up soon. The rest of my property looks wonderful right now. But we all know what the Buddha said about attachment. ;)

Today's theme: Kindness is not earned. It's simply needed.

Ann,

was glancing at your day tally and comment abou getting the good sleep. There was a post on the main boards yesterday that had a link to a surgeon in Mich. who evidently considers nutrition after WLS something to concern his- self about and therefore important for his patients' education (I know--Amazing!) I watched a few of his videos, and he seems to be totally sympathetic to what you are doing---Basically, that sleep and increasing good for you carbs is way more beneficial to WL maintenance, and that calorie and portion restriction can be counterproductive. He emphasized the importance of feeding the (natural, normal) hunger with nutritious well prepared foods, and how, by doing so, we work with our bodies instead of against them --homeostasis.

I'm thinking I AM going to cut into that avocado this afternoon when I make my salad.

Enjoy the sweet scent of that freshly cut hayfield.

Thanks, Miss Bonnie. My experience tallies with that Michigan surgeon -- IF he means that FOCUSING SOLELY on "calorie and portion restriction can be counterproductive."

I do think (at least in my case, since that's all I really can talk about with any authority) that calories still count. However, it's my observation that FOR ME some calories seem to weigh heavier on the scale than others. And, of course, the ones that weigh heaviest for me are those with sugar, sodium, and massively over-processed stuff like potato chips, non-fruity desserts, white breads (with no fiber), and (again, this is true for me -- can't speak for anyone else) very, very calorie-dense foods like peanut butter and (again, this is for me) nuts and nibbles of all kinds.

The veggies/fruits approach that I wandered into last summer has really been a boon. I think the best part of all is that they fill me up and keep me feeling full for so long. And the more of them I eat, the better they taste.

BTW, the stores are full of mini-avocados right now that are just the right size serving for one person. And they're packed with so many nutrients.

But I'm speaking to the choir -- you. :)

Weight 116.2, calories 1090. Four days to Aruba, so hopefully I'll drop back another pound by then (since I was there 2 days ago).

Definitely sounds like progress on the knee! I hope it continues. I guess I'm lucky that all parts seem to be functioning pretty well except my shoulders which yoga seems to be improving (I let them get very stiff by not using them which exacerbated the issue).

I took DH to the ophthalmologist yesterday to follow-up on a suggestion by the clinical trial ophthalmologist. Apparently there is some chance that he has glaucoma. We went to an ophthalmologist associated with Massachusetts Eye and Ear but with office hours on Cape Cod, a half hour away. I thought it would be better on time, but with a 10:30 appointment we didn't see him until 1:00! And then only for 5 minutes. DH did have a few tests done during the wait period, but most of that time was waiting. Even with retirement, I don't have the patience for that. We have to go back 2 days after we get back from Aruba for a Visual Field test to determine if he does have glaucoma requiring treatment (tests peripheral vision). With DH's Alzheimer's, the test may be a challenge...

The sun is finally coming out again. It rained all day yesterday and was COLD. Justice was very nudgy, but he did get a good walk at the end of the day when it dried out.

Have a temperate Tuesday!

As I see more and more postings in Dr.'s offices re patients lateness and such resulting in financial penalties----Well, to that I propose a policy of "What's Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander"...Sounds to me like your time is worth- what, a free appointment?

Wouldn't that be nice! I was about 15 minutes late for a physical at the end of last year due to traffic, but then the check-in person made me wait for 10 minutes to check-in while she answered calls, etc. At this point, she told me I was too late and had to reschedule. I was livid, but at least they didn't charge me a cancellation fee...

Good morning fellow vigilants (not to be confused with vigilantes) ! As I read through some threads on the main boards, I was reminded about the difference between the two. To a person, individuals from this board who post, especially amid controversy and high emotion interactions, do so with compassion, insight, and class. Proud to call you my friends and embrace you as family !!

Atlas is recovering well from being neutered. He is tolerating the air collar and we have been able to avoid the cone of shame. While seven months may not be the optimal age in some ways, it is highly recommended timing for dogs being trained for service work.

Another cool, damp day here?perfect for weeding and getting in a long walk. Carbon, your walk along the timber (and wildlife) line sounds heavenly. I hope you carry some repellants like Shel. Ann, your ventures out to check your fences and fields, by foot and gator, sound glorious too ! How powerful to stop and survey all you have accomplished ! We should all make time for that. Cecily, hope your healing is advancing, and that your journey to another shower is short. BB, thinking about you during this ?back to school? week. It sounds like you have the right frame of mind, and a great plan in place. Liz.. you have your packing and preparations under control for Aruba ! Diane..sounds like tourist season is in full bloom! I?d love to visit your gallery ! Dave, hope the body continues to cooperate and that you can avoid grass higher than the mower! Bonnie 150, love the pictures you post of your home and the value you add here. Devon? you?ve got to be down to hours! Tank?s pictures with the kids were adorable ! Are you sticking with your plan to cut back this summer (and not work double in July to accompli****) ? Shel, can?t wait to see what you have planned for the weekend, and the pictures you?ll post ! Paula, thinking about you. Ben and the boys? may peace and comfort be finding you all.

Thank you, Diane O. :) A recent post I made in the VSG Forum (?) may have been one of the posts that caught your eye.

I agree that our VSG Maintenance Group are generally lovely and civil folks. I say "generally" only because I'm sure anyone here can get uppity from time to time. But who among us wants to start a WLS flame war. Not me.

Therefore, governed as the board is by so many "authorities" convinced that a WLS life cannot be successfully lived in moderation, I have to take a few deep breaths before voicing my optimism about building a post-WLS life lived "the middle way." Many OH veterans eschew alcohol and carbs of most kinds or, if they don't really eschew those substances in the privacy of their own homes, rail against those who don't aspire to subsist mostly on meat and water.

Which reminds me: "What's the difference between a Baptist and a Methodist? When you run into a Methodist at the liquor store, he says howdy."

I'll be here all week. :)

Weight: 167.4

So many firsts yesterday! Becca went to her babysitter, I went to work, DH started new job. Work was more of a trial run for me. I was trying to decide whether I felt up to going to the gym. I went because I felt like no time like the present. And luckily Becca behaved enough for me to get in a 45 minute back workout! Rich seems to be doing well. But this is not ideal :****ep trying to push away negative thoughts, though. So blessed, no time to harp on anything else!

Foods weren't the healthiest yesterday. But I think portion sizes were spot on and I did workout! Becca is beginning to have trouble sleeping through the night. Not sure if this is 4 month sleep regression or if just the changes of DH being gone and me going back to work. But I woke up and ate 2 cookies :( They were fiber one cookies and it makes me mad when "healthy" choices become a problem.