Monday, August 27, 2018

Weight: 134.4
Macros: Cals - 1,231, Carbs - 134, Fats - 33, Protein - 88, Fiber - 25
Sleep hours: 4
Vegetable/Fruit Servings: 7
Exercise: Home yoga, walked 10.5K steps
Meditation: Yes

I'm headed off early this morning to The Big City for my monthly shrink visit and my fourth surgiversary follow-up visit with my surgery team. My appointment is with the Nurse Practitioner, but I also usually get to see my surgeon. I think he needs ALL the positive reinforcement he can get. :)

BTW, my weigh-in at the doc's office today will probably be OK -- this morning on my scales I weighed 0.4 pounds less than I did the day of my follow-up visit last year. ;) And as much as I do believe it's better to focus on actions than results, on this one day of the year I am hyper-focused on results. ;)

Wish me luck on the blood panel results - mostly that they're back. If not, I'll have a phone call in a few days with the NP to find out what, if anything, needs to be changed re supplements, etc.

I'm also planning to discuss with her: GERD (been better lately), my PPI prescription, a possible endoscopy (maybe it's time for a new one to check on my hiatal hernia situation and possible Barrett's Esophagus issues, which hasn't been diagnosed, but I obsess a bit about the possibility of that developing because of my GERD) ... and I think that's it.

Will report tomorrow morning about what went down today. :)

Today's theme: Heading into Year Five, this is a such great trip!

141.6

Have a great time in the Big City!

I think it's perfectly a-ok to focus on results every once in a while; it satisfies the secret thrill seeker in us. Well done, you.

Yah, that Barrett's Esophagus is a little stinker, isn't it? I checked out a flip chart once while in the examining room waiting for Dr to show up. Very interesting-- what shows is what looks like a visible red rash of sorts- where the cells have been damaged - so subject to start changing to the bad stuff. Good thing to keep an eye out for.

No time to linger...will check boards after school and before class tonight. Monday is my one unending day- am up at 5am and do not return home till 10:00 at night. My shrink, currently is Mr. Clay, and I wouldn't miss an appt with him- so, absolutely no complaining here!

Have an absolutely wonderful Every Moment Monday! Produce a little joy and give it out freely.. it is in short supply and greatly needed.

Weight 122 - a new post-WLS high. Calories 964 whi*****luded a large cupcake and then there was the prior day's wedding feasting.

Ann, good luck on your appointment. I was on omeprazole for years prior to my VSG. I had a hiatal hernia corrected when I had my surgery and knock-on-wood, haven't needed the medication since I stopped it a month or so after surgery. I hope you are okay on that front.

I am in fear that when I come back from Europe I'll be a complete blimp. And there are 2 days of extraordinary events this week: Friends coming for a sail/lunch tomorrow and our anniversary dinner (37) on Wednesday. Lunch is manageable, but dinner will include wine. I need to be on an austerity mindset the rest of the time. The only plus about the trip is that because it is a tour for the first 10 days so I won't have time hanging around snacking... Or so I'm telling myself.

Today is yoga, Alzheimer's Memory Cafe, and errands (food for dogs, jeans for DH - black ankle pants for me for Paris?). Have a marvelous Monday!

Good morning, mates!

Ann, good luck on all of today's events! And, enjoy your time in the city. Is this where your favorite consignment/thrift shop is?

Bonnie, your Dr. Clay sounds very soothing tho he apparently keeps you out late.

Liz, I am sure you will figure out how to navigate your upcoming events. You have such a busy social life which of course is synonymous with food. Paula, say hello when you have a free moment....I hope things are going aok.

Busy day at work today, I better get moving.

Oh, first, about FIL. (This ends up being really long, you don't have to read.) He has had a feeding tube for 1.5 years because the flap that is supposed to keep food/liquids out of lungs doesn't work properly. So, he has had NO food/liquids for 1.5 years for fear that it would cause pneumonia.

They thought he would develop pneumonia anyway (just from spit) and was given 6 months to live and hospice was to start. Well, hospice didn't start for various reasons and FIL clearly outlasted his prognosis.

His life, in those last 1.5 years, has been miserable. The feeding tube requires nursing home care so he has been in a nursing home this whole time.

He is also bed bound (for other reasons) He has had a TV and a bird feeder to entertain him. He refuses physical therapy. He has a very hard time understanding the nursing home care givers because many are not native English speakers.

OMG, we have TRIED to help with entertainment of a million varieties and still ALL HE HAS is TV and a bird feeder outside his window. He did pretty well for a while "I have a great imagination and my mind keeps me entertained"

He has a stuffed cat that he loves. There is that. I find it painful to count that as a positive.

He is in terrible pain from other stuff. His wife passed earlier this year. His QOL just sucks. He can't even eat and drink for enjoyment.

His mind is sharp. He has all his feelings. He is articulate. (Or, at least usually he is....his current illness has made him fuzzy)

He has been ready to die for quite some time and I honestly don't blame him. The feeding tube made sense at the time but now it feels like forced feeding. Of course he is depressed.

He developed pneumonia this last week (from spit) and DH (who is POA) was finally able to have a meaningful conversation with a doctor. As DH says, how do you say "can he have the feeding tube removed?" without sounding like "I don't care if my DD dies."

The results of that conversation is that the stomach feeding was stopped yesterday. He will return to the nursing home but as a hospice patient. He will eat/drink. I don't know if they will supplement fluids for dehydration if he can't drink enough. Hospice referral has been placed.

The doctor estimated he could be gone in 2 days to 2 weeks. Both DH and I laughed at first....I mean he lasted 1.5 years after the first hospice referral. But....that was with a feeding tube. So, now we watch.

Hug everyone you see today

Shel

That is a tough conversation/decision but it absolutely sounds like the right thing to do. I hope your FIL doesn't have to linger too long as it sounds like he is ready to go.

Interesting discussion about reflux, esophogus issues. I never had heartburn originally (well, maybe occasionally if I had something to acidic like a margarita or a pepperoni pizza). But almost immediately after VSG (8+ years ago now) I began to have heartburn. It's well controlled with my PPI (omeprazole) but if I forget to take it for even 4 hours, I start to have quite a bit of issues. My GP wanted to not give me an RX for it because they didn't understand why it hadn't resolved. My just gut (haha, pun intended) feeling is that it is a consequence of the VSG and that this is just how it will be for now on. The good news is that it's controlled. And I feel like NOT taking it and having reflux erupt up is a bad idea, not to mention uncomfortable. Now, originally, my GP wanted me to go to a gastrointerologist. I did, and the gastro wanted me to have an endoscopy and colonoscopy. At the time this seemed ludicrous for something that I'm certain (still certain) was caused by VSG. But when combined with my other stomach issues/problems with fodmaps/"colitis?"/urgent bathroom troubles, I'm thinking it might be a good idea. And since having Becca and meeting our deductible this year, you may have just encouraged me to make the appointment.

Shel-sorry to hear about your FIL. ONe of my friend's dads had some surgery go awry, and long story short they have to resect part of his stomach or esophagus or something. Anyway, the dad was put on a feeding tube. He actually grew to like it. So much so that when they told him he was strong enough for a surgery to restore function that carried something like a 25% risk of death, he almost said no. I'm hoping the good hospice people can keep your FIL comfortable.

Liz-sound pretty skinny to me! Whatever you do, I hope you'll enjoy your vacation. do you get to walk a lot on your trips, especially with DH now? I know when I'm in Europe I typically don't have to worry about my calories too much because of all the walking.

Weight: 164.2 So glad it's back down! This is pretty much my low postpartum weight, and about 10lbs. above prepregnancy (which let's be honest was low). So I kind of feel like the slate is clean!

Maybe I live in a weird world of my own food issues. And I just choose to see/hear what I do. We had dinner with a couple on Saturday. It was a lovely dinner--they had hummus and veggies and wine, beef bourgignonne, sourdough bread, steamed broccoli, and some pastries and coffee. But in talking with them, this was QUITE an extravagant meal for them. She said that they only have red meat once a month. My instinctual reaction was "weirdo." And the wife does not eat sugar. She ate plain GY with cherries for dessert. Maybe I'm the odd person out.

Also recently I've been trying to decide what to do about exercise. There just aren't enough hours in the day :( I cannot really go to the gym in the morning since there isn't childcare, and since DH is only home (to watch Becca) every other week at this point. The best time would be straight after work, but since Becca's bedtime is getting earlier and earlier (7:30ish at this point) and I hardly get any time with her as it is, I hate to miss yet another hour of taking her to someone else. I did purchase a jogging stroller and I could utilize that--but the days are hot right now, and by the time they cool down we won't have much sunlight. I know these are excuses. And I am especially aware of that when I was talking to my sister--who has 4 kids 9 down to 3--and she wakes up at 4:30am every morning to go workout. No wonder she's skinny. I think I covet my tv/lazy time too much. I need to be more like Shel.

We will be walking a lot (shoe choices are commensurate with that) as DH is quite fit physically. So I may avoid too much gain, but I'm still feeling fat (head mostly as clothes fit fine).

You are doing great with your weight. Inspiring!

Greetings Monday Marauders

149 and I feel like doing some marauding today. The sun is out which always makes everyone more cheerful in this foggy middle earth sort of a place.

Ann have a great big city trip and surgeon visit. Year five was kind of a pivotal one for me. I got tired of tracking and being so vigilant which has led to about 20 lb regain. So continue vigilance. You can't adjust habits if you don't check results once in awhile. Let us know how it goes.

Shel so sorry for your FIL. And for your DH who has been through a lot with his parents. I hope you can both spend some time with him and that things proceed peacefully.

Liz I bet you will not gain weight in Paris. You will walk walk walk and eat modest portions. Food does not come with platters of french fries there. But oh, the pastries. Again, doing the Louvre alone is about equivalent to a Shel hike. Have fun. 20 years ago we went and there was a place across from the Louvre on the Rue de Rivoli called "Angelino's " or something like that. A spectacular pastry shop. Hot chocolate thick as pudding. Mounds of whipped cream not sweetened. Truly decadent.

Here is the bad thing I did at the fair: after having eaten the lamb burger we were looking at the sheep. I petted one of them and said to her "I just ate your daughter". Tee Hee.

BB, so hard to get to the gym with a little one. Maybe a yoga dvd at home would work. At the fair I saw so many people with strollers - some with two or three little kids in them - such strong young women and men to take that on but the kids so love the fair.

Bonnie 150 I too have an appointment with Dr. Clay today as I do most everyday. He really gets around often seeing 30 people at once at "the Office" as my buddy and I call the studio. Kiln opens today. Have you had time to get anything fired and finished yet?

Walked the old dog yesterday. I think his walks with DH and the younger one are a little much for him. So I will take him on a shorter one which will do me good as well.

DH has consult with the surgeon for hernia repair tomorrow. Researched the surgeon and he seems ok. He is a mormon so he won't be drunk! LOL. I am hoping it can be laparoscopic and without mesh. Then eye apt wednesday to see about improving vision. We are becoming old people - living our lives around doctor appointments.

Time for the second cup. Diane S

Hmmm... I forgot about pastries...

Weight 164.4

I messed up! I mentioned hrre earlier my cousin and his husband's cruise that my other cousin and her husband are joining with some of their friends and an invitation to me to and also to bring a friend. It sounded so fun and they like my Dad so much that I got my Dad and his wife very interested in coming only to finally ask my cousin what he thought and have him say it gets too sticky because then my nasty aunt will want to go. His sister agreed saying it ought to just be our generation. Now I feel ****ty for getting my Dad excited only to have to tell him he's not invited. Why couldn't I just have left it to being their trip that I was included on instead of trying to invite others?? Or why didn't I ask sooner? Why didn't it occur to me that my Dad going would mean my aunt would insist on going? I'm kicking myself. I honestly thought they just hadn't asked because international travel or cruising isn't anything you'd think my Dad would be into. Sigh. I hate life lessons like this that I should know better by now. I don't blame my cousins at all as I completely understand not wanting my aunt there, but when it was being discussed in Canada openly with my Dad and they heard me asking my Dad if he would want to do something like that, I wish my cousin had pulled me aside and explained it should just be us and why. Argh. Now I have to talk to my Dad and his wife tonight and explain/apologize.

Aside from kicking my own rear, I've been enjoying all the rain we've had the last two days. Despite being warm and humid, it's been lovely.

Hope your appointment was a good one, Ann!