10/24/19, Thursday

1. Within Range: yes
2. General Wellbeing: 8.5
3. 10,000+ Steps: 6387
4. Fitness: swimming, walking, hand weights and seated step machine
5. Self-Care: reading Get Serious & Dirty, Lazy Keto
6. Fun: YMCA !!

I finally got my new underwater Delfin loaded and working. It is basically a waterproof micro tablet that plays Amazon Music, Pandora and Spotify. When i Tunes pulled the plug, I lost all of that music and my Audioflood waterproof iPod became obsolete. $240 later, I am back in business and doing laps to music. I'm looking forward to rebuilding my swimming playlists, although my pace and tempo are not the same as I had previously attained. A recaptured metric !

Upper GI scoping is Monday. The surgeon said if he had to do anything besides looking, I hay need to be on liquids for two additional days. It makes me very apprehensive, because my esophagus responded poorly to my VSG and initial hiatal repair, and I ended up with a PICC line because I couldn't swallow anything, including saliva, for three weeks. I still have nightmares about those blue emesis bags ! I'll be meditating on positive outcomes as I swim today. I DO NOT want a revision to RNY, but I don't want esophageal cancer more.

It sounds like you sort of have PTSD from your VSG surgery aftermath (not surprising). I'm glad you are having it investigated though for both future comfort and avoiding damage to your esophagus.

Yesterday I didn't take DH for a walk but did take Justice for a short beach walk. He is so joyful running on the beach and making new friends! My project yesterday ended up being installation of a Nest learning thermometer which I purchased inexpensively through MassSave (energy saving organization). Already I love it - I turned the heat on while in bed so it was warm when I got out from under the blankets! It is supposed to learn patterns based on what I set it at at differing times of the day and also can automatically turn the heat down when everyone in the house is out (uses the presence of one's phone and/or the motion sensor to detect).

Food consumption was good yesterday and I wasn't really too hungry. I feel like I'm starting to get back to a good pattern with my yoga and food/wine drinking reduction.

I am driving SIL into Boston today for her oncologist appointment. It has been 6 weeks since her last CT scan, the longest since she was diagnosed in late May. The plan is that as long as there is no cancer growth there is no treatment. If/when it starts to grow they will start her on chemo which will have some predictably nasty side-effects.

Have a thoughtful Thursday!

All these cool gadgets and gizmos---makes me feel like I'm living in colonial times. An air popcorn popper is my idea of progress.

Hi all!

Weather is unseasonably warm with a strong breeze. Perfect FIRE weather. A wild fire started yesterday in Sonoma County near Geyserville. It's called the Kincaid fire and has already scorched 10,000 acres. We are all praying Cal Fire gets it contained soon!

I am having some issues with my addictive eating behavior since Friday. I am pulling out strategies to combat some of the behaviors that may seem simple to some, but for me are kind of hard. An example is getting ample sleep. So, yesterday I started getting ready for bed quite early. I did get a good solid 7.5 hours in bed, though not all of it fast asleep. I got plenty of exercise yesterday and the day before. I have been drinking adequate water. Still, I am craving sugar beginning around noon and the cravings last and last and last all day.

So, I did some research. I found out that like cigarettes, booze, amphetamines, sugar is a substance to which the body builds tolerance. As the body becomes accustomed to a level of sugar intake, the body begins to require more for the same dopamine levels to be met. Neurologists most often recommend a tapering off of sugar rather than a cold turkey approach. I thought that bit of info to be interesting. Apparently, neurologically speaking, individuals that taper off their intake of sugar have a longer success rate staying off sugar.

I'm kind of at the get down on my knees and pray stage. LOL! I'm not depressed, I'm not bereft, but I am a little disappointed that I have not been able to rein it in these past few days. I was feeling so positive about being off the sugar and BAM.... relapse! Am hoping that by writing here about my tribulations over sugar, my self accountability increases. I can hope, right?

Does anyone know when we might hear from Ann again? How long is she in France?

Ultra sound for Ella at 4:30 pm. Fingers crossed.

Fingers AND toes crossed that Ella is very preggers!

I hear you about the sugar and cravings and tolerance building. That's why, when I'm on it I continue with it because it doesn't satisfy- brain needs to be dished the dopamine. Tapering off sounds like sense, but in my case doesn't work- just keeps the fire burning. I'm so sorry you are in this so fully- Sugar monkey be GONE!!!!

Do remember, this is not the only room in your house. You may be unhappily hanging out here now, but (and here's the hope) There are other rooms in your house where you have lived in that are satisfying, joyful, and where you feel at home and peace with your body. You have and you will walk of this and into that better place. You know the way.

I have considered revision to RNY because of my GERD issues. However, I'm able to to control it most of the time with regular doses of PPI. It does bother me to have to be on the PPI because I have to be on it. It's going to be a FOREVER thing. Also, part of me thinks that RNY is the newest cure in my weight battle. It is not.

147.8

Diane, in my world it's one and done regarding serious procedures. Am hoping for you that any esophageal damage is not enough to warrant additional surgery and that treatment will come in the form a less invasive way. Sending positive energy your way-and hugs, too.

Had labs drawn today and I regret to say the stick pick person was not a one poke wonder. Marines needed to be called. It was not pleasant. Dr visit was positive-face straightening up nicely. Nothing much else flying- picking out cracked black walnuts and a bible study later this evening.

Have a thankful Thursday.

Greetings My Precious Ones

A sunny and hot (like 75 degrees) day here on the north coast. No wind so not so much fire danger like where Peps lives. But people will sure gripe about the heat. We have no air conditioner.

DianeO I sure hate hearing that you have esophageal issues. Hoping there is a non invasive solution but I am glad you are attending to it. Self care. Ditto the water music. I didn't know there was such a thing! Boy am I out of date.

Dave hope the pain decreases each day. It so saps your energy. How about a big nice hot tub? I am sure enjoying the one at the gym but one at home would be perfect. Love the Adalyn stories and the FB pictures. Our nephew's wife does kids music - The Freckles Project - that is adorable and might be right for Adalyn.

Well they fixed the pool at my health club so I am enjoying it. Must get busy today and clean off the kitchen table to get ready for Halloween dinner. I had some papers to fill out and take to the hand therapist yesterday. Rooting around the table to find them I discovered that they were sitting in a tomato that somehow got squished in the heap and the papers were damp. I cut off the bad part and dried them in the oven. The people at the hand place thought the dog ate my homework. Geez how bad is my table that a tomato got lost in there?

Cecily and Peps, stay safe from fires. What is the world coming to? Seems like one disaster after another.

Peps I totally concur that sugar is addictive. In my worst eating binges in the past it seemed like every thing had to be sweeter and richer than the last. Cookies for breakfast.

Not much else going on. Just papers to file (hope no more tomatoes) and junk to take to thrift store. Cheers all. Diane S

Good Morning All , Got home very late last night from Farm. Feeling totally wiped this morning. I dropped DH to the station at 5.15am, came home and went back to bed till 7am. Even then I didnt want to get up but have too. Home till around 3pm today then pack the car again and head for DSS - to stay overnight. Our first grandson is 2 today - we have his party in a park tommorrow. Will be helping with cooking and preparation etc

The past few days have been super hard but it was a beautiful send off for our darling Jan. The funeral service was over 200+ people. The medical students whom she taught came in huge groups as did the Doctors. She was very well respected and has left a wonderful legacy. The photo tribute went well - I was relieved. Her burial the following day was a private one - so only around 70 people. We then went to my other SIL's for lunch. I helped cater it. All went well. And we settle into what is to become our new normal - still feels so weird without her. This wasnt how it was meant to be.... We had talked about retirement and adventures - the Wooragee Rabble and now we are one less. Our hearts so heavy. We have asked our BIL to come with us when we go to Vietnam and Cambodia next March - I hope that he will as I think it will give him something to look forward too in the coming months when it gets lonely as people settle back into their own busy lives. We will be there for them as a strong family.

Weighed this am - 175.2 but think this is swelling/fluid. My knee has given me so much pain over the past 2 days and is swollen well over twice the size of my good one. I barely slept last night even after strong painkillers. The time is coming that Im sure but for now I need to focus on other things

I need to go shower and try and catch up on 2 days of work but will try and pop in later to read everyones posts over the past few days.

Love to you all - hug your precious ones and never miss an opportunity to tell them how much you love them.

S