Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Four days until we leave for Florida! Wow! I have started packing. I went through two crazy episodes yesterday: First I spent half an hour looking and re-looking in the two closets I use for a Lilly Pulitzer dress and top that I wanted to pack. I finally remembered that I left them in Florida when we were there a couple of weeks ago. Then I repeated that action looking for some ankle boots to wear out to dinner last night because it was cool and wet outside. I finally found them with my other favorite boots in the plastic bin in the basement where I had placed them last year to get out of the way. I SO WISH I had a walk-in closet... That will be on my list along with a first floor master if I move next year.

Cecily, does your Dad have a plan from Mayo? Peps, I wish you could get surgery to help with weight loss and GERD. That would be ideal. Did you see that OH is looking for volunteers for a TV show including people looking for revisions?

I had a great time with our friends out last night. Mike thought his talk with the Ex went well though he mentioned that she had "a lot going on" which I believe includes both financial and health concerns. I suspect she is trying to play on him but hopefully not.

Today I will do some more packing, long walk with Justice on the beach, then we are meeting Mike's longest term friend (since they were toddlers) for dinner. His friend just retired due to health issues and he and his wife are talking about moving to Vermont. Moving into a colder state would be the last thing I would be thinking of but apparently there is a daughter there who they want to be near. I wonder if it is because of the health issues as well? The husband had a stroke when quite young and one side of his body was affected plus he has been battling cancer for the last couple of years. Guys don't seem to ask probing questions as much.

Have a safe and healthy Tuesday.

I went to OH home page but did not see anything related to a TV show.... Are you able to send a link?

It was an email. Here is the link to the web browser version: https://mailchi.mp/obesityhelp/premier-protein-recipe-book-c ampaign-1290809?e=ea20b0ff4d

Such a pretty day today! 72, breezy and sunny with leaves changing. My dad's wife and I drove up to the city to look at appliances for my kitchen redo and to buy a new giant tv for my dad to watch football on this winter as they will be staying here. We made him stay home as if he coughed in a store with that cough, we'd all be run out with pitchforks.

My dad talked to the surgeon this morning. He reiterated my dad has 2 choices, do nothing and let the cancer run its course or have the radical cystectomy (bladder removal). The Mayo Clinic (and this guy and his team) do more of these operations than any other hospital in the world and are #1 in the world for urology, so he feels very trusting of them, though admits he's scared to death. One thing that he says they do to cut down on complications is to not cut a section from the intestines to make a tube to the outer bladder. They use the ureter instead to connect to an external stoma bag and put a stent in it to keep it from kinking (needs to be changed every few months under light sedation). Thankfully he still has one as the other was removed with one of his kidneys. The timing will depend on my dad and the surgery schedule. He'd like a little time to build up strength in the gym before he does it. 5-7 days in the hospital, 4 months no lifting.

Not a good day for eating, but it was yummy. Maybe I should walk...

Having a urostomy can be difficult mentally but he will have the best surgeons doing it so hopefully he will also have the best outcome.

While what your dad is facing is different from Ron's issues 2+ years ago, I can attest that once he gets used to the bag, it's not such a big deal. Ron had one for almost a year before they decided to remove it and make him empty is bladder manually. Ron actually missed the bag at first. Again, different, as there was no cancer, but if your dad is worried about the bag part of it, he will get used to it.

well, hi!

I am in a weird mental space these days. Best put, I am off kilter. I am sure it is part of the process of my ED recovery, but it honestly, SUCKS! I am on edge and teetering. One of the things that is really bothering me is the sense of doom and fear, but I don't know what I fear or dread, if anything at all. I am thinking that these feelings are ED survival strategies. The ED is threatened so it starts to feed my brain sabotaging thoughts and feelings.

I feel these cycles are part of my broken record syndrome, but I do believe in spite of my broken record self, I have made a lot of progress with learning how to live without the ED raining havoc upon me...

Blitz and I fly off to PA tomorrow. I do not plan to watch my "weight" while traveling. I will do what I can to keep my eating in check and healthy, but I'm not going to be overly concerned.

Liz, thanks for the link.... I will fill out the form for ****s and giggles and see what happens. Not going to hold my breath...

That's how my anxiety manifests - dread and fear sometimes with nothing to attribute it to. Exercise can help me burn it off.

Safe travels for the two of you!

I have never been diagnosed with anything but I definitely have days when I feel like that . Sometimes I know why (anniversary of the death of a loved one, etc), but sometimes it is just there for no reason I can ascertain. Dark, dreary days can cause it. A very disturbing feeling. I try to walk it off outside taking the dog for a really long walk.

Good Morning All

Trying to be more present.... Hump Day here and the sun is out. Trying to look for the positives but its getting super hard. Construction re-opened yesterday with lots of conditions. Yet another scramble by businesses to meet the seemingly never ending demands and changes in order to keep ahead of all the requirements. Just makes my head hurt and its my job to ensure I am up todate at all times. A lot of governing bodies and corporate companies are now asking for vaccination proof - as workers are banned from many sites if they have not had one vaccination by 15th October and fully vax by 29th November. This opens the employee confidentiality right up - as a company you need to protect your employees right to privacy but the clients are asking for proof etc ...... The vaccination rollout is a complete farce - they opened up availability to the younger age groups finally - as they push for 80% double vax targets (touted to be when we finally start our coming out of lockdown - with no turning back - believe that when I see it !) They had pushed the second dose timings from 3 weeks to 6 weeks in order to allow more people an opportunity to get 1st jab due to supply issues. Then they changed it back to 3 weeks - in line with the 15th Oct 1st jab and 29th Nov 2nd jab - leaving everyone scrambling to change appointments. Queue chaos in an already fragile community. Our cases are growing like wildfire - over 1700 yesterday and todays number is 1420. And so our prison confinement continues - curfews and all. We can now travel 15kms from home for essential shopping and exercise - the words BIG DEAL come to mind..... Weary weary weary - whinge over.

I finally weighed - was doing classic avoidance and it wasnt pretty - expected though at 178.2lbs - safe to say there has been much comfort eating and zero motivation so I own it and move on

Liz - so lovely you are only days away from heading to Florida :)

Cec - Sending your Dad all my best wishes and all of you strength. You have lots to process

Peps - Hope you and your gorgeous Blitz knock their socks off :)

Hello to all that follow. I had best go deal with the mountain of work piling up - inclusive of calls to DHHS about work restrictions between Metropolitan Melbourne and Regional Victoria - that will be 45+ mins I will never get back ha ha ha

Stay safe all

S