Thursday, February 29, 2024 Leap Day

Good morning! Started the day with balloons once again. The landscapers are coming to fertilize the trees and put bait in the holes for the burrowing critters that go for the tree roots. They were supposed to be here at 7 and still not here. The owner is a bad time estimator, but it'll get done.

I fear I am not going to get my next prescription for Zepbound anytime soon, meaning I will miss my Tuesday dose. The Change Healthcare cyber attack last week is still not resolved. Thankfully this is elective medication. But there are chemo drugs involved, people who take my drug for diabetes, alcoholism drugs... they process insurance claims and prior authorizations too and manage drug authorizations for hospitals. Basically this affects 129 million Americans. I could pay the full $1200, but with my luck the minute I do that, this gets resolved and I got a $550+ lesson in patience.

This last shot isn't working as well. I do wonder if my earlier concerns that the shot pen didn't work right are founded. Hopefully whenever I do get the next higher version it's better.

Walk today with the dog and maybe some vacuuming. I also got a new floor steamer for my stone floors, so I might give that a whirl.

That's all I have! Lessons in patience from the landscapers, the pharmacy, and of course Kirby (who dug a giant hole this morning in the time it took me to get treats to lure him back to me).

Tare care and happy Thursday!

PS - the neighbor dog had zero interest in Kirby. Need to find him new doggy friends.

Well, good morning! Even though I posted late last night, I had to hop on because I got on the scale again this morning to discover I am down 8.2 pounds. I give myself another shot tonight. I am curious to see if the side effect symptoms are the same, less or more intense. I am hoping for the same or less, of course. I noticed just the slightest return of "food noise" yesterday. Truly fascinating. And, like DD, if this is what I can expect from taking the drug, I can certainly see continuing on this drug for a lifetime. Like the baby dose of prozac I take, this drug is a game changer.

Easy school day today. Done with classes by noon. Then I get lunch and an afternoon prep. Naughty me, just leaves to go home, though I should stay on campus, but there is nowhere for me to work at this site.

CC, I hope the Zepbound comes through on time for you. It would be a shame to have to wait on it and lose your momentum.

What a shame that so many people have to go without their medications!

The SILs arrived later than expected last night because of complications getting their rental car. So we didn't eat dinner until after 8 pm and were up until midnight. It will be an earlier night tonight.

We are at the Beach Club all day for the most part (beach sitting, lunch, then back later for dinner). In between we are giving tours of our community. Tomorrow is girl's day as we are meeting an old friend of one SIL for lunch, then having a girls dinner before they head to Siesta Key on Saturday. They will be there for the month. I would love to visit but I'm not sure it is possible as we are busy until 3/11, then from 3/14-4/3. Doesn't leave much time...

Maybe I will somewhat enjoy the down time after my shoulder surgery???? I am alternately dreading it and looking forward to being pain free ultimately. It is really getting a lot more uncomfortable now that the cortisone injection is rapidly wearing off. Hopefully it won't get as bad as it was this past August.

Not much else to report. Have a Terrific Thursday!

Greetings all

Good thing the yard work got done yesterday. It's raining pretty steadily today. I am so pleased with the yard results. All the deck planters are cleaned out and almost ready for planting. I need some additional dirt but DH can do that. I love having a deck filled with flowers but could not face all the prep with my crappy hands. Now the easy part is just for me! And she did mow and weed whack the whole yard. I think she needed the money so its win win. More work to be planned.

Peps and CC, I am "pleased a*****h" that the meds are working for you. I may follow up with you for details on how to do this. (pleased a*****h is what some old politician used to say I think). Confirms my personal theories that overeating is not a mater of discipline or character but more biochemical.

CC it is sad that people's important drugs are delayed by the cyber crime. It really is a horrid thing. Hope it resolves soon.

Liz you need to start gathering all the books and video games to play and read while you are healing from shoulder surgery. Anyone heard from Ocean Diane? Hoping she is recovered by now.

Yikes Peps school threats. What a world we live in. My hairdresser was delayed yesterday because she went to pick up her son from school and all the parents were lined up and no kids coming out. Hope there was no bad thing. Anybody else remember their school days when the worst thing that happened was someone pulling the fire alarm? Cripes. Glad you are having a calmer day today. Interesting that your hectic drama filled day yesterday did not drive you headfirst into a chocolate cake!!

So DH went to the endodontist yesterday thinking he was going to have a root canal and armed with a fat bank account to pay for it. But they took scans or something and the doctor concluded that the tooth was too far gone and that the root canal would not work. So tooth must be pulled. Different dentist will do that Not cool but glad the doctor did not just try to do the tooth for the money. DH does not seem to upset. Appointment in a few weeks so I will be doing soup prep then. Getting old sucks.

Just to be clear, my treadmill walking is only 10 minutes a day. But it's everyday. Hope to increase it but the message is that even that tiny bit helps.

Big bear eagle camera is now on hatch watch. 22000 people are watching,

diane s

D

10 minutes or 100, if you do it consistently and you feel better it's worth it!

I agree with you on the matter of discipline thing - if a drug fixes it, maybe it's beyond my reasonable long term control?

This article was interesting this morning about what ultra processed foods do to us: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13140403/What-hap pened-ate-ultra-processed-food-month-rapid-weight-gain-ragin g-thirst-poor-sleep-constipation-shocking-effect-brain-write s-Dr-Chris-van-Tulleken.html

What a great article CC. Reminds us all of what needs to be done. Growing up our family probably had more UP food than most did because my parents both worked all the time. Mac and cheese made with velvet and tv dinners. The book "The End of Overeating" goes into this in great detail on how big food companies plot to make their foods addictive. Good read. Maybe I will reread. Diane S

I thought the MRI showing a change in neural reward pathways after just one month was interesting and scary...

Wow! So maybe those of us who feel addicted to food at times really are? Hard to avoid UPFs entirely in the fast food world these days though.

Exactly! I still remember a panel I went to at that OH conference where they said food is not truly addictive and I thought, how on earth can that be??? Because I may not have tried heroin or cocaine, but I know the shameful lengths I've gone to for junk food in my life!

Well, that article is certainly eye opening! Very well written! Scary stuff. Now I'm feeling like I need to read all the food labels of the foods I'm currently eating! UGH....

I have to admit, my UFP consumption really went up over the past several years. Self perpetuating cycle of weight gain perhaps? I don't know... What I do know is that the more I eat the UFPs, the more I want them. The article explains nicely the reason for that.

I am curious if the GLP-1 resets the hormone levels that have been so messed up by eating all the UFPs. I don't have any other explanation as to how or why a switch got flipped in my brain.