May 18, 2018 Friday

Lightning got my big computer. Typing on my iPad makes my paragraphs run together. Generally have to edit on my phone.

Eating was good yesterday. Fresh asparagus for supper. Some from my bed mostly from DS#1 beds. Just enough butter to make the salt stick. It was yummy. I did cook some bacon to go with it.

I really wanted to go back to the shop in the woods Wednesday. But I would have to turn around and drive back for Monday appointment for my mon then go back on Tuesday for back procedure. Decided to paint now while I can. Do not expect much but rest on ice packs after the procedure for a week or so. Might be able to ride around on a tractor maybe.

The sleep study went well. It was in an older house but had been upgraded to make the best sleep environment. Adjustable mattress, clean, full bath on suite. I woke early and had to just lay there for an hour which is harder than you think. I forgot to take any pain medications and mornings are tough. Being all hooked up to a wiring harness was not too bad.

More later, David

Good morning

goodness David! I admire you so very much.

have an excellent Friday everyone. Stay the course.

I admire you too. Your steps numbers pre-op with knee pain are amazing. And in bear country. That would make me not walk.

Weight - 133.8
Macros - Cals 1,454, Carbs 147, Fats 52, Protein 87, Fiber 33
Sleep (goal 8 hours.) - 9
Vegetables/Fruits (goal 8 servings) - 7
Exercise - Yoga class

David, I'm glad your sleep study went well, but very sorry to hear the news about your fried computer. Ouch! Very best wishes on your upcoming procedure. I hope it gives you great relief.

Carbon, good morning to you. :)

I'm very tickled about this week's weight loss (4.8 pounds). It also never fails to surprise me how much less my sleeve will hold when I eat less, even for a few days.

If I listed yesterday's veggies you'd recognize them all, so I won't bore you. FYI, I was so full of veggies yesterday that I decided to eschew any fruit, purely for comfort's sake. This morning I'm sore after yesterday's yoga class, which lasted 1.5 hours, and that's a lot of yoga!

Yesterday I finished one task (making some very complicated, expensive travel arrangements) that I'd delayed dealing with for far too long.

Which brings up a subject I want to address -- procrastination. Has anyone here ever had such a problem with procrastination that you've addressed it seriously and improved your behavior significantly? Any thoughts about your own or others' procrastination that you'd like to throw down?

Today's theme: Do the next right thing.

I find that if I want to put off any project, visit or paperwork that is a huge red flag to get er done before anything else. I will build anxiety putting things off. Make the task enormous. If I tackle it first it is always easier to complete than I had built it up in my mind.

Procrastination! I'm good at that. I put off lots of things. Maye because I can be a little compulsive about lists, I find that once something is written in a list (can be in my phone, on paper or on the dry erase board), I feel like I have to address it (have to check off everything on the list). BUT, sometimes I procrastinate about putting something on the list to avoid doing it (LOL).

Thanks, Liz. But, gee, I have a hard time thinking of you as a procrastinator. You always seem seem so Bam! Hammer it out! And you get so much done.

I'm a list-maker, too. But when I put a task on my to-do list, the biggest benefit is that it keeps me from forgetting that the task isn't done yet. Still, its being on the list doesn't seem to speed up my doing of it.

I think I better go to school on this subject. I'm already betting that "procrastination" isn't just a single thing, but a bucket of stuff I'll need to unpack a bit.

I try not to be, but I can put things off. I still haven't activated that gps watch which arrived a couple of weeks ago ****ep putting it off).

Weight 115.8, calories 1752. A lot of those calories were almonds. I always think it is weird when my weight goes down with calories up, but I seem to have a one day delay built in.

The men's coffee for the guys with Alzheimer's as well as the wives meeting in the really cute coffee house was good yesterday. It is a 45 minute drive "down Cape", so in the future we will combine those with lunch and an activity in that area. It is in Brewster which is a beautiful part of Cape Cod quite different from where we live in Falmouth. The women I have been meeting are amazing! One of the older ones runs a Women's Issues Group and brings in speakers. They are all such strong women, which I guess is why they are working hard at helping their husbands. The two women who founded the support organization astonish me with their dedication and innovation. They are married with two sons and took care of the Mother of one with Alzheimer's at home for many years until she passed away. They subsequently continued their educations in counseling and public administration (one has a PHD) so they could do this work, which is entirely funded by grants and donations (no direct cost for participants for services). Yesterday I found out that there are starting to be group homes for people with dementia (as an alternative to memory care facilities). I never heard of that! And some people are talking about a concept of having "compounds" of family homes/condos where there are personal care attendants and other services available to allow a family to continue to live together but get the on-site help needed for those with dementia. Wow! Maybe I won't be destitute at the end of my life!?

I had an odd conversation with DS last night about alcohol. We both feel sad about BIL who visited us in Florida and hid in his room and drank all day. I'm a bit nervous about seeing him and his wife next weekend as it is the first time since Florida. As you may recall, I told him how I felt about that visit at the end because it disturbed me so much. The odd part of the conversation with DS, is that he thinks the 4 drinks that SIL has every night is acceptable because she must have a tolerance for alcohol. I told him that doesn't matter, that it still isn't healthy but he discounted that because he doesn't see her as being affected by the alcohol. She actually is after about the third drink, but not in a glaring way. She just gets a bit more talkative which is still pretty quiet because she never says much. I pointed out that half or more of her calories each day are coming from alcohol which isn't healthy, but I don't think he got the point. Makes me nervous...

Anyway, DH and I are going to another Alzheimer's group activity at an art museum this afternoon. We will be making something artistic. I fully expect that mine will be pretty sad looking...

Have a fun Friday!

I am in no way anti-alcohol. (Lets just get that out of the way)

Your DS hasn't seen the consequences of long term heavy drinking. He doesn't realize that SIL's medical chart may be a mess tho her outward appearance is good.

Wowza on finding that new group. You are a perfect addition to such a group of powerful women.