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I weighed 110 pounds more than today.  I have been given a gift and a tool that remains my new best friend.   I have learned the tool can become dull.  I have not had alcohol in 4 years. I have had sugar.  I discovered you can be too thin. When I was in the 120 range my hypoglycimia controlled me and my heart.  I am now in the 130s but still need to eat every 3 hrs to maintain blood sugar drops.  I drop suddenly to 40 if I am not careful.  I maintain at 80 and get dizzy at 60. At 40..... It's not pretty.  

 

The scale is going down and so are my clothing sizes.  I am in between - a place I have been often.  I guess there really is no perfect size.  I just found some nice things at Target - good prices and a bit retro in style - I remember that look all too well.

I can't get on OH during the day - makes for a slow check in.  

If you are on FaceBook - look me up
Mary Mirenzi Devlin Sage.....let me know you are fro OH - we can keep in touch there.

Happy New Year

Mary
Vashon 

 New Year - new me....how many times have we said that.  Well this time - its true!!!

Starting on Monday I enrolled in a weeks worth of classes

Monday - Wed - Yoga
Tues - Thurs - Tang Soo Do
Fri - Weight training
Sat - train to run
So I have done all but the running.  My goal is to run by spring.  1/2 Marathon.  

Yes, I do have a green belt - but have no intention to go further - I just really like this form of workout.  And the Yoga - well who couldn't use more balance in their life.

Much will happen this month

This is the month we will hear is Mr. Man is going to the middle east.  

My dad has been in the hospital for almost 1 month now - he is heading to rehab soon but things do not look great for him

My boys are taking classes to start running start in the fall. 

My weight has hit a new low - I am now the weight I was when I conceived the boys - I know TMI- but this is a good thing.  

Stay well and stay focused.

Mary 
Vashon

 OK - this is funny but not too.  I was walking up the stairs on the boat the other day and felt something around my hips - noticed it was my pants.  How do I go to work with pants that fit and come home and they fall off!  I was actually able to take them off without unzipping.  Crazy

So I may not be able to hold onto my winter wardrobe.  I am making this my challenge to make my closet work for me until Summer.  could be fun - stay tuned.

Health wise - doing well.  I officially dropped 55 pounds and don't use my CPAP anymore.  I did not get tested - that is very expensive to do so I am going by my numbers and my sleep.

Working out - well - not so well - I do walk and am able to go up and down 4 flights of stairs at work.   That would have been the plus in having this surgery in the summer - more outdoor time.  

Now it gets dark at 4 pm here and I am out the door at 5 am - dark leaving and dark returning.  Makes it hard to now want to hold up and sleep the winter away. 

I did go to a support group last month.  That was interesting.  There were 3 of us.  Me, a person 3 years out and another 1 year out.  The reports these people were giving.  Drinking booze, figuring out which desserts they can eat without dumping and how they eat 1 meal wait a few minutes and eat another after they digest some.  PEOPLE!!!!  If you don't fix the head you won't fix the stomach issues.  

Hope you all are having a good pre-holiday season.

I will write again when I can.

Mary

 So my iron - ferrritin came in at 6 - LOW.  I figured as much.  They were not going to even check - I had to ask them to add it to the BD on Thursday.  

I am now taking from iron that needs to be mixed with C and taken away from food and other vits.  Like I need more rules with how to eat and take my vits!  

I also noticed my hair in the sink in the morning after I blow dry.  Not a lot but enough to put flags up.  This is getting to be like a living science project.  

Along with all the good news there is still the cautions.  I do feel good - tired but good.  I am at a loss for some clothing am not leaving the house without :D.  

I wish I had saved all my before cloths - who knew!  I am having a memory of stuff I tossed out along the way from then till now - I think it's even all back in style!!!  

Well the beat goes on folks.  I am now about a week away from not having any pants to wear no matter how much I hem them!  I know that sounds good but I am not ready to go shopping.  Soooo - I need creative sewing or start pulling skirts out to wear.  Skirts - wow - I can't tell you the last time I wore a skirt to work.  The other day I had one on and boy did people notice.  

they are starting to notice my weight loss.  I am not sure I can other than the pants.  I can't say I see much difference.  I did however go out and shoot hoops for about 30 min today and felt great.  

Oh - this is good.  I have also notice my confidence is increasing.  Now mind you I was not shy to begin with but I feel I have more to bring to the 'party'.  I actually applied for a new position at my work.  Not sure how this will fly but I did it.  I have to admit I would have never thought of this 6 mths ago.  I was just happy to be employed since we are down a job in our house now.  So please send out a prayer and good thoughts on my new venture.

My husband who has been laid off since June 09 will return to school in Jan 10.  Unemployment will pay for the classes and he will still get his check while learning a new skill.  

It's turning cold this weekend - had snow about an hour north - but none here.  

Have a good weekend folks

mary - vashon

 

Well it's been 3 days straight without pain.  I can almost see some light in this tunnel.  It is my plan to start working out again this week - if the pain stays at bay I thin this could be my week to start living normal.  I also plan to see my chiro to get my back in line.  After such a surgery it's surly out of line.

As we approach the hoiday season I am confident that I will see my first goal - 50 pounds lost.  I will focus on the end of the year and keep my goals in line.  I think for Christmas I will post new photos. 

 Water  Water  Water.  On Sat I had a scrambled egg - it DID NOT sit well at all.  All day I was feeling it and could not fit anything else in - not even water.  Well on Sunday - (TIMI now)  it was my day for my bowels and there was NO WAY it was happening.  The lack of water on Sat set me up for a near hospital visit.  I won't go into how it was resolved but I did not go to the hospital.  Managed to take care of it - took about 2 hours! 

 Well checking in from the week.  It's certain that I can manage the week of work right about to Thursday then my side pain kicks in.  At 4 weeks post op I found that my pains went way down but a few other things showed up
1.  Leg cramps
2.  Bowel issues 

So I am adding magnesium to my diet in a form or liquid and chewable pills.  Seems to help the leg cramps some.  I know this could be a vit/min issue.  The leg cramps are the worst I have ever had.  Hit mostly at night and I can hardly walk with my toes almost straight in the air bent back.  Ouch!

The second issue while seemingly TMI is a common issue the gastric bypass folks deal with.  Hemmorids are also common.  Both can be addressed in one.  I am adding more fiber in the form or powders and liquid items I can add to my morning protein drink. I have also brought back more Omega oil to my drink.   The liq mag also helps.  Who thought that going to the restroom would be an all day affair!  Not the plan of course - so keeping an eye on things seems to be the call of the day for this part of the recovery.  I may go get those roids removed - might be time.  But now that I turned 50 - I might just wait for my colonoscopy that will be on my plate this year.

At 1 month out - I have to remind myself that I am still in recovery mode and don't want to push the limits.  I am still tired in the evening hours and need to regroup daily to make it to the 4 am wake up for work.  

Working out - no - not yet - just walking and trying to keep a good pace without hurting my side too much.  My walking is maybe 15 a day depending on the day.  Not at all where I want to be but by Thanksgiving I plan to add more to my routine.  Promise to myself.

I see the nurse in 2 weeks for a blood draw.  I'm sure things will be revealed then.

Folks have noticed my almost 40 pound weight loss - but I have not really.  I have clothing that now fits - not big - just fits now.  I know that is a good thing but I am not sure when I will feel this is working.  I think - that my mind is thinking - well you've lost 40 before only to gain it all back with a 10 pound padding.  Maybe I am just waiting for the re-gain.  When will I feel this is working?  Maybe when I get down another 30 - we shall see.  

Have a save Halloween and good weekend
mary

Today it's 41 degrees outside.  Now I know there are places that temp might seem balmy but for me today that is down right cold.  I cannot warm up here.  My nose is cold and my hands and feet are not too warm either.  

Sign of things to come.  

I have been cold since the surgery.  The only thing that helps is my warm bed and heating pad.  Soon I will be able to get back in the hot tub but then I have to be careful of the bladder.

Did I mention I'm cold!  I sit here with a blanket around me and hope a dog will want to jump on my lap.  

No.....oh well.  I am off to warm up some water to sip.

Take care
M 

 Some of you may recall my hubby lost his job the end of June 09.  In July of 09 he received a notice to attend a workshop.  He marked his calendar and - well forgot to attend.  He called and was able to get in the very next class which was 4 days later.  

Then he gets a notice that he owes $463 for the week he missed the class!!!  He writes a detailed letter explaining the while he missed the date he did not miss the class.

DENIED - the only reason to miss a date is illness or interview not human error.  Are they kidding.  

Apparently - it's more important to make the date than the workshop.  

So now - we will have to pony up $463!  So this is how our Unemployment works - take from one to pay the other.  There are folks out there who are really sticking it to the Man but we are telling the truth and we get the stick.  I don't get this at all.

I am beside myself with anger and sadness.  

To appeal one more time we would need folks to lie and say he was at an interview - how smart is that since we wrote and said no - no interview - just human error.  

I was told to write the gov. and the local paper and tell my story in the hopes someone will see the stupidity in this.

Any thoughts - share please.
Mary