Hello, Again.

I am SO, SO sorry I've been absent much of this last week. It's been a Lil Crazy here at Casa NAMG.

Long story short, in the last 14 days we have had 6 people in my family go into the hospital for various things. I THINK it's all over with now and regular posting shall resume!

Again, my apologies and I hope you'll stick around. The weight loss posts are about to ramp up as are the "My Child so CRAZY" posts, as he is returning soon from his vacation in Abilene.

See ya's soon.

Finally...

HOME!

I got a clean bill of health. I apparently have a VERY healthy heart. Better than it has a right to be with my weight! WOOT! My lungs are STRONG! ::flexes lungs for a better view::

Apparently, my little breathing issues were brought on by stress and anxiety and it just presented in an odd way. I've had panic attacks and anxiety attacks before and NONE of them acted like this. I mean... not really. Yes, the tightness in the chest and feeling like I can't breathe were similar but my mind wasn't racing... wasn't flying all over the place trying to control the "event" and causing the panic to worsen...

However, I HAVE had a lot of stress over the last year. The last two weeks have upped the ante stress-wise. My surgery, my nephew's surgery, Unca B's surgery, struggling with whether or not I should return to the lake for the school year and continue my weight loss efforts there. Should I keep Adrian in that environment and community another year and let him become more invested in it before, ultimately, ripping him out of it and bringing him back to Houston where he'll have to start over in the 4th grade. I will have to learn to manage my eating here. I will have to learn to make it work in THIS environment... but is now the time? Just lots of... stuff... going on in my head. I supposed it IS entirely possible it was panic and stress.

Regardless, I AM HOME! I do have to say, if any of you are in the Houston area and have to go to the hospital... Houston North West Hospital just offa FM 1960 is great. It's clean and modern. The staff if knowledgeable and personable. Very friendly and caring. They encourage questions and give detailed answers. They WILL take the time to make you comfortable in all ways. My family and I were very impressed. :)

Updates

Today I go for my pre-op stuff. Chest X-ray... EKG... blood work...

Tomorrow night my folks will arrive.

Weds I have to report to the hospital at 6am.

Surgery will take place at 7:30am.

Mom will be staying a week to help out.

Husband will be off the following week.

Shecky is safely away in Abilene, TX with his Paternal Grandparents for a month.

Last night was a BAD night for pain. I was curled up in a ball crying for much of it. Thank GOD this is coming to a close soon... I hope.

I'm liable to be absent from the blog for several days, maybe a week or more. I'd like to have some guest bloggers come in and post. If anyone is interested, please lemme know.

House Keeping

Just a few things on this Sunday morning for y'all:

1. IzzyMom has been injured. Her foot is in a CAST y'all! She's gonna have to miss BlogHer. She is selling her 2 day pass for $200.00. That's almost $100.00 less than what they normally go for. If you're still looking for tickets go here. If you're not looking for tickets you might still go and offer her condolences for her misfortune.

2. HOLY CRAP! I'm up. I've got laundry going, dishes going, coffee made and Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls in the oven. (Grands sells em in the refrigerated section... heh) I'm moving right along today.

3. Monday cannot get here fast enough. I wanna know my surgery date damnit. (Praying its not the end of next week. Shecky's birthday is Friday, damnit.)

4. Yeah... I got nothing. Hope everyone has a wonderful, family fun filled Sunday!!!

So... I was supposed to find out my ultrasound results Friday afternoon. They hadn't been "scanned in" yet. I had to call back this afternoon and try again. I called at 2:30 pm and got voice mail. I left a message asking for a return call with the resutls and...

Nothing.

I never heard back from them.

FOOKERS!!!

I'll call again in the morning.

I'm trying to not to call the surgeon until I have the results but... screw it. I'm calling him tomorrow too. I need this stuff to get RESOLVED.

Aunt Flo made her appearance today and I'm feeling like ass.

I apologize if I am doing a lot of whining lately. I just don't have it in my to be all happy, happy, joy, joy.

ow are YOU guys doing?

HOLYSHITHOLYSHITHOLYSHIT HOLY SHIT HO-LEE SHEEEEEET!

My friends... I have just had confirmation that this whole journey is totally and completely NOT.... a waste of time.

Ijustdrovethemotherlovingcar!!!!!

Let me say that again for you...

I. JUST. DROVE. THE. MOTHER. LOVING. CAR!!!!!

I haven't been able to drive in 4 years folks. I haven't been able to fit behind the WHEEL in for years.

OHMYGOD!

I'm so incredibly stoked its unreal.

::Takes a deep breath::

If you've never been unable to drive yourself places for a long period of time let me explain.

It is, quite possibly, one of the worst feelings in your life to be totally dependant on others for transportation for you and your child. Being beholden to someone else's availability. Being unable to get away. Being unable to surprise those you love with gifts without their knowledge. Being able to go to the grocery store or take your kid out just the two of you... It's... demoralizing. It's depressing. It's ridiculously limiting.

To have it be an issue because of your size... is all of those things to the Nth degree.

I feel empowered and free'd suddenly....

Now, I just need a vehicle.... LOL

Eat Like a Bird or...

What NAMG is doing to loose weight THIS week.

OK... so... Weigh In Day was yesterday. I lost another 3.5 lbs this week! WOOT. I'm rocking the calorie counting!

I'm existing on 1200 to 1600 calories. It all kind of depends on how hungry I am.

A typical food day follows:

Breakfast:

2 Eggs, fried in non-stick spray oil - 140 Calories
2 slices Sunbeam TX Giant Bread, toasted- 110 Calories
1 Cuppa Coffee - 0 Calories

Lunch:

2 FF Hot Dogs - 80 Calories
2 Slices Sunbeam TX Giant Bread - 110 Calories
No calorie Mayo (It is real! Check it out!)
Mustard
Catsup
Fresca

Snack:

1 Pkg Reduced Fat Peanut Butter Crackers - 180 Calories

Dinner:

2 Artichoke and Spinach Alfredo Stuffed Chicken Breasts - 480 Calories
1 Cup Baked Beans - 240 Calories
Fresca

Total Calories for the Day: 1340

I'm not feeling deprived. I'm not STARVING, but, I am a bit hungry by the end of the day. It's working well for now, so, onward I go!!!!

Side Note: Shecky is on a field trip today... At a water park. I'm a nervous, fricking wreck!

Weight Loss Walk and Shecky Cuteness

Hey folks. I'm still eating 1200-1600 calories a day. Last week I managed to loose 7.7 lbs. I'm not hungry much. I get a little hungry toward the end of the day but that's it. Definitely not starving.

The exercise pool is out of commission. The pump/heater unit is fried. We've mailed it off. It should reach its destination Monday... ish. God knows when we'll get it back.

Currently I'm walking for exercise. I make the block several times a day. I'm aiming for 5 a day but I haven't made it past 4. The lil hill at the end of my walk KILLS me. I mean like... heart thumping outta my chest OMGICAN'TBREATHE gasping for air KILLS me.

But... I kinda like it. It reminds me why I'm doing this.

Conversation with Shecky day before yesterday:

Sheck: Momma! Guess what "Fall" does to make me do stuff SHE doesn't wanna do?

Me: ??? What ???

Sheck: She gives me PUPPY DOG EYES and LIPS!!!!!

Me: (trying desperately not to crack up) Does it work?

Sheck: Well.. .(Thoughtful silence from him) She's REALLY cute when she does it!

Me: (Loosing my shit) ::FacePalm::

God... it starts EARLY.

Weight Loss Wins, Woes and Wishes

Today was my OFFICIAL Weight In Day for the week. After eating 800 calories a day for 7 days, I lost a total of 10 lbs.

Yeah. You read that right. No additional weight loss for the 2 nd half of the week.

Initially, I was kinda pissed off. I mean... DAMN. WTF was I starving myself for, right? Then... I flipped my perspective.

I LOST 10 LBS IN A WEEK!
I proved to myself I can monitor my food intake without relying on "points".
I proved to myself I can monitor my food intake without eating junk to satisfy my cravings.
I busted that ever loving plateau I've been on for MONTHS.
I realized that 800 calories a day really ISN'T enough. By the end of the week I was much less active due to fatigue, hence, no additional weight loss.
I realized I really do HAVE to exercise in the pool to loose weight.
I LOST 10 LBS IN A WEEK!

Heheh. Sorry. Kinda stoked about that one. *ahem*

Today I go up to 1000 calories a day. I actually ate, gasp, BREAKFAST. I had 2 slices of bacon and one Light Thick & Creamy Yoplait Yogurt for a total of 190 calories. There's those extra 200 calories. :)

I have a doctor's appointment with my physician Friday. I'm sure she's going to yell at me but then she'll adjust what I'm doing and I'll go forward from there.

I'm excited about this weekend, yet, dreading it a bit. It's going to be difficult to get by on 1000 calories while in Fort Worth, eating in restaurants. Meh. I'll figure it out I'm sure.

My goal for this week is to make it through the weekend with out totally undoing my 1000 a day plan. Send up a lil prayer for me if ya think of it. :)

It's Official...

My body hates me. I ate well this week. I worked hard eating the things I should... avoiding the things I shouldn't... and I GAINED just under 4 lbs.

I decided I'm not going to get all bent outta shape. I decided I'm not going to get upset or angry. Something similar happened after I went on vacation for the New Year. I lost on vacation. Then gained the next week. I don't really get it. However, it seems to be a pattern with my body. So... feh. Next week I'll loose. If PMS doesn't kick my ass and make me retain enough water to flood the lake... *cough*

Yeah... I decided all that but ummmm... it's not working. I'm pissed. I'm annoyed. I'm disheartened. Imma go cry now. Then... eat pizza. *cough*

Back In The Saddle Again...

Things are finally starting to settle into routine for us again. Shecky is back in school. I got his progress report and he's making all A's and B's again. Baseball practice has begun. Apparently, he's a left handed batter... he does everything ELSE with his right hang... Huh? Opening day for Baseball is Saturday and he
has a double header. God help us all. May it be quick and injury free.

I'm back to exercising and dieting regularly. I actually managed to LOOSE a pound over the last 3 weeks. During all the turmoil and ... well intentioned food... I managed to still loose. WOOT! I'm down 70 lbs now. I've lost 2 shirt sizes. My ass seems to be the same size though. Basta'd.

I promise I'm back now with regular posts. Hopefully more interesting than THIS one. Heh.

Things I ate today:

Breakfast:

Fresh Fruit Salad

Lunch:

A roasted chicken and cheese sandwich with 2% cheese, Fat Free Mayo and Honey Mustard.

Light Lays Potato Chips. (Less than an oz. Just enough to give my sammy some crunch.)

Dinner:

BBQ hamburger made with lean ground meat and light bbq sauce. 2% cheese, FF Mayo and regular mustard.

Oven Fries

Skim Milk

Home Again

I'm finally back home. The funeral was yesterday. So was my Mom's birthday. Bleh. Hell of a way to celebrate eh?

Everyone still seems a bit fragile. I have to wonder how long that's going to last...

I don't have a whole lot to say tonight. I just wanted to stick my head out and let everyone know I'm home.

Normal routine resumes tomorrow. Shecky back to school. Me back to dieting, exercising and helping mom around the house.

Updates and Apologies

Apologies:

So, SO sorry I've been so absent post wise lately. Life has been completely crazy lately.

Updates:

My grandmother is home and doing... ok. She's having a rough time and we're thinking some of her meds aren't properly managing some of the health issues but we're waiting and giving it a lil more time.

My Father In Law is now in the hospital. He had knee surgery replacement on both knees recently and he's thrown some clots into his lungs. He's recovering and will be on a cumin regimen for the next 6 or so months to make sure the problem doesn't recur.

Husband's Grandmother was taken to the ER today. She fell and scraped the hell out of her arm. The probably wouldn't have bothered with the ER except she started having dizzy spells and threw up something... well.. black. The Dr's didn't admit her but sent her home with medications for dizziness and nausea and instructions to see her regular physician.... WTF???

I spent today wrapping gifts. I'm DONE. Whew! I have ONE MORE gift to purchase. Bleh.

I have lost 7.2 lbs in the last 2 weeks. I have lost a total of 62 lbs since mid July. I am 1.3 lbs from being below 400 lbs. Holy Hells!

Query:

Teachers and gift certificates for a restaurant ... your thoughts?

Cute Shecky Story:

My child now plays basketball. At the first practice, I observed him picking on a child on his team that has Down's Syndrome. Its not anything he wouldn't have done to pick on any other child but I lost it. I called him offa the court in the MIDDLE of practice. He walked off the court. The coach said, "WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?" My child, bless his bones, replied, "MY MOMMAH HOLLERED FOR ME TO COME TO HER!" EVERYONE heard. EVERYONE laughed. I... wanted... to... die. lol. At least he's trained well.

A Few Things and 25 Days To Make A Difference

I'd like to apologize to everyone for my posting being so sporadic and uninteresting lately. Things have been kind of... weird. We're coming up on the 1 year anniversary of my grandfather's death and everyone is kind of struggling here. Add to that the fact that my grandmother was admitted to the hospital last Saturday... almost EXACTLY a year after my grandfather was admitted and you begin to see a bit of the chaos that's been my life lately.

Mom is in Clear Lake with Grandma. I am trying... and failing pretty miserably... to hold down the fort here. I've managed to keep up with the laundry, the dishes and keep the house generally picked up but ummm... its kinda taking everything I have to do it. It's certainly not clean to the standards my father expects.

My nerves... they are shot. My eating has been.... eh. I'm TRYING but I keep taking little nibbles of this and that without thinking. Once I realize what I've done I get pissed and strengthen my resolve.. then make the same mistake again later. Meh meh meh.

I've been making a difference the last few days to my family. Doing all the above has made it possible for my mother to be with HER mother while she's ill. I haven't really had the energy or creative capacity to do much more than that. Sorry Laura... I'm still with ya. One of my friends is participating but not blogging btw! (L... you need to POST woman!) She's doing all she can to make things better for others as well!

10% Off!!!!

That's right my friends. I have finally lost 10% of myself! Today's weigh in shows a loss of 3.4 lbs for a total of 48.2 lbs. I hit my 10% goal at 46.3 lbs!!!!! I will have hit a 50 lbs loss in another 1.8 lbs. 14 lbs after that... My friends... I will be BELOW 400 lbs. I'm so STOKED!!!!! ::bounces in chair::

How was YOUR weekend?

Weekly Weight Woss Wupdate...

Yeah I know... Lame Title. Heh. But I'm in a GOOD mood. I lost 8.1 lbs this past week for a total of 24.8 lbs in 3 weeks. WOOOOOOOT!!!! Even with a visit from my unloved and unwanted Aunt Flo! ::Does Happy Dance::

We're changing things up this week a bit and its making me... apprehensive. We are moving from the Core plan, which I ADORE, to points. We did core for 3 weeks and now we're going to do Points. It is day 1 and my tolerance is already being tested.

We got up a bit late today so we didn't hit the lake for our exercise until 9:30. We exercised for an hour and a half. Got out, drip dried, I took a nice long bath/soak in the big tub with jets and then at a fricking 11 point lunch at 1pm. It was the first thing I'd eaten all day and I was frickin' STARVING!!! I had a sandwich of Cucumbers, tomato's and Light Garden Veggie Philly Cream cheese, a Smart Ones Salisbury Steak frozen dinner, 1 cup skim milk and 1 cup cantaloupe. I was OVERFULL. THAT, in a nutshell, is why I don't like the points plan. I'm actually supposed to eat, according to the plan, 44 points a day. That's crazy! That's WAY too much food. We decided I'm going to do 34 points a day which is STILL a lot more food than I've been eating on Core. On Core, I eat till I start feeling a little full, then I stop. On Points, I have to eat all the points even if I'm not Effin hungry! Meh. I'll try it for 3 weeks and see how it goes but as of now... I'm not likin' it. We'll see what the weight loss shows next week.

On a totally different subject, did you know that getting a copy of your child's birth certificate from the county because you are an idiot and can't find it to register him for school will run you around $30.00??? That's nuts.... sigh