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Entries in this blog

 

The holidays are over what is your excuse now

Most people use the holidays and all the goodies as an excuse to eat whatever they want. So now here it is almost the new year so what will your excuses be now? I have said this a million times that for us holidays are for family not to stuff ourselves with food. I don't bake anymore on the holidays because sugar is my trigger. If we are going to a party I will bake then leave it where ever I take it. I have no control over sweets so I just have to stay away from them. There are no major holidays between now and Easter that would require sweets and bad food so now get back to doing you and get the devil out of your head. Just because we had wls does not help with the emotions or the head hunger. If you can get that beat then you will be successful. Whenever I go for food I ask myself are you hungry. Most of the time no I am not and I get some water and go back to what I was doing. The only way you will achieve your goals is to stop making excuses. Actions speak louder then words. You don't have to talk about it just do it. Wishing everyone new and old a happy and prosperous new year. It is always in us to do what we want but our excuses make it hard to do right. If you are not truthful to your self how can you be truthful to others. Just a random thought.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

0
 

Justice For Steve The Pit Bull

http://authorcheryl.hubpages.com/hub/Justice-for-Steve-the-Pitbull Sometimes I go off the subject of weight loss from time to time just because. So today I am blogging about a pit bull named Steve. I am a huge animal activist that will stop at nothing until animal abuse comes to an end. His story can be found on the above link. No animal deserves this but many pit bulls are treated like him. Today I am Steve's voice. Please share his story so that people can see the true abuse that these animals take.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

3
 

Why does it bother you

I do believe that LBT installed a block button if you care not to read peoples post that bother you. The last I checked we all have our own mothers and no one here can tell anyone that they are sick of reading their post. If you are then block them that way you will NEVER HAVE TO SEE WHAT THEY POST AGAIN. Frankly Im sick of people telling people what they can and can't post. Who cares its a forum its public and the last time I checked we can disagree, debate, argue etc as long as it is in the forum rules. There is no name calling so why does it bother some so much. If you spend that much time on lap band talk then maybe you should find something else to do. Do I like everything that everyone post? NO if I don't care to read it I move on or block them. It really is a simple task and only takes five minutes or less to find that block button. If you don't know how to do it then find someone who does. First of all if it bothers you so much what people post then you have an issue. I don't believe that every single person in the world will ever agree on the same issues. If you have a political thread is will get uglier then any that are on here. So block those that irritate you and move on.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

7
 

These words say it all

If I compared myself to anyone else I would not be happy. Be happy with your results even if they are slow. Keep it going.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

2
 

No two doctors are the same

In my 30 + years of working in healthcare, I have rarely run across any two doctors that have the same way of practicing medicine. This is also and more so true with bariatric surgeons. What my doctor said is okay to eat pre op will not be the next doctors choice. What my doctor has me eat post op no other doctor may agree with. All this banter going on to other members of this forum to not listen to your doctor or nurses because they are wrong is not in any way something anyone should say to another person in this forum. Just because I was on clear liquids post op, does not mean every doctor makes their patients take in clear liquids. Some go right to full liquids and then on to regular food. It all depends on what that doctor chooses for his/her patients. If someone is eating yogurt the day after surgery and their doctor said they could then they can. If your post op and on clear liquids but want a glass of milk I would say call your doctor but I highly doubt that a glass of milk would hurt anyone. No two surgeons of weight loss surgery will give the same pre op or post op diet so if one doctor says its okay to eat food after a fill and another doesn't then neither is wrong its just what they prefer. Do any parents raise their kids identically? No they don't. Do all nurse give the same care? No they don't. Is every college student going to get straight A's? No they are not. So no one can say your surgeon is wrong because that is farther from the truth. Follow your doctors advice and his/her plan for your surgery and yours alone. They have invested their time to be bariatric surgeons and it all depends on what they were taught. Even though it makes it hard to have a community of people who have had the same surgery try to come together, no ones doctor is wrong unless he is being brought up charges of medical mal practice and since no one has said theirs has, then please follow your doctors orders and not what we are doing.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

3
 

Keeping it real

I am still seeing post about what you should be eating, how much you should be eating, why am I not losing weight, why does this hurt and why does that hurt. One thing that should be clear when you leave your doctors office either pre op or post op, you should have a list of foods you may eat. You should have been told exactly what to expect after your surgery and during the pre op phase. If you are not sure of these things then you need to schedule an appointment to see your doctor. I can not believe so many would have this kind of surgery and still be asking what you should be eating and what you should not be eating. In the pre op stage if your doctor or nutritionist has not gone over these things with you then you should ask or find another doctor. When I left my meeting right before my surgery in my hand (which was also gone over with us by the dietician) was a list of foods to eat and at what stage. A prescription for pain medications and nausea medication. I had times when I could start exercising and how much I was to eat in a day. The only way that they lap band is going to work for you is to have every piece of information from your doctor available at your finger tips. Every doctor is different in what they want you to eat so asking us if you can eat something is like asking can you remove your sutures. If you are afraid to ask your doctor questions then why have your insurance pay him or if you are self pay why hand over 16,000 dollars or more. He is getting paid to give you what you need to be successful in this journey. Not everyone loses weight the same and if you want or expect to drop 100 pounds in a few months that is unrealistic. Yes others have lost more then you but it does not mean you are doing anything wrong. It just means your body is not going to lose it fast. If someone weighs 400lbs and you weigh 250 they will lose faster then you. If you are having any kind of pain call your doctor it could be something serious. I think if you are unsure of what you are doing then your doctor should be the one guiding you .
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

1
 

How are you decorating your house

I look at my band like the frame work of a house and it is up to me to do the interior decorating. I make the final decision how much to eat, what to eat and if it is good or not good for me. You want your real home to look good and spend time and money to fix it up, paint and buy new things when needed so why would you not take the same amount of time, money and energy to make your band work for you. I am a sugar addict and can not control myself when I eat even a minute amount it causes me to binge like crazy, leaves me with guilt and unforgiveness of my self. Since I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia those old feelings of eating sweets have come back ten fold for self pity. Ice cream has always been my worst nightmare and seriously I could eat a half gallon in two days. I am serious. I found that Breyers makes many light flavors now and no added sugar that are really good and I had to have something. I guess its better then eating 10 pounds of chocolate which I used to do also. Choose your band decorations well. Once you start eating good healthy food you will feel 100 percent better. Some say its expensive to eat healthy but it really isn't. Take advantage of road side produce stands or produce markets for fresh vegetables and fruit. People do not believe when I tell them that you will lose more weight eating beef but it is true because beef out of all meat takes the longest to digest. Some of you have issues with certain meats but I can pretty much eat anything it depends on how I eat it if its going to get stuck or not. You always must put the fork down in between bites and make sure it goes down before attempting more food. Get your band house together and decorate it with love and good food.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

0
 

Why I love cucumber water

I have been drinking cucumber water for a while now and I must say it really taste good. There are so many benefits to drinking this drink and aids in getting rid of water weight. The only thing you need to do is have a pitcher of water and sliced cucumber, put It in the fridge and enjoy. If you are carrying around water weight then this is a great help to get rid of it very cheaply. Enjoy! Health Benefits of Cucumbers   antioxidant properties
anti-inflammatory benefits
anti-cancer benefits
rich source of vitamin C, beta-carotene & manganese
free radical scavenger
anti-estrogenic effects
helps with hydration
helps with blood pressure
beneficial for pyorrhea
aids in digestion
helpful with constipation
natural remedy for treating tapeworms
high silica content helps brittle nails
may relieve gout & arthritis pain
beneficial for diabetes
may reduce cholesterol levels
may help with kidney stonesids in weight loss
good source of B vitamins
effective hangover cure
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

3
 

Total blessings

My husband sent me a text today that said " Anyone can like you for your looks, but it's your personality that makes someone fall in love with you". I stop and think about that now because I was so obsessed with this band and what I needed to do. Who I needed to be but in his eyes I am who I need to be at 300lbs or 0lbs. Yes it gave me my life back to enjoy many more years with him but it's time to move on now and not be so over concerned with a pound here or there. It's time to enjoy my life with my wonderful husband and stop letting that weight demon control my every thought. I enjoyed ice cream today without feeling guilty because in all reality we owe ourselves to enjoy life. Will I get more tomorrow? No. But it doesn't matter if I did or not that is not what life is about anymore for me. We spend every week wishing for Friday and for what to only be a week older and life getting shorter. At 50 I have learned that I missed out on so much being over weight but now I am missing out on so much being obsessed with everything I put in my mouth. I don't want to live in the weight prison anymore. I don't want the scale to rule my life. I am blessed and healthy and this band in my stomach does not define the person I am it only makes me look in the mirror to think "you look good now" Well to my husband I looked good then. I just did not like the way I looked and I have learned loving myself is the freedom I really needed not a band to make me who I am. I wont resort to food anymore for sadness but I am living like a normal person should and enjoying every minute of it. I never cheated on my weight loss trip but it did not make me any better then those that do. It just got me where I wanted to be faster. I guess what I am trying to say is be happy and love yourself and let the band be second nature not your first thought every day. Do what you need to do to get where you need to be but don't let it consume your every hour. There are too many things out there to enjoy a little bit at a time. We all have to do it our own way but you also have to love yourself to do it at all. The band is the house and you have to do the interior decorating. Love to my friends.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

1
 

Keeping busy

Well we finally settled on our new home which was a nightmare to say the least, but I am very happy with our beautiful home. Now I have a nice swimming pool to get in so the movements won't hurt as much. This fibro has really taken a toll on me but other then that and my wonderful husband who has done so much, I am fine. The pain at times is unbearable but it is something I just have to live with. As far as my band its still doing its job. I'm stable now. Could lose some more but I really don't care one way or the other if I do or don't. Unless I ever get a tummy tuck I will always have that apron. It's not huge but it bothers me. Oh well clothes hide things well lol. I'm looking for a less physically stressful job because my doctor said if I don't stop lifting and pulling and pushing patients my pain will never get better. So I have been looking around for something a little less stressful. I was checking in so my friends know I am still alive lol. Just relaxing today and watching Hulu waiting for the pool to get cleared up this week so I can jump in it. Here are some pictures of the house.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

5
 

I want to lose it fast

This really gripes my band lol. You did not gain weight over night and you will not lose it overnight with the band. If you wanted fast weight loss then you should have chosen the by pass. The band was not intended for people to drop 50lbs in a month. 1 to 2 pounds a week is normal if you lose more then that is great. You can not expect to get the results that others get. Everyone is different, we all have different metabolisms. However now comes the be mean mommy part..... If you are only giving part of your self to the band you can not expect 100% results. If you are not following the diet plan your doctor has given to you, you can not expect results. If you eat more then you should you will not lose weight. If you are starving call your doctor and ask for suggestions. No one ever said this was gonna be easy except for the people who know nothing about the band and say we are taking the easy way out. If you are eating cookies 2 weeks post op or pizza or fried chicken you might as well forget about doing anything. You have to want this and not following your doctors instructions is like going to court and being accused of murder and telling the judge well yeah I did stab him 30 times but can you just give me probation because I knew it was wrong but I did it anyway. The decisions you make in eating will tell on you. What ever you do in the dark always comes out to the light. Its like getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar while having your mouth full and as you spit out the cookies while you are saying I didnt do it, then you have made yoursel a total liar.   Stop cheating yourself if you are newly banded. Our eating habits is what got us to weight loss surgery and weightloss surgery is only as successful as the person makes it. The only guarantee you have is that you will lose the weight if you follow directions. Weight loss does stop at times. Those are the times you have to be strong. If you have only lost 10 pounds in 8 months then its not the bands fault. At some point you did not follow instructions. I went on an ice cream spree which lead to weight gain. I knew it and I accepted it but soon realized I was not helping myself. You have to be willing to give 100% if you want 100% results.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

5
 

How massage can help in your weight loss

Every week (thanks to my wonderful husband) I go get a massage. It helps my stress, helps me unwind and believe it or not has helped with water weight loss. So you're thinking it's only water weight, well yes it is only water weight but weight is weight. The first day I ever got a massage, I seriously think I peed a river and that is no lie. The next morning I was 5lbs less. I thought maybe this was just something crazy I was imagining but the next time I got a massage the same thing happened. I started researching about massage and weight loss and asked my massage therapist and doctor the same thing "how does massage help with weight loss"? Metabolism is the furnace that keeps your engine running. After a certain age your metabolism can slow down. This sometimes results in weight gain. Regular massage sessions can boost your metabolic rate–jolting it to burn fat faster and help utilize your food intake turning it to energy rather than fat. If you are young, then massage can maintain your fast moving metabolism before it gets sluggish. This does not mean that you do not have to watch your diet but that a combination of healthy food, daily exercise and a weekly massage can be an excellent recipe for losing weight. So now not only is my massage helping me to feel better but its helping me with my weight loss journey also. I got a membership at massage envy which only cost me 39 a week to get a massage so I am helping myself and it helps me to feel great. Most of my pain is gone and I feel wonderful. You owe it to yourself to be your best and to feel your best. Do what makes you happy. But definitely massage has been a wonderful adventure for me.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

3
 

So now my pity party is over

A month ago I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and really had a hard time because I have been in so much pain. I needed comfort and what did I do? Go back to food to make me feel better. Every day I was not working I was going to Sonic and getting a reeces peanut butter blast. I tried to convince myself it was okay because I only got a small one but heck a small one is 600 calories. I just could not except the fact that over the last four months I have become so dibilitated that I cant even lift my arms over my head and work is killing me. My new medications help some but not as much as I thought. Until they find an answer, do research, find better medications those of us that have this will have to learn to live with it.   So now that the scale has went up ten pounds which is not totally aweful, its time to stop feeling sorry for myself and get back to my diet. My husband has been totally a doll for paying every week for me to get a massage and possible looking in to a cleaning lady because I just have trouble doing a whole lot. I am not letting this beat me. Im gonna rest as much as I can, look for a less stressful job, and do what I have to so that I wont aggravate my condition any worse then it is. No more using food to make me feel better, no more feeling sorry for myself because I have to live with it. I am better then that to let anything get me down. Although I was really enjoying those sonic blast lol I worked hard to get this weight off and I am not going to let this crap take me back to where I started. No way no how.   So now I am off my soap box and getting myself back where I need to be. This time of year the produce is so good so I am filling myself with fruit and veggies. I will not let this beat me. I can say the pain at times is aweful but with the help of my doctor I am hoping we can get that under control as well. For those that have it I surely feel your pain.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

0
 

Causes of pouch stretching, esophageal stretching and band erosion

This seems to be a topic that comes up often so I will try to explain all of them and how they happen. Over eating causes your 2-4 ounce pouch to stretch and force food up into your esophagus causing it to dilate. Just because people think that food does not stay in the pouch long that is not true as you get tighter. The food takes longer to go down and eating fast or over eating causes pouch stretching. Band erosion is also caused from over eating. Imagine your band around your stomach and every time you over eat you are forcing your band into the stomach wall. Over a period of time your stomach tissue will wear away and your band will erode into your stomach causing your stomach contents to go into your abdominal cavity which is poison to your system. If you feel like food is backing up into your throat then you are over eating. I know some people eat a cup of food but if you look at most pictures of the band and ask your doctor how much food will my pouch hold not how big is my band, I am sure they will tell you 4 ounces which is a half cup of food. Now the cup to half cup can be debated all day long but the fact is if you over eat which ever that means for you, you are risking your pouch to stretch, dilate your esophagus (which will cause problems pushing the food down) and band erosion.   Take your time to eat, don't over eat and take care of your band and yourself so that it can last a long time. Also being too tight can add to much pressure to the band and cause it to erode also. So make wise choices when eating and getting fills.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

5
 

What Fibromyalgia did to me

Over the last four months I became almost unable to walk. I had so much pain in my muscles and weakness I was walking like duck. My old doctor who is now my old doctor would sit in the hallway and write me prescriptions for muscle relaxers and tell me to go home. I was in so much pain that I could not function, could barely get by at work. I had muscle spasms so bad in my lower back I was going weekly for a deep tissue massage. I never believed in Fibromyalgia because I didnt want to be labeled with something they have no explanation for.   I was so miserable I had to find a new doctor. I made an appointment two weeks ago, drove myself and almost needed a wheel chair to get inside the building. Two guys were standing outside talking and said mam do you need help? Well what the hell I am 50 years old and needing someone to almost carry me inside. So I said yes if you would be so kind.   I met with the doctor and he listened as I explained all my symptoms that started last year in July with no feeling in my leg and how I had MRI's of every part of my spine and head and nothing was wrong. He listened for one hour. Never rushed me so he could move on. After he examined me he told me I have Fibromyalgia. I cringed at those words because how can I live with something I dont believe in. I told him my thoughts and he said it's not a label we put on people when we can't find out what is wrong. It's a real disease with all the symptoms you are having and your nerves are over firing and causing muscle pain and spasming. He put me on Savella, which has been a God send, change my sleeping medication and told me to continue on the muscle relaxers and yes gave me something for pain because he believed I was having excrutiating pain. I gained about 6lbs because of lack of activity but I still tried to maintain my diet.   Two weeks later I feel a lot better but still have pain but it is bearable. I am thankful to my new doctor and my husband who sends me weekly to get a massage. I dont know if I still believe in this disease but I know the medication I am taking makes me feel so much better.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

9
 

Why you have to eat protein first

Everyone always wants to know why you have to eat protein. PROTEIN PROTEIN PROTEIN is all we ever hear. Well I'm gonna try to make this as short and sweet as I can. When we are obese it doesnt matter if we eat protein because we have enough fat to burn for about 20 years worth. When you have weight loss surgery and you lose your fat stores, you will then start to lose lean muscle mass. Once you lose the muscle mass YOU CAN NOT GET IT BACK! 70 TO 90 GRAMS OF PROTEIN EVERY SINGLE DAY. (Sorry forgot to unlock caps and was not yelling). Before you put anything else in your mouth, you should be eating something filled with protein. If you can't eat meat then you have to find other things such as cottage cheese, tofu, beans, etc. If you lose your lean muscle you will be in trouble. Its not about just eating protein to burn fat, its about keeping your body healthy. If you chose to eat like crap then you can't blame anyone else when your muscle's don't work correctly. Also if you do not get enough protein you can become very vitamin B-12 deficient. Once damage has occurred from B-12 deficiency it is not reversable. I have seen patients become paralyzed from not having enough B-12 if that happens you will not get it back. Eat your protein. If you have to drink it then drink it but you must get in your protein. Losing muscle mass from weight reduction can lead to harmful effects on your body, as well as problems with your weight-loss results.   You want to lose weight fast but please do it safely. Nothing worse then losing a lot of weight, lose your muscle mass and end up in a wheel chair. That is not what weight loss surgery is about by any means. You are given directions for a reason.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

4
 

Living with the band is like being in a marriage or relationship

When people fall in love they are head over heels with each other. They can't get enough of each other and decide we are in this for the long haul. As time goes on life changes and that in love feeling changes to a new love. People have to work at it because if it goes stale then the only thing that happens is either divorce or break up. People don't stay married for 50 or 60 years because it was always easy. Work, children, stress and everything in between come in to play and if you give up then you are giving in.   When you choose to have weight loss surgery you are entering in a new relationship. In the beginning you are all gung ho over the band, bypass, or sleeve because you are getting results. Then your weight loss starts to deminish, it goes slow and that feeling of giving up plagues many. That in love feeling with your band becomes stale and sometimes obsolete.   To keep your love alive with your band you must make an effort to have a healthy relationship with it, not give in because the going gets rough or you're not losing as fast as you want too. You have to change up your diet and not give in to eating the same old boring foods day in and day out. If you don't work with it or for it, it won't work for you. We had a good relationship with food before the surgery so you now have to have a good relationship with food now that you have the band.   The only way that you are going to let this make you or break you, is your determination that your relationship with the band is going to be ever lasting. We don't give up on our children because they don't behave well, we don't give up on our jobs because they stress us, we don't give up on our loved ones because they are ill and we can't give up on our bands just because at the moment the scale won't move or we are having a hard time in life, stressed, dealing with things that we don't want too that would make us eat before.   Our relationship now is different. It will in time give you life, health and happiness if you are willing to stay married to it for the long haul. If you want the band to work, then develop a loving healthy relationship with it. Don't let it get stale. Keep your momentum alive and think about why you did this.   It is only up to you and you alone to make this relationship work. If you don't then you will be right back where you started. It's not always easy to have a new relationship but it's not impossible to have a healthy relationship with food.   Love yourself enough to make this work because the benefits are priceless. If you ever doubt that you can't or won't succeed then its up to you to know that you are worth more then that.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

7
 

I'm not losing weight like everyone else

How many times have I heard this. Everyone with the band is not going to lose weight at a high rate of speed. To me a loss is a loss whether it be a pound or an ounce. Many factors play in to weight loss and they are consuming less calories then you burn, getting 8 or more hours of sleep, moving your bowels regularly, eating high protein meals with good carbs such as vegetables and fruit and moving.   Actually wheat products such as wheat breads and pastas have been proven to be no better then white bread and pastas and may even cause more weight gain. Yes, gluten is a real problem. But the problem is not just gluten. In fact, there are three major hidden reasons that wheat products, not just gluten (along with sugar in all its forms) is a major contributor to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia, depression and so many other modern ills.     How Wheat -- and Gluten -- Trigger Weight Gain, Prediabetes, Diabetes and More This new modern wheat may look like wheat, but it is different in three important ways that all drive obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and more. It contains a Super Starch -- amylopectin A that is super fattening.
It contains a form of Super Gluten that is super-inflammatory.
It contains forms of a Super Drug that is super-addictive and makes you crave and eat more.
  So if you have changed over to wheat products and are not losing this may be why. It really isn't wheat anymore but a bunch of fillers so that may impeade your weight loss.   There are many reasons why you may not be losing as much as others, but I say keep doing what you are doing and eventually you will get to goal. It can take two years to lose 100lbs that is not uncommon. Yes you want it off now because you had surgery but the slower the better and if you lose weight slowly you will be more apt to keep it off long term.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

4
 

Making your own frozen yogurt

I saw this on youtube and decided to make my own frozen yogurt. I must say it was the most delish dessert I have had in a while without the added sugar and fat. It will satisfy your sweet tooth and give you protein.   2 cups of plain Greek Yogurt 2 cups of frozen fruit of your desire. I used blueberries. (you can add a half cup of sugar for tart fruits) or Honey In a food processor blend the fruit until it is of a creamy consistancy add Greek yogurt and mix well with a wooden spoon Place in a plastic container in the freezer. Halfway through freezing, remove and stir the container to get out the ice crystals until smooth. Replace container back into the freezer until frozen. Enjoy.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

2
 

How I deal with stress and negativity

Stress was one factor that always made me eat. Well heck before the band I never needed an excuse to eat. But now some how when I am stressed, I just write. Sometimes people think they can sway your day at work, or in life generally but what they don't realize is that the more they keep stressing you, the better a person you become. It makes you stronger, makes you realize they are just one person in this whole big world trying to rain on your parade and guess what? It won't matter one darn bit in ten years. I will still be who I am, still be successful in my weight loss, still teach my nutrition classes, still fight for animal rights, still have a loving husband and continue to improve my writing skills. You can't always make everyone happy in life, but why let food get in your way. There will always be people who will try to spoil your day, ruin what you have worked hard for because they themselves have failed.   I had a client who was miserable to the point the doctor kicked her out of his practice because she wouldn't listen to him and failed at her band. She tried to make the whole group miserable but what she did not realize is the more she tried to make them miserable the more weight they all lost just to prove her wrong so that in turn made her even more miserable because she failed at what she was trying to do.   Don't let stress make you eat and miserable because its just one time in your life that you have to take the bull by the horns and know that food won't solve the problem but only add to your problems. Have a blessed day because I will for sure.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

1
 

Adoption events

About three or so months ago Jacksonville held the biggest adoption event ever for cats and dogs. Over 850 cats and dogs were adopted in a single weekend. As some of you know I am a big advocate for abused animals and rescue overly abused iguanas. Every year over 8 million dogs and cats are euthanized because people refuse to spay or neuter their pets. That is 8 million too many. I vowed this year I was going to put some kind of happenings in to action regarding euthanasia and abuse to animals and began writing my senators and congress men and women. Of course they nix things like this off because after all it is just an animal. An animal that has no voice. We can house rapist and murderers, feed them, clothe them, provide shelter but can't save a helpless animal from being put to death because an owner just didn't want them anymore, refused to feed them, or like with pit bulls chose to fight them until they died.   The first congressional hearing is going to happen. I am taking my voice to be their voice to Washington D.C. in April to stand before our law makers and make them accountable to make harsher punishments for people who abuse animals, to provide aide to shelters so that these animals can live until they are adopted, to make owners who surrender pets just because they don't want them anymore to have to pay fines besides just a surrender fee. With the help of three attorneys here in Jacksonville, our Mayor, and several SPCA members from this area along with law enforcement, we are all going to make our voices heard.   Every cities shelters need help. If you can donate some of your time please do, if you have old blankets, can donate some food please do. These animals do not deserve to die because people throw them away like garbage. I am also urging any of you to write your senators and congressmen and women to provide the funds needed so that shelters won't have to euthanize animals. I know I am only one person but by God I am doing something to try to help save these babies. When you adopt an animal it is part of your family. I don't think any good parent would surrender a child because they didn't want them anymore. A pet is for life. Also if you want to adopt an animal go to a shelter. Most of the time you pay only 20 bucks and the animals are already fixed and if you already have an animal please get them spayed or neutered. We owe it to animals and children to make sure they get the best care they deserve.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

2
 

Being healthy doesn't always matter!

Over the last month I have lost 6 classmates all from heart attacks, cancers and other ailments that were health fanatics, gym rats, runners. Being healthy is a plus but genetics plays a big role in how long we will live. When I was almost 300lbs I never had high cholesterol ever. My friend Lisa was a gym rat and dropped dead at 38 from a massive heart attack. My sons half brother died at 29 from a massive heart attack and when they did the autopsy he had heart disease.   We all want to be healthy and have wls to get there. I feel great but my family has a history of breast cancer. So where am I going with this? Get the weight off and live each day to its fullest. Go on vacation, spend time with your family, make up to people who have done you wrong even if you know you were right.   Life is too short to be waiting for health and wealth. My husband and I are just now looking to purchase our first home. Because the market is right. Jacksonville is a great area and the housing market is great. Do I want a 30 year mortgage at 50? Heck no but who cares I want my own home. We are spending a thousand dollars a month or rent when we could get a 4 bedroom home on water front property and pay about 415 a month in mortgage payments. So now my fun begins going to look at homes. Some as cheap as 98,000 for a three bedroom just built in 2007. The banks want to get rid of them so desperately they are going for practically nothing. Have fun, stop letting the number on the scale bum you out and do something that you always wanted to do.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

4
 

So how did I fair a stomach virus

Well I was always told by my surgeon that lapband patients should never throw up and this question has come up many times on the forums what happens if you get a stomach virus. Well I haven't had one in about 2 decades so I was kind of hoping I wouldn't ever get one again.   Well last night after dinner my stomach felt like crap. I only ate a small amount of pork but I took some prilosec and went to bed. Holy crap at 2 a.m. I woke up heaving up what I thought was all my internal organs and had massive amounts of diarrhea I know TMI. The good thing was the only thing that was coming up was gas so it was just horrible dry heaving. I was home alone because my husband was away and I knew I could not drive to the hospital with a bucket heaving as hard as I was. I figured I would take some compazine I had from my gallbladder surgery and I called my surgeon. He said drink water even if it comes back up because it will make the throwing up less violent and meet him at his office at 6.a.m. Well so much for the compazine because that wouldnt even stay down.   My doctor met me at his office at 6a.m gave me a shot for the nausea because he is nice like that and sent me for a stat ct scan. By now I was only throwing up about every hour. My little band was fine thank God. He said at three years post op that it is probably well adhered to the stomach so it would take more than this to move it.     Of course I have major swelling so he told me clear liquids for the rest of the week and through the weekend and not to try to put any food in there even if I am hungry. He gave me a shot for the nausea which thank God has gone away and told me to drink plenty of gator aid for now. He didn't think there was a need to remove the fluid, just resting the stomach would do fine he said. Well the one good thing about all this is I hate more then anything to throw up and I was thankful that nothing came up.   So now ya know if you have a stomach virus the first thing to do is call your doctor to guide you. He is there for me no matter what. I dont feel embarrassed to call him and this time I needed him. I don't like going to the ER's for things like this because there are worse off people then me in there. So now if the other end stops I will be fine. Trying to eat some italian water ice slowly just to get some fluids in. So my hope is to not have a stomach virus for another 4 decades now lol.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

8
 

Thankful for my health

Today while I was at work I honestly had to say to myself I am so thankful for my health. When you work in a hospital you think you have seen everything and then there is always something worse. The pain that people suffer, the drug addiction, alcoholism, patients with HIV, miserable infections that antibiotics wont cure, people trying to kill themselves, and the list goes on, I just have to think these aches and pains I have from being on my feet for 12 hours is nothing compared to how these people suffer daily. All the people in ICU on vents being kept alive by a machine. Some of these things just are not right. When you see these things from a medical perspective it really is an eye opener. I never in my life have seen family's who are so selfish to keep someone alive and make them suffer because they don't want to let go. Then they stand outside of ICU and argue about what the patient wants, when in fact it's not at all what the patient wants but what they want.   The patients that get me the most are the elderly with dementia whose bodies work so well but their minds don't. It must really be pure hell to have a healthy body but you can't remember who your family is or where you are. I don't take life or my health for granted because it can be gone in a minute.   One of my coworkers today had to leave work because her cousin was shot dead in her car because someone tried to car jack the car and she wouldnt open the door. A life gone in less then the time it takes to send a text. Life is hard and people are even harder.   I am thankful today and always for everything I have. I will take my bad hip any day then suffer like others do. Take time to be thankful for everything in your life.
cheryl2586

cheryl2586

2
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