Twilight

Trying my damnedest to add a pic. Don't know what is happening. I've never had this trouble before. I can't seem to get it added. If anyone wants to put a face with my Darling Karla, she's going to be shortly added to my facebook page. gotta put all the Boobie Bandits together in one album...and yes, I DO have a pic of Karla!

You did NOT just use the fat/muscle thing on her did you? <Steph shaking finger and flinging neck saying "oh no you di-int> A pound of fat weighs the exact same as a pound of muscle...they BOTH WEIGH...UMMM...A POUND. I know you are BOTH science women and would NEVER use that line, but you know I go crazy with it. Facebook conversation is interesting. all of you should join it.

I like the bandits take...since 3 of us (at least) are banders....4 if Karla joins us. Karla, you know I said what I did with love. I know a last meal will not be what makes you a winner or a loser. You are a winner by making this decision. However, I know how our minds work and the games they play POST band. Making that decision is completely personal. I know 50 is a big birthday. I so wish I was spending it with you....so sad that my back is keeping me home. However, you have to make that decision for YOU. Whatever you decide, I love you. You know that. If you make it a good, healthy dinner with awesome food choices??? But then, I wasn't allowed to eat anything 24 hours before surgery....soooooo??? Maybe it will be made for you. I'll promise you to share some spectacular dessert with you next time we are together. Something spectacular AND good for us no matter what you decide. Gotta get dinner going.

Okay...here are some team names. Think on it, let me know. Tell me hate or love or love a and hate b. Boob Troop Melon Mammas not Melonomas Boobie Bombshells (thinking pinup girls) 2nd base crusaders Girls 4 the Girls Boobie Brigade Jodies for the Juggies (thinking about the "jodys that my niece sang during basic, you know, "I don't know but I've been told..." I need to pick tonight because Christasha is DYING to sign up and begin this process so I have to have my team. come on girls, I want some opinions....hurry, hurry, argue, tell me what and why. I'm doing this walk for my band, but not all banders walking or I'd be pushing for a banding or 7's name. Okay. Up to you!

Kari!! I'm channelling Janet here! I know, but omlet, hashbrowns, 2 pancakes and 2 colas? How many band rules did you break in that meal? Holy Cats! I agree you probably need a fill, but the choices?? Drinking with dinner? Where were the veggies? My eyes are bugging out. Maybe what you also need is to recommit to the rules. Trip to GR might be a good time to do that. Big rules 1. Protein first (1/2 plate should be protein no matter what size of plate you eat), then veggies (1/3 of total plate should be veggies/fruit), then and only then you can have carbs to finish up...but make them good carbs (high Fiber, filling) (less than 1/4 of your plate) 2. No liquid before, during or 1/2 hour after meals. 3. No soda! 4. 1000 cals. Even if you eat more than 1 cup of food 3x a day you still need to keep it under 1000 cals. Okay...food cop lecture given with tons of love. You amaze me with all of your pedaling. And I've gone back the upwards direction during all of this back crap. I don't want anyone else going there with me. Love you Kari, but really hope you recommit! Carla!! Don't you even THINK about that cheater meal. Sure, they may never know, but you will. You will know that you weren't strong enough. You will know that you cheated. You will haunt yourself with that for a long long time. You will be beating yourself up with "failure talk" for it. the "I'm not"s will come and get you if you give in. "I'm not strong enough" "I'm not good enough", "I'm not a winner", "I couldn't even take it for 2 weeks." Do you really want to do that to your psyche? You are worth it. You are capapble. You are strong enough. You do care enough about yourself. Being able to stand strong through those two weeks and give up that 50 birthday dinner, that will only last at most an hour, where the strength you give yourself will last forever, is so much better. BE STRONG! I MEAN IT Okay, doc said he saw no reason my back problems should interfere with the walk and to go ahead and sign up. I'm going to do that in just a few minutes. Still thinking on a team name. Thinking strong about "Second Base Crusaders" but my "naming guru" Jean is working this afternoon with teachers so I haven't been able to ask her about it. She will probably come up with something overly clever. she loves acronyms. Okay...off to facebook. Still not feeling great. Don't know why really. hmmmm. And no, I did nothing to day to call "over do" it.

I think Janet will be surprised at the pages we have accumulated. She might be intimidated. We usually shut up a bit when she's gone, but this time we've been chatty this time. I didn't have that many xmas decorations up, but the stretching might have been more than I should have done. I think it was more being on the go all day. Both kids to daycare, then both to child find during the day, then a little shopping (not much, just walking mainly to get out of the house), then cooking dinner. I think I was just up and on the go too much. I'm going to keep it much simpler today. In fact it's 10 and I haven't even gotten in the shower yet. Better get moving or I won't get my face on before my appointment! Stephanie needs to learn how to shut the computer without feeling a horrible sense of missing something. Later taters.

A different side of me??? Now I'm curious. My address is 513 W. Laurel Ave. Plentywood MT 59254. I need yours to mail you the books. I'm so excited about the 3day. It is inspiring and to think I would be able to walk like that....amazing. My biggest accomplishment to date. To do it all for an awesome cause. It gives me tingles. Oh...and I get to ride the train out. I really fell in love with the train on my last trip. Jean will be traveling with me all the way. Oh...it's going to be awesome. Alright ladies. I may have over did it yesterday. I didn't really do anything I could point to, but my back is really bothering me. I need to slow down. I'll talk to doc about it today. I guess I need more of a timeline to follow. I am going to talk to him about giving me a script for more toredol instead of filling my percocet. I don't want to stay on the narcotics longer than I need to and I think I'm past that point. I'm going to make a list to make sure I don't miss something important I want to ask him about. Need to do that. Otherwise I get home and am frustrated that I forgot something. So I'm a little sore today so I'm going to stay on the couch or in the chair today. I need to design a logo today anyways so it's just an excuse for me not to get side tracked. Okay. Kids are wanting more breaky...better get to them. Have a great day! I'll be checking in. Might get wordy today.

I can't BELIEVE you would blame me for your addiction. That's truly low. Phyl addicted ME! Someone addicted her. It's ALL an evil conspiracy. don't be putting it on me. I'll be to blame for the geocaching addiction. You'll be ALL OVER that one. Okay...I really do have to go to bed.

Glad you have you darlin! There is no reason to feel like you are invading. Janet has the 3 angels and the satin sheets and it currently on a cruise, so those answers might need a few days to get here. Car is living vicariously through me with my darlings (Karla knows how crazy I am about my new babies). Candice has two poochies but she is in Mexico doing dental work now so she's not online much. I think she goes back to Canada the next day or two. She and Janet are our world travelers. I don't know where they get their funds. I'm thinking they might be mafia or something....I want their connections. I guess I knew about your girl problems but didn't realize there was cadaver involved. You know I might have to start giving you bigger grief over that now. I've got tons on inappropriate comments flying around in my head! I do want that pattern. I can sew a bit and my MIL does too. I can try it and see if it's really something I want to do for the team. Something to connect us all. You know, you could come out too. It could be your 6 month celebration! Just saying....hanging it out there....do with it what you will. Okay...gotta go. Back is very swollen tonight. Should probably lay prone for awhile...and can't type like that. Night ladies.

Denise, you certainly have your hands full. The care of your mother has to take a real toll on you. I'm so so sorry you are struggling. I hope they get her blood sugar under control soon. As all of us know now, blood sugar is the key to body function. I need to create a logo for my work on the math standards. I know what I want but don't know how to do it. I'm googling free stuff but you get what you pay for and I don't want to pay. I'll get it done but it will take time and I don't know that I have the patience to do it lately. Should have been trying to get it done when I couldn't move. I had more patience then. I'll be back. Hopefully with good news. Talk to you later ladies. Have a good night.

Hi ladies. I should take a nap. I really want to but then facebook or LBT calls and I can't take it. I've told my friend who is being banded this week in Mexico to pop in so everyone welcome CramerK to our bunch. The good news of Candice in Mexico is bound to make her feel better about the trip. And Earl should be a little calmer too. When was Phyl going for her consult? I'm so excited for her. Earl will give in....or maybe the 7's could come to take her "shopping" like we did when she got her ears done. Wouldd he notice if she didn't show up for a few days? I'm watching qvc with flower shows. I bought some daylilies. Now I'm looking at the Dianthus. We have them here, but these are gorgeous and they will come here....I may have to order those too. GRRRRR I need a nap. Oh...they don't go to my zone! Go me, don't need to order them. Okay...better go nap or candice is going to have to stop here to beat me before getting home to her poochies. Have a good day ladies!

good morning ladies. Almost afternoon even. I think I'm feeling better today. Kids at daycare but mom and I have managed to take down (yes, don't kick me) all my christmas decorations. I'm going to go out and find spring fun to add to all those places I had christmas. I told mom that I want to get decor for each season. I started in fall and then winter, now I'll pick up spring....not bunnies, but just spring. I have to take kids to child find today. I'm so excited. The last years I've had daycare do it because it's always during work...but it will be nice to do it myself today. Okay...I need to eat something. My pills are making me a little woozy this time but just recalled that I didn't really eat this morning. Have a great day ladies! Love you.

I'll take a peak at patterns and material. and I wasn't making a jab at your brain, but mine. I love your brain. You are twice as with it as I ever was. It's been a long day. Love you guys. Have a great tomorrow.

The website for the 3 day is the3day.org so that's easy enough to remember, even for my drug addled brain. to see the surgical hats I'm talking about go to Scrub caps,Scrub hats,Surgical scrub hats,Scrubs,Ladies Scrub Hats,Women's Scrub Caps,NurseNoggins I'm thinking the tie ones look a lot like do-rags but more comfortable. But those of you who have worn such things probably know better. I'm just thinking I don't want to have to worry about hair or a sweat band. Karri said something about one of her fundraisers being "sponsoring" her outfit, so this may not work for her. We'll have to see.Gotta keep thinking. Okay...still a little fuzzy. Shouldn't be trying to think so hard. BBL

I am open for suggestion for our 3day team name. So far our team, if everyone signs up who says yes right now, Karri (science teacher), Me (team captain), Jean (MT math curriculum supervisor, my boss), Estelle (math teacher), Chris (not sure what she does, but from my original December thread...Christasha), Jennie (possibly, Math teacher prof at MSU...but don't know if she really will go through with it.) That would be who I have heard would like to be on the team. I'm thinking Karri might have a few more from that area who she might want to team up. They say in their stuff that they are handicapped ready but don't know what that means in specifics....but I think Phyl should be a member too. If not, Phyl will be at the cheering stations cheering us on, I know it!!! So, we need a team name. Not all educators but most are, not all bandsters but 3 are, all very special ladies though. So....what do you all think? As far as our walking outfit....I don't know about everyone else, but I love the new scrub hats I saw in the hospitals the last couple of weeks. There is the kind that tie behind and then there is the kind that are similar to a hair net. They come in EVERY concievable fabric color. I think they would be very fun for our heads. Just a thought. I'm assuming doc will say no problem on Friday...so I'm getting excited. I still would love to have more of the 7's join. I think it would be so great! The more the merrier. But even if the 7's don't do the walk, I KNOW you will all support us in other ways, and one way I would like you to, is to have input on our outfits and names and fun stuff like that. Okay....my latest round of meds must have kicked in and I'm babbling again. I'll sign off before it really gets silly. Hugs ladies!

Candace! What a visit. It must have been amazing. Something to hoot about for years. and Canadian husbands not being very sexy!!!! I almost popped a staple! None of that now. You wouldn't want me to have a relapse! I wish the sun was able to break through the clouds here. Having trouble with that. I'm going to take one of my hounds out for a walk today. Jeff looked at me like I was nuts but I need to get around the block at least. I'll take it easy but I also need to start moving. I promise to take it slow. ... and if I take my girly hound she walks so daintily. For now....need to take a nap. Talk to you later!

Phyl, I think you know as well as we do that a LOT of Earl's concern comes from worrying about you and the thought that you might not always be there for him. It's a very scary thought for him. There is going to be no way to calm all of those fears. When you give him good reasons not to worry about a or b or c and you still get resistance, it tells me that the underlying issue isn't a or b or c. Until you really talk about the underlying issue, it isn't going to be "alright" with him. Getting to THAT talk, will probably take some getting too. Maybe a nice candlelight dinner to celebrate something. After a couple glasses of wine, it might be a good time to broach the subject. Just a thought. good morning ladies! Hope you had a great night. I almost said weekend....hehehe. I guess I'm the only one who has been slacking. Pain pills are kicking in again. Going to try to stretch them out a little longer today. Being home I think I'll be able to do that. I have way too much to get done around this house to be all groggy. Thank goodness my mom is here with me! I opened the dishwasher and EVERY bowl and spoon is in there. I guess they only ate cereal while I was gone. I wish I could get away with that! He probably wouldn't say anything, but the guilt would get to me. Do men not feel guilt? I don't know...it's crazy. Okay...now I'm rambling, I'd better go. Talk to you all later. Have a great day! Love you all.

Good evening ladies. Guess what!!!??!! I'm HOME!!!!! How awesome is that? Sittin on my bed with my laptop. Just had some Kashi with frozen blueberries for late supper. Just now feeling the pain meds kick in. We bought an Aerobed for the back of the Exp. and I layed on that the whole way. I was a little worried because I have horrible motion sickness in the back seat but dramamine did the trick. by the end of the 9 hours though, my back was barkin at me. I'll be happy to sleep in my sleep number tonight!! I went back and read a little bit. Phyl, my good friend is going to Dr. Ortiz the end of this week, I think I told you. The dr. office has been very good about discussing safety with her and she isn't worried at all. It's all about finding someone you trust. I wonder if they have clinic drivers that would come get you in SD and take you back? That might be something that they offer since they have so much American traffic. As for if you should do it....hell yes you should. I used to watch Big Medicine and one of the ladies had leg issues like you do. Like they said there, she had done as much as she could do herself. Now her legs were standing in her way. Once she had PS done, she was able to continue on her journey. It's not all vanity! And its okay if some of it is. We are women and we are allowed to want to look good. There is nothing wrong with a little vanity. I think if you have your legs done, you will feel much better and be able to exercise more/harder. I also think that you would feel more stable on your feet and be able to get around more without your scooter. I don't see any reason to wait. I'm really jealous about all the fun travel you all are doing....but just being able to walk with so much less pain is amazing so I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Depending on surgery bills, I may have to forgo the Canada trip though. I'm still interested, but don't know what insurance will cover....and Jeff is talking a little more seriously about LB. Ortiz is just a little over 7k. When I told him that, his ears peaked a little. So we will see how money is flowing. Okay....there was something else.....dammit!!! Oh...happy birthday Denise, I hope you enjoyed it! I'd stay up to party with you, but the drugs have officially kicked my @$$. Love you all ladies. Have a good night.

Hi ladies. I thought I would copy my facebook note here. I know you are not all on facebook. In the note I explain a little about why I'm not online much. Something about messing with the spine has messed with my perceptions and anyting electronic puts me into overload. Don't ask me why. Okay...so I will be traveling all day tomorrow and my be able to write a little once I get home tomorrow night. If you don't hear from me don't panic. I notice I'm a couple of days behind in reading postings. I'm going to try to catch up another time. Okay....here's my note. Hugs and love to you all. Hi everyone. I know there has been a lot of questions going around and I'm going to try to answer then. Easier in this forum than each little note you all sent me. If I don't answer your particular questions, let me know and I'll try to get you answered. too. The dates get a little bit blurry so I'm not going to try to get them right. One day I got in to see Dr. Luckett. He immediately scheduled an MRI because from the xrays he could see degeneration in the discs between L3, L4, L5, S1, and possibly S2. He really needed to see the extent of the damage before he could come up with a course of treatment. We did discuss fusing discs and he explained that the long range ramifications of that surgery were not all that positive as far as pain relief. He said that if you damage one disc in an accident or something and need a fusion, that is one thing, but that as you progress in the number of discs being fused, the pain relief success goes down very quickly. Well, as I said before, that first MRI was a bust because I could not lay flat out at all without excrutiating pain down my left leg. He put me on steroids, hydrocodone, and lyrica to try to get the pain to a point where I could lay for 45 minutes. That next morning, even though I was still walking with a walker, I was able to lay out and stand the MRI. I had about an hour wait between that and when he could see me because he was in surgery that morning. It speaks quite loudly that he wanted to see me immediately when it was not even an office day for him. His surgery took a little longer than he had thought and mom and I were trying to figure out how we were going to convince him that we needed to take care of this and not just pussy foot around the issue for a month or two. Well, when we went back to see him, he didn't even put me into an exam room, he pulled up my MRI and showed me how my disc had pretty much collapsed on my spinal nerves between L3 and L4. The nickle size hole where those nerves go through was down to pen point size. He asked if we were going to do surgery the next day or the day after. There was no question about what needed done. He went in and did the surgery, removing the disc so that the nerves were no longer crushed. There was a bit of spinal bleeding because of how compacted everything was but he was able to cauterize the bleeds with minimal damage. I do not remember seeing him before surgery or after, though Jeff assures me he was there checking on me and making sure all was well. I'm still a little unnerved by the loss of time but I'm sure my psyche is not truly damaged because of it. Since the surgery, side effects have been minimal. Any extended mental activity produces a hot flash of cosmic proportions. I am, in fact, sitting here sweating up a storm trying to get this written. Physical exertion does not produce the same effects, just mental exertion. Up until yesterday I was also having sensory overstimulation problems. Everything was too loud, too bright, moving too fast. I have come to consider that a side effect of the hydrocodone and cannot see any reason drug addicts desire that effect. No one has to worry about me becoming a dope fiend. In fact, I just had to take a 5 minute time out from this message in order to stop the nausea that this over stimulation causes. Each day it is better, but it has not gone away. The kids have taken the brunt of this effect because their actions, activities, and voices grate in a way nothing else does. Tomorrow mom, the kids, and I are going to attempt the drive to Plentywood. We have bought an Aerobed and it is waiting in the back of the Expedition for me. Because of my normal car sickness, this could, in itself, prove horrible. I am equiped with a blindfold and dramamine as well as my other routine meds. I'm hoping to sleep most of the way across the state. I will go see Dr. Kirk and share this story with him on Friday and see what he has to say. I already have the appointment so why waste it. Hopefully my records will have made it to him by then and he will be able to see the MRI and xrays too. I go back to see Dr. Luckett on May 4th. I suspect that then we will discuss what to do about the degeneration in the rest of my discs. He says that with the family history of back issues and the extent without trauma, he thinks a lot of the damage is biochemical and will just continue. I don't know what he sees for long term. I hope we will be able to discuss it then. As for replacing the disc he took out, it sounded like it wouldn't be an issue being bone on bone. I will need to ask him more about that then. For now, he sees no reason that I shouldn't be able to do my 3day walk in September. I will wait to sign up until I see him on the 4th of May for sure. I cried when Jeff told me that he gave me the go ahead. It meant that he sees a full recovery in my future. My motorcycle may have to stay in the garage until May just so that I have the go ahead from Luckett. Who knows what Kirk will say. For now, just know that I am fine. If I am offline it is because I am having issues focusing on the computer or sitting concentrating on anything. If anything horrible has happened, Jeff would have logged on and shared that information. I have so many good friends. I love you all and feel very blessed that you have been worried about me. Your prayers and positive thoughts have contributed so much to my quick recovery. It is "The Secret" in action, I am sure. Thank you for all of it. I will be back online soon. Until then, count your blessings and don't take your health for granted. Hugs to all!

At the hotel. This is steph. Not going to say much but that I'm here. Too dopey to get any of it right anyhow. thanks for your prayers. Love you guys. More info tomorrow I promise. Now going to go into a drug induced stupor

Steph made it thru surgery with no problems. Took out disc between L3-L4, and a minor bleeding problem but all looks good. If she can get up and walk around this afternoon they will discharge her this evening. Doc says she should ahve a good recovery and be back to normal.

Just showed Jeff how to write something here. He will let you all know when I'm out of surgery and doing great. Surgery is at 10. figure it will be a little less than 2 hours. Tomorrow I'm going to be able to walk without pain!!! Have a good day ladies. Oh...and my calories will be excellent today...I get to say 0!!! Or do I have to count whatever they put in me by IV?

Phyl, I know you are already a papaya fan, but have you tried pineapple juice? It really is drano from the gods. If I'm stuck then it causes an eruption, but if I'm sliming it unclogs the drain. Usually 1 4oz can is all I need. A couple of sips and then wait 5 mins. If nothing, another couple of sips. Repeat until you are either draino'd or erupted. Then back to warm liquids for a day. I've only had 1 stuck that pineapple juice didn't work on and that was a bagel. No more bagels for me EVER!! I was going to contact the 3day group and find out if you could ride your scooter in the walk. If it wasn't for your knees, now that you're getting so skinny, I'd say you could walk it with us. They have shuttle buses that come by and pick up anyone who is in distress. They will then take you either to the next rest stop or back to camp. they seem to really have all the problems thought of. They even said they would ask anyone who was running to leave....so I won't be getting lapped all the time by the Karri's of the world (no offense Karri, I love you). If nothing else, you could find out the route and either be at the cheering stations or the rest stops helping out. There are a million things you could do Phyl, if you want to be involved but can't do the walking part. Check it out if you are interested. Okay. I have to go take my "pre-surgery" shower. They gave me this mongo bar of soap to use tonight on my back....and then a second mondo bar to use tomorrow. I hope they don't think I'm going to scrub and scrub and scrub until I use the whole thing. If they do, they are nuts. It would take an hour and really not be good for my skin. Okay...off for now. I'll probably check back in later. When does Janet leave for the cruise? I'd rather be cruising, I'll tell you that! Okay....off.

I thought about it. I was going to call my team in Bismarck about it. But then I thought, I'mI not that tight. Just tight enough so that I know when enough is enough. So I decided that I wouldn't do it. If I need to, I'm sure I can go to the guy here who does bands and he would unfil me. Having someone here that's an expert helped me make that decision too. Thank you guys for the prayers. I haven't had the nerve to talk to him about the 60mile walk. I'm thinking that can be and "after I'm fixed" talk too. Okay. I napped for awhile but am still a little loopy so I'm going to sign off. Love you guys.

Hi there ladies. I'm finally back from the clinic. What a day it has been. As soon as I got to the office Dr wanted to show me my MRI. In one of my vertibra the inside has closed up so much that there is no room for my nerve to be. Because of that he is going to do a laminectomy on that disc and a discectomy on the disc below it. I wasn't even into a room and he was asking if my condition was worse or if I was having incontenance problems. He seemed to think they were iminent. He told me that if that happens, to call him as an emergency and we won't wait for the surgery. My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow at 10. I figure this must be a serious issue because he got me a date so quickly. He gave me a choice of tomorrow or the next day, but I wasn't going to be able to put it off longer than that. From what I understand, I will be given general anastesia, they will lay me on my stomach and open me up. This will not be done arthoscopically. He will do the two procedures he has identified and then look at the discs between l4, l5, and s1. If he needs to he will do something there, but this first is major enough. He said that depending on how the operation goes I could be out of the hospital tomorrow or have to stay 2 days. So if you don't hear from me, don't panic. That's my update. I'm posting it on facebook too and I'm sure Jeff will put up an update on facebook as soon as he knows anything. I'm zoning now so I'm going to sign off and doze. I'll talk to you all later. Love you guys.