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Thanks, y'all. Dakota's a great dog. Surprising really, considering her beginnings. DH was working at a fire station, literally out in the middle of nowhere. There are thousand + acre ranches out there and an asbestos field and that's it. For miles. The station has a helicopter and 2 engines so there is a crew of 17 on duty on any given day. The helo pilots go home at night if they live close enough b/c they can't fly after dusk. One AM the pilot was coming in to the station and he sees this dog running along side the road. He's a sucker for critters. He stops the truck and barely gets the door open and the dog is in the truck, on the seat, waiting for him to continue on! LOL! So she's staying at the station and everyone who works there is trying to figure out if they can take her home. The whole time the dog is at the station, DH is talking about her. What a great dog she is, how so and so thought they could take her home but can't, etc. We already had a dog but had sort of started talking about finding another one. I finally told DH that if NO ONE ELSE could take her and he thought she and CheyAnne would get along, then he could bring her home. One Saturday AM I get a call. DH is on his way home and I need to go down to the feed store and buy a collar and another leash and food bowl! LOL! Who's the sucker? DH had the dog in the truck with him! She'd been at the station for 2 weeks, being WELL fed. When she got home, I could still see her ribs! Y'all saw how much fur she has! We know she's been beaten and with a belt or rope or something, even 9 years later, if DH takes his belt off too fast and it swings, she ducks! Vet figured she was about a year old when we got her. She's about 10 now. Thank you! She always looks like a puppy to me afterwards! She kinda acts like one too! LOL! WTG Fanny!! Thank you! Thank you. I totally would've said something after the 2nd bump while I SHOVED her cart backwards! Sorry about it needing to be casted! Oh. My. Gosh!!!!!! You're welcome! LOL! Poor thing! He must've been horrified! The first time we shaved CheyAnne, she was so embarrassed! She hid til she realized she actually FELT better in the heat! LOL! After that she was golden! She was a great dog too. A rescue from the ASPCA. You are such a goof! (And I mean that in a good way!) Good for you! I've been bugged about NOT being on FB and I'm so afraid to start. I'm still resisting, so far, so good! Sorry about the chocolate/stall. It's so hard sometimes. I still think the head part is the hardest part of the surgery! Compared to the head issues, the rest was/is a breeze!! Okay, here's DD at the beginning of Dec. That's DH. We were at the tree farm to pick our Christmas tree. That's the tree we chose btw.

Oh Tina! I'm so sorry! How horrible! I also echo what the others have said. I'll say prayers for you that you can put this in a good place for yourself and move away from it. Is there someone you can have go clean things up for you so you don't have to try to do it? That would help a lot, I think. Are you still going to counseling? I would definitely bring this up at your next session if you are. You should talk to someone and get this out. Congrats on only having 2 drains now! Continued success on your healing and best wishes to you. (((hugs)))

Oh my gosh, June! My roads are such that if I started bebopping, and not paying attention, I'd crash! I can bebop in my head tho! My dog isn't overweight but she's out of shape! LOL! Sometimes, I'm practically dragging her home! She's improving tho. Just like me! Okay, problem with yesterday's walk and trying to then walk this AM. I didn't leave enough time between walks to recuperate! I did have DD and the dog with me this AM too. I ended up only walking about a mile this AM. I left off 2 cul-de-sacs and drug my butt home! My legs were toast! I was so sad! Sooo, if I'm going to walk late the day before and especially the extended walk, then I can't walk the next AM. I have to wait til later in the day or take the day off. :drool: On a good note, I was able to get out of bed this AM and it didn't hurt! LOL!

Oh my gosh! Thank GOD you've checked in! I've been so worried! I'm STILL worried! You should not still be doing this. From what I gather, you NEVER called your band doctor! CALL ASAP!!! Please stop trying to eat. You need to be sipping slowly and waiting in between for it to go down, stay down and hopefully be okay for the next sip. I agree with everyone else. Being on an IV would actually probably help a lot b/c you'd be able to rest your stomach and heal. For them to send you home is ridiculous! You shouldn't be out of the hospital yet! And IVs are NOT addictive! Oh my gosh! I just don't even know what to say. It's all been said. I'm VERY concerned for you! Keep us up to date and let us know how you are!

My first thought was dehydration. Did you make sure you got enough to drink? More than normal b/c of all that you did? If I don't drink enough, I will ALWAYS gain the next AM, sometimes upwards of a few lbs! Good for you! And WTG to DD for being all ready to go when you got home! That has to be huge! Seems she's liking it. Or liking your rewards for going! LOL! Whatever... She's going and you are going and THAT is fantastic!!! ***** After the busy, crazy day we had I was thinking that I wasn't going to get my walk in today. I usually go about mid-morning but we were up and out earlier than normal so it didn't happen. This afternoon, before dinner, I told DD she was staying home with papa and I changed clothes and took off. I had my ipod with me and just vegged while I walked! Only problem is that I was listening to a 70's collection that I'd downloaded and I kept wanting to sing and stop to beebop to the music! LOL!! I also went downTHE road. The one I'm working up too. I did the whole thing! It added a mile to my walk so I went 2 1/2 miles today! I thought I was going to have to call DH to come get me! This road is way worse than any of the other roads that I'm doing. And those are HARD! I made it home. Quite wobbly but doing well. And very happy! I told DH that I wanted to do that extended walk at least once a week. I'll go when he's home so he can keep DD and I'm not sure if I'll take the dog or not. She's out of shape too! She might slow me down and make me go home too soon! LOL! Have a great night!

Oh good! Looks like it worked! :ohmy: Yea me!!! Sounds like a great weekend! I can't answer your question b/c I do it myself. And usually right before a WI either at home or at the docs. I just don't get it either. I'm still working on myself so when/if I figure it out, I'll let you know! Hang in there! I'm finding that to be a true statement for myself as well. Tho when REALLY upset (angry/mad), I have noticed I will head to the fridge. When I was younger, it was alcohol, so I think it all stems from the addictive personality that I have. Thank GOD I have always been able to "catch" it before I've become completely addicted. (Except for the food, of course. Didn't "catch" that one very well!) But I have noticed lately that I really "like" to reward myself with food! Need to find another way to reward myself! 'Night everyone!

SOOOO glad you are feeling better! Let's hope it's an ulcer or the med, and not the gallbladder! Best wishes!! Thanks for reporting the problem. Everything is great now! Only if it's from Mexico! (The pork chop, not the band! LOL!!) PJTP: It was a crazy day but a good one! DD had a good day. I had a good day. Heck, DH even had a good day! I think the only one of us who DIDN'T have a good day was our dog! She went to the groomer's today for her annual bath and shave. We dropped her off at 1PM (appointment time) and they called at 6! We were starting to wonder what was happening! Granted they were working on THREE dogs when we dropped her off! So Dakota was VERY happy to see us! Poor DD tho. She didn't understand us leaving Dakota and picking her up again later. She got really upset, crying, saying she had to see Dakota! Poor thing! We got her calmed down and then as a treat and a surprise, took her to our favorite place at the lake to see our friend, the owner (who adores and spoils DD) and get ice cream! Oh and Dakota is part Chow, so LOTS of hair! She goes from that, to a 1/2 an inch!! For the first month, her head looks to big for her body! I think she's adorable but DH thinks she looks funny! We got my truck towed from DH's fire station to the shop today. they'll get to it tomorrow sometime. So got that taken care of. I went for a walk by myself this afternoon while we were waiting for the groomer to call us. I added another road and it added another mile to my normal walk. It was killer but it was so nice! I told DH I wanted to do that extended walk at least once a week, by myself. I really enjoyed it!! Let's see if I can attach a couple of pics of Dakota. The "before" is DD's first Easter, she was about 10/11 months. The "after" is actually the summer before the other pic, when DD was a couple of months old and Dakota's fur had grown out a couple of months. DD is going to be 3 next month so these are a couple of years old. Bear with me. I've never tried to attach pics before!

Thank you!!!!

I'm thinking it's probably a glitch. Not sure tho. It all just seems "off" with no rhyme or reason to it. Hopefully it's fixed soon. It's hard to read and see things.

Thank GOD it's not just me!! I thought my computer was freaking out! In subscribed threads, I can't tell which ones are new or not! It all looks the same. Yuck!

Ohhhh, thanks y'all! You almost made me cry! Thank you, thank you, thank you! It's funny b/c I know I'm not the only one, but it sure feels like it!! And yes, Kat, I'm glad there's only ONE!!! LOL! Also, I'll watch her for a UTI but I think it's been just her not paying attention. Partly my fault b/c she'd been doing everything on her own and quite well for some time when this started. Before I could remind her to go potty, she'd say she had to go and take off. Since Sat AM after the last flooding, we haven't had another issue since. I threatened to take her panties away and put her back in pull ups! I also told her if she argued with me about going, she was taking a time-out. No arguing!!! We've been doing WAY too much of that lately too! DH came home today and I told him the new plan of action. Each week, I'm taking off by myself! He's fine with it. Well, he'd better be, it's going to happen anyway! LOL!!! He doesn't have a choice at this point and time! :laugh: In September, DD starts preschool. I think I'm more excited than she is and she's pretty excited! LOL! So, 2 mornings a week, I'll have a couple of hours to myself! Oh Tap, yesterday sounds like a WONDERFUL DAY! I hope you enjoyed your dinner tonight too! Gotta get DD to bed. Night!

Slim, of course you can play! I was thin all my life to. Smallest one in my family. BUT I still thought I was fat, just the smallest fat one of the 4 of us! So delusioned! How was your walk? I've found I really love mine! Glad to know you're doing well! WTG! Don't feel intimidated! Sounds like a horrific injury! Just do what you can (what the experts allow) and go from there! That's all you can do and it's better than nothing! I think the pool will be great for you! Hang in there and keep posting with us! Well, we got out for my walk today so that was good. This week is going to end up being a busy one but I'm still determined to got out there every day! Have a great Monday everyone!

WTG, K!!!!!!! Congratulations!! And just where have you been, missy??!!! :laugh:

My first thoughts were several: 1. You just had surgery a couple of months ago. Surgery takes a lot out of you and it will take time to get on your feet again. I was about 5 months out before I felt like I was almost back to normal. 2. Iron and B's help with energy. If you're anemic (too little iron) you're going to be tired and could have cramping issues. 3. Are you getting enough fluids? 4. I totally agree with RM, you should get a blood work up to get specifics. You are probably deficient in some areas. 5. Call your surgeon, or e-mail him/her, your concerns and see where he/she takes it. I get foot cramps sometimes if I arch my foot wrong. Man that hurts! I'm so sorry! As far as supplements. I take more than just a multi. chewable multi, 2x/day chewable calcium/D, 2x/day chewable Biotin, 2x/day liquid Omega, 2x/day liquid iron, 2x/day liquid b complex w/sublingual 12, 1x/day acidopholus, 1x/day (during winter/flu/cold season, 2x/day) bp med, 1x/day This is not a suggestion for everyone, this is what I do and most of it (except for the acidopholus and omega) is required by my surgeon. BUT, I feel so much better since getting on this regimen. Also, I was losing copious amounts of hair, starting within 1 month after surgery. As soon as I added the iron (hadn't been taking it til I found a great liquid) and started eating veggies again, my hair stopped falling out. The biotin doesn't KEEP your hair, it helps it grow back, so as I was losing hair, I had/have all these little, tiny hairs growing in! Also, I still lose hair (we all do) but it's not even as much as what I was losing BEFORE surgery! Best wishes!!

Best wishes! Feel better soon!!

UGH! I wish! I don't have any family near-by and my friends can't take her for various reasons. And at her age, I don't know that she'd even stay with anyone but my mom. I talked to my mom for over an hour tonight after I got DD to bed. And I have some ideas in mind now. We brainstormed! :smile2: Once a week, when DH is off duty, I'm leaving them HOME for a couple of hours. I'm either going to go do something (i.e. movie, window shopping, etc.), or take a book and a camp chair and go sit at the lake and read. That kind of stuff. If I wake up early (before anyone else wakes up), I'll take the dog and go on my walk by myself. I've been able to do that a couple of times and it's really refreshing. Also, depending on what's going on with my truck, next weekend DD and I are going up to see my mom. She lives in the Sacramento area, about 3 1/2 hrs from me. That'll give me a break too b/c mom takes over! (In a good way! LOL!) I think it's starting to sound like I can't handle being a mom or have a rotten kid or something and I don't want to give that impression. I get overwhelmed sometimes. It's ALWAYS me and DD, even with DH home. I just don't get ANY breaks at all. I have Bunco once a month and that's pretty much it. DH is totally involved and does what he can but if I'm in DD's realm, it has to be me, she won't let him do for her very often. She really IS a fantastic kid! Funny, smart, curious, determined, independent, sweet, loving and generally a great kid! I guess I tend to just vent about the bad stuff!! This week was just a rotten week! 'Night!

You are so right! Ya know, Diane, even a bad week now is still way better than a sort of bad week was before surgery! A gain for me now is anywhere from a 10th or so to a lb or so. Before surgery, a gain, would've been many lbs! Then WEEKS of trying to get rid of it again!! So I look at the bad, post-surgery, as all good anyway! Even when I can't get the scale to move. It's all good!! Now, I have HOPE that the scale will move again in the right direction. Before, I'd lose hope and give up or give in. I don't have that vicious cycle anymore! I'm lovin' it!! I hope that all makes sense! LOL!

Melly, good for you for doing it in the first place! I am sorry tho that it has to be so bloody early!! In my case, it just wouldn't happen. That's why I'd said you were way better than I am! You make sure you get it done, I'd blow it off! :smile2: All motivation dear, all motivation! June, I have those types of hills too! Lean forward to get me, the stroller and the dog UP the hill, then lean back so we don't go DOWN the hill too fast!! That's just about my whole walk!! Yikes! The only flat parts are the turn-around part of the cul-de-sacs!! Debbie, What a great friend! Your routine sounds great and like you're changing things up. Great job! How ya been? Are you getting things figured out for yourself? How's the fill process going? Got out there again today. I'm trying to make it out there everyday. Tomorrow is a maybe. Church, if we make it, in the AM, then it depends on how hot it gets in the afternoon as to whether we can walk or not. The dog hasn't gotten her yearly haircut yet (Monday PM!) so it gets too warm for her and I feel bad if I have to leave her at home. She knows we're going and will bark the entire time we're gone if we leave her. Makes me feel bad! LOL! I know Wednesday won't happen b/c I've got an AM appointment w/my doc for my refill and he's an hour from me, one way. So it'll be a "get up and out of the house" type of morning. We'll also run errands while in the city so we'll get back late. :w00t: The rest of the week looks good for walking tho so that'll make me happy!

Whoo Hoo!!!! That is so exciting!! I weigh everyday but my official is Fridays. That's the one that goes in iCal and on my ticker. I'm glad she's out of the hospital but sorry she's not doing well. PJTP: Well, today didn't start off too well. An old friend from HS died tragically last weekend and his service was today. CHURCH BUS TRAGEDY I didn't have anyone to watch DD so couldn't go. Was barely awake when DD went into the kitchen to get something to eat and she peed all over herself and the floor. She did it 2x yesterday too and she's not been a lot of fun this week, soooo after I put her in the tub I sat in our bedroom (right outside the bathroom) and cried. I'd also bottled John's death b/c I just can't believe it happened. I need a break but don't know how to get it. I told DH that I'd love to just take off by myself for a couple of days when he came home but I don't know where I'd go, what I'd do and we can't afford it. Anyway, the day did get a little better. DD and I took the dog and did our walk. When we got back I took my shower and made a grocery list then we left the house. We went to lunch, then walked up to a new store that just opened. Found some cheap stuff (it's a bargain place) for DD's kitchen! Then we went to the grocery store. Came home and put things away. We've had dinner and I'm waiting for 8PM so I can put her to bed. I'm just worn out. Mentally and physically. I haven't been sleeping well this week either and that NEVER helps! LOL! I always have weird dreams and horrible nightmares when that happens. Oh and DH just called to say we need to have my truck towed to the shop. It was making some really weird thumping noise. He blew it off but I told him Tues PM after Bunco that it was getting really bad and he needed to drive it and take a look. So he drove it Wed and said he'd take it to work on Thurs so he could look at it. It's the center support bearing for the driveline. Ummm yeah, ignore me. That could cause major damage to the transmission and/or driveline and/or transfer case!! I knew something bad was wrong! I worked on cars in HS. I'm not a total idiot!!! I won't go in to details but he got the part but can't replace it. So DD and I go pick up tomorrow AM when he gets off shift. First thing Mon AM I'm then on the phone to the shop to see when we can have it towed down from the station. Then I get to make that happen too. I'm so excited! :smile2: Anyway, thanks for letting me get all of that out. I needed to do that. I need to get DD ready for bed. Have a great night everyone!

Sounds like everyone is doing well for the most part! Thanks, Kristen. I consider it a victory! Tutornmom, WTG! Good news with your DD too! Misty, hang in there. It sounds like you have a good plan for yourself. I like the daily plate but I'm homemaking so much of my food that it's hard to track what I'm eating. I don't have time to input my recipes and figure out portion sizes, so I gave up on it. Congratulations, di!!! WTG, w2l!!

The first week was the toughest. I was so tired and slept a lot. I had help tho. Between DH and my mom, I was covered for the first 4 weeks. I had a lifting restriction of 10lbs for 6 weeks. That's about a gallon of milk. Every doc is different, so be sure to ask yours. It's the port attached to abdomen that is what will "pop" if you lift too soon or too hard. DD totally got in to helping me. She loved it! If she wanted me to pick her up, I'd either have her get up on a chair or I would hunker down and give her a hug and at the first opportunity, we'd sit somewhere and snuggle. Explaining to her again why mama couldn't pick her up. For the most part, she was fine. We switched cars, DH took my truck and I took his car so DD could climb in to the car on her own and get herself into her seat, then I'd buckle her up. Same getting out. DH did all the laundry and went shopping with me. Like I said, DD loves to help and she's pretty independent so it actually worked out pretty well. She climbed on to our bed for diaper changes and dressing/undressing. Bathing her, I couldn't do, it was hard to get down there and then get back up, leaning over to wash, etc. Later it got easier, but the first couple of weeks, no way. Is there a way you 2 could get some help during the day? At the very least, for the first week? It sure would help a bunch. If wifey wasn't preggers, I'd say no worries, you 2 would be fine but it would help if someone could come in everyday. I know how busy mine is and I only have 1! You'll probably be fine without help but it would be nice. Best wishes and let me know what you 2 figure out.

No change here either. Which I consider a scale Victory! I'm completely unfilled after my emergency at Easter so I'm HUNGRY!!!! I see my doc on Wednesday so I'm hoping he starts filling me again and that it helps with the hunger! I have NO idea how much he might put in.

I'll do liquids, then slowly add mushies as it feels okay. I do that for at least the rest of the day and some times part of or all of the next day. Again, depends on the PB and how I'm feeling. But I do ALWAYS take it easy for a time.

UGH! I couldn't log on last night so now I've got a ton of stuff to catch up on! I know I'm going to miss some posts. Sorry! UGH! Can we say instant migraine? I can't handle strong odors anymore. Literally, instant migraine. No warning, no nothing, BAMMM! and I'm down! Congratulations!!! Whoo Hoo!! And great news on the doc front too! Sounds like it went well! Prayers still coming and now include that you find out either way, sooner rather than later!! Yuck!!! Sounds like a nice afternoon/evening tho! No, sorry. I wish I could help. I only know how to do the very basics. Best wishes on getting it figured out! PJTP: Scale Victory!! I stayed the same this AM!!! VERY HAPPY!!!! I just have to get through to Wednesday and hope he starts re-filling me and it actually works! I did dip down to 181.9 yesterday and I'd love to take that one but I don't think it was very valid. I've been bouncing between 182.3 and 182.7 all week, with most days right at or around the .3 so I figure that's what I really am and yesterday was just a fluke. Cold today. I've got the house all closed up and I'll have to build a fire later this afternoon. Yesterday had the house completely open and was wearing shorts! Gotta love April! Supposed to rain later. I hope so. We need it badly. Could be a bad fire season. Have a great rest of the day! TTFN!

Got back out in the neighborhood yesterday and it felt great. Had to go a little slower as it'd been 2 weeks since I'd been able to get out there. Got out there again today. Both days did a mile and a half. Feeling really good about it and totally re-committed to it. (The 2 weeks not going weren't up to me, 1st week was weather related (heavy rain & snow), 2nd week was due to my emergency unfill.) I do miss swimming. When I was a kid we had a pool available and we lived in that thing all summer. Plus to get there, sis and I had to walk a mile! Parents would pick us up when they got home at night. Our HS has a pool that they open to the community during the summer but they may not do that this year b/c of the budget. :crying: Congrats! I know that plateau was driving you crazy! That helps a bunch!!! :thumbup: I didn't get serous about exercise until just recently. I know better but was in denial! LOL! Good for you for getting out there whether you want to or not! Oh, we're targets too! The roads have no sidewalks, lots of blindcurves and people driving WAY too fast! We almost got tagged a few weeks ago. A gal was in the middle of one road, turning onto another road, completely against the wrong corner! It was close! We were on the side she shouldn't have been. Luckily we weren't at the corner yet or she'd have taken all 3 of us out. If a car had been there, she'd have hit 'em head on. She didn't learn her lesson either. We saw her a couple of days later, luckily we were no where near her, and she was still driving way too fast and taking the whole road! I just refuse to NOT go out. I have noticed that the neighbors seem to be slowing down a little b/c we're pretty much out there every day. UGH! You are SO much better than I am! No WAY would I get up that early! So NOT a morning person! I'd be grumpy the rest of the day and need a nap by 10!!! Congrats on the lost inches!! I still haven't measured myself. Just not something I think about doing! We don't have a Y up here. We have a curves and a regular gym. Neither have pool facilities or I'd sign up for just that. Walk the neighborhood and swim and I'd be happy! I used to belong to curves and liked it for the most part. After awhile tho I couldn't go regularly and it was getting expensive b/c of that. Now I've got my DD and no child care so it's definitely out, even if I could afford it. I'll manage tho. I love the walking and if the HS does open their pool to the public for the summer, then I'm all over that! I never learned how to ride a bicycle and I'd like to do that eventually too. (I want a 3 wheeler tho! LOL) We can ride in Yosemite Valley and that would be nice!