minidriver

Well, you're like a third of the way to your goal, yes? That's amazing. When's the last time you lost 65 lbs in 6 months? I'm sure the fill will do the trick and you'll be on your merry losing way again.

OOO, I'm glad you're feeling better. That's a good good thing. And a fill will be great. Man, you've lost a lot of weight. Good job!

Dogs are just SO non-appreciative. GEEZ!!

Oh my. Well, you really have a handful to deal with. I'm don't know that I have such a great handle on this stuff . . . I certainly have my share of feeling completely overwhelmed and ill-prepared. It's one thing to know about this stuff academically and another to live with it everyday. I think your hypothesis about all the stuff being related is an interesting one . . . not a ton of empirical evidence to tie them together at this point, although the attention/depression/anxiety link is definitely showing up in the neuro literature. And schizophrenia involves, in part, the same part of the brain involved in executive attention. Everything in the brain is so interconnected that it's really tough to isolate a disorder to one specific area. Maybe someday we'll be able to do it, but not now. Barkley is adorable!! I"m glad he's feeling better. When we leave our dog, she doesn't speak to us for days. She turns her head away when we look at her and pretends that we don't exist. Then she'll finally break down and come and do the whining, yipping thing to let us know that she's mad at us. She even nips my husband's hands (gently, of course). Silly puppies. I'm not sure you want to be my mini-me. But that really cracked me up!

hahahahah. :thumbup::tt2:

Now, that's a good point. Could be worse, that's for sure. Hee hee.

Oh good. I guess I can't quit being a teacher even when I'm taking the summer off! Geez!!

That's right. Violet. Okay, I look like Violet but not purple.

Oh no! Summer school? Bummer . . . I was on campus today and it was all I could do to be there for four hours. I have to be there all day tomorrow and I found it rather, um, depressing. And I love my job! I'm just really enjoying having some time off.

Oh, that's a good idea. Things shift around! Sidann, one of my students has a dog that is 1/2 bassett hound and 1/2 black lab. Same sort of thing . . . lab head, tail coloring, bassett body. It was really funny looking. Dogs and cats are interesting genetically. With humans, many traits are a blend of traits from both parents, so a tall parent and a short parent might end up with a medium height child. In animals, however, they have specific genes for very specific physical characteristics, so you get EITHER mom's legs or dad's legs, etc. There are even genes that code for spots of different colored hair, so a cat might have a spot of hair on its shoulder that is exactly like a spot on its mom. Dogs (not sure with cats) have about 60 times more genes than humans. Weird, huh? Well, that was your dorky science lesson for the day. Sorry.

So I had DH take official "before" pics this morning. I have steadfastly dodged cameras for several years now and, if forced to be in a picture, try to hide behind whatever I can find. Well. No hiding today. I put on a sports bra and some leggings and did the full body stuff - front, side, and back. Gotta' tell ya', pals. It was not pretty. I cannot BELIEVE how big and round I am! I look like a Corgi!! Or a little, round Red Heeler! I look 8 months pregnant! I have small lower arms and legs and the rest of me is almost a perfect circle. I know! I look like whatever character that was in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory who blew up! So I'm sorta' blue about this but it also makes me so happy that I am having this surgery. Some day (when I have some "after" pics, I'll post my "befores" as well).

OMG! In exactly one week I will be starting my surgery. AARRGGHHH!!!! Scared!!!!!!

OH CRAP!!! No pun intended. I realized after I posted that you would be vomiting with a bowel obstruction, so just forget I said that. I do have some scar tissue adhesions in my way lower abdomen from c-sections that sometimes gets "tangled" in my bowels for a few days and hurts like a SOB. I lie on my back and pull on the skin and underlying tissue of my stomach over and over until it breaks up. Sorry. TMI. I am SO glad you're okay. I've been in a meeting for the past two hours and all I could think about was checking the board to see if you were okay! Man, I guess it's obvious that I've lived through having teenagers! Munchkin - I'm so glad that you stand up to doctors. Sometimes my daughter tells me things the doctors have said to her and I just want to scream. What makes them think they're so much better? Nurses are the ones who do all the work. I'm glad you liked "Munchkin and Hutch". We should pitch it to a network. That story about the beagle is so upsetting. People who don't research their doggy choices are so irresponsible. It's not like a sweater that you can just get rid of if it doesn't fit. Crikey.

Okay, I think I saw that one before. He's such a cutie pie.

Okay, since everybody else had cute doggie photos for their avatars, I decided to change mine. This is my Keeley Anna. She's my bestest buddy.

OMG! Your new buster picture is soooooo sweet. Is that the one that you posted earlier?

My grad school adviser had corgis and they were just adorable. She used to say that they were big dogs stuck on short legs. My mom has always had doxies so I'm fond of them as well and bassets are just too darned funny and cute for words. I tend to go for the mid/bigger doggies myself. We have an Australian Kelpie (we think . . . she was abandoned) and she's probably 50 lbs or so but thinks she's a lap dog. She brings me such joy. This is a great group. I can't believe the support and warmth I've received from everybody here. It has made me doubly happy about my decision to go with Dr. K. The pre-op diet is a breeze. No problem at all.

AAACKK!!! I thought for sure there would be a message from Brandy . . . Thanks to everyone who sent their numbers. I'll compile the list today and PM it to everybody. So I had this awful thought last night as I was going to sleep - I wonder if she might have bowel obstruction? The pain . . . not going since Wednesday . . . maybe she has adhesions from surgery. I HOPE that is not the case. Oh my. Shelbi - not sure what is happening with your son (we never had that talk) but it sounds like signing up for a GED course was a wonderful thing. Marcy - hope you get some sunshine soon. And congrats on your upcoming 1 year! Munchkin - I didn't know nurses have a good cop/bad cop routine. That's kind of funny. There could be a new TV series with a pair of nurses who go around getting patients to comply. "Munchkin and Hutch" or something.

You're welcome, sweetums. Sleep tight.

Okay. We'll hold down the mommy fort. I roller bladed once . . . and then promptly gave my roller blades to my SIL. IT'S HARD!!!

OK, I'll compile a list if anybody else wants to PM me with theirs and I'll add mine too and then PM it to everybody.

That's a good plan. Who will be the master keeper of phone numbers? We can all PM one person and they can then PM everyone the list. does that sound logical? I hope Natalie is checking her email tonight . . .

good plan mal

Me too . . . I'm hoping she had a baseball game right after her appointment or something. I think every good nurse has to be a bit of a police officer too, yes? I mean, SOMEBODY needs to be in charge!

I haven't even tried them yet . . .so if you can find good shipping you should get them dee.