ifyourstomachoffendsyou

Great pics. Nice hair. Hi and bye Apples. Kill a mosquito for me. Julie, the muscle relaxers have been helping me, too. That and the accupressure. After I've aggravated the trigger points by falling or sleeping wrong or who knows what, the combination seems to really do the trick for me so I'm not suffering for weeks. I have very painful trigger points at the top of my shoulder joints and all along my shoulders to all the way up my neck. I had the strangest sensation when I pressed on top of one that was on the top of my shoulder blade. A muscle knot at the top side of my neck hurt just as bad. The referred pain told me that I do indeed have the myofascial issues. Listen to your body. Just sitting in a chair isn't good for you any more than overdoing. As long as you're letting others do the twisting, scrubbing, lifting, pushing and the heavy work, keeping busy does help you cope. Cheri

Thanks peeps, I feel so much better! Cheri

Jessica, thanks for the info on pictures. I'm not at all familiar with paint or with playing with pictures. I guess I need to figure out how to get my pics permanantly in my signature line (whatever that is). Apples picture always shows up--that's what I want. I suppose its something like the weight trackers a lot of you have. Melissa, everytime you want to stress eat or emotional eat, get on this thread and write about it instead. Cheri

LOL. I'm sure if I were a dog I'd want to crawl into your lap, too! No matter how big I was.

I read that any liquid you drink counts towards your Water intake. I don't drink water but I do drink decaf with Splenda and 2% milk in it much of the day. I've been icing it with the hot weather. I often put in coffee flavoring from Caribou Coffee because their flavorings have Splenda. I'll even drink iced milk with flavoring in it. The milk gives me a constant supply of proteing and other nutrients and the carbs in it are low-glycemic. What I did find out is that laying down can cause the lower stomach to block and even fill in the stoma, causing tightness and blockage. Wearing snug pants and belts and even the way we sit can do the same thing. So can the pressure of gas in the old stomach and intestine. It's possible that by drinking more water you're keeping your new pouch more inflated, forcing the stoma to stay open. I find that standing up and walking around before and even while eating can keep the stoma open and I have less trouble. Cheri By the way, I'm at goal and have been for 3 months. Bandiversary is the 18th.

Band Groupie, great pics. You look mahvahlous dahling. I wasn't as daring as you but here are my pics. Cheri

Eva, gorgeous agaves. Looks like your hair has a lot of red in it. Lightening up color is often very flattering as we age. Love the pic in front of the waterfall. I agree the head on shots (and not too close) are generally more flattering as we get older. I know I was astonished at how flattering the pics my husband took of me were. They were at just the right angle. I've been working on ways to put my hair up without damaging it. Bought several different clips. I have very slippery hair. Some of the grey is really corkscrew now, some is straight and fine and soft. Some of my hair is wavy. I still have a lot of it. I use a tinted conditioner to put a little yellow in the grey. The color depends on the lighting. Hair is definitely a tricky thing. Julie, I tripped over my grandson and fell trying not to hurt him and screwed my neck up again. But with all I've read about myofasciatis I used my anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxer, hot baths lying flat on my back in the tub, hot showers, and I've been applying acupressure myself at the base of the neck and working down the muscle knots to my shoulder. Does your masseuse do acupressure? I saw that recommended frequently in the literature. They feel for the knots with the trigger points and apply pressure rather than massage. I'm amazed at how the muscles lay down and the pain subsides. Stress and emotional eating. We've all been there, done that, and bought the T-shirt. I have to say, I'm catching myself earlier and stopping much sooner. Blogging or journaling are a great way to deal with it instead of eating. So is posting on here. Women have a tendancy to internalize feelings, especially anger which they misinterpret as feeling hurt when the appropriate response to mistreatment and injustice should be anger. I heard someone once say that we are enraged by many things over which we should actually be outraged. Learning to express anger appropriately and let it out in healthy, non-destructive ways is important in the recovery process. I've read that depression is really anger turned inward. I've learned that its OK to be mad even at God. He/she's big enough to handle it. And is just as outraged over injustice as we should be. I used to write letters to God where I poured it all out, my thoughts, my feelings, etc. "Oh God, what you doing with my life?" "OK God, what's up with that?" "I really messed up God, you'd better love me because I don't think anybody else does." "God, why do you let me say things that other people misinterpret? Is this ADHD ever going to stop affecting my relationships?" "Lord, why don't you take away this craving for food? Is this my 'thorn in the flesh'? Am I always going to have to fight it?" And, of course, the answer always is, "I love you child, and I'll walk with you through it. You're not alone. I made you and I don't make junk." Cheri

Two major problems fixed for RCS. A few more to go. The original boiler needs updating and the radiators need to be sequenced differently. Right now, the first rooms to receive heat are too hot while the last ones to receive heat never do get warm enough on really cold days. Kids and teachers are forced to wear coats and gloves. We also need all our windows replaced with industrial grade. Many are propped in place by 2 by 2's, or lack screens or are unopenable. We could use air conditioning also. Then we could have year round school which many of our kids could really use. We also need an elevator to make it handicapped accessible. But, one victory at a time. This one really rocks. I'm enjoying summer school so far, but its been relatively cool outside. Grandson's b-day party this Friday. Gotta go shopping. Cheri

Good news for Roseland Christian. A grant I helped write and edit was approved. We are going to get a new and very much needed roof to replace our badly leaking 80 something yr. old roof. We also are getting a new playground. Industrial grade play equipment and the broken up asphal surface replaced. God is good. I'm having an estimate on my roof today. And I'm calling some contractors for estimates on my basement. Gotta get this place back together. All the extra work I'm doing this summer will help pay for it, and I did get a raise. I also held on to some money from my last loan. Ken cashed in his meager retirement (he's 63) so we can get it all done. Maybe not all at once, but over the next 2 years. My husband is totally not handy. All I have to say about him fixing or working on things is that we now have his tetanus shot updated. Summer school is going well. Getting a co-teacher instead of an aide has made a huge difference. I made some key changes and I'm loving it. Cheri

So, Apples, welcome back oh tough one. Phylls. Rain, rain, go away! Great. Glad you found a friend. First day of summer school went well. Its actually nice and cool today. Had afternoon free. Got some gardening done. Did a shopping spree at Chico's on Sunday. Have to bring some of it back. Did a fashion show for DH to help me decide. Cheri

What I want is to have these pictures appear on every post of mine without me having to upload them each time. Cheri Oops! Forgot one.

Hey, Can someone tell me how to do a photo montage that will post n all my posts the way Jessica did? Trying to become more techno savvy. Cheri

Hi Gang, Welcome back Julie. Excellent responses to 14 pp. You should have been a writer or editor. Ditto to all your responses. I can't remember everyone and I'm too much of a technical klutz to do multi and then delete all or part of the person's post so that my responses don't take too much space. So I mostly respond to whoever's post struck a chord with me. Jessica, great tat. You are lookin' fine. Cute son. So great that you're overcoming all those issues. Sometimes I think that it isn't just the weight loss, its getting all those carbs out of our diets (or at least greatly reduced) that makes us feel so much better. There are a lot of brain chemistry issues (like ADHD) that respond very well to high protein low carb lifestyles. Not to mention diabetes and pre-diabetes. Mood control is much better when there are no blood sugar swings. Cravings diminish. Physical and psychological pain is less noticeable. Belly fat shrinks. Insulin resistance diminishes making us burn fat instead of storing it and upping our metabolisms. Phyll, I think I have to be really careful of that stomach prolapse into the stoma thing because I wake up and have to be moving around and standing up for a while before I can handle even a protein drink. I start with a SF Latte and sip slowly while I get ready. I think it was nurse Laura that told me that's probably why I'm so tight when I wake up. The old stomach sort of plugs up the pouch while I'm sleeping. Yesterday, I didn't have to go to work so I sat in the morning with my laptop instead of walking around and showering, etc., and I pb'd my protein shake and even had trouble with my latte. If I've been sitting a while slouched in my armchair with my legs up, I have more trouble with pbing after just a few bites. I need to stand up and walk around till the pain eases and then I can eat a whole lot. So I think the stomach has to drop back into place before I can eat. By the time I'm served in a restaurant, I can have trouble, too. Now that I see the consequences, I think I'll build more walking around time before all meals. Let that old stomach drop back down where it belongs. Visit the restroom before eating instead of having to run to pb after a few bites. Maybe loosening my belt or pants before eating might help, too. They tend to push up on my stomach and diaphragm. I can feel the pressure upwards on my band and port sometimes. I don't want to do permanant damage or have to have an unfill. Going to my mother's for supper. My DH is going to try to fix her computer. She may have too many programs not closed out. Cheri

Julie, welcome back. Did you ask your Dr. about the myofascial pain syndrome? Sorry you've been in so much pain. Some of the remedies recommended were NSAIDS, muscle relaxers, moist heat (not cold) therapy, light massage, very gentle stretching and excercise, and accupressure applied directly to the muscle knots. Do you still go to the pain clinic? They may know more about it than your Dr. Have him refer you to Mayo Clinic anyway, even if it takes you 9 mo. That's better than living with this for the rest of your life. Eva, I, too, like outdoor work. Love to garden. Prefer to walk outdoors whenever possible. I think I would have liked training in certain construction style jobs. I do not worship at the feet of the domestic goddess. My mother gave up on me with that. I stay out of salons and spas and avoid most shopping till I really need something. I do like to look at jewelry and to browse artsy antiquey boutiquey places in historic downtown areas. But everythings so overpriced or beyond my reach I treat it more as a museum experience. I think I got a silver cross pen once and lost it within weeks of putting it in my purse. This one is blue. I avoid writing as much as possible. Nowadays you don't even have to sign checks or credit cards, so it'll probably last until the next time I'm in a meeting and decide to use it-or loan it to someone without a pen. Cheri

Hi guys, Didn't mean to complain about the pen. It was a nice gesture, but the principal is an older man in his upper 60's. All four of us who received one were women. It was just funny to me, as I have no idea what to do with it. If I use it I'll lose it. Otherwise I'll just let it sit in a drawer somewhere and run across it every once in a while. It is the sort of momento businessmen used to give for recognition. Very old-fashioned. I could just picture them with their business suits and starched white shirts, the nerdier ones with pocket protectors to protect the pens in their pockets. Need to sign something? Just pull out your Cross pen with a flourish as a way to quietly brag. Well, last day of school today for regular classes. Of course I start summer school Monday. But I intend to enjoy this weekend. Cheri

Hi all. My daughter is going on this diet her husband is on where you eat very low carbs for a certain number of days and then you have a high carb day. Apparantly, the idea is that this shakes up your metabolism and gets you losing again. Don't know if there's any science behind that but I know I did a lot of that while losing weight. I didn't go nuts with carbs but I would have a day with some treats in it and more carbs at meals. I did often show weight loss the next day. However, I don't feel as good if I eat a lot of white carbs (usually sugary stuff). Makes my heart feel like its racing and my stomach queasy. I'm also much more ready to snap people's heads off. I also read in my glycemic index book that high glycemic carbs make you store more belly fat. So if you keep the carbs low most of the time, you'll make it much easier to lose the belly fat. Hey, when is Julie getting back? Went to graduation for the eighth graders this year. Got presented for 10 years of service with a Cross pen. Now, what am I supposed to do with that? Its got an inscription. Am I supposed to put it in a curio cabinet? That's the only way I won't lose it within a few weeks. Pens disappear regularly from my classroom and from my purse. Plus I love erasable pens because I make so many mistakes. If I stick it in a drawer somewhere it won't be used nor will it be seen. It was a nice gesture but a gift certificate would have been more usable. Oh well! That's the kind of present men give to each other--the kind of men who wear pocket protectors or at least shirts with pockets. Cheri

My sister, the Dr., referred to it as fertile, fat, and forty. Apparantly having had kids ups the odds. Thanks Great, for the compliments. Man, it cooled down outside. Tons of rain last night. Now the humidity and heat are both gone. Hope it lasts awhile. Turned off air and opened windows. Gotta go to bed. Cheri

Forgot hollyhocks about to bloom.

Eva, unibrow had me ROFL. I, too, gardened this weekend. Mostly weed pulling as my garden is all perennials and stuff that comes up from seed. I have to recognize the difference between what's supposed to be there and what's a weed as it comes up. Can't put down mulch because the flowers that are supposed to come up, won't. Columbine is done for in this heat. Roses are popping, butterfly delphinium now starting to bloom all over the garden. Lilies getting going. Irises didn't do much. Gotta thin and transplant. Saw a white deer on my way home tonight. Knew there was one out there but hadn't yet seen it. Very cool. Cheri

Phyll, Hope son is OK. Let us know. Apples, Thanks for the Kudos. I keep looking at those pictures because I can't believe they're real. My husband took them in my living room. My hair is up. It's getting quite long and I like it down when its cold. I make it flip up and it looks really cute. I did some testimonials on video for a charity along with many other people and they used some of my footage. I was astonished at how I looked there, too. It was winter and my hair was down. The chair was actually much bigger than my butt. I had on a silvery skirt and long sleeved, long torsoed very feminine top and black and silver jewelry. My husband told me I looked incredibly young in the video. They're going to send me a DVD. I'll have to try and post the part I'm in if I can figure it out. Its so hot now that I have to put my hair up. School is not air-conditioned and we've been hitting 90 and humid. For me, long hair is much easier to manage, but I had to get it long enough to really do some fun stuff with it. Its getting much harder to manage as I age. Parts of it have gone super curly, other parts are wavy, and parts are poker straight. Humidity does wierd stuff to it. Short hair will not hold any real style. It want's to go every which way. The really light grey hair is starting to get that cotton candy look and feel to it, especially with hair spray. I do put a little tint in it to make it blonde-grey. But in certain light it really looks grey--but I've found I look terrific in greys, silvers, white, and black. So I don't think I'm going to damage my hair and make it even more unmanageable by trying to cover the grey. I published the pics partly because I wanted everyone to be encouraged in their journeys, and also because I want people to see that 5'9", 165#, is a very healthy, attractive weight for a 58 yr. old woman. I don't think I'd look good much skinnier. People are surprised when I tell them I weigh that much. They're afraid I'm getting too thin and their jaw drops when I tell them how much I weigh. LOL. I suspect I look thinner because my weight is hidden in sagging skin that the clothes disguise. LOL. LIttle do they know. Anyway, gotta teach tomorrow. Gotta go to bed. Supposed to have major storms tonight and tomorrow. Humidity is unbelievable. Cheri

Thanks, Peaches. I feel like my face is no longer held hostage by the fat. And I can see my feet when I look down; my stomach isn't in the way. I can cross my legs comfortably. I can walk 6 miles. I'm off all but my pain meds. Man it is hot here. Too hot to walk outside. Doesn't cool down overnight either. Not looking forward to teaching without air on Tuesday. Better get used to it. I'll be teaching all of June. Last day of school the 4th, summer school starts the 7th. M-THurs., 8-noon, for 4 weeks. Yeah, Janet, I'm the oldest of 5 siblings, and we each have two or three kids. I'm the mother of 3 and they each have kids, so the chances of things going wrong are very high. Every family has something. At least we are all alive and so are our spouses and children. We have wonderful family get-togethers, we all get along, not always without tension, but we tend to have fun. We're very child-oriented, love babies, and love to play "Mafia" when we get together. My nieces and nephews will stay up all hours playing it. They're amazingly close for having been raised in so many areas of the country. I currently have a brother living in Redlands, CA. ONe of these days I hoe to get to CA to visit him. Cheri

Just be careful Meredith. The weight loss should loosen the band again. I, too, have gone back to liquids at times to jump start weight loss again. Plus its a lot less irritating after a tight fill. My last fill was so tight I actually have to wait a while and get my shower and some of my beautification underway before I can really start sipping my coffee. I can't drink a cold Protein Shake even. Warm coffee with lots of milk in tiny sips until I leave for work an hour and 15 min after I get up. Then in the car I can finally drink my Protein shake. Had a great time with my sister, her 2 daughters, and my daughter and her step-daughter yesterday. Trip to Grand Rapids went well. We stopped in Saugatuck, which is a little tourist trap, very cute historic district, and shopped. Found a beautiful outfit, but I thought the price I saw was for both pieces, but they were priced separately, and with the gorgeous under-shirt I put together with it, ended up costing $200. I had to walk away. I need to repair or replace my roof and to refinish my gutted basement (water and mold issues). I have no money for expensive clothes. And even if I did, my Dutch heritage (read cheap) would have chastised me for weeks. My nephew's graduation party was combined with 3 of his friends, and their mother's made tons of pulled pork, and with watermelon, popcorn, chips and salsa, Texas sheet cake, and chocolate chip Cookies, they fed several hundred people. Then my nephew's band played for us. They were pretty good. I ate too much (choc. chip cookies can be my downfall) and so I'm pbing this morning. My neice had one of her seizures on the way home. This is the one I want to help with her learning problems this summer. My other neice, who is 15, noticed and calmly but with some urgency informed her mother who was driving. My sister very calmly got to the side of the road. My daughter kept a hand on Livvy until Kris got out and just held her and wiped up the spit. The seizure only lasted maybe a minute but it was long enough. Then Kris switched to the back seat because once Livvy comes out of it, she really isn't out of it, she goes to sleep. So Kris held her the rest of the way and Rachel drove. They go through this almost once a week. Livvy is on 3 medications and her seizures are still not under control. She had been playing and talking so nicely with my daughter's step-daughter and just went into the seizure. I feel so bad for my sister. She's my baby sister (I turned 15 10 days after she was born.) She's been so good to my kids as their Auntie Kris. More like a big sister to my daughter than an aunt (they're 8 yrs apart.) This has become a fact of their lives. One of the boys graduating with my nephew was paralyzed at the age of 14 when his dune buggy rolled. He played guitar from his wheelchair in the band with my nephew. All the grads had picture boards up and albums of their lives. All the pictures of this boy before the age of 14 show him walking and playing and having a ball. Now his wheelchair and paralization are a fact of his family's life. Two good, strong, loving, intact, believing families, with a deep shadow that they live with and deal with everyday. Without faith in God, I don't know how they'd manage. But they do believe, and that faith is stronger because of what they've gone and continue to go through. Well, I hardly know what to do with myself with a 3-day weekend. Gotta get ready for church now and then we'll see. Cheri

Jessica, SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS! Thanks, everyone, for the compliments. Cheri