Shrinkin' Violets Part 3 Read HERE!

[mdrai 3]

Terri... I like Pam's idea! But one I had was a gift cert for a nice restaurant or maybe overnight @ a B&B or tickets to a show... something like that... a "memory-making" gift...

[Daisalana 33]

Terry~ A gift I ALWAYS give at special occasions is I take the invitation, and get a really nice frame for it. More people have told me (even years later) that my gift was their fav...they look at it everyday, etc.

Always a hit w/ weddings, birth announcements, etc.

That's a great idea Terry-I 2nd it.. one of Russ' relatives did that for our wedding invitation too. They used a pressed flowers frame and put it in there.. we have it on our entertainment center next to our sand ceremony vase thingy.

Tracy- I had a herniated & bulging disk (both in lower back) and the orthopedic doc was a FORMER orthopedic surgeon--who turned anti-surgery (interesting, eh?) he said he realized surgery did most people more harm than good, fusing disks,etc. together would cause more problems down the road.. so he sent me to PT. It was a long PAINFUL road, but they got them back into place.. Mine was moreso painful because some reason no one would ever give me pain meds.. I look like a junkie or something :thumbup: This is the PT who ended up callin the doc himself and saying I NEED to be on them for treatment. Anywho, they did fix it, though my back pains remained due to weight. I know the neck has nothing to do with weight, so hopefully you'll get relief a lot quicker than I did!! Both my parents have had surgery for slipped disks (dad in lower back, mom in neck).. mom has a rod in her neck now and it's been a couple of years.. and now her pain is back, so she's looking into a disk implant which is a new procedure they are trying out.

Tis the season for Cadbury's mini eggs (SIGH). Went to Rite Aid last night and I was havin issues.

[Teachlady 3]

Good morning, Violets..

Just back from my hospital shift and have the day to myself until rehearsal this evening. It was -14 when I got up this morning. It's +13 now and the sun is shining. No new snow for us, thank goodness.

Haydee.. in Michigan we are required to meet an certain number of teacher/student contact hours. At the school where I taught, we had time built in a couple of minutes a day to "bank" time for snow days. If we don't meet the time requirement, then days are added at the end of the year. The most we have ever added during the time I was teaching was 4 days. Believe me, those are not productive days in June!!! But we used to start late August so the kids actually got out in May so added days didn't extend that far into June.

I'm just glad I don't have to worry about all that stuff now. Retirement is great, for the most part. We got word yesterday that the Bobster's pension payment would decrease by $400 a month starting in April for 6 months. His pension is tied to the stock market and we knew this was a possibility, but sure didn't expect it to be this bad. Luckily my pension is ok for the time being and I'll start getting Social Security in July. Just hope I can round up the money to buy plane tickets to Alabama and pay for the room!!! Terry, please send out a reminder when the time gets close for payment due, k?? My old brain might not remember that part.

Off to fix some lunch for the Bobster and I and then work on my budget.

Everyone have a good day.

[Teachlady 3]

And Laura... Cadbury mini-eggs are my all time favorite candy. Crunchy shell and melt in your mouth chocolate. I can't go near them in the store or I'm going to blow all the good habits I've acquired in the past month. arghhhhhhhh

[janiebug 0]

Believe it or not I have never had one of the cadbury eggs. I always assumed they were like the ones that had stuff that gooed out. Maybe I should stay away!!!

I am trying to low carb for the next week. I have been beyond words bad. I can't believe I have gained as much as I have. It seems impossible. I am with Suzanne I need to remember why I got the band. But really deep inside I thought it was the 'answer'. Now I know it is just a helper. I need to help too!!

Terry, you are such a help with my "shelves"!

The snow really didn't turn out bad. We are supposed to get some more this afternoon, but it really is nothing. I am glad because last week was a horrible work week!!!

Have a good one!!!!!!!!!

Tracyk violet vibes for your move and your neck/shoulder!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Daisalana 33]

Same here Judy! I remember this conversation from last year with you LOL. I am not a huge fan of chocolate (don't get me wrong, I don't DISLIKE it) but if I am craving something, it's like gummi bears, ice cream, donuts.. not chocolate. But the cadbury mini-eggs.. whole nother ballgame. I LOVE those things. I am going to be avoiding the drug stores from now till...sheesh, April!

[kity 2]

For me...it is the Peeps! When I die, put chips and salsa, and a thing of Peeps in my casket, k?

[janiebug 0]

I like stale peeps!!

Off I go to work!!

Have a good day!!

[Teachlady 3]

For me...it is the Peeps! When I die, put chips and salsa, and a thing of Peeps in my casket, k?

Now why does this just not surprise me at all, Dr. Jazzy Bradford???

[Kat817 19]

Well Violets I am home with no fill. The oncology office who was going to attempt it, with consent of my Dr...he supplied the huber needles. But she could not hit it. I have many pokes, and no fill. And looks like I won't til spring melt. By then I will be back to my original weight. I am sooooooo depressed.

TracyK--I did PT for my herniated disc as well. It is still herniated, but has receeded 30%, and the nerve pathways regrow in a 2 year period he said, and I believe it, it has made a difference. I faithfully do my stretches, and weight loss helped....which I am slowly undoing.

Pamela you can have my Peeps. Laura you can have my gummies. But I will keep my chocolate!

Good thing I have none in the house the way I feel right now.

I have never relied on clearing the house of everything, I have always had some willpower to me, now I just feel totally worthless---like I am too weak to be believed!

The issue with my band Dr. is location. He is 3 mountain passes--all snowpacked, but one totally closed due to avalanche away. My only option is to fly in, and with the hour cut and feared lay offs, that is not an option. I pay $150.00 for the fill anyway, and adding another $2-3 hundred for a flight out is just not happening. I am in cost savings mode, not spending.

Not sure what my next step is. One thing for sure, crying has not helped a bit. She was going to talk with him in more depth when they both were not with patients, and see what he suggested. She thinks she feels it, and perhaps the needle is too short. Huber needles come in several lengths, and they have always used a really long one for me. So maybe we can try that I don't know.

Jenn I can't believe you frostbit the tops of your feet and not your toes, I always hear of guys in the field here getting their toes. But never the TOP of the foot! When they are here walking around in icy conditions, and their steel toed boots get cold, it holds the cold in. I have went with Rick to the hospital to see a couple of guys who froze their feet, when they walked through liquid nitrogen without realizing it! There is often a lot of steam involved in the job due to the temp differences, so when it rolls around the ground....it is not normal steamy conditions. Neither one of them lost their feet, but I would bet they have trouble with them forever.

I don't know if I told you about my cousin being pregnant. She has a DD 3 months younger than Kinsey. She lost 6 babies before having her DD. They could never find exactly what the problem was, then she just sailed through with her DD and had no issues at all. The baby was fine, good sized, no problems during delivery. They were ecstatic! She was 36 when she was born.

She lost another baby after her DD.

She went to the chiro after that because she thought she had a pinched nerve, she had tingling in her legs. X rays were fine-they finally discovered it was MS. She has been treating the MS with injections, first daily, now weekly, and is doing well with it. All the meds sent her into what the Dr.'s said was an early pre menopausal type of thing.

At her appointment a few months ago, they found her to be pregnant again!

She is 40, with MS and pregnant....with twins. A boy and a girl. Dr. said all looks fine. She is due late in May. If anyone can handle anything life throws at them it is her....sure do hope all goes well for them all. She is a respiratory therapist. Her DH is a school councelor, and a nice guy....but you would never take him for her husband . He is far more feminine in many, many ways than she is! And she is pretty girlie herself! But i f he makes her happy, all is good.

Well I am going to go fins something to do to occupy my mind. I feel like wailing and throwing things, so gonna try to find something else!

Talk to ya later.

Kat

[kity 2]

Had to cx my fill for Thursday...I keep pb'ing...and it is not my fault. I need to baby the band for a bit. Either that, or exercising has made it REALLY TIGHT...which is a possibility too. Either way, I am happy w/ restriction now.

[Shalee04 7]

For me...it is the Peeps! When I die, put chips and salsa, and a thing of Peeps in my casket, k?

Lurking,,,,,, I agree give me peeps also, Yellow ones!!

[Daisalana 33]

Peeps are disgusting!! Blech. I don't like any marshmellow stuffs.

Went to Tellini's for lunch (another Blech) and got a Pasta sampler, they were all gross.. good thing I guess, but I'm hungry. Russ & I can't ever agree on where to go for lunch, one of us always doesn't like it.

[TerriDoodle 6]

K, back to the drawing board girls... my friends are not sending out invitations... it's a few family members only. That's right, she's not even inviting ME!??!!! I give her crap about it daily, too.

Michelle - I thought about spa treatments. They both need a good massage, that's for sure! Type-A personalities and all that.

My life IS chocolate. My motto is: If it's not chocolate, it's not worth it.

What ARE Peeps anyway??

[HeatherO 7]

Hello Violets,

I haven't checked in for a few days and been having a rough time.

My back has been killing me since Friday. One thing that happens when my back is out of alignment (which happens a lot in pregnancy) is that the back pain which is near my bra strap line also makes me nauseous.

Saturday I ate something for dinner that made me pb - but it was actually more than pb'ing - it started as a pb and then triggered the vomit reflex. Sunday I was in misery due to my back and I noticed that any food I would eat would cause me to pb - but I can get liquids down no problem. Monday I went to the chiropracter and thank goodness for the blessed relief that brought. However, I pb'd both Breakfast and dinner and went to bed uncomfortable. Today I had a slimfast for breakfast, lots of hot tea, Water and everything was fine. I ate Soup for lunch (corn chowder) and pb'd that.

So I am again so tight I can't eat but can drink just fine. What is even worse is that I know the cure is babying my stomach and going on liquids for 2 days and I will be good as new. I have had this happen to me before, my stomach swells easy if I pb and my band is fickle during pregnancy, so I know what I need to do.

So why oh why do I keep assuming I must be fine since liquids slide down, eat something, pb it and cause myself to get tighter??? Will I never learn???

So I am going on liquids, absolutely, until Thursday evening. I also need to boost my liquid intake during this time because I am down 3 pounds over the last week or two putting me at 139. My OB said it is essential that I am gaining at this stage of pregnancy. I would need to gain 5 pounds in the next 2 weeks just to be keeping my weight in check with what she wants to see.

I hope everyone else is having a good week so far.

Laura the lamp shade looks great. I have started decorating with a butterfly theme but have a long ways to go.