So much going on and never even nearly enough time (or energy) to deal with it.
August 16..... I've got the date for my surgery at long last. Almost 4 years of research, 18 months on the waiting list and now everything seems to be going at warp speed. I have my moments of "Oh my Heck" but I think it comes from a healthy respect for the enormous nature of the surgery and the lifestyle change to follow. I'm all about the label reading now. Did you know how much sugar there is in a cup of milk??? Even skim milk!! It's redonculous! Same with organic, non sweetened apple sauce. I can have the lite baby bell cheese, sugar free Kozy Shak rice pudding, but not the sugar free Carnation Instant Breakfast...(how can it be called sugar free with all that sugar in it????? ) Every time I'm at the grocery store or pharmacy I "window shop" to see what foods I can have just to make sure I don't feel cheated.
I've started a binder.... kind of my surgery bible. I have all the handouts from the classes, nutritional info, lists of protein powder and supplement options, sample menus for all the various phases and a power of attorney packet. I guess I feel that the more info I have, the better prepared I shall be.
Of course I'm not the only one going through stuff. 16 is smack in the middle of her finals... and obsessing totally. She's busy calculating a guesstimate of what her average will be, will it be high enough for her first or second choice university Meanwhile, she is also convincing herself that she can do her fall back, be a paramedic, because of all her swim and first aid training. And the most fun lately has been hearing how even with all her training she doesn't like to swim, not at all. Did I mention she teaches swimming to children? That she has all the certifications needed to be a lifeguard ? Yes, 16 will always be my contrary child.
And then there is 9...my baby and likely my largest source of worry. We've recently had one of her meds changed for her ADHD and so far so good. Poor baby has had a blow to her self esteem due to the weight gain factor of one of her previous pills. She tries on clothes and they don't fit and we've had to invest in crop tops for her to wear under all her shirts. Boobies at 9 yrs of age...I was so NOT prepared for that. I don't think she was either.
She had her year end piano recital, which went off without a hitch, is all signed up for her summer camps and is now the proud owner of a shiny new pair of CRUTCHES! A slight mishap on the trampoline has resulted to a fracture in her baby toe and lots of bruising, swelling and inability to bear weight on that foot. So, needless to say, no soccer today and a rock solid excuse to get her out of most of her chores. The whole time we were at the peds out patient clinic her biggest fear was would she have to get a needle?? It didn't seem to stop her much, she was anxiously counting down until her friend came home across the street. Had to laugh my ass off though when she stood up at one point in the evening and "forgot" about her crutches...at least until I looked at her as if she was nuts and the pain hit. Hopefully once is all it will take, but how exactly do you explain it to a sleep walker?? She is known for sitting up in bed at any given time, having conversations and wandering. I think that's part of why I sleep so badly; someone has to be conscious to ensure everyone is safe.
Ah well, I'm tired, and tomorrow looks like it's going to be a super busy housework kind of day.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Ramblings and thoughts and things to come, with a side of funny things my kids have done !
So, I've been thinking about my breasts quite a bit as of late. It's not what you think...last Friday I was at a class for my Gastric Bypass surgery and they were going much farther into depth about specifics than at the previous class. Then I was watching Oprah and she had Star Jones on talking about her surgery and the subsequent weight loss and she happened to mention her breasts drooping...well she said they were like pancakes actually, so she treated herself to a boob lift. Well, Big Daddy was in the room and he actually mentioned it the other day; said it might be something worth considering after the fact. I may have failed to mention Big Daddy is a breast man.... haha
The class covered the pre op liquid diet and colour me surprised to find that there are 5 vegetables that you can have while on this liquid diet ( I mean, they call it a liquid diet right?? To allow vegetables should then change the name to liquid and these 5 vegetables diet don't ya think??) Any way you get 2 cups a day of these mostly water vegetables which I think sounds way better than just drinking this mixed review tasting Opti Fast stuff. The class also covered the diet stages post op, and honestly, I feel I can do it. I drink lots of water anyway and I have recently discovered that naked tea (tea without milk and stuff in it) isn't too bad afterall. And decaf to boot! I add a slice of lemon and maybe some lime and it's quite nice. I've also been practicing the slow sip method when I drink water as opposed to chugging the entire bottle without taking a breath. That is one of the lifestyle changes that I will need to make post surgery. Right along with chewing the begeezus out of every tiny bite I put into my mouth and watching out that nothing I consume has too much fat or sugar in it (Google dumping syndrome, it's not a pretty thought). I'm not saying it won't be tough...it will be, and I won't say I'm not scared, because I am, but the thought of being healthy again and getting off some of the meds and being able to say yes when 9 wants me to play on the trampoline is what gives me the strength to say "I think I can".
So 9 has found a new friend which is absolutely great as far as I'm concerned. Some of the kids in the neighbourhood, well let's just say they don't play nicely and find all sorts of reasons to pick on 9. 16 gets really upset and told me today she could punch this one kid for the way he treats 9. I have to laugh because the relationship my girls have is that they can pick on each other and drive each other crazy, but no one else can. It makes me feel so good that they are this close even with the difference in age. 9 will benefit from having an older sister. And having someone who has her back with all this ADHD stuff is a good thing. The new friend is sleeping over on Friday night...I swear I didnt' think 9 would fall asleep tonight, she's so happy about the sleepover. She was telling me a bunch of jokes, she always loved knock knock jokes. Where do cows go on their nights out? The moovies!
16 16 16....where to begin on16. I took her to the family doctor a couple of weeks ago because she's been experiencing dizziness upon standing and of course there is the business of her "fakeatarianism" too. They discovered her iron is low, so they advised a supplement and a visit to a dietitian. I was hoping the dietitian would help for food choices, but it didn't seem to. She gave 16 sheets on how to get enough iron. She spoiled me rotten for my birthday/mother's day by buying me a Pandora bracelet and a charm for it. I still can't believe it. And of course right now she's busy with exam prep and has her summer job all lined up. This kid is going to work a full 40 hour work week as a head councillor for daycamp, work on the weekends teaching swimming (she's hoping) and doing her grade 12 English on line so that she can take an extra science credit next year. If she didn't look so much like me I might almost think a DNA test would be in order to see who created this energizer bunny teenager. She has completed her NLS course, both her bronzes, her water safety courses, first aid and all that stuff and what does she say to her father and I??? "I don't really like swimming...at all". We laughed our asses off!! I can't wait for Pie Man's wife to find out!
On a note of relief, those horrible neighbours from downstairs next door are gone!! I actually just sighed in relief. No more loud backyard gatherings, pot smoking or worse yet, constant stream of traffic of people who barely stay 10 minutes (not that I am saying for certain they were distributing, but if it sounds, looks and smells like a duck....) and park there cars on my grass. Here's hoping for quieter neighbours who don't collect beer cans by the dozens in a wheelbarrow and smoke (various things) under my bedroom window.
I will be so glad when the city reopens the sports fields; 9 is signed up for soccer and is anxious to get the games going. Personally I think she will have a future in rugby.
Ran into someone from work today while we were out picking up a few grocery items. It reminded me how much I miss doing my job and the people I worked with. Even Mr.VP....on his good days anyway. But I don't think I'm at that point yet....not quite.
So, big garage sale this weekend....9 decided that all monies raised will go to charity. Big Daddy thinks I am making this more than it is and doubts I have much to sell. Little does he know what I have to sell, and I can't let 9 down. We may not make much, but I'm sure every contribution is good. And it helps with my "decluttering" therapy. Did you know that as well as making space, studies have found (so I've read) that decluttering is also meditative and calming.... though, that may just be some crap some neat freak has come up with to make those of us who tend to be messy feel guilty...... ;)
The class covered the pre op liquid diet and colour me surprised to find that there are 5 vegetables that you can have while on this liquid diet ( I mean, they call it a liquid diet right?? To allow vegetables should then change the name to liquid and these 5 vegetables diet don't ya think??) Any way you get 2 cups a day of these mostly water vegetables which I think sounds way better than just drinking this mixed review tasting Opti Fast stuff. The class also covered the diet stages post op, and honestly, I feel I can do it. I drink lots of water anyway and I have recently discovered that naked tea (tea without milk and stuff in it) isn't too bad afterall. And decaf to boot! I add a slice of lemon and maybe some lime and it's quite nice. I've also been practicing the slow sip method when I drink water as opposed to chugging the entire bottle without taking a breath. That is one of the lifestyle changes that I will need to make post surgery. Right along with chewing the begeezus out of every tiny bite I put into my mouth and watching out that nothing I consume has too much fat or sugar in it (Google dumping syndrome, it's not a pretty thought). I'm not saying it won't be tough...it will be, and I won't say I'm not scared, because I am, but the thought of being healthy again and getting off some of the meds and being able to say yes when 9 wants me to play on the trampoline is what gives me the strength to say "I think I can".
So 9 has found a new friend which is absolutely great as far as I'm concerned. Some of the kids in the neighbourhood, well let's just say they don't play nicely and find all sorts of reasons to pick on 9. 16 gets really upset and told me today she could punch this one kid for the way he treats 9. I have to laugh because the relationship my girls have is that they can pick on each other and drive each other crazy, but no one else can. It makes me feel so good that they are this close even with the difference in age. 9 will benefit from having an older sister. And having someone who has her back with all this ADHD stuff is a good thing. The new friend is sleeping over on Friday night...I swear I didnt' think 9 would fall asleep tonight, she's so happy about the sleepover. She was telling me a bunch of jokes, she always loved knock knock jokes. Where do cows go on their nights out? The moovies!
16 16 16....where to begin on16. I took her to the family doctor a couple of weeks ago because she's been experiencing dizziness upon standing and of course there is the business of her "fakeatarianism" too. They discovered her iron is low, so they advised a supplement and a visit to a dietitian. I was hoping the dietitian would help for food choices, but it didn't seem to. She gave 16 sheets on how to get enough iron. She spoiled me rotten for my birthday/mother's day by buying me a Pandora bracelet and a charm for it. I still can't believe it. And of course right now she's busy with exam prep and has her summer job all lined up. This kid is going to work a full 40 hour work week as a head councillor for daycamp, work on the weekends teaching swimming (she's hoping) and doing her grade 12 English on line so that she can take an extra science credit next year. If she didn't look so much like me I might almost think a DNA test would be in order to see who created this energizer bunny teenager. She has completed her NLS course, both her bronzes, her water safety courses, first aid and all that stuff and what does she say to her father and I??? "I don't really like swimming...at all". We laughed our asses off!! I can't wait for Pie Man's wife to find out!
On a note of relief, those horrible neighbours from downstairs next door are gone!! I actually just sighed in relief. No more loud backyard gatherings, pot smoking or worse yet, constant stream of traffic of people who barely stay 10 minutes (not that I am saying for certain they were distributing, but if it sounds, looks and smells like a duck....) and park there cars on my grass. Here's hoping for quieter neighbours who don't collect beer cans by the dozens in a wheelbarrow and smoke (various things) under my bedroom window.
I will be so glad when the city reopens the sports fields; 9 is signed up for soccer and is anxious to get the games going. Personally I think she will have a future in rugby.
Ran into someone from work today while we were out picking up a few grocery items. It reminded me how much I miss doing my job and the people I worked with. Even Mr.VP....on his good days anyway. But I don't think I'm at that point yet....not quite.
So, big garage sale this weekend....9 decided that all monies raised will go to charity. Big Daddy thinks I am making this more than it is and doubts I have much to sell. Little does he know what I have to sell, and I can't let 9 down. We may not make much, but I'm sure every contribution is good. And it helps with my "decluttering" therapy. Did you know that as well as making space, studies have found (so I've read) that decluttering is also meditative and calming.... though, that may just be some crap some neat freak has come up with to make those of us who tend to be messy feel guilty...... ;)
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