THE Check up

So I had my health insurance check up this past week...oh joy! The typical things like weight, cholesterol, glucose levels, tobacco use (or non-use in my case) and what I need to do to improve my health.

Hopefully this year I didn't scare them enough that they will assign me a "Health Coach" again this year.

The thing that cracks me up is that even after losing 100 pounds they still consider me to be "morbidly obese" by their little charts. Because I only have lost 12 pounds in the last year they are a little concerned. Here is the catch though...in that same time frame I have lost 8 inches off my waist and brought down my BMI by 7 points. I point this out and they seem to be happier. I explain that I have been exercising more and that I am becoming more defined with muscles...

Oh! Yes they agree!

My thinking on this is:

1. He is supposed to be the "Health Professional".
2. He had the same numbers in front of him that I was looking at.
3. He is a RN and I am a regular gal just trying to get healthier.

Why was I the one who pointed out these differences? He was the individual that is in charge of advising me about my health for the 20 minutes we are together and I was the one interpreting the numbers to him?!?

This may be part of the issue with the current health care crisis. Which is why I have always taken it upon myself to learn as much about my own health as possible.

Learn about any conditions you may have and take responsibility for your own health because you may be the only one paying attention.

I will get off my soapbox now...

My newest goal

So I am onto a new journey! I am on a journey to lose a little weight and get healthier.

When I was going through the divorce with Big Red I lost just over 80 pounds. Not through any big effort or change in my diet but purely out of stress.

Now I am NOT recommending a divorce or
affair as a means to lose weight but I should have continued on the path while I had a good head start on things.

But alas here I sit.

I am reacquainting myself with the food pyramid. I honestly had not given it much thought after the test I had in Health class many many years ago.

Being 5' 7 I graduated High School right around 100 pounds...no it was not an eating disorder. But I didn't really NEED to watch what I ate. Then the miscarriages started and the depression sunk in. I turned to many things for comfort including food. Now here I sit almost 20 years later and easily twice that weight. I don't own a scale, and have no intention of buying one.

Yes I do want to lose some weight but the overall goal is more about starting to live a healthier lifestyle and getting comfortable in my own skin again.

God has started showing me that I hide behind my weight and my humor. I have become the stereotypical funny chubby friend. He is showing me that in order to grow in Him and fulfill His desires and dreams for my life I need to get things straightened out in this area.

I need to stop hiding and step into the freedom He has for me!

So join me on this journey or just cheer me on. But either way please be assured I will still be funny or at least crack myself up on occasion...

A great explanation of the disease I have!

Ouch

I know this may sound really odd but my tongue really hurts! When I look in the mirror it looks like I have several taste buds swollen, irritated and inflamed.

I thought maybe I was doing that crazy sucking thing when I sleep again. I know that sounds odd but apparently I suck on my own tongue when I sleep at times...

Given that I have worked with children and seen almost every ailment known to mankind I have ruled those out. I am not currently working with children so it would make it highly unlikely at best.

Oh Well just another oddity of my life...

Michael Jackson has Lupus?

Oh good grief! Say it isn't so!

According to published reports, some of which actually cite the Lupus foundation, good old Wacko Jacko has Lupus.

What is Lupus? Click here. Or here.

The disease I have is called Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome.
The thing in my blood is called Lupus Anticoagulant.
They are closely related, but not exactly the same. A lot of the research overlaps.



I do NOT want this person to become the spokesman for MY disease!

People already have a hard time believing that Lupus is a real disease and now we have one of the most famous lunatics in modern history representing us.

Great.

I am hard pressed to think of a worse spokesman...

Almost a year ago....

I can't believe it has been almost a year since I got back from Jamaica!
It was one of the most difficult weeks in my life yet at the same time the most rewarding, meaningful, fulfilling and special weeks of my life as well.

I know off and on I have talked about how much I miss being there. I have come to the conclusion that I miss the closeness I felt to God and to my friends more than anything else. Yes I really enjoyed building the entertainment center , the experiences and the views at the waterfalls.


I also miss seeing the smiling little faces of the children at the home. I think because we went as a group of only women the children bonded to us more than other groups. It took a while to warm up to us but once they chose you it was over they had your heart.

One little boy kept coming over and touching my arm, looking at it and saying, "Whoa!" After several days of doing this I asked. Apparently the children had never seen someone as white as me before. Yes Caucasian people had been there MANY times but I am the palest of pale white colors. In the winter you can hold up a piece of paper to my legs and compare the color with a degree of certainty.

I miss being able to make time with God and 9 other women every morning to just set in His presence and pray. That week marked the changing point in my life. God watched out for me (and others in the group) in more ways than you can imagine. The first night there "someone" tried to break into our house in the middle of the night...I slept through it but not everyone did. That in itself is a miracle...I have to feel safe to sleep and the fact that I was not awakened helped me feel safe enough to sleep the rest of the week. I did have a small TIA down there that passed very quickly...of course on the morning I was speaking at the Bible college.

Tomorrow I am meeting one of the ladies from the trip for coffee. There are also several others from the trip that I would not hesitate to call. The friendships formed on this trip will last a lifetime.

Kind of ironic considering how I argued with God all the way through the process, right up to the point on the airport runway when I looked at the friend next to me and said, "Oh crap. I'm going to Jamaica!"

If it could go wrong....

What a week and it is only Weds. morning! I stayed at work until almost 9:00pm last night trying to get some uninterrupted work done. I did get a lot accomplished but man I'm tired today!

We have had several children pushing the limits at work this week and just lots of little stuff that has snowballed to make an UGH kind of week already.

I sent a child home yesterday after he bit 2 teachers and myself...scratched 3 different teachers, threw toys at other children and slapped a child so hard it left a red hand print on their cheek. He's 4. Old enough to not get away with this stuff.

Of course we have had the general fevers, runny noses creeping crud kind of stuff...oh and Hand, Foot and Mouth.

Lots of paperwork to be completed. Annual inspections to be completed and returned to the correct agencies, cleaning carpets in the "new" room and getting it set up and organized for use.

I have a cover to build for an A/C unit, testing to be done on several levels for staff because it was deemed "unreadable" as the bottom 3 millimeters (LOL) were cut off the bottom of some of the pages....I tell you they have to find something to issue a citation for don't they?

I will be running one of the corrections pages downtown to save time today and then back to work I go...I am VERY ready for this 3 day weekend.

One long day down...two more to go!

So because the infant teacher is out and I am so dang picky about who I will let in the infant room I had to be at work at 7:00am. I was burned before at another center by a very mellow lady who handled the stress well and one day "snapped" and shook a baby. So after all the police reports and phone calls etc. I have been very leary this time around.

So in I trotted this morning and will for the next 2 days as well. I only cover the first couple of hours and another teacher covers the rest of the day.

I am tired but not as tired as my sister who is really dragging after the Iron infusion today. Say a prayer for her if you are so inclined. The place she went is a place we are all too familar with as my Dad did most of his Chemo there as well.

Well I didn't want to wake her up so I am sitting at the library typing this entry and I see by my "Session information clock" that my time will be over soon...

Be Back Soon

Post # 600

It has been just over 5 years since I have had a drink.

I found out I was 5 weeks pregnant about 2 weeks after a Bachelorette party for a friend..where I had been drinking. That was the twins. I lost them a month later and 7 weeks later. Of course I blamed the drinks I had for the reason I miscarried them. Now I know better but then it was different.

I also have always had a problem with stopping at 1 or 2 drinks...therefore I just don't drink. I used to drink 2 entire bottles of cheap wine without really phasing me much. It usually took the better part of a fifth of anything to have any effect. But I never really stopped until a friend took me home or I passed out.

Therefore I just don't drink.

Well until today.

On my way home I stopped to get a gallon of milk and saw those cute little bottles of White Russians.

I bought a 4 pack.

I will not be purchasing anymore. Nothing has changed. I was well through the third bottle before I stopped to think about it.

But hey it is my 600th post today so why not celebrate and thin the blood a little while I am at it!

APS- the best explanation I've heard yet

This is by far the best explanation I've heard yet. It is easier to understand than all the doctor lingo I usually hear.

It is just over 6 minutes but well worth the time to understand this disease.

How much does the human head weigh?

How much does the human head weigh?

Most answers vary between 8 and 11 lbs.

I am sure that my head weighs over 20 lbs as we speak! At least it feels like it does.

This throbbing headache and sinus crap that has invaded are welcome to leave at any point in time now. At least the sore throat is gone at the moment.

I did feel the need to check in so everyone knows I am alive just not very functional right now. Go figure the first day I have off in months and I will most likely spend my 3 day weekend napping hiding from the world.

Almost all the adults at work are sick but not the kids...we couldn't get that lucky.

I am off to retrieve the dogs from my sister's house as she has made a run for it this weekend.

The perils of working in a daycare

So the dreaded sore throat is making it's rounds at the daycare... Guess who has been stricken with it...yes I said stricken. I have been sneezed on enough to catch it.

Several of the staff have also been nailed with it but only one ignored it long enough to let it go to bronchitis.

That is not me.

The Preschool program officially ends tomorrow and our "Summer of Fun" starts next week.

I know I don't feel good but I seriously need to have a "sit down" with one of the staff who is intentionally pushing every one of my buttons. She doesn't feel good either but that only makes her more mean than usual.

A friend of mine lost a close relative this week...well the whole extended family seems really close... this is really hard for her... so if you could say an extra prayer for her that would be great. And I know she would appreciate it.

My throat hurts so much that I don't even want to ride the scooter. I think I have a fever but given the whole APS thing a fever is not that unusual.

Well I need to go to bed as my cell phone just rang with a teacher calling in sick...ugh... so a long day is ahead.

Sneezes

So in honor of all the friends, children, coworkers and others in Indiana who have all contracted colds because of the changing weather I will post the funniest things I can find on sneezes.

I will warn you that if you choose to visit the overheard in the office link you may find several offensive things...ok so more might be offensive than funny.




11AM Only the Office Fix-a-Flat Kit Kept Her from Deflating

Woman #1 sneezes, then looks terrified.
Woman #2: Are you alright?
Woman #1: I think I just blew out my tampon.

Ventura, California

via Overheard in the Office, Feb 14, 2007

10PM What Health Care Crisis?

Employee: How long do I have to work here before I receive health
insurance?
Boss: Oh...Um...We don't do that here. I know some hospitals that
won't report you to the credit bureaus, though.

1101 Robin Hill Lane
Bel Air, Maryland

via Overheard in the Office, Jul 6, 2005

And this one just because I think it is too funny to not post this!

Be warned now...

I received this nice little forward not too long ago and I find that it applies today more than ever. Not only is my entire arm swollen from the earlier no water during a fast my butt...like that will ever happen again if you are sticking me with a needle.... "incident" this week but now I have the dreaded cramps!

So here is my hormonal opinionated email someone sent me....of course it was from another female...

Dear Kotex,

I recently noticed that the peel-off strip of my pantyliner had a bunch of "Kotex Tips for Life" on it. Annoying advice such as:

-Staying active during your period can relieve cramps.

-Avoiding caffeine may help reduce cramps and headaches.

-Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to keep you hydrated and feeling fresh.

-Try Kotex blah blah blah other products

Obviously, the person behind this was someone who has never possessed a functioning set of ovaries. Go ahead and tell a menstruating woman TO HER FACE that drinking 6-8 glasses of water will help keep her feeling fresh. See what happens and report back. I'll wait. While you're at it, dump out the coffee at work and remove the chocolate from the vending machine. I garan-friggin-tee that the first responders will be females who just ovulated. Look, females don't need or want tips for living on feminine hygiene products... Younger girls are already hearing "helpful" crap like that from their elderly relatives. Veteran females have already concocted their own recipes for survival, many containing alcohol. Printing out s**t advice while sneaking in ads for the brand THAT WAS ALREADY PURCHASED is just plain annoying, not to mention rude, and enough to send a girl running to the Always brand.

Mostly we'd like to forget that we even need these products. It's not a fun time, but DO NOT try to cheer us up by adding smiley faces or bunnies or flowery cutesy crap to your products or the packaging. Put the s**t in a plain brown wrapper so we can throw it in our carts discreetly and have it blend in among the wine and beer. There is nothing more annoying than having a blinding pink package announcing your uterine state to everyone In the store. The ultimate goal of your product should be functional invisibility at every stage, including at the point of purchase. So take your tips for living and shove them right up your a**. Try drinking six to eight glasses of water to make you feel fresher while you're doing it!

Ovarily Yours,

Miss PMS

**** OK as one of my kind readers has brought to my attention Always slogan is "Have a Happy Period." Are these people nuts!? so I started checking out some of the other slogans and saying taken off their Web pages for feminine hygiene products:

Tampax Pearl- Once there was plastic but now there's Pearl... I'm not really thinking of jewelry at that moment.

Playtex Tampons- Making your life better everyday. The page speaks of confidence and comfort?

Stayfree- Live life. Stay free.

I did happen to find this on You tube and although a bit tacky I love it nonetheless....

Not for the squeamish...

Not for the squeamish...you were warned.

I detest needles. Have I mentioned that before? Today I found myself in a chair not unlike the one pictured at my doctor's office. Oh the dreaded testing that comes along with APS. Usually they are not as bad as the one today. Somehow a test was thrown in that I needed to fast for 12 hours before. Not have any additional Vitamin K in my system from food or something like that.

I don't do well with fasting blood tests. You see my veins roll causing an uncomfortable situation for myself and the person taking my precious blood. If about an hour before the test I drink a bottle of water my veins don't roll as much therefore they do not have to "dig" for them as they do the blood test.

You were warned.....

For 20 minutes she strapped and unstrapped both of my arms searching for a "usable" vein. This is not a good sign. She gently spoke of the talk radio program she had on as she saw me growing increasingly apprehensive. Next thing I know she has put the "rubber hose" around my forearm. Oh crap! Those hurt I know this from the past...before I was told of the bottle of water thing.

Now take a second to look at your hand...OK now your wrist.....you know that little bone on the outer side of your wrist. Not a lot of cushion there in that spot? Mine either! About a half an inch above that spot I have a bruise that is swollen from the IV tube thing they hooked up to draw the vials of blood. Yes that was plural...I stopped counting.... But my blood must have been extremely thick today as it took 10 minutes to finish. AND I kept hearing her say things like whoa, wow, look at that and oh my.

I did well with the actual draw despite her comments.

Then the after effects hit. I asked for a drink of water. Not yet they said.

When I woke up they had a fan on me. On high less than 2 feet away from me kind of fan. Then I realized I was vomiting into a bio hazard bag...well kind of...since I had been fasting. While recovering from the Big pass out of 2007 I took in all the wonderful stars still floating in the room and all the other wonderful side effects that go along with that.

When I recovered and they FINALLY let me leave I realized the entire process had taken well over an hour. I have no idea how long I was out. I have spent most of the day in a fog.

And man my wrist hurts! I am sure by tomorrow it will be a nicer shade of purple...