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It's Thursday . . . one week later. I'm sorry I just disappeared. The weekend event was wonderful. We had 62 people show up. Some people just worked on projects and visited. Some people taught. Some people took classes. I did all three. We always have a Saturday "pot luck," but it always turns into a three day, all day nosh-fest. I'm always amazed at the variety and deliciousness of the food that people bring. Sunday we made our pilgrimage to Yarn Barn in Laurence, KS (you can find it online.) I warned the owner we were showing up. 20 of us not only showed up but bought, bought, bought. Thanks to my son, I was even able to buy. LOL! 16 of us then proceeded across the street to Aladdin's Cafe and had lunch. I had so much fun and collected lots of hugs. Monday I slept it off. I have to admit, I hadn't gotten much sleep and was pretty exhausted. Tuesday I went to the Cardiologist for my results. The news was unexpected and it has taken a while for me to digest. It seems that one chamber of my heart isn't getting enough oxygen and a part of my heart is, basically, dead. Apparently, there isn't a major blockage and at this point they can't fix the problem. The Dr kept saying, "Well, in a perfect world . . ." What the heck is THAT supposed to mean. He says to keep losing weight, build up my exercise VERY slowly, get a heart rate monitor and blood pressure cuff and if I have any similar symptoms to the ones I had before, to get to an ER immediately. He wants me to come back every 3 months for an EKG to see if things get worse or improve. The good news is, my heart no longer appears to be enlarged and I no longer seem to have mitral valve prolapse, which I have been diagnosed with for the last 30 years, including this Dr.'s group as little as 5 years ago. He did say to go ahead with the gall bladder surgery before it becomes acute because the surgery will be safer as things are now. He sent approval to the general surgeon. So, that's where I am. Two days ago I started keeping a "grateful for" diary. Supposedly, if you actually write down the things you are grateful for, your outlook begins to improve in about two weeks. I've started each day with, "I'm grateful I woke up this morning." LOL! I didn't lose this week, but I didn't gain. You may have noticed I haven't been journaling my food, which is very unusual for me. I got back on track yesterday. It's more important than ever that I get the rest of this weight off. I really love living and don't want to do anything on purpose to make it shorter than it has to be.
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218.0 lb
Lost so far: 61.0 lb.
Still to go: 18.0 lb.
Diet followed reasonably well.
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Diet Calendar Entries for 16 February 2012:
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1364 kcal
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Fat: 36.27g | Prot: 67.61g | Carb: 196.13g.
Breakfast: Diet Cranberry Juice, Truvia, Gluten Free Rolled Oats, Almond Milk, Scrambled Egg, Coffee. Lunch: Dole Blueberries, Uncle Ben's Brown Rice, Boneless, Skinless chicken thigh. Dinner: Parmesan Cheese, Uncle Ben's Natural Brown Rice, Bertolli Organic Olive Oil Basil & Garlic Spagetti Sauce, Pictsweet Deluxe Baby Broccoli Florets. Snacks/Other: Bush's Best Cut Green and Shelly Beans, Dole Sliced Strawberries, Baker's Semi-Sweet chocolate. more...
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2461 kcal
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Activities & Exercise:
Sleeping - 8 hours, Resting - 15 hours and 30 minutes, Walking (slow) - 2/mph - 30 minutes. more...
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steady weight
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 Comments
Dear Johanne, I'm so glad you're back and that you had a lovely SCA event. Sorry about the doctor results and demeanor. I come from a family of doctors, so I feel that I can say that they sure do teach you how to be indecent sometimes don't they? First I would get a second opinion. And then I would continue as you're doing -- putting everything into your nutrition -- focusing on heart-healthy foods, watching cholesterol and accomplishing weight loss. YOU CAN DO IT and YOU will make the biggest difference in your life. HUGS and HUGS.
16 Feb 12 by member: Helewis
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Thank you Heather. I don't only want to live. I want to live a useful enriched life for what is left of it. None of us knows how long we have. All we can do is the best we can. Love you lots!!!
16 Feb 12 by member: Johanne
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Hey sweetie..I agree with Heather..get a second opinion...also your doing the right thing in taking care of you...your attitude towards
this will make a big difference as well..So glad you had a wonderful
time at the SCA..Love and Hugs honey..Love and Hugs...:O)
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Hope, thank you. I plan to do everything I can to make things work. Knowing I have so many good friends is such a gift! Hugs!!!
17 Feb 12 by member: Johanne
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Bren, I will probably get a second opinion. I have to find out if Medicare and Medicaid pay for one. These guys are supposed to be really good. The reason I started this journey in the first place was because my GP told me, two years ago, I was on borrowed time. I'm just hoping I can continue to borrow LOTS of it. LOL! Love you too Bren. I appreciate all of your positive thoughts and many hugs.
17 Feb 12 by member: Johanne
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Just wanted to say Hi - sounds like you are feeling much better - out doing the things that you love. Hope you've got those doctors whipped into shape.
17 Feb 12 by member: BuffyBear
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Bonnie, what to say...sorry that the news from the doctor wasn't what you wanted to hear. I am hoping that you can get a second opinion and that the first doc was mistaken about the severity of the problem. On a good note though, I would think if he truly thought it was your heart and not the gall bladder then he wouldn't have said to go ahead and have the GB surgery. So he must think the spell you had that started all this was the gall bladder. And the enlargement is gone as is the MVP! That is good news! Follow doctor's orders and go slowly...I would think the only exercise you should really do is walk. That is the best exercise for people with some heart problems, at least that is what my dad's heart doc told him. Dad also rode a bike, another good exercise. Glad you had a great time at your SCA event. Love you my friend! Hugs!!!!
17 Feb 12 by member: ctlss
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Thanks Buffy. I really need to start whipping. LOL!
17 Feb 12 by member: Johanne
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Hi Stef, dear. No, it was definitely my heart. The gall stones are very small. The cardiologist just thinks it would be safer to do the gall bladder surgery while it's not acute, therefore less likely to have to open me up. There's little to no chance, at this point, that I have adhesions or problems like that since I've never had any torso surgeries other than a tubal ligation and the gall bladder is in the early stages and not calcified, so should be easy to remove using laparascopic surgery. If I wait to see if it's going to get better, the surgery might be much worse. In the meantime, apparently the attack left one chamber of my heart damaged and it's not getting a proper oxygen supply. There are minimal arterial blockages, but with my diet, weight loss and the new med he put me on, those could improve in time without anything invasive. That's why he wants me to keep coming back often for check-ups. It's funny, this morning I dreamt someone gave me a free, full sized tricycle. I don't know if my balance is good enough for a bike. The Dr said to start with one walking circle around the house every hour and build on that, but he wants me to order a heart rate monitor and a blood pressure cuff first. I have them in my Amazon basket as soon as I get next month's check. Love you Stef. I wish you happy and am sending big hugs!!!
18 Feb 12 by member: Johanne
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Oh, Bonnie, I was so hoping that perhaps it wasn't. The one thing I can tell you is that sometimes our hearts get damaged from a small attack and we don't even know it. My MIL had that problem. She went in for a heart check up, and they decided to do a cardiac cath, just to make sure that she didn't have any blockages, as she had been dealing with CHF for years. They discovered she had very little blockage, but part of her heart was dead, due to a heart attack. She didn't even realize she had suffered one. The specialist told her that she could have had it years before, it may have been very mild, and she just didn't realize she had suffered on. I am praying for you my sweet friend! Hoping that this is something that will get better as you continue with your new healthier lifestyle. And the walking is definitely the best form of exercise...just be sure to follow the dr's orders and go s-l-o-w-l-y...I, selfishly, want to keep you around for a long time! Hugs and lots and lots of love to you, my sweet, bonny friend!
18 Feb 12 by member: ctlss
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I feel exactly the same way. I want to know you for many years. Is the trip still on to your son's for Star Wars? I'd still like to meet for coffee and hugs. Love you!!!
18 Feb 12 by member: Johanne
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I'm very selfish too...I just got to know you and what I have learned
I have felt a closeness with you like I do Stef...I love my sisters..very very much...So do what ever it takes to hang around my dear fun loving person...Love and Hugs...:O)
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LOL! I'm going to try. Like Anne of Green Gables says, "You just know when someone is a bosom buddy." Love you too!!!
18 Feb 12 by member: Johanne
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How are you feeling, Johanne. What's going on with you?
18 Feb 12 by member: Helewis
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Hi Heather. I'm tired, but I don't feel bad. I'm kind of taking it easy until I can get the heart rate monitor and blood pressure cuff. I'll be able to do that after Mar 3rd. In the meantime, I'm knitting the prettiest pair of socks in rainbow colors. I figured out how to do two socks at a time on circular needles from the toe up (last weekend), which means, if I run out of yarn, I just finish the cuff wherever I run out. LOL! Are you recuperated from your 30 hour job stint?
18 Feb 12 by member: Johanne
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Hey, Bonnie, just stopping by to check on you. Hope you are doing well. Love you my friend! Hugs!
21 Feb 12 by member: ctlss
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Well its been almost a week sweetie...hope you have those socks done by now..I am sending you and Sazy bunches of HUGS..to last the rest of the week...love you girl...Come back soon...:O)
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Hi Steph, Sazy and Brenda. Sorry. I slipped again. Somehow, I'm losing track of days. I'm coming down with another cold. I thought that last one was really the last. Not only have I not been on here. I've not written in any of my calendars or journals since last Thurs either. It's like I'm asleep or just absent from my own life at the moment. I'm getting back on track today. I met with my case worker, made rice, ate a good dinner, which I haven't been doing lately and cleaned out my knitting bag and washed it to get ready for this coming weekend. If this new cold doesn't head too far south, I'm supposed to go to an event in St. Louis with friends. I got the lowbeams on my car fixed so I can drive at night again and an oil change. I will try really hard not to lose track of time again. Like I said, it's like I'm sleeping through my life right now . . . I'm awake, but not, if that makes any sense. Tomorrow is a weigh-in. I'm sure I've gained weight, but I'm not going to let it bother me too much. I have my portable food planned for the weekend, so I won't overdo and don't have to worry about gluten, eating out. Love you all. I'm going to go log my food now and try to make my way through your journals to catch up.
22 Feb 12 by member: Johanne
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We may be soppy, but what a wonderful thing, don't you think? Hugs! Hugs!! Hugs!!!
22 Feb 12 by member: Johanne
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Sazy, I'm thinking about the Mio Vital Heart Rate Watch or Mio Drive Special Edition Petite Women's Heart Rate Monitor Watch. The second one counts calories but doesn't have the touch-face feature to get the heart rate on the move as the first one does. neither one requires a chest strap and they both let you change the batteries easily. I had one with a chest strap, but when it came time to change the batteries, I couldn't find anyone who would do it. I have a couple of weeks before my Social Security check comes in to decide. I'm all for sorting. Love you too!
23 Feb 12 by member: Johanne
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