Amy's Journal: Comments Welcome!

[MIdanceMom]

CONGRATULATIONS AMY!!!

You made your exercise goal. That is a major achievement, and you should be really proud of yourself. You did well at CiCis. Just think of how much you would have consumed before you started WW. It is all about perspective. I also know that you will sail through this challenging weekend.

Try to get some rest, sweetie,
Beth

 

[traceycooper]

Hi Amy
Hope dd has a great b/day party!
maybe its better to let yourself have a little of something than try to deny it completly??!! emphasis on little! easier said than done i know, as long as your back on track when all the eating out this weekend is done i dont think there will be much if any damage
Well done for meeting the august exercise goal

 

[toystoryduo]

Way to go, Amy! You rocked your August exercise goal! I am so proud of you! Now that August is over, just think of all that you can accomplish in September. You CAN do it, Amy!

Hope you have a great Labor Day!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hey Amy,

How's your week going so far? Hope you're doing well!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Oh my goodness ladies, I am sorry I have been gone so long and thank you for all the support and encouragement!

I had a busy, crazy weekend! Rehearsal dinner: not one lowfat option on the menu! It was a served to you dinner, bbq meats (mostly fatty), bbq beans (skipped), cole slaw (skipped), french fries (had a few), and birthday cake (best man's bday). I had some chicken, a few fries and one half of a piece of cake with the frosting scraped off. Drank diet coke. It was an okay evening, just really weird to be amongst family we dont' know, who don't know us. Awkward is the best I can say. Bride and groom were delightful as always, they had a nice gift for dd's birthday which I thought was awesome given their own busy night. They are a great couple and I know will have lots of happy years together. Dh was a wreck and miserable but he got through it. Glad its over!

Survived the rest of the weekend, took a walk and went swimming twice. Curves was closed Sat-Mon. I did get back there today. I did not weigh, ds left his science project in my car so he couldn't forget it. Problem was that dad took him in his car and nobody realized it until after they got to school. So I had to dash over to give it to him and missed my meeting. Oh well. And ds had to clean the boys restroom as a way to force him to remember. Which I found rather hilarious, love his teacher's way of thinking!

I am hoping to weigh Friday, but I may be meeting with the nurse that's going to start handling my mom's med management. FINALLY got her and stepdad to agree to this. This is a huge step in the right direction. I will continue to go over twice a week to clean, cook, keep them company etc. But at least I know now that somebody will be watching over her meds. What a relief!

My new exercise goal is going to be weekly. The monthly goals were not good for me as I look back to when I did the WISH exercise challenges. Too often I would slack off, then do these insane amounts in the last few days. It's better for me to focus on consistency week by week then an overall monthly goal that might not be that indicative of how I am really working out. So my goal will be 180 minutes per week.

This week so far has been only 80 (Curves/30 walking/30 swimming/20). So I need to bump up the effort!

I need to catch up with all of you tonight or tomorrow. I need to quiz ds on his upcoming test and I may well be too tired afterwards. Thanks for reading as always!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Still waiting for ds to exit the bathroom so I can quiz him. He's either very constipated or stalling on this final bit of homework!

Forgot to add that TOM arrived. My cycle seems to be regulated again, the pms isn't so bad (I haven't almost killed anybody in a few months) but the water gain is awful. I can't get my wedding ring on ! I can only imagine what the scale says. In any case, maybe ds did me a favor by messing up my weigh in, perhaps Friday is a better day! I have not doubt that my so so weekend and this bloating would not be my friend in the weigh booth.

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Amy,

I'm glad to hear that you and Dan made it through the rehearsal dinner. That was nice of the bride and groom to buy a gift for your DD.

I like your idea of a weekly exercise goal. I may have to try that when I get back from WDW.

Other than the roller coaster ride of emotions, TOM has been pretty easy on me this month too.

Hope your Friday weigh in goes well. Have a great day!

 

[traceycooper]

Hi Amy
glad the rehearsal dinner went well, & well done for trying to make healthy choices with the unhealthy menu
Great news ( & a weight off your mind) for moms meds.
Good luck for the WI tomorrow (mine too!)

 

[Amy&Dan]

Well, I didn't have a very good day. When I went through my parents finances to help them figure out how to pay for this nurse I was not surprised but nonetheless saddened to see how little they have left to live on. This nurse is a blessing and a necessity but going to be a real financial hardship. It makes me realize that I shouldn't be taking a trip to WDW, I should be handling some of their expenses. I feel very guilty even though I know this isn't reasonable and that we help them out in many ways. So that hit today and made me just feel so sad that you can work your whole life only to end up having your savings drained by medical bills. What they spend on prescriptions for my mom is more than many people pay for a car payment. So there was that.

Then I opened the mail to find dd's CSAP (stupid statewide standardized testing here in Colorado) scores from last Spring. My first instinct was to throw it out, she's not in public school anymore and I know it will be bad. I was wrong, it was awful. Horribly below proficient in math and writing. Partially proficient in some aspects of reading and above average in poetry and reading comprehension. As usual, she's all over the board. THey have tested her several times and cannot find anything. I think she is just going to struggle. And she works so hard and wants to do well. Breaks my heart. I was already down listening to my friend go on about how they want to put her son in Gifted and Talented and I already know her daughter is a straight A student. I am happy for her but just sad that dd has these struggles. And sad she knows very well how below she is her friends on that end. So there was that.

Then I asked dh to bring home Taco Bell. I have told him if I ask for fast food to refuse to bring it home. Which puts him in an awful position. He apparently decided that I needed to be medicated with food more than I needed a lesson from him. Bless his heart. So he brought it home, I wolfed down three things and just felt more miserable. When will I learn? Its the first fast food we have had since my McD's Happy Meal a couple of weeks ago so I guess it isn't the end of the world. I'll just have to get back on the wagon tomorrow I guess.

I cannot weigh in. I don't have time for WW and Curves, I am choosing Curves. Made that decision even before I ate Taco Hell to the tune of probably 20 points. I just want to keep up with the Curves, it really makes me feel good. So I'll just have to weigh next week and hope I can get back on track.

I have lunch with Mom tomorrow. Not a lot of good choices at this place but I'll try. Then dd's family bday party on Sunday. My house, my menu. Its up to me to make that one successful.

I think I just need a good night's sleep. I was up until past 3:00 a.m. worrying about how my parents will afford this nurse and thinking of ways to help them pay for it. I was just wiped all day and those stupid CSAP test scores just put me right over the line. Straight into Taco Bell no less!

I am sorry to always be such a downer. Man you guys must get sick of my sad sack posts! Tomorrow is another day, and I think it will be a better one! Thanks for reading, tomorrow is Friday!

 

[MIdanceMom]

Amy,

You are under a tremendous amount of stress right now. The fact that you are trying, and succeeding 90% of the time, is amazing. You are making time for exercise. That helps your stress level too.

I love your DS's teacher. That punishment was brillant. My heart goes out to your DD. My DD struggles with Math. She just can't grasp the concepts. The best we can do is be there to support them.

Amy, drug companies have assistance programs. Your parents may qualify. I will talk to the social worker at work next week. I may be able to get you contact information. No promises, but who knows?


Beth

 

[toystoryduo]

Amy,

Sweetie, I am so sorry that yesterday was such a tough day for you. I will be praying for you and hope that today is a much better day for you.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thank you Tracy and Beth. Today was much better! I didn't get to Curves, I got an irritating email regarding my mom from a family member and had to deal with that. And needed a long phone call with brother to update him on the latest and not so greatest. So I walked on the treadmill and will do Curves tomorrow. Which is fine, I just want to go three days a week, doesn't really matter in the end which days I guess!

Had a chicken tamale at lunch and a diet coke and about 10 of my mom's french fries. Also had a few chips and salsa, a roll with no butter. So not the best but again, this place has little in the way of good choices. But it makes mom happy (she's been going there for around 25 years) so that makes it worth it!

DD has volleyball tonight, no idea what dinner will be. Maybe not much, I am really not hungry in the slightest (I must be dying or something).

Hope everyone has a great weekend, thanks for stopping by!

 

[toystoryduo]

Sorry to hear about the irritating e-mail, Amy. I hope you were able to get everything straightened out.

I think you made some great choices at lunch yesterday. I think it's wonderful that you took your mom to a place that she loves and makes her happy.

I hope you have a great weekend!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Tracy, my mom has always been a creature of habit, she finds a place and she sticks with it! And the waitress knows about the Alzheimers and doesn't bat an eye when my mom gets mixed up or confused.

I am not getting to Curves today after all, major bummer. I thought they were open until 12:00 turns out its 11:00. So I missed that. I pretty much waited all morning for the doctor to call me back, dd was up all night wheezing with a cough she just came down with all of the sudden. We didn't even get to volleyball last night. Nurse finally called me a few minutes ago, said she doesn't need to be seen, its probably a massive allergy attack and to get her on some Claritin now. So thats a relief but my idea of going to Curves is moot. Oh well. I only made it there once all week. They were closed Monday and then yesterday got screwed up too. Better luck next week. My one fault with Curves is their very limited hours.

I did have a grilled chicken salad last night for dinner. So yesterday was much better on the food front. I am planning on walking on the treadmill at some point today, I need to shop for dd's bday, make the cake and wrap the presents. So its going to be a busy day. We are supposed to go to friend's for dinner tonight, nurse said dd is fine to go if she has no fever which she doesn't. No idea what friend is serving. The drinks are what kill me. I may just say I am on medicine and can't drink. Don't want to be a party pooper but I also don't want to drink which makes me eat more which will just make the whole evening a diet disaster!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Food thus far:
Protein bar, 8 oz skim milk: 5 points

 

[MIdanceMom]

Hi AMy,

I am sorry that Curves didn't fit in the schedule today. I know that is frustrating, but you are getting on the tm, so all is good. When I am at a party now, I drink diet tonic with lime. No one knows there is no gin in it. Have fun tonight, and I hope DD is feeling better.

Beth

 

[toystoryduo]

Amy,

I hope your DD is feeling better soon.

Don't worry too much about not getting to Curves....Walking on the treadmill is a good alternative.

I hope you have a great time tonight!

 

[traceycooper]

Hi Amy
try not to let those tests of DD's bother you.
As long as she knows trying her best is the most important thing, & that she doesnt have to be top of the class, give her a from me!
So sorry your moms nurse is costing so much, hoefully Beth will be able to get you some info or advice. Dont feel guilty for taking the WDW trip, you need & deserve a break
hope you had a nice dinner at your friends.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thank you Beth, Tracey and Tracy.

So Saturday I did very well until the party. Two light beers and one rum and diet and way too much guacamole and enchiladas. Oh well, its over. Sunday I did much better at dd's family birthday party. I had a veggie tray, humus and crackers for a snack, and light hot dogs and beans (hate beans) and macaroni salad (hate that too) so there wasn't a lot to tempt me. I did have a few too many chips (my mom brought those) but only nibbled at a piece of cake with the icing scraped off. Today I hit Curves and that felt good. I really enjoy that. Today is dd's real birthday, she is 11 years old! Unfortunately, she barfed all OVER herself and the car as we pulled in. She was not feeling well the whole way home, she almost made it but not quite. My new car is well broken in now, thank God for Chlorox wipes! She was feeling fine later, wanted the spaghetti and meatballs I made so I let her have a small portion. I had a piece of cake this afternoon but other than that and the two small pieces of garlic bread I did okay and stayed almost within points (two points over, no flex points for the week left however).

I don't have high hopes for the scale on Wednesday, if I stay the same I will be thrilled. I have had something like 8 special occasions in the past two weeks. That really makes it hard. But I am happy to say, no more special nights/parties in the near future! I cut off two small pieces from dd's bday cake tonight, and threw the rest out. My kids don't even like sweets, neither one had a piece today. Of course, I love sweets as luck would have it!


Beth, thanks so much for talking with the social worker. I don't have high hopes, stepdad has some assets with his ex wife. He cannot touch them but they do exist and that keeps him from getting any assistance thus far. But you never know! Stepdad had a really crummy lawyer in his divorce of many years ago and unfortunately it still haunts him and now my mom too. I think my brother is going to step in and help out. Maybe his sons will too, who knows? Thanks so much, let me know what she says.

Weekly exercise goal: 35/180

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Amy,

Happy Birthday to your DD! I'm sorry to hear that she wasn't feeling well for part of the day yesterday. I hope she is feeling much better today.

I think you did a good job this weekend. Remember...progress not perfection is the key. You made some good choices and limited yourself on others...I say that is success!

I hope you have a great Tuesday!

 

[traceycooper]

Hi Amy
glad DD had a good birthday - despite throwing up !!!
good news that your brother is going to help out with your mom & stepdad
you did a great job with food in some difficult situations - well done
wow 8 occasions in 2 weeks - you must be a very popular lady