Laurie's journal - Atkins plan (comments welcome)

[Strings]

Hi Laurie,

Congratulations on the end of your class. You certainly deserve an A. Enjoy your much deserved vacation.
Beth

 

[LAinSEA]

All ready to go on vacation (just a shift and 1/2 to go at work) and I'm doubled over with cramps. I guess I will be a shoe-in for the "pelvic pain" study when I return from vacation.

Again, if any of you women out there are interested in the "consecutive BC", I highly recommend it not only to avoid the monthy pain, but it sure made a difference in my emotions and emotional eating.

I worked late into the night last night to build high school logos for Comcast - and have more to do tonight and Saturday morning. It seems their sponsor wants a totally different set of games televised (for the "Eastside" - where most of the money is here in the Puget Sound Area) - which means different school logos and different color schemes for school specific graphics. I'm doing my best to get it all accomplished prior to leaving because they need them while I'm gone.

Have not gotten in any excercise...not that I want to do anything other than curl up in a little bitty ball right now.

DH is still being pulled over to his father's house to take care of things and is not getting as much accomplished at home because of it. Seems his dad's got all kinds of last minute demands before we leave too. (and he's trying to guilt Jeff into cutting our vacation short - over my dead body I told him.)

Niko has grown so much, he might not fit into his harness...another thing for DH to take care of - he was going to try and sign us up for AAA this afternoon...just in case. Very off character for DH, I guess he's worried about the repairs he made to the outback. Tilda and Niko seem to be getting excited about going too...Niko was dropping toys in Tilda's snuggle ring (where we typcially put them to take with us).

We are supposed to getting new graphics equipment at work...Ive been pushing for this since I came to work here. Rumor has it that it might be while I'm gone...and they want to switch over to it "right away". I told the director "Good Luck" I'm gone until Oct. 13...no, I will not be cancelling my break, thank you very much. BTW, only 2 of us have experience and training on the new system - myself and Tara (who is still deciding whether to come back from maternity leave). I also asked for advanced training on the system as part of my review, months ago...no response on that. Besides the new systems use different format graphics than our current/old systems and it will take several weeks (working on nothing but the change over) to build the packages in the new system. I'm not worrying about while I'm gone....no, no, No, No, NO!

Wilderness and Strings - thanks for your words of encouragement!

 

[DoeWDW]

Laurie, you are amazing!! I just KNEW you'd pull everything together and get a great grade in your class, keep Comcast happy with the wonderful graphics package AND manage to get ready for a relaxing vacation! WOW!!

Just let the real world stay in Washington as you drive away for that much-deserved peaceful vacation! I wish you all (you, Jeff, Tilda and Niko) a safe and happy time.

Enjoy the peace, Laurie!

 

[LAinSEA]

After having to work a late shift last night - didn't get home until after midnight - we dedided to take a day to pack and get the house in order before leaving.

We are going to drive up through Sandpointe ID and see my best friend from college for a late lunch and then over to Kalispell MT and stay the night. Then through Glacier on Tuesday and down to Helena, spend another night and then take a back road over to Livingston and down through Yellowstone to the cabin in Island Park ID. We will return Monday Oct. 11 and have a day to catch before I go back to work that Wednesday.

We joined AAA - it has been really nice to use their services to plan and for discounts as well as piece of mind on the road.

DH has gone to fuel up the car and buy some ice for the cooler. I'm trying to finish picking up and packing.

I will not be as on plan as I would like but will try to make careful choices while on the road. It will be easier once we are at the cabin. I will also try to get some walking and hiking in. We are hoping for some good fishing also.

Kitties are really excited - I washed the covers on the snuggle rings and started gathering the car blankets and pillows for them. They know exactly what is going on.

Everyone take care and have a good couple of weeks.

 

[DoeWDW]

Dear Laurie, I'll be sending good vibes to you during your trip. Have a wonderful time!

 

[LAinSEA]

OK - this is the first 2-week vacation I've had in over 20 years! and it was NOT long enough!

We headed to our cabin (in Island Park ID - near Yellowstone) through Kalispell MT, Glacier National Park and Great Falls MT. Wow, Glacier is spectacular! We will definitely go back and spend more time here. Niko and Tilda were very good along the way - survived long days in the car (thanks to the Litter Maid Ultra Delux which runs on batteries!) and two overnights in hotels.

We got to the cabin on a Wednesday and it was in great shape. We did have a couple of projects to accomplish - new crown on the roof of the garage/shop and a new fan for the propane heater. We did a little fishing (no catching) and hiking and a whole lot of relaxing.

We saw black bears both in Glacier and Yellowstone along with bighorn sheep, mountain goats, pronghorn, elk, moose (in Grand Teton and around the cabin), bison, coyote, blacktail & whitetail deer...gosh what else? Around the cabin we had lots of chipmunks and squirrels for the kitties to watch during the day and flying squirrels to watch at night.

Eating - not on plan but not other than bread for sandwiches, no extra highly processed carbs at night...we did endulge in chocolat...and yes, my clothes are fitting tighter (I'm avoiding the scale).

I am back on plan today - and probably back on induction level carbs starting tomorrow. I have to mow the lawn today and I will get in a walk later this afternoon.

Warning! getting very political...

West Yellowstone MT to Island Park/Ashton ID is still without a fulltime doctor. I mention this because 15-20 years ago, my husband tried to get into medical school and hit the wait list 3 times in order to become a doctor and for us to move to and serve this community. Today, they have 2 fulltime PAs and a doctor oncall 2 days a week (in summer). In the past 20 years, the population of this area has grown and a planned assisted living center has been put off because the town needs a fulltime doctor. The closest medical centers - Bozeman MT and Idaho Falls ID - are now cutting back on trama services because of the high cost of medical liability insurance. Imagine your family having a terrible accident in this area and then having to be airlifted to either Salt Lake City or Seattle for medical treatment?

 

[Strings]

Hi Laurie,

Welcome home! It is good to have you back. It sounds like you had a wonderful and relaxing time. You definately deserved it. I hope you can ease back into reality.

I understand what you mean about the lack of adequate health care. In MI, we face the same problem in the UP. It is truly sad. What makes it worse is that the MD's who would be interested in in working there can't because of the cost of their med school loans and malpractice insurance. Country doctors just don't make much money. It is truly a sad state of affairs compounded by the med school admission issues. I wish I had a solution.

I am sending to help you with the transition back to reality and to help with induction.

Take care of yourself.
Beth

 

[DoeWDW]

Laurie, welcome back!

Sounds like a wonderful, relaxing trip!! All that wildlife and scenery - I'll admit I'm a bit envious! It sounds absolutely breathtaking!

Best wishes for an easy transition back into your routine. Don't forget to add in your daily walks. They'll help you combat the stress of going back to work and school.

Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!

 

[LAinSEA]

Yes, Doe - I did get up and out for a morning walk today! It felt really good (something about living at altitude and returning to near sealevel must be good for fitness!). The neighborhood is decorated for Halloween too - almost moreso than at Christmas time. The spiderwebs were pretty cool too - all misty with dew and standing out.

Work - Oh why did I come back? vacation is never long enough, never, never. It looks like our new equipment is due to arrive and training on it scheduled for next Monday through Wednesday 9am to ?. It means only one day off for me this week to next. With one of my co-workers leaving for the Navy next week - we are short a graphics op (again) and it seems my boss is leaving too to become a real estate agent the end of the month...which is probably the reason why there is no replacement for my co-worker.

Foodwise, on plan (did get a breve on the way to work but should be within 22 carbs for the day).

Beth - you will like this...I have finally converted my DH to a Harry Potter fan. He has seen the three movies but would not read the books. We bought the 4th book as an audio version for the ride home and he really is enjoying it. It is 20 hours of CD's and we did not get through it on the way home. Last night he suggested that we listen to a CD everynight before bed (instead of having the TV on) until we finish the book! Good DH! He also bought me the "unofficial" guide for HP at a bookstore in West Yellowstone. It is a lot of fun too. So now he's a Disney fan and a Harry Potter fan...who says you can't train a husband!

 

[Strings]

Heh heh...Another convert. Soon we'll be taking over the world! Insert evil laugh here.

I haven't heard any of the recordings, but I have heard that they are awesome. Have DH check out www.JKRowling.com. It is pretty ineresting with all sorts of easter eggs. Rumor mill has July for the next book. That should be enough time for DH to read all 5 before the next one comes out. Of course, he then goes through the torture of waiting for the books to come out to find out what happens next!

I'm sorry to hear that things at work are a mess. Your boss is insane to be going into real estate now. The market is starting to bottom out around here. Try to keep your head above water there.

When does your next class start? Hopefully you have a week to ease into things.

Take care,
Beth

 

[wilderness01]

Hi Laurie,

It sounds like your vacaton was just wonderful with so many pretty sites/animals. You are very lucky. It also sounds so peaceful. Good luck with your work situation.

 

[traceycooper]

Hi Laurie, thanks for posting on my journal
Lincolnshire is next door to Nottinghamshire, it has lovely countryside and seaside resorts.
Your holiday sounds fantastic, i would love to go there some day,
Well done for getting straight back into the induction diet, hope i can be that good after our holiday!!
Take care XX Tracey

 

[LAinSEA]

Class started on Thursday, so I haven't had much of a chance to journal or check journals. The facilitator had not put together a calendar of assignments and due dates. I found the one provided to us to helpful for last class, so I put together one for this one and asked the facilitator to look it over for any changes or additions. I posted it for class use and the other classmates are thrilled with it. (20 minutes on MSWord...not a huge deal.) With training happening started at work on Monday at 9am (am I even really awake at 9am?) through Wednesday and my regular schedule started Wednesday afternoon, I am not sure how I'm going to keep up with everything. I need to schedule another teacher observation and would like to observe the teacher I did for the last class for consistency...but scheduling appears to a nightmare for the next two weeks at least.

Health issues: I was contacted by my study doctor's nurse that my PAP came back with issues and I need to be re-tested. Probably nothing, but I still need to re-do the test. That is scheduled for Tuesday the 26th. I have also been battling a bit of a bladder infection...again the test came back negative but the discomfort is there. I did find some cranberry juice with Splenda and have started drinking it. It does put me way over my carb limit but is a necessary evil right now.

Otherwise, eating has been on plan. DH made me the most delicious stuffed grilled chicken breasts...stuffed with mushrooms, brocoli and feta cheese! I have not been as good about getting my walk in. The rain arrived earlier this week than expected and I've been using my time in the morning to get ahead on classwork.

The only one of us that is getting any training right now is Niko. He likes to learn tricks...he now can jump 6 feet, 8 inches between the kitchen stools and will do a series of tricks for one treat now. Niko is definitely a different breed of cat - almost puppy like in the way he enjoys training and learning new things. He also begs to go through his paces several times a day. Instead of doing the usual catnap thing, he wants to be involved with either Jeff or I all day long. When we can't pay attention to him, he goes and rousts his sister our of her snuggle ring and chases her about the house (which is exactly what Tilda needs).

 

[Strings]

Hi Laurie,

I'm sorry to hear about your UTI. Keep the cranberry juice going, and you may want to try some Vitamin C as well. It may help. I'm sure your PAP is fine. The false postitives on those is incredibly high. I've had issues as well, and the repeat was ok.

I'm sorry to hear about your schedule. Just do your best. You will get everything done. I am sending to help though, just in case.

Take care of yourself,
Beth

 

[LAinSEA]

Thankfully, training for the week is over. Unfortuately, most of the training was review for me and I did not get to concentrate on learning the advanced functions of the machines. I will have to do a great amount of playing to learn the newer functions thoroughly on my own. My coworkers felt that 3 days was not enough to learn the basic operations and that they will be relying on me to get them up to speed. Meanwhile, there will not be anymore training time built into our schedules prior to the launch of the new show in November and the switchover to the new equipment.

Lifewise, I am quite tired and my eyes are particularly painful after a more than a 14-hour day yesterday in front of computer screens. Thankfully, I am on top of my classwork for now and have 2 very motivated team members to work with this class. My eating has been on plan (with the addition of cranberry juice with slenda to help with the UTI which puts me over my carbs). I have not had any opportunity to get in any excercise and this is not helping me to feel better.

I surely appreciate everyone's kind words and support. Beth, thanks for your reassurance about the PAP...I am hoping that my time of the month won't interfere with my appointment next week. Now that I'm off the BC, I really don't have handle on my cycle again. I'm beginning to feel quite "goofy" right now, but that feeling might last for days before anything happens.

I have contacted the teacher I observed for last class to try and schedule another observation when she begins a new lesson with her students. This class is on lesson development and planning. My next class will be all research...kind of like researching and writing a Master's thesis all in 6 weeks! If anyone has ideas of a topic to research in education, please feel free to make suggestions.

 

[Strings]

Laurie,

Wow, it sounds like management has no clue what type of training is actually needed. It also sounds like everyone is looking to you for answers. I'm sorry that you are going through this . UGH!!!

I'm glad you actually have decent teammates for your class this time. I am sure you feel better about this class because of it.

Hows the UTI? I know I reccommended vitamin C pill, but you can also eat yogurt. They both help, I swear.

Ok, Mom Mode... You need to get some rest. You are working insane hours and are battling an infection. Add DZONE in there and you will collapse. Don't worry aout the walks right now. No guilt allowed. Eat OP and get some rest. The rest will take care of itself. I worry about you.

Take care,
Beth

 

[LAinSEA]

I'm quite happy to not be called into work over my weekend. It has allowed me to rest my eyes somewhat and get caught up on my school work.

We had dinner with my folks last night (after Jeff and Dad played basketball and Mom and I walked). We went out to Anthony's Homeport for her birthday dinner. It was quite good and mostly on plan. I forgot to ask to sub more veggies for mashed potatoes, but given that I'd not had any other carbs all day, I indulged. We got my mother new placemats for a gift. Kind of lame but she needed new ones - buy presents for parents is impossible especially when they tend to buy whatever they want whenever they want for themselves!

The walk was the first I'd gotten in during the week. I've got to get both work and school under control and start dedicated time for me for excercise.

I had my doctor's appt. this morning to re-do the PAP but the NP decided I needed to wait another week for it (too soon after my period). We don't want another "false positive". The results from the last were irregular but did not indicate any kind of cancer. Whew. They say I'm as healthy as a horse and my body is more that of a "late 20 or early 30 something" than my actual age of almost 41. BP was 98/64, quite low for having had caffeine. My blood work came back fine from the last taken during the study. I would like them to run exact tests for thyroid again and will ask next week when I'm getting the PAP. BTW, my weight was up from my last appointment...almost 6 lbs! Could be left over TOM but I'm guessing it's no walking and too many carbs during vacation. UTI has subsided (without showing infection in my urine). I'm still drinking a little cranberry each day and taking my vitamin C.

School is going well so far. One of my team members' mother passed away last Friday and was not able to work very much on our team lesson plan draft. She supplied the idea and source and I feel that she contributed a great deal. The other gal and I got the job done on time. But the poor gal is feeling like she let us down. I wrote and told her that's why we are a team to pick up the ball when the other can't be in the game. Her mother's death was no surprise, having fought colon cancer for a long time and she was having to stay with her folks while her mother waited to die at home. However, I'm sure even though it is somewhat of a relief, losing her mother must hurt a great deal. I'm surprised that she wanted to continue the class.

As for work, I'm hoping that all the equipment is up and working when I get in tomorrow. I've been fighting the urge to call and find out what is going on. I keep thinking that maybe I should have taken my laptop in and downloaded the graphics packages to work on offline...but then I probably wouldn't see a dime for my off-hours effort or equipment. Sounds bad, but I'm just not that dedicated to a project that we are not being given the opportunity to put forth adequate time and effort for. The experience definitely solidfies my decision to move from television to education.

 

[Strings]

Laurie,

You definately made the right decision not calling work. If they won't pay for the extra effort, they don't value you. You always sound happier after an experience in the classroom. Getting out of television is the right decision.

You are a great teammate. That poor woman. She probably is still in the class to take her mind off her grief. It was very nice of you to reassure her.

How are your eyes? Do you wear glasses? They now have lenses that are pecifically designed for computer users. Just a thought.

Your dinner out with family sounds wonderful. My mom is the same way. If she wants something, she buys it. My sister and I have told her she can't buy anything until after Christmas to give us a chance to find something for her.

I hope your week goes well. Take care of yourself.

Beth

 

[DoeWDW]

Laurie, Niko & Tilda sound like such wonderful kitties! I bet they are great furbabies to have around the house! Your story about Niko and his bag of tricks was so cute. He DOES sound like a puppy!

Work - don't get me started! Laurie, you're doing the right thing. Give them the hours they are paying for, period. The boss that's leaving to go into real estate - is this the boss that brought in the "new" guy from California? Maybe it will turn out to be a blessing if you can get someone in there who values the graphics ops.

School - bravo for all you do to stay on track with your schoolwork! I know it isn't easy to juggle your job and schoolwork, along with all of life's other demands but you're doing great. Hmmm, a research project??? With all the mainstreaming going on these days, a project dealing with classroom management. Accomodations for various types of learning disabilities might be good. You can always do a project focusing on different learning styles - auditory, visual, hands-on, readers, etc. - and incorporating lesson activities for all those types of learners. Just a few random thoughts - I'm sure you'll come up with something interesting!

Exercise - who has time???? Your plate is full, dear Laurie! Work and school must come first right now, especially if you're not feeling 100%. Make rest more of a priority than exercise.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

 

[wilderness01]

Hi Laurie,

You are doing a great job balancing everything, give yourself a pat on the back and alot of credit. Going back to school is hard coupled with being married and working full time. You are doing so much and doing a great job at it!