Trying

I'm trying.  I'm putting my food intake into the tracker on E-tools. Trying to get used to this new points plus system.  More difficult for me as I'm just changing over without the benefit of the meetings to teach me the finer points of the new system.  But I'm workin' it.  Luckily it's similar enough that I'm ok with the change.

I'm still on a restricted activity.  Yeah, I could get out and exercise...but movement hurts.  Deep breathing hurts.  And it just doesn't hurt while I do it....it causes the pain to flare up and then I suffer the rest of the day....or at least for a few hours. (depending on how bad it is).    I can't change the exercise stuff...but I can change my eating..and get that in line.  :-)  The exercise will recommence as soon as humanly possible.

I WILL lick this once and for all!

Report

Follow up Doctors appointment.  First of all let me say that I waited an HOUR AND FORTY FIVE MINUTES for this appointment.  There is no excuse....and there was NO apology or anything for my wait.  I walked into the doors of the ER on Sunday and walked out 2 hours later.  The ER was almost quicker than a visit to my family doctor...(and i had more tests done at the ER...).  I think it's time to find a new doctor!

Ok, diagnosis.  The doctor agrees with the diagnosis of Bronchitis.  The problem.....prolonged infections in your respiratory system can cause pleuritis (and inflamation in the lining of the lungs).   Uhh yeah....apparently three plus weeks (that's how long I"ve been dealing with this) is enough to cause that.  Joy joy.  What do you do for pleuritis........nothing.   Treat the original infection (done...the ER did that)  Anti-inflmatory drugs....so basically ibuprofen for a few weeks.  I have a follow up appointment on January 6th. Hopefully I'm healthy and well by then!

I got to thinking about this.  When the chest pains started to get worse, I kept telling myself  "MaryFran, you are NOT having a heart attack...you are only 38 years old."  But I knew that there IS a chance....even if I were younger.  I also realized that by regaining the weight I brought back the very thing that I worked so hard to eradicate.  And that was extra risk factors to my health.  I originally lost the weight for a few reasons...and one of those was because I knew that the added weight was going to kill me.  So while I denied how bad these chest pains were to everyone that would listen....inside I was beating myself up and telling myself that "this time you've done it...you've let things get out of control and your body has had enough of it"    Luckily that was not the case....but if I don't get it under control I may not be so lucky  next time.  One of these obesity related diseases WILL strike me.  (as it is, I need to get the weight down to bring my cholesterol back down!)

So while I really can't exercise.... (movement is NOT good.....causes the chest pains to increase in intensity tenfold) I  CAN start tracking my food and really starting to watch what I eat!

I go to see my family doctor tomorrow.  The chest is still feeling tight. Earlier today it was giving me grief.  Rigfht now it's just a minor nuisance pain.   If I keep my breathing more shallow and don't move too much I'm good.  :-)   That's not normal..so yeah, I'm heading to see my doctor tomorrow.

I also have decided that enough is enough.  I started tracking....AGAIN.  Just today.  I know it needs to be done.  I'll get used to the new points system in time I"m sure.   No, I can't exercise right now...but I can pull my eating back under control.  I haven't stepped foot on the scales since I've been back from our little mini vacation.   I will do that probably tomorrow morning (plus it will let me know if our scales are calibrated correctly.....matching at least somewhat to the doctors scales).  Nervous about that.

Sidelined

Yes, I'm sidelined. I'm trying to watch what I eat...but exercise is...well a thing that is not really in my vocabulary right now.

For the last two weeks (two and a half actually) I've been experiencing chest pains.  A tightness in my chest.  At first I just assumed that I was getting a chest cold...but 2.5 weeks later I've finally accepted that something is seriously wrong.  (I've not had any coughing or congestion)

SOoooo on Sunday i went to the ER.  EKG was fine.   Chest x-rays were fine.  So they sent me home with an antibiotic and said "you have bronchitis".   I've been on the meds now for 3 days....not much relief yet.  It feels half way normal (just a tingle when I breathe) in the morning...but as soon as I start moving around it progressivly worsens until by the evening I'm sitting with my hand on my chest.  I've also started to accept the fact taht I'm exhausted.  I fell asleep last night between 8:30 and 9PM.  And other than stumbling to the bedroom at about 10:30...I slept through to 7AM...and would have slept longer if the alarm wouldn't have gone off for Todd.   Saturday evening we went into a bookstore at 8PM....A bookstore!  And I couldn't even walk through the store....I just wanted to sit down (and did).

Soooo I'm not sure what's up.

reevaluation

I'm reevaluting the scale issue.  They have me back at the exact same weight that I was all last week.  I was that weight last night before I went to bed.  I was that weight this morning....and again AFTER I went tot he bathroom (yeah, TMI).   This is just odd.  I've always weighed daily....and NEVER have I been at the same weight like that.  TO THE OUNCE.  This is just not right!

I haven't fallen away, although it feels like it.  I'm still battling those more negative feelings that I spoke about in my most recent post.  I really dont' know how to go about it so I'm at a loss.  But I'm plodding along.

The Monday before Thanksgiving I decided that there is one thing that I DO know how to do.  One problem that I DO know how to fix.  Or at least I know what steps to take that should (and in the past have shown to work) to fix this problem.  That problem...my ballooning weight.  So I stepped up to the plate and made a vow to myself that I would lose...or at the very least show a maintain over the Thanksgiving holiday.  I didn't say anything much on here or to anyone.  I've failed so miserably lately and I just didn't want to have to come out and say "I failed again"  I knew it would be rough.  Not only was there a holiday (a big food holiday) involved....but I would be spending 4.5 days at my parents house...where snack foods, baked goods and just pure food heaven existed.  I set about my task.I weighed in every day.  Monday to get a starting weight and every day thereafter to monitor.  I wont way that I dind't have snacks.  On wednesday, I had two cookies...but watched my food intake the rest of the day.  Not starving...just healthier choices.  On Thursday I weighed myself....I was down about 2.6 pounds already.  I made good choices with my food intake on thursday...although I did eat three meals.  Just smaller portions and healthier choices.  I had a piece of cherry pie mid afternoon.  Friday morning...I weighed myself.....EXACTLY THE SAME AS THURSDAY!  WOO HOO!  It sparked me and I watched my food intake carefully on Friday, trying to make healthy choices when the options just weren't there for me.....I had a piece of pumpkin pie this day.  Saturday  morning...weighed myself.....EXACTLY THE SAME!  Saturday....more managing.....no snacks.  :-)   Sunday....the exact same weight.  I was starting to ponder this.  Not even budging an ounce???   That is odd.  Monday...weighed again...same exact weight.  I checked the scales by waiting until after my shower with a towel wrapped around me. (knowing that the water and towel would make me heavier)....it did show me 1.5 pounds higher...so I knew my scales were working.  Tuesday....what did I weigh?  Well exactly the same of course!     I kept at it...still fearful that my scales were working.  This morning......I showed a 1.4 loss!  WOO HOOOO!!!!!!!

So the moral of the story.  I didn't just maintain over thanksgiving....I lost 2.6 pounds!  AND I'm well on my way (1.4 pounds) to a loss for this upcoming week!