phyllser

Yeah, the pictures were too funny! Of course I gave it to Earl! LOL! He didn't comment, but he looked at it! I have a pretty good photo of us with Elvis. Haven't gotten around to posting any pictures yet but I will. I don't know how you keep up with all that!! MOVED MY TICKER TODAY!!

I haven't been doing exercises to strengten those muscles. Any suggestions?

Only $200 of Dr bill wasn't covered. I was told I'd have to pay the dietitian consult, but I was never billed for it. Have Tricare for Life as secondary and they must have paid that.

Where is everyone???? No posts in over 3 months!

I second that! I have Benefiber in my Crystal Lite every day. Just came back from a two week trip to NY. Didn't want to take the powder so decided to try the chewable sugar free tabs. They taste pleasant and I may switch to that when my powder is gone. Also recommended it to my uncle, who was complaining of bowel problems and he's now a believer! In Benefiber,that is! A REAL "Believer"?? Not so much!

I was already on Medicare when I had my surgery, so I had to go to a doctor who took Medicare patients and who did his surgeries at an approved "Center of Excellence". Only one I could find in the state who didn't have a long waiting list... like 3 years... was Dr. Hunter in Federal Way. He does his surgeries at Virginia Mason in Seattle. Only down part of that was getting discharged at 4 pm (same day) and having to drive home to Everett in rush hour traffic... took TWO hours!

Love the new name and new thread! Congrats on the RV Candice! Looks nice! Joint replacement class all morning... learned a lot. Was pleased because some people inferred it might be a waste of time and it was NOT! Have a whole folder of stuff to look at, including "Sex after Joint Replacement", complete with pictures of suggested positions! Old people pictures! TMI! At least they all have clothes on! LOL! I do have a new list of questions for the ortho surgeon when I see him for my pre-op appt next week.... none related to the afore mentioned pamphlet! Went to lunch and then right to appt w/primary care doc for followup on anti-depressant. A few rather "down" days over the past week so she decided to up the Zoloft to 100 mg- I was on 50mg. And BP was 100/56 so she cut one of my BP meds in half again. I was down 4 lb since last appt about 6 weeks ago... and that was an early morning fasting appt and this was afternoon... right after lunch. So I've reached a new low but not changing my ticker until I get an early morning Wii weight. But my crazy bathroom scale was down another lb. this morning. I'm not TOO tight, but definitely TIGHT! Lost my dinner last night. Last couple of weeks I've had a couple of episodes that were more than PBing... last night being one of them. Couldn't finish my dinner tonight... tilapia.. it was too dry and tasted bad... like maybe a little freezer burned. Still feels like it might not stay down. Yuck! Ate my veggies and some of the fish.

Trying to catch up on all the posts - gone for two weeks. Laura, prayers for your Dad! I'm brain dead after reading all those pages and won't even try to go on from there! Tired after all morning joint replacement class this morning, appt with my primary care doc in the afternoon! Doubled my anti-depressant, cut one of my BP meds in half for the second time! BP was 100/56! Weight was down 4 lb since last appt... about 6 weeks ago. And that was an early morning, fasting appt... this time, afternoon, right after lunch!

I'm in Everett, technically, but Lake Stevens area... by Albertson's & Target.... Hwy 9 & Market Pl

Yeah... little old lady is pretty cute. When we got to church this morning I went in the kitchen to chat with a couple of my friends and said, "I'm gone two weeks and Earl has a new girlfriend and I have to sit in the back seat!" LOL! First time I EVER sat in the back seat of our car! Yeah, and then I couldn't find my name tag anywhere. Everyone was looking for it. But there is another "Phyllis", 93 yrs old... and after about 10 minutes of teasing everyone that they threw away my name tag becaues I was gone two weeks, I saw the other Phyllis was wearing a name tag that said "Phyllis Hand"! So I gave her a bad time about that. I forgot about you & Earl in the elevator.... yeah, I think he was in his robe, too! LOL! So now I'm all caught up.. read about your vag ultrasound. Tracy having trouble with fibroids, too... on Lupron to see if they'll shrink. Might have to have a hyterectomy if it doesn't work because she's in a lot of pain. I have to get on and off that scale over and over because it is so irratic! Range is sometimes as much as 15 lb! I move it around on the floor and each spot weighs different. So it just really gives me an idea where I'm at! That's why I always assume the highest number is the right one. Then I can be pleasantly surprised if I get on the Wii and it's lower! But usually get on the Wii "scale" only once a week on Monday.

New "girlfriend" is 83 yrs old and lives in an assisted living facility near us, in the "memory impaired" building. She and her husband used to have a double wide mobile at Sky Valley, but sold it last year. They couldn't continue to come down there when her husband's Alzhiemer's got too bad and she could no longer manage him. He died last year. Another friend from Sky Valley either called or emailed last week to see if we could pick her up and bring her to the WA state reunion picnic which was this past Monday. So Earl took her and jokingly told a few people that since I was out of town, Lorene was his "date". So now she's all paranoid about people "gossiping" about them!! LOL!! We picked her up and took her to Primetimers with us this morning and she was still going on and on about people gossiping about them and I couldn't seem to persuade her that they were just teasing her. She told me several times that she and her husband had pledged to each other many years ago that they would never remarry if one died! So I guess I don't have to worry about her stealing my husband! Tracy's repeat mammo was fine. Nothing showed up this time. She's all tired and dragged out today... we didn't get home until 1 a.m. but I've been bouncing around like the energizer bunny. And I"m really psyched because my bathroom scale says I'm down a couple of pounds!! I know.. stupid scale is unstable... but... I get on & off about 6X until I get a range and then I assume the highest weight is right. And the highest weight it registered was at least two pounds down from two weeks ago.

Home, sweet home! Have three pages to catch up on but have to get in the shower and get out of here! Earl made date with his new "girlfriend"! Have to go pick her up for Primetimers in an hour! Please keep Tracy in your prayers today... was called back after mammogram and has to go in this morning for another test... I imagine ultrasound, and then has to wait around for results and consult with doctor. She's pretty nervous about it. Hope DH decided to go with her.

Good Morning! Sunny, pretty morning here in Buffalo. DS we are staying with is leaving for Myrtle Beach SC this morning with DH, 4 of her 5 daughters and 3 grandkids! Two cars, one 2 BR condo for 5 days. We get to babysit a dog until we leave on Tues. Tracy and I going to other DS this afternoon for BBQ. Bad food day yesterday. Got up with just enough time to get showered and dressed and leave by 9 a.m. because DS had oil change appt and then we were going to the mall. Actually, I had an hour to spare but I spent it on the computer so I didn't have time for breakfast. Thought maybe she'd be stopping at a Tim Horton's and I'd get one of those yummy cheese/egg sandwiches. Didn't happen. Got to the mall about 10:30 a.m. and didn't want to eat mall food for breakfast. (Probably memories of my bad mall food experience LAST weekend!!) Then, I REALLY wanted a TED'S hot dog but DD & DS wouldn't let me. They use these delicious Sahlen's hot dogs and their sauce is SO good and I always have ONE when I come to Buffalo. So... we just shopped and shopped and shopped and left the mall without eating. Then we went to Starbucks. I think it was close to 2pm by then and we were supposed to meet everyone for fish fry at 3:30 pm so I wasn't about to eat lunch then. So I got one of those vanilla/nut biscottis. Ate it with my latte. And then there was the fish fry. I ate a little less than half of my fish, half of my german potato salad and half of my cole slaw. BUT I started with a cosmo. Then we came home and did our nightly sit on the porch and drink wine. Nephew came over with his family with a box of doughnut holes from Dunkin' Donuts. Ate one of those. I was still hungry so I finished my cole slaw. But I drank too much wine. Junk food day with no structure or discipline!

Laura, So sorry to hear about your Dad's health problems. Will keep him and your family in my prayers.

On vacation, so falling behind... just read last two pages of posts. Someone asked for breakfast ideas. At home DH usually makes me a small eggbeaters omelet. But here without him, I'm on my own and I can't be bothered cooking something! I know, I'm a spoiled brat. So I've been eating one of those little Lite & Fit yogurts... 60 calories, mixed up with about 1/4 cup of Kashi Go Lean Crunch... a little less than 50 calories (190 calories per cup). Had a great weekend in Canada with some LBT "Lucky #7's" celebrating our 2 year "bandiversary". We had such fun. Went to Elvis Festival.... and Elvis Church at a hockey arena with fake floor over the ice. It was COLD in there. Four Elvis impersonators sang Elvis gospel songs and a lady Anglican minister in her elegant robes preached a short sermon on the loaves and fishes story. She said "maybe it was a miracle", or maybe it was this or maybe it was that!! That's not what MY Bible says, but, whatever!! The Elvis guys did speak the truth, though and offered an opportunity for salvation.

Great time in Canada with the July '07 "Lucky #7's"! We went to Elvis Festival, Elvis Church, and stayed up until the wee small hours talking every night! Back in Buffalo visiting family now. Home next Tuesday.

You found a Canada EH? shirt?? Tracy and I want one! Sounds cute. We had a decent day to go to Niagara Falls yesterday but going to my cousin's today... she lives on a lake... and rain and t-storms on the way later this morning! Have gone out there since our kids were little and then after my Aunt Genny died her daughter tore it down and rebuilt. So a bunch of us are going out today and taking lunch... Mom, one sister, some nieces. Cousin wants to take us for a ride on her pontoon boat, but won't be much fun in the rain! Seneca Niagara Casino tomorrow. Sister I'm staying with, Shirley... her favorite place and tomorrow her ONLY day off while I"m here. She's a nurse, too.

Good Morning! I joined the yogurt/Kashi Go Lean club today..very good! An absolutely stupendous weekend in Canada! Yep... up until 1-1:30 a.m. pretty much every night! The Saturday night "surprise" was WONDERUL!! John Weston, friend of Peter's was there when we got back from an afternoon of shopping at the mall and the two of them were set up in the living room for a "concert". They delighted us with jazz/blues, etc all evening and it was GREAT! Candice joined them singing a couple of times... "Georgia", etc. What a sweet voice she has!! And John gave us a little education about jazz and various musicians intermixed with the music. We LOVED it! Sunday morning we went to "Elvis Church" in a hockey arena! The ice was covered up with a fake floor, but it was still cold and damp in there. (Take with a grain of salt as I am ALWAYS cold!) There were four Elvis impersonators singing Elvis gospel songs and a lady Anglican minister who gave us a little message. It was terrific! Then we went to Tim Horton's for coffee and a bite to eat and several of the Elvis guys showed up there! In fact, we saw Elvis guys all weekend and had our picture taken with one on Friday night. After "church", Candice took us up to Eugenia Falls... beautiful spot. Took more pictures. Then we went back to the house so Tracy & I could pick up our (rental) car. Then we headed to Barrie Ontario. Peter and his combo were playing in a sports bar there from 2-5 pm. It seemed a little loud to me when we first got in there, but I soon adjusted to the volume and thoroughly enjoyed their music. It was quite different from Saturday night, but fun. DD, Tracy noted that after a drink we were all dancing in our chairs! She's been telling my sisters all about our crazy weekend and how she caved in to peer pressure and wore her black and white Elvis t-shirt all around the mall Saturday afternoon feeling very conspicuous! LOL! We bought matching Elvis shirts and we'll be posting photos of our various group shots, including some in the Elvis shirts! And, I don't want to talk about lunch and the green beans, but Tracy has been telling everyone who will listen tha ALL of us took turns running to the bathroom off and on all weekend! I told her that's not typical but we were all so excited to be together that we were talking while we were eating and not paying attention to what we were doing. So we were eating too fast and not chewing properly. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it! Tracy and I left for Buffalo a little after 4pm on Sunday, after having a little lunch in our tummies. Sports bar food was delicious. We drove most of the way home in driving rain, much like our trip north!! But we're having a little sunshine today so we're heading to Niagara Falls in an hour or so, with one of my sisters and I think one of her daughters.

Well, beautiful day in Buffalo yesterday, but then the rain started! It's dark and rainy this morning so we're just sitting around in our jammies! Not motivated to get moving yet. Seattle is going to have the hottest day so far this year and we're a little sad to be missing it! Looking forward to the weekend but looks like we could be spending a lot of it inside! Good visit with a dozen of Earl's relatives yesterday... two brothers, two sisters, one niece and her family.... plus my Mom & Uncle. Then went out to my other sister's, then she came here to this sister's and we sat on the porch drinking vino! Homemade Black Cherry Chianti and Strawberry Zinfandel! Yummy!

FANTASTIC PICTURES!! You are all BEAUTIFUL!!

Flight leaves at 8:30 a.m., so want to be at the airport 2 hours early so we're planning to leave at 5:30 a.m. Arrives in Buffalo around 8:30 a.m. Have to fly to NYC first.. we weren't happy about that! Too much air traffic, T-storms in the forecast, etc. That airport is just way too busy. But couldn't figure out a better route so we'll live with it! Don't get in to NYC until 5 p.m., so I don't get that.. even with the time difference... it's NOT a 5 1/2 hour flight!? Then 2 hours to Buffalo??? 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. No, that doesn't make sense either! It's less than 500 miles. So I'm suspecting they build in extra time to make up for delays they know are going to happen.

Wow! That's kind of exciting! I don't think that price is all that bad. I'm not at goal yet, but I talked to several offices just about my thighs and they were telling me it would cost about $10,000 just for that. Are you having it done in DE? I talked to one doctor in Mexico but we didn't ever get to the discussion of money. My DH would not let me go down there even for a consultation. Today is my 2 year "bandiversary"! I had hoped to be at goal by today, or at least under 200 lb., but I'm still making progress, though slow right now. Exercise is limited with knee problems, but I'm having left knee replacement 5 weeks from tomorrow! Then things will improve! Flying to NY tomorrow and joining some of my "Lucky #7's" to celebrate our 2 year anniversary in Canada... Elvis festival, etc. It will be fun~!

Hi! Great day... my 2 yr bandiversary! TOPS meeting went great. They wanted it in the form of an article, too, for our monthly newsletter. So I wrote up a one page thing with before and current pictures at the top and a picture of a stomach with a band in place.. passed it around for them to see. There were lots of questions and lots of kudos. It was fun. I'm all packed and ready to go. Leave for the airport about 5:30 a.m.!!

Thanks to all for your "Congrats" and good wishes! I appreciate it! It was a great day. Told my weight loss story at my TOPS meeting this morning. All packed and ready to leave for NY/Canada in the morning!

Thanks for all your good wishes! I appreciate that! Tomorrow I'm flying to Buffalo NY to visit family, but also to meet with some July 07 "Bandsters" for our 2nd reunion! We met on this website. Last year 5 of us met in Bloomington MI and spent the weeked at Mall of America. We had a great time. This year we're meeting in Ontario at the home of one of those ladies. We're going to some festivities nearby... Elvis festival!! Should be great fun! I'll be thinking of you on Monday, Diana! And, great news on the Diabetes, Doddie!