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Sunday Weigh in June 18, 2023
Good morning, everyone. I'm sorry I didn't get a weigh in post done last week. I think I mentioned that I'd be traveling for a couple of weeks and it got a lot more involved than I'd ever dreamed it could.
The purpose of my travel was a small sibling gathering. The event that brought us together was a great nephew's graduation party and since I have a couple of siblings that are in their late 80's with poor health, we decided this would be a good time to bring us all together.
We had a great gathering, which also included some nieces (daughters of a long deceased brother) that we hadn't seen in a long time. It was great to see them, as well as all my siblings. In order to pull off this gathering, I had to fly to South Dakota, then drive one sister (who has macular degeneration) to another sister's in Iowa, then drive all 3 of us to our brother's in St Louis.
On the way to St Louis, one sister began coughing and not feeling so well. We ended up taking her to urgent care the next day because she has Stage IV lung cancer and we couldn't take any chances. She's on immunotherapy treatments for her cancer and had had a treatment the day before, so I think that helped her quite a bit. Anyway, before we got back to her house in Iowa, my other sister started coughing and was the next to be ill. That sister also has immunotherapy to keep leukemia/lymphoma in remission, but her treatments got mixed up and hers hadn't taken place on time!!
Of course, by the time we made the drive across Iowa, back to SD, I wasn't feeling well and yep - you guessed it - I got whatever my sisters had. To add insult to injury, I was grilling burgers one night and got bitten by a dog. It got my left hand and left 2 large, deep puncture wounds. I ended up going to urgent care, as well because it was suspected that I had pneumonia, plus I needed to have the bite checked for infection. They did a chest x-ray and some blood work - came back negative for pneumonia. I was given a prophylactic antibiotic for the dog bite, which would also help with any bacterial infection that might crop up in my lungs/sinuses.
I was terribly ill and did nothing but wheeze and sleep for 2 days - combination of being sick and in pain from the bite. I did end up delaying my flight home because I was too sick to fly. 2 days after my visit to urgent care, the hospital called and said they'd found a problem with my chest x-ray - something in my left lung - and recommended a follow up CT to see what's going on. Since I had another flight scheduled, I went ahead and called my primary doctor to fill them in and make an appointment for follow up. I'll go in Tuesday for that appointment.
I had a flight scheduled to fly home last night and was actually able to make it. Of course, our departure was late, so our arrival was too, but we ended up getting home about 2:00 am. I had a horrible time getting to sleep, but once I did, I slept very soundly. I'm horribly tired - still a combination of not being completely well, the dog bite still being swollen and painful and adding in some "jet lag".
Of course, I've left out a lot of details, but even through all of that, I ended up gaining 4 pounds, which isn't as bad as I'd anticipated since I ate tons of food I don't normally eat and got very little exercise. I'm not happy that I'll have to start over with trying to lose it in order to get back down where I was, but I'm happy I didn't gain more.
I hope you've all had a couple of very successful weeks and look forward to hearing about it.
~~Wishing everyone a wonderful, successful week~~
The purpose of my travel was a small sibling gathering. The event that brought us together was a great nephew's graduation party and since I have a couple of siblings that are in their late 80's with poor health, we decided this would be a good time to bring us all together.
We had a great gathering, which also included some nieces (daughters of a long deceased brother) that we hadn't seen in a long time. It was great to see them, as well as all my siblings. In order to pull off this gathering, I had to fly to South Dakota, then drive one sister (who has macular degeneration) to another sister's in Iowa, then drive all 3 of us to our brother's in St Louis.
On the way to St Louis, one sister began coughing and not feeling so well. We ended up taking her to urgent care the next day because she has Stage IV lung cancer and we couldn't take any chances. She's on immunotherapy treatments for her cancer and had had a treatment the day before, so I think that helped her quite a bit. Anyway, before we got back to her house in Iowa, my other sister started coughing and was the next to be ill. That sister also has immunotherapy to keep leukemia/lymphoma in remission, but her treatments got mixed up and hers hadn't taken place on time!!
Of course, by the time we made the drive across Iowa, back to SD, I wasn't feeling well and yep - you guessed it - I got whatever my sisters had. To add insult to injury, I was grilling burgers one night and got bitten by a dog. It got my left hand and left 2 large, deep puncture wounds. I ended up going to urgent care, as well because it was suspected that I had pneumonia, plus I needed to have the bite checked for infection. They did a chest x-ray and some blood work - came back negative for pneumonia. I was given a prophylactic antibiotic for the dog bite, which would also help with any bacterial infection that might crop up in my lungs/sinuses.
I was terribly ill and did nothing but wheeze and sleep for 2 days - combination of being sick and in pain from the bite. I did end up delaying my flight home because I was too sick to fly. 2 days after my visit to urgent care, the hospital called and said they'd found a problem with my chest x-ray - something in my left lung - and recommended a follow up CT to see what's going on. Since I had another flight scheduled, I went ahead and called my primary doctor to fill them in and make an appointment for follow up. I'll go in Tuesday for that appointment.
I had a flight scheduled to fly home last night and was actually able to make it. Of course, our departure was late, so our arrival was too, but we ended up getting home about 2:00 am. I had a horrible time getting to sleep, but once I did, I slept very soundly. I'm horribly tired - still a combination of not being completely well, the dog bite still being swollen and painful and adding in some "jet lag".
Of course, I've left out a lot of details, but even through all of that, I ended up gaining 4 pounds, which isn't as bad as I'd anticipated since I ate tons of food I don't normally eat and got very little exercise. I'm not happy that I'll have to start over with trying to lose it in order to get back down where I was, but I'm happy I didn't gain more.
I hope you've all had a couple of very successful weeks and look forward to hearing about it.
~~Wishing everyone a wonderful, successful week~~
Barb, that is what one would call a memorable family reunion, but not in a good way! It stinks! Was the graduation gathering before or after you got sick and were bitten by a dog? I salute your adventurous spirit, flying and driving hundreds of miles to bring your coughing sisters around...but bet your husband won't ever want to do that again! At least you got a lot to eat. lol
High school is finally out for the summer. We're glad; my son's school anxiety was hard on all of us. For mostly reasons of stress and anxiety (and one or two at a time) my son missed 71 classes last year -- I think the only reason we never heard from the truant officer is that all the absences were excused, and he got good grades despite all the absences. This summer we are going to work on how to manage stress and how to get to sleep -- when he's stressed, he lies awake, and when he finally drops off at about 5 am I can't wake him to go to school, he's like a drugged person. (Most of the classes he missed were morning classes.) Despite everything, he came away with all A's and one B, but at the cost of everyone's worry and concern, and a lot of active effort by me and my husband to prod him awake and get him going to school. I think if he actually could sleep well and does get to most of his classes, the homework would be that much easier. Anyway, hooray for summer.
Things that got pushed back in the effort to get our son moving are on the agenda now. Car to go to the shop, tires to be rotated, dentist, doctor and eye appointments, pets to vet for boosters, dog to trainer (!) [she's great but will pull me off my feet when she's on a leash] house to be scoured, etc. This will not be a lazy summer, too much has been put off and now is the time.
My weight this morning is down a good pound from two weeks ago but up .5 from last week. Overall a downward trend but I need to stay alert. That colonoscopy didn't do jack for my weight! lol
Have a great week!
High school is finally out for the summer. We're glad; my son's school anxiety was hard on all of us. For mostly reasons of stress and anxiety (and one or two at a time) my son missed 71 classes last year -- I think the only reason we never heard from the truant officer is that all the absences were excused, and he got good grades despite all the absences. This summer we are going to work on how to manage stress and how to get to sleep -- when he's stressed, he lies awake, and when he finally drops off at about 5 am I can't wake him to go to school, he's like a drugged person. (Most of the classes he missed were morning classes.) Despite everything, he came away with all A's and one B, but at the cost of everyone's worry and concern, and a lot of active effort by me and my husband to prod him awake and get him going to school. I think if he actually could sleep well and does get to most of his classes, the homework would be that much easier. Anyway, hooray for summer.
Things that got pushed back in the effort to get our son moving are on the agenda now. Car to go to the shop, tires to be rotated, dentist, doctor and eye appointments, pets to vet for boosters, dog to trainer (!) [she's great but will pull me off my feet when she's on a leash] house to be scoured, etc. This will not be a lazy summer, too much has been put off and now is the time.
My weight this morning is down a good pound from two weeks ago but up .5 from last week. Overall a downward trend but I need to stay alert. That colonoscopy didn't do jack for my weight! lol
Have a great week!
4 Comments
Annie - my husband wasn't with me. Although he likes my sisters, he's not really interested in most of our shenanigans, so he stayed home to hold down the fort (like I, sometimes, do when he goes on his cruises... ) I'm the one who did all the driving across states, etc. The graduation gathering took place before I got sick, but one of my sisters (grandmother of the graduate) was already ill and the other was showing signs of becoming ill. I was becoming ill on the day the dog bit me, but was still well enough to be active, which is why I was out doing the grilling when I got bit. I was actually scheduled to fly home on Wed of last week, but between being ill and the dog bite, it was determined that I should delay my flight until I'd had a chance to go to urgent care, get checked out and possibly started on medication.
For the sake of your family, I'm glad your son isn't going to do high school this summer. It's unfortunate that his anxiety prevented him from attending so many classes, but it's great that he's still able to pull A's and B's. Managing stress can be very difficult, but yes - we all have to learn to manage it, at some point. You're right that sleep affects us all day. Without enough sleep, it's difficult to get much of anything done and does make managing the stress more difficult. Have you considered having your son speak with a therapist or attend a stress management class?
From everything I've read, establishing (and maintaining) a sleep routine, including bedtime rituals, going to bed and getting up at the same time every night/day, etc is very important. There are relaxation techniques that can be used to fall asleep easier.
It doesn't sound like you'll have a lazy summer, but busy is good, also. After the start my summer got, I think I'll do my best to "lazy it down" a bit. lol
Colonoscopy prep never does anything for my weight either; however, I do hope the results of the colonoscopy were good - that, at least, makes some it worthwhile.
Enjoy your week.
For the sake of your family, I'm glad your son isn't going to do high school this summer. It's unfortunate that his anxiety prevented him from attending so many classes, but it's great that he's still able to pull A's and B's. Managing stress can be very difficult, but yes - we all have to learn to manage it, at some point. You're right that sleep affects us all day. Without enough sleep, it's difficult to get much of anything done and does make managing the stress more difficult. Have you considered having your son speak with a therapist or attend a stress management class?
From everything I've read, establishing (and maintaining) a sleep routine, including bedtime rituals, going to bed and getting up at the same time every night/day, etc is very important. There are relaxation techniques that can be used to fall asleep easier.
It doesn't sound like you'll have a lazy summer, but busy is good, also. After the start my summer got, I think I'll do my best to "lazy it down" a bit. lol
Colonoscopy prep never does anything for my weight either; however, I do hope the results of the colonoscopy were good - that, at least, makes some it worthwhile.
Enjoy your week.
You had to do all the driving? Ugh! I used to love to drive long distances -- drove West Coast to New York and back when I was 17 with just my dog as company. But now I really wouldn't want to. Maybe other drivers have gotten more aggressive, or maybe other drivers just get to me more. Back roads have retained their interest for me but freeways -- I wouldn't care if I ever saw a freeway again.
Did you ever figure out what your sister had and generously spread to you? My husband and son had what I'm sure was a bout of RSV in the spring, and it was no fun for either of them. Knocked out, like you describe.
We saw my stepdad today and I gave him the traditional present ... every year since he married my mom, I've given him socks, as a sort of nod and wink at traditional Father's Day gifts. I always gave him a formal pair that one would wear with a business suit or slacks, an argyle pair, and a comical pair, such as illustrated with cartoon dogs, palm trees, a Superman emblem, whatever I could find. I joked with him earlier this past week that he knew what was coming for Father's Day, and he corrected me kind of poignantly and shook his head and showed me his socks and said, "I'm compression socks only, now." Well, *there* was a challenge if I've ever heard one, I wasn't going to let some nurse sentence him to a lifetime of boring black compression socks. On Amazon that night I found a brand that was not only well reviewed for comfort, but also came in a lot of different colors. They didn't quite attain the humor level of palm trees or Superman, but they did have argyles! I ordered two pair, and they arrived in only two days, making me able to give him our traditional gift on time. He was pleased (I hope they fit, there was a lot about using the calf measurement instead of the foot measurement, and who knows what his calf measurement is.) But now he knows he's not sentenced to black socks forever. :-)
Have a great evening!
Did you ever figure out what your sister had and generously spread to you? My husband and son had what I'm sure was a bout of RSV in the spring, and it was no fun for either of them. Knocked out, like you describe.
We saw my stepdad today and I gave him the traditional present ... every year since he married my mom, I've given him socks, as a sort of nod and wink at traditional Father's Day gifts. I always gave him a formal pair that one would wear with a business suit or slacks, an argyle pair, and a comical pair, such as illustrated with cartoon dogs, palm trees, a Superman emblem, whatever I could find. I joked with him earlier this past week that he knew what was coming for Father's Day, and he corrected me kind of poignantly and shook his head and showed me his socks and said, "I'm compression socks only, now." Well, *there* was a challenge if I've ever heard one, I wasn't going to let some nurse sentence him to a lifetime of boring black compression socks. On Amazon that night I found a brand that was not only well reviewed for comfort, but also came in a lot of different colors. They didn't quite attain the humor level of palm trees or Superman, but they did have argyles! I ordered two pair, and they arrived in only two days, making me able to give him our traditional gift on time. He was pleased (I hope they fit, there was a lot about using the calf measurement instead of the foot measurement, and who knows what his calf measurement is.) But now he knows he's not sentenced to black socks forever. :-)
Have a great evening!
Oh, I guess I didn't make it clear that what I looked for was compression socks, just in livelier colors than the boring black ones he had. And found a brand that does a lot of colors, yay. Just not cute cartoons of palm trees. :-)
Yes, I did all the driving. One of my sisters has macular degeneration and although she does drive locally (roads she knows well), she's unable to drive long distances or in areas with which she's not familiar. That was the reason I flew to SD instead of directly to Iowa - so I could drive her car and avoid someone else from having to take her. I don't mind driving long distances if I can stop when I feel the need to rest/get out and walk around, etc.
The illness my other sister so graciously shared was diagnosed as parainfluenza. The covid test came back negative, so they had done a nasal swab to check for other viruses and the parainfluenza is the one that came back positive. I guess parainfluenza is different from the garden variety we normally see and the vaccines we get aren't effective against it.
Your quest for colorful, cartoonish compression socks sounds like quite a challenge. Actually, I have a pair like you're describing!! One of my sisters volunteers at the gift shop of the University Hospital and she was telling me about these compression stocking that the nurses come in to buy. Supposedly, they're very comfortable (for compression socks) and lightweight, which is what I've been looking for, so I had her pick up a pair for me. They're covered with cartoonish looking cats in a variety of colors, positions, etc. Oh, did I mention, that aside from being comfortable and lightweight, they're incredibly ugly?? I plan to have her pick up a couple more pairs if they get some in that aren't quite so wild.
Moral of the story - check out the gift shop of your local hospital... lol
I'm off to see my doctor. Enjoy the rest of your week. :-)
The illness my other sister so graciously shared was diagnosed as parainfluenza. The covid test came back negative, so they had done a nasal swab to check for other viruses and the parainfluenza is the one that came back positive. I guess parainfluenza is different from the garden variety we normally see and the vaccines we get aren't effective against it.
Your quest for colorful, cartoonish compression socks sounds like quite a challenge. Actually, I have a pair like you're describing!! One of my sisters volunteers at the gift shop of the University Hospital and she was telling me about these compression stocking that the nurses come in to buy. Supposedly, they're very comfortable (for compression socks) and lightweight, which is what I've been looking for, so I had her pick up a pair for me. They're covered with cartoonish looking cats in a variety of colors, positions, etc. Oh, did I mention, that aside from being comfortable and lightweight, they're incredibly ugly?? I plan to have her pick up a couple more pairs if they get some in that aren't quite so wild.
Moral of the story - check out the gift shop of your local hospital... lol
I'm off to see my doctor. Enjoy the rest of your week. :-)
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