Sandy, It's so nice to hear from you. I'm sorry for your lose. I know it will be good to be home. Looking forward to hearing from you on a regular basic.

I am so sorry for your loss, sending you big hugs. Don't worry about the scale yet; the time for that will come again when you are stronger and healing.

sandy-- i know the loss of a sister is very difficult. i wish you peace and a heart filled with love. take care of yourself now, the weight is what it is and you will lose again when you are ready. that's just a blip on the screen.
penny-- i always say the hysterectomy was the best thing i ever did for me! i was about 33. i haven't missed it at all! i agree with those who say get up when you can. hold a pillow to your belly when you sneeze or cough. if you start feeling the littlest bit tired that's when you stop and rest. for some reason, there is very little warning that you're tired, and BLAM! you hit a brick wall! it is a strange phenomenon! you can be on the board a lot, read, do puzzles, play cards, do hand work. haven't you always wanted to do a redwork quilt? now you can get started on one! my thoughts and prayers are with you.
rita'smom-- i'm right there with you! i go into a rebelious stage and eat everything i want. that's where i am now. i know what's driving it, but i'm eating anyway. yesterday i saw a lawyer about going on disability. this is a huge step for me and i'm not easy with it. i've always thought of myself as strong, capable and self-reliant. disabled does not bring to mind those qualities. i can't think of myself as disabled, i just think of myself as someone who has to lie down a lot. but it looks like i may be 'legally' disabled. i have to come to terms with it. meanwhile, my body says, don't eat.' then 'eat it all!' 2 extremes, that's me! i expect to have gained this week.
i tell myself to just get back on the horse i rode in on, but i don't think i'm ready to listen yet.

nancia,
Going on disability was the hardest hurdle emotionally I have ever faced. I am glad that I did it, my medical bills are now approaching 1/4 of a million dollars, and that is with medicare covering a lot.

The monthly payment is small for me, nowhere near enough to live on. ($800) The hardest wait was the 12 months or so you can make no income while you wait on disability. After you are approved, you are still not allowed to purchase SS medicare for a period of time, then you still cannot purchase the supplemental policy for two years. Crazy.

I deal with it by saying this is money I paid in case of devastating illness, which is exactly what happened.

I just finished making 5 snack mats for 5 little ones to give on Halloween. I also am making a goodie to go with them . My daughter liked calling it Casper's Crunch - Crispix cereal, pretzels, Reese's pieces, candy corn, cheerios, orange and black gum drops all mixed and melted white chocolate poured over and mixed. Cooled and put in cute Halloween treat bags.

I was okay on the eating today, but they had a tour of a new Whole Foods opening in our town, we went on the tour and received goodie bags. Lots of cool things, I did eat two pieces of chocolate - but I had just a salad for dinner oops, with some onion rings. I will see what the scale says tomorrow.

Wow. I so love Whole Foods. We do not have one here though. :(

What is a snack mat? Sounds like it would be darling to give to the kidlets. The Casper's Crunch sounds soo Yummy!

Missy

The snack mat is the same as a mug rug. It is larger than a coaster, but smaller than a placemat. I will take a picture of them tomorrow and post them. I am mailing them to 3 little ones and saving the other two for Halloween as the little girls live near by.

thanks for your understanding, mj. the system is bizarre, and that's why i have a lawyer right from the git-go. they know what's going on and what to expect. i will wait as long as it takes, i don't see any other choice. it's nice to have you back 'on board'. that cheers me a great deal!

Thank you! Penny

Good Morning everyone!

Penny, sorry to hear about your surgery but I think you'll feel much better when it's over. I agree with others, try to walk asap and move as soon as you can. Holding pillow to the belly helps. My prayers are with you starting now.

Sandy, Sorry for your loss. Just take things one day at a time and use this board for support. We will give you all we can. Prayers to you and mom. Don't worry to much about the weight it will get back in shape.

Nancia, Good for you getting a lawyer. That's how I did it. It was a difficult thing to admit that I couldn't work any longer but I knew I couldn't. I still have times when I'm feeling better and think well maybe but by the next day I just can't even deal being around people and know that I made the right choice. It sure changes your income and medical but eventually it all works out. My prayers are with you.

Missy, I jotted down your cookie recipe, I think they'd be good to take to church. Question: What temp do you bake them at?

Went to LQS to find kids print to make prayer quilt for Arianna and hanging on the wall was the perfest quilt. It's flannel and called Tree of Life. All it is is a panel with a tree and birds with boxes of butterflies and birds, a border of free flyin birds, a narrow border of teal with white polka dots and a wider border with pink and yellow and green flowers. A perfect little girls quilt. Not to babish but big enough she can grow into. If I had a camera I'd take a picture. I'm over half done. I hope to get it done today so I can take it to church to have prayers said for Arianna and give it to our Pastor so he can deliver it next week.

Well I'm off to finish my Sat morning chores (laundry) and work on the quilt.

Have a good day everyone. Get ER done, One Day at a Time!