Tuesday, May 24, 2011

My Someday Box

Thanks for the shopping suggestions from my last post! I ended up getting a pair of khakis at Kohl's (16s even!), and I'll probably go back for more. I still have to do some patient contact stuff in the mornings so I won't be getting too dressed up. Plus, I'll still need to wear my clogs (no cute shoes for this gal), and they just do not go with dress pants.

Over the weekend, I was rifling through some things in the basement, and I came across a bin of clothes I had dubbed my "someday" box. As in, I will someday fit into these clothes again. Wouldn't ya know, my first "someday" has arrived. There was a pair of size 18 jeans from New York & Company in there -- they totally fit! A little further digging revealed another bin full of 16s and 18s -- all kinds of jeans, khakis, shorts, etc. I tried on everything, and pitched half of it for being too big. Keep in mind these things are all at least six or seven years old, and we all know how Lane Bryant cuts their clothes a little, ahem, different these days. So I wasn't too upset when I found an eight year old size 20 pair of capris that fit great. Lord, how I hate that store.

Anyone else have a someday box?

Thursday, May 19, 2011

The scale she is a' movin!

OMG people. OMG. This afternoon I took a shower before I went to get the kids from daycare (cuz I don't want to get up that 20 minutes earlier in the morning -- yeah I'm lazy like that), and I decided to hop on the scale for shits and giggles. Guess what it said....

205!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That means I am officially 70 lbs down! Holy crap. I mean, when did that happen? Oh wait, I remember. My new job is keeping me so busy I barely have time to eat at work anymore. And you know what? I don't even miss it. I'm having a great time doing this new stuff -- I really feel it's what I am meant to do.

While we're on the subject... don't you just hate it when people have to go and rain all over your parade? Most of my cowor/kers have been very supportive of my prom/otion, but then there are those few who have really been almost rude about it. I get that some of it might be jealousy and some might be bitterness (in fact, I'm sure of this one), but God it just kills me. One person actually said, "Congratulations. I'm a little worried about you. Aren't you worried?" Um, no. Because I'm positive I'll do a million times better at this than you ever did. So there. Of course, I didn't say that out loud.

I was also thinking about how visible this pos/ition is, and how, four years ago, 70lbs heavier, I know I would not have had the self-confidence and feelings of self-worth to go for this and make it happen. When I look back, I realize over the past year, all my efforts have been going towards something like this, and I am so lucky to have this opportunity present itself. It's really a once in a lifetime chance. It's the kind of yob (to borrow a term from Grace) that people get and then sit on for decades. It's pretty exciting, if I do say so myself.

Now I need to go shopping! I don't even know where to begin! I'll still need a couple pair of scrubs, but I need to get some business casual stuff too. I'm still between 16s and 18s, so I'll probably be heading straight to Lane Bryant for the time being (dammit).  Almost out of there... almost.

Anyway, that's my week. Things are going pretty darn good.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Stand Up For Yourself!

Because I am exhausted from a week of indescribable pain and training for a new job, I offer you this exciting infographic from medicalbillingandcoding.org. Check it out, and maybe stand up while your're reading it:

Sitting is Killing You

Friday, May 13, 2011

The nightmare is finally over!

My stupid kidney stone landed me in the ER for a third, yes THIRD, time yesterday. To make a long story short, I got the stent out this morning, and it turns out the damn thing was stuck to my bladder wall pretty good. I'm assuming this is why I was having so much pain this time around. The doc even said it was one of the hardest stent removals he's ever done. Anyway, it's over. Done. I'm so exhausted.

Now if I could only take a dump, things would be grand! That's what a week of Vicodin and Percocet will do for you! I don't dare step on the scale until that all works itself out. Ugh.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The further adventures of my kidney stone...

Remember that 3 mm stone I told you about on Thursday? Yeah, you know... the one that I was supposed to pee out sometimes over the next few days? HA. It had other ideas.

Saturday night the pain hit me like a truck. I was damn near hysterical trying to get hubs to call the next-door neighbor to take me to ER. He ended up calling my sister so she could stay with the kids and he could come with me. We got there just in time because I started throwing up right in triage. Gross, I know. The good thing is that made me a high priority case, and I didn't have to wait very long to get some help.

To make a long story short, I ended up getting admitted. I had surgery Monday night to have it removed, and of course, to have a stent placed. Luckily, the stent comes out this Friday already. Know what else? For whatever reason, no one saw it necessary to unfill my band. I must have told at least eight different nurses and doctors about it, and they all acted like they didn't know what I was talking about. I feel like I got away with something here. At least my good fill is still intact.

So the rest of this week for me will be full of well-timed Vicodin and Pyridium. Just gotta make it a few days, and then this current nightmare will be over.

In other news... I got a promotion at work! I am now a supervisor!!!! I have wanted out of direct patient care for awhile, and this is my first step there. The best part is, I'm still in the same department, but working with a group that I haven't worked directly with before. So, I don't have to totally say goodbye to my old coworkers. I am so super excited about this!!!

As for weight, I will hop on the scale in the morning. I didn't eat for about 36 hours in the hospital, but I also am a fair bit constipated from the Vicodin, so I'm not sure how it's going to shake out. Wish me luck!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

My kidneys hate me

Did I tell you guys about my kidney scare last week? In case I didn't... to make a long story short, I saw my urologist, ultrasound and xray were clear, and I was sent home on antibiotics for a UTI.

Well.

This morning at work, I was suddenly overcome with left flank pain. I have a pretty high tolerance, and I'm not just saying that. This floored me though. Chills, nausea, the works. I even came close to passing out. At that point, the nurse I was working with insisted I go down to ER, so she loaded me up in a wheelchair, and off we went.

Verdict after CT scan?

Fucking kidney stone (pardon my french). This little bastard is only 3mm, unlike my previous monster stones, so I will have to pass this one. Luckily, the pain has subsided for the better part of the afternoon. My back started twinging again right as I was checking out of the ER, but I made it home to swallow a Vicodin before it got out of hand. And I get the joy of straining my urine till I pass the darn thing.

On the plus side?

207.5 this morning! Can you say new low? WHEE!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Back around again

Still relearning my bandster eating. This weekend was a lesson in only eating when you are truly hungry. It's good though. I'm really getting strict with myself again on things like waiting thirty minutes to drink after eating and protein first. I've had a couple episodes of serving myself way too much food, but I also didn't succumb to the temptation. It helps when you have a toddler nearby who always wants to share too!

Things are getting busier at work too, and I eat way less when things are hoppin'. I think this fill has finally finally finally gotten me back to where I need to be. I had an unfill scare earlier this week -- I thought I had another kidney stone. And since I grow ginormous stones, that would've meant another surgical removal. Well, the good news is, the ultrasound and xray showed zero stones. Bad news is, I have a kidney infection. Serves me right for not getting my water in.

That's about all I have to report. Hubs and I are watching The Fourth Kind, which is good, but will probably give me nightmares. I will probably have to stay up till 2am watching Doris Day movies to counteract it!