Sat 28th July

In celebration of my over 10.0 kg loss, Michael and I went to see the movie "Batman" at the theatre (Toni was over at her boyfriend's place and they went to see it at same time as us lol) and it was fantastic - plus I could sit in one of the chairs which made it so much more comfortable for whole movie than my wheelchair!

Then we went home and Michael said he'd make us lunch (hotdogs), put the pot of water on the stove to boil (I was in my room) then after few minutes, I could hear crackling and smell smoke, first thought was, "shit, he's boiled the pot dry" but then he yelled out "fire" and I bolted out my room and yep, flames were coming from the top of the stove, quite high and the smoke was almost so thick you couldn't see.

I asked if it was electrical and he said he didn't think so but he had on top of the stove my electric frying pan plus plastic, cardboard / rubbish etc and when he turned the element on, he put the one under the frying pan, wrong one duh! and it all caught alight and whoosh, flames, smoke, one very very embarrassed and apologetic son.

I had gone off at him I don't know how many times for putting things on top of the stove as I have a more than paranoid fear of stove fires cause my kitchen / dining room were gutted years ago when the kids were babies due to faulty wiring at the back of the stove and I ended up having insurance have to repaint, recarpet, vinyl, new blinds etc throughout the house cause of smoke, fire and water / foam damage

So I was more than mad that this could have been avoided!  But a lesson learnt I guess, luckily, no flame damage, but lots of smoke has seeped into cupboards, walls etc behind and up above the stove and even though we've had all doors open pretty much all night, it's still extremely smoky still

Tomorrow we'll open up again and maybe get some sugar soap to wash down the walls, cupboards etc, not too sure what else to do, the element has burnt plastic etc cooked on it, so have to get that off too arrggghh.

Tell you what if I find anything on top of the stove again that's not part of something been cooked there and then, I'm grabbing it and throwing it in his room!

I did ring 000 as I was scared the fire might get out of control and they said that was the right thing to do and said they'd come out and check it was out etc but they told Michael they wouldn't come with lights and siren LOL

Blow me down if they didn't turn up in the biggest fire truck LOL with 3 HOT firemen, 2 completely decked out in all the protective gear incl helmets LOL and marched up to the door LOL - Michael was SO embarrassed but serves him right!

They checked it all out, said we did good, Michael got a little talking to (we got busted for not having smoke alarm which again Michael had kept putting off putting it up (goest up tomorrow!) then they left.

So all in all, an eventful day - tiring and I'm a bit wheezy tonight with a really bad headache. got my fan on full and will be wrapping myself up in doona to go to sleep.

Stayed on points, tracked and NO snacks at the pictures either - good eh? :)

Fri 27th July - Weigh Day

Previous weight: 202.2 kg | 444.8 lb
Current weight: 197.5 kg | 434.5 lb
Lost / Gained: -4.7 kg | -10.3 lb

2012 weight loss: -10.2 kg | -22.4 lb

Total overall loss: -42.8 kg | -94.2 lb

Weekly Weight Records

updated

3 weeks in a row people :) I am so happy I can't tell you .. I honestly thought getting on the scales there'd be a gain and I was already ok about that as I know my history of big losses followed by small gains, up and down etc, but nope, 5.1 kg then 1.9 kg then 4.7 kg - 3 weeks in a row!

OK , enough of that.. back to business, I now go down in points again this week to 62 which is WW's default daily points balance for my size.  But I have been actually eating up to 10 pts less daily than that over the past 3 weeks and that seems to have been what my body needed, I'm eating more than enough to sustain me and keep me full and that's the main thing.

Today I had my boxing session with Mel at Curves and she whooped my ass literally!  I was sweating buckets within the first 10 mins and the next 20 or so after that was a blur - she wanted to see how far I could go and kept upping the ante on me and the sad thing was?  I ENJOYED IT :)

I loved it so much and she really seemed to like working me out so hard that we've made it a permanent booking @ 2.00 pm every Friday - YAY go me.. I love boxing in case you can't tell :)

So Thur will be my weights session and Fri my boxing :)  Can't get better than that.

I promised some people that I would reluctantly put up some photos of my new / old hair colour.. I was really white blonde till bout 13 yrs then ash blonde till I was pregnant at 15, then my hair just got darker and darker.. so we decided since Toni wanted to make my hair look as young as I am hahaha (her words LOL - not the haha that's me LOL) - I said on condition I just went back to ash blonde, no more blonder than that and I have to say, I think she did an ok job :)

Pity I look so old LOL oh well.. she wants me to cut my hair too to shoulder length?.. I'm not too sure about that, though I have noticed since I've been taking Thyroxine these past what is it 5 weeks?  my hair has become thicker, healthier and shinier - go figure?  Looks like Thyroxine has done a lot for my body which is fantastic.

Ok, I have updated Weight Records page and Milestone page (links up top) and I can't wait to see what happens in the coming weeks, I'm close to getting my 100 lbs milestone back and then 50 kgs back too - can't wait :)

Thu 26th Jul

Sweet, went to gym today, had an awesome workout, yawned a lot though LOL god, can't wait to get the blood test done early Aug which hopefully will find a) my dosage of thyroxine is spot on and b) my iron levels are low (strange to want it to be not a good result, but would definitely explain all the tiredness and absolute blahness I'm feeling right now)

I feel like I did before I started taking my iron tablets a while ago and since my last blood test was normal in iron, my doctor ordered me to stop taking them for six weeks to see if any difference in the levels, well, I'm not sure bout the levels but I am sure about the effects :(  I don't mind going back on tablets if it gives me back my "up and go" feeling.

Tonight Toni decided to colour my hair again as she insisted that since I'm a "young" mummy, I needed to keep my hair looking young without grey hairs etc LOL so.. I decided to take my hair back to it's original colour which was ash blonde (I went darker after I had my first child).

I might put pictures up.. or I might not LOL not sure how I look actually sigh :)

Anyway, enough rambling, I'm actually off to bed before midnight shock horror LOL - hopefully tomorrow is BOXING :)

Food wise 100%
Tracking 100%
Water 100%
Exercise 30 mins

:)

Mon 23rd Jul

Toni's first day back at Tafe and my first day back studying from home oh well, I have to admit I love studying esp anything to do with computers and / or web design

On the legs front tho, weird stuff going on, just general pain all over as per usual but combined with total exhaustion, I'm just feeling "off"? Bah I'm hoping it passes soon, I hate not even feeling like my music or bopping around.

On the tracking front :) still 100% no problems there at all plus having good variety of foods / meals.

Ok going to rest again sigh.

Sun 22nd Jul

Early start today, couldn't sleep past 5.00 am so decided to get up and get started on my tafe work - creating a flash picture gallery - lots of fun.

Had an early breakfast which was toast and Vegemite yummy lol then later when Toni woke up, she made lunch for us of toasted cheese sandwiches.

Tonight I think we'll end having chicken Kiev plus vegies.

Sigh it's only 3.00 pm and I'm exhausted again, might rest for a bit, back later.

Fri 20th July

Previous weight: 204.1 kg | 449.0 lb
Current weight: 202.2 kg | 444.8 lb
Lost / Gained: -1.9 kg | -4.2 lb

2012 weight loss: -5.5 kg | -12.1 lb

Total overall loss: -32.6 kg | -71.7 lb

Weekly Weight Records

Boxing boxing boxing, had a ball of a time at gym today, but so exhausted afterwards and unfortunately by later tonight my legs were killing me, but took and Endone, writing this really quickly and heading off to bed.

Weigh in results - LOST 1.9 kg this week :) - two weeks of losses must admit though, was really nervous today, but it helped going to gym first then weighing in.

Couple things I'm changing from my weigh day regime in the past, firstly I am eating breakfast and lunches before weighing in the afternoon, secondly, I am now going to be weighing in earlier, used to be round 6.00 pm or so, now I'm going to do it after I get back from gym, so gym then home about 3 - 3.30 pm and weighing then, little changes, but I want to establish a healthier weigh day routine than I used to.. which I have to admit was eat nothing, drink nothing all day till after weighing in.  (I still kept within points, just spread them out over the night)

Stupid I know, but now I'm hoping to establish this new routine which I have done for the last 2 weeks.

Points wise / tracking 100% again this week, very happy with that, plus gym 2 times as well.

Legs are not too bad considering either, have to find some sort of non greasy moisturising cream for my legs to help prevent skin cracking and softening the areas that have become hardened due to the disease - any suggestions please feel free to message me here or on FB - warning, I do have very sensitive skin due to excema plus I bruise very easily as well (some creams over time cause the skin to be bruised more easily and I need to avoid those)

Had a long talk with my mum tonight which I really needed and enjoyed, she helped me put into perspective some things with my son which was comforting to hear - a major breakthrough between her and I :)

Ok tablets kicking in, I'm off to sleep hopefully, see you all on here later tomorrow or on FB - drop me a line there, I'd love to hear from you.. gets lonely sometimes.

Thu 19th Jul

Went to the gym this afternoon, fitted in car better than the other day, so that's a major plus, also "tom" is almost gone, so that too is really good, just have to see if I get them again next month.

At gym, Danielle told me that Mel had some boxing stuff ready for my next time I go which apparently is tomorrow? LOL - Toni has her new timetable for her Tafe classes this coming semester starting next week, so we're going to go to gym on Thu and Friday's all going well.

Which means, tomorrow is BOXING :)  I'm so so excited to be doing this again and since Mel is a qualified boxing instructor, I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.

Apart from the cold, was a beautiful sunny blue sky day today, gorgeous to be out in the car too, thanks Toni as always for taking me.

Food wise 100% again, this tracking caper I enjoy go figure LOL - dinner tonight was curried sausages with roasted vegetables and steamed vegetables - filling, healthy and very tasty.

Legs have been up and down as usual, pins and needles in the feet but that soon wore off, so think I might have pinched a nerve in the leg unknowingly which considering I have lost a lot of feeling / sensation in parts of my legs isn't surprising.

But the blisters have been quite soft tonight, not as full with lymph fluid as usual and that means less pain which is always a major plus :)

Ok, rest time for me, so looking forward to tomorrow :)

Wed 18th Jul

Been a rough few days with the arrival of a very late "tom" but thankfully things are settling down again and the next thing will be to wait and see what happens next month.

Good thing is maybe the thyroxine is working? Can't wait till its time for blood tests to see.

Dinner tonight was lamb forequarters covered with salt reduced French onion soup mix and wrapped in alfoil with potato, sweet potato, pumpkin and carrots all wrapped individually in alfoil and cooked in the oven, steamed vegies on the side and voila very tasty and filling dinner indeed.

Tracking 100% enjoying writing everything down, gives me sense of control

I'm writing this again from iPhone and I'll see if I can post a pic again for you all.

If it works, it will be a pic they took of Darren & I when he was here last Sunday

Tue 17th Jul

Been a quiet weekend, with one exception, after 3 months or so, my periods returned on Sun with a vengeance, obviously the thyroxine is starting to work (crosses fingers) and this is the first sign - though I don't like "tom" LOL it was reassuring to have it return as I was starting to think I was heading for menopause.

Oh and Darren didn't text or call, typical, I had my hopes up I have to admit, but nothing, I have txted him but nothing either, so here we go again, hope it's not another 5 years before I hear / see him again?  Least at the moment his phone is still connected this time round.

Food / tracking 100% and I have not forgotten my thyroxine either every morning like clockwork :)  (helps I have a pill tracker on my iphone that keeps track of all my medications and times etc, comes in very handy when I go on clindamycin etc)

Spoke to Vish my OT today and the plans for the new bathroom should be arriving this week or early next week for my signature - wooohoo, then we wait for the disability board to meet on 9th Aug for final approval then it's off to builders for quotes (they choose 3 to go with and narrow it down from there)

Can't wait :)  Big changes ahead, that's what I'm focusing on now, nothing else.

Back later hopefully with round up of today.

Fri 13th Jul - Weigh Day

Previous weight: 209.2 kg | 460.2 lb
Current weight: 204.1 kg | 449.0 lb
Lost / Gained: -5.1 kg | -11.2 lb

2012 weight loss: -3.6 kg | -7.9 lb

Total overall loss: -27.1 kg | -59.6 lb

Weekly Weight Records

After buckling down the past couple months and eating back up to points again (was hardly eating since my birthday / my sister's passing), exercising when I could, my weight was just not budging and in fact with the increased volume of fluid in my legs, I was just getting heavier, more in pain and frustrated.

But after taking my doctor's advice, I started taking thyroxine 2 weeks ago and we doubled my Vit D tablets as well.

Last week of course, was another gain and I just cried and cried, but my doctor did tell me it takes up to 3 weeks for thyroxine to kick in and even then because I"m on the lowest dose, there could be lots of tweaking amounts with each lot of blood tests, so she told me to not stress out if things didn't turn around quite yet.

So, in another 4 weeks, I'm going back for more blood tests to see if I need more thyroxine and if my levels in Vit D have improved and if my iron and Vit B12 still are at good levels  -  so I am prepared for this to take some time but at least we're working on all parts of my health which is a good thing.

Exercise this week I did make it to gym once, the legs were not quite as swollen so I could fit in the car, just, but because they are so lop sided in weight, it threw my back out and that screwed me up for the rest of the week - sigh.

BUT I did track as per usual 100%, I don't mind tracking and if I forget something, Toni is very quick to put it in for me LOL :)

AND I did lose 5.1 kg this week :)

Wed 11th Jul

I keep meaning to make a post in response to some suggestions in whether or not I have thought about going 100% wheat free or grain free?

Thank you so much for thinking of me and making these suggestions, I do value all your opinions and love reading all your successes as you all follow which ever plan works for you, so thanks :)

I spoke to my doctor about this and she is suggesting that I stick to the WW plan for next 6 months as she is monitoring my blood work and wants to just work on a few things at a time, so no major changes till we work out my thyroid, iron, vit B12, vit D levels.

All my other levels, cholesterol, sugars etc, are more than excellent and she's happy for me to continue with what I'm doing.

She thinks it's going to take time to stabilise my body enough to allow my lymphoedema to take a back seat to my weight losses to come and that's what we're working on at the moment.

I go back for more blood tests in 4 weeks or so and we'll re-evaluate my thyroxine levels then and do more tweaking if necessary.

Unfortunately, the lymphoedema plays a major part in all the decisions etc I have to make with diet as I have to be very careful in what I add or take out of the equation as it has to be beneficial to improving my lymphatic system which is so compromised already.

Complicated I know :(

Ok, so side effects from going to gym have shown up already which is a major bummer, mainly because of the dramatically increased weight of my legs being so different right to left, it's thrown my back out, the left side small of my back to be precise, woke up in incredible pain and moving is agony, so taking aspro and going to get Michael to put some deep heat on shortly, so hopefully that will take care of that.

But if it's still sore tomorrow, I will postpone gym till next week - which I'm not happy with, but have to protect my back!

10.30 PM

Ok, a lot of pain now, taken panadol, endone, had deep heat massages, very painful damn it, don't think I will be going tomorrow definitely, need to rest and get this back right again.

Dinner was apricot chicken with rice - very nice, plus small mars bar (2 pts) for sweets.

100% on track and feeling good about that part of things.

Tue 10th Jul

Great news, I was able to get to the gym today for a fantastic workout and a great time with the ladies

Yes it was painful getting to and fro in the car and I just fitted in but I did it and I'm so glad I went

Not sure if this posts ok as I'm doing it via mobile but cross fingers

I'm attempting to post a pic of a beautiful large fish we saw in the shop window on way to gym

Tracking 100%, water and taking my thyroxine every day :)

Sun 8th Jul

I had a wonderful surprise visitor today!

My middle son, Darren, whom I haven't seen or heard from in nearly 5 years, turned up today at our house.

To say I was over the moon is an understatement :)  When I saw him at the end of the hallway, I just ran, yes ran to him with arms opened wide and the best thing is he met me half way and just hugged me for the longest time - yes we both cried, but I had missed him oh so much and wondered every day if he was still alive, well, happy.

He apologised for being away so long and explained that he had been in a really bad headspace for the longest time and has only since he's been with his girlfriend has he been able to turn his life around.

He no longer has anything to do with the wild crowd he used to run with and barely has anything to do with his father either who he now admits he wishes he never chose to go with him after the divorce.

But as I said to him, it's in the past, he's here now, healthy, happy and in a stable committed relationship (4 yrs) and that's all that matters to me.

He says he'll be back maybe on the weekend but that he definitely won't do what he did before and not contact me.

I have to admit though, after he left, the kids and I had a long heart to heart talk about how we all felt about him reappearing and I admitted I was scared to completely trust him again including believing that he will turn up again, I hate feeling like this and I'm really struggling to accept that he's here.

It still rings in my head that last day he was here 5 yrs ago, we had a wonderful lunch, I had helped him get a lot of his debts paid, lent him more money, then as he was leaving, he said he'd be back in couple days and that was the last time I heard or saw of him till today.

The last couple days I had really been struggling physically and have been spending more and more time in bed, not sure why, just feeling off and legs incredibly painful and large.

But... today, my son came home :)

Fri 6th Jul - Weigh Day

Ok, quick post as I'm feeling pretty frustrated tonight - weighed in and gained again this week, 1.0 kilos, which is leading me to that ever higher number and I just don't know why? 

I have done everything right for the last two weeks religiously, tracked, within points but nada.

Yes, I know the legs are the heaviest they've been but I just can't get my head around the numbers on the scales.

I can't get into the car for any length of time which means going to gym has been a real issue for me right now, I might get in the car and get there, but coming home could be a real problem as the leg swells up I am unable to fit in the car and shut the door properly.

For the first time Toni was really comprehending how I was feeling in respect to doing it all right and still gaining.  Especially when she has been losing the last two weeks, we're eating same things, same amounts but vastly different results,

So she sat down and we talked frankly about it all and came up with a game plan for the next two weeks, if then there are no changes, I will see my doctor.

I have been taking my thyroxine all this week without dramas, so hopefully they will kick in in another week or so.  One thing I have noticed is I haven't had time of month since April, could be stress after my sister's death (I did become sick with cellulitis then too) or a symptom of my thyroid problems, or even menopause?

We also took measurements from waist, upper thigh left & right plus above knee left & right and I'll be using them as a tool to measure how I'm going, the waist most of all as the leg ones we've mainly keeping a record of the lymphoedema fluid fluctuations, example is there is over 9 inches difference in the upper thigh of the left to the right leg (left being the worst one)

But I will add these measurements to here when I get back to my computer - at moment I'm out in lounge room with legs up using Toni's laptop while she's away at her game night.

Plus listening to Shania Twain at same time, I'm slowly relaxing and getting my determination and fire back, please don't worry bout me, I don't give up easily.

Sun 1st July

First day of July - time is going so fast, then it's so slow, feels like forever since I lost my sister, but then it feels like yesterday - confusing I know.

Very quiet day today, a few dramas I'm sorting out within family - my heart is so torn at the moment, hoping that the advice I'm giving is not wrong, I've only got this person's best interest at heart and it scares me how much I care about "them" and that's all I can say.

Tracking 100%, with a delicious dinner of roast lamb, roasted potato, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots plus steamed cauliflower plus gravy and white sauce.

Last night did my first dumbell exercises for a long time - 30 mins @ 3 kg dumbells, arms are killing me but in a good way.

Anyway, just been taking it easy reading up on different things, resting and watching "The Block" auction, very exciting day eh? LOL