Sable

I would have posted this sooner, but Sable's passing came so close to my trip to Texas for the Christmas holiday that I just couldn't get to it.  I thought I would share Sable's last days with you.  Sable went in for surgery and they found the mass was her spleen and she had a fatty liver.  Biopsy came back while I was in Texas that she had lymphoma and with her passing, I think it was for the best.

The first night was easy enough, she curled up in my summer clothes, staining a white shirt, but was comfortable and slept peacefully the entire night.  The next day she seemed a bit groggy, but who wouldn't after having major surgery.  I made her eat and drink and she took her medicine.  She curled up with me on the floor.  However by day 3 she was very slow and extremely groggy.  I took her in to the vet and they gave her fluids and told me to skip her pain meds.  It really seemed that was it.  She was only a pound and that means it's really hard to determine exactly how quickly her body would metabolize pain medication.  That night though, I knew it was the end.  She would only lay and hardly moved.  When she did her "business" right where she was sleeping, I knew that she would not make it through the night.  I held her and told her that she had to make it.  Daddy wanted to see her and he would be home in a couple weeks.  She just had to make it.  I was crying and she kissed my cheek.  She gave me this look, such a sweet look, that said to me "mommy, I tried, but this battle is just too much.  Tell daddy I love him and I'm sorry that I couldn't be there when he came home.  I wanted to smell his feet and steal his socks."  She laid back down, after taking water and food by syringe, and went to sleep.  She slept peacefully and passed in her sleep.  That morning was one of the toughest mornings I've had in a long time.  She's now got a nice grave and in our hearts as the sweet, loving ferret she was.  She really was my sweet girl.  Polar Bear is now a lonely boy but we're making the best of it. He's slowly getting used to me loving on him like I would Sable, but he still won't sit on my shoulders.  Sable loved hanging out up there.  RIP lil one, we all will miss you.

I would like to thank all of those who helped with the extra expense of her vet bills.  You're help was amazing and I was able to cover her expenses thanks to you!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Sable and the boot 

Sable's grave site

Quick Update

As we approach Christmas, of course the Deployment Fairy would strike.  Sable, my female roan, has a mass on her intestine.  She's now not eating or drinking water.  She's still running around like a mad woman when she's up, but usually it's to find the potty pad to make a lil mess.  I'm really worried about her.  I'll be going out of town soon too.  All of this couldn't have happened at a worse time obviously.  Well, that's the update.  Sable goes in for surgery first thing in the morning so I'm going to bed soon.

I am humbled

I asked some friends to read a thing I was asked to write.  What I had to write isn't what this is about.  No this is about the responses I got back from my friends that have me counting my blessings and knowing exactly what it is to be humbled in praise.

I often hear from people how they think that I'm cool or awesome, but those words are easily thrown around and besides, I say them all the time!  However, hearing that I'm some's rock and other's hero makes me feel a way that I've never felt and that can only be described as humble.  I'm not worthy of such praise.  I do my best to be there for everyone and give advice that is relevant to a person's situation.  I relate it to my own experiences to show why I think it will work.  I don't think anything of it and never realized just how much I have apparently helped people.  I don't do it for the feeling, I do it cuz I really do love helping people when I can.  And the praise I've received has produced a different feeling in me.

I would usually expect a feeling of pride.  A feeling that of pride based in the fact that I have helped someone and they like me for it.  But this is not pride.  I bow my head at the compliments and smile shyly as they comments come to me and say "this is what I'm here for."  I even feel like I'm bragging by writing this.  But I'm not.  I've just never felt humble like this before.  It's such a foreign feeling for me, that if I was a robot, my processors would short circuit.  (Yes, that's a bad joke right there, you may laugh)

Things that I Hate (cuz I'm in a bad mood & from a Facebook Status)

Things I hate: totally congested sinuses, people belittling married women without children, ear infections, not answering emails sent over social media when the other person can see you have spent massive amounts of time online since the email was sent, people with kids not wanting to be around people without kids, narrow minded bigots, hormones, zombies...

... people thinking any part of a vague status such as this one is about them and then makes a scene in the comments, people that think every comment people make on Twitter is about them, paranoid freaks, Justin Bieber, Justin Bieber fans (except Kellie), malt liquor, the Saw movies, the bubonic plague, dog farts, the smell of my neighbors' cigarette smoke in my condo, mayonnaise, sour cream, people who think their spouse going on a week long business trip is the same as my husband being deployed, passing a semi-trunk of Fountain Blvd...

... people who say they're fat when really they need to gain weight, fat people that dress like they're skinny, finding ferret poop on the carpet though I've watched their every move, politicians trying to convince people that the other side is completely wrong, marshmallows unless they're in cereal, liver and onions, mustard, people believing a known liar when they come to them with a rumor, He-Man, girlie things...

... a limp dead-fish handshake, the smell of vinegar, people who make horrific accusations about things they have no clue about and without getting all the facts, most strippers, the lack of alcohol & smokes in cartoons now, Disney remakes of classics, the spin off movies from Disney classics like the Tinkerbell movies *shudder*, people who are convinced that their parents treated one of their siblings better than them when in reality they were the one being "spoiled", pick pockets, video games with absolutely NO controls tutorials at the very beginning, self-righteous hypocrites...

... anyone who believes an eye for an eye, eye boogers, bloody noses, the sheer ignorance of the general public, main stream media (for the most part), incompetent bastards, being so far from my nieces and nephews, being so far away from my husband, the changes to all my fave toys from the 80s, jokes that go over my head, people who claim that they never get sad or upset, people who constantly tell me how strong I am, cinnamon flavored candies...

I'm sure I can add to this later

The Answer to Your Question is:

I've been getting a lot of questions about what's my secret to my weight loss.... Well folks, it's really not a secret.  While I was in college, the first couple years I didn't exercise other than walking from my car to my classes and I ate fast food often.  When I got to almost 190 lbs in 2008 I knew something had to be done quick as I weighed as much as my mom for the first time ever in my life.  I did start off with a strict diet for the first 6 months of this journey, but I've lost most of the weight doing the little things that everyone can do to make themselves healthier and in the end make themselves lighter.

Here are the basic things to remember, and that we hear from doctors and the news repeatedly:

1) drink WATER!  Most people don't drink anywhere near enough and they consume beverages such as soda in  abundance.  Diet soda doesn't help as the sweet flavor triggers things in your brain to make you crave REAL sugar and many people who drink diet soda end up overeating.  In addition, the carbonation in soda makes you bloated and the high sodium of all sodas make you retain water.  Water helps curb cravings and usually when you feel hungry it's because you're actually dehydrated.  Drink 8-16 oz of water and if after that you're still hungry, eat something light.

2)  Don't eat meat at every meal!  I know, it sounds bizarre.  However, most people eat too much meat and it's usually heavily processed.  If you substitute a vegan meat substitute for at least one meal a day, you will see immediate results, usually in how you overall feel.  I recommend trying the Morning Star "Chik'n" Nuggets or using their "crumblers" as a substitute for ground meat in things like hamburger helpers or in tacos.  You just season it like you would hamburger meat.

3) Eat your veggies & fruit!  They're not only good for you, but they contain water and are usually low calorie.    Just make sure you don't slather them in butter or cheese as that counteracts the nutritional value of the veggies.  Broccoli with a vegan cheese substitute is actually a good option and tastes great too!

4)  Move!  Even if you don't have time to do an actual workout, move.  I will do things like overhand claps, jumping jacks, crunches, or walking or running up and down the stairs at random times.  If you take a few minutes periodically through out the day, you end up exercising more than if you wanted to make it to the gym and then don't show up cuz you're tired after a long day.

5)  Take a moment to just breath!  Take a moment to just stretch.  Whether it's just trying to touch your toes or sitting down with legs extended and reaching in front of you, just stretch those muscles and you will feel much better & refreshed.  Being stressed out can cause you to hold onto unwanted weight since it produces cortisol, a hormone, that can cause you to hold onto weight and not digest food properly.  When we become overly stressed, our bodies divert blood away from our digestive system to allow us to deal with the situation at hand.  This causes the body to not process nutrients properly and can cause weight gain.

So really, these aren't secrets.  They've been said repeatedly on the news, by tv doctors, and on the internet.  It's all about life style changes.  I have had only 3 sodas in the last month and I haven't had a donut since like March if not February.  I do have a weakness for ice cream, and it can be enjoyed, I just do so in smaller amounts.  I'd be lying if I said I don't enjoy a cheeseburger at McDonald's on occasion and will eat some of my fave foods.  The key is moderation and to know they are treats.  I did totally pig out on pizza last weekend and felt bloated and yucky afterwards, but boy was it good!  But did I return to my old eating habits I had in college?  No, Monday I went back to my normal eating habits and will remember that pizza with great fondness and may order another one in a month or so.  Our favorite guilty food pleasures should be enjoyed seldom.  This way they can really be enjoyed and savored.... Mmmmm now I want some fried chicken, and not the vegan variety or the better for you Chick-fil-a stuff either, good ol' fashion greasy fried chicken LOL... I'll just day dream about it cuz I can't splurge for awhile :)

SQUEEEE

When I first started this blog, I started mostly with my attempts at losing weight and making positive lifestyle choices.  Well here we are 2 years later and I have finally got to my first major goal, weight wise, when I first started my lifestyle changes.  In October 2008, I weighed over 185 and in 6 months I had lost 15 lbs.  It has taken me until now to get below 150 lbs!  I am 5'4" and a healthy weight for me is from 130-145.  I have a new goal now!  I want to reach 140 by my 30th birthday in January.  I think 9 lbs in 3 months isn't impossible and I know I can do it.

I'm already seeing changes in how my clothes fit and it's a good thing, though I want someone to explain to me why the sleeves of women's t-shirts are so damn small!  I had this problem back in 99 after I got out of the Army (weighing more than I do now).  Do they think that women have tiny arms, even if they're skinny?  It's so irritating.  I really hate having to by larger tops just so my arms aren't having the blood cut off by the sleeves.  I have to say having most of your shorts almost fall off is awesome!  The only thing keeping them on is my "bubble" butt LOL.

I'm sure I'm going to annoy some to no end with my enthusiasm about the weight loss and the leaning of my body, but I haven't been so stoked and motivated!

Day 47

I just noticed I haven't posted in awhile and I'm sorry.  I've just been going about life as close to normal as I can.  I've been working out and trying to get down to weight but it seems the more I try, the more I see nothing on the scale or the tape, yet I can see that my abs are getting flatter... Oh well.  I haven't had a soda in 3 days now.  Yes, I do have a Red Bull in the morning, but hey, a girl needs her B vitamins and the caffeine!  I've been drinking LOTS of water and eating well.  Most of my diet is either vegetarian or health food.  I do treat myself to something not so good for me, but it's not all the time.  I do love me a cheeseburger on occasion lol.

I do have to say that Skype is so awesome!  Getting to see my hubby brings me so much joy and helps the days without hearing from him a bit easier to deal with.  I'm pretty sure he'll be proud of my keeping up the work out. I have say I did take a break from it when all the drama started happening but I think exercising is helping me deal with stress of it all.  I'm already seeing an improvement in my stress induced stomach issues and in the hair loss.  That is always good, but I am tired of the hair in my brush...

Well, not really much else to say, it's lunch time & I'm starved and I've got a ferret running around like a crazed loon.