Um, can I get a re-write???

Hi Everyone!  I hope you're all having a good week so far.  I'm still pretty excited about my surgery date in FOUR WEEKS - woo hoooooooo!  Okay, enough of that. Every day around 3:30, I send a text to Shelby asking her if she's on the bus yet.  Pretty normal "mom" stuff.  Today our conversation went like this: Me: Are you on the bus Shelby: yes m: did you have a good day? s: no since my rib hurt all day m: um, what did you do? and how much homework do you have? s: idk and none m: did you fall, trip, run into anything? s: no m: probably growing pains, sorry :( please vacuum before I get home s: no, i'm hungry m: eat and then vacuum s: fine m: thank you then she calls me and tells me she won't vacuum.  I give her another choice - putting away all the clothes she left in my room while she was sleeping in there when Karen was visiting OR vacuum.  "Awwwww moooooooooooooooooooooooooooom, can't I do anything else?"  Nope, those are...

I am SO excited!  My surgery has been moved up two weeks!  I'll be having my laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery on Tuesday, December 29th at 10:30am!  I've decided that we're going to spend an hour (hopefully not much more) with the family on Christmas.  I've already called my mom and told her that I will most likely be cranky on Christmas, so it'll be a very short visit.  Besides, um, I won't be able to eat - I'll be on a liquid only diet!!!!!!  Have I mentioned how EXCITED I am?  Woo hooooooooooo!! Love & blessings to all of you!!!!

Well, the surgeon's office called me on Friday but I missed the call!  UGH!  I'm going to call them first thing tomorrow (Monday) and hopefully they will set up my pre-op and surgery dates.  Then, I'll have to figure out all the other stuff!  I'm getting pretty excited though! Karen & I went to the Kenosha Outlet Mall Friday.  I bought a whole bunch of goodies for Shelby.  Then Karen mentioned something about Shelby having way too many clothes... Yes, but a lot of them don't fit!  I try and try, but that kid won't let anything go!  So, Karen offered to go through Shelby's dressers with her!  woo hoooo again! Saturday night, Karen and I went to Chicago.  Had a wonderfully yummy meal at Ruth's Chris and then we went on to Davenport's Piano Bar.  A friend, Dan, who I hadn't seen since high school in MN works there as a bartender part time.  They had a nice show.  Very interactive and funny!  Dan sang AND pla...

Hi Everyone! How are you?  I hope everyone is doing well! I woke up today with a migraine.  I think it was a combination of stress, stress, and stress!  I have had SO much on my mind lately oh and I've been dealing with some childish stuff at work.  No, I'm not being childish (I've matured people!) but there are others who do not care for me, and really have no desire to work with me.  But, my position is requiring them to listen.  I told you it was childish.  Just trying to do my job, man! So, I decided to stay home and try to rid my head of the migraine and also try to get some work done.  I actually did get quite a bit of work done, but later in the day. Yay! But, the best thing is... My health insurance has provided verbal approval for my laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery!  I have spent about 9 months jumping through hoops, and I was getting pretty darned frustrated that the insurance was taking so long.  I couldn't ...

I am worn out!  Lots of things going on.  I'm pretty much constantly thinking about surgery (is the insurance going to approve it?  when are they going to approve it?  when will my surgery finally happen?  why is it taking so frickin long????)  That has definitely taken it's toll!  Today I spoke with Rose, the coordinator at the bariatric center.  She said still no news.  She assured me that things are definitely on the right track, but it's going to take more time.  That means: no surgery in the month of November :( Karen will be back in Switzerland before my surgery :( I was really hoping she'd be here because, well, she's Karen!  She's an absolutely wonderful friend.  She can put up with cranky MB and sassy Shelby, and she loves Wilbur (but who doesn't?)  Now I'm sad.  I'm sad because while I am sure things will work out, I have absolutely no idea how they will work out.  And, I'm tired.  Tired of ...

Today I was reminded how much easier it would be (theoretically) to keep things tidy than to do a deep clean without having a sore, aching body!  Karen is arriving tomorrow afternoon and I had to make room in my room for Shelby's trundle AND make sure there is room for Karen's luggage and Karen in Shelby's room!  Shelby is sleeping in her bed toinght and tomorrow morning, she must find a place for all the dolls & stuffed animals that are taking up the end of her bed.  I'm sure Karen likes to cuddle, but not with Shelby's dolls & stuffed animals!  I also spent 3 1/2 hours today shampooing the carpets.  The sad thing is, only about 1/2 of the house (approx. 423 sq. ft.) is carpeted!  Every time I emptied the catch basin part of the Rug Doctor - out came nasty brown water!  Ewwwwww!  I suppose that's what happens when you have (had) two dogs and an active kid (and all her friends).  Needless to say, I went ov...

Is it Friday yet?!?!?! I have a special request for all of you.  There is a little girl, named Desire who is in the PICU right now after a dresser and TV fell onto her and caused head injuries.  The accident happened on Monday afternoon.  She is just three years old.  Please pray for Desire and all the people who love her.  Pray for her recovery as well as peace for her mom, twin sister and extended family.  It is hard for me to even think of this as it breaks my heart!  I'm asking you, my prayer warriors, to wrap your arms around Desire and her family! On a "lighter" note.  Get it?  Lighter?  Bariatric surgery.  Weight loss... Yeah, I know - I'm a dork!  So, anyway...  I spoke with the coordinator at the bariatric center and apparently my insurance company has dropped the ball.  I don't really understand exactly what happened but she mentioned something about the insurance company contacting a Jennifer requesting...

Yep, it's Tuesday and I got nothin!  Hmmmmmm...  Okay, I'm glad tomorrow is Wednesday! I am SO excited about Thursday because I am having lunch with some wonderful friends at Bob Chinn's.  This isn't any lunch either.  It's my "Goodbye to Gluttony" lunch - tee hee!  I'm going to have a delicious filet and white rice with lots of butter and enjoy my last pig out before my surgery.  Well, I haven't gotten insurance approval yet!  I'm hoping to hear something by next week.  I am SO READY for the next phase of my life.  This one has been really long, stressful and not fun!  Bring on the JOY!!!! Love & blessings to you all!!!!!

Today was a long day, but I have so much to be grateful for! Shelby (duh!) My awesome job and wonderful boss & co-workers! Wonderful friends! Email The beautiful colors of autumn I made it to my first small group on Monday - woo hoooo! Determination Laughter Indoor plumbing Taking steps to a healther, happer MB (MB 2.0?) Hearing that the bariatric center is submitting all my paperwork to the insurance company by tomorrow!  I was told to check back in with them on 10/30 if I haven't heard from them before then. I was able to bite my tongue today (when I really wanted to let "them" have it!) I could go on, but I'm trying to get to bed early enough so that I can take my sleep-aid so I can try to get more than 3 hours sleep tonight. Love and blessings to you all! Nighty night!

WARNING ! THIS POST CONTAINS IMAGES SOME MAY FIND OFFENSIVE !!! This is me, approximately 2 weeks before I had Shelby. I was tired, but looked pretty good for being 38 weeks pregnant! Look at my arms & legs, no fat! Shelby was born weighing 9 pounds 10 ounces and 22 1/4" long! Big baby! Please ignore the scrunchy, my hair was really, really long! This is me & Shelby. This afternoon. I weigh approximately 30 pounds more than I did the day I had Shelby! I am not at my heaviest (I've lost approximately 6 pounds recently), but I am DONE being fat! I hate it. I'm ashamed! I can't walk up a flight of stairs without being winded. I have sleep apnea. My asthma is quite bad and I'm exhausted all the time. There are so many contributing factors to my weight issues. Abuse as a child and teen, abuse from boyfriends in adulthood... Cancer and the huge surgery to get clear margins. Depression. I haven't gone on a date in forEVER and being heavy gives me a great ex...