22 Monday Apr 2024
Posted in bariatric-surgery, Cancer, Diabetic, diet, Weight Loss
Tags
My gastric bypass surgery is this Wednesday, April 24th. It was originally scheduled for last Wednesday but COVID hit. I am having waves of emotion. One minute I’m excited the next, I’m nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. But, all the benefits outweigh the negatives. I think my wife is more nervous than I am. Granted, I know this will be a life-changing experience with a new diet and a new way of looking at my life. An extended life I might add.
Stay tuned for more updates.
07 Thursday Dec 2023
Posted in Photography
Tags
Bariatric, bariatric-surgery, Doctor, Exercise, gastric-sleeve, Gastrologist, Gym, health, obesity, Surgery, Weight loss, Weightloss
I spoke with the Bariatric surgeon on Monday and discussed my options. We both concluded that the gastric bypass was the way to go. She was a young doctor and my wife questioned her ability. I think she was just jealous of her looks. We talked about the class that I am going to have to take and the three visits I have to have with my general practitioner. Those will all have to be scheduled. I think I’m going to wait until the first of the year to start this because of the temptations with all the Christmas foods.
My next appointment was with my Gastrologist on the same day. I found out that my stomach ulcer had healed and I can now reduce the meds that I am taking. That’s good news because that was one of the concerns I had with the Bariatric surgery. I also found out that I had a Hiatal Hernia. This can also be taken care of during the Bariatric surgery.
The doctor visits will take three months. If I start in January, that would mean that the surgery would not be until April of next year. There is no mention of any amount of weight that has to be lost but there are several things that I have to do these three months. I have to keep a record of my meals, which I already have an app for that. I have to go to the gym or somehow show that I’m at least trying to exercise every day.
This is going to be a long drawn-out process but I’m ready for it. I’m tired of looking the way I do and feeling the way I do.
01 Thursday Sep 2022
Posted in Photography
Tags
Cancer, CML, poll, Weight, Weightloss
Tomorrow is weigh-in. I’d like to see if anyone out there is willing to voice their opinion as to how much I’ve gained or lost.
Come on guys let’s play along. Did I gain weight? If so, how much? Did I lose weight? If so, how much did I lose?
I’m looking forward to seeing what you guys have to say. Remember, I lost over fifteen pounds last week. Did I lose that much again? What do you think??
10 Sunday May 2020
Posted in Diabetic, diet, Gym, Photography, Twins, University of Alabama, Weight Loss
Tags
daughters, diet, Graduation, Mom, Weightloss, Weightloss goal
I hope you got a chance to visit your mother today or at least made or received a phone call. I got to visit mine for a few minutes. We practiced social distancing while visiting her on our porch. My mom is in her mid 80’s so she won’t be here with us too much longer so I want to spend as much time with her as possible, front porch or not.
My family spent the afternoon last Saturday taking pictures at the University of Alabama, where my two daughters graduated. I’m so proud of both of them. The one on the left will go into advertising while the other will be going into childhood education.
Off-topic…The person I’m seeing in the mirror in the mornings as I’m getting into the shower is beginning to disgust me once again. You and I both know what that means. My gym will be opening soon and then there is that treadmill downstairs. In the meantime. I’ll be watching what I eat and walking on the treadmill. I’ll need all the encouragement I can get. The goal…10 pounds in 10 weeks.
22 Sunday Mar 2020
Posted in Gym, Weight Loss
I’m a couple of days late. I’m still quarantined and I’ve come down with not only the flu but a bad sinus infection, self-diagnosed of course. There is no way I’m getting out of this house and getting tested. I’ve been taking the Tamiflu as my wife’s doctor prescribed and I’m getting better every day. My daughter, who has also been quarantined with us has not shown any symptoms as of yet. My wife has nearly gotten rid of her aliments with the exception of her cough. That, I’m afraid, will stick around for a while.
I’ve slept more in the last week than I’ve slept in a month. I’ll be watching something on the television and what seems like moments later, something else will be on. I can’t stand going to sleep during the day and waking up. I feel like crap afterward.
I’m down 6.2 pounds as of today. That’s a little over a pound from last week. Not being able to go to the gym is going to be a drag if this quarantine lasts much longer. Around here the government has closed all nonessential business, gyms being one of them. I really haven’t felt like getting on my treadmill lately but I know I’ll have to soon if I want to continue to lose weight.
I hope everyone stays safe and I hope no one gets this virus.
14 Saturday Mar 2020
Posted in diet, Gym, Weight Loss
Tags
“Slow process is better than no process”. This week’s totals are in. I’ve lost a total of 5.8 pounds since I’ve started at the gym. It’s been nearly four weeks since I’ve started and it’s still too soon for me to tell if I’ve lost weight or not. My clothes still fit the same. All this exercising and dieting has got to be doing something. it’s just going to take time I guess.
I’m having to drive the misses around this week and part of next week. My son wrecked his car last week and now it’s in the shop being repaired. We’re hoping that it’s repaired this Wednesday. I’ve had to make slight adjustments to my daily schedule to make sure I’m there in time for me to pick her up in the evenings.
This COVID-19 is something else, isn’t it? My daughter’s school is closing just after spring break, my wife’s school where she teaches will be out for over two weeks, churches not having services but streaming them over the internet instead, people hoarding toilet paper (which I don’t understand), just people in a panic all over. Personally, I’m not going to fall for the media-hyped panic that the rest of my state is going through. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing to keep me from being sick and I hope everyone else does the same. Everyone needs to turn their TV’s off and calm down.
22 Saturday Feb 2020
Posted in diet, Gym, Weight Loss
Tags
I did not go to the gym today. I could have and if the truth is known I guess I should have. Since I’ve joined the gym on the 14th of February, I have been four days out of the last eight. I’ve been told not to overdo it. But what is overdoing it? I only work with the trainer for thirty minutes and then I hop on either the cycle or the treadmill for another thirty. Friday, I had gotten there thirty minutes early so I hopped on the cycle before my thirty-minute session with the trainer, then another thirty minutes on the treadmill afterward. Tomorrow I plan on doing thirty minutes on both the treadmill and the cycle and maybe some weights in between.
What is your opinion? How long should a workout last? As much money as I’m paying out I want to get my money’s worth. Also, and I know this is a loaded question, what sort of diet, if any, should I be on to maximize not only my weight loss but to help with getting my body in shape.
21 Friday Feb 2020
Posted in Cycling, diet, Gym, Weight Loss
Tags
At least that’s what I’ve always heard. My first appointment with the trainer was on Wednesday of this week. Like I said in my last post, he is one of my Eagle Scouts. My main concern was that he would use this as a way to get me back for all the hiking that I made him do. I’m not sure if he tried to get me back or not but I’m telling you one thing; I’m sore. He worked my chest, my legs, and arms. He said he was going to take it easy on my first day then give me a good workout on the second day, that’s today.
Two things that I’ve noticed so far. I want to go to the gym even on the days that I’m not scheduled to work with the trainer. I definitely want to get my money worth. The second thing I’ve noticed, and I’m not too impressed with, is the fact that I’ve gained two pounds since I’ve started. We can’t have this. I want to lose weight not gain it. I’m supposed to talk with someone at the gym today about a Mico diet. I’ve never heard of it plus I don’t do well with diet plans.
There is another thing I’ve noticed since I’ve been going to the gym. There’s a lot more people there that are in shape than those that are not. There are a few there that their shape is round like me but for the most part most are fit and trim. It’s like those fitness commercials. You never see a fat guy on a Peloton. You always see a fit man or woman giving it their all on those machines. I know it’s marketing but I think it would give us fat guys more incentive if we could see one of our own on those machines working out. And why is it that they usually have a gorgeous blond, who is all fit and trim, curves in the right places and always smiling behind the sign-in desk? They’re usually married, got two kids and 42 but yet look 21.
UPDATE: I got to the gym about thirty minutes early. My trainer was busy with another client so I hopped on a spin cycle and for thirty minutes my legs had a decent workout. When it was time for my turn with the trainer we mainly worked on my upper body. It was already sore from Wednesday but I made it through. After my workout with the trainer, I spent thirty minutes on the treadmill. When I left there, everyone knew I had a decent workout because there wasn’t a dry stitch on my body. Maybe I can see a difference on my scales tomorrow. At least I hope so.
17 Friday Jan 2020
Posted in Cancer, Diabetic, diet, Leukemia, Weight Loss
Tags
Happy belated holidays! Wow! It’s been a rollercoaster ride for me and my family. There is no way I can put all that’s been going on in one post. If I did, it would be a very long post and most would not read to the end. So, that being said I’ll probably post several topics in the next few days. I’ll go ahead and briefly tell you what’s been going on though.
Diet Nonexistent. I really tired but these holidays were just too much for my weak will power. I am back on it but and I have lost a few pounds. I got on my treadmill the other day and I think the thing has a weak motor. I know I weigh quite a bit but I don’t think the thing should stop suddenly like that. Maybe I’ll rejoin the gym at the local Baptist church up the street.
Dad’s Kidney Stones Dad called me up before Christmas wanting to know if I could take him to the hospital to have a kidney stone removed. It seems that my mom, which is in her 80’s, had to take her to a clinic in the early morning hours that morning. The doctor there said that he had a stone which was too big to pass on his own. 1.2mm x .08mm. The clinic did not have the resources there to break up the stone. I took him to the hospital and the doctor there said that they normally do not call in the urologist for anything that small. My dad and I looked at each other. I looked it up and 1.2mm is nearly half an inch. I called the doctor out on it and he reassured me that my dad could pass the stone. The day after Christmas, which was about a week later, my sister made an appointment with a urologist and had the stone removed. I won’t go into how they did it but from the sound of it, I wouldn’t want to have it done. I spoke to him yesterday and all is well.
Oncologist Report I haven’t been or heard from my oncologist since last August. A lot of things have been going on with different meds that had me concerned about my numbers. You see, I’m on drugs for some ulcers in my lower stomach. One of the drugs that I’ve been on is Zantac. This drug has been known to lower the effectiveness of my cancer drug as well as cause cancer too. In order for the ulcer med to have minimal effect on my cancer drug, there had to be a six-hour delay before I could take my cancer drug after taking the ulcer drug. Now, the new drug they have me on after taking me off the Zantac, they want me to take it four times a day but still keep the six-hour delay. Can’t be done. So far I have only figured out that I can take it in the morning and once at night before going to bed. This is crazy. Oh, by the way, all my numbers are good.
Ok, that’s it for tonight. There are several more interesting items that I want to talk about so stay tuned.
03 Tuesday Dec 2019
Posted in Weight Loss
Tags
I was doing so well and then just like a car hitting a stone wall, it stopped. It’s really laughable. This has happened so many times in my life that it really didn’t come as a surprise. I’m upset and then again I’m not because I knew this was going to happen. In the past several months I have forked out about $100 on diet plans and a gym membership. I was following both when I got sick and had to be put in the hospital. Of course, when I got out I was so weak that I didn’t feel like doing anything, including eating right. I saw myself sliding down but I just didn’t feel like doing anything about it. I thought about Thanksgiving coming up and that didn’t help any with all that food around so I decided to wait until the first of December. Starting on the first of the month always seems easier for me for some reason. Well here it is the 3rd of December and I’m already sliding a bit. It’s been too cold to get out and do any walking or hiking. I’ve got a membership at a local church gym but I have always had an excuse as to why not to go. It’s will power, or should I say, the lack of it, is the main reason I’m not doing well.
Since I know what the problem is you would think I would know how to fix it. Well, I don’t. I eat the wrong things, I snack too much, I don’t exercise enough. I come up with a plan to exercise and I always find an excuse why not to exercise. I’m doomed. I’m by myself during the day and I have no one to push me out of this recliner. I have no one to hold me accountable but me and I’m not doing a very good job. This cold weather is killing me because it’s too cold for me to get out and do any type of walking. I don’t want to even get out to get to my truck to drive to the church where I’m sure the gym is heated.
I’ve lost 50 pounds before and I know I can do it again but I was working then. I had to get up and get out of the house by a certain time. I walked at least 15,000 steps a day then, now, I’m good to get around 4,000 steps. I had my meals at the same time every day because everything was structured. Now, not so much. I have my wife get me up at 6:30 every morning so that I can take some of my daily meds. I have to wait an hour before I can finish my meds and eat breakfast. Then it’s a six-hour wait until lunch. I do this because of my cancer med can’t be taken within six hours of one of my morning meds.
Tomorrow is a new day. Let’s hope I do better than the past two.
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