Enter A Chaotic Week, Stage Right

 

Just because you're not sick doesn't mean you're healthy.  ~Anon 

Last week was in a word: absolutely crazy with a little bit of chaos and a lot stress on the side.  Yeah, that is more than one word, isn't it?  

It all started with Hubby not feeling well on Tuesday.  He decided to just rest up because he hadn't been sleeping well anyway so we took it easy during the day and raked up some leaves later that evening.  On Wednesday, he wasn't feeling all that great, but had to get back into work.  We both did a bunny workout and he took a shower after he had 2 big glasses of OJ.  I was preoccupied with getting the kids (and myself) fed and didn't really notice how slow he was moving as he was getting dressed.  He went out to the car and as I was putting dishes away, I realized that the car was not leaving the garage.

Hubby came back in and said he didn't feel well at all and proceeded to sit down.  I took a good look at him and told him he looked a little pale.  The kids were eating and I was looking up the nearest urgent clinic and he started talking about how he didn't feel well.  He said his back was aching but that the pain was moving around to his abdomen and listed a couple more things that made us think: kidney stones.   

As the morning progressed he looked paler and paler.  I told him that I was going to take him to the ER.  After dropping the kids off at Mom's (THANK YOU, MOM!), I took him to the hospital.  It was early enough and they weren't busy, yet, so we got admitted straight away.  The initial RN opined that he agreed with our medicine.com diagnosis of kidney stones, but that the doctor would be in to see us.  Enter the ER doc, stage left.  Exit hubby, stage right to get a CT scan on his kidneys.  Re-enter hubby stage right, re-exit hubby stage left for a chest X-ray.  Chest X-ray???  What was going on here???

In the midst of the entering and exiting, my dad came in also.  He had just finished up with his exercise related to his bypass surgery last month.  We both wondered aloud what the deal was.  

Enter hubby again back from his chest x-ray.  They told him they were looking for pneumonia. Huh???  He had abdominal pain... not ... well, whatever.  I never went to med school so I'll just keep my mouth shut.  

Re-enter ER doc.  He looked at Hubby, at me, at Dad, back to hubby.  Then said, "Well, gotta tell you.  You're pretty screwed up.  You've got some problems."  Whatever happened to bedside manner???????  He went on to explain that Hubby's blood sugar was 657.  He might as well have told me that Hubby had condition called WJEKRIKLHLJLAJEK.  I asked him what normal blood sugar was and he said, "70-100."  Now we're getting somewhere.  But nowhere good.

He also said that Hubby had a severe kidney infection and that we were going to need to stay for a while to get some things figured out.  SO, for the next three days, we stayed in the hospital and they gave him insulin and antibiotics and more antibiotics and more insulin.  We both slept in the tiny hospital bed and waited for someone to tell us something concrete.  We were told that he had had a massive kidney infection and some blockage.  That caused his blood sugar to elevate.  OR, his blood sugar had started to elevate and that caused the kidney infection.  And he MAY or MAY NOT be diabetic, either type 1 or type 2.  

The only things we knew for sure when we left on Friday night was that his blood sugar was still high and he was going to be on insulin for a little while and a couple antibiotics to clear up the infection AND that I had contracted a nasty little 24-hour stomach virus the second day we were there so my expulsions from both ends had nothing to do with morning sickness.  I'm feeling much better now.

Anyway, Hubby and I really don't have that bad of a diet.  The only real bad habit Hubby had is soda.  Other than that, we eat probably better than most on the budget we have.  Believe me, if we could afford organic, I'd buy it.  We're monitoring his sugar and his diet.  We have reduced the carbs and his sugar is going down, but still at least 80 points above normal.  We're hoping that we can get all this under control but until his infection is completely gone, we're not sure where that's going to leave his blood sugar.  Hopefully a follow up next week with the GP will clear some things up.

I'm very proud of Hubby and his determination to take care of himself and beat whatever this is.  He has told me several times that he'll do whatever it takes and I know he will.  And I'll do whatever I can to help him.

I say all that to say, if you haven't had a physical, what are you waiting for??????

As far as me and #3, we're doing okay.  TIRED is a word that comes to mind.  My belly is also getting large but nothing else is, thankfully.  I just can't believe I'm only 8 weeks and my belly looks like it's at the 4 month mark.  BOOBS is another word that comes to mind.  I think I have gained 2 cup sizes in the past 2 weeks  Had I been prepared with the proper undergarments,  I would be overjoyed, but the chaos of the week before left me no time for bra shopping and I feel like, well, this phrase just popped into my head: She looked as if she had been poured into her clothes and had forgotten to say "when."  ~P.G. Wodehouse

 I'll keep you posted on Hubby's progress and how we are dealing with all the new changes.  Any diabetic recipes would be greatly appreciated. 

Week 7

Everything grows rounder and wider and weirder, and I sit here in the middle of it all and wonder who in the world you will turn out to be.-- Carrie Fisher

7 down.  Only 33 to go.  But (besides me) who's counting?  I'll spare you my whining and suffice it to say that I'm doing the same.  I felt good enough to workout yesterday so that was good, but then I fell asleep in the car on a 25 minute ride.

I took some gender quizzes on line just for fun.  The resounding result has been "It's a girl", but this is based on questions like how fast my leg hair is growing and if my feet are colder than normal.  One site, though, told me "Congratulations, you have a 40% chance of having a girl."  My first thought was, "And a 60% percent chance of having a goat?????"  The Chinese gender charts both said girl and they were accurate for Riley and Boo.  But I know this is all fun and games.

I've been eating slightly better.  I have to stop eating when I'm not really hungry though.  All these crazy nausea feelings are making me just want bread and crackers.  But, the kids right now are down for their naps, so I'll be sneaking in some shut eye too.  I swear I will be more engaging and much more interesting as soon as I have the energy for it.

Patience, Can't Wait Til I Get Some

Adopt the pace of nature:  her secret is patience.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I haven't even hit the 7 week mark and already I'm impatient.  I'm ready to start feeling better, I'm ready to stop being so tired, I'm ready to be able to really work out again, but mostly, I'm ready to be past the first trimester!

I recently saw a little quote (and you all know how I LOVE quotes) that said, "Life is not a journey, the journey is life."   I like that a lot.  But it still doesn't help with my patience.


I really do amaze myself though.  I find it remarkable that, considering the speed at which the last 4 years have flown by, June seems like it will never come.  I know it will.  After all, it comes every year!  A lot is going to happen over the next 9 months.  Thanksgiving, my little guy's 4th birthday, Christmas, New Years, baby girl's 3rd birthday, my nephew's 6th birthday, a trip to Mexico (where I'm sure I'll be looking like a beached albino whale), the Kentucky Derby, my birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and then baby #3.  That's a lot to squeeze into 9 months and that's not even half of it!


I need to start planning.  Well, I've got plenty of time to plan though...  Maybe I'll go a florist to get some roses that I can stop and smell every once in a while.

Missing: My Energy and My Mind. Would Happily Take Either One Back

Life is always a rich and steady time when you are waiting for something to happen or to hatch ~from EB White's book Charlotte's Web

Sleepy and queasy and tired and queasy and sleepy and my knees hurt and did I mention tired?  Chores are getting forgotten and I prefer to relax on the couch at night instead of doing anything else.  Oh,  did I mention I was tired???????

And I'm crying.  Over commercials, Biggest Loser and even the movie Evan Almighty.  Hubby has almost banned me from the TV.  I'm also craving BREAD, crackers, BREAD, pasta, and anything to do with carbs.  I'm trying to keep the carbs clean, but I miss last week's craving for spinach instead of bread!  Last week I was doing well with my workouts, this week, not so much.  We went for a walk over the weekend and I had a couple shooting pains in my abdomen so we shortened our walk and went home.  I felt better as soon as I sat down, but I'm 35, paranoid, pregnant and not taking any chances!


My energy is GONE.  It's a struggle right now to keep up with the kids.  I hope this passes soon.  I miss working out.  I did try a little workout this morning with hubby but made the mistake of doing it on an empty stomach.  Maybe tomorrow I'll try again after breakfast.  


But, the kids are asleep right now for their naps so I'm going to be soon too!  Would love to know how anyone else out there fought pregnancy fatigue!!!!

Happy Halloweekend

If not for chocolate, there would be no need for control top pantyhose.  An entire garment industry would be devastated.  ~Author Unknown  

I have refused to buy Halloween candy yet.  Especially Whoppers, Reece's Peanut Cups, Crunch Bars,  Kit-Kats, Hershey Kisses, York Peppermint Patties, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, or basically anything with chocolate.  Next to Hubby and my kiddos, chocolate is near and dear to my heart.  I can walk past any candy, chips, fried foods, cakes, doughnuts, cupcakes without hesitation, but, to quote Mr. T., I really do pity the fool that gets in my way when I'm on the prowl for chocolate.


Luckily, my baby cravings are of the healthier sort this time around.  I find myself preferring spinach to ice cream and corn salsa to Doritos, but I'm still loving those calorie and sugar rich honey, peanut butter and raisin sandwiches.  (Don't knock it til you try it, folks.)


However, I am hoping that I can maintain my course throughout this weekend and then send the supply of my favorites to Hubby's work and let those women enjoy.  (Helpful to me, definitely.  Somewhat diabolical to them, perhaps.)  


Okay - here are some additional strategies from our friends at Mayo Clinic to help us avoid temptation!

Halloween unofficially marks the beginning of the holiday feasting season. And for anyone trying to watch his or her weight, the scariest part of Halloween is not ghosts and goblins but the ever-abundant Halloween candy. Sugar and mostly empty calories is what you get in candy, and the truth is that most of us don’t exercise enough to warrant those extra calories.

Those cute little fun-size candy bars seem harmless -- and they are, if you can limit your consumption. But that's easier said than done.

"All it takes is an additional 100 calories a day or the equivalent of one snack-sized chocolate bar and most adults will experience weight creep before they even know it," says Lona Sandon, MEd, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

When your cupboards are loaded with candy and the kids come home with bags full of even more treats, it's hard to resist. Many people try to lessen the temptation at home by bringing their extra candy into work, thus setting a high-calorie trap for their co-workers.  (oops...)

"Don’t get sucked into the 'see food diet' mentality that makes you want to eat the candy simply because you see it and not because you are hungry," says Brian Wansink, PhD, a Cornell researcher and author of Mindless Eating:  Why We Eat More Than We Think. "We eat more of visible foods because it causes us to think about it more, and every time you see the candy bowl you have to decide whether ... you want a piece of candy or not.

"Simply thinking of food can make you hungry, so when you see or smell something associated with food, like the shiny foil-wrapped Kisses, it can actually make you salivate."

But there are ways to keep your hands out of the candy jar so you can avoid packing on some extra pounds even before the holiday season starts. Here are 10 expert tips to help you avoid the temptation of Halloween goodies, at home and at the office.

1. Buy candy you don’t love. If the candy in your pantry is stuff kids like but that you don’t enjoy, it will be easier to resist opening those bags and diving in. For most of us, that means anything but chocolate. "Sour candy, gummy-textured [candies], hard candies and the others that are not chocolate are lower in fat and calories and typically not the candy we overeat," says Sandon.
2. Out of sight, out of mind. Ask your co-workers to keep their candy jars and bowls inside their desks or stashed in a cabinet in the break room so you won’t be tempted every time you see it. If they want to keep candy on their desks, ask them to use a colored container with a lid so you can’t see inside.
3. Savor one piece of your favorite candy a day. Decide what time of day you most relish the sweet stuff, and save your special treat for that time. Then sit back and slowly savor the taste sensation. "It is so easy to pop a piece of candy into your mouth mindlessly and not get the full enjoyment you would get if you saved it and ate it when you know you will enjoy it the most," says Sandon. Indulge your sweet tooth on occasion, because denying yourself completely could lead to an all-out binge.
4. Chew gum. Sugarless gum gives your mouth a burst of sweet sensation for very few calories. "Studies have shown that gum chewing can also help [you] relieve stress, mentally focus on tasks, satisfy a sweet tooth, overcome the urge to eat candy, and help manage hunger pangs to hold you over until your next meal," says Sandon.
5. Replace the candy with better choices. Make the see-food diet work in your favor by putting out a bowl of colorful fruit or veggies in place of the candy.
6. Move the candy jar. Wansink and colleagues have done studies on how frequently people eat candy when it is within reach, out of sight, or requires them to get up to reach the jar. "If you have to get up to get a piece of candy, it is not always worth the effort, whereas when the candy is convenient, consumption is higher," says Wansink.
7. Count the empty wrappers. It's so easy to pop fun-size candy bars into your mouth that you can lose track of how quickly the calories are adding up. "If you keep the wrappers on your desk, it will remind you of how many you ate and hopefully inspire you to exercise moderation and stop after one or two," says Sandon.
8. Take a walking break. Getting away from your desk for a breath of fresh air can invigorate you and help you get over the mid-morning or mid-afternoon slumps that are often mistaken for hunger. 
9. Manage your hunger. Eat breakfast before coming to work and plan for a few healthy snacks along with a satisfying lunch. Your preplanned meals with keep you feeling satisfied and make you less likely to raid the candy bowl.
10. Sip on a low-calorie beverage. Keep your hands and mouth busy by drinking a zero-calorie cup of hot tea (rich with disease-fighting antioxidants) or big glass of water. And light hot chocolate can satisfy your sweet tooth for few calories than most fun-size chocolate bars.

Happy Halloween, all!  

Stay safe and have fun!

I Get a Passenger on my Journey

You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.  ~Dave Barry, "Things That It Took Me 50 Years to Learn"

Well, I've been trying to avoid bread but I just found out there's a bun in the oven!  Hubby and I are very excited and so are grandparents.  It's very early.  5 weeks early.  Even though I have no reason to think this pregnancy will be anything but ordinary, I am 35 and just a little nervous.  My doc told me that I was perfect  to make babies at my last visit so that is some comfort though.


Now it's time to shift my focus - but only slightly.  Now more than ever nutrition is essential!  I must maintain a good weight.  I can't and won't let myself gain 65 or 75 pounds like my last 2 pregnancies.  I can't afford that at all.  But I won't sacrifice Baby's health by restricting calories either.  So, here's the deal....


We'll continue to learn about nutrition together and make the right choices, knocked up or not.  I'm going to continue to exercise but a little bit lower impact and I'll stay with the 3 pound weights.  I'm going to put a tracker with my weight gain and how far until D-Day.  Right now I'm at 138 and it's 243 days till the baby makes a grand entrance.


I would definitely appreciate any words of wisdom from mommies who have actually kept their weight in check during pregnancy and from those mommies over 35.  Thanks for your prayers and support!!!! 

My Personal Trainer

A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time - pills or stairs.  ~Joan Welsh

Over the weekend, I'd had a particularly long Saturday starting with a mound of laundry I didn't get to on Friday, a soccer game for my 3 year old, lunch with some friends, then back home to do more chores and try to finish my spring 2010 cleaning before winter.  I was beat and my 3 year old asked me when I was going to do my video.  I told him later several times and finally he said, "Mom, but you need to do your video!!!"


I wish I could tell you that I did, but it was already 8:30 by that point and I was running on fumes.  I could tell he was frustrated with me and the next morning when I did in fact do my video, he happily came downstairs to join me.  I feel bad that I let him down, but it cracks me up how important it is to him at 3 (well almost 4) years old that I work out.  I love it!


On another note, I took my measurements today.  I've lost 2 pounds and 3% body fat from a month ago.  I was hoping for better results but there were a few parties and celebration nights over the month.  But at least the numbers are moving in the right direction now!


My nutrition is definitely getting better.  I'm opting for more salads instead of sandwiches and more egg white omelettes instead of cereal.  It's going well.  And I'm a little surprised that since I took some of the urgency out and decided to enjoy the journey, I'm actually happier and doing better on my weight loss plan.  Yay me!


One day this week I do need to get my recipes uploaded.  I'd love to hear some of your favorites too.  And I do apologize for my repeated hiatus.  Sometimes life overtakes planning!