Weight Loss

I have been struggling with my weight for all of my adult life.  I have tried many diets, both fads and medically supervised, with nothing to show for my efforts.  I realize that my habits contribute to this problem, but recently I have been having more trouble walking due to my knees hurting me.  It has gotten to the point that I have to walk carefully as I am afraid that I will fall due to the instability.  So, back in January, I made the decision to pursue weight loss surgery.  I have worked through the steps, and my surgery date is September 6, 2023.  I have elected to have a Roux-en-Y bypass because it has the lowest rate of regain.  I have found protein drinks that I like to get in my 90 grams daily post-op, and I have a 64-ounce Stanley water bottle to help me keep up with my fluid intake.  I will post my measurements in a later entry, along with my current weight and a recent picture.  For now, here is a picture of when I was close to my highest weight of 317 pounds.   

So, this is another thing you may see here, the documentation of my journey to a smaller size and the ultimate goal of having my knees replaced. but, for now, goodbye.

Catching up

Once again time has gotten away from me and I find that I haven't kept up with this.  But, hey at least this time it wasn't so long before I came back.  LOL  

Before I forget, my photography site has been moved to here.  I found that it worked better for showing off my photos.  

Work has been busy, but nothing COVID related, thank the goddess.  We are in far northern NH, so I don't anticipate a huge outbreak anytime soon.  As it is, the normal stuff has been enough for us to handle.  LOL

So before I was out on leave, I discovered this wonderful thing for my nails.  I'm not a girly girl and don't like to go to the nail salon  every 2 weeks to get my nails did.  Then one of the little's best friends mother got me hooked on Colorstreet nail sets.  They are strips of real nail polish already painted and able to be put on your nails.  No more sitting at the salon while the stylist talks about you in another language.  These take me 5 minutes tops to apply and I can use my hands right away!  Plus they cost a third of the price for salon nails.  I can even get cute designs without paying extra and they can be layered to make different colors.  Here are some of the sets I have had on (they go from the first down to the last and I got better at putting them on each time):

 You should check them out at Color Street Nails.  I'm having an online Holiday party now and if you want to order, let me know at my email.  

Why can't we all just get along?

Recently, I saw an article on Facebook about an Idaho pastor who was diagnosed with Covid-19 and ended up in ICU after preaching wearing masks is a choice.  The OP wrote "He should not be treated. Period...". The following is the thread I started based on this post.  Please know that while I wear a mask only where required on me, I am not militant about it and you may find me without one on occasion.

So I posted:  "You start this and now you have opened up a whole new can of worms.  Maybe we shouldn't treat people who smoke and get lung cancer, what about type 2 diabetics that are obese or eat whatever they want, the overweight lady whose knees are full of osteoarthritis.  It’s a slippery slope to go down when you deny anyone proper health care."

Someone replied to me saying: ..."are you trying to make a point or just stupid? Neither one of those things are contagious! LMAO!"

To which I said : ..."wow, just right to name calling.  I was trying to make a point and, last I checked, am still entitled to my opinion.  Same as you. Way to be a rational person.🙄😏"

She answered: ..."oh sorry I thought that's what Trump followers liked. Name-calling making fun of handicapped people degrading and calling our military losers and suckers. Isn't that kind of thing what you're supporting?"

Anyone who knows me know: ..."nope and I'm not a Trump supporter.  I only think for myself and do not subscribe to line party fluff.  FYI, I'm one of the obese, knee osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetics I was mentioning in my original post.  I was pointing out that if you start excluding one group of people from receiving healthcare, it will landslide into the exclusion of others.  I also support our soldiers, they are there doing their jobs and do not deserve the treatment they receive after they have given their lives for our citizens.". As well as: "I'm also pro-choice, pro-LBGTQ, pro-concealed carry, and anti letting the government tell me when to take a shit." and "I'm also pro-letting people have their own opinion without resorting to name calling and assuming you know them."

I didn't hear anything more from her, but then someone's else contributes " ...yes but they didn’t deliberately go out and expose them self’s ...he was warned...he knew better...save those services for the real innocent people who deserve it...'

So I said " ...Kinda to my original post that the people I listed could have arguably exposed themselves to those conditions."

He piped up " ...Not really....arthritis is not a pandemic, you can’t catch it and people would gladly avoid it if they had a way to do that....this is entirely different....he’s entitled to kill himself if he has such STUPID beliefs but not me....this guy is like Trump obviously self centered and an egotist."

I countered with " ...No, but a lot of people with osteoporosis of the knees are overweight making it harder on the knees.  If they were less overweight, they may have less pain.  Their choice."  (Keep in mind that I am one of those who made that choice to overeat and I am now paying for it.)

So he says " ...Not allways true...lots of thin people have osteoarthritis....he made his choice...now he pays for those STUPID STUPID....choices....you can live with osteoarthritis but not Covid-19....hopefully hes an example to other people who think they can outsmart science....theres a list on the IT of all the Pastors who are defying Covid guidelines....maybe look those up to c the other really stupid people...."

The last exchange was from me " ...I want to thank you for being civil about our disagreement.  One point though, you can live with Covid-19, more people survive it than die from it."

This was the end of the thread but it saddens me that, as adults, we cannot have differing opinions in this day and age without someone jumping to conclusions about us.  No one is willing to calmly agree to disagree.  😥

Making myself responsible

My boys have just started back to school with 100% online learning,  I recently had my spleen removed (more on that later) and felt that with my increased risk of developing infections it would be in my best interest to just do the online thing for a while.  

In doing this, I am holding them responsible for completing their schoolwork and thought that I would set a good example.  Yes, I know that this is not as important as schoolwork, but it is the thought that counts.  Besides, I also have a lot of pictures that I would like to get online for starting a photography business.  If you are interested in nature photography, please take a look.  There is not too much on there now, but I am hoping to make it better soon.  

So for now, I will try to get on a few times a week to update my life on here, my weight loss journey at A Witch Melting, and the above photography site. 

What are people thinking?

Something happened at work today that just drove home a point to me.  I used to be the team leader in one of our organizations clinics.  I was leader for 2 full-time family practice physician’s (one of whom not only perform multiple specialty procedures but did so in 2 offices), 3 full-time behavioral health practitioners (again one that went to 2 offices), 1 part-time psychiatrist (once a month), and a dietician (whom I really did not do much for).  This included managing the staff that assisted those providers as well as administrative duties such as budgets and discipline.  While I was doing that, there were many times when I went to my manager asking for something as I was feeling overwhelmed.  I was told multiple times to “join the team” and that all the team leaders were busy.   I ended up going on medications to help manage my anxiety at dealing with it all.  I was a bitch to my family.  Something had to change.

Then the opportunity came up to change my position to essentially the same, but not having to deal with the administrative stuff.   This left my former position open, but they rolled that into the other team leaders responsibilities.  I changed positions, taking a large pay cut, but I have not regretted that change.  I love working with her and all of the staff at the new clinic.  The providers are a joy to work with and it is like an extended family.  We know what is going on in each other’s lives.   My first team leader I worked under was great and when she left, the woman who replaced her is just as wonderful.

But, I know that things behind the scenes are not improved from when I was a team leader and it seemed like it is getting worse.  Then this morning we came to work to an email that one of the other team leaders had received a new job title of assistant practice manager of the clinic where I previously worked.   However, the job description is essentially the same as the one for my team leader with a few sentences of BS added on.   Oh, and my team leader is responsible for 2 separate clinics.    

The newly promoted person has never been able to participate in committees; always saying that she is too busy.  This is even when I was there that she was too busy to do this even though I was a member of 2 committees in addition to my regular duties.  She is still not a member of any committee of which I am aware. 

This just seems to be a slap in the face of the other team leaders in our organization and unfortunately, it is indicative of how things are being done lately.  Recently, in the span of a couple of months we had over 10 staff members leave their jobs.   Someone needs to wake up and see that the clinics are not being managed in an effective manner and ultimately the staff and patients will be adversely affected. 

Maybe it is time to look for another job?