I made it through and I'm still standing. We got up to Wilmington SurgiCenter shortly before 10 and they called me back a bit after. Four different people asked all the same questions. The doc drew hirogliphics(sp?) on me. I was lead into the OR at 11. I remember laying down and them injecting me with the "fuzzy" stuff. Woke up in Recovery feeling pretty good and wearing a two sizes too small girdle. They're like Spanx--they go from the rib cage down to my knees with accomodations for going to the bathroom. In between me and the girdle are pieces of foam in select places to discourage swelling and encourage shrinking.
Anyone want to guess how much fluid they removed?
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Not sure what to title this...
Tomorrow is my surgery. Liposuction of the hips, abs, and "back fat." Am I nervous about being put under? Not sure. It's definitely a serious procedure. Olivia Goldsmith died while having liposuction done on her neck. I think it was something to do with anesthesia (sp?). Good thing I updated my will. lol. Okay, bad joke...but still a valid point. If anyone asks, it's in a manilla folder on the white bookcase in my office.I've been off work since Friday. Actually, Thursday afternoon--we had our Wing picnic and then were released for the day. I was supposed to leave for camping that evening but that little voice inside said "don't go." I didn't question it. I just let my friends know that I couldn't go. It didn't help that Aunt Flo decided to make an appearance as well. Camping and tampons, although they contain many of the same letters, do NOT go together. This weekend especially. Now, this may be TMI but tough!...it's my first red wave since I ceased with the BCPs--a pre-op requirement having to do with clotting or some such thing. The doc told me to stop taking them, I did. It's not like they're doing anything except keeping my skin clear anyway. Oh, and affording me shorter red waves. Normally done in three days, this time it took three days to get momentum. Yuck! I know.So, back to being off since Thursday afternoon. That's a lot of time with just me. Now, don't get me wrong. I enjoy my time by myself but I like doing projects and stuff. Unfortunately, I'm more concious of my spending which makes doing projects more difficult. I did plant some veggies, and watermelon, and some flowers. I've also been eating a ton of junk food--kind of the last supper, I guess. Since weight gain ususally goes to my hips, it kind of works out. :))I also went to the mall. Tried on some cute jeans at Old Navy. Didn't buy them. Why would I? They won't fit in a couple weeks once the swelling goes down. Instead, I look forward to buying them in a smaller size. I wonder if my shape will be drastically different or just smaller. Imagine, having one shape your whole life--for me, that's square hips; you know, where the most weight is carried above the butt rather than at the butt--and then POOF! it's different. I think I'm more nervous about having to deal with a new shape than actually going under. I'm all typed out for now...C ya!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Do you have a couple hours to spare?
www.bbbsa.org/
Breakthrough Study Finds Adults Mentored as Children in Big Brothers Big Sisters are Better Educated, Wealthier & More Fulfilled than Peers
New Study Released at Big Brothers Big Sisters’ National Conference Suggests America’s Largest Donor-Supported Network of Volunteer Mentors for Youth Breaks Cycles Linked to Poverty
Miami, FL, June 16, 2009 -- A study conducted by Harris Interactive® on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters finds adults mentored as children through Big Brothers Big Sisters are more likely than peers with similar backgrounds but who were not involved in the program to have a four-year college degree, incomes of $75,000 or more. They also report strong relationships with their spouses, children and friends.
Big Brothers Big Sisters released the findings this week during its National Conference. The 2009 conference is being hosted in Miami and is sponsored by Comcast.
“The children we serve are among America’s most vulnerable, whether they have one parent, live in households experiencing poverty or have a parent who is incarcerated,” said Judy Vredenburgh, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America President and Chief Executive Officer. “Independent research has told us for some time that Big Brothers Big Sisters improves the odds that children we serve will succeed educationally and socially. This is our first large-scale examination of the long-term benefits, suggesting we have the potential to break cycles too often associated with family and community poverty.”
The cross-sectional study was commissioned by Big Brothers Big Sisters to gather evidence that its long-term structured mentoring program’s effects reach far beyond the time that children are enrolled in the program. The nation’s largest donor supported volunteer mentoring network’s 255,000 community- and school-based mentoring matches depends on donations to recruit, carefully match and screen volunteers and provide ongoing support to the mentors, children and their families.
Among the study’s specific findings:
Alumni were 75% more likely than non-alumni to have received a four-year college degree (28% of alumni vs. 16% of non-alumni).
Alumni were 39% more likely than non-alumni to have current household incomes of $75,000 or higher (46% of alumni vs. 33% of non-alumni).
A majority of alumni are extremely or very satisfied with their relationships to friends (72%), family (65%) and spouses (62%). Fewer non-alumni report the same level of satisfaction (46%, 50% and 40%, respectively).
Approximately two in three (64%) alumni are extremely or very satisfied with life compared to just over one in three (35%) non-alumni.
A majority of alumni (62%) perceive themselves to have achieved a higher level of success than their peers who were not involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters. Furthermore, this is twice as many as the 31% of non-alumni who report being more successful than other people they grew up with.
Adult Littles are more likely than non-alumni to be engaged in their community over the past 12 months, particularly when it comes to volunteering (52% vs 35%, respectively) and holding a leadership role in an organization working on an issue (29% vs. 16%, respectively).
"One of the most effective strategies for successful fundraising is to demonstrate the long-term value of our program,” Vredenburgh said. “Foundations, individuals, corporations and public funders – want to invest in programs proven to change lives and break cycles of poverty.”
A little more than half of the alumni Littles who participated in the study grew up in single-parent homes (52%) and described their childhood financial situation as worse off than the average American household (51%). The Big Brothers Big Sisters alumni reported that having a “Big” in their lives positively influenced their self confidence, provided stability and changed their perspectives on life, taught them new things, influenced aspects of their education, pushing them to set higher goals and make better decisions.
Methodology Between March 3 and April 16 2009, Harris Interactive conducted an online survey of 449 adults, 200 of whom participated in Big Brothers Big Sisters as “Littles” for at least one year during their childhood and 249 who never participated in the program. Alumni Littles were sampled from a combination of Harris Interactive’s panel of respondents and Big Brothers Big Sisters lists. All 249 of the non alumni were sampled from the Harris Interactive panel of online respondents. The non-alumni segment allows for a comparison between Big Brothers Big Sisters alumni and adults who had a similar profile as youth but who did not have a Big Brother or Big Sister as a youth. A full methodology is available.
About Harris Interactive Harris Interactive is a global leader in custom market research. With a long and rich history in multimodal research, powered by our science and technology, we assist clients in achieving business results. Harris Interactive serves clients globally through our North American, European and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms. For more information, please visit harrisinteractive.com.
Breakthrough Study Finds Adults Mentored as Children in Big Brothers Big Sisters are Better Educated, Wealthier & More Fulfilled than Peers
New Study Released at Big Brothers Big Sisters’ National Conference Suggests America’s Largest Donor-Supported Network of Volunteer Mentors for Youth Breaks Cycles Linked to Poverty
Miami, FL, June 16, 2009 -- A study conducted by Harris Interactive® on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters finds adults mentored as children through Big Brothers Big Sisters are more likely than peers with similar backgrounds but who were not involved in the program to have a four-year college degree, incomes of $75,000 or more. They also report strong relationships with their spouses, children and friends.
Big Brothers Big Sisters released the findings this week during its National Conference. The 2009 conference is being hosted in Miami and is sponsored by Comcast.
“The children we serve are among America’s most vulnerable, whether they have one parent, live in households experiencing poverty or have a parent who is incarcerated,” said Judy Vredenburgh, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America President and Chief Executive Officer. “Independent research has told us for some time that Big Brothers Big Sisters improves the odds that children we serve will succeed educationally and socially. This is our first large-scale examination of the long-term benefits, suggesting we have the potential to break cycles too often associated with family and community poverty.”
The cross-sectional study was commissioned by Big Brothers Big Sisters to gather evidence that its long-term structured mentoring program’s effects reach far beyond the time that children are enrolled in the program. The nation’s largest donor supported volunteer mentoring network’s 255,000 community- and school-based mentoring matches depends on donations to recruit, carefully match and screen volunteers and provide ongoing support to the mentors, children and their families.
Among the study’s specific findings:
Alumni were 75% more likely than non-alumni to have received a four-year college degree (28% of alumni vs. 16% of non-alumni).
Alumni were 39% more likely than non-alumni to have current household incomes of $75,000 or higher (46% of alumni vs. 33% of non-alumni).
A majority of alumni are extremely or very satisfied with their relationships to friends (72%), family (65%) and spouses (62%). Fewer non-alumni report the same level of satisfaction (46%, 50% and 40%, respectively).
Approximately two in three (64%) alumni are extremely or very satisfied with life compared to just over one in three (35%) non-alumni.
A majority of alumni (62%) perceive themselves to have achieved a higher level of success than their peers who were not involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters. Furthermore, this is twice as many as the 31% of non-alumni who report being more successful than other people they grew up with.
Adult Littles are more likely than non-alumni to be engaged in their community over the past 12 months, particularly when it comes to volunteering (52% vs 35%, respectively) and holding a leadership role in an organization working on an issue (29% vs. 16%, respectively).
"One of the most effective strategies for successful fundraising is to demonstrate the long-term value of our program,” Vredenburgh said. “Foundations, individuals, corporations and public funders – want to invest in programs proven to change lives and break cycles of poverty.”
A little more than half of the alumni Littles who participated in the study grew up in single-parent homes (52%) and described their childhood financial situation as worse off than the average American household (51%). The Big Brothers Big Sisters alumni reported that having a “Big” in their lives positively influenced their self confidence, provided stability and changed their perspectives on life, taught them new things, influenced aspects of their education, pushing them to set higher goals and make better decisions.
Methodology Between March 3 and April 16 2009, Harris Interactive conducted an online survey of 449 adults, 200 of whom participated in Big Brothers Big Sisters as “Littles” for at least one year during their childhood and 249 who never participated in the program. Alumni Littles were sampled from a combination of Harris Interactive’s panel of respondents and Big Brothers Big Sisters lists. All 249 of the non alumni were sampled from the Harris Interactive panel of online respondents. The non-alumni segment allows for a comparison between Big Brothers Big Sisters alumni and adults who had a similar profile as youth but who did not have a Big Brother or Big Sister as a youth. A full methodology is available.
About Harris Interactive Harris Interactive is a global leader in custom market research. With a long and rich history in multimodal research, powered by our science and technology, we assist clients in achieving business results. Harris Interactive serves clients globally through our North American, European and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms. For more information, please visit harrisinteractive.com.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
A week later and it doesn't hurt as bad.
By Monday, I was able to move around without wishing my head wasn't so heavy. I went to the doctor that morning and he diagnosed "cervical strain." Sounds kind of gynecological, doesn't it? He also put me on a profile for "no pushups, no situps, and no running"; which means the only part of my PT test that I could do would be: taping my ab circumference. That's not good. Max points I would get for my 34.5 inch waist would be 71. I need 75. Anyhow, he also gave me Tramadol for the pain. I took it at 1oam Monday morning and had a buzz by 11am. I couldn't even leave for lunch 'cause I didn't trust myself to drive. One of my coworkers shared her lunch with me. Thank goodness. I took another pill Monday night with the thought that the "buzz" would/could happen while I was sleeping.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case but I didn't realize it until I was halfway to work Tuesday morning. We had Commander's Call at 5:45am because someone got a DUI. Halfway through it, I had to rush to the bathroom so that I could be sick. So much for breakfast. An hour or so after the CC Call was over, I went to sick call. They tried to get me to come back that afternoon cause it was 8:01 and sick call was over at 8am. I said: "I'm having a reaction to the medication the doctor gave me. I don't think waiting til this afternoon would be a smart move." Long story, short: no pain medication for me. I'm allergic to Ibuprofen products so I can't even take an anti-inflamatory.
My neck is currently just a little sore. The profile my doc put me on expired Friday. That would mean I would have to test all components of the PT test. It hurt to do situps and I didn't want to injure myself further and run the risk of failing my PT test. See, the Fitness Director has us do pushups and situps first, then we run. If I did situps before I ran, I might hurt myself to a point that it would compromise how I performed on the run. So, back to the doc I went...to get an amended profile--no pushup, no situps but run okay. I got that. Yeah!
So, I test this coming week. Sometime before Friday because Friday is our holiday day off and Monday, the day my PT test is due by, is a base down day. Wish me luck and have a good weekend.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case but I didn't realize it until I was halfway to work Tuesday morning. We had Commander's Call at 5:45am because someone got a DUI. Halfway through it, I had to rush to the bathroom so that I could be sick. So much for breakfast. An hour or so after the CC Call was over, I went to sick call. They tried to get me to come back that afternoon cause it was 8:01 and sick call was over at 8am. I said: "I'm having a reaction to the medication the doctor gave me. I don't think waiting til this afternoon would be a smart move." Long story, short: no pain medication for me. I'm allergic to Ibuprofen products so I can't even take an anti-inflamatory.
My neck is currently just a little sore. The profile my doc put me on expired Friday. That would mean I would have to test all components of the PT test. It hurt to do situps and I didn't want to injure myself further and run the risk of failing my PT test. See, the Fitness Director has us do pushups and situps first, then we run. If I did situps before I ran, I might hurt myself to a point that it would compromise how I performed on the run. So, back to the doc I went...to get an amended profile--no pushup, no situps but run okay. I got that. Yeah!
So, I test this coming week. Sometime before Friday because Friday is our holiday day off and Monday, the day my PT test is due by, is a base down day. Wish me luck and have a good weekend.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Damn! That hurts!
I don't know how it happened but I managed to hurt myself in such a way that I can't move my neck, shoulders, or head without some serious pain. I feel like I did neck lifts with a thousand pound weight. You know how it feels when you sleep wrong and you can turn your head all the way without a bit of discomfort. Well, multiply that by 100. It hurts so bad that I feel like a baby who can't lift her head 'cause it's too heavy. My BBF here brought me one of those microwavable thingies that rests on your shoulders to alleviate some pain. It's working...a little bit. I was fine yesterday but as my sleep wore on last night it became harder and harder to roll over without pain. This morning, it took all my strength just to do so.
I think this is God's way of saying "take it easy", "no days off for 22 days is not something to be proud of." So, I'm sitting on my butt and watching TV with as little movement as possible. I'm just glad it doesn't hurt to click the mouse button or type. lol. Have a good weekend.
Five more duty days until my PT test.
I think this is God's way of saying "take it easy", "no days off for 22 days is not something to be proud of." So, I'm sitting on my butt and watching TV with as little movement as possible. I'm just glad it doesn't hurt to click the mouse button or type. lol. Have a good weekend.
Five more duty days until my PT test.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Surgery side affects and it hasn't even happened yet!
I had to stop taking my birth control pill three weeks prior to my surgery. Well, that time frame began three days ago. The hormones are definitely in opposition. I'm not sleeping well. I'm tired when I wake up. I'm tired all day. I've gotten a headache every day this week. Today's was a migraine. I will be going to bed as soon as I'm done typing this. My period, which should have ended Sunday with the beginning of a new pill pack, didn't end because it probably thinks it's got free reign now. I've gained three pounds because I'm eating out of boredom again. I'm not bored but my hormones think I'm still premenstrual. My face is breaking out in a week when it normally is the clearest. Grrr!! Double Grrr!! Triple Grrr!!! 11 days until I retest for PT. I can't afford to gain weight. 18 days til my surgery. I can't afford to hormonally trip for that time period. I've told everyone in my office my situation just so they're aware of why I might be a little "off" in the coming days. This is no fun. God is certainly getting prayers for strength and patience these days.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Life is going by too quickly!
It's mid-month Payday already!! I'm excited because this will be my first big ($1000) payment towards my Art debt. It's gonna be real exciting to watch that beast drop so drastically every month. It's exciting to think that I'll be consumer debt free (fingers crossed) by Christmas 2010. I've put in a ton of hours at Vicky's Secret these past few weeks. I put in that I was available any day except Tues/Thurs. What do they do? Schedule me for every day except Tues/Thurs. Thankfully, that availability ends this coming week...but they still have me scheduled for every day that I'm available...even next weekend when I'm working the Dover Air Force Base Open House/Air Show. 10 hours on Saturday and 14 on Sunday. I would so much rather sort panties and sell bras for our Semi-Annual Sale than to have to hang out on base for that much time--24 hours in a 48 hour period is just TOO much!
On a separate note, if you didn't notice my weight ticker up at the top, I'm down below 170lbs. This is my lowest weight since January 2006, so I'm very excited about that. I have 10 more lbs to go until I reach the weight that counts full points for BMI/ab circumference on my PT test. Along that same vein...I had my pre-op appointment two days ago...for my liposuction surgery. I'll be sure to post "Before" pics prior to the procedure so that you can see what it looks like on someone you "know." I won't post "After" pics for probably a month or two post-op--gotta give the swelling some time to go down.
So, other than working the two jobs and sitting on my butt the few evenings that I don't have to work the part-time, I haven't been doing much. Have a good weekend.
On a separate note, if you didn't notice my weight ticker up at the top, I'm down below 170lbs. This is my lowest weight since January 2006, so I'm very excited about that. I have 10 more lbs to go until I reach the weight that counts full points for BMI/ab circumference on my PT test. Along that same vein...I had my pre-op appointment two days ago...for my liposuction surgery. I'll be sure to post "Before" pics prior to the procedure so that you can see what it looks like on someone you "know." I won't post "After" pics for probably a month or two post-op--gotta give the swelling some time to go down.
So, other than working the two jobs and sitting on my butt the few evenings that I don't have to work the part-time, I haven't been doing much. Have a good weekend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)