Where Oh Where Is Superman?

I have a concern! Where has Superman gone? What happened to my energy level? I realize I am only 11 days out of surgery, and things are progressing nicely, but where is my energy? I am walking a little bit everyday, but that just wears me out. Let’s not even talk about taking a shower! It takes almost an hour to re-coop from that experience.

It seems I am having a little difficulty with water intake. I’m really pushing the minimum of 64oz. a day and I make that most days. But some days I don’t! I’m worried a little about protein. I’m in the full liquid phase, and I can’t find anything in that phase that includes protein. So I am drinking EAS protein shakes. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I know I will be OK! I’m just a little lost without my energy. I have always been the man who could keep on keeping on when everyone else stopped! I guess it’s that machismo aspect of being a guy. I just want to know…Where is the Superman I used to be. He’s here somewhere, I just have to dig deep and find him. Maybe he’s just taking a break and will surface when I truly need him.

Until then, I will continue being that 3 year old who cries and whines when he can’t have his way. “I WANT MY ENERGY BACK!” I think I have a lot of examples I can call on!

I realize that everything will be OK in time.

Hey, have a great day!

When do you feel full?

When did you feel full? That is a question that Beth and I have discussed for a while now. In the past, I felt full when I was miserable. You know the feeling...when you can't put another bite in your mouth. That's when I was full. When we had meals that I truly loved, I would gorge myself to the feeling of stuffed, That feeling when one more bite would put you over the edge. And we would always ask each other, "Did you get enough to eat?" Wow how things have changed. Before surgery I would listen to my body to know that I had enough to eat.

Today I progressed to full liquids. Now I know what I am going to say will anger or upset some people, but I need to say it. I made turkey chili for dinner. When it came time for me to have something to eat, I had chili. I of course took the immersion blender (I call it the boat motor), and completely liquefied my chili. I did not take my normal bowl, but a much smaller one. Instead of listening to my body to tell me that I ate too much, I listened for that feeling that I was OK! I honestly felt full, but not from pain. I felt full from a feeling of , "OK, that's enough". After eating each little spoonful, I asked myself where I was at. Am I full, an I satisfied? I think there is a difference in those 2 questions. I walked away from dinner, not finishing my bowl of chili, but feeling satisfied!

Last week there was a time that I was second guessing my decision to have RNY. It was that "buyers remorse", that you hear so much of. This week, I welcome the changes that surgery will bring. the changes for a new life. For all that to happen, I need to stop and listen to what my body is telling me!

When do you feel full?

Have a great day!

Random thoughts while deciding between "Chicken Broth or Beef Broth"

Hello all! It seems I have survived the eerily surreal depths of RNY surgery! I am on day 5 post op, and I feel better each day. Mind you I still get tired very quickly and need to stop and put things into perspective. I realize I just had major surgery and it will be awhile before I turn into Superman again. But that time will come! My plan is to take things one day at a time, of course:

Sip, sip, sip, and walk, walk, walk!

Fluids and protein are not a problem, though I am only getting in the minimum daily. Friday and Saturday both I ended up with 69 grams of protein and 82 oz. of fluids. So, I guess that is a good start. My biggest decision with the clear liquid diet is whether to have chicken or beef broth?

When I went in the hospital, I weighed in at 298.9 (at home). I came home on Friday and weighed 294.5. Shelia has said I might be one of the few that actually lose weight in the hospital. I think this was due to the adhesions that were cut away. It seems the fear I had after my sister’s surgery came true. When Dr. Dyer went in, he found an extreme amount of adhesions, and spent the following 2.5 hours cutting them free. As for where they came from…who knows? So, because of all the extra cutting that went on, I actually lost weight while in the hospital. O yeah, its Sunday morn, and I weigh 285.6! Scary if you ask me!

The hospital was not as bad as I had anticipated. I think the biggest problem in the hospital was the boredom. Yes, there were times I was in pain! Especially on Thursday! But I survived, and like I said, “Getting stronger every day!” I really want to Thanks all those who made it to the hospital to see me, and also those that were unable. I knew I was in your prayers and thoughts!. And a real big Thank You for the “Losers Bench”. That was an unexpected gift. I even carried it a step further and had almost everyone who visited sign it when they visited! The only one I missed was DocWill’s wife. It was after she left, that we came up with the idea! Don’t worry Will, the idea of your gift will be passed on, just as you passed this one to me!

Well, I am home and it’s taken me a little while to write this post. In other words, “I’m getting tired!” I have placed a picture of the Losers Bench below. I hope each and everyone of you have a very Merry CHRISTmas, and you each get all you’ve asked for. I’ve already received mine and am working toward 2008 as the year of the NEW ME!!!!!

Have a great day!

Snow Ball Fight '07

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I'm scared...there, I said it!

How do you describe fear? Is it that empty feeling you have in your stomach, or is that the liquid diet having its effects on me? I don’t know. Because right now…I finally can say I’m scared. I’m like most human beings; I’m scared of the unknown.

My surgery is less than 24 hours away, and I am a little perplexed. You see I’ve done all my research. I believe I have educated myself on the rearranging of my innards. I know what is involved, how I will need to eat afterward. I completely understand the dynamics of all this surgery encompasses. But I am still scared!

It’s the “what ifs” that frighten me! You understand? It’s the unknowns that are waiting for us. Those nice little “gotchas” that reach around the corner to grab at your mind and soul when you least expect it. It seems like a lot of people I’ve talked to have felt the same way about this surgery, or any surgery for that matter. So, I know I am not alone in this thought. Does that make me any less frightened? No! I guess what it really makes me is……human.

My surgery is less than 24 hours away, and I am a little…ready! You see I have placed those “what ifs”, the “gotchas” and all those little things (and they are little in the scheme of things), in Gods hands. I serve an amazing God. A God who delivers. A God who is all reaching, compassionate, all knowing! Those unknowns might be unknown to us, but to Him, not a problem!

So friends, this will probably be my last entry for a little while. I promise, soon as I return from the hospital, I will blog and let you know how I am. You are all special to me. I am indeed blessed to have you in my life!

Have a good, God filled day!

Party, Party, Party!

Well, that pretty much sums up this week! Beth, (my wife), has come to the conclusion the more weight you lose, the more active your social life becomes. Sorry, no true data to back up that hypothesis, but it sure feels like it’s true. At least this last week does!

Let’s see, where do we begin…..last Saturday (12/8). We started the day with R.J.’s football banquet at 11:00. A fantastic time was had by all at the Hendersonville Skating Rink. Even I put on a pair of skates. It was fun except for two different thoughts:

1) Big people should not have wheels attached to their feet. Wheels belong on automobiles.
2) The day after skating, you no longer feel 48. You wake up wondering if this is what an 88 year old feels like!

After skating, R.J. had children’s choir practice. They performed their Christmas program at church the next day. Sorry the pictures did not turn out. The lighting was very dim. He did a wonderful job! I’m very happy he feels good about attending New Life. From there, we prepared for our Weight Loss Surgery Christmas Party. I don’t know how many people were there, but we lost 2196 lbs. Over a ton lost. YEAH!!!!!

Now, that was just Saturday! I won’t go into the details, but it sure seems like everyday is just as busy! Is this due to weight loss? I don’t know. What I do know is this, As we lose weight, our energy level skyrockets! In the 12 years Beth and I have been together, I have never seen her so active. I think I like! Maybe I will be able to keep up with her after mine. Who know?

Well, I’m off to get ready for the next round of what ever. I guess I need to check my social calendar. Wow, I’ve never had one of those. Maybe Beth’s hypothesis is correct!

Have a great day!

Weight: 297.5 lbs.

Breakfast: EAS Chocalate Shake

Fa la la la, la la la liquid

Good morning y'all! Yesterday was the first day of my liquid diet. Not to bad, notice I said "not to bad". there were moments that I thought I would scream. Like the time a co-worker stuck a piece of pizza in my face. Or when someone else savored a "Cheezit cracker" like they were eating a slice of ,,,well you get the idea. Otherwise, I think I did pretty good.

So, today is a new day! A day filled with hope, promise, and the undeniably smooth taste of liquid! My theme song for today is..."Deck the halls with tons of fluid, Fa la la la, la la la liquid"

Weight: 298.0 lbs.

Morning Snack: 1 cup Homemade Sugar Free Egg Nog

Breakfast: EAS Advantage Low Carb shakes

Morning fluid intake: 4 cups decaf coffee

Lunch: Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup

Carb Masters peach yogurt

Dinner: Sugar Free Jello

1 cup Homemade Sugar Free Egg Nog

Water Intake: 68 oz. (4-16.9 oz. bottles)

Have a nice day!

And the journey continues...

Yesterday, Bro. Brian brought a message about urgency. The sermon focused on the shepherds who were in the fields. You know, when an angel of the Lord appeared bringing Good News of a baby's birth. The urgency focused on the shepherds dropping everything they were doing and moving toward Bethlehem. Brian spoke that when God calls, we should drop everything and move. That's a pretty hard thing to do! Even as Christians, we know whats right and all, but still pretty hard! It was a great message on heeding God's will.

This morning, that journey I'm on continues. And I feel an urgency, if that is a feeling. Who knows? This morning I start my liquid diet. Something I have been dreading! There's the urgency! For the next 8 days, I will be on a liquid diet prepping for surgery. I thought by journaling my food, or should I say...liquid intake, might make me a little more accountable.

So, here goes!

Weight: 300.9 lbs.

Breakfast: EAS Advantage Low Carb shakes
1 cup decaf coffee
1(16 oz) Homemade Caramel latte (made with fat free milk, sugar free caramel syrup)

Lunch: Campbell’s Tomato Soup
Carb Masters peach yogurt

Dinner: Homemade Potato Soup

Water Intake: 68 oz. (4-16.9 oz. bottles)

The journey continues...whether with me or you. The journey continues!

Have a great week! I'm going swimming!

Football Videos

I have been really busy lately. Between work, upcoming surgery, and my hobby, there's not a lot of time left. That said, I got up this morning at 2:00a.m., and started on a gift for our football coaches.

Football Videos

It seems I have been very busy latley. With work, surgery, hobbies, and life in general, I still found time to put together a little something for R.J.'s football coaches. Now, that time I found began at 2:00 a.m. this morning, but that's a different topic for another blog! Anyway, here goes! Hope you enjoy!

Are you ready Christmas?

I don't know about you, but we are almost done! R.J. has finally decided that Santa does not exist. Can he be that old already? Anyway, 99% of the shopping is done. Everything is in place for my surgery. And of course, we have been prepping for the holiday season daily. In fact, you can click on the link below and watch all the festivities involved. Now, be patient, it takes a while to load.

Merry Christmas!

~~~~~~~

Click here for ther O'Neal Family Exercise Video

It's been a while...but I'm home!

It’s been a week since I blogged! I can’t believe it’s been that long. Anyway, my surgery is 16 days away! As Mr. Rogers would say, “Can we say nervous”? Yea, nervous but excited as well! It seems I am all over the place with my feelings. At one point, I can’t wait to start this new part of my life. On the other hand, it’s like “what the heck am I doing”? From everything I have read this is all normal. Now with Christmas right around the corner, there is a sense of urgency right around the corner. But I’m OK!

It’s been a while since Beth, R.J. and I have been to church. I mean we attend, but that’s about it! We attend! Last week, I made a decision to become more active with my church life. Now this is not because of my surgery, but more because I know what’s right. R.J. loves going to New Life. He enjoys the youth and his teacher. Who by the way was a teen in a youth group I worked with several years ago. I’m getting old, no way around it! In fact he went to his first Lock-In a couple of weeks ago. Memories flooded my mind of eating goldfish, mixing all types of food in a blender and drinking it, and doing really stupid things. I totally blame Jay Victory for this time in my life! OK, blame him and Thank Him at the same time! My time with Jay, Bronie, and the gang at Riverside will always have a special place in my heart! Beth enjoys New Life also. She enjoys the freedom of worship as well as the family and friends that are there. I honestly think she feels comfortable for the first time in many years!

Now for me…It’s like coming home! This morning I sang in the choir. This is the first time I have sung in a choir since my days at Riverside. In fact the last time I sang period, was the last service Riverside had. What can I say, while I was singing, I felt a warm feeling, an embrace, a reminder of what worship is! There is nothing like knowing God never leaves your side. That God will wrap His loving arms around you and forgive. That God is no further than an out stretched arm waiting for you to invite Him home! This felt good! Oh yeah, the last time I sang in a choir, I wore an XL choir robe, today…a Large! Whoo Hoo!

Now I realize this post is all over the place, kind of like my feelings! Anyway, keep us in your prayers; there are unseen forces at work in our lives right now. Love you guy!

Have a great big God filled week!

Holiday Quiz!

This is what people do that have too much time on thier hands! Not that I'm bored or anything!

Merry Christmas!

1)What's your favorite holiday TV show?

2)Best gift under $20 (to receive or give)?

3)Ever take a pic with Santa? Do you still have it ?

4)Do you send the same holiday card to everyone or pick out different ones for different people?

5)What's on the Christmas Dinner menu?

Just copy and paste in the comment section!

Random thoughts while wondering what to do with turkey innards!

OMG (Oh My Goodness!) What a weekend!

We laughed, we cried, we threatened to hurt someone, we were cranky, we were tired, we ate, ate and ate! Then we hugged and said, “When can we do this again?” What a weekend!

We left Wed. morning for Phenix City, Al. (pop.:30,067). What normally would have been a 5 ½ hour drive, turned into a 9 hour drive! Water, water everywhere and nair a drop to drink! Yes folks, the rain followed us to Alabama. I was really proud of Beth and RJ though. Beth ended up doing most of the driving. If you know anything about my wife, you know that she will normally fall asleep during any long distance car rides. And as for RJ, he did great! He only waited 3 ½ hours before he uttered the words no parent wants to hear on a road trip…”ARE WE THERE YET?”. Other than an occasional I’m bored, we never heard that phrase again. The people who make duct tape need to be commended for their contribution to society! Me, I tried to sleep. The only thing that kept me awake though, was the rain!

We had a lot of fun spending time with Kris, Dave and the kids! Altogether, there were 10 humans, 4 dogs, and a partridge in a pear tree this weekend! The kids got along quite well. Between skate boards and video games, I don’t think the kids even knew we were there! I don’t think I have ever seen my SIL (Kris) and my niece (Michelle) laugh so much! The 3 of us played a music trivia game called “Song burst”. The object of the game is to complete the lyrics to a song, as one person reads a line from the song. Try it sometimes; it’s not as easy as it sounds. Oh yeah, it was music from the 70/80’s era. We decided that if it included music from 1910, Beth’s dad might have a chance! Sorry Bob!

Thanksgiving Day was an assortment of unbelievable fun, food and fellowship! Oh yeah, did I mention food? As a WLS (pre-op) candidate, I never knew how much food plays an important part of our lives? What I did not realize was the amount of food we consume at a gathering like this! Beth, once again did phenomenal! She tried a little of most stuff, including an olive stuffed with a habanera pepper! Uncle Bubba (Beth’s brother), accidentally gave her a very hot olive! Her stomach pouch (commonly called Alice, in reference to Alice doesn’t live here anymore) was not too happy! Yes friends, she did spit it out. I feel I did pretty well at dinner; it was desserts that became my downfall! Yes there were too many, and I had to sample all of them at least twice! In my mind I kept hearing my WLS friends saying “Bad Scott, Bad Scott” or something like an n obnoxious car alarm blaring, “Step away from the Pecan Pie, Green Jell-O…” I believe you get the message. Never say you will never do something! It always comes back and bites you! I said I would never participate in “Last Meal syndrome”. Guess what? I did. In my shallow mind I kept thinking this would be the last time I could have these good desserts. Now believe me, I know better! I just need to remind myself of the goal. Okay, enough about food, let’s talk about weight gain! Beth did not gain a pound, hooray for her! Me on the other hand, put on 7 pounds! Score: Last Meal Syndrome 7 – Scott 0.

Friday was an experience in itself! I have never participated in Black Friday on a scale of this proportion. We got up at 3:30 a.m. Nashville time, in order to arrive at the malls by 5:00! I will say this, it was enjoyable. I only ran into a few employees that were flustered and rude. The bad part, we did not find the one gift we were looking for, “Monopoly with the electronic banker”. Hopefully it will be back in stock before Christmas. Did you notice I did not say in time for Santa Claus? Yep, RJ has come to the conclusion that Santa does not exist. How do I feel about that? I don’t really know. I have been one of Santa’s helpers for 32 years. For my son to say he does not exist is kind of crushing. In reality, I know he’s growing up (way to fast), and it will be Okay! It’ll take time for me though! Beth walked the entire time we were in the shopping fray and did wonderful. To put here weight loss in perspective, I had her hold onto a 25 lb weight. Now multiply that by 5 and that is what she has lost.

What am I thankful for...FAMILY!

OMG!(Oh My Goodness!) What a weekend! My only comment is this…”When can we do it again?”

If you are interested; I have added the following recipes to my food blog. Just click on the recipe and follow the link.

Scary Sweet Sugar Free Pumpkin Cheesecake

It’s good to be home!
Have a great week!

Oh yeah! This is just for you Kris!

I couldn't resist! Thanks for having us this weekend!

It's real now!

An Updated Timeline!

4/20/07 Weight loss consultation with PCP

4/21/07 WLS Seminar at Centennial

5/21/07 2nd month of 6 month diet

6/22/07 3rd month of 6 month diet

7/24/07 4th month of 6 month diet

8/21/07 5th month of 6 month diet

9/17/07 6th month of 6 month diet

9/24/07 Scheduled Nut appointment and surgical consult

10/3/07 Nutrition appointment

10/8/07 Surgical appointment

10/9/07 Upper GI Scheduled

10/17/07 Checked to see if my paperwork to insurance has been turned in. My insurance rep at the Dr.’s office told me I was missing my 6th month weight consultation. After an evening of anger, the situation took care of itself.
10/18/07 Weight loss packet faxed to Cigna

10/22/07 Weight loss packer returned unreadable

10/23/07 Weight loss packet mailed to CIGNA

10/26/07 Information entered into CIGNA computer. Calling daily to check on progress.

11/2/07 CIGNA reports that packet is in out-patient approval dept. After numerous calls to Dr's Office, situation seems to be corrected. Once again the waiting game has started once again!

11/4/07 Created time line
11/5/07-11/6/07 Calling CIGNA Daily! No answer as of yet!

11/6/07 Paperwork finally recieved in correct department, or at least that is what CIGNA is now reporting!

11/7/07-11/12/07 Calling CIGNA Daily! No answer as of yet!
11/13/07 Good news or bad news? Good news, there is no bad news! Got insurance approval for RNY. Date set for 12/18/07
12/3/07 Pre admit at hospital.
12/18/07 I will get an early Christmas present! Surgery at 5:30a.m.

Let's add another date into this mix! 12/13/07 my sister has her RNY surgery! So, at the Christmas table this year, there will be "3 Losers" on the losers bench! Sometimes it's nice being a loser!

For those who have followed my progress. Thank You for your support and understanding as I make some major changes in my un-healthy life! A lot of thought and prayer has went in to this decision. Let me emphasize that statement. A LOT OF SERIOUS PRAYER has went in to this decision. I love the qoute below by Oliver Wendell Holmes, it speaks very loudly to what I am doing. Read the qoute below and then decide..."Are you at anchor, or ready to sail?"

Have a great day!

"I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it, but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor" ~Oliver Wendell Holmes~

Shelby Bottoms in the Fall

It’s been a while since I just went walking just to take pictures. What with football and such. Well, today I decided it was time to push my tush a little! Especially since my tush will be laid up pretty soon!

I went to a park that is real close to my home, Shelby Park. The purpose of my excursion was to get some pics of the beautiful fall colors before they disappeared for the year. Unfortunately, the fog was pretty thick and made the colors invisible to the naked eye. But that was ok, cause I was able to use it to my advantage. What ended up as a dreary and overcast morn, gave way to some pretty cool pictures.

At one point I got the nature scared out of me! A blue heron was sitting in a tree, not 5 feet above me. He decided it was the right time to fly away and scare a human being. Hey, I did nothing except try and take his picture! Evidently he was a little camera shy!

Let’s see, what else did I find? Oh yeah, I think I found where the Keebler Elves actually live. For those that did not know, my brother is a Keebler Elf. OK, he’s not really an elf, he just works for Keebler.

The good and bad part of the walk was just that…the walk! After walking the greenways for about 1.5 miles in, I realized I would need to walk 1.5 miles back. To make a long story a little shorter, I got lost, ended up at a friends house, turned around, and found my way home. All told, I walked 3.5 miles! That’s not too bad! Maybe after I have surgery, I could start to run a little! Who knows? The Music City Marathon could be in my future…not!!!!

If interested, you can see the rest of the pics I took this morning by clicking on the link below:

Shelby Bottoms in the Fall!

Have a great week, and don't forget to push your tush!

Why is Santa coming early this year?

A good friend of mine from Louisiana once asked me why I am having this surgery. Was it because of personal or medical reasons? You know if I answered that question, it would be a little of both. Personally, I guess it is a little selfish…I would like to be around to watch my son grow! Now I know the next breath I take may be my last! But, I honestly feel this extra weight I am carrying around is definitely hindering my health.

Health wise, I am not in bad shape, but I am not in the best either. It seems I have several co-morbidities that have been known to improve with weight loss. I have the following co-morbidities:

* GERD: Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease
* Acute Hypertension
* Osteoarthritis: Caused by aging and additional weight on weight bearing joints
* Sleep Apnea
* Depression

So, the majority of the problems can be corrected with weight loss. Now, I have been able to lose a little weight on my own, and things seem to be better. The main reason I have lost some weight is not drinking soda. We have replaced the 2-3 cases of soda we were drinking, with 2 cases of water. So, if I am losing weight on my on, why am I going through this surgery? I need help! I need help with the ingestion of sweets. I read a great blog yesterday from “Bariatric Brat” that dealt with Gastric Bypass Surgery. Below is part of the article that speaks to my decision:

“Okay, no sugar-coating the truth here (pun intended) - I was a heavy-duty sweet eater before weight loss surgery. That is the primary reason I chose the gastric bypass. I knew that, with my personality, I would search out ways to get my sugar fix whilst defeating the LAP-BAND. I knew that I actually needed the surgery that would make me violently ill if I ingested too much sugar and/or fat. As I have stated before in this space, I love dumping. It keeps me honest. That being said, I have an occasional sweet - and I enjoy it. I can have a few M&Ms and be completely satisfied with the taste and texture, whereas in the old days, I would inhale the 2-pound bag faster than you could say "Jerry Springer" and not even taste it. These days, I can even have a candy dish in my office and it doesn't bother me whatsoever (of course, I keep my pre-op picture near it, but I digress.) I once heard a post-op put it this way: it's not as though you'll never have chocolate cake again. You aren't going to score the corner piece with the double-frosting and sugared roses, but you will have and even enjoy a small piece of, say, your daughter's wedding cake.”

I thought about Lab Band Surgery, but I knew I could cheat. For me I would survive on the Mickey D’s Milkshake Diet. At lunch, I would have a 32oz. milkshake. That would be 1160 calories and 240 carbohydrates. Not to healthy if you ask me!. Compare that to what I will be having…600 calories and 15 carbs per day!

To say I’m excited and scared and at the same time is an understatement! If you have not figured out by now, my surgery has been approved for December 18 of this year. So for Christmas, I will be getting a new lease on life. My request of you, my family and friends, is to say a prayer. And get ready for a new, skinnier me!

Have a great day!

Here they come!

Well here we go! The last game of the season. It has been a fun and sometimes grueling time this year. Our guys didn’t win as many games as we thought they should, but they played their hearts out.

We made it to the Contenders Bowl (formerly called the 3rd and 4th place bowl), against the UNA Bears. It was a perfect fall day for football. The leaves were changing, the air had a chill about it, and our boys were ready to play. I will share this with you, we did not win, but the boys played probably the best game they ever played! The final score was UNA Bears 18 – Madison Titans 13. And I’ve decided today to let the pictures tell the story!

If anyone is interested, they can view all the pictures I have taken for the season by clicking on the link below.

Football Pictures There are around 70 photos!

To quote Dandy Don Meredith, “Turn out the lights, the party’s over”. Our season is gone, finished, buried in the archives of Mid State Youth Football League. R.J. is both excited and sad. Excited because he says he will finally be able to stay awake during class. Sad because he won’t get to hit the red tackling dummy anymore. Before you know it though…baseball season will be here!

Sugar Free Strawberry Dessert

A friend of mine from Obesity Help posted this recipe, and I thought I would give it a try. The only concern stems from the sugar alcohols in the glaze. Here is the original post. Hope you enjoy!

Tonight, I took a few strawberries, cut them all up, added two spoons of sugar free strawberry glaze found at Kroger, then a few sugar free Murray shortbread cookies (which I found for 1.00 at Big Lots... they are normally 2.99 each) and then whipped cream. Yummy! It was soooo good. It is great portion control rather than making the pie. Then you are not tempted to eat more than just the small amount you fixed for a one time consumption.

1

Like sands through an hourglass....

…so are the days of our lives! The hourglass is not moving to my specifications! This is where I am today! The waiting is unbearable, not only for me, but my family also! I am normally a very patient man. It seems recently I’m not. Every day I call CIGNA to see if I have an approval code. Now I am nice when I call, but I call none the less. And for the most part, the people at CIGNA have been nice too. But guys, I need to be honest also. I am angry, depressed, and just don’t feel good! Now, before I get yelled at, I am seeing a Dr. for the depression. I am actively working through the process. But I am human! I am aware of my actions around my family and other people, but I am trying to keep those in check. Keeping my attitude in line around other people is very easy. My family, that’s another story. It seems we only hurt the ones we love. And that’s the case. So, I am really working hard at not biting Beth or R.J.’s head off at any given moment. They have been real troopers through this, and keep reminding me that it will happen! I know it will, but just not soon enough!

There was a post on the main board yesterday about WLS and how males were to macho for support groups. Well, guys I must not be macho! I need the support that you give! I also will support anyone who needs it…male or female! I’m not asking for a lot, I’m just asking for the sands that are running through my hourglass to stop for a moment and give me an answer!

Like sands through an hourglass, so are the days of our lives! No matter what happens, we cannot control how fast or slow those sands move. But we move on, we persevere, and like Gloria Gaynor say…”I will survive”!

A WLS Timeline!

When I started the WLS process, I knew there would be road blocks. I knew there would be rivers to forge, mountains to climb, and heights to soar! OK, enough with the poetic waxing! I have been trying to put together a time line from when I made up my mind to now. I realize that this might not be totally accurate, but it is very close what is happening. So, with out further ado:

4/20/07 Weight loss consultation with PCP
4/21/07 WLS Seminar at Centennial
5/21/07 2nd month of 6 month diet
6/22/07 3rd month of 6 month diet
7/24/07 4th month of 6 month diet
8/21/07 5th month of 6 month diet
9/17/07 6th month of 6 month diet

At this point, I thought all my paperwork would be turned in. Unfortunately no, and if I had not followed up with insurance, I never would have known. At this point I found out that my Nutrition appointment and Surgical Consult needed to be scheduled. Now back to the regularly scheduled program:

9/24/07 Scheduled Nut appointment and surgical consult
10/3/07 Nutrition appointment
10/8/07 Surgical appointment
10/9/07 Upper GI Scheduled
10/17/07 Checked to see if my paperwork to insurance has been turned in. My insurance rep at the Dr.’s office told me I was missing my 6th month weight consultation. After an evening of anger, the situation took care of itself.

10/18/07 Weight loss packet faxed to Cigna
10/22/07 Weight loss packer returned unreadable
10/23/07 Weight loss packet mailed to CIGNA
10/26/07 Information entered into CIGNA computer. Calling daily to check on progress.
11/2/07 CIGNA reports that packet is in out-patient approval dept. After numerous calls to Dr's Office, situation seems to be corrected. Once again the waiting game has started once again!
11/4/07 Created time line

Where are we? That seems to be the Million Dollar question. Once again I will start calling on Monday to check on progress!

“The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes ~

Have a great week!

Goodwill Deals!

You didn't think I would buy those skin tight briefs did you?

Here is a link to the post that started it all!

1/2 Price Day at Goodwill!

One season ends...what's next?

I've been kind of lax in my football reports lately. Seems like life has grabbed on tight and is refusing to relinquish it's eternal grip! In other words...very busy! I've actually had players on R.J.'s football team asking when I will be posting new pictures and stories. It kind of makes you wonder who is actually reading this stuff, and am I keeping it PG! I surely hope so! So, on with the blog!!

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We played probably the best game we have ever played 2 weeks ago. Final Score...Murfreesboro Raiders 0 - Madison Titans 35. What a game, what a day! It was perfect weather for football. The boys just took control and never looked back. I guess the worst part of the day was watching my father fall down the bleachers. This being only 2 weeks after Rotator Cup surgery! It was one of those rare moments that remain frozen in your mind. Here was the man who has taken care of me for my entire life, falling! Literally falling down to the ground! Bowling people over like pins in an alley on league night! It was scary… both him falling and the sense of mortality I felt. Kind of like a kick in the pants saying, “Guess what buddy, you’re not getting any younger”! Thank God for the woman at the end of the bleachers though. I pray she is all right. If not for her, Dad would have hit the ground full force! And yes, he is all right!

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The next week we played our arch rival UNA! This meeting was a lot better that before. In our first meeting this year, they beat us 32-0. Yeah, it was definitely a blowout! This time though, they scored first and completed the 2 point conversion for a score of 8-0. From that point on, our guys held their ground. It was a defensive battle of mammoth proportions. R.J. even got in a sack of the quarterback, and almost blocked a pass. This was the ending of the season. Yeah!!!! Go Titans Go!
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Now we are up to date! Finally!! Anyway, yesterday was the first playoff game against GraMar Pirates. Now this team has beat us twice, and we have never even finished the game. Both games ended at the beginning of the 4th quarter by using the “Mercy rule”. You see, if a team is ahead by 30 or so points’ going into the last quarter, the game is called! Yes, we were expecting our season to end by the 3rd quarter! The Pirates took no prisoners in their onslaught of the Madison Titans. I think it was worse than a bad remake of “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Our boys did well though. They scored this time, which is a major accomplishment! Final score Pirates 34-Titans 7.
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To end, I would like to show you how the Titans start the game. It speaks highly of our coaches; they did a great job in instilling sportsmanship and integrity into a game dominated by sometimes angry parents and spoiled children!

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What are we gonna do?___ Hit hard!
What are we gonna do?___ Play with heart!
Who are we?___ Titans !
Who are we?___ Titans !

If you didn’t know___You better ask somebody!

The Day The Squirrel Went For a Ride!!!!

Hey guys!

Just a quick funny to start the work week off! I honestly believe some people have to much time on their hands!

Have a great week!

Good Morning Sunshine...

...except where it's raining! Think of this though, behind the rain, the dark gray clouds, the dampness in the air...The sun is shining! That's right ! It is still there. The sun is just hiding, waiting on us to put our best foot forward. Waiting on us put that smile on our face! Waiting on us to face the day with a positive attitude! Now that I have reminded myself of this, on with the post!

Just an update ! I have followed up with my insurance company, only to find they have not received my papers! So I checked with Centennial. My surgeons office received my papers back in the mail with the following message...""the clarity of the faxed document received lacks sufficient clarity". Please resubmit in a format other than a facsimile. You think that CIGNA would have it in there notes that they had returned the documents, but no! The girls at Centennial handled with this with ease though, and are mailing the package off today!

Thank you Tonya and Lisa! After my tirade last week, I have found that you guys are the best!

So we try again! We walk out that door with our heads held high! Just a praying we don't drown from all the rain! Just a hoping that we don't end up with a mouth full of wet, soggy, dead leaves! Just a looking for the sunshine..................it's still there!

Have a great day!

A couple of good eats!

Chili Relleno Puff

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1 pound ground turkey, browned, crumbled and drained

1 small onion, diced (cook with ground turkey)

5 eggs, beaten until lemon-colored (about 3 minutes)

3 Tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 to 1/2 cup salsa (I saved this to put on top)

2 cups lowfat ricotta cheese

1 large can (7 oz.) diced, mild green chilis

1 cup shredded cheese (Jack, Colby, Mozzarella or a mixture)

1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar

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Brown meat and onions, drain and pat into a 9x9 baking dish. Beat remaining ingredients together (except for the last 1/4 cup cheddar--it is for the top.) Pour onto the ground meat and onion. Top with cheddar. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and puffy (a knife will come out clean.)Makes 9 servingsPer serving: 320 calories, 29 grams protein

Sugar Free Pumpkin Cheesecake

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Crust
3/4 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs

3/4 cup crushed fat-free graham crackers

2 tablespoons SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

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Cheesecake Filling

2 (8 ounce) containers block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 1/2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin
3 tablespoon Cinn-a-bliss

1/2 cup nonfat evaporated milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

4 eggs
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch springform pan.
Using a fork, combine gingersnaps, graham crackers, 2 tablespoons SPLENDA® Granulated Sweetener, and melted butter. Press mixture onto the bottom and two inches up the sides of the pan to form the crust.
With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup SPLENDA® Granulated Sweetener until light and fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin. Mix in the Cinn-a-bliss, evaporated milk, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth.
Pour batter into prepared crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes, or until center of cheesecake is set. Allow to cool in pan for 30 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.

Some times you feel like a nut.....

Sometimes you don't. Well my son is nuts! There is no doubt, the apple does not fall far from the tree! Today, R.J. andI had the pleasure of manning the RIP booth at a local elementary school Fall Festival. Now it was boring at times, but also fun! R.J. had the opportunity to play games, grab a goodie bag and fill it up with freebies, and meet some very unique people! But he also had some down time where he had to make is on fun!

So, without wasting another second of your time, may I introduce the next participant of "American Idol".

Hope you enjoy!

Looking for Dionne Warwick?

First of all let me say a big Thank You to all of you who responded to my "A Tad Upset" post. That is the main reason I Love this group of people!

So, what's next? All of my paperwork has been found. This includes the very first Weight Loss consultation in April! YEAH!!!!! Centennial has in turned faxed all of my paperwork needed to CIGNA ! Anyway, I am going to be upbeat, positive, calm, compassionate, kind hearted...oh yeah PATIENT with my wait. Or as a friend of mine said "Graciously Tenacious"! I love that phrase!

So, Thank You! and to borrow a line from a Burt Bacharach/Hal David song (I know, I'm showing my age)..........

"Say a Little Prayer For Me"

A Tad Upset !

Hey guys,

I apologize for this post...yes I am apologizing for the anger I feel! I have met several of you from the Centennial support Group and other functions throughout town, and I am truly blessed in knowing you! But I am angry this evening.

You see I am a patient of Dr. Dyer, and have been undergoing my 6 month diet. Approximately 3 months ago, I was informed (wrongly) that I would be finished in Sept. with my 6 month. Right as I finished the diet, my case was transferred from one rep. at CMCWLS to another. Well here is where I get confused. Like I said, my diet should have been finished on Sept. 17. After that appointment, I emailed my insurance rep at the clinic to find out what was the next step. I found out the task that needed to be completed and immediately set up arrangements to fulfill these said appointments.After all was finished, I gave it a week only to find out my paperwork was not sent to insurance. I was informed that we needed to wait on the transcript form the surgical consult. Once again igave it a week. As I was following my information on the Patient Portal, I noticed my weight loss records were not checked as completed. I immediately called CMCWLS only to find out, are you ready...they only have 5 months of weight loss records. According toCMCWLS, the records they have are from May -Sept (5 months of weightloss records). Angry was not the word used to describe my emotions. I called my PC P's office to find that my WLS journey was begun in April, not May. So according to Summit Primary Care, I have 6 months of weight loss records.

I know how I feel is not relevant to the care that CMCWLS gives out,but if I did not follow up on this, would I have ever known that files are missing? I have heard of the roadblocks that we face when we have WLS, especially from the insurance companies. I just never expected it from my Dr.'s office.

I understand I am ranting, and once again I apologize for my feelings. Tomorrow I will call my PCP and request that the files be sent again. Hopefully we can move in the right direction.I truly love being a patient of Dr. Dyer. I think CMCWLS has the best program in town! I thing CMCWLS patients and the support group here are truly one of a kind!

So, I really don't want to change services. I guess I will hold my tongue now and go to bed. Maybe Iwill feel better tomorrow!

Thanks for listening! Scott

Thought for the day!

Sustantialiscious \sub-'stan(t)-shu-'li-shus' (noun).

The weight of something when you weigh it with your toungue.