The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Arklahoma]

Sounds like you had a great trip. Great NSV, by they way.

[mellowmom]

Something New to Shoot For.

I guess I've found that setting up some kind of mini-goals along the way are the key to keep me motivated. Watching the scale drop a couple of pounds then bounce up 3 then down 4 is a surefire way to drive me to the looney bin.

So... my next goal is to try and reach the halfway point by the end of July. By my calculations that means I need to lose 23 pounds in 37 days or a little over 5 weeks...which averages .621 pounds per day or 4.347 pounds per week or....(Jeez, am I getting obsessed with this or what????)

At any rate it will help to keep me focused as my mind tends to wander if I set goals too far in the distance.

Hope to report some further losses tomorrow. Right now, I'm gonna go start my laundrybecause I just realized I've got nothing to wear to the Fair tomorrow. (OH Great!...now the tune "Scarborough Fair" just started wafting through the inner recesses of my middle aged mind...)

I'll just go totter off now and go put some parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme in my L&G and wait for the dryer to buzz...

Tata

[mellowmom]

Well,

Not a good start to this morning. Got on the scale and voila...gained 3 pounds overnight!

I'm pretty sure I know what caused it. I didn't cheat. My youngest son and his wife were driving down to go to lunch with me yesterday. Originally it was going to be lunch and I timed my MF meals accordingly...only when they appeared to be late I got hungry and after about a 3 1/2 hour spread between the last MF meal I finally broke down and snacked on three Tabasco dill flavored pickle spears. As soon as I was done they phoned and said they weren't coming until dinner time! Had I known just a few minutes earlier I would have just had my normal MF meal and skipped the "snack".

Sodium and I DO NOT agree. And thanks to the pickles I had 3 times my normal sodium intake yesterday. I feel like the Sta-Puf Marshmallow (Wo)Man this morning, complete with a major case of fat-finger-i-tis.

Gotta go to roll call now and report my puffiness. Then I'm heading to the golf links to see if I can sweat some of this water weight off this morning.

Today is my pop singing "debut" at the County Fair...also will close the same day, so if ya blink you'll probably miss me. It's going to be over 100 degrees today,and going to put a whole new meaning to the term "Sweating to the Oldies".

Cya all later.

Carmel

[Unca_Tim]

Hi Carmel,
Be sure to get plenty of water in the next couples days, and wash them pickles down the drain...

[Arklahoma]

Hope your day goes well, today!!!

[JKSRN]

Songbird, sing your heart out today!!! But, be sure you take that wonderful heart of yours right back!!!!
Joan

[mellowmom]

This has become a big BUMMER of a Day! <img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_9_17v.gif' border=0>

I've been working at home as an "independent contractor" for a company, which shall remain nameless, and while I was making "okay" money...it wasn't even close to what had been promised when I first signed on.

Today, I was sent a link to a blog that contained nearly 100 entries from supposedly different employees like me, and they were all talking revolt. Many were quitting, some were filing bankruptcy, others were retelling tales of extortion and strongarming , including a brief of court papers for extortion charged against two of the principals of the company!

I don't know what to think. Is the blog just sour grapes from a disgruntled former employee, because most of the posts are anonymous, or is what it says about the company and its owners true? I know that I probably wouldn't use my real name if I posted on that blog, either.

There are parts of the company that I like, but more and more often lately I have been seeing or experiencing questionable practices. The home office in Florida appears to be undercutting the salespeople in the field by telemarketing current accounts to switch over from personalized service by us reps and switching to a self-serve program from which the field reps receive no compensation and the home office receives all the money!

I think I'm going to need to find a new job real soon. Sigh...<img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_1_16.gif' border=0>

I've got a headache just thinking about it, and feel like the proverbial ton of bricks just came down on my head...

I'm gonna go now and practice singing... At least I'm not reaching for a peanut butter cup, like I used to under times of distress.... <img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_4_8v.gif' border=0>

I had been considering becoming an HA for TSFL, but now, if I quit my current job, I won't have any reserve cash flow to keep me going until I can start benefiting financially as an HA. Besides, I really wasn't planning on doing the HA thing for the money...just to be helpful to others who are going through this valiant battle to reclaim our lives and to assure people that we are truly "worth the weight."

[JeepGirl]

Yuck at the trouble with your job. Hopefully it will all work out for the better. I will say a prayer for you!

YEA at not reaching for that PB Cup!!

[dede4wd]

Carmel,
That sucks! Just keep on keeping on while keeping your eyes WIDE open! Something will fall into your lap I KNOW IT! Who knows if that blog is just a bitch session, but if you smell the wind changing, at least you have a warning!

DeDe

[Arklahoma]

Sorry to hear about this. Just keep your eyes open and try to look at everything from all perspectives. If you have to move on, then so be it.

[mellowmom]

Okay this week is definitely not one for my memory book. Things are turning out far from rosy...

In my opening bio, I mentioned that my husband has passed away at fairly young age (39) from metastisized cancer. What I didn't mention was that it is part of a genetic flaw with the high-falutin' name of Von-Hippel Lindau Syndrome. There's been a lot of research on it, because a number of cancer specialists feel it holds the key to curing a great number of cancers. It's caused by a mutation on one of the genes in the carrier. They are doing a lot of study concerning gene therapy with it because they know which gene carries the mutation. The fact that they can identify it means that they can also test you for it and hopefully if you have inherited the gene, you can go through certain protocols which will give you the upper hand in dealing with it.

Basically, it causes vascular tumors, which for the most part are NOT malignant. But they do pop up in the darndest places like the eye, or adrenal glands, or the brain. There are a few malignant tumors that also are caused by the disease, mainly in the kidneys and spine.

All my sons were tested a few years back and we found out that my middle two, Nate and Nick have the gene. The oldest, Joe and the youngest, Tony do not. Both Nick and Nate have had masses removed from their adrenal glands, and Nate was diagnosed with kidney cancer serveral years ago. But, because he has been following the correct protocol, i.e. full MRI's head, and body every year the doctor's caught the tumors when they were very very small...1-2 millimeters. They were successfully removed and have not made a reappearance.

However, Nate called today and just got the results of his head scan and they found he had again a very small vascular tumor, only this time it is on his cerebellum. So..... After he called and told me this and I scraped myself off the floor, he did add that the doctor said..."If you had to have a brain tumor..this would be the one you'd want to have"!!!! Come again??? He went on to explain that because of it's very small size and location they are about 90% sure it's benign and will be easy for them to access and remove.

So I guess that is a blessing, but still, his wife is expecting a baby in October, and has been having a hard time with this pregnancy. I just hope that the added stress about Nate isn't going to add to her difficulties. He said it was hard explaining to daughter, Maggie why Daddy and Mommy were crying this evening.

Well, that's all for now. I'm feeling pretty down. Have this big lump in my gut (feels like a bowling ball) though I can't imagine what it's made up of...Do shakes solidify under stress???

Say a prayer for Nate.

Thanks for listening.

Carmel

[Janae]

Carmel...

Oh my goodness...you are all in my thoughts and prayers. If you can feel a hug online...then, you should feel it now!

Please take good care of yourself in the midst of everything!

[dede4wd]

Oh, that's terrible! You AND Nate are in my thoughts! It is my sincere hope that it is begign and nothing more than a headache and a funny haircut to remove! So sorry this is happening to you and your family!

DeDe

[supermom]

Hi Carmel. I just want to share a little with you. My son Jake, 5 years old, was diagnosed with brain cancer when he was 3. Not exactly the same as your son, but I still want to share. He had one of the best neuro surgeons in this part of the country. And, his surgeon said the same thing. "If you have to have a brain tumor, this is the kind to have" He was speaking mostly of the location of the tumor. Jake's was also on his cerebellum. His was HUGE, though. Thankfully, it had not ruptured yet, or our outcome would have been much worse. The tumor was found on Wednesday October 15, a ventriculostomy was inserted later that day to remove the pressure from his brain (this is like a temporary shunt--it drains outside of the body), and on Friday October 17, the surgery was performed. Had the mass been smaller, the incision would have been smaller---maybe even laproscopic. But, he does have a large scar around his right ear and down his neck. He was only in the hospital until Friday of the next week. He was back at "school" two weeks after that. It was remarkable. If you need anything-----and I do mean anything-----please don't hesitate to ask. I know there are wonderful doctors where you are, but I just really am impressed with the surgeon we had. He has done so much research, and is doing so many things that are only done in about 5 places in the WORLD, right here in the Texas Panhandle. He is just an awesome neurosurgeon. If the timing were right and I could arrange the childcare for my 3 kiddo's, I would even come out and sit with you during the surgery. My heart aches for you Carmel, because I know EXACTLY what you are feeling right now.

[Arklahoma]

Carmel ~ Massive E-Hugs coming your way ...

{{{{{ HUG }}}}}

Your family is definitely in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us updated on your family's progress!!!