Gentle Giant weight loss and recuperation thread

[Systematic Chaos]

9/21/06
Day 2
Weight - 455

Well, I promised I would start this once I got my new exercise machine set up, and here it is. I plan to keep this thread alive and inform you all of any and all changes, both good and bad, to my weight and overall well-being. Thank you for joining me on this journey, because this is really and truly my last chance to do what has to be done. I think that with your encouragement and support I will make it. :)

My last visit to the doctor was two days ago, and both he and his office partner looked at my foot and agreed that a regimented wound care regimen is a MUST if I am to save at least one toe on this foot. The second toe has developed a crevasse across the middle joint. What this means is that the circulation there is highly impaired, and if the crevasse deepens the toe could literally die. I got home from the doctor and immediately called the hospital closest to my doctor's office to get an appointment made. I go in for the first time tomorrow. My condition will be assessed, and I will probably have a lot of tests done to determine just how bad the circulation is throughout my legs. There are many things that could be done, including hyperbaric oxygen treatments. My doctor seems to think that my wounds will heal much faster, regardless of the treatment methods used.

On the doctor's scale, where only 3 short months ago I weighed 402, the result came back as - - - on the digital display. I wanted to ask then what the capacity of the scale was but I didn't have the voice for it. Only 2 weeks ago I was 430-ish and within 10 pounds of my lifetime high. I knew then, beyond a doubt, that I had surpassed the old mark. That was confirmed on my home scale this morning. I promise you this much, and that is I sure as hell didn't gain 20 lbs. in two weeks from overeating. This is water weight that I have put on, and the exercise I am getting now, plus a good water pill, should allow me to fall back toward 400 rather quickly. At least, that is the plan....

I went to work yesterday, but Jeanette stayed home to be able to accept the delivery of my new recumbent bike by UPS. She spent the afternoon putting it together and when I got home I helped with the last parts of the assembly. My food intake yesterday consisted of:

1 teriyaki noodle bowl (about 420 calories)
1 bowl of spring onion rice noodle soup (250 calories approximately)
1 Cashew Cookie Larabar (230 calories)
2 helpings of a casserole that consisted of au gratin potatoes from Trader Joe's, layered with fresh zucchini (probably about 600 calories but could be less)

I was full and happy on that. I intend to continue a 1500 calorie daily intake from here on out.

After the bike was finally assembled and dinner was eaten, it was nearly bedtime. I managed to try the machine out for a few minutes, and I can tell I'm going to love it. It really does have fully customizable workout programs, and the higher resistance levels blow away what I could get out of my old recumbent. Of course, this machine requires an AC adapter whereas my other one did not. It is rated for 300 lbs. but seems to be fine handling me. It seems more than sturdy enough to last until I get below that number, which I hope to do in the next 18 months if not sooner.

Today I am having:

1 miso soup bowl (220 calories)
1 cashew cookie Larabar (230 calories)
1 spring onion rice noodle soup (250 calories)
some leftover potato-zucchini casserole (< 600 calories)
2 qts. Trader Joe's low-sodium Garden Patch juice (like V8 but better IMO and only 400 calories to the whole bottle)

When I get home I will be on the bike for 15 minutes with the tension level on lower settings. The cranks are very long so the legs get quite the workout from the pedaling alone. I probably won't have time to get a workout in before leaving for the hospital tomorrow, but I will definitely do so again in the evening. I will let you all know exactly what kind of treatments I'll be receiving, and what my prognosis is.

I can do this. I can win my health back and wake up every day feeling good about me and what I've accomplished. :toast:

[Broken_Hero]

1. Good luck...:)

I'm glad that your bike came in...and hopefully with the right care your foot can be saved...nothing, but the best of wishes from me, to your efforts. I know its rough, but you can do it...:) :hi:

[Systematic Chaos]

2. 9/22/06 - Day 3

Today was my first wound care visit.

I got to discover the hard way that St. Rose Hospital has a number of different buildings, and when I called them to set up the appointment then told the receptionist "Sure I know where you are!" I probably should have asked anyway. I showed up for my appointment 35 minutes early, at 7:25... at a facility about 8 miles from where I was supposed to go. :( But fortunately, when the correct place opened and I spoke with them, they were more than willing to wait for me to grind my way over on the bus, and they would see me no matter what.

I got there at about 10, and spent a while filling out a lot of questionnaires. The nurses were wonderful, as was my doctor. They checked my circulation using some strange ultrasound-type machine, and while they did say it was hard to hear much due to the horrendous swelling I had, when they were able to zero in on a vein the sound of bloodflow indicated cirulation which is, at most, only minimally impaired. So, that left edema and elevated blood sugar as the primary reasons for the wounds. When I say swelling, I'm talking about the fact that my weight is up over 50 lbs. in 3 months and yet I still need a belt with my shorts just as much as I did before the weight gain. And that is one HELL of a lot of water to be carrying around in the legs.

I have been given compression tubing to wear at all times, and the dressings they applied are good for an entire week. This takes away the daily bandaging ordeal, but it looks like I'll be trading showers for sponge baths for a while. I was also given a prescription-like form which I was to take to this place that specializes in prosthetics and orthotics. Of course, I was told that my insurance does NOT cover diabetic shoes (better that I should have repeated ulcers for the jackasses to pay for, I suppose?), and therefore I can expect to shell out around $300 of my own money for them. Also, the doctor was unable to see me then, so I have to go back next Friday for an evaluation. Ah well, que Saran Wrap....

It was nearly 3pm by the time I was done at the shoe place, and the trip back to where I could have gone in to work the last hour or so of my shift left me feeling so tired that I just came home instead. Jeanette had left two messages on the machine wondering where I was, so first thing I did was call work and let them know to tell her I was okay. I will be able to start working my four 10-hour days beginning next week, and that won't be a problem for me. Neither will these appointments now that I know where to go.

I ended up doing at least 30-40 minutes of bike riding, plus a lot of walking and standing in the real world today, trying to get from bus stop to bus stop or from building to building. My whole body hurts like hell but I feel very good overall. I had to break down and buy something to eat while I was out, as I didn't know I'd be gone so long and didn't bring much to tide me over, so I opted for a bag of flavored pretzels to munch on from a corner store. Not too much fat, but waaay too many calories for my peace of mind. Otherwise, so far I've had a bowl of udon soup (220 calories) and one cashew cookie Larabar (230 calories). I think I may still have room for a veggie sandwich without jeopardizing my total for the day, so I may ask Jeanette to buy us some subs tonight.

Tomorrow, I'm going to try for a 10-minute uninterrupted stretch on the bike. If I can do it once, I'll try to do it a total of three times tomorrow. That should set a good precedent, and eventually I will want to ride the whole half hour non-stop. :)

[DemExpat]

3. I will check here, regularly, Gentle Giant

and know that you have my full support and very best wishes for this important endeavor.

My only additional advice would be to make sure you try to focus on whole, unprocessed foods - some lean protein and fish, grains, veggies, fruits and beans, limited nuts (as topping for grain and cereal), to make sure you drink lots of good water, and to chew slowly and enjoy each bite.

Good luck here! :toast:

DemEx

[Systematic Chaos]

5. Thank you for the support!

You are absolutely right about the diet. I can tell you that I have done just that kind of thing more than once in the last 15 years and when I do the weight comes off almost completely independent of any other effort of my part. If you feed your body what it needs then you won't start taking in way too many empty calories and feeding all the bad microorganisms that can start hogging all the nutrients from your cells and organs. I have to wonder just why I get into these unhealthy eating patterns sometimes. It's not like most of the stuff is even that tasty compared to what I'm having now.

If an occasional turkey or veggie sub sandwich (from this point on, without the cheese as per my post below) is my worst foray into the fast food arena, then I'm doing very well, I think. :)

[DemExpat]

6. I think we get into unhealthy eating patterns

because that type of food out there is so pervasive, and bombarding out TVs with ads, etc.

I just now watched the movie "Supersize Me", and I found it excellent - really goes into these issues of what and why we eat as we do (as a culture), and how it all makes us feel while undermining our health in serious ways. I especially liked the bit about how junk food gets etched in our brains as feel good food when as little kids we are taken to fast food places with playgrounds and lots of family togetherness associated with it....

Along with the unprocessed foods I mentioned above, don't forget to eat enough healthy fats - good quality olive oil, good fats in foods like eggs, nuts, avocados, coconut, fatty fish - just not too much :-) - these really help you feel satisfied longer, and the omegas are known to help with how we feel - mental health-wise as well.

A way to always have something quick, easy and healthy in the house is to have brown rice cooked and stored in the frig, some fresh and chopped veggies or greens, and cans of salmon or sardines. Heat up some olive oil in a skillet and warm up the brown rice, remove from pan. Then saute some garlic in some more oil, add the veggies and stir-fry for just a few minutes, and place this on the rice. Top with a can of fish. This is almost fast food it is ready in minutes, it is healthy and keeps you feeling full and happy.

My (now grown) kids love white beans pureed or mashed with lots of lemon juice and red pepper flakes served on a bed of crunchy stir-fried greens with garlic, salt and pepper, served with whole grain pita bread....another almost instant meal that we enjoy.


And you are right, there are some foods out there that we can enjoy - like a sub sandwich!

DemEx

[Systematic Chaos]

4. 9/24/06 - Day 5

This is the first day my legs haven't been almost too sore to stand on after that long runaround on Friday going here, there and everywhere. I can handle 7 minutes of pedaling now with the tension on level 3 out of 8. Any less than that and there's not enough resistance to bother, really. I did a couple of those 7-minute stints, and hope to just slowly increase the amount of time I can ride at once. I will leave the tension alone and try to maintain a pace of about 70 rpm on the pedals which I find comfortable.

My bandages are such that I'm supposed to leave them on for the entire week without changing them. I'm not very happy with the prospect, because it reduces me to bathing at the sink rather than in the shower, and this may cause me to lose the long hair and beard I've managed to grow since leaving my casino job. Jeanette has wanted me to grow my hair long and have a beard to my navel since she met me, and I hate to have to revert back to my "Boot Camp" look, but I don't know if I have a choice at this point. :(

The diuretics I'm taking now are working extremely well. I should be noticing a definite loss of water weight soon, and when I do I will certainly post about it here. We had Quiznos today, and I had a turkey and a veggie sandwich from them. No bacon or mayo or anything too heavy, but next time I will have to remember to have them ixnay the cheese. They're a bit too generous with it. But their wheat bread is very nice. Tomorrow it's back to mostly soup and Larabars, and nice portions of broccoli with lemon juice and whatever other veggies suit me.

That is all for now. I have to be in bed early because I start my 10-hour days tomorrow. Jeanette is going to come in with me and treat it as overtime, since she is still scheduled to work Fridays. At least I can stop missing work finally, and that extra 16 hours of OT from her paycheck every other week will help a lot. :)

[Broken_Hero]

9. keep up the good work...

just be sure you don't over do anything...:) Let your body, be your guide, no one knows it better than you do...my wife always tells me I'm over doing things, but I know where my limit is...just be sure you don't over do it, and do more harm, than good...:hi:

[LSK]

7. please visit this calorie calculator link

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

1500 cal a day seems a little to low for you. But it is VERY GOOD that you keep a log of everything you eat. Keep it in a notebook or even post here everyday. But its very important that you write it down everyday even if you dont stick to your calorie goal.

Also another thing that I learned is that you should have a "free" day every week when you go over your calorie goal. After a certain time your body gets used to a certain calorie level and the weight loss slows down therefore you must trick your body sometimes.

Please read up on that site. The simple knowledge of knowing what your daily calorie intake should be has helped me out a lot.

Good luck to you.

[Longhorn]

8. I'm glad to hear about the "free day"

not just because it would be more fun but because I have been on low-calorie diets before where I was doing everything I was supposed to be doing and I would quit losing weight. It makes sense to "shake things up" a little and keep my body from going into starvation mode. Plus I've always gained once I started adding food again -- even just a little at a time. I'll check out the site you suggested. Thanks! :hi:

[Systematic Chaos]

10. I have seen this before, but this is what it tells me:

Maintenance:
4212 Calories/day

Fat Loss:
3640 Calories/day

Extreme Fat Loss:
3640 Calories/day

And this is entering my real age (37), real height (6' 2"), and real weight (455), with exercise at 3 times per week. I would imagine that if I ordered a large pizza at 500 calories a slice that I could manage my 4000 calories in a day if I ate the whole pizza, but that is the kind of thing I'm trying to steadfastly avoid. With the foods I'm choosing now, I would feel constantly bloated if I even consumed 3,000 calories a day. I will revise my goal to 1800 a day, with one day where I can have all the sandwiches or other "healthy" food choices I can eat without feeling overstuffed. But I think the kind of numbers being proposed by that calculator are more like what have put me where I am. Could it be that once you surpass a certain size, the model breaks down and the numbers just don't jibe?

[Systematic Chaos]

11. 9/26/06 - Day 7

Unless you want to listen to me whine about public transportation a whole lot, you can probably skip this one. :P

So, I'm working 10 hour days now, which in and of itself isn't so bad. What sucks is that a trip that only takes about 12 minutes by car actually ends up wasting nearly 2 hours of time on either side of the shift because of the sheer slowness and unpredictability of the bus. I'm not left with a whole lot of time - or energy - to exercise once I get home, and because a friend of mine was waiting outside the apartment when we got home, I spent a good deal of time just talking with him and did nothing on the bike at all yesterday. He has a key to our apartment, and is supposed to sit at the computer when we're not home so that he can practice typing, but he forgot our keys. He takes the bus too, and decided just to wait for us rather than going straight home.

I will get on it tonight for at least a while, and then I'll sponge off and hit the sack as early as possible. I just feel like a brick of lead today. Haven't had much of an appetite, either, but I managed to have two Larabars so far. One cherry pie and one cashew cookie. I will eat soup for dinner tonight, if anything, and go to bed without feeling overfull.

I will weigh in tomorrow and post the number here. I think I've lost at least a little. :)

[Systematic Chaos]

12. 9/27/06 - Day 8

Weight - 448
Change - -7
Net gain/loss - -7

It's very nice to see that the calorie watching and diuretics are doing their thing.

I came home a total zombie last night. I didn't exercise although I wanted to very badly. I had a couple of Smart Dogs on whole wheat buns, and some vegetarian chili for dinner and promptly collapsed in bed. Was up by 4:30 this morning, got my sponge bath, and off to do another day of work. If I get any exercise in tonight I'll check in afterwards. :)

On edit - It's September, not August.

[Systematic Chaos]

21. Self-delete (posted in wrong location)

[Systematic Chaos]

22. Self-delete (Did it again! lol)

[Systematic Chaos]

13. 9/29/06 - Day 10

Today was my second appointment to wound care.

I am looking good. My right leg seems to be improving before it could get out of hand. My bad left foot still looks heinous, but mostly that's from the silver they affixed to it. At first I almost died when they removed the bandages because the whole thing looks almost black but they assured me it was okay so I was much relieved.

I got tested for capillary blood flow and the results were not too good. It was pointed out to me that my breathing is very shallow, so I need to work on breathing through my tummy rather than my chest. They put me on oxygen and the numbers immediately zoomed up to very promising levels. It looks like I may actually end up on hyperbaric oxygen treatments to help speed my healing. Then, I can say I'm one of the pod people and walk around looking even crazier than I already do with my overgrowth of hair and beard! :evilgrin:

The bad news, though, is that I didn't make it to my appointment to be measured for diabetic shoes. I thought that spacing the two appointments by over 4 hours would be enough time for me to make them both with no worries but the oxygen test alone took over an hour, and when I was done I had 40 minutes to ride 3 buses to the other office. I called them and asked if I could come in late but of course I ended up having to put this off for another week. :( The problem I'm having is that the shoes I wear now are technically for diabetics, but they're cheaply made and way too small to comforatbly accomodate my feet with the bandages on them. That, and my feet naturally try and slide out the sides of my shoes because of the bends in my legs at the knees. So you put those two together and it's all I can do to tolerate the damn things until I make it to work and then the rest of the day I'm just in the little booties they give you at the doctor's office.

I have only had a Larabar and a little orange juice so far today. I think I will have Quizno's bring me a sandwich and some salad to get me through. My feet hurt from all the time I spent on them today and I don't feel like mucking around in the kitchen at all. I intend to get lots of time in on the new recumbent between now and Sunday, to help keep my metabolism up and burn off some more calories. That's all for now. :) :hi:

[lavenderdiva]

14. I'm thinking about you, Gentle Giant...

and hoping for a speedy recovery for your feet. I'm so relieved to hear that you are under a Dr.'s care, and receiving good care.

Are you able to use your new bike, with your foot hurting? Please keep us posted with your progress- :hi:

[DemExpat]

15. I also wish you the best with your feet recovery, Gentle Giant!

And with your eating/exercise program too.

:hi: :thumbsup:

DemEx

[Systematic Chaos]

16. 10/2/06 - Day 13

Had a mixed weekend. It was Jeanette's birthday on Saturday, so we splurged foodwise and I'm still paying for it. I had some pizza with veggies on it and light cheese but I still feel like I swallowed a lead brick. The discomfort I am feeling is clearly not worth going off my plan, so I consider this a lesson that I will be returning to any time I feel like "splurging".... :eyes:

On Sunday, she went out to Target to buy some things and also stopped to get her hair trimmed. The "stylist" did the most horrendous job I've ever seen. Her hair was so uneven that she actually started trimming her bangs in our mirror before I broke the news that the hairline on her back was more jagged than a chart in the Stock Market Watch thread. She had to go back to the place (Fantastic Sam's) and have the manager fix the haircut, and without a car that ate up another two hours of a day that was supposed to be mainly for us to spend together privately. Not good.

I can now ride the bike for over 10 minutes with no problems and expect to be pushing half an hour in the next couple of weeks. I just needed to get the stamina back that I had at the beginning of the summer, when I could cover the 6 mile ride home from work in about 45 minutes on my mountain bike.

It took me some time to notice, but the attendant at the wound care facility who bandaged my left foot up after I had the oxygen test did a resoundingly shitty job of it. I was still lying in the bed used for the test and couldn't really see what was going on, but not only do I not believe she used the right grade of padding, but she also left my toes completely uncovered. That makes no sense because my second toe is one of the most affected areas. So, I have had to purchase my own gauze and am once again changing my own bandages every day. At my own expense. :( This may not seem like much, but at CVS or anywhere else a package of 5 lousy rolls of gauze 3 inches wide sells for about $12. I figure that with the money these people are collecting from my insurance company (not to mention the damn deductibles and copays) that they can part with some damn gauze and pads for me, especially if they're going to not do it right. As it is, my condition has me worried enough without the added stress of other people's incompetence.

Anyway, today is "just eat plenty of soup and NOTHING heavy day", and coincidentally so is every other day I work this week. As for the weekend I think I'll opt to eat a lot of broccoli and maybe some pasta or something but no calling out for pizza or anything else. I want to be back to 400 or less by the end of the year if I can. I will be hitting the bike when I get home, no matter how tired I feel, and then I'm sponging off and hitting the sack. Until next time....

[Broken_Hero]

17. Keep it up, :) nt

[Systematic Chaos]

18. Update - The light eating paid off in the energy department today!

I just got off the bike after 15 minutes, which is almost 5 minutes longer than yesterday, and this was after a mentally tiring and long day of work. And, not only did I do 15 minutes BUT I also turned the resistance up from level 2 to level 3 (out of 8) for most of the ride. I covered 7.2 km according to the readout. I got into a bad mood about the foot today and decided to take it out on something that may help me rather than getting despondent. I am seriously worried about my second toe and wondering in the back of my scattered brain if I'm not going to end up losing it. They're telling me I'm almost certainly going to be okay. I just hope they're right.

Time for some more soup and then a good scrubdown. We are going to have some of Trader Joe's white cheddar macaroni with very generous helpings of broccoli mixed in to take to work tomorrow. I dunno, I think it would taste quite good. We'll see anyway.... :evilgrin: I go for 16-17 minutes tomorrow, even if it's on a lower tension setting. The time is more important than the resistance at this point anyway. Laters! :hi:

[Broken_Hero]

19. are you on a

liquid diet of sorts? I could never do it for long...maybe two days tops, but I have heard about success with liquid diets...

[Systematic Chaos]

20. Not really.

I get plenty of solid food. For example, I just ate a few bites of a leftover sandwich and a nice-sized container of macaroni and broccoli. I should be fine until lunch when I will have more of the mac and broccoli. If, tonight, I am hungry when I get home, I will have soup because for only about 400 calories I can have two bowls of it and I will be satisfied without feeling bloated. There is quite a bit of sodium in that, but my total consumption is still well below the national average at 2000 - 3000 mg per day. The liquid is great for filling you up without excess calories, and once I can afford to replenish my supply of SuperGreens I will be drinking a lot of that, but it's not really a "liquid diet" I'm on. I really don't think I could do that.

[hedgehog]

33. Try getting the soup from the organic section

Most of them have so little salt that you have to add somethiing to get a little flavor. You could add some of the non-sodium spice mixes. Once you've been eating the low sodium soups, anything else is way too salty.

[Systematic Chaos]

48. Yes. I have had Health Valley and other soups and chilis.

I love stuff like that and don't mind that it has next to no salt in it. About the only foods I can handle salted are peanuts and pretzels, and even then I'll go for the unsalted sourdough pretzels and dip them in roasted red pepper dip, given the choice.

And as for spices, I won't touch garlic salt or onion salt or any other seasoning salt. I use only Mrs. Dash and the equivalents which Trader Joe's sells. Their 21 Seasoning Salute is just awesome, by the way. :)

[Systematic Chaos]

23. 10/4/06 - Day 15 (weigh-in)

Weight - 446
Change - -2
Net gain/loss - -9

Lost less this week, and that's due in part to the pizza and stuff I had over the weekend. However, I am also beginning to replace fat with rebuilt muscle from my bike riding because I'm noticing the first signs of loosening in my pants. I did manage that 17-minute ride last night after work, and covered 7.7 km in that time, while we sat and watched a recording of that new NBC series Heroes. Good show, by the way.

I have my soup and Larabars ready for me today, and this morning I'm having some peach juice. Trader Joe's makes a vegetable juice, similar to V8, that they call Garden Patch. I think it's a better product overall, and it's definitely cheaper. They also make a low-sodium version that only has 140 mg of sodium per 8 ounces. I'm out of that now but I wish I wasn't. Oh well, can't have everything, and at least shopping day is coming up soon.

Oh, and as for my foot, it really does look like that second toe is coming along. I have a patch over the area behind that which is the worst part of all, but even that has been hurting noticably less when I walk. I'm hoping that at this rate I'll be totally healed up in the next 3 months. It may take longer, and if so that's okay, but to be able to go out walking again without having to be overly worried would be very nice.

[Broken_Hero]

24. Good job...:)

I need to get a damn scale...:) But, in all honesty I probably wouldn't weigh myself until November...but I almost weighed myself last week while my wife was at her doc. appointment...

[Systematic Chaos]

25. 10/6/06 - Day 17

Wound care Friday.

Just found out my blood pressure is now 110/60! This is compared to three months ago when it was 160/100. And that's on only one medication specifically for blood pressure (Lisinopril). I'm going to have to ask my doctor about reducing the dose if this keeps up.

As for my left foot and right leg, they are both healing very well. The results of my capillary oxygen test were marginal, meaning that I stand about a 50% chance of healing on my own. Looks like I'm in the right 50% thank goodness. You know how, if you get a really bad sunburn, your skin will peel? That's exactly what my foot has been doing, and the new skin that's underneath looks very healthy even if it is a bit red. I am hoping that I'll be completely healed within two months, and if it keeps up like it has that shouldn't be a problem. Everything was bandaged the right way this time, also. I let them know how poorly it was done last time, so I'm sure they'll be watching the person who did it last time.

Now I'm home but feeling sleepy. I think I'm going to go huddle with the cats for a while and then get up when Jeanette comes home and get some exercise. Last night was the first night I'd missed all week, and that was because our ex-roommate wanted to come over and play World of Warcraft for a while. I didn't want to get all sweaty in my living room with company so I let it go. No excuses now though.

How is everyone? :hi:

On edit - I can never remember the damn emoticons. :P

[GardeningGal]

26. That's great news on the blood pressure!

I hope the foot continues to heal also. Sounds like you're on the right track.

[lavenderdiva]

27. wow! That is fabulous news on the blood pressure, Gentle Giant!

I am now in a blood pressure study group with my Dr. It goes on for a year, and all my meds and Dr's visits are covered during that year. This was a godsend, as I don't have insurance. They won't tell us what medication we are taking but over the next month, my blood pressure is supposed to drop dramatically. That will certainly be a welcome event!

I'm so glad your foot is healing!! New, pink skin is a wonderful thing! Keep up the good work- you are always an inspiration.... :hi:

[Systematic Chaos]

28. 10/11/06 - Day 22

I've been having some serious sleep/energy issues this week.

I try and be in bed between 9 and 10, to get up at 5 every morning for work. Going to sleep is usually not a problem for me, but I have had this nasty habit of waking up as early as 2 and not being able to get back to sleep. Last night was my first decent night this week. I woke up about 3 minutes before the alarm needing to use the bathroom, and didn't toss and turn too much. I think I'll feel at least halfway human today, but on both Monday and Tuesday it was all I could do to keep my eyes open here at work. I almost did fall asleep a couple of times and had to run to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face. I have not exercised since Sunday, but plan to get some time in on the bike tonight.

I have been watching what I eat and have been fairly good about keeping portions down, but the lack of activity is going to count against me at least a little. If this insomnia problem doesn't go away I will be discussing it with my doctor. I'm afraid it's due to the fact that I'm no longer taking morphine at night to kill the pain from my foot. I still have a few of the pills that I didn't need, but I refuse to use them as a sleep aid.

I'm really looking forward to my wound care appointment this week because my progress so far has been amazing. I'll be keeping my legs compressed until there is no longer any sign of excess water retention, but getting rid of these bandages will be quite the thrill. :)

[Broken_Hero]

29. Keep up the work

and hopefully your sleep cycle will get into a decent spin. I have noticed since working out/dieting, that I find it very hard to stay up past midnight, and after 7hrs, of sleep or so, I am up...and I find it hard to sleep in! Its weird, but I do like getting up earlier...I am usually up at 6:30 am, and I await a call for sub teaching, and by 7am, if I don't get a call, I usually crash out again for a couple of hours...lately, I'm up right around 9am, or so....some days are rougher though...but I don't have an honest 9-5 job though, if I did...I wouldn't be able to do much of anything....

[Systematic Chaos]

30. 10/17/06 - Day 28

My low energy levels and sleeping problems continued throughout the week and into the weekend. On Monday morning I once again woke up at 2 (instead of 5) after going to bed at about 10:30pm, hoping to get over 6 hours of sleep. I barely made it through the day yesterday and - FINALLY - slept like a log last night, for over 7 hours. I couldn't bear the thought of getting out of bed this morning, but I've felt awake and refreshed today so that's good.

I missed my wound care appointment last Friday because I was struck with bowel trouble that morning, and you don't go on a 2-hour bus ride with the Hershey squirts. :P The good news is that my foot is doing very well, and I'm just changing my own bandages this week. I will definitely be going this Friday, as these appointments are just too important to miss.

I rode the bike on Saturday and Sunday but I actually had less endurance and energy than previously. My stints were generally only about 10 minutes each, but every little bit helps. I have been eating a lot of soup again recently, supplemented with our homemade mashed potatoes (made with soy milk and lots of garlic and spices, but only a little bit of margarine so they're low-cal and tasty), veggie burgers on toasted seed bread, stuff like that. I don't know about weight loss but my jeans seem to be slowly getting looser. I'll weigh in again when my energy comes back to stay, and hopefully this time it will. Last week really was a downer.

[Broken_Hero]

31. Keep up the good work

and don't over do it...You have no one to impress, just go your own pace, please...you know your limitations. I hope your foot starts healing up, and it sounds like its getter better if you can take care of it at home.

As for the sleeping issues, I hope you over come that too...just my gut feeling, I think its stress doing this to you, thats my .02 cents. As for the bike riding, you are right, every little bit helps...even keeping to your diet/without exercise is doing something positive! Keep at it, and eventually, things will pan out....take care man, you are doing a great job!

[lavenderdiva]

32. I'm sorry to hear that last week didn't go as well as you had hoped

but Gentle Giant, your jeans getting looser is cause for celebration! You are sticking to your plan, and you will see results. I do think getting a handle on your sleep will be a big boon to your energy during the day.

How is your foot doing? :hi:

[Systematic Chaos]

34. 10/20/06 - Day 31

Wound care visit #4.

My foot and right leg are both coming along well, despite missing last week's appointment. It used to be that the tops of 3 of my toes plus half the dorsal area of the entire top of the foot were shredded, in addition to problems in the webbings of my first 3 toes. At this point, one huge wound has become two smaller ones. My second toe is the worst at this point, and the webbing between the big and 2nd toes is still healing up, but the dorsal part is down to one final area, directly behind the webbing between big and 2nd toes. The surface area that is still healing there is now about 20% the size of what it was a month ago. Better still, the amount of discharge from the wounded areas has dropped a lot. The spot on my right shin is smoothing over and slowly going away as well, and is shrinking slowly. It's amazing the ways they have now to put silver on a wound and speed the healing. It helps a lot and is very unobtrusive.

I wish all the news were good though. My crazy sleeping patterns have been tearing me apart, quite literally, this past week. I am finding myself waking up on the brink of full-blown panic attacks now, and I haven't dealt with any of those in years. I didn't make it to work on Wednesday or Thursday because of inability to sleep past about 2 in the morning coupled with the insatiable urge to zonk out in the afternoon, with major stomach problems thrown in for fun. I jumped out of bed this morning swearing under my breath, angry as hell that I couldn't sleep until at least 5 even though I didn't have work today, and also didn't even need to be up for wound care until 7. I threw myself on the recumbent for 20 minutes and went full-bore to vent my frustration and anger, and slowed down only when I simply had no more to give. I covered almost 10km in 20 minutes whereas I usually do about 7.5. With my circadian rhythms out to lunch and the stress I'm feeling over losing yet more work, something clearly has to give. I can't see my regular doctor for another two weeks, but I know that there are sleep aids out there now which are not overly habit-forming and reasonably safe. I refuse to use pain meds or anything else to force sleep, but the temptation is there sometimes, believe me. As I'm sitting here right now at 3:30 in the afternoon, I can barely hold my eyes open, but I'm going to try to stay awake for another hour or two at least and then I'm going to lay down, practice deep breathing, and try to forget about everything I'm stressing over. I ate a big lunch today, but a healthy one. I bought two salads from a pizza place near my house which were chock full of spring mix, cucumbers, tomatoes and other good stuff, and I was sparing with the dressing. I ate one and part of the other, and will save the rest for tonight. I have corn and roasted pepper soup for later as well.

Okay, the last of my concentration is officially drained and if I don't stop typing now I'll stop making sense entirely. I hope you are all doing well, and I will be back soon. :)

[Broken_Hero]

35. I'm glad the foot

issue seems to be taking a turn for the better :) As for the sleeping issue...I have had issues with sleep, because of past drug use. I was really big into methaphetamines, coke(not the drink either), and a few other doozies...after drying out, I had issues with sleeping...I would stay awake for days on end, before finally getting rest....

But, to make a long story short...through the years, I have had issues getting to sleep. I have tried a lot of OTC sleeping aids, and the ones that work the best for me are the Tyelenol Pm's, Execedrin Pms...the sleep aids, mixed with ibuprofen. I have tried simply sleep, and the rest of the "just sleep" aids, and none would work worth a damn on me. But again, with my past experience with a lot of "Uppers", maybe the plain sleeping aids will work with you. I recommend that you try some...pick and choose...hopefully you will find one that works, or you might bring this up with your doctor and he can prescribe something better..:) It sounds like its a real issue...you are missing work, you have to do something quick before all your "time off/sick time" is used up....best wishes though...

Don.

[Lost-in-FL]

36. Keep up the good work!!!

I wish you the best of luck!! I am too on a diet and so far I am down 15 lbs in 4 weeks.

I am sorry to hear you are having problems sleeping. Perhaps you are working out too late, or close to sleep time. You do not mention at what time of the day you work out but a reason why people could have sleep problems is when they work out too late.

A personal trainer told me that incorporating weightlifting will help avoid the hated "plateau". If you slowly incorporate weightlifting (even 2 x 5 lbs weights for your arms and shoulders if unable to do much weights), the muscles that you would develope will accelerate your metabolism.

Also, it would be a good idea to get a heart rate monitor and follow closely your heart rate when you walk or use your bike. One of this thingies http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-5/qid=1161475780/ref=sr_1_5/601-9975084-7144152?ie=UTF8&asin=B000BGJRQQ)

This is the one I have: http://www.proten.com/polar-fs3.html If you increase your HR too much during exercise you will lose muscle and won't lose weight (it could also put your heart in danger). On the other hand you could do the opposite and not make enough effort without even knowing it. I used to do lots of cardio and got frustrated because I could not understand why I stopped losing weight suddenly. The personal trainer told me to get one and I have being doing Cardio on my target rate for weight loss and IT IS WORKING!! I SWEAR!! Now I know why those maraton runners do not lose all their weight, cause their body is used to all that exercise!! Another reason to use this monitor is for your heart, it will thank you.

Here is a link to determine your target heart rate: http://www.polarusa.com/consumer/fitness/hrm.asp
Trust me, this will make a difference because after doing the same exercise for a while, your body get used to it and when you use the HR monitor you can closely watch if your body is getting used to the exercise.

One more thing, I think 1,500 calories is too low and might even put your body in stress. If you feel satisfied chances are you will not cheat. My $0.002.

HOORAAA!! for you and keep motivated!!!

[Systematic Chaos]

39. Thank you for the information!

My recumbent bike has heart rate monitors built in, but I'm extremely wide and it's somewhat difficult to be able to wrap my hands around them because they are on the bars that are down by my legs, rather than the ones you reach out in front of you to use. When I can get them to register, though, I find that my pulse is in the 130's, which for someone in my condition is right where it needs to be. Any faster would be risky, and I can tell by the sweat that pours off me after only a few minutes that I'm really getting some exertion.

I know they are a bit expensive, but I am thinking seriously about picking up a pair of those dumbbells made by the Bowflex company that allow you to turn a dial to adjust how heavy they are. I don't have room for a lot of equipment and stacks of freeweights would be begging some kind of injury (and my feet really don't need that! If not, I could start taking my bicycle and curling it a few times with each arm. It weighs about 30 - 35 pounds and could do some good for my biceps, at least until I can afford real weights. When I was born, the doctor held me up and told my mother I was born for the NFL. I certainly have the frame for it, but it's too bad I was never dragged kicking and screaming into athletics. Instead I sat around reading books all the time and making meals out of Doritos. :)

[Lost-in-FL]

42. Is your built in HR monitor...

a POLAR? Do you see the logo in the machine somewhere? If that is the case you just need to get one a transmitter strap from the internets and you won't have to reach for your handles to get an accurate reading http://www.polarusa.com/store/showproducts.asp?CatID=7

Those dumbells you are talking aren't cheap!! I saw these at Target but it was only ONE with a MAX of 25 Lbs. Even buying two would be cheaper than them Bowflex. http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_5/601-9975084-7144152?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000208UPK

[Roon]

37. There is a forum at menshealth.com

called the "belly off club" you should really check it out. It worked for me! http://forums.menshealth.com/eve/forums/a/cfrm/f/255109121

[Systematic Chaos]

40. Thank you!

Yes, it looks like there is a lot of motivational information there, and plenty of ideas. I will spend some time reading it after my bike ride this morning. :)

[Systematic Chaos]

38. 10/22/06 - Day 33

I'm going to be riding my bike for 20 minutes, at least, as soon as I'm done with this post and then I'm going to take a walk to the corner store about half a block from home for some diet soda or something, because I'm sick to death of the Arizona tea I've been drinking. It's good but I've had way too much without a break. Yesterday I woke up just a little after 4am, which would be acceptable on a work day, but of course I had nothing to do but sit at home and by 2 in the afternoon I had to go crash in bed. I slept until about 5:30 and then spent the evening playing Everquest 2 with Jeanette and relaxing. I was tired when I went to bed at about 9, but once again like freaking clockwork I snapped awake at almost exactly 2:00 in the morning. :grr: I am bound and determined that I will stay up until 8 this evening, no matter how tired I feel. I know that if I nap even a little bit this afternoon it will kill another night's sleep. If I can just lick this problem I really think it will stay gone. I have never been this prone to sleeping trouble for this length of time. I have had a night or two here and there, like any normal person, but never something which has plagued me for a period of months.

I have more salad to eat today, but I might give in to temptation and have myself some bean burritos or something else Mexican-like, but not overly greasy. Or, there is the option for some nice whole wheat pasta today with low fat sauce. Just as long as it is something spicy I'm sure I'll be pleased. Oh, and another thing about today is that I plan to ride the bike not just this one stint, but at least one more some time today, but not after about 6 in the evening, so I have plenty of time to wind down before sponge bath and bed. I need to keep increasing my activity level, because I can feel that it is paying off. Trying to do the things Petersond is doing right now, with all the wood and stuff, would put me in the hospital. Hell, I atrophied so bad for the first three months of this foot injury that I could barely finish my first couple of sponge baths, and all that required was bending over the sink to wash my hair and then standing up in some easy positions to wash the rest of myself off. A whole whopping 10 minutes on my feet and my whole body shook, and I thought my spine was going to snap in half. At least I'm nowhere near that bad now. :)

[Roon]

41. You say you are having sleeping problems

have you been tested for sleep apnea? If you get a cpap maybe you'll sleep will be better and you can have more energy to work out.

[Systematic Chaos]

46. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in 2003.

I had it so bad that during the sleep study the technician came in and slapped the mask on me almost immediately. My breathing cut out over ninety times in the first hour, and my oxygen saturation dropped as low as 72%. Since getting the CPAP I have been fine as far as that goes, thank goodness, but the machine I have is still the property of my old insurance company which now insists I owe them over $1100 for rent on a machine that I can buy for myself for under $400. They call me and I fucking laugh in their faces. :rofl:

[lavenderdiva]

43. hey, Gentle Giant!

did you have a look at the low-cal recipes thread that was started here in the Weight Loss forum? There's a yummy recipe for fajitas that would be good if you're craving spicy!

You are doing so great on your bike riding- your sticktuitiveness is fantastic. I only wish your sleep schedule were better for you. As someone who also suffers with insomnia, usually starting around 2am, I well know how tired and aggravated you can get at your inability to sleep at regular times. One thing that has been helping me is to take 2 night-time excedrins when I go to bed. They get me just sleepy enough that I can go to sleep, but not feel groggy the next day. They are also helping me to have the confidence that I can go to sleep on my own, so I'm not taking them every night. Its an idea... :hi:

[Systematic Chaos]

47. I tried Benadryl, per the Target pharmacist, this week.

He showed Jeanette a store brand version which was very cheap and seems to help a lot. My sleeping patterns are almost totally normalized now. I find my only real problem is that I sleep SO well now that I have a tough time getting out of bed in the morning. :)

[Broken_Hero]

44. Keep up the hard work

and again, only "you" know how far to push yourself. If you think you can handle two 20 minute stints on the bike, go for it...:) Mix it up some too, do one before work, and then do one when you come back, or something similiar to that...so you get two "burns" a day...:)

And don't worry...just like Guns N Roses said...everything takes a "A little Patience." Its going to take time...damn, last year when I started walking this 3.4 mile walk had me on my ass for hours...hours on end...when I was done I would be borderline blacking out, and I would just sit on the couch/chair for hours...it usually took me 3 1/2 hours to get over my 3.4 mile walk...and I wouldn't but able to do much of anything after that walk either, damn just getting up to go to the bathroom was a task! It took a strong 3-4 months last year, before I even did any extra work on top of my walk...and I believe my 9 months of walking last year/part of this year has helped me with my routine again...because when I'm done walking I'm not wiped out, and all I usually need is 20 minutes to come down from my walk....

But, it took a while for me to get back to that this time around too...with the extra wood duties that I have, its put me on my ass quite a bit...this past thursday was murder...two weeks before that, it was murder...my lower half was so sooooorrrreeee....I'm just glad its over with. But I'm getting better...still badly out of shape though...but I think I'm on the right path...my whole life I've been the workhorse, and finally...I'm starting to get back into stride...and finally, I have some energy, and initiative to get off my ass and go out and do yard work, instead of staying in, and watching tv/internet 24/7...I do admit I've been staying away from the bike though...I'm trying to substitute yardwork/wood into my program, instead of sitting on my bum for 40 minutes pedaling...working outside is sooo much better...:)

But, I hope your sleeping issue gets addressed soon, I would hope, that you talk about this with your doctor...if you are on other drugs for diabetes/for your foot...maybe a combo of that meds mixed in with your diet/exercise is messing up your cycle....definately tell your doctor okay? As for dieting food....I don't like mexican so, I don't have that issue!...:) To be honest, the foods I miss the most are still fast food items...double cheeseburgers, the whoppers, all of that...I miss that the most...:) I do get buffalo meat every now and then and its SUPER low fat and the burgers taste good...I can have my burgers, and they are good...but it isn't no hardee's burger! :)

Just keep at it...like I mentioned above...its about patience...you have to keep plugging away...the fat, the injury isn't going to go away in a week...or a month..its going to take hard work, and patience...it sounds like you have both attributes, and I hope you stick with it..at times, my patience is tested...I've been at this for 2 months now...my clothes do fit a better, but I'm not in the shirts that I thought I would be in...and I realize, I have to be patient...and keep plugging away at it. I know its going to take at least a year for me to go from 377, to below 300...maybe a bit shorter...I'm trying to make it in less than a year, but doing this the honest way is going to take a bit longer....but, again, I'm ranting...take care bro, and keep at it...:)

Don.

[Systematic Chaos]

45. 10/27/06 - Day 38 (Wound Care Friday)

Well, there's plenty of news, but what little of it is actually good is not good enough apparently....

This was the first time in five treatments over a 6-week period that I could let my doctor scrape all of my injured areas with his little metal deal that he uses to get the bad stuff out, without pulling my foot or leg away in pain (and that is after putting ointment on the wounds to numb them out). They are healing, but my progress is still too slow to please my doctor. He now wants me to get a full blood workup and bone scan of my left foot. This I can live with, and I figure that if there is an underlying problem that hasn't been caught yet I have two advantages; first, it's not so bad that the wounds can't heal and also, it will at least receive treatment if it does exist and that can only help me.

On the subject of the custom diabetic shoes, which I had brought up before, my doctor went ballistic when he found out that United Healthcare won't cover them. "But this is a medical necessity," he exclaimed, followed by "so, do they prefer to keep shelling out money for these visits or a lousy $300 pair of shoes?" He told me to call the insurance company the moment I got home today, which I did. The gentleman I spoke with confirmed that the footwear is not covered at all, but an exception could be made if my doctor wrote them or faxed them with a statement proving the necessity of the shoes. However, this doesn't mean a whole lot because according to my policy there is still a $250 deductible and the shoes could only be replaced once every three years!

I ask you, :wtf: kind of douchebaggery is this?

Next in the negative column, and not as serious but still damn frustrating, is the fact that my scale is broken. I didn't do it by stepping onto it either. Instead it happened because we've been putting it mostly under our bed but because of its design it won't fit all the way. It's a Taylor scale with a large platform and a raised dial which comes up from the back of it like a huge dome. Somehow when we were on the bed, our bed frame managed to mess it up so that now the dial won't move freely and there is no way to repair it. I don't weigh myself often, and frankly I'm afraid to with my energy levels and sleeping troubles lately, but the last thing I wanted to see was one more thing broken or lost. I looked at some other high capacity scales online which are digital rather than analog, and the cheapest ones I would even consider are over $200, so that's out for now. We still need to worry about my special shoes, let alone other things we want or need like a car to use for to/from work and doctor appointments, or an iMac so we can learn to troubleshoot Mac issues at our jobs without having to string the customers along because our company won't supply us with adequate tools, but that's a- whole -nother bitch session in and of itself and I'll save it for another day. :eyes:

So yes, I'm in a cynical and pissed off mood today, and just feeling like that makes me even more angry with myself for not being able to just chill the fuck out. I didn't eat at all until I got home, and I ordered Quiznos for Jeanette and I. A turkey sandwich and chicken soup bread bowl for me to split between two meals, and similar for Jeanette when she comes home tonight. We're going to limit ourselves to no more than one time eating out per paycheck from now on even though the whole food prep at home thing is a monumental pain. We have to get ahead financialy somehow, after all.

I have Winamp cranked up and I'm itching to get on EverQuest 2 and zone out for the rest of the evening, but I will get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise today, and I'm going to aim for at least 45 minutes each on Saturday and Sunday, but not all at once. As always, thank you for checking in on me and your unwavering support. Trust me, I'm not ready to give up or anything, but I'm enourmously frustrated right now and praying that the Dems take back Congress in this election. Peace.

[bleedingheart]

49. medical billing douchebaggery is enough to make you want to kill someone

so ...all I can say is this.


:hug:

I have been reading your thread and boy...what a lot to go through but I know it will turn out!

Take care..bleedingheart

[Longhorn]

50. Don't despair about the scale.

Have you ever taken your measurements? Remember, weight is only one way to measure progress. I'm bad about taking measurements because I never remember to do it in the beginning and I'm so linear that I feel like I can't take them after I've started. Silly, huh? :crazy: But it really isn't too late and a tape measure is cheap. So give it some thought.

I don't always comment but I always read and I appreciate your candor and your perseverance. Keep up the good work!!!

[Systematic Chaos]

53. I know I have a long-ass tape measure somewhere.

If not I will purchase one for $2 or whatever. I imagine my waist is in the low 60's because my 62 jeans are extrememly baggy without a belt once I've worn them for a while after washing. When they're shrunk from the water they fit right but only immediately out of the wash.

I have lost a lot of water in my legs because I'm using a compression bandage called TubiGrip from my foot to my knee 24/7. My thighs are big but I think they're toning up from the biking.

As for weighing in, I've decided to just let it go. I'm hoping I'm back below my doctor scale's threshold by this Friday but if not that's okay. I don't have the $250 for a good digital scale and as long as I do the right thing, it's just a number and should rectify itself. :)

[lavenderdiva]

51. hey, Gentle Giant-

I just wanted to let you know that you and Jeanette are in my thoughts and prayers. I am going to be praying for your foot to heal. What an extraordinary nuisance! You have been thru the ringer with that, and now the insurance company too!

Your perseverance is admirable. You are doing great, especially considering all that you have faced down recently! You have a lot of people rooting for you here- :hug:

[Systematic Chaos]

52. Thank you. You have just made my morning.

I appreciate the support more than you will ever know. I'm series! :)

[Systematic Chaos]

54. 10/30/06 - Day 41

It's Monday and I'm here at work trying to post between support calls.

I slept wonderfully every night this weekend and woke up at around 5 or 6 each morning just as if it were a work day. I did my first 30-minute ride on the bike yesterday afternoon and enjoyed it very much. Also, it is worth noting that I no longer have any back pain when I lean over the sink to wash my hair and I don't need to support myself with my hands the whole time. That speeds up the process at least a little bit, which is nice because my hair is getting very long. :)

I am going to take a chance and exercise again tonight when I get home, almost immediately when we walk through the door. That should give me adequate time to cool down before going to bed between 9 and 10, so that I shouldn't be hyper and unable to sleep. The generic Benadryl is working great - even if it's only psychosomatic - to help me get to sleep so I'm continuing to take it on work nights. Just the recommended dose of two capsules and no more. If I can sleep okay after exercising within a couple hours of bedtime, I will continue to do so because I really do need it.

Today I had some pasta with marinara sauce, shrimp, zucchini and garlic. Great stuff and low in added fat. I plan to have homemade nachos with soy and flax tortilla chips (high fiber and low fat), vegetarian chili, salsa and jalapenos for dinner tonight. We are also going to make this awesome lentil soup which was being sampled at Trader Joe's the other day. It can be made in a slow cooker and is made of nothing but lentils and veggies. :)

I have to admit that I'm still having problems with portions, but they've lessened now that my sleeping is readjusted. The less stress I feel, the less I eat, and that's been true my whole life.

[Broken_Hero]

55. Well, it sounds like things

are looking up for you...:) Congrats on doing 30 minutes on the bike, thats a big step...and adding another routine to that 30 minutes is also a good step in the right direction...just dont' over work yourself, okay? maybe, try 15-20 minutes, when you get home...and if you feel strong enough to hit 30, by all means, go for it!...:)

Damn, sounds like you are eating good...I've been abusing chicken breast all this past week..our food 4 less had a huge sale on split chicken breast, and I bought a bunch of it...making sandwiches, soup, chicken/rice bowls...you name it, I made it!...:)

I'm really glad that your sleep schedule is coming under control...I know how frustrating it can be, when you can't get your sleep in...:) Well, take care, and keep up the good work...just keep plugging away...:hi:

[Systematic Chaos]

56. 10/31/06 - Day 42 (Happy Halloween!!)

And, while I'm at it, did anyone get the license number of that bakery truck? :P

I did another 30 minute routine last night when I got home, which made for the two most intensive back-to-back exercise days so far. In addition, I spent about 5 minutes with the resistance level on the bike set to 5 I feel a lot like Petersond after a long day of walking and wood carrying, but it's not uncomfortable pain. Actually, it's more like the "no pain, no gain" type of pain that you feel when you are whipping muscles into shape.

The only thing I did wrong yesterday was to ride the bike when I was already famished and then eat afterwards. I try and keep my meals at 700 calories or less so that I don't go beyond 2,000 in a day, but I get the feeling I probably had close to twice that 700 in veggie chili and the soy and flax seed chips (but probably not). The jalapenos, salsa and onions are negligible, thank goodness, because half of the total mass of what I ate consisted of those. I've gone from someone who couldn't get within a mile of a hot pepper as a kid to someone who will now eat them as a meal and smile through my tearing eyes and burning mouth. :) Previously in the day I had my shrimp pasta and a couple of Lara Bars, so while I overindulged a bit I think it's not all that bad.

This morning, we were running very late to get out to the bus stop, and then we discovered that the street in front of it was torn up so that the bus couldn't stop there. The bus was late anyway, so going a block up the street didn't make us any later, but there was no time to prepare and eat soup this morning. I ended up having a BBQ rib sandwich from the company vending machine to tide me over, and while it wasn't a large sandwich it still felt like a lead brick going down. I'll have soup for lunch and probably again for dinner, and keep it light for the rest of the day. We're making lentil soup in our crock pot tonight, per a recipe from Trader Joe's, to eat something warm and delicious tomorrow morning. I'll let you know how it turns out and if it's good I'll share the recipe. :D

And finally, I will be trying to jump on the bike again tonight, soreness be damned. I had NO problems getting to sleep last night, so the exercise 2 hours before bed seems fine. If I miss today, I will definitely do it tomorrow. No excuse to miss two in a row now. :) I'm in a fairly good mood for a change, and I'm thinking that the exercise has something to do with that also.

[Broken_Hero]

57. Good job, keep at it!

And remember, stretching is a bonus...when I'm sore, I stretch for a solid ten minutes at least...it helps out a lot, to unstiffen/get ride of the immediate soreness...:) For me, I usually feel the soreness for the first 5-10 minutes of my walk/wood/whatever, and then it subsides, and it feels good again, like I'm working...a lot like the feeling you describe above...

For me, its like I "actually" did something...its a good feeling, a borderline exhausted/happy feeling for me...:) And I dont' feel like a lazy bum! Which is a bonus in my book...

[Systematic Chaos]

58. 11/2/06 - Day 44

I had a mentally exhausting day at work yesterday, due to a lot of network and software issues with our computer systems. I got home later than usual and had quite a headache, so I had to forego my exercise. I slept well though, and feel better today. Tomorrow is wound care plus a visit to my regular doctor, assuming I can make it to both appointments using the bus. I also need to try and make the appointment for my bone scan and other lab work the following week, and I also have to give my wound care doctor the address and fax number for him to send his letter to my insurance about the special shoes. It should be an interesting day.

I've had those soy and flax chips with veggie chili, onions and jalapenos so far today, with some left over for my lunch later, and I might make something called Ants on a Log tonight. What that is, is you take some celery, spread a little nut butter into the hollow in the middle (I prefer raw, unsalted almond butter), and put raisins along the nut butter. Very yummy and good for you, and not too high in calories if you don't use the nut butter to excess. Since I don't have to be in bed as early tonight as I did previously this week, I will get my exercise in because I won't be pressed for time.

[Systematic Chaos]

59. 11/13/06 - Day 55

Sorry about my protracted absence. I try to post a minimum of twice a week here, but I was in a very deep depression for the longest time and didn't spend much time on DU at all. Part of it was due to the whole election thing, but then I was also highly stressed with my job, and had a nagging fear in the back of my head about those tests I got done last Friday.

The good news is that I made it in and got (almost) everything done. The bad news is that I may have to return to have them use a more invasive method to do one of the tests. Essentially, it involves measuring the blood pressure all the way up and down the leg. There is a way to do it with ultrasound or something, but for whatever reason they said they couldn't get accurate measurements. So, if my wound care doctor insists upon having this done - and I'm quite sure he will - then they will have to give me the radioactive dye and do a full CAT scan. :( It's time consuming, but apparently not painful or anything.

I have been somewhat neglectful as far as exercise goes, because I've been godawful tired, but on Friday I did more walking and moving about than I normally do in a week. This weekend I was more active because the apprehension had finally drained and I could think more clearly.

There is a lot more to this that I can't discuss while at work. I will go more into it from home sometime this week. I just wanted to let everyone know I'm still here and doing reasonably well. :)

[Broken_Hero]

60. Well, the good news...

is that last Tuesday we kicked ass! I'm still in a bit of shock over the races nationally...I truly am. I'm in Missouri, and Claire McGaskill beating J. Talent was...shocking...I'm actually proud of Missouri!

I'm glad that you are still trying to be active...dont' give up, never give up...even if you need to take it easy, do so...but don't stop being active, every little bit helps...

The test of your leg reminds me of how they tested for my first blood clot. They injected this dye stuff into the top of my foot, and had me on a table, that could go up/down/west/east...and they followed the blood flow, to see where my clot was...it wasn't that bad a test...the only pain was the foot stick, but I'm use to pain...:)

I do confess, I did cheat on my diet last week, while I took the week off...I had two...bleh, brautwurst hotdogs(really really full of fat/calories), and once piece of pumpkin pie...not to bad, but its amazing how the guilt can creep up on you...

Well, take care man...keep at it, and dont' give up...not giving up is the hardest thing...:)

[Systematic Chaos]

61. 11/20/06 - Day 62

This has not been a good time.

I got screwed out of BOTH of my appointments on Friday. First, my regular doctor, whose office closes at noon on Fridays, called me on Thursday while I was at work to tell me that he needed to see me at 10 and not 11:30 because he had to leave early, so had to move his appointments up or reschedule. So, I decided that I would skip wound care to see him instead, because with the bus and the distance involved I had to choose one or the other. So, I went out to the bus stop on my bike, like I always do, only to watch not one but TWO buses go by that already had two bikes on their front bike racks. This made it impossible for me to make his appointment in time because I simply can't walk the distance from the bus dropoff point to the doctor's office without help from the bike. So, depressed almost to tears, I came back home and called to reschedule my doctor visit to the Friday after this coming one, which is the same day that Jeanette sees him again as well.

My big toe on my left foot is looking rather bad. It is swollen and is showing other signs of very poor circulation. I have yet to receive any word at all on the tests I had done the other week, one way or the other, so I have no idea what they may have found. When I go to wound care this coming Friday, it was supposed to be only for a redressing of the wound, as my regular doctor there won't be in due to Thanksgiving. I am thinking of politely demanding (if there is a way to do such a thing) that one of the other doctors take a look at me, and if their impression is as bad as mine then I will next politely demand that they admit me. I can't get the right shoes yet, and I'm forced to spend way too much time on limbs that need serious help. I still exercise when I have the energy to do it (which is mostly on my days off), but it seems like overall I'm just spinning my wheels at best.

I'm seriously thinking that some form of weight loss surgery may be my only way out at this point, because I'm not mobile enough to lose the weight necessary to save my feet and give me my mobility back, et cetera, ad nauseum. And worse still is that I am constantly fighting an internal war with myself to keep the hell away from the one thing I turn to when I'm depressed or anxious because comfort eating isn't going to help me. I feel like my back is to the wall now and my self esteem and view of the future are way bad. Neither Jeanette nor I am thrilled with the idea, and I have wanted to do this on my own, but I am having serious thoughts that it may be beyond my resources, resolve, control, or whatever you choose to call it. It's not the surgery itself that has me worried, but the long-term effects and complications I'm always hearing about. But then, I need to balance that possibility against what I face now, which ain't pretty. I'm really confused at this point and don't know what to do. :(

The only bright spot is that we are getting a lot more vegetables and stuff now. Albertson's grocery stores offer online ordering and delivery for $10, which is a lot less money (and more convenient) than trying to use a taxi. We can order pretty much anything, and have it delivered by refrigerated truck. We ordered a bunch of produce, both frozen and fresh, and some other items, and while I still prefer Trader Joe's I really don't have any complaints. The tomatoes, zucchini and leeks we got were just fabulous. We plan to start making a lot of homemade soups in our crock pot because it's an easy thing to do and very healthy. No need to worry about added sodium that way either.

[Systematic Chaos]

62. 11/21/06 - Day 63

I got home last night, and tired though I was, I got myself about 20 minutes of exercise on the bike. Jeanette went to the store to get our Thanksgiving dinner stuff and also stopped at Souper Salad, which we hadn't had in a long time. I had some of my salad for dinner and then we went to bed.

An extremely loud vehicle woke me up at about 3:45 and I wasn't terribly tired, so I made the best of it and rode the bike for a little while again. I'm at work now and feeling sleepy but I'll make it through. I'm thrilled that we both have Thanksgiving as a paid holiday off. :)

I'm eating light today, the richest thing I have being the baked potatoes from the salad bar topped with lots of salsa and a little bit of lowfat sour cream. I don't buy into the scare tactics about potatoes at all, and my blood sugar readings after eating them are never out of my usual post-meal range of 130-160. They're so low in calories (at 0.6 per gram or about 17 per ounce) that you would need to consume ELEVEN POUNDS of them to reach 3,000 calories in a day or over seven pounds just to hit 2,000. Thanksgiving will be a bit of a feast for us, but now that we know we can get produce delivered (a huge time and money saver over using a taxi or the bus) there will be a lot more vegetable soup and other creations in our house and less easy to fix stuff that may not be as healthy.

I started my day in a truly horrible mood, brought on by the nagging fear I have about my legs and some posts here that I stumbled upon. I'm feeling better now, though. More positive than yesterday as well. I keep noticing that my pants aren't getting tighter on me, but I really want to see them getting looser. I'll keep working at it and hopefully things will work out in the end.

[auntAgonist]

63. I'm glad you're feeling better ..

I have been following your progress GG and I'm so proud of the fact that you keep on keeping on. You are so fortunate to have found a place that will deliver food! I see many healthy meals ahead for you and Jeanette. I will continue to wish good things for you my friend. Hopefully and soon, your legs will get better! Happiest of Thanksgiving to both of you. And THANK YOU!! You know you didn't have to do 'that'. Your thoughtfulness is most appreciated. I will pay it forward. :hug:

have a wonderful weekend (or day off).

:loveya:

kesha.

[Systematic Chaos]

64. Updated information, 12/9/06

Hello everyone, this is Gentle Giant's wife, Jeanette. I'm writing today because my husband has been placed in the hospital yesterday. After going to the doctor last week for his required appointment, his doctor told him that he (the doctor) wanted Kirk to take a two week period off work to work on his health. The doctor wanted him to go to wound care for more treatments, as well as talk to the insurance to see what doctors they approve for gastric bypass surgery. Kirk wasn't able to go to wound care more than once a week, the insurance (no insurance) will pay for more than one treatment a week. So, he decided to wait until his regular time, which is Fridays. Well, I had my schedule changed to allow me to have the same days off as him, so I went with him to the wound care (which for me is still "today"). When we got there, the wound care doctor told him that the main wound, on the left lower leg, is looking like it might be turning green, ergo, gangrenous. Well, the doctor decided that they were concerned enough to have Kirk admitted to the hospital. After some confusion, we were able to get him into a room, which turned out to be a private room. I stayed with him until they got his cpap machine set up, and got him settled in for the night. I'm going to be visiting him Friday-Sunday, but there isn't any information on how long the primary hospital doctor believes he will be staying. I'll be trying to get him on short-term disability, so that we get at least partial income during his time away from work. It will help if we can get that going. Otherwise, he appears to be in good spirits, and looks like he is in good hands. The nurse has agreed to allow me to bring him some bean, cheese, and rice burritos from DelTaco for him to have for lunch later today, after I get some needed sleep. It's been a stressful day for both of us, since we certainly didn't realize this was a possibility at this time.

[Longhorn]

65. Thanks for the update!

We'll certainly be thinking about him and hoping all turns out well, both his health and financial issues. I've been wondering if he isn't a candidate for the weight loss surgery since his health has been impacted so much. Take care of him and yourself, too! :hug:

[lavenderdiva]

66. Hey, Jeanette-

I am so glad that you posted this update for us on Gentle Giant- I'm so sorry to hear about all the issues you both are dealing with, and will certainly keep both of you in my prayers. I am glad to hear Kirk is getting the treatment he needs for his leg wound, and hope that the insurance company will bring positive news about the weight loss surgery. I really do think it would be beneficial for him. It seems that he has been struggling with so many health related issues of late, and they all seem to stem from the weight. Having the surgery would be wonderful, I think.

Please give my best to Gentle Giant, and let him know that we all will be thinking of and praying for him. Sending you both hugs: :hug:

[auntAgonist]

67. Jeanette

Thank you for this update. I was wondering why I hadn't seen Kirk around DU. I was about to send a private message to see what was going on.
Please get YOUR rest. He is in good hands by the sound of it. I'm glad they have admitted him and are taking care of the wound.
Let him know we're thinking of him and sending good vibes your way for a speedy recovery. Feel free to message me if you need any information re surgeries etc.

sincerely.

aA
kesha

[Systematic Chaos]

68. Update on 12/10/06

Well, Kirk is still in the hospital and looks to be there for at least a little while longer. They have him on a diabetic diet, with leaway, so I brought him some bean, cheese, and rice burritos from El Polo Loco yesterday, which he ate for lunch and a late night snack. Other than that, he's been eating only what they give him, and he didn't eat his lunch yesterday because of the burritos. They have him on some pain meds, because he does get some leg and foot pain that comes and goes. He went in for a bone scan today, and they finished the second part later, right after I left him. He's done, and it appears that they believe that the results might show a very "mild" bone infection if there is one at all. Mild or major, bone infections aren't fun in either case, but they may be able to save the leg if it's mild and treatable. The primary doctor is going to start seeing him tomorrow, so we will hopefully find out more on what they expect to happen in the near future, including perhaps a time frame on how long he's expected to stay there. The leg and foot swelling hasn't decreased markedly, but he doesn't feel that it's increased either. The doctor that has been seeing him over the weekend decided to not put tubagrip (a stocking material that compresses the limb) on his legs, to allow natural circulation. We will find out if they want to continue that, or use the tubagrip to try to reduce the swelling again.

Needless to say, Kirk is very committed to following through on whatever he needs to do. The only bad thing is, he's said the same thing before and then slacked off and this is what happened. I'm hoping that this will actually work for him, and that he does improve and get better. I'm concerned financially, I'm a little stressed because one of our 4 cats suddenly started acting constipated (either constipated or very hard to pass bowel movements), and I'm not able to spend nearly enough time with Kirk (will have to spend at least the next 3 days not seeing him even for a moment). BUT, if this works, it will be worth it. Unless the cat gets sick, that is.

[auntAgonist]

69. Thank you for the update Jeanette.

I'm glad to hear that Kirk is in good hands and it sounds like the have the infection under control. I too hope that this will work for him.
Please try not to overstress yourself. If you can't get up to see Kirk in the hospital for a few days, believe me, he'll survive. It's important that YOU get your rest so that you are able to carry on with what you need to do. You don't want to make yourself sick too. Hopefully the cats will be fine. Just make sure they have lots of water to drink.
This will all be worth it Jeanette. Kirk will be home to you before you know it and life will get back to normal. I'm going to PM you my cell phone number.

take care of yourself :) :hug: :)

aA
kesha.

[GardeningGal]

70. Just checking in to see if there's an update.

I hope you both are doing well, I know this can be stressful.

:hug: