I realize it's mid-July, but I figure it's better late than never.
It's been a busy summer. It makes me wonder how I ever get anything done when I'm in school and working. Every day flies by. It's been nice, though, because I feel like I'm productive every day but still get lots of relaxation/lazy time.
School. It's been nice having a break from classes. The best thing is not having anything to do in the evenings when Steve is home. I also get to read whatever I want whenever I want. During the school year, I still manage to read a bit - mostly just a few minutes in bed before falling asleep. I registered for three classes for Fall. I was a little perturbed to find out that all the Masters classes are in the late afternoon/evening, but I guess it makes sense for those people who are working full-time while going to school. And, it turns out that it will benefit me, too. I still have over a month before school starts and I'm going to do my best to enjoy the rest of the summer.
Summer Trip. On June 5, we flew to Seattle and boarded a Carnival cruise ship (I can't remember the name right now) and headed to Alaska. It was a wonderful trip! You can read more about it here. We're already making plans for a great trip next summer.
Journaling. Haven't done it in months! The last time I wrote in it, I took it into the living room to write and it has stayed in that spot ever since. I really need to move it back to my bedroom. I'd like to get back to writing every night before bed. I hate when I go awhile without writing because I feel like I should recap what has happened since the last time (even if just the big stuff) but I really don't want to spend forever writing. Sigh. I just need to buck up and start again. I love writing in my journal and just need to get back into the writing rhythm.
Exercising. I did pretty well in May. I didn't miss a single day (I rarely do since I'm responsible for walking the dog at least once a day, usually more), and almost reached my 100 miles goal. In June, I gave up tracking my exercising, what with all that's been going on. I managed to do pretty well until my surgery - I even worked out almost every day while on our Alaskan cruise. However, once I had surgery, I felt good just being able to walk from my bedroom to the living room, and I needed the support of someone else to do that the first week. Last Thursday, I started walking the dog again. I can't go very far or very fast but it feels good to be able to get out and walk twice a day. I'm getting a little faster, too. At first, Sadie would be at the very end of the leash, not exactly pulling at it but definitely wanting to go faster. This isn't normal, usually she walks right by my side or close to it. In fact, for our mid-day walk, she usually walks far behind me because she hates the heat and drags big time. I'm hoping to get back to my regular walking routes in August.
May exercising totals: 2255 minutes (about 37.5 hours), 97 miles
Summer To-Do List. These are the things I accomplished in May and June:
Donate clothes I don't wear any more to thrift store
Get new copy of my birth certificate
Write one short story
Start advertising rooms for rent for condo
Register for classes (and let the VA know)
Blog about Alaskan cruise
Go to eye doctor
Refinish grandma's desk
I feel pretty good about my to-do list. I still have more I want to get done. We'll see how it goes this month (so far I've only done one thing on the list).
Other. It was wonderful having my mom stay with us for over a week the end of June. I find myself missing her while I watch tv. It was fun to chat with her while we watched. She was perfect company. I can't imagine what my household would have been like that first week or so after my surgery if she hadn't been here.
My birthday was in May. Steve totally spoiled me, like usual. I'm now 35 years old and am loving this age. It feels good - not too young but still pretty young.
I'm sure I'm missing so much, but that's what I get for doing such a belated update. :)
Hope everyone is having a great July!
Friday, July 13, 2012
Monday, July 09, 2012
Sleeping Troubles
I used to pride myself that I was an excellent sleeper. Yes, it took me awhile to fall asleep at night, but once I was out, I stayed out until morning. Little did I realize how precarious my sleeping rhythm truly was.
Sure, there were the odd sleeplessness occurrences. I distinctly remember three times when I suffered from insomnia. The first time was my first year of college, in my dorm room at the University of Utah. For over a week I couldn't stay asleep once I finally managed to fall asleep. I discussed it with my mom and she did a little research. She called me back awhile later with her findings. Sometimes if one does other things besides sleep in one's bed - like doing homework, reading, watching tv - then your body fails to treat your bed like a place to sleep. I started doing less on my bed (which had been doubling as my couch, especially since it was smack dab in front of my roommate's tv) and soon I started sleeping like myself.
The other two times occurred much later and were only separated from each other by one year. Both times shared something, I was stressed and didn't realize it. Stressed about a decision or more precisely, the direction my life was taking. Both lasted about two weeks and didn't end until I realized the cause and started to do something about it, even just to acknowledge the stress that I hadn't felt but my body had.
These three times were nothing compared to the eye-opening experience of sharing a bed with a man. I swear I didn't sleep well for months! Every time he turned over, I woke up. If he got up to use the bathroom, I was awake by the time he got back into bed. The man thought I was a vampire who never slept because he never saw me asleep. It was at this time that I realized that I wasn't a naturally gifted sleeper, I had just been lucky enough to have the right sleeping conditions for myself for a long time.
Steve taught me the meaning of a true sleep genius. The first time we shared a bed, after we said good-night the guy was asleep in 5 seconds flat. And not just a light slumber. I was able to get out of bed, grab a snack in the kitchen, eat it in bed, and read a little without him so much as change his breathing. I was impressed.
Nope, I am a light sleeper. I mean this in two ways, actually. First of all, I don't sleep soundly at all. Like I said, any movement would wake me up. Same goes for any sound above that of a distant train horn and any light brighter than a dim night light. Steve bought a new alarm clock just for me since at first I didn't have a night stand on my side of the room and was always asking him the time. This new alarm clock could project the time on a wall or even the ceiling. It was pretty handy. And pretty bright. I couldn't sleep with it on, so it had to go.
However, I need light in order to sleep. Looking back on my life, I realize that most of the time, there's always been some outside light source that gently lit up my bedroom (a street lamp, lights from a nearby business, etc.). Steve, having to sometimes work nights and so sleep during the day, likes to have heavy curtains that make the bedroom feel like it's permanently midnight on a starless, moonless night. Turns out, I get night terrors. I'm 35 years old and I get night terrors. If a room doesn't have a teeny bit of light in it, I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat terrified out of my mind over something or other. So, we bought a night light for our bedroom. I'm 35 years old and I have to sleep with a night light. Hence, the other way I'm a light sleeper. On our cruise, the first two nights, I woke up so afraid that I started moving what little furniture existed out of my way so I could get out of the room. We finally started leaving a table lamp on and covering it with multiple towels and jackets (because it couldn't be too bright).
Lately, I can't sleep through the night. I'm finally (after over a year of marriage) getting used to sharing a bed. We have the right amount of light and the temperature is perfect (I decided this post was getting too long to go into my temperature requirements and figure they're pretty standard - not too hot, not too cold). I don't feel overly stressed about what's going on in my life; in fact, I'm quite pleased with my life and some of the changes that have been happening and that are about to happen. However, I can't sleep past 3am without waking up. At first, I had to wake up then to take my next dose of pain killers after my surgery. Now, I wake up having to pee like a race horse. I used to be able to sleep through the night without using the facilities. The worst part is that once I get back in bed, I can't go back to sleep. I know that a huge part of that is the inability to get comfortable. I have to sleep on my back with my head and knees propped up with pillows. If I try to shift to my side, within minutes my stomach muscles throb then become really painful. I'm not used to sleeping on my back nor sleeping without changing positions. And I'm sore. Usually not in pain, thankfully, but almost constantly sore. Tight may be a better description. Like my stomach muscles and skin are being continually stretched. It makes sense, given the procedure of the surgery, but it can wear on me sometimes - usually at 3am.
Fortunately, I know that like the times in the past where a good night's sleep has eluded me, this time will pass. Someday, I'll sleep again. If nothing else, I've learned that I may not be a naturally gifted sleeper genius like Steve, but I do learn how to find my way to sleep eventually.
Thank Heavens!
Sure, there were the odd sleeplessness occurrences. I distinctly remember three times when I suffered from insomnia. The first time was my first year of college, in my dorm room at the University of Utah. For over a week I couldn't stay asleep once I finally managed to fall asleep. I discussed it with my mom and she did a little research. She called me back awhile later with her findings. Sometimes if one does other things besides sleep in one's bed - like doing homework, reading, watching tv - then your body fails to treat your bed like a place to sleep. I started doing less on my bed (which had been doubling as my couch, especially since it was smack dab in front of my roommate's tv) and soon I started sleeping like myself.
The other two times occurred much later and were only separated from each other by one year. Both times shared something, I was stressed and didn't realize it. Stressed about a decision or more precisely, the direction my life was taking. Both lasted about two weeks and didn't end until I realized the cause and started to do something about it, even just to acknowledge the stress that I hadn't felt but my body had.
These three times were nothing compared to the eye-opening experience of sharing a bed with a man. I swear I didn't sleep well for months! Every time he turned over, I woke up. If he got up to use the bathroom, I was awake by the time he got back into bed. The man thought I was a vampire who never slept because he never saw me asleep. It was at this time that I realized that I wasn't a naturally gifted sleeper, I had just been lucky enough to have the right sleeping conditions for myself for a long time.
Steve taught me the meaning of a true sleep genius. The first time we shared a bed, after we said good-night the guy was asleep in 5 seconds flat. And not just a light slumber. I was able to get out of bed, grab a snack in the kitchen, eat it in bed, and read a little without him so much as change his breathing. I was impressed.
Nope, I am a light sleeper. I mean this in two ways, actually. First of all, I don't sleep soundly at all. Like I said, any movement would wake me up. Same goes for any sound above that of a distant train horn and any light brighter than a dim night light. Steve bought a new alarm clock just for me since at first I didn't have a night stand on my side of the room and was always asking him the time. This new alarm clock could project the time on a wall or even the ceiling. It was pretty handy. And pretty bright. I couldn't sleep with it on, so it had to go.
However, I need light in order to sleep. Looking back on my life, I realize that most of the time, there's always been some outside light source that gently lit up my bedroom (a street lamp, lights from a nearby business, etc.). Steve, having to sometimes work nights and so sleep during the day, likes to have heavy curtains that make the bedroom feel like it's permanently midnight on a starless, moonless night. Turns out, I get night terrors. I'm 35 years old and I get night terrors. If a room doesn't have a teeny bit of light in it, I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat terrified out of my mind over something or other. So, we bought a night light for our bedroom. I'm 35 years old and I have to sleep with a night light. Hence, the other way I'm a light sleeper. On our cruise, the first two nights, I woke up so afraid that I started moving what little furniture existed out of my way so I could get out of the room. We finally started leaving a table lamp on and covering it with multiple towels and jackets (because it couldn't be too bright).
Lately, I can't sleep through the night. I'm finally (after over a year of marriage) getting used to sharing a bed. We have the right amount of light and the temperature is perfect (I decided this post was getting too long to go into my temperature requirements and figure they're pretty standard - not too hot, not too cold). I don't feel overly stressed about what's going on in my life; in fact, I'm quite pleased with my life and some of the changes that have been happening and that are about to happen. However, I can't sleep past 3am without waking up. At first, I had to wake up then to take my next dose of pain killers after my surgery. Now, I wake up having to pee like a race horse. I used to be able to sleep through the night without using the facilities. The worst part is that once I get back in bed, I can't go back to sleep. I know that a huge part of that is the inability to get comfortable. I have to sleep on my back with my head and knees propped up with pillows. If I try to shift to my side, within minutes my stomach muscles throb then become really painful. I'm not used to sleeping on my back nor sleeping without changing positions. And I'm sore. Usually not in pain, thankfully, but almost constantly sore. Tight may be a better description. Like my stomach muscles and skin are being continually stretched. It makes sense, given the procedure of the surgery, but it can wear on me sometimes - usually at 3am.
Fortunately, I know that like the times in the past where a good night's sleep has eluded me, this time will pass. Someday, I'll sleep again. If nothing else, I've learned that I may not be a naturally gifted sleeper genius like Steve, but I do learn how to find my way to sleep eventually.
Thank Heavens!
Friday, July 06, 2012
Surgery and Recovery
Two weeks ago, I underwent a tummy tuck. It was a choice I made with the help of my loving husband who totally accepted my body the way it was...and who understood that the biggest handicap for me to being able to do the same was my tummy.
Three weeks before the surgery, Steve and I went to a pre-op appointment where I learned just how different recovery from a tummy tuck is compared to lap band recovery. I learned about drains, binders, narcotics, compression stockings, and not being able to be upright for up to 10 days. I called Mom, who had agreed to care for me for the week following the surgery, and informed her that it was going to be a bit more of a challenge this go-around. She decided, most graciously and generously, to stay 10 days instead of 7, and we all mentally tried to prepare.
I didn't really start to worry about the actual surgery until the week before. During this time, I learned that not only had my uncle been diagnosed with cancer but that my sister-in-law's mother had terminal cancer and my stepsister has lymph node cancer. Mortality started to appear a lot more fleeting. Then I had dreams involving my deceased grandmothers. In one, I introduced Steve to my dad's mom, who passed away several years ago. She approved of him, by the way, which doesn't surprise me at all. I didn't really believe I was going to die, but I was a lot more aware that death is always on the table when you are too.
My surgery was the first one of the day, so Steve and I arrived at 6am. I like having early morning surgeries; best to get it done with and on to recovery. I think the person being operated on is kind of lucky - they miss all the wait time. One moment they're cracking jokes to the nurses and the next they're waking up. My first thought when I woke up: Thank you, God, for letting me wake up in the doctor's recovery room and not on your doorstep. The recovery nurse commented later that she'd been surprised that I woke up so quickly and that I was so chatty after having gone through major surgery. I told her that I'd been told the same thing after my lap band surgery. I guess anesthesia has that affect on me. And, I have a natural affinity for loquaciousness.
I won't go into the details of the surgery here - if you want them, feel free to call or email me and I can relate to you all that the doctor did. Basically, 6 lbs 2 oz of skin and fat were removed from my body. My bariatric surgeon had said that it would be 10-15 lbs but my plastic surgeon said that's a common misconception and usually only 2-3 lbs are removed. So, I really did have a lot of excess material down there! Steve said my surgeon sounded pretty excited about the weight that had been removed. I guess I am, too, but as I told him, I didn't do it to lose weight but to gain a figure.
Once I was awake and a little more coherent (and had told the recovery nurse most of my life story, I guess), she brought Steve in to see me. A very, very short time later, I was in a wheelchair being wheeled to the car and sent home to recover. It seemed a little strange to be going home so quickly, but frankly I was relieved to be able to go home instead of being made to wait any longer. I longed to be tucked into my own bed. I'm sure the ride home was painful because I remember being in pain the first two days, despite pretty heavy narcotics and muscle relaxers, but the ride is a little drug-induced hazy. The drugs took the edge off of the pain, for which I was very grateful. Surprisingly, they didn't put me to sleep like everyone thought they would, so I was pretty alert most of the day after getting home. Steve ended up having to take care of me and my needs more than either of us thought he would have to that first day, thinking I'd sleep the whole day.
The next day, Saturday, my mom came. I love my husband and he is a wonderful nurse, but my heart leapt for joy when I heard the sound of my mom's voice. She had proved to be a wonderful caregiver when she helped me recover from my lap band surgery, and there's no one like one's mother. She was a blessing the whole 11 days she stayed with us, especially since this recovery was a lot more difficult than my previous surgery and my life has more to it now - a dog, a garden, a home, and a husband that all needed to be cared for in different ways.
Although I was in constant pain those first couple days, it was a dull pain that I could live with. I ate light but fairly normally; soup, oatmeal, crackers, popsicles, pudding. On the third day, I started moving around more and spent a few hours sitting in the living room when my brother came to visit. I'm guessing this extra movement must have caused some extra swelling because suddenly I couldn't get anything to go past my lap band, not even water. It would go down, sit in my pouch, then come back up an hour or so later. This went on for a few days and didn't let up, even when I stopped moving around as much to try to reduce whatever swelling had occurred. We finally started contacting local bariatric doctors to try to get in to have the saline in my band removed so it would loosen and allow food and water to get to my stomach. No one would get me in despite it being somewhat of an emergency. I wasn't in good health by Wednesday, physically and mentally I was depleted and desperate. Mom and I started contemplating driving to my bariatric surgeon in St. George to get my band loosened and called their office to discuss it. Fortunately, my surgeon told his staff about three hospitals in Salt Lake who can perform the task needed. I called the first one and was told to come in whenever. I asked if someone would be there who could do it and he said that if there wasn't they would just call the bariatric clinic across the street and steal one of their doctors. Hmmm. I asked the name of the clinic - it was one who couldn't fit me in to their schedule. I called that clinic back and told them that if they didn't get me in the next day, I'd go to the emergency room and they'd end up having to send over one of their doctors anyway. I got an appointment for 4:00pm.
With my band loosened, recovery took off! I had the doctor remove most of the saline but I'm only able to eat the amounts I could before my tummy tuck, so I know there's still swelling going on in there. It's good because I'm getting the water and nutrients I need to be healthy but still get the aid of the lap band to prevent over-eating.
We knew the first week would be the hardest and it was, even without my band complication to deal with. I was on a drug regime where I'd take a pain narcotic then three hours later a muscle relaxer followed by a pain narcotic three hours later - you get the pattern. I discovered that lortab makes me kind of goofy when it kicks it, not sleepy. We also had to deal with my drainage tubes and the grenade-looking bulbs that collected the blood/drainage. They had to be drained and the amount measured every 6 hours. Once the drainage got to a certain point, the tubes would be removed, which didn't happen until day 11. My mom woke up at midnight, 3am, and 6am for several days to give me my pills and to drain my tubes and to allow Steve to sleep since he had to go to work. Again, mom's presence was such a blessing!!!
I got the tubes removed this week on Tuesday, day 11. They were just barely below the required amount and I'd been praying with all my heart they'd get below it by this doctor's appointment so I could get them removed. I didn't think to ask and no one told me what getting the tubes removed would feel like. After the first one came out, the nurse said most people say it feels like a pinch and a burn. My second one kind of felt like that but a little worse. The first tube, however, felt like someone had stuck a hot poker inside me then removed it somewhat quickly, burning me all the way out. I've never felt such raw, unhindered pain before in my life. It seriously made me rethink getting the second tube removed. Now that they're out, though, I'm so relieved. I can wear normal clothing (though I don't most of the time since I'm just hanging at home with the dog) and I'm not toting around those awful plastic grenades.
I am, however, stuck with a stomach binder for the next few weeks (six weeks minimum post surgery). You see, not only did the surgeon remove a bunch of fat and skin, but he also repaired my stomach muscles. That repair work is very sensitive and the binder gives it the support needed to make sure there aren't any complications. It also helps the skin form to my new sleeker shape. At first, I hated it because it's uncomfortable, but the first night we washed it and I didn't have it on, I could really tell the difference it makes to wear it. Movements hurt a lot more without it. I now have a couple Spanx-like products that fit better under clothes but that offer the same support. They're incredibly difficult to get on though, so I only wear them when going out in regular clothes; otherwise, I'm in the white binder the doctor gave me.
Each day is better than the next and I'm finally feeling like a person again. I constantly feel my stomach area. I take pain relievers still but a lot less frequently, so it isn't pain I feel but more of a tightness. The sores from my tube area are finally scabbing over and are a little itchy, as is the sensitive area down there that had to be shaved as part of the surgery. I move slowly and a little like Frankenstein's monster, but I know it will get easier and easier. I can even take Sadie for short walks without my cane AND can shower without using the shower chair Steve bought when our lawn patio footstool collapsed under me the first time we used it (causing me a good deal of pain).
My body isn't perfect. It never will be. I still have flabby thighs, pooches above my bum, flabby arms, and breasts that sag without the aid of a good bra. I can live with all of those things. The thing that made me feel like I still weighed 350 lbs, my stomach, is gone. I finally feel like I look normal, like I should. I finally feel like I look like me. Yesterday was the first day I truly felt it. My sister-in-law and nephew came for a visit so I actually got dressed and put on make up. Then today I had a job interview and wore a pair of slacks and a shirt that I would never have worn together because the shirt didn't cover my whole stomach area. I almost cried when I saw how normal I looked. I don't need to be the skinniest person or have the perfect body, I've just wanted to feel normal, and today I felt it. It felt amazing!
So, I took pictures. Here's the before - this is me before my lap band surgery.
This is me today.
I should point out that I took these pictures just barely, not this morning, and I'm wearing the bulky white binder instead of the sleeker Spanx-like thing I wore this morning.
Here are some pictures of the white bulky binder.
Doctor told me that it takes up to 6 whole months before the full results show up (swelling and such), but I must say that I'm thrilled with the results so far! The next few weeks will be much better than the previous two and I'll slowly be able to get back into my normal exercise and life routines.
Has it been hard. Yes. Has it been worth it? Yes. Very much so.
Three weeks before the surgery, Steve and I went to a pre-op appointment where I learned just how different recovery from a tummy tuck is compared to lap band recovery. I learned about drains, binders, narcotics, compression stockings, and not being able to be upright for up to 10 days. I called Mom, who had agreed to care for me for the week following the surgery, and informed her that it was going to be a bit more of a challenge this go-around. She decided, most graciously and generously, to stay 10 days instead of 7, and we all mentally tried to prepare.
I didn't really start to worry about the actual surgery until the week before. During this time, I learned that not only had my uncle been diagnosed with cancer but that my sister-in-law's mother had terminal cancer and my stepsister has lymph node cancer. Mortality started to appear a lot more fleeting. Then I had dreams involving my deceased grandmothers. In one, I introduced Steve to my dad's mom, who passed away several years ago. She approved of him, by the way, which doesn't surprise me at all. I didn't really believe I was going to die, but I was a lot more aware that death is always on the table when you are too.
My surgery was the first one of the day, so Steve and I arrived at 6am. I like having early morning surgeries; best to get it done with and on to recovery. I think the person being operated on is kind of lucky - they miss all the wait time. One moment they're cracking jokes to the nurses and the next they're waking up. My first thought when I woke up: Thank you, God, for letting me wake up in the doctor's recovery room and not on your doorstep. The recovery nurse commented later that she'd been surprised that I woke up so quickly and that I was so chatty after having gone through major surgery. I told her that I'd been told the same thing after my lap band surgery. I guess anesthesia has that affect on me. And, I have a natural affinity for loquaciousness.
I won't go into the details of the surgery here - if you want them, feel free to call or email me and I can relate to you all that the doctor did. Basically, 6 lbs 2 oz of skin and fat were removed from my body. My bariatric surgeon had said that it would be 10-15 lbs but my plastic surgeon said that's a common misconception and usually only 2-3 lbs are removed. So, I really did have a lot of excess material down there! Steve said my surgeon sounded pretty excited about the weight that had been removed. I guess I am, too, but as I told him, I didn't do it to lose weight but to gain a figure.
Once I was awake and a little more coherent (and had told the recovery nurse most of my life story, I guess), she brought Steve in to see me. A very, very short time later, I was in a wheelchair being wheeled to the car and sent home to recover. It seemed a little strange to be going home so quickly, but frankly I was relieved to be able to go home instead of being made to wait any longer. I longed to be tucked into my own bed. I'm sure the ride home was painful because I remember being in pain the first two days, despite pretty heavy narcotics and muscle relaxers, but the ride is a little drug-induced hazy. The drugs took the edge off of the pain, for which I was very grateful. Surprisingly, they didn't put me to sleep like everyone thought they would, so I was pretty alert most of the day after getting home. Steve ended up having to take care of me and my needs more than either of us thought he would have to that first day, thinking I'd sleep the whole day.
The next day, Saturday, my mom came. I love my husband and he is a wonderful nurse, but my heart leapt for joy when I heard the sound of my mom's voice. She had proved to be a wonderful caregiver when she helped me recover from my lap band surgery, and there's no one like one's mother. She was a blessing the whole 11 days she stayed with us, especially since this recovery was a lot more difficult than my previous surgery and my life has more to it now - a dog, a garden, a home, and a husband that all needed to be cared for in different ways.
Although I was in constant pain those first couple days, it was a dull pain that I could live with. I ate light but fairly normally; soup, oatmeal, crackers, popsicles, pudding. On the third day, I started moving around more and spent a few hours sitting in the living room when my brother came to visit. I'm guessing this extra movement must have caused some extra swelling because suddenly I couldn't get anything to go past my lap band, not even water. It would go down, sit in my pouch, then come back up an hour or so later. This went on for a few days and didn't let up, even when I stopped moving around as much to try to reduce whatever swelling had occurred. We finally started contacting local bariatric doctors to try to get in to have the saline in my band removed so it would loosen and allow food and water to get to my stomach. No one would get me in despite it being somewhat of an emergency. I wasn't in good health by Wednesday, physically and mentally I was depleted and desperate. Mom and I started contemplating driving to my bariatric surgeon in St. George to get my band loosened and called their office to discuss it. Fortunately, my surgeon told his staff about three hospitals in Salt Lake who can perform the task needed. I called the first one and was told to come in whenever. I asked if someone would be there who could do it and he said that if there wasn't they would just call the bariatric clinic across the street and steal one of their doctors. Hmmm. I asked the name of the clinic - it was one who couldn't fit me in to their schedule. I called that clinic back and told them that if they didn't get me in the next day, I'd go to the emergency room and they'd end up having to send over one of their doctors anyway. I got an appointment for 4:00pm.
With my band loosened, recovery took off! I had the doctor remove most of the saline but I'm only able to eat the amounts I could before my tummy tuck, so I know there's still swelling going on in there. It's good because I'm getting the water and nutrients I need to be healthy but still get the aid of the lap band to prevent over-eating.
We knew the first week would be the hardest and it was, even without my band complication to deal with. I was on a drug regime where I'd take a pain narcotic then three hours later a muscle relaxer followed by a pain narcotic three hours later - you get the pattern. I discovered that lortab makes me kind of goofy when it kicks it, not sleepy. We also had to deal with my drainage tubes and the grenade-looking bulbs that collected the blood/drainage. They had to be drained and the amount measured every 6 hours. Once the drainage got to a certain point, the tubes would be removed, which didn't happen until day 11. My mom woke up at midnight, 3am, and 6am for several days to give me my pills and to drain my tubes and to allow Steve to sleep since he had to go to work. Again, mom's presence was such a blessing!!!
I got the tubes removed this week on Tuesday, day 11. They were just barely below the required amount and I'd been praying with all my heart they'd get below it by this doctor's appointment so I could get them removed. I didn't think to ask and no one told me what getting the tubes removed would feel like. After the first one came out, the nurse said most people say it feels like a pinch and a burn. My second one kind of felt like that but a little worse. The first tube, however, felt like someone had stuck a hot poker inside me then removed it somewhat quickly, burning me all the way out. I've never felt such raw, unhindered pain before in my life. It seriously made me rethink getting the second tube removed. Now that they're out, though, I'm so relieved. I can wear normal clothing (though I don't most of the time since I'm just hanging at home with the dog) and I'm not toting around those awful plastic grenades.
I am, however, stuck with a stomach binder for the next few weeks (six weeks minimum post surgery). You see, not only did the surgeon remove a bunch of fat and skin, but he also repaired my stomach muscles. That repair work is very sensitive and the binder gives it the support needed to make sure there aren't any complications. It also helps the skin form to my new sleeker shape. At first, I hated it because it's uncomfortable, but the first night we washed it and I didn't have it on, I could really tell the difference it makes to wear it. Movements hurt a lot more without it. I now have a couple Spanx-like products that fit better under clothes but that offer the same support. They're incredibly difficult to get on though, so I only wear them when going out in regular clothes; otherwise, I'm in the white binder the doctor gave me.
Each day is better than the next and I'm finally feeling like a person again. I constantly feel my stomach area. I take pain relievers still but a lot less frequently, so it isn't pain I feel but more of a tightness. The sores from my tube area are finally scabbing over and are a little itchy, as is the sensitive area down there that had to be shaved as part of the surgery. I move slowly and a little like Frankenstein's monster, but I know it will get easier and easier. I can even take Sadie for short walks without my cane AND can shower without using the shower chair Steve bought when our lawn patio footstool collapsed under me the first time we used it (causing me a good deal of pain).
My body isn't perfect. It never will be. I still have flabby thighs, pooches above my bum, flabby arms, and breasts that sag without the aid of a good bra. I can live with all of those things. The thing that made me feel like I still weighed 350 lbs, my stomach, is gone. I finally feel like I look normal, like I should. I finally feel like I look like me. Yesterday was the first day I truly felt it. My sister-in-law and nephew came for a visit so I actually got dressed and put on make up. Then today I had a job interview and wore a pair of slacks and a shirt that I would never have worn together because the shirt didn't cover my whole stomach area. I almost cried when I saw how normal I looked. I don't need to be the skinniest person or have the perfect body, I've just wanted to feel normal, and today I felt it. It felt amazing!
So, I took pictures. Here's the before - this is me before my lap band surgery.
This is me today.
I should point out that I took these pictures just barely, not this morning, and I'm wearing the bulky white binder instead of the sleeker Spanx-like thing I wore this morning.
Here are some pictures of the white bulky binder.
Doctor told me that it takes up to 6 whole months before the full results show up (swelling and such), but I must say that I'm thrilled with the results so far! The next few weeks will be much better than the previous two and I'll slowly be able to get back into my normal exercise and life routines.
Has it been hard. Yes. Has it been worth it? Yes. Very much so.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Cruising in Alaska
Steve and I returned home from our Alaskan cruise last Tuesday. We had a really good time, but if I were to go back, I'd go later in the summer. It was chilly! Beautiful scenery, glimpses of wildlife, fun activities, lots and lots of food (if you've cruised, you know this to be true!), new friends, and lots of time with my best friend made this trip a wonderful vacation.
Note: I did take pictures but not nearly enough. I'm just not a picture-taker. We'd be enjoying a view or an activity and completely forget the camera in our bag. No, I'm more of a wordsmith that a photog. Below are the best of the pictures that we managed to capture. Also, it's a lengthy post. Just so you know.
Tuesday, June 5
We woke up at 3:45am in order to be ready to go when the airport shuttle picked us up at 5am. Our flight to Seattle was at 8:30 and we arrived there at 9:00 Seattle time. We had forked out for the Carnival transfer and I'm glad we did. They took our luggage at the airport and we didn't have to worry about it again, it just showed up in our room later that day. I wish we would have done that on my other cruises. Oh well. We got to see a little of the city on our way to the ship and I liked what I saw.
We arrived at the ship early enough to avoid most of the lines involved with embarking. However, we were a little too early - they hadn't finished cleaning the ship, so we had to wait for 45 minutes before we could get on. I was soooo hungry and tired and was trying really hard not to be ornery. On board, we headed right for the lunch line. I was a much happier person with food in me! We went to our room and I was really happy that I had upgraded it to an ocean view room a few days before our trip. It was a cheap upgrade and totally worth it! It was a little strange to share the room with just one other person - I once shared a cruise ship room with four other gals! It was relatively spacious with just us two, especially with one of us a male. :)
We rested a bit while waiting for our luggage. When it came, Steve was sleeping so I hurriedly put my clothes away. I loved getting so much space just for me! I left Steve in the room to go to my Disco Dance Class. On a previous cruise, my friends had attended multiple dance classes that had looked really fun but I hadn't participated because of my weight. So, when I saw it on the schedule, I wanted to do it this time. It was a blast! I met a few people that I kept seeing throughout the cruise. And, it was good to be active after so much traveling. I had really hoped that there would be more dance classes throughout the cruise, but nope, this was the only one, which makes me even happier I did it.
That night, we met our dinner companions for the week. I was really glad that we were seated with another couple instead of being seated by ourselves. I love Steve but we get to eat alone together all the time. I really enjoy meeting people on cruises and dinner time is a great opportunity to do so. David and Gladys were wonderful! He's a chaplin with the Army and she's from Peru. They are older than us, probably late 40's. David was hilarious! Told great stories. And Gladys was a hoot as well. We really lucked out to be seated with them. Throughout the week, we'd also run into them in ports or around the ship. It was perfect because we were always happy to see each other but we never expected to hang out with each other except for at dinner. The perfect cruise friends. :)
Wednesday, June 6
Our first full day "at sea", meaning no port stops. We traveled from Seattle the night before and started heading up the coast of Canada. We slept in really late! It's amazing how much I slept on the trip. I think it was the rocking of the ship that kept lulling me to sleep. Thankfully, with the help of the dramamine I took throughout the trip, I never felt sick, a first. We got up and had breakfast and toured the ship. The weather made it not so fun to be out on deck - cloudy, windy, and intermittent rain. Oh, and cold. We realized that we needed warmer jackets and happily discovered a great deal on some in the ship shops. In fact, I got two new jackets on the trip! I ended up using all the jackets I had at one time or another and they'll be great here at home, too.
We didn't really do anything until after lunch. I dragged Steve to the art auction. I'd attended one on a previous cruise and had ended up winning a $650 print (that still needs to be framed!). I like seeing the prints and discovering new artists to like. I also like seeing what other people end up buying. We both signed up to be able to bid on works, though neither of us expected to buy anything. Boy, were we wrong! We walked out of the auction the proud new owners of three Itzchak Tarkay prints (see below)! They were for an amazing price and we decided they'd look good in our sitting room along with the Emile Bellet I'd won before (first picture below).
Zip-lining was definitely my favorite activity. It wasn't hard but something I've never dared do before and it was thrilling! I'll do it again if ever given the chance.
Note: I did take pictures but not nearly enough. I'm just not a picture-taker. We'd be enjoying a view or an activity and completely forget the camera in our bag. No, I'm more of a wordsmith that a photog. Below are the best of the pictures that we managed to capture. Also, it's a lengthy post. Just so you know.
Tuesday, June 5
We woke up at 3:45am in order to be ready to go when the airport shuttle picked us up at 5am. Our flight to Seattle was at 8:30 and we arrived there at 9:00 Seattle time. We had forked out for the Carnival transfer and I'm glad we did. They took our luggage at the airport and we didn't have to worry about it again, it just showed up in our room later that day. I wish we would have done that on my other cruises. Oh well. We got to see a little of the city on our way to the ship and I liked what I saw.
We arrived at the ship early enough to avoid most of the lines involved with embarking. However, we were a little too early - they hadn't finished cleaning the ship, so we had to wait for 45 minutes before we could get on. I was soooo hungry and tired and was trying really hard not to be ornery. On board, we headed right for the lunch line. I was a much happier person with food in me! We went to our room and I was really happy that I had upgraded it to an ocean view room a few days before our trip. It was a cheap upgrade and totally worth it! It was a little strange to share the room with just one other person - I once shared a cruise ship room with four other gals! It was relatively spacious with just us two, especially with one of us a male. :)
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| Steve as we left Seattle |
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| I like me in glasses - who knew? |
We rested a bit while waiting for our luggage. When it came, Steve was sleeping so I hurriedly put my clothes away. I loved getting so much space just for me! I left Steve in the room to go to my Disco Dance Class. On a previous cruise, my friends had attended multiple dance classes that had looked really fun but I hadn't participated because of my weight. So, when I saw it on the schedule, I wanted to do it this time. It was a blast! I met a few people that I kept seeing throughout the cruise. And, it was good to be active after so much traveling. I had really hoped that there would be more dance classes throughout the cruise, but nope, this was the only one, which makes me even happier I did it.
That night, we met our dinner companions for the week. I was really glad that we were seated with another couple instead of being seated by ourselves. I love Steve but we get to eat alone together all the time. I really enjoy meeting people on cruises and dinner time is a great opportunity to do so. David and Gladys were wonderful! He's a chaplin with the Army and she's from Peru. They are older than us, probably late 40's. David was hilarious! Told great stories. And Gladys was a hoot as well. We really lucked out to be seated with them. Throughout the week, we'd also run into them in ports or around the ship. It was perfect because we were always happy to see each other but we never expected to hang out with each other except for at dinner. The perfect cruise friends. :)
Wednesday, June 6
Our first full day "at sea", meaning no port stops. We traveled from Seattle the night before and started heading up the coast of Canada. We slept in really late! It's amazing how much I slept on the trip. I think it was the rocking of the ship that kept lulling me to sleep. Thankfully, with the help of the dramamine I took throughout the trip, I never felt sick, a first. We got up and had breakfast and toured the ship. The weather made it not so fun to be out on deck - cloudy, windy, and intermittent rain. Oh, and cold. We realized that we needed warmer jackets and happily discovered a great deal on some in the ship shops. In fact, I got two new jackets on the trip! I ended up using all the jackets I had at one time or another and they'll be great here at home, too.
We didn't really do anything until after lunch. I dragged Steve to the art auction. I'd attended one on a previous cruise and had ended up winning a $650 print (that still needs to be framed!). I like seeing the prints and discovering new artists to like. I also like seeing what other people end up buying. We both signed up to be able to bid on works, though neither of us expected to buy anything. Boy, were we wrong! We walked out of the auction the proud new owners of three Itzchak Tarkay prints (see below)! They were for an amazing price and we decided they'd look good in our sitting room along with the Emile Bellet I'd won before (first picture below).
D'or et de Reve by Emile Bellet
(Of Gold and Dreams)
Bayside Evening by Itzchak Tarkay
The Look of Love by Tarkay
Tall Ships at Port by Tarkay
After the auction, we grabbed a snack then took a LONG nap. I normally don't nap at all and certainly not for a couple hours. We got ready for the Captain's Night - the first of two elegant nights. I like getting all dressed up, especially now that I have pretty dresses, and Steve was a good sport and put on a nice shirt and tie. We got our pictures taken at one of the dozen photo places but ended up not buying it because it was expensive! For dinner I ate lobster and loved it! I'd never dared order it before because it's so expensive and what if I didn't like it? On previous cruises, I always wanted the prime rib instead, so this was my first time eating lobster. I was surprised by how sweet it was. That night we went to the show and I tried to stay awake even though it was really good. Seriously, I spent most of the time on the ship either trying to stay awake or asleep. :)
Thursday, June 7
At this time, we had left Canada and passed into Alaskan territory. At some point we turned into the Tracy Arm Ford, a narrow passage that ends at a glacier.
We had discovered where the gym was the day before and were both committed to going as often as possible. I woke up at the decided upon time of 6:30, but Steve didn't, so I left without him. I rode the upright bike for 20 minutes then switched to the treadmill. It was at this time that I saw my first whale! I was daydreaming when I saw what looked like a water fountain shooting out of the sea. I stared at the spot until I saw it again. I was so excited I pointed it out to the small chubby man walking next to me. Suddenly I saw a fin and back of the whale! I was definitely more excited that Manuel, the guy next to me. The whale dove (I saw its tail!) and disappeared from view. Manuel and I started chatting and became fast friends (not really, I didn't see him ever again). Steve came to the gym finally and was disappointed that he had missed the whale sighting - blaming me for not forcing him out of bed. He denies that he told me to go without him when I shook him awake before I left.
After the gym, we had breakfast and walked around outside on deck for a bit. It was chilly, but we were nicely bundled. Michelle, the ship's naturalist, would get on the sound system periodically and announce whale, bear, eagle sightings. Then everyone would migrate to a window to try to see them. Steve bought us binoculars after we had rented a pair and then could barely see the brown bear on shore. Now we both have a pair of our own. Don't ask me when I'm going to use mine, but that man sure is a sweetie. We saw several whales throughout the day and about 4 bald eagles. Our window in the room came in handy a few times because we were able to see whales a couple times from the comfort of our own room.
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| In between the mountains you can see the Tracy Arm glacier |
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| Our cabin window - pretty nice, eh? |
After watching a hilarious live version of The Newlywed Show with three couples from the cruise (one couple had been married 5 days, one couple for 7 years, and one couple for 50 years), we discovered the game room and played Trivia Pursuit pretty much every day from this day on. We have a really old version at home, so it was fun to play a new version. We actually knew most of the references even if we didn't know the answer to the question. We eventually bought a deck of cards so played cribbage (there was a board in the game closet but no cards) and Rummy along with Trivia Pursuit. Usually, we played while drinking a mug of hot chocolate. On most of my cruises, ice cream is the treat of choice because it's available 24/7. Well, hot chocolate replaced ice cream on this trip. I probably had 5-10 small mugs a day!
That night's show was The Blues Brothers. The cruise director was one of the guys (the chubby one) and he did a great job. The other guy was okay but not as good. It was a very entertaining show and I managed to stay awake the whole time. :)
Friday, June 8
Finally! Our first port! We were as far north as we were going to get on this trip, Skagway, Alaska. It's a really small town and can only be accessed by boat or plane. Having learned from my Caribbean cruise, Steve and I had booked shore excursions through Carnival instead of waiting to get to the port and just seeing what was available. In the Caribbean, that led to lots of time in a truck/bus driving around to look at pretty scenery that ended up blurring into oblivion eventually.
Our excursion wasn't until 10am, so we were able to sleep in a bit, go to the gym, and still eat breakfast before leaving the ship. We met our tour group on the pier and then loaded into a bus and headed into a beautiful forest. We drove about 15 minutes to our site. We hiked a bit and then the real fun began! After getting suited up with all the safety stuff, we got to go on a short ropes course - four different types of rope bridges. I hadn't looked forward to this part, but I ended up really enjoying it. I wasn't scared because I was securely fastened and safe, and it was kind of trippy going across the bridges. The trippiest one was just a narrow plank fastened to ropes. It was swinging like nobody's business!
After the bridges, the best part - the zip lines! The first zip line (out of 6 total) was a baby line, a good way to start, especially for those of us who had never done it before. Steve and I had purposely been the last two in line to go across the bridges, so were also the last ones down the first zip line. I was so scared, it's silly. I've gone sky diving and wasn't so nervous! I had to have Steve help me count down from 5 in order to finally get myself to jump. It was soooo fun! The other 5 lines were longer and faster. Each time, Steve and I were the last two, so we were able to see how other people jumped and did tricks (if they did) so were able to do different things that we wouldn't have otherwise. Each time I jumped, my heart leaped into my throat, but it was thrilling! I managed to take a few pictures, here are some:
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| Us in our safety gear (and one of my new jackets) |
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| Steve crossing the first bridge |
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| Me crossing the loop bridge - each step is a loop of rope |
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| Steve |
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| Me - daring to go no-handed! Sorry, Steve doesn't zoom. |
Zip-lining was definitely my favorite activity. It wasn't hard but something I've never dared do before and it was thrilling! I'll do it again if ever given the chance.
We walked around Skagway a bit after eating at a pub but there really wasn't much to see (though we did stop at a fudge shop and buy yummy fudge!), so we headed back to the ship and took a nap. Shocker. We played games then got ready for dinner. I had a yummy lamb dinner that was my favorite to-date on board, even better than the lobster. I don't know what we did after dinner, maybe saw the show? Anyway, I'm sure I was tired and happy to finally get to bed.
Saturday, June 9
We docked in Alaska's capital, Juneau, early that morning. Our shore excursion was at 8am, so we didn't go to the gym, just had a quick breakfast and went to the pier. As usual with me, we reached the meeting place really early, so we walked around town for a bit. There was a huge celebration going on that day and the day before with all the native tribes in Alaska meeting in Juneau. That morning there was going to be a parade, which we were going to unfortunately miss due to our excursion. This was our "down day", since the day before was an active excursion and the next day would be too. It was a mistake, we should have done something more active all three days. Oh well.
We got on a tour bus with 60 or so old people and drove to the salmon hatchery for a quick tour and free samples of smoked salmon jerky - I didn't love it. It was interesting to learn about the hatchery, how they try to recreate the salmon's natural spawning as much as possible while making it a little safer. And, a bald eagle flew right over us, just a few feet above. It was really neat! After the hatchery, we went to the Glacier Gardens, a beautiful garden/forest that someone had created after a huge landslide. It was gorgeous, but boring, and I was disappointed that we didn't get to see the famous Mendenhall glacier from it - I had assumed that we would, which is one of the reason I had chosen this excursion. After exploring the gardens/forest for a bit by jeep and getting a little snack, we drove to a salmon bake. This was definitely the best part of the excursion. The salmon wasn't quite ready when we got there, so we hiked the short trail to a pretty waterfall. By the time we returned, the food was ready. It was delicious! On the menu were cheesy potatoes, baked beans, salads, corn bread, glazed grilled salmon (sooo good and I don't love salmon), and marshmallows we could roast over one of a couple fires.
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| Us waiting on the pier in Juneau |
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| Upside down tree in the Glacier Gardens |
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| Heart-shaped pond in Glacier Gardens |
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| No, I didn't gain 50 lbs, just a bad angle. |
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| Steve at the waterfall by the salmon bake |
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| Am I trying to model?? Weird. |
We took a shuttle back to the pier and walked around a bit but found the same shops that had been in Skagway (later learned that the cruise lines own most of the shops at ports) so didn't spend much time in Juneau. I had really wanted to see the glacier and we contemplated taking a tram ride up to the top of a mountain even though it was expensive and we didn't have a lot of time up at the top, until I learned that we still wouldn't be able to see the glacier. Ah well. It wasn't the most exciting port, but we still had fun together.
Once again, we took naps (short ones this time) and played games before dinner. I ate a fabulous filet mignon with wonderful cheesy potatoes! It overtook the lamb as my favorite dinner on the cruise. We skipped the show because I was so tired. I should mention that in our normal lives, we go to bed around 9:30pm. I usually read for awhile and am asleep by 10:30 typically. Well, our dinner time on the cruise was 8:00pm and we'd get done around 9:30. Alaskan time is 2 hours behind Utah time, so it was way past my bedtime! Alternate reason for my sleepiness: I'm actually 80 years old.
Sunday, June 10
Our shore excursion in Ketchikan started at 7:00am, so we were up early and on the pier on time (okay, early). There weren't a lot of people signed up with us, maybe 14 others. We drove in a bus about 30 minutes out of town. There we geared up. Steve and I had bought waterproof jackets and pants before we left on our cruise but we hadn't needed to, they had some there we could have used. However, I was glad to have my own because mine had little things that made me more comfortable, like ties to tighten my hood so it didn't blow off. After gearing up, we took a motorized raft ride across the sea to a secluded little cove. The weather was cloudy but not too windy and had stopped raining once we got out of town. At the cove, we received a lighter life jacket and got into our kayaks. All the kayaks were two-person, or I wouldn't have let Steve talk me into doing this. I had convinced Steve to get into the back seat since that was the steering seat but the guides told us to change places since women are more flexible and that's needed for the steering. It was easier than I thought it would be but by the end of the voyage (about an hour) my legs were getting tired of being in the same position.
This is where I really dropped the ball with picture taking because we saw so many cool things! When we got out of the cove and into the sea, we saw a whale in the distance - close enough to be cool and exciting but not close enough to be scary. We also got pretty close to some sea lions and seals. In fact, we got really really close to the seals. At one point, I could have reached out and touched one if I wouldn't have been too scared about tipping over. The sea lions swam away as soon as we got too close, which was good because the guides said they are territorial and will attack if they feel threatened. The seals, on the other hand, were very friendly and curious. They swam around us and would pop up quite close to our kayaks. They kind of looked like dogs with just their heads popped up, and I kind of missed our little Sadie.
Sea kayaking was remarkably easy and lots more fun than I thought it would be. Steve picks it when asked his favorite part of the trip (I still liked zip lining better). We were lucky because the weather held the whole time we were out so the water wasn't too choppy. Our rain gear was awesome so we stayed really dry and warm. I had no trouble rowing and surprised Steve by not resting as much as he thought I would (I had joked that I would make him do all the rowing since I was steering). I probably only rested a couple short moments, mostly because it was fun and easy. When we got back to land, we ate cookies and hot chocolate and watched loons swimming in the cove while waiting for the motorized raft to come back for us. It came with another group of kayakers (from a different ship because ours was leaving in a little bit). The ride to and from the cove was a blast. It bounced around a lot and we caught a lot of air several times. Also, we saw a billion bald eagles. I amazed everyone with my eagle-eye (teehee), always seeing them before anyone else, including the driver.
We got back on land just as it started to downpour. The driver said we were lucky to have had such perfect weather. The other group was going to be in for a hard ride with the rain and the wind picking up. Whew! Lucky us! We bought t-shirts and a hat for Steve to commemorate our good time (we also bought zipline shirts).
The ship left around noon, so we rushed to get back on board once we got back into Ketchikan. We had lunch, and yep, a nap, before heading to another art auction. Steve had surprised me by agreeing to go, even saying that maybe we could get something else if we saw something we liked that was within our price range. Well, within minutes of getting to the preview before the auction, I found two Emile Bellet prints that I really liked. Bellet is known for his paintings of women without faces and his colors. Well, I spotted these two prints that didn't have the women but I knew before seeing the signature that they were done by him because they still had his style. I showed them to Steve and he liked them, so we asked what the pre-bid prices were. They were excellent, so we put in the pre-bid. This means that we get a better price and that anyone who wants to bid on them has to pay the full, much more expensive price, which never happens. It also gave us more tickets in the raffle and I ended up winning a mug! Well, we settled down to watch the auction, happy with our two Bellet prints. Before they came up for auction, a mystery print came up. Every so often throughout the auctions, the auctioneer would bring up prints and face them away from the audience. We'd all "bid" on them but no one actually had to buy them - we were just "giving ourselves the chance to buy it if we wanted to when we saw the print and learned its price". Really, it's a way to get everyone involved in the auction. Well, imagine my feelings when the print was finally turned over and it was an Emile Bellet! Have I mentioned how much I love Bellet? By this time, the gallery workers knew us and knew my liking for Bellet so they looked at me when they turned it over. Steve groaned. We waited as the auctioneer told us the value then kept going lower. He announced that they only had 5 prints so only 5 people could get it, then said the price. It was low! Three paddles immediately went up. I looked at Steve, one gallery worker looked at me and said, I know you want it. I kept looking at Steve, it was up to him. He gave me a short nod and my paddle went up so quickly I'm surprised my wrist didn't audibly snap! One other person bid on it just after me. This is how sweet my dear husband is and how much he must love me. We ended up buying 6 prints (for really good prices) when we hadn't planned on ever buying any! Below are the two prints we pre-bid for and the one I ended up bidding on.
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| Les Tournesols (Sunflowers) by Emile Bellet |
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| Infini Rouge by Emile Bellet |
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| Lumiere d'Ete (Summer Light) by Emile Bellet |
At one point in the auction, they brought out some really neat prints that we probably would have bought had they shown them in the first auction before the Tarkay prints. The painter is called the chocolate painter because his paintings look like he painted with white, milk, and dark chocolate. I love the Tarkays, but I think Steve would have enjoyed these other prints more - less feminine and visually stunning. Oh well, he says he has no regrets and that maybe some day we'll get the chocolate prints. It was really exciting for me to acquire three Bellets and they'll all go in the sitting room with my other Bellet. The Tarkays will find a home in our home, we just don't know where yet.
After the auction, we played games in the game room and read for a bit. No nap, surprisingly! Tonight was the second elegant dinner night, and I ate what ended up being my ultimate favorite dinner of the cruise - chateaubriand, ultra tender beef loin in a delightful sauce with veggies and scalloped potatoes. It was divine! We went to the show after dinner but left after 10 minutes because we were both so tired. Such old fogies!
Monday, June 11
I woke up ready for the cruise to be over. We would be spending most of the day at sea, docking in Victoria, British Columbia around 7pm, but since my passport didn't come in time, we planned on staying on the ship the whole time. Honestly, I was done with being on the ship. The scheduled activities weren't interesting to us (why didn't they have any more dance classes???) so we played our own games, went to the gym, and wandered around the ship. We realized a slight problem with our Seattle transfer excursion, so we went to the Shore Excursion desk to fix it (we had overpaid). While there, we learned that I didn't need a passport to go on shore in Victoria if I were on a cruise excursion because the authorities would know where I was going and when I'd be back. We discussed it for a bit then decided to sign up for the excursion to Bouchardt Gardens. I'd heard about the gardens when a coworker had gone there and had been told it was gorgeous. I'm really glad we decided to go. It made the rest of the day easier to handle because I knew we would be getting off in the evening.
That afternoon, we went to the final art auction, only because the winner of the "Guess How Much This Painting is Worth" contest would be announced and you had to be in attendance to win. The gallery workers gently tried to get us to look at more prints but we politely refused saying we had bought all we were going to at the previous auctions, reminding them that we had been good customers. Well, we didn't win the contest but David, our dinner companion, did! We were pleased for them. At this point, we hadn't decided whether or not we'd be getting off in Victoria. One of the reasons why I didn't want to was that we'd miss the final dinner with David and Gladys. However, at the auction, I gave them our contact info (they had already given us theirs) and we learned that they would be missing dinner because they were going into Victoria. That made our decision easier and we ended up going to Victoria.
Shortly after docking, Steve and I were seated in a tour bus and driving through beautiful Victoria. We drove through downtown and our delightfully Canadian guide gave us excellent information. We drove out of town to the Bouchardt Gardens. Steve and I, seated in the front of the first bus to get to the Gardens, were the first people in the gardens. By this time it was after 8pm and the garden was closed to the public, so for the first few minutes, we got to see everything with nobody else around. That made seeing the Sunken Gardens for the first time really special. It was beautiful! It was dusk, so we had enough light to see by, and was really romantic. All the gardens were pretty and the temperature was comfortable, so it was really pleasurable walking around. However, my favorite part of the gardens, and of the day, and really high up there on my list of favorites for the trip was the Rose Carousel! I love love love carousels and will ride them whenever possible. When we got to the carousel, people were walking around inside the enclosure but not riding it, so we assumed we couldn't ride it. Fortunately, I asked how much it was to ride it then lamented that we couldn't ride it. Well, the man said, you can! Steve paid the man the money and we hopped on. Miracle of miracles, Steve actually rode an animal! Usually, he just stands by me refusing to mount up. It was probably the second best carousel I've ridden. It was pretty, it was fast, and it was a long ride. I had a blast! To top off the entire evening, I found maple hard candies and maple cookies in the gift shop! Yay!
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| The Empress Hotel |
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| Me at the Bouchardt Gardens - my other new jacket |
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| Some government building in Victoria |
Tuesday, June 12
Since our flight back to Utah wasn't until 4:30, we opted to go on the Seattle Essentials tour through Carnival. It made getting off the ship the easiest I've ever experienced! We grabbed our luggage (having left it outside our rooms the night before like normal) in the building and gave it to our bus driver. Didn't have to worry about it again until the airport. Nice! Again, we sat in the front of the bus (my preference) as we drove around Seattle. I like Seattle and could live there although Steve doesn't believe it - he says I would get too cold. He might be right. Anyway, after a while, the guide's voice lulled me asleep for a 15 minute nap. I woke up a few minutes before we got to the Space Needle. It was fun to be at the iconic site and we went to the top and looked all around. We were surprised the hour went by so quickly. Then we were driven to Pike's Market where we were given 90 minutes to explore. It started to drizzle, so we went inside the market and ran into David and Gladys! I was so happy to get a chance to see them one more time and to tell them a proper goodbye. We bought lunch at a greek shop David recommended, mmmm, it was good! We saw them toss fish (I tried to capture it on camera) at the iconic fishing-tossing place. We bought big chocolate chip cookies - which reminds me that I failed to mention that after hot chocolate my treat of choice on the cruise were the small crispy chocolate chip cookies. I got kind of addicted to them. Again, time passed quickly, and we headed to the airport.
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| At the top of the Space Needle |
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| David and Gladys! |
We still had lots of time before our flight so we read and napped. Our flight arrived in Salt Lake around 7:30 Utah time and our shuttle came an hour later to take us home. It was a great trip but it felt soooo good to finally be home. We slept like the dead that night and first thing Wednesday morning we picked up Sadie from the boarding kennel. I was relieved to hear that she had behaved well and had seemed very at ease the whole time. Yay!
Well, congratulations if you made it through this whole thing. What a novel! I trimmed it a bit, but in the end I decided to keep it fairly lengthy because I'm writing this more for my own memory than for the reader's comfort. Sorry. :) I would totally recommend an Alaskan cruise, just be prepared for cold and rain and lots of old people. :)
P.S. I've been getting ads as comments so I'm not allowing comments. If you'd like, comment on my fb posting that will go with this or email me. Thanks for understanding. :)
Friday, May 11, 2012
My Mom
I am so excited that today is Friday, May 11th! My mom is coming to visit this weekend, which is always wonderful, but it is extra special since it's Mother's Day weekend. We have a weekend full of fun activities planned, things we hope she enjoys.
My mother's visits aren't stressful but very relaxed and fun. Mom doesn't judge the state of my house (I do a quick straightening beforehand, of course), my decoration, my cooking, my relationship with Steve, or anything else. She comes ready to have a good time, and we do our best to help her accomplish this and to make sure she feels at home. Her visits are my favorite because seeing us isn't her secondary purpose - she isn't here to go shopping or see a doctor or any other reason - the main reason she's here is to visit her daughter and son-in-law. It makes me feel special and very loved. (For the record, I love visits from people even if we're not the primary reason for the visit. So, come visit me even if you have another reason for doing so!)
My relationship with my mom has grown a lot as I've matured and become smarter. I appreciate our similarities and differences and am really, really thankful to be able to talk to her about my life without worrying too much about how that's going to affect our relationship. I know that she doesn't always agree with choices I make, but I know without a doubt that she will always love me.
Mom deserves a lot of the credit for me turning out as good as I have (however good that is). She instilled in me a sense of cleanliness and taught me the skills to obtain that state. Growing up, my brothers and I always had chores; we had a chore or two that had to be done after school before we could go out and play with friends AND we spent a good couple hours or so every Saturday cleaning the house. At times, I had wished that she was like my friend's mom who never made her do anything, not even make her own bed! Now, though, I'm so grateful to have learned to appreciate having a clean house and the know-how to clean it well.
Mom was the disciplinarian in our home. When we broke a rule or did something that was unacceptable (more often than not we knew it wasn't a good thing to do), she didn't let it slide. I like that she wasn't obscure or surprising in her discipline. We always knew what was good and what wasn't. We also knew without a doubt that we'd get punished. Mom was consistent and very fair - we all had the same standards and were equally punished when we didn't obey. She taught that there are consequences to our actions - it was our choice whether or not we did something and so we had to live with the consequences. It's probably one of the best lessons a person could ever learn. Thank you, Mom!
My mom wasn't all work and no play, though. I have happy memories of playing with her. When I was a teenager, she and I would always be on a team against my dad and older brother when playing Pinochle. We'd cheat horrifically and still lose every time. It was so fun, though! We'd giggle about it and I loved the conspiratorial glint in her eyes when she'd use our prearranged signals. I remember how we'd all get giggling so hard before family prayer, Mom giggling right along with us. It would make my dad so upset that a few times he'd leave the room, which made us laugh harder.
My love of walking comes from my mom. Off and on while I was growing up, she'd take me walking with her in the evenings. She walked pretty fast, so I had to work hard to keep up with her, but it kept me in shape when I was already showing signs of a tendency towards chubbiness. And we would talk. Talk about our day, boys, dreams, plans, everything. I learned to be able to trust my mom during these walks. I've always been able to talk to her.
Faith, hope, belief in a loving Father in Heaven and Savior were taught in our home. We're not the most religious family in the world, but my mom instilled in us these traits. Although I haven't always been as obedient to my beliefs as I could have been, I have never once doubted the things she taught me. The foundation she laid for me is priceless. I know people who didn't have that and they miss it, whether they know it or not. Having experienced the death of loved ones, how blessed am I to know that I will see them someday! How blessed am I to know that I can be forgiven of my sins by a Father who loves me and wants me to be happy! Thank you, Mom, for giving me these and so many other lights of knowledge and hope.
Mom, I definitely don't tell you often enough how much I love you and how much I appreciate being your daughter. This blog doesn't even begin to express my feelings, but I hope you're able to see the top of the iceberg and realize how much more lies hidden underneath. I'm so glad I'll get to spend Mother's Day weekend with you. I love you!!
Happy Mother's Day, Everyone!
My mother's visits aren't stressful but very relaxed and fun. Mom doesn't judge the state of my house (I do a quick straightening beforehand, of course), my decoration, my cooking, my relationship with Steve, or anything else. She comes ready to have a good time, and we do our best to help her accomplish this and to make sure she feels at home. Her visits are my favorite because seeing us isn't her secondary purpose - she isn't here to go shopping or see a doctor or any other reason - the main reason she's here is to visit her daughter and son-in-law. It makes me feel special and very loved. (For the record, I love visits from people even if we're not the primary reason for the visit. So, come visit me even if you have another reason for doing so!)
My relationship with my mom has grown a lot as I've matured and become smarter. I appreciate our similarities and differences and am really, really thankful to be able to talk to her about my life without worrying too much about how that's going to affect our relationship. I know that she doesn't always agree with choices I make, but I know without a doubt that she will always love me.
Mom deserves a lot of the credit for me turning out as good as I have (however good that is). She instilled in me a sense of cleanliness and taught me the skills to obtain that state. Growing up, my brothers and I always had chores; we had a chore or two that had to be done after school before we could go out and play with friends AND we spent a good couple hours or so every Saturday cleaning the house. At times, I had wished that she was like my friend's mom who never made her do anything, not even make her own bed! Now, though, I'm so grateful to have learned to appreciate having a clean house and the know-how to clean it well.
Mom was the disciplinarian in our home. When we broke a rule or did something that was unacceptable (more often than not we knew it wasn't a good thing to do), she didn't let it slide. I like that she wasn't obscure or surprising in her discipline. We always knew what was good and what wasn't. We also knew without a doubt that we'd get punished. Mom was consistent and very fair - we all had the same standards and were equally punished when we didn't obey. She taught that there are consequences to our actions - it was our choice whether or not we did something and so we had to live with the consequences. It's probably one of the best lessons a person could ever learn. Thank you, Mom!
My mom wasn't all work and no play, though. I have happy memories of playing with her. When I was a teenager, she and I would always be on a team against my dad and older brother when playing Pinochle. We'd cheat horrifically and still lose every time. It was so fun, though! We'd giggle about it and I loved the conspiratorial glint in her eyes when she'd use our prearranged signals. I remember how we'd all get giggling so hard before family prayer, Mom giggling right along with us. It would make my dad so upset that a few times he'd leave the room, which made us laugh harder.
My love of walking comes from my mom. Off and on while I was growing up, she'd take me walking with her in the evenings. She walked pretty fast, so I had to work hard to keep up with her, but it kept me in shape when I was already showing signs of a tendency towards chubbiness. And we would talk. Talk about our day, boys, dreams, plans, everything. I learned to be able to trust my mom during these walks. I've always been able to talk to her.
Faith, hope, belief in a loving Father in Heaven and Savior were taught in our home. We're not the most religious family in the world, but my mom instilled in us these traits. Although I haven't always been as obedient to my beliefs as I could have been, I have never once doubted the things she taught me. The foundation she laid for me is priceless. I know people who didn't have that and they miss it, whether they know it or not. Having experienced the death of loved ones, how blessed am I to know that I will see them someday! How blessed am I to know that I can be forgiven of my sins by a Father who loves me and wants me to be happy! Thank you, Mom, for giving me these and so many other lights of knowledge and hope.
Mom, I definitely don't tell you often enough how much I love you and how much I appreciate being your daughter. This blog doesn't even begin to express my feelings, but I hope you're able to see the top of the iceberg and realize how much more lies hidden underneath. I'm so glad I'll get to spend Mother's Day weekend with you. I love you!!
Happy Mother's Day, Everyone!
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
Cheerful Sitting Room
One of the things I liked about our current home when we were considering buying it was that it was move-in ready. The carpets were nice, the walls were an acceptable color (not white!), and everything else looked good. As we have lived here, though, I've grown to not appreciate the color of our sitting room walls. The color itself was nice, a warm chocolate brown, but not in such a small room with just one window.
The individual who spent the most time in there was Sadie. She has loved laying in there ever since last summer when she discovered the joys of having a ceiling fan. The second most frequent visitor of the room is my three year-old nephew who likes to play in there a) because of the foot rest (he likes to hide inside it) and 2) no one else goes in there so he has free reign.
The people who lived here before us hadn't just painted the walls chocolate brown, the ceiling had been painted the same color! It was a cave! Fortunately, there's pretty crown molding and faux trim that are white, which helped but not a lot. A few months ago, Steve painted the ceiling white for me. It helped...but not a lot.
A couple weeks ago, I sat in there (trying to make more use of the room) doing a puzzle. I kept looking around thinking that it was a good room but too dark and cave-like. I suddenly had an idea. I'd paint the room! I'm not going to school or working, so I have plenty of time to do fun projects. After about 2 milliseconds, I decided to paint the room yellow. I love yellow. It's so cheerful and welcoming. At first, I thought I'd paint it a very faint yellow - white almost, with just a hint of yellow. I wondered if a brighter yellow would clash with my very red couches. While looking at paint chips, though, I tended to go for the brighter yellows. I decided to go with the color I liked best and move the couches into the living room if they ended up clashing.
They don't. The colors look great together!
It took me three days of off and on painting and I was tired but proud when finished. I listened to the the horrible advice of the paint guy at Lowe's and didn't use a primer (what???) because he said the built-in primer in the paint we had bought would be sufficient and I'd only need one quote. What was he smoking? Luckily, I ignored both him and Steve and bought as much paint as I wanted, 3 gallons, instead of what they suggested, 2 gallons. Good thing because I ended up painting 3 coats in order to effectively hide the brown from under the yellow. (Seriously, covering a dark brown with a bright yellow and only needing one coat?? Why didn't I ignore him and use a primer??) Anyhoo, I figure that even had I used a primer, I would have probably painted two coats of yellow anyway, so I would have had to paint those walls 3 times either way. And it looks great. No harm no foul. And lesson learned, I know what I'm doing and shouldn't listen to the paint guy at Lowe's if I think he's wrong.
Sorry, I ranted there for a bit.
With new paint on the walls, I suggested getting rid of the horrible window treatment (sorry, forgot to take pictures) and Steve said okay. Throughout the process, whenever asked his opinion on anything, he said it was my room and I could do whatever I wanted with it. He'd help whenever I needed/wanted, but I got to decorate it however I wished. Yay! He took down the brown, dated, bamboo-esque wood blinds and I went shopping for something new, something simple. I bought the curtain rod at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and the curtains at Target. They weren't what I was planning on - I wanted white curtains with red poppies or other flowers - but when I saw them I loved them! I knew they'd go wonderfully with the pillow cases my cousin made me and would tie in the candles on the fireplace mantle that my mom had gives us.
I love my new cheerful sitting room and sit in there every day now. The only thing it needs now is art on the walls and repainted ceiling fan blades (yellow, maybe black - opinions?). I already have a print that I love (the inspiration for the red couches) and just need to get it framed so it can go in there. It will be fun to look around for other pieces to add and to watch the sitting room truly become my room, my oasis.
Oh, and Sadie's. She still loves laying in there...even more so now that I'm in there, too!
The individual who spent the most time in there was Sadie. She has loved laying in there ever since last summer when she discovered the joys of having a ceiling fan. The second most frequent visitor of the room is my three year-old nephew who likes to play in there a) because of the foot rest (he likes to hide inside it) and 2) no one else goes in there so he has free reign.
The people who lived here before us hadn't just painted the walls chocolate brown, the ceiling had been painted the same color! It was a cave! Fortunately, there's pretty crown molding and faux trim that are white, which helped but not a lot. A few months ago, Steve painted the ceiling white for me. It helped...but not a lot.
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| I wish I had a picture with the furniture, but this is a good representation of the color. |
A couple weeks ago, I sat in there (trying to make more use of the room) doing a puzzle. I kept looking around thinking that it was a good room but too dark and cave-like. I suddenly had an idea. I'd paint the room! I'm not going to school or working, so I have plenty of time to do fun projects. After about 2 milliseconds, I decided to paint the room yellow. I love yellow. It's so cheerful and welcoming. At first, I thought I'd paint it a very faint yellow - white almost, with just a hint of yellow. I wondered if a brighter yellow would clash with my very red couches. While looking at paint chips, though, I tended to go for the brighter yellows. I decided to go with the color I liked best and move the couches into the living room if they ended up clashing.
They don't. The colors look great together!
It took me three days of off and on painting and I was tired but proud when finished. I listened to the the horrible advice of the paint guy at Lowe's and didn't use a primer (what???) because he said the built-in primer in the paint we had bought would be sufficient and I'd only need one quote. What was he smoking? Luckily, I ignored both him and Steve and bought as much paint as I wanted, 3 gallons, instead of what they suggested, 2 gallons. Good thing because I ended up painting 3 coats in order to effectively hide the brown from under the yellow. (Seriously, covering a dark brown with a bright yellow and only needing one coat?? Why didn't I ignore him and use a primer??) Anyhoo, I figure that even had I used a primer, I would have probably painted two coats of yellow anyway, so I would have had to paint those walls 3 times either way. And it looks great. No harm no foul. And lesson learned, I know what I'm doing and shouldn't listen to the paint guy at Lowe's if I think he's wrong.
Sorry, I ranted there for a bit.
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| Comparison shot - brown walls |
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| Comparison shot - yellow walls |
With new paint on the walls, I suggested getting rid of the horrible window treatment (sorry, forgot to take pictures) and Steve said okay. Throughout the process, whenever asked his opinion on anything, he said it was my room and I could do whatever I wanted with it. He'd help whenever I needed/wanted, but I got to decorate it however I wished. Yay! He took down the brown, dated, bamboo-esque wood blinds and I went shopping for something new, something simple. I bought the curtain rod at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and the curtains at Target. They weren't what I was planning on - I wanted white curtains with red poppies or other flowers - but when I saw them I loved them! I knew they'd go wonderfully with the pillow cases my cousin made me and would tie in the candles on the fireplace mantle that my mom had gives us.
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| Shows the curtains and candles, but not what the color really looks like |
I love my new cheerful sitting room and sit in there every day now. The only thing it needs now is art on the walls and repainted ceiling fan blades (yellow, maybe black - opinions?). I already have a print that I love (the inspiration for the red couches) and just need to get it framed so it can go in there. It will be fun to look around for other pieces to add and to watch the sitting room truly become my room, my oasis.
Oh, and Sadie's. She still loves laying in there...even more so now that I'm in there, too!
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| I love this room!! |
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