Pats Blog to You

Week 14 and still losing

2010-05-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

Week 14 and still losing!

I suddenly realized last week that I am no longer “on a diet” but have now conquered many life-style changes. We haven’t had a loaf of bread in our house for weeks; there are no high-calorie snacks sitting around begging to be eaten; no ice cream containers in our freezer threatening to get freezer burn if not consumed; no cake, cupcake or cookie recipes that need to be tried—we have crossed the threshold of unhealthy eating!
The “ah-ha” moment came this weekend when we traveled to Tennessee for a photo-shot on Dale Hollow Lake. I packed our snacks and most of our meals to be eaten in the cabin. My mom went with us to enjoy the sunshine and warm weather. We planned on having hamburgers on the grill one evening with salad and corn on the cob. I always buy those new “slim” buns at 100 calories each and my mother commented on how much we had changed our food consumption. In the past, even if I was dieting, I would purchase the regular size buns, lots of snacks, desserts and goodies for a trip so that everyone would enjoy themselves.
In actuality, I could always use a trip, event, social gathering, girl-friend get-together or family party to eat whatever I wanted. Every event was my excuse for “cheating” on my diet. But not having buns, ice cream, candy and cookies, did not minimize the fun and enjoyment we had this past weekend. When my mom wanted an ice cream, she got one and I took a walk. We whizzed past the local Dairy Queen without a glace in it’s direction, although I had thought about it before we arrived.
When I wanted something sweet, I ate a fresh peach, and in the evening, we had some fresh strawberries with Cool-Whip Free for a yummy treat.
The fact is, food has been an important part of my life. Then the realization hit that I was out of control. Like a drug addict that has been in denial for so long, I used food for my approval rating. I will always remember a sit-com that was on TV when my youngest son was in elementary school. Her son came home from school depressed because of a bad grade he had received on a paper. His mother said, “Here sweetie, have a nice big piece of chocolate cake.” Then she went on to say, “A fat mom is much better because we offer you a piece of cake to relieve your stress. A skinny mom would have said, Hey, let’s go jog around the block to take away your frustrations.” I was definitely a fat mom!
When my children brought visitors, they could always find a snack of fresh baked goods in our house. And if they weren’t hungry, I would insist they try whatever new thing I had baked. I was fondly known as a “feeder.” Now, I really don’t care if we have anything special to eat or not. If guests come over, they get whatever we are having for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Food is not the reason they are visiting—it’s to spend time with us! Food is just a bonus.
I have not met my weight loss goal yet, but I am still working on it. There are small changes that I still need to make and mind-sets that I have not yet acquired. But the truth is, food no longer controls me. I can live without cake, cookies, candy and sugar. And in reality, I can probably live a lot longer with out it than with it!

Happy Anniversary!

2010-05-09T17:48:00.000-07:00

My goal when starting this diet was to lose 60 pounds by our anniversary. That was today and I didn’t make it! But I have lost about 42 pounds, gone done in size and lost lots of inches! Our 40th anniversary party was a lot of fun with friends and family that I haven’t seen in months who immediately noticed the new “slimmer and trimmer” me! I love it!
But I am suddenly aware of the “diet danger” that happens when you begin to feel good about your weight and/or size. While I am still on Phase 3, 600 calories a day and my daily injections of HCG, I find myself saying to myself, “you look pretty good. Go ahead and eat that pie, cake, ice cream, snack, etc” This is where many of us have failed in the past in the diet zone. For whatever reason, the priority of losing weight relaxes. This is when I have dropped out of (all) diets in the past.
Every meal and every hour in-between is crucial to staying focused and directed. I know I will continue to lose weight so I decided I needed some constant motivation. While cleaning out some old clothes belonging to our daughter, I found a pair of size 12 jean shorts. Ooooh, laaaa, laaaa! July 4th I’ll be wearing those jeans! They are hanging on the closet door in our bedroom, in plain view. I am certain I will try them on weekly until I can easily zip them up. At this point, I can get them over my hips, but there are several inches between the right side and the left side of the zipper!
So what is the plan for keeping on track? I’m mixing up my foods this week. I’ve been very dedicated to eating the right things, but I generally eat the same things every day: Egg or cereal for breakfast, salad with chicken or turkey for lunch, chicken and vegetables for dinner, snack of strawberries for dessert. This week I am eating yogurt for breakfast, cottage cheese or tuna for lunch and salad or veggies for dinner. All mixed up from my regular “menu.” Julia, the nurse at UniqueU says our bodies get used to what we eat and holds on to the calories, so a mixed up menu will spur my body to use the food in a quicker way, instead of so efficiently.
Anyway, I’m still on track and know that regardless of not reaching my goal in the time frame I initially set, I am thinner, healthier, and I feel better than I have in years! And I don’t look so bad either! While certainly not back to my “wedding” weight, I’m closer now than I was 13 weeks ago! Next week I’ll be closer, the following week, even closer—nothing will stop me on this quest for thinness! What about you? You can’t lose the weight until you take the first step! Call UniqueU today for a consultation!

Shopping trip

2010-05-02T17:52:00.001-07:00

I’ll be the first to admit, I hate shopping. I hate shopping for myself, for others, for clothes, for household items, for groceries. I hate shopping. I think it stems from the fact that for several years I sold into the retail industry. Consequently, I was in stores daily. All day, every day. I drove from one store to another, checked in, counted stock, dealt with rude customers who thought I worked there, and stocked shelves if needed. Every day, five days a week. I hate shopping.
However, needing a dress for the upcoming wedding we are attending in two weeks required me to venture into my least favorite place, searching for a semi-dressy dress. Have I told you I hate shopping? I especially hate scouring the racks trying to find “my size”, my color and my style. Once I find something passable, I hate trying the item on. I hate how it looks in those horrible 3-way mirrors that never make you look good, only show you every angle that doesn’t look good. Bulges immediately appear, rolls which weren’t there only hours before materialize, and dresses in sizes that are actually made with one-third less material than the same size that I have at home in my closet bearing the same size tag. What’s up with that?
What’s even worse, my daughter and best friend decided to go along to help me find something….what fun. It began when we entered the store and my daughter began pointing and telling me how cute I would look in that dress, or that one, and even that one. Not my right color, size or style, but I humored her with a smile as I walked to the “women’s” sizes. I was pleasantly surprised to find several dresses that I actually liked. My daughter picked out a few and I gathered them and headed to the dressing room. First dress, size 18, wrong style, too big? Too big? Can that be right? I hung it on the left side, which I had dubbed the “no” side. Next dress, cap sleeves, tight bodice, a little hard to get on over my head, but none the less, it fit. Then I realized I should have unzipped it before pulling it on. Hmmmm… a size 16? Is that possible? I walked out of the torture booth and snuck a glace in the mirror as my daughter and friend smiled broadly. That one ones on the right side as a maybe.
Next dress, different style and color: too big. Immediately a size 14 was handed over the door; no way was it going to fit, but I would humor them. I pulled it on and walked out, hoping to get some help zipping it, knowing instinctively there was no way it could possible zip. But it did! A size 14? Hey, this trying on clothes wasn’t so bad after all.
My daughter and friend practically took over the store, grabbing this dress and that, from size 14-16, and every style, color and fabric. After about 30 dresses, (literally) the five of us (they drew in two sales clerks for the final vote), settled on two dresses for the wedding weekend and our 40th anniversary party. A sleeveless, belted, green polka-dot “Julia Roberts” dress and a thin-strapped belted dress with a tiny jacket that I would have insisted looked way too young for me three months ago. Unfortunately, the jacketed one was not available in my size, so I settled on a 16 knowing it will have to be “taken in” before I can wear it…what a problem!
Eleven weeks, four dress sizes, new shoes, jewelry to match and suddenly, shopping isn’t so bad! In fact, I might even go again -- soon!

Chip, chip, whittle, whittle

2010-04-26T07:56:00.001-07:00

Well, it seems like I’m just chipping the pounds away, little by little. I lost three more pounds last week, bringing my total in 10 weeks to nearly 40 pounds lost. I’m not unhappy with that, although I would love to loose it even faster. I suppose that is my “instant gratification” mentality and my type A personality. I want it now, quicker, faster and more!
The fact of the matter is that people are noticing my weight. I went into the bank last week and one of my favorite tellers remarked how well I look! I love when that happens! I am also noticing that where there used to be bulges, there are now just ripples (well, okay, maybe rolls, but certainly not bulges!). And one of the best things, (this is for the women who are reading) I got a smaller bra! I know there are a lot of women out there who would pay money for big boobies, but I am thrilled to have smaller ones! They make my upper body look smaller when they are smaller! Yeah!
The longer I am dieting, the more I am getting used to smaller portions and selecting the right foods, the less I care about what I am missing. I admit, there are times when I would LOVE to have a Culver’s Ice Cream or a large piece of chocolate cake, but the truth of the matter is that I would not defeat what I am doing for a moment of pleasure!
I know that in due time, I will be able to select those foods again, and hopefully with the changes I have made in my diet, the new habits and the dedication of sweating it out at the gym, I will always realize that food is just a passing pleasure. Looking in the mirror and the pleasure of zipping up my (soon to be) size 14 jeans, lasts a lot longer than the five minutes it takes to wolf down a Big Mac or an ice cream!
I get a weekly e-mail from a marketing guru that often has amazing stuff in it. In a recent note, he was talking about optimists versus pessimists and how our mind and attitude is only part of the overall equation of life. He said this:
I believe optimism is the gateway to happiness.
Outcomes are determined by actions.
Actions are determined by beliefs.
Your attitude is the glow of your beliefs.
He is so right. The outcome of our diet is dependent on the actions we take to make it happen. I can (and have) determined in my mind to loose weight, but until I take the step, enforce the action of choosing something different, nothing changes. The old saying goes: If you continue to do the same things, you will get the same results. Unless you change what you are doing, your diet, exercise, and path to good health, you will continue to be overweight, sluggish and depressed with how you look. Determining to go on a diet is the easy part. Actually doing it is when the work begins!
Make that determination today and see what results you get!
Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels!

Week 9 is complete!

2010-04-18T12:22:00.001-07:00

It’s been nine weeks that I have been dieting with UniqueU Medical Weight Loss. My clothes are no longer just loose, but now baggy! My mom told me to trash the dress pants I wore to church last week because they looked horrible. They were size 16 slacks.
I had hoped by now to have lost a few more pounds, since my anniversary is just four weeks away. I truly wanted to wear a size 12 dress to our nephew’s wedding, but I suppose a size 14 will have to do. My trips to the gym are shaping my waist, legs and body, and I actually have a abs, ribs and even hip bones that are “feelable.” It’s a miracle!
As for the diet, I am learning a lot of new tricks that help me stick to the 600 calorie diet. New recipes help keep the food interesting and now it has become my mission to find the least amount of calories in my dressing, salads and snacks. Instead of “waisting” calories on salad dressing, I make my own with 2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbs. ketchup and 1 packet of Stevia and it makes a great “Catalina-type dressing. Pour it over some spinach leaves topped with chopped chicken breasts and a couple of strawberries and yum! A 120 calorie lunch!
For the next four weeks, the gym will be my priority each morning. If I “kick it up a notch” as Rick (hubby) says, hopefully I’ll be able to drop another 25 pounds before our anniversary. I had been losing rather slowly, with only 2-t0-3 pounds a week for the last 3 weeks. Dr. Buchanan said to eat a “cheat” meal with whatever I wanted to kick start my diet again. So yesterday I went with my girlfriends to the Cheesecake factory and had one half of a pizza, part of a salad and a delicious piece of chocolate cheesecake.; It was yummy .
I realize that I plan my days now by the types of meals I will be eating. I prepare my meals ahead of time, for the most part, at Dream Dinners in West Chester. I get to eat my favorite foods and I get a taste of this and that, just a bite will normally do the trick.
My newest photo is attached, and I hope you can see my progress. At church this week, one of my friends, who has been in Florida for the winter said it looked as if I lost a person! In actuality, it has been about 35 pounds. I can’t wait to wear my bathing suit this year (a two-piece tankini) and I can’t remember having said that in years.
If you are still thinking about UniqueU, don’t wait any longer. The spring will soon turn to summer, then to fall and before you know it, you will be packing on the winter weight once again. Call today and tell them I sent you for the friends and family discount! It’s not too late.

Eight weeks down, eight weeks to go

2010-04-08T12:07:00.001-07:00

My mom just had an ‘ah-ha” moment standing in my driveway when she said, “Honey! You have really lost weight! Your face looks so different! You look great!” Yeah! I love it when someone notices that all my hard work and effort is paying off!
My weigh-in yesterday showed another 2.5 pounds lost and I am under one of my mile-markers that I set in my brain. My clothes are the biggest source of pleasure to me and I enjoy trying on things that were impossible to fit into just eight weeks ago. While I still have another 30 or so pounds to lose, I am excited about the end results.
One of the things that I have really noticed while being on the UniqueU Medical Weight Loss Diet is that my energy level has been steady. Normally when I am dieting, especially if I am eating less than normal amounts of calories, I would be sluggish and tired by evening, but not so! I’m still full of energy late at night and I also find that I can focus on the task at hand, regardless of the time of day or night. I love that feeling!
The HCG hormone shots were mentioned on the news this morning, stating that they are not recommended as a weight loss aid. I have read a lot about the hormone and found out that the weight loss was once considered a wonderful “side-effect” of its use. The use of this hormone has been controversial, with those opposed to it saying anyone on 600 calories a day (as I am on in this phase) would certainly loose weight. Duh! I agree! But who could stay on 600 calories without some help? The HCG allows my body to burn the stored fat, so therefore I require less to eat. It also shuts off the “huger center” in the brain so I don’t feel hungry.
After extensive research on the hormone, I have learned that there are so few side effects, virtually all of them are associated with the injections site (bruises, infection, etc) and not with the drug. Of the thousands of people who have used this as a weight loss aid, I am certain they (as I) would argue that although its first use might not be for weight loss, it works!
My anniversary is just 7 ½ weeks away and I am still hoping to have reached my goal. I might have to “kick it up a notch” at the gym, but I am striving to meet the magic number I originally set!
Anyone interested in loosing weight, trying something new or all of you “diet dropouts” this could be the best thing that happens to you this year! Don’t put off starting to change your life—do it now! You will be happy you did!

Week 7 and a new BMI

2010-04-04T19:11:00.000-07:00

After seven weeks on the UniqueU Medical Weight Loss program I am getting closer to my goal each week. Last week I was able to test the true results when I went to the gym and had my BMI tested for the second time since starting this program.
BMI means Body Mass Index. The chiropractor at the gym has a sophisticated machine which checks out the amount of water in my cells, my muscle mass and my fat mass (oh joy!) According to doctors, this measurement is equally important to your weight because fat accumulates around your organs and around your middle. If a woman’s waist is as large or larger than her bust, she has a much greater chance of having a heart attack. One of the benefits of the HCG portion of the diet is that it helps your body burn the stored fat from bellies, thighs and butts. Working out at the gym three or four times each week should be building muscle while burning fat—a two-fold program helping me reach my goal.
When I started this program my BMI was 39. Ideal for my height and weight is 24 or 25. Gulp! That means I needed to lose 14 points on the BMI scale which would decrease the amount of my body fat by 14 percent. So, logically, if the HCG hormone works, my body fat should decrease as I lose weight. My new BMI was 34, so in the seven weeks I have lost 5 points! That is great. In addition, I also gained 2 percent more of muscle in my body, exchanging the fat for muscle.
The 600 calories I’ve been eating each day has become easier as I get into a routine of breakfast, lunch and dinner, and I’ve been able to save enough calories each night for a cup of strawberries and Cool Whip Free. I’m experimenting more on new recipes and ideas and I can actually see myself staying on this portion of the diet program until reach my goal. I don’t crave things any more, even though there are times I really want something not on my program. That is one reason why I love the calorie counting over carbs or fats, I can virtually eat anything I want—it just has to be under 600 calories total for the day.
Over the next week, I hope to reach another milestone of my weight. I will be happy if I can maintain my diet without any major “cheats” during the Easter weekend. I just keep telling myself the Peeps will soon be gone! Temptation will be reduced by 50% and then out the door. Fresh home-grown products will be around soon. My clothes continue to be baggier and now my size 16’s are beginning to be saggy-baggy. I’m very happy about that!
If you haven’t made a decision to drop those excess pounds before summer season get here, you still have time. Put your focus on your weight and get healthy! Life is good—make it last!

Success at Week Six

2010-03-24T12:06:00.001-07:00

Success at Week Six

Six weeks and another 4.5 pounds! I started on the HCG hormone last week and the results are wonderful! After taking a slow loss for a couple of weeks, this week was a great delight. I am now eating a meager 600 calories each day, but surprisingly, it isn’t too bad. The HCG hormone shots are meant to help curb my appetite, and along with the diet suppressants I am already taking, I truly have to remind myself it is time to eat!
I did a lot of research on the HCG hormone and learned that it is present in a woman’s body when she is pregnant. It is produced to help ensure the health of the ovaries during pregnancy. But it is safe for both men and woman and has been used in the past during military training to help soldiers get in shape. The hormone also provides the user with a clear head, the ability to focus and takes away any “edginess” that dieting tends to bring about—(edginess is the nice word for the mood swings dieters tend to exhibit!)
So my diet day now consists of a variety of good things for breakfast: Blueberry whole wheat pancakes with sugar free syrup; turkey bacon and scrambled eggs; English muffin with sugar free jam or jelly; or yogurt. It is a wonderful change from the four weeks of low-carb when I was limited to eggs and meat only.
Lunch is generally a low calorie wrap or flat-bread (50-70 calories) and 2-3 slices of turkey breast (70 calories) and a tossed salad, or a salad with chicken breast on top. Not a bad lunch.
Dinner is easiest of all because I can have basically any meat with a vegetable on the side. I love crunchy foods so I keep a bag of carrots and celery in the refrigerator for my munchie time. Television time in the evening is still difficult for me so I reserve an additional 50 or so calories for a mid-evening snack. With strawberries in season, (yum) a whole cup of sliced berries is a mere 20 calories! I even top them off with Cool Whip Free. A truly delicious snack!
With spring finally here and the warm weather right behind it, I can’t wait to wear Capri pants again. My size 16s are getting loose (I won’t say baggie yet), but I am hopeful squeeze into a size 14 by Easter (two more weeks!)….we will see.
For now, take the challenge and get yourself into shape! It’s worth the effort!
Remember to tell them you read it in my blog and get a friends and family discount! But you have to mention my name-Have a skinny week!

Beginning a New Phase

2010-03-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

Week 5 completed!

Phase 3 of my program at UniqueU Medical Weight Loss has begun! I am excited to be transitioning out of a nearly carb-free diet and back to eating what is on the food pyramid. In this portion, I will be using the hormone HCG which will help facilitate in my weight loss by targeting the stored fat in my body instead of using what new foods I digest. This will be the phase where I loose the most amount of weight. YEA!

With the use of the hormone HCG, increased activity and exercise, together they will help reshape my body, getting rid of all the places where I have excess amounts of fat stored—you know where I mean without putting it in print!

I comfortably wore a new pair of size 16 dress Wrangler’s yesterday. They had been hanging in my closet for the last three years (along with many other items), and they fit! I was very excited to pull the zipper up without holding my breath, (laying on the bed, using wax paper, etc, etc, etc!). Nearly everyone I see comments that I am looking slimmer and I adore the affirmation!

On Phase 3, I am limited to only 600 calories each day. While it sounds like very little (and it is), by making smart choices, I will be able to select what I eat instead of being restricted to only one type of food. I am anxious to eat fruit again and some of the other foods I have missed. By mixing up the different types of foods on this program, our bodies never get used to only one diet. When that happens, it often results in less and less weight loss. I am talking from experience!

They gave me a great book which has 200 recipes under 200 calories to help me in creating new dishes that I might not have tried: Things like blueberry muffins, banana pancakes, turkey Ruben wraps, and lots more. I love trying new recipes and learning to eat healthy and in moderation will be a new skill set for me! While I have always enjoyed eating healthy, I have rarely practiced the moderation part. Like so many of us, what used to be a portion of food on our plates is now a “super-sized” portion. And it certainly isn’t what the recommended amount of food should be to maintain a normal weight.

I will be posting my new photo tomorrow after my much needed hair cut. If you haven’t signed up for the UniqueU Medical Weight Loss program, it isn’t too late to get in shape before summer! Do it now—you will feel so much better that you did!

Four Weeks-PROGRESS!!!

2010-03-13T07:41:00.000-08:00

After four complete weeks on the UniqueU Medical Weight Loss program, not only am I seeing measurable weight loss, but my clothes tell the story. As I write this blog, I am wearing a pair of size 16 dress slacks that my dear and late Grandmother purchased for me last year with a tailored blouse she bought at the same time. New clothes that never fit now look great!
Working out at the gym four or five times a week helps, I’m sure, but my eating structure has changed so much. I am speaking to a group of dieters this weekend at a support group and as I prepared what I wanted to say, I realized I can start the meeting with the words of so many others: Hi, My name is Pat. I’m a sugar addict.
The detox week of this program was probably the most monumental (in both weight loss and in physical changes). I quit drinking my other addiction, Diet Coke and exchanged it for water. I cut out all refined sugar in my diet. I stopped eating white foods in general—bread, potatoes, white rice. All starches which turn to sugar.
What I have learned is that I CAN live without these foods. Sugar is so addictive in every form that once I start eating it, just like a cocaine or drug habit, I can’t stop. I deceive myself into saying that I can eat just one Reece’ Peanut Butter Egg, (or cup, or Christmas tree, or pumpkin) when in reality, I will eat as many as I can afford to buy at one trip to the market!
Do I miss these foods? Sure, but not enough to blow four weeks of dieting or five hours at the gym. I love the feeling I get when I can zip a pair of pants that I couldn’t zip before! I love the feeling of bending over to paint my toenails without having my belly get in the way! And the undress stress on my new knees from two years ago is also an added plus.
Like the commercial on television which shows the man trying to give up smoking and he has a “suck-o-meter” next to him. Yes, dieting sucks. But this program makes it suck less. My changed eating habits results in a healthier and trimmer me! And that is worth any change in habits that I make.
The scale wasn’t the big winner this past week, only dropping me down three pounds. However, working out is increasing my muscle tone and muscle weighs more than fat, so I am toning up at the same time. In reality, my weight loss is now just under 24 pounds, one and a half sizes in my clothes, and a remarkable new out look! I can’t wait to wear my Capri pants that were too tight or too small and still new in the drawer (thank you Grammie!)
If you are thinking of loosing weight before the summer, you still have time! You can find the UniqueU Medical Weight Loss Program on line—if you mention my name that you read it in this blog, you will get a “friends and family discount!” Go for it! To recap an old saying, Nothing Tastes as Good as Being Thin Feels!

3 Weeks Down and a Life Time to Go!

2010-03-05T06:23:00.000-08:00

This scale thing has gotten out of control! While learning to eat correctly, the right amounts, the right items and the right foods, due to my type A personality, I have become obsessive-compulsive! (Not that it is new to me!) But the worst part of it is that I jump on any scale I can find to see if I lost any weight in the hours following my last scale-visit.
The truth is, loosing weight is a wonderful feeling! I can’t wait to start each day and see what the scale has to say: Of course, there are days when the scale and I aren’t speaking! But for the most part, it is a pleasant surprise. I gauge my weigh-in time just before I eat or drink anything, right before I step into the shower. Then I make sure I stand just right on the scale: A little to the front with the right foot, a little to the back with the left foot. That seems to give the best and lowest reading.
At the UniqueU Medical Weight Loss Center this week, I was just ounces away from hitting my 20-pound weight loss. After just three weeks, I can definitely tell in my face and belly, and my legs seem to be getting smaller too. My clothes are feeling so much looser and I can fit into lots of clothes that I have either never worn or haven’t worn in a long time! I love it!
The longer I am on this program the easier it gets. I have now learned what to order when I eat out, what curbs my wants, and how to get through the evening when I want to munch a bunch. In reality, I am never really “hungry” except when I wake in the morning. I want to snack, but only out of habit. I want to eat, but then I think that I have lost almost 20 pounds and I am certainly not going to blow it on a snack!
I am working out every morning at the gym and why would I go to all that effort if I was just going to waste my workout on snacks. I know the logic of the whole diet, exercise and loose weight thing has always worked, but food has somehow over ruled the reasoning. I love food! The difference is that now I eat to live, instead of living to eat.
Being the food-centered society that we have become, changing our habits to not meet in restaurants, not include food at every gathering, or not having a houseful of snacks is a change for most of us. We include food as part of every event! Being part of an event is not a bad thing, but when it takes over the reason for the event, well, maybe we should take another look at what we are doing!
The UniqueU Medical Weight Loss Program has shown me a new way of dieting. It provides the information, the supplements and the medical “crutches” which makes it such a workable program for everyone.
Almost 20 pounds after three weeks is monumental! I can’t wait to get down to the next level!
Here is my new photo as well. See my cheekbones? They weren’t there three weeks ago!

Inches, inches where have you gone?

2010-02-25T12:57:00.000-08:00

Inches, inches where have you gone?

I have successfully completed the second full week of the UniqueU Medical Weight Loss program. My size 18 jeans which so lovingly welcomed me back after more than a year, are now becoming more standoffish. My size 16s are anxiously awaiting my return!
I can tell the inches are melting away with the pounds as my face, and definitely my mid-section, is shrinking!
Phase Two of the program consists of a low-to-no carb diet, but remarkably after doing the detox portion of the program and taking the miracle appetite suppressant, I have not experienced any hunger pangs or cravings for my once daily fix of chocolate. I have almost completely stopped drinking my vice of choice, Diet Coke, and when I do indulge in one, it no longer tastes as good as I remember. In fact, when I am thirsty, I crave water! Who would have thought?
While I will admit there are things I miss, I no longer feel like I can’t live without them. An afternoon cup of Almond Vanilla tea sweetened with Stevia and lightened with sugar-free Almond Vanilla Coffee Mate makes a great afternoon drink along with a hand full of nuts or a cheese stick. My tastes are changing and they are becoming healthier!
I have also noticed an increase in energy, (although I have never been a slug), I bound out of bed with anticipation of seeing what the scale says for the day. Maybe that face-to-face with the Health-O-Meter keeps me motivated and on track. Whatever the reason, I am loving it.
Other positive attributes of the program seem to be that it is contagious. When I plan my food and fix my lunch or snack, my dear hubby wants to eat the same things. Could this be a “two-for-one” diet without really trying? Of course the few pounds he needs to lose will evaporate much like the cold glass of water I fix for myself and sit between us.
I had planned on posting a new photo, but decided to wait until I’m comfortably in my size 16 jeans—next week.
As I look ahead to my long-term goal of losing 65 pounds, I am already dreaming of shopping for a size 10 dress to wear to our nephews wedding in May. I just need to make sure it is not the same color as the brides maids.

One Full Week -- 14 pounds Lost!

2010-02-17T09:05:00.000-08:00

I have finished my first eight days on the UniqueU Medical Weight Loss Diet and when I weighed in this morning, I lost a whopping (yes whopping) 14 pounds! In only eight days I can tell a difference in my jeans and especially around my mid-section. In the mirror I am starting to look thinner in my face as well.
The first week was not very difficult for me. I enjoyed the yogurt and loved the variety of fresh fruit I could eat. I was craving for something hot at lunch, but stuck to the garden salad and chicken breast. (I even cheated one day with three crackers crunched up on top!)
I stopped drinking my favorite, Diet Coke, except for one in the morning. According to all the things I have read about it, this is a big plus for my overall health! (Although not a requirement on the diet) I’ve started drinking hot tea, two or three cups a day. There are so many wonderful flavors and Carmel Vanilla is one of my favorites! Add a little of the Sugar-free Carmel Vanilla creamer and two packs of Stevia and you have a yummy dessert drink!
I also made a dessert using Cool Whip Free, Jello and cottage cheese mixed together. It takes the edge off when you want something sweet. I’m learning to adjust my diet and my tastes. While I won’t say it was as good as a dish of ice cream, it was certainly better for my waist line!
The weather really hurt my trips to the gym, so I ended up only working out three times. And I still lost 14 pounds! I don’t think the loss was unusual because I could hear the couple in the room next to me this morning and she lost 10 pounds and he lost 13.
For the next three to four weeks I will be on Phase Two of the program. This is a low-carb diet, not unlike the South Beach, but in addition to the veggies and protein, I am adding an appetite suppressant, multi-vitamins, potassium and glucose supplement.
These will ensure that my body functions as it is supposed to and keeps me healthy while I am dieting. If you are interested in learning more about this program, check out their web site at www.UniqueUMedicalWeightLoss.com

I am excited to see what the next week brings!
Regards-
Pat

Let the Loosing Begin!

2010-02-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

After mentally preparing myself for the last several days, it was finally time for my initial visit at the UniqueU Medical Weight Loss center in Kenwood. I filled out paperwork, had an EKG taken and met with Dr. Lutz for a pre-diet physical. I was also instructed where to go to have my blood work taken in the next couple of days, prior to my next visit in one week. And of course, the dreaded scale.

Dr. Buchanan explained the diet start-up to me and one other newbie. It’s pretty cut and dry and this first week is called the “Detox” week. I will be eating only natural things, nothing processed, fruits, vegetables, cottage cheese and proteins. It seems pretty easy so far. I headed to the grocery store and purchased all the things on the list, probably enough for the first 3-4 days. It was $50.60. Not too bad on the budget either.

Rick took my “fat” photo and it is also included in this blog. Julia Lutz, Dr. Lutz’s wife, has lost around 35 pounds on the program, going from a size 12 to a size 4. She’s a tiny thing in stature, but what wonderful results! She has been off the program since Christmas and hasn’t gained back anything. She is down to her pre-wedding weight and loving it. I had time to speak to her yesterday as well and she said I will absolutely love this program—you never feel hungry and don’t even feel like you are on a “diet.” That sounds great to me!

So let the loosing begin! I think the mental part is probably the most difficult, psyching myself up to the fact that I CAN DO THIS! I am confident with the diet program, the support of my husband and family, this may be the last diet I tackle. I’ll blog again after my first doctor’s visit.

Pat

New Year, New Diet

2010-02-05T05:46:00.000-08:00

Blog Patti S. Pre-Diet 2-5-10

Gulp! I’ve done it again! I’ve committed to a diet program with hopes of loosing weight and getting fit. You will notice it is not January 1, so don’t assume this is a New Year’s Resolution, do-without-thinking idea. I am ready for a change!
I am a 57 year old woman, married for nearly 40 years. I have three grown children and three spectacular grandchildren. I own my own company and work full-time plus every week. I teach Sunday School, Bible Study, Scrapbooking (in my spare time) and enjoy my family immensely.
Two years ago I had bi-lateral knee replacement (at the same time) and began working out at Physical Therapy. I loved it and keep going after my PT ended. I dropped 45 pounds in about a year. Then last summer the facility changed its hours for post-therapy patients and I stopped going to the gym. I also stopped watching what I ate and now, eight months later I am 30 pounds heavier, never having reached my goal of loosing 70 pounds.
My size 16 jeans no longer fit and I am back in my 18s, with aspirations of getting into a size 12!
There is a new program in town called UniqueU Medical Weight Loss Program. A friend of mine joined it. At first I shrugged off the idea, thinking it was just another no-win, or more aptly put, no-loose program. But after doing some research, I am confident that this will work.
They have promised the results to be fast for me; in fact, they are predicting it will take about three and a half months for me to loose 60 pounds. Just in time for my May anniversary!
So, here I go. I am nervous, my stomach is in knots, and I am once again, afraid of failing at yet another diet! But I am also tied of being out of breath after climbing the stairs and putting undo pressure on my new knees! I need this to work! And I am ready to make it work.
If you want to follow my success, I’ll be blogging every Monday night after I go for my initial weigh in and subsequent visits. I'll also be posting photos of my success (oh joy!)
Read about my progress at www.patsblogtoyou@blogspot.com

Easter Week, 2009

2009-04-05T18:18:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine said in her religion, this is called the Holy Week. While I never thought of it as such, I suppose if you look back to this week in Christ's life, it started on Palm Sunday with the triumphant entry into Jerusalem and ended with the Resurrection. With all that transpired in those seven days, I agree that does constitute the week as being worthy of such a notable name as the Holy Week.
As a mother and grandmother this week holds an exceptional meaning to me. Not that I have eggs to color and baskets to prepare, but the thoughts of giving up one of my children to save the life of another person, actually, the salvation of the world. The concept itself is almost unimaginable. We talked about it in Bible Study at our church this morning and with a room full of women, we decided that God had to give Mary some supernatural grace to endure. No mother could stand to watch what Christ had to go through--consequently, what Mary had to watch Him withstand.
And not just Mary, but God in Heaven. Watching His Son die for the sins of the world had to be excruciating, especially knowing that man didn't deserve this second (third, fourth, fifth, sixth) chance. We deserve to die, to be banished from the Garden, so to speak. Yet God allowed His Son to come to this vile world and die for all of us, unworthily and unwilling to appreciate what was happening.
We are all wrapped up in a plan that leads us to His Salvation and love...but we walk through blindly. Few realize the sacrifice He made to save our life. But Mary knew...Christ knew... God knew. I hope you know...
Happy Easter.

Eric Turns 30!

2009-03-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe our "baby" boy turned 30 last week. Although with Eric, he always remains the same--funny, boyish, caring and compassionate. He was dubbed "friend to all" in high school. He is known for his incredible sense of humor and his humility. He speaks his mind, generally with tact, but sometimes is blunt and to the point. You can always depend on his honesty in all aspects of his life.
Giving him a "surprise" party was a challenge for poor Nyki. He knew about it, just not the details of the party. She eventaully told him not to mention it and let her do her thing. He did. And he put on the surprise face when he arrived. The party was a lof of fun, with friends coming in from out of town that he hadn't seen for a while. It's always good to renew friendships!
Since marrying Nyki nearly 5 years ago, we have seen him go from fun-loving, anything-goes daredevil, to caring husband, and now protective father. Emery is all about her daddy. When he walks in and she hears his booming voice, her whole face lights up! She speed-crawls to get to his legs where she pulls herself up waiting for him to pick her up. I don't think there is anywhere she would rather be than in her daddy's arms. And he is such a good father. He is somewhat overprotective, but I chalk that up to being a first-time father. (What's so wrong about a grandma who lets her granddaughter teeth on a twizzler?)
At any rate, our thumb-sucking baby boy is now a 30-year old, dare I say, Man? How can this be? Being our last child, everything he did was special. And it still is.

A Day in the Park

2009-03-11T07:23:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was beautiful here in Cincinnati. The temperature was 72 degrees, the warmest so far this year. Mylina and I picked up my grand mother, Ruth and took her to the park for a mini-picnic. We bought some Subway sandwiches and chips and a couple of sodas and we were off.

Gram loves to do things, and go places, but it is getting increasingly difficult as she slows down a bit. She is 92, and after having a stroke several years ago, she walks with a walker around the house, but when we go out, I push her in her wheelchair. She kept telling us how wonderful it was to be out and how much she loved the breeze.

Grandma is a remarkable woman. She has seen much, loved many and enjoys her life to the fullest, every single day. She has traveled the world, loved three men totally, and had two wonderful children, my dad and my aunt. She worked for Champion Paper Company for 40 years and built her life from scratch. She is dedicated to her family and friends. Her best friend, Jackie, have known one another for 55+ years (I know that because she remembers me as a baby!). Jackie calls her every single night to check in and and make sure Gram is okay. She is a treasure in Gram's life.

One of the thousand things I love about her is her hands. Even at 92, they are strong, with long straight fingers, hard fingernails and they are easy to hold. They still grasp my hand well, hold on to her beautiful great-great grandchildren, Sierra, Parker and Emery, and reach for my face to give me a kiss. I know she has seen more and experienced more, has had more things fall through her fingers and even more that she has held onto, than most people will ever know. She is a very special person and a woman to be admired.

So we have five generations in our family, and hopefully we will keep that many for several more years. I would love to host a 100th birthday party for her in 2015.

Real Life

2009-02-23T18:17:00.001-08:00

Finally the days are getting longer, the evening sun goes down a bit later and the sunrise happens earlier; spring is just around the corner according to the calendar.
We've had a new president for 30 days now and have watched as he passed an unprecedented spending bill of monumental proportion's. While the country hovers on the brink of financial collapse, we watch as our congress adds pork after more pork on a "stimulus" package which is out of control and will probably benefit few Americans, if any. We were told that we would get a whopping $13 added to our checks beginning in June, if we make more than a certain amount. Whoopie! $13 WHOLE dollars?
The evening news is filled with bad news from around the world: Wars, hunger, foreclosures, and nothing being done. Instead, we escape to the red carpet of Hollywood to watch as a group of liberals pick which movie is best and talk for days about who wore what dress and who looked the best for the event...Is this real life?
In my world I am driving a 10 year old van and trying to make ends meet which come up about two-weeks a month short of having "just enough."
But then something wonderful happens: One of the kids call and stops by to visit; we get to keep the grandkids for the day; I have time to spend with my mother; one of my sisters call to say all is okay in their world. We are richly blessed in our world. Another day when Rick is working, we have food on our table and a roof over our head. We are part of an incredible church family and have more friends surrounding us than I can name.
It is on these days that I can count my blessings and realize how good our life is here in America. We watched as people in Bombay cheered in the allies for a movie portraying a boy who becomes a millionaire. Maybe real life is too difficult for them to bear. Regardless of the economy, in my world our riches far out number our short falls. Love, friends, our Lord, our relationships, all of which make up a life far better than most people in the world. And so another day; Life is Good.

Sweethearts

2009-02-14T06:11:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! This day has a special meaning to Rick and me, as it was 40 years ago today that we enjoyed our first date. After meeting at a Halloween party a few months prior, I had seen Rick at several youth group activities, but neither of us were old enough to date. At that time, 16 years old was the magic age of dating. Finally he got up the nerve to ask me out on a real date and it was Valentine's Day, 1969. We went to get something to eat and then bowling.
When we talked about it yesterday, gulp, 40 years, we both laughed and at the same time said, "I am way too young to be this old!" That is one of many advantages to having a long-term relationships, you know what the other is thinking and can talk simultaneously. Of course, there are many other beneifts, too, like history. We have a history together that is shared by no one else.
Having rasied three children, we have lots of historical moments: Each of their births, their delightful toddler years, the vacations we took as a family, school years, sports, their success moments, holidays and lots more. But we have other moments that only the two of us shared: Get-away weekends, sneak away times to be alone, times behind closed doors when we could talk in private.
I remember when Billy, our oldest was getting married and we met Jill's parents for the first time. One of the things her mother, Carol, asked us was if we ever had a fight. She said Billy told them he could never remember us fighting... Maybe those were the "behind closed door moments." We have had our disagreements, but to be honest, we learned very early in our marrage that there isn't a whole lot that is really worth fighting about. Most issues resolve themselves without anyone getting angry.
Some things in the last 40 years have changed. Although we still have some of the same friends, remarkably, some we don't see on a regular basis. We have lots of new friends that have become important to our lives and whose friendship we value immeasureably. We still attend church regularly and that is probably one of the secrets to our long relationship: Christ has always been in our lives. Now that our kids are grown and married, we have grandchildren on whom we dote our affection. We still love going on family vactations and spending holidays, weekend dinners and mid-week gatherings together. We actually enjoy each other's company. But our bodies tell the story that we are ageing gracefully. Rick falls asleep in his chair more often and I sleep less in the middle of the night.
And now that we are "empty nesters" we have more quiet time together. I still untie Rick's boots when he gets home and fix him a cold drink when he looks parched. He still remembers to kiss me goodmorning, goodnight, hello and goodbye when he comes in or out. And we never forget to tell each other those most important words daily: I love you.
One thing we can always say is that through the ups and downs of life, God is good. He directs our paths, keeps us on the straight and narrow and blesses us beyond measure. All in all, Life is Good. I hope you enjoy this day for sweethearts and enjoy the company of the ones you love.
Happy Valentines Day!

Great Expectations

2009-02-11T14:33:00.000-08:00

Great Expectations

Our new pastor stood in the pulpit last Sunday, humbled by the outpouring of good recommendations he received from friends and co-workers. He said he wanted us to know, “I’m not that good!”
He could have been talking to deaf ears. We have great expectations.
As I thought about his claims, and pondered the expectations we have for him, his family and our church, it made me think that if we don’t have expectations for our lives, what do we have?
I know there are some people who view life and say, “Well, I don’t expect much so I’ll never be disappointed.” But I believe the majority of us view life as an adventure, expecting the best in every situation. In reality, we do have great expectations.
The political conventions are just over and the candidates have hit the trail. Their message is one of hope: We have great expectations for our country.
School children have just flooded the classrooms and hallways again, starting on new chapters in their lives, most filled with the possibility of great expectations.
Business owners, executives, salespeople and shoppers are all looking at the economy, all with hopeful anticipation. We all have great expectations of what is to come.
I heard a politician on the radio the other day say something about the future is the history that is yet to be written. I have to challenge that statement by saying that the present is the history yet to be written. Every day has historic implications. We only have one chance at making history today.
Over the course of my vast years of living, I’ve viewed life from various vantage points. As a kid, it was all play, no work, lots of fun. As a teenager, my focus was on school and church. As a young working mother, it seems I just wanted to get through each day with my sanity. But as our children grew up, our expectations of life began to change. Instead of focusing our desires on what Rick and I need, we began to look at our children (and now our first beautiful granddaughter, Sierra), and think about what we would like for them. Happiness, obviously; Great health, of course; A relationship with God, paramount; And lots of love surrounding them daily. We have great expectations for their lives.
Is expecting the best enough? I’ve asked myself that question for the last several months as I work diligently on a publishing project that I hope to launch later this month. I could easily sit at my desk, waiting, hoping for the best outcome. But expecting the best doesn’t make it happen. With great expectations comes great responsibility. And reality is that great results require great amounts of hard work. Which seems to be where many people fail.
I do have great expectations for the rest of my life. I surround myself with positive, encouraging, spiritual people who also have great expectations. I hope I impart that same attitude to those around me: I expect great things from them as well. The history written for today only has one 24-hour period to make a difference. I choose to view it with great expectations.

Grandma Ruthie

2009-02-11T14:31:00.000-08:00

My father’s mother is turning 90 in a few days and this weekend will be a huge family celebration of her life. We have people coming in from all over the country to see her and be with her and enjoy this special time. She is quite a lady.
One of the things we are doing is to collect memories from everyone on fancy little note cards and we will be presenting them to her in a memory box we are making. After her birthday, she will be able to read through them, over and over again, jogging her memory and bringing a smile to her face, I’m sure.
My sister, Mary Jo, and I have vastly different memories than our other sisters, who came along 10 years later. We remember the “hay-day” of the parties and family gatherings at Grandma’s house. We had lots of cousins and second-cousins and assorted relatives who would congregate at Grandma’s for Christmas. Then one of the neighbors would dress up like Santa and bring all of us packages that had suddenly disappeared from under the tree. And it seemed that every year on Christmas Eve at Grandma’s, the snow would begin falling just before we left to go home.
Memories are important to our family. And collecting these memories for her has been an especially “memorable” time for me and my Aunt Betty, who is planning the party. Reflecting on the many friends Grandma has and the way that they have been close for so many years. One of the cards was signed, “Your friend of 56 years.” What more can you ask at age 90 than to be surrounded by friends and relatives who love you?
For the last few weeks Grandma has been staying in an assisted living home because of weakness in her legs. But after therapy, we hope she will be back to her home before the party. Until she went to there, she has kept a busy schedule every day: shopping and lunch with her friends on Thursdays, breakfast with retired co-workers on Tuesdays, hair appointments, walks in the neighborhood, and visits with her friends. Her life has been a joy to many people both in and out of our family circle.
And she can still recall so many good times, great memories, wonderful stories that we hope will be accumulated to share with the next generations. She is the oldest in our fifth-generation family.
So for the next few days before the party, the memory cards are directed to me and I have the chance to read them first, smile at the memories, try to remember who exactly the person is who sent it, and then place them carefully in her Memory Box. The whole thing has been as enjoyable for me as I hope it is to Grandma.
I am confident that over the next months and years, we will remember her party, the gathering of friends and family and the day that we officially celebrate her long life of 90 years. But here is to hoping we celebrate again in ten more years.
Happy Birthday Grandma!

Our Anniversary

2009-02-11T14:30:00.000-08:00

It seems like just last week Rick and I were preparing to celebrate our 35th anniversary, and now another year has come and gone. By the time you read this column Rick and I will be a few days short of 36 years. For me it is very hard to believe. Inside I am still the giddy 17-year old who is wildly in love with her high school sweetheart.
Outside, however, I am a grandmother with two beautiful grandchildren and three adult children. How can this be? In the last year we welcomed another new baby into our family; Mylina and Steve made a move back to Baltimore; Eric and Nyki bought their first home; and Billy and Jill bought a new house as well.
We have watched my mom go through two rounds of chemotherapy for liver cancer and my sister have a very serious back surgery. Rick’s mother had a bad stroke and two other episodes whose cause hasn’t really been determined. We’ve had birthdays, vacations, long work weeks and a full year of holidays to celebrate.
We have documented our lives in photos and scrapbooks and etched special moments in our memories. And here we are, at the threshold of yet another year of marriage.
Just last weekend I spoke to a group of ladies in Richmond, Indiana, about a Joyous Marriage. I received many tips from my readers on what exactly that is and how to achieve it. There were numerous creative ideas, but the one I liked best came from one of the men in our church. He said “The best way to have a happy marriage is with a husband that can’t hear and a wife that can’t speak.”
I would have to say if the husband can’t hear, then the wife can talk all she likes. All kidding aside, a happy marriage is a wonderful thing. I listened to women tell of their unfaithful husbands, or those not committed to their relationship. I marveled at how they could continue to live in such a union. But I am not one to question another’s decisions as to what they want in their life. I can only attest that there is such a thing as a Joyous Marriage, because I live in mine daily.
I know that, God willing, we will have another remarkable year. There will be ups and downs, probably sickness and calamity, chaos and surprises. But around it all will be our undying love. Love for each other, love for God, love for our children, and love for our families. A marriage is never just two people and even at the start, it is the uniting of two families already in tact.
As time passes the blending of lives become so intertwined that it is difficult to sort who are the in-laws and who are the out-laws. We are all just one group of people sharing our lives.
And so another year is met with anticipation and promise. Happy Anniversary, Rick. I love you!

Daddy's Hands

2009-02-11T14:26:00.000-08:00

Father’s Day is just a few days away and I heard a song on the radio that reminded me of that fact. The song was “My Daddy’s Hands.” It’s a great country western song which got me thinking (isn’t that what country western songs are supposed to do?), about my father. What is it about him that makes me think happy thoughts?
If I had to pick a certain part of him, it would have to be his smile. He has this great smile that lights up his face and makes everyone around him feel special. In fact, if there is any one thing that I can say about my dad, he has charisma. It radiates from his smile.
It has always been said that my dad doesn’t know a stranger. Once he meets someone they are instantly his friend. I think it is his smile that makes people feel at ease, and especially welcome in his presence. As a child, I watched him interact with all kinds of people and regardless of who they were or what they did, my dad made them feel like they were something exceptional. And that’s how he made me feel, too.
Throughout my childhood, my dad and my grandpa were close to one another. Grandpa had the same looks, but his smile was slower to come and his gruffness often scared away small children and animals. Dad, on the other hand, always tried to win everyone over, much to my mother’s dismay.
At the age of 73 this month, Dad is still going strong. His horse farm keeps him busy and his charisma keeps his friends coming around. When he turned 70 we had a birthday party for him and about 75 people attended. It is his smile that says he cares.
While Dad has worked hard his whole life and his hands are certainly a reflection of that, his eyes twinkle and his back aches, but his smile is never diminished. His character exudes from his smile. Even under dire circumstances, Dad has a quick-witted comment or a joke to tell to make someone else smile or laugh. When going in for open heart surgery a few years ago, he told the doctor to just make sure when he came out that he could still ride his horse. He loves his horses almost as much as he loves his kids.
I could probably tell you lots of tales about how ornery my dad has been over the years, the practical jokes he has played on people, the crazy pranks and childish mistakes he has made, but I could never tell you all of the times that he stopped to help someone along the road, or picked up a stray animal or gave someone money who was having a hard time. And every time he did that, he left them one of his smiles.
I think that was the most important gift he could have given. Happy Father’s Day!

Obscurity of Time

2009-02-11T14:24:00.000-08:00

The Obscurity of Time

As a master crafter of words, I’m learning that not everything I say is understood in the manner in which it is intended. For example, when I tell someone that I will be there “in a bit” to me that means sometime in the next few hours; to my grandmother, it means she has her shoes and lipstick on and she’s waiting by the door.
When I tell my husband I bought something “a while ago,” I know that time is speculative and even though it was a few hours previous to our conversation, in his mind it could be something that sat in my closet for months.
Although I say something will be done the “first of the week,” to me it means before Friday, but to some people, it means Monday or Tuesday. While giving directions to my artist, I tell her she will have “plenty of time” to do the needed task. In my mind, two hours should be “plenty of time.” Why then do I hear complaints that it takes six hours to do the project and we did not allow the necessary time?
“Later” to me could be from June to December, when later to someone waiting for a delivery could be fifteen minutes from now. “Visiting tonight” means anytime between dinner and bedtime, while to a sick friend it means the courteous time frame between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
To a lady-in-waiting, nine months is never enough time to prepare for a baby, but to a school kid, nine months is like an eternity.
I suppose all this obscurity of time is why my children have “suddenly” become adults, and our grandchildren are having birthdays made of years instead of weeks. How could this space of time eluded me? Rick and I are getting older, and although we are still “growing older gracefully,” “like a fine wine” they say, I have no doubt that “sooner or later” we be “aging like moldy cheese,’ and it will stink!
Childhood should be between the ages of newborn to 12, when actually, there are now adult six-year-olds. And then of course, there are 30-year old children. The problem is that time and reality never seem to merge into the same spectrum. This column that I write is due on Tuesday at 4 p.m.; but in my mind, Wednesday at noon is the new Tuesday.
So how does this thing we call time work? I’m certain I can figure it out “in a bit” so I’ll tell you “in a while” that “sooner or later” we hope to know for certain why “time flies” in some cases and in others “time drags.”
In the meantime, don’t “lose track of time” because you will no doubt “waste time” if you do. And remember, “every moment counts.”

Some Call It Fate

2009-02-11T14:22:00.000-08:00

SOME CALL IT FATE

Our daughter Mylina and her husband Steve live in Baltimore where she sells real estate. In June a new client contacted her, who was relocating from Chicago. She learned that Dr. Gene Khavkin was a neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Over the course of the next several months, Mylina and Steve met his girlfriend and the four of them became friends. Soon after he arrived at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Gene made medical history by doing a minimally invasive spinal surgery. Typically removing a tumor from the spine requires going in through the side, removing a rib, collapsing a lung and moving the heart in order to remove a tumor. This new way is a much less invasive procedure and one that allows the patient to heal much faster.
In late September we learned that my younger sister Diana, had a tumor on her spine. At first it was diagnosed as possible cancer, but after visiting several doctors and having many tests, it was determined it was a benign bone tumor which had eaten the vertebrae completely. She needed immediate surgery. Living in south Florida she contacted the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and eventually settled on the University of Miami Hospital. We (the Northern group) were encouraging her to go to Baltimore. She sent her films to Dr. Gene who agreed with the diagnosis and said he schedule her for surgery if she chose to come to Johns Hopkins.
One week before the surgery was scheduled, the Miami surgeon requested a test that four other doctors had advised her not to have done. She had a verbal disagreement with him and after much shouting and crying, called Dr. Gene in Baltimore. Hurricane Wilma was in the ocean off Miami and I was having trouble getting a flight out to Miami, while my mom was having trouble finding a hotel for all of us. Although the trip to Baltimore was a bit more inconvenient, and meaning that the whole family could not travel to be with her, we all agreed that she would be in the best of care if she had the operation in Baltimore.
Last Friday they met with Dr. Gene and his associate who detailed the complexity of the surgery and we learned that they were both the country’s top surgeons in their fields. On Monday Diana checked into Johns Hopkins. On Tuesday she had a procedure done to help seal off the arteries feeding the tumor. On Thursday she had a 10 ½ hour surgery that removed the tumor from the back instead of going in through her side.
The Miami doctor said she would have to be in a body brace for 12 weeks; instead she will be able to walk out of the hospital sometime next week without ever wearing a brace. Her healing time will be much shorter.
Who would have guessed that when Mylina met a new client in Baltimore, his skills would reach across the country to impact a life in South Florida? Some people would call that Fate; we, being in the midst of the storm, call it divine intervention.
Whatever you call it, I sit here, less than 24 hours later and call it a miracle.

Houseboat Vacation

2009-02-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

By the time you read this article, our house boating trip will be over for the summer. The much anticipated, and even more needed, trip will be history. Tonight, doing my article in advance of the Friday deadline, we have the car packed, the last load of laundry in the dryer and our shoes by the front door. And yet I know that as surely as I sit here impatiently waiting our departure time, some 7 hours from now, the week will whiz past us in a blur.
I am thankful this year that we will hear the sounds of a new baby; we will see the loving touches of newlyweds; and we will enjoy the stories of my grandmother who is accompanying us again. There is something magical about family vacations.
We have the Scrabble board tucked carefully in the van, along with dominoes, movies, and decks of cards. The sunscreen and sunburn lotion are on hand, along with the first aid kit, Tums, and numerous cans of Diet Coke.
The first year we went to Dale Hollow, Eric (our youngest) was five months old. He is now 25 with a wife. We have gone to the lake every year with the exception of two years when other major events prohibited the trip. This is our time to rest, relax and enjoy one another’s company.
In thinking back over the last years, we always have to tell our funny tales of things that happened. Although the lake is known as a great place to fish, we have never caught a single fish there, not even a crappie. We have, however, caught a giant turtle, lots of bats, and thousands of bugs that we attract to our porch light.
It has rarely rained on our trips to the lake, only two or three times in all the years we’ve gone. The first year we went, as novice house boaters, we tied the boat sideways on the shore in anticipation of the storm. With heavy winds the boat rocked back and forth and beat up against the edge while the kids, all small, cried in fear. But we got through it with no problems.
On other years we pulled a johnboat behind us that was furnished by the dock. Watching the boat was always a job for the kids, making sure it didn’t get loose. But alas! It generally did get loose. To the ranting of their father, the kids would run to the top of the house boat and watch intently for the tiny boat to appear bouncing up and down in the waves or smashed against the shoreline waiting our return. We always found it unscathed.
The lake holds lots of family heirlooms from our family and I’m sure countless others. Sunglasses, shoes, towels, books, swimsuits, towels, floats, sweaters, towels, glasses, game pieces and did I say towels? I think we’ve lost 25 or 30 at least in the lake. It’s is wonder they haven’t absorbed all the lake water!
The one thing the lake gives us back each year is a sense of how much our family means to us. Our kids have grown up on the water and now our oldest is bringing their own child back again. She is three months old. I hope and pray that this is the beginning of a new and wonderful chapter in our lives. The extra bassinette, scores of baby things and bottles in the fridge is a reminder, and a memory jogger, that live goes on.
Let’s just hope that for the next week, it slows down just a bit so we can all enjoy each memory we gather.

Home is Where...

2009-02-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

Home is where…..
To each of us out there, I am sure that half-sentence has a different meaning. I saw a banner that said, “Home is where your momma lives.” While I have to admit, I love that line, I can’t actually agree with it. To me, where I live is my home. Where I am most comfortable; where I can take off my shoes and relax; where I can sleep soundly in my own bed and take a shower in my shower. It’s where my kids and grandkids come, but I hope that they don’t feel it is their home, as I want them to have the same wonderful feelings I do about my own home.
My mother is leaving at the end of the month to go back to Florida for the winter. I keep adding that, “for the winter” in hopes she will return in the spring to lovely Ohio so we can once again enjoy her company. But while in Florida, she is staying with my two sisters, alternately. She wants to get a home of her own again, since she sold her condo when she got cancer two and a half years ago. To her, home is where she hangs her pictures on the wall. The place she can decorate and not care if anyone else likes the look or not. Home is where she can invite others and enjoy their company without feeling like she is the guest.
Rick’s mother went back to her home a few weeks ago and we moved her bed and furnishings back to her place. She longed for her own home again; the place where she can turn the thermostat up to 80 degrees and no one sweats. Home is where she can cook whatever she wants and change the channel as often as she likes instead of competing with Rick for the remote control. Home is where she can watch whatever she likes on television at whatever time of the day or night she decides to get up.
When Sierra and Parker come to visit, they seldom ask for us to take them home, but when we do, they see their home and get giggly. They recognize it is the place where their mom and dad live and their toys are allowed to be out all over the living room. It is where their dog enjoys waiting for crumbs to drop and accidental spills to reach his tongue. It is home. Even at 2 and 3 years old, they realize their home is where they love most of all.
We attended a funeral a couple of weeks ago and the pastor said our friend had a sign in her kitchen which said, “My home might be small, but God knows where I live.” How wonderful and appropriate! Regardless of the size or condition of our homes, it doesn’t matter when it is filled with the things that bring us joy: family, friends, love and laughter. The building is just a place to keep the rain off our heads. It is the content of that structure that makes it a home.
Whatever or wherever your home may be, regardless of the size, condition, color or building material, my wish for you is that your home is where you want to be when you are ready to go there.
Home: Where love lives.

Parker Wilson

2009-02-11T14:18:00.000-08:00

Nine months passes quickly to most people. But just announce that a baby will be born and the time begins to drag. On Wednesday, August 17, Parker Wilson Stirnkorb entered the world weighing six pounds and 13 ounces. He measures 20 inches long. He is our first grandson and little brother to fifteen-month old Sierra.
The miracle of birth is never taken for granted on the 9th floor of Good Sam hospital. I heard exclamations up and down the hallway of excitement and awe. Maybe we should say “shock and awe,” but I think the shock factor doesn’t really kick in until about the 10th day.
Rick and I were there to take pictures and record all the special firsts; first bath, first time Grandparents Rossbach each held him, first time each of us held him, first family picture. Born to our oldest son Billy and his wife Jill, they are saying their family is complete, but sometimes God has other plans. For now, they are content with a beautiful daughter and handsome newborn son to act as playmates for one another and to Tucker, their beloved Golden Retriever.
Billy remarked more than once, “One minute we have one child and then suddenly, there is another. It’s crazy!” Jill was just happy to have him in her arms instead of in her tummy.
And as miracles go, 1100 miles away, my baby brother Billy’s wife, Teresa, gave birth to a little boy seven hours earlier, at 4:30 in the morning. They also had a baby boy, weighing 6 pounds and 13 ounces. He measured 19 inches long. Clark Daniel Wilson is their first child. They will share birthdays, although miles apart. I became an aunt (not the first time) and a grandmother, on the same day.
As for Jill’s side of the family, it is the first male child to be born in 34 years. I suppose he will be a little Prince to all of us, but especially to them.
For the last couple of months I’ve been taking Wednesday afternoons off to have a play day with Sierra. I treasure the time with her as I watch her grow and her little personality develop. In the last 15 months, she has gone from a tiny infant to a frolicking toddler, exploring everything around her. These months have flown by.
I remarked to my aunt what a good baby Sierra is and what a joy to have around. She said, “And why shouldn’t she be good? She is surrounded by people who love her.”
Yes she is, and she will enjoy the love of many people throughout her life. That’s what is called a family.
I know that it will seem like only a blink before Parker is also running around on his own. If only we could slow down time after the baby is born the way it drags before the birth. But everything happens so fast! First they start to coo, then to laugh, then they roll over, sit up, crawl, stand, walk and they are out the door and on their own. Life happens -- and it happens in a flash.
I guess we are just blessed to be able to be a part of each of these little lives.

Sierra Lauren

2009-02-11T14:17:00.000-08:00

Not too long after finishing last week’s column we received the call that the doctor was sending Jill and Billy to the hospital to get our little granddaughter. Shortly after 2 p.m., Sierra Lauren entered the world with a shout and a smile for her parents.
The bright-eyed bundle of joy weighed in at six pounds, three ounces, 20 inches long and just enough fine, brown hair to cover her tiny head.
Now I know that most grandparents go senile about the time the first grandchild arrives, but Rick and I have vowed not to let that happen. How can one tiny baby turn a seemingly normal, mature couple upside down in a matter of days? I really doubt that our lives change much at all.
It is true that we have waited impatiently for her to get here, as has been attested by my columns on more than one occasion. But really, she is just a baby.
Shortly after she was born the nurses allowed us to see her. She was less than one hour old as we photographed her for the first time. She actually smiled in one of the pictures. I strolled down the hall way with two cameras around my neck and a huge tote bag of anything I could think of that Jill or Billy might need. One of the nurses commented that I looked like a tourist—or a new grandmother.
We took pictures of her with her parents, her other grandparents, with us. We photographed her getting her first bath.
It is amazing how smart she is already. One of our friends said that intelligence skips a generation; since Rick and I are of above average intelligence it is only normal that Sierra will be also.
I was holding her the day after she was born and she was already recognizing voices and her name. I know they say babies can’t focus their eyes at that age, but it is obvious that Sierra can. She also knows her name. She smiles, even in her sleep, when she hears me coo it to her as I kiss her tiny face. Several of the nurses commented that she was perhaps the most beautiful baby they had ever seen.
We have already purchased an extra bassinette, changing table and high chair to keep at our house when she visits, so we can take those things along on trips. I’m thinking of getting another car seat so we won’t have to take the one in and out of the car.
For the last few weeks, I’ve been trying to figure out how I can work my other full time job from Sierra’s house…I think her parents may need a Nanny and who could be better than a blood relative? Like perhaps, a grandmother?
Rick has been thinking the same thing, I think. I heard him talking to one of the guys at work about taking early retirement, but he has 15 years before he can collect Social Security. Too bad for him. I can make money writing and staying at Billy and Jill’s during the day. He can’t. Oh well, I can document everything she does on the digital camera. So far we have 186 pictures in the Sierra Lauren album.
And so you see, life is really pretty normal at our house. By the time you read this column, she will be nearly two weeks old and I’m sure, the smartest and most beautiful baby in town.
Life is good.

Emery Grace

2009-02-11T14:15:00.000-08:00

Column 6-19-2008

Emery Grace Stirnkorb arrived two weeks early, allowing our youngest son, Eric and wife Nyki to celebrate their first Father’s Day on Sunday.
Weighing in at a mere 6 pounds and 8 ounces, she is 19 inches long with dark hair and navy blue eyes. Her tiny features are almost doll-like except for the classic-Stirnkorb, long fingers and toes. This is the third grandchild for Rick and me, but the first one on Nyki’s side of the family. Let the spoiling begin!
On the bottom of the country, my Dad will turn 75 in a couple of days and Emery makes his seventh great-grand child. Number six, Sara was born just two weeks ago, a product of my nephew, Chris and wife Erika. Chris is in the Navy.
Isn’t it funny how life keeps us moving on? Dad said he can’t believe he will be 75, and neither can I! He is still riding his horses in south Florida and complaining about the heat. His mother, my grandmother, will soon be 92 and she is also still active.
I saw a wonderful sign last week which said, “Time flies, whether you are having fun or not.” So I suppose we might as well enjoy every day we have on this beautiful green earth of ours. Although our days are numbered, our laughter and enjoyment can be continual and non-stop. It is all a matter of how we choose to live.
I am confident that Emery Grace will thrive in a house full of love and care. Her parents were anxious to have her and she is already surrounded by people who adore her. She is also fortunate to have lots of grandparents, great-grandparents, and even great-great grandparents on both sides of the family. Grandparents are the best and I firmly believe every child needs a few.
Sierra and Parker, Emery’s cousins, have a controlled curiosity for the new baby. With four or five minute attention spans, they are quickly tired of this new person who does little else but sleep and eat. Their time for play is coming. Eric, on the other hand, asked me if there was ever anything that, just by looking at it, made me smile. He said that is the reaction he gets when he sees his beautiful new baby.
For Emery, I wish her good health and happiness, but most of all, I hope she is loved beyond measure all her days. When Sierra was born, I was bragging to my Aunt about how she was such a wonderful, well-behaved, good-sleeping, eating and playing baby. She replied, “And why wouldn’t she be, she is very well loved.”
It does all come back to that, doesn’t it? Love really is what sends our worlds into motion, makes our hearts go pitty-pat and makes our toes curl. It is the essence of what we all crave in our daily lives and the real “stuff” of which our lives are made. Without it, well, I can’t even imagine my life without the love I have in it.
Welcome to the family, Emery. And to all you new grandparents, I can only tell you with reasonable accuracy, you are in the for joy of your lives!

A Lesson in Mortality 101

2009-02-11T14:12:00.000-08:00

A Lesson in Mortality 101

A few weeks ago my mom was diagnosed with liver cancer. This week we learned that it had progressed past the point of surgery. Although there are some other treatments available, surgery would have been the best course of action. In talking to my mom after the surgeons made the final decision, I was amazed at her wisdom and grace on the entire process.
While she could have been angry with the doctor who missed the diagnosis for approximately two years, instead she said she feels blessed to know that she has lived the past two years without any symptoms.
Instead of being upset that the surgeons can’t do the surgery, she has determined that she won’t have to go through the time in the hospital away from her family for an operation that has a small chance of being successful.
Rather than questioning why this has happened to her, she has decided that it is exactly what was supposed to happen to her: “After all,” she said, “Our days are numbered while we are yet in our mother’s womb.”
After overcoming colon cancer 11 years ago, (which the doctors agree was the source of this cancer), she does not question why the doctors then did not recommend radiation or other treatment. Instead she said the last 11 years are a gift from God.
One of the greatest joys, and in fact one of the main reasons, that Christians dedicate their lives to Christ, is for the eternal life that follows this one. My mother has a great amount of faith. She said it will be hard to leave all of us behind, but she can’t wait to see her mom and dad. She believes she will go to sleep in this world and wake up in one that is far greater than anything we can imagine.
Mom’s faith is strong, and her four daughters, of whom I am the second in age rankings, are consistent. But I can assure you we are not anxious for the reunion she will experience on the other side. I know that death is part of living and we must all face it, but it is never at a time when we are ready to let go.
I think back to the conversation of a friend of mine who was sitting with his friend, knowing that his days were nearing an end. He asked his friend, “How does it feel to know that you are going to die?” to which his friend replied, “How does it feel to pretend you are not?”
That pretty much sums up the course of all our lives. We live here, we enjoy everyday as it is given to us, we make the most of the situations, strive to be the best that we can possibly be, and focus our love on our families and our God in hopes that all of the effort we put forth will be for a reason far greater than we can imagine in our next life.
Faith, grace, hope, wisdom and comfort are the things I will be relying on over the next months. Because Mom is quite acceptant of her fate, we must be also and rejoice in the fact that she will never be “lost” to us. I will never have to tell anyone “I lost my mother.” We know exactly where she will be.

A New Adventure

2009-02-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

Wow! How exciting is this! Since I no longer have a column, I miss sharing my life, thoughts, ideas and opinions with everyone. Now I can do it again! I hope to post at least once a week a new "column" for your enjoyment.
I have also archived some of my most requested columns for re-reading.
It's crazy that I can just go-on line and immediately send out my thoughts. I read a long time ago that being a writer is like publishing your "guts" for the world to see. Maybe so...but this feels pretty good.
Please share my new blog site with your friends (or enemies as the case may be...)
PatsBlogtoYou.
Until next time--
Pat