Ok, so there is very little adventure going to be happening.

I’ve decided I needed to start a new journal to help me make through the summer. It is going to be a difficult, busy summer. The summer is way too short. It is the last week of school. Thursday is the last day. My daughter leaves for a week long beach break with the chapel’s youth at Camp Darby Thursday evening. It is located near Pisa where they will be visiting. They are also going to the beach, water park and other cool places during the day and doing a bible study at night. She returns on the 18th and the two of us fly out on the 20th for the states. She has to have a third eye surgery and the specialist here doesn’t have the experience to do it. So she is being sent to a pediatric specialist in the states. We are going to Atlanta where my family is. It is going to be hard to keep up with the healthy eating and exercise between flying, the doctor visits and the hospital. So I’ve decided not to count calories again until August. I did well in May with it but it is going to be too much the next month or so. I’m not saying my eating is going to be a free for all. I’m just not going to concentrate on the calories. I will still write down everything that passes my lips but it may not be put into fitday daily.

My exercise will have to change also. I’ve been pushing myself to exercise longer and harder. I’m going to have to cut back not only because of traveling but because I hurt. I hurt from the minute I get up until the moment I go to bed and all night. The meds are no longer working. So my goal is to move every day. I plan on walking and at least do some stretching. Plus I will continue with the weight training and yoga because they help. In August I will reevaluate everything and see where I want to go from there.

Other than the achiness my health is doing ok. My medical tests are up to date. My ct scan shows there hasn’t been any change in the last 18 months to my heart which is a good thing. My pap smear and mammogram came back normal. So as of right now I’m reasonable healthy. In fact if my blood pressure was any lower I would be unconscious. I’m slowly regaining my energy level. The winter was cold and wet and it wore me out.

My weight as of today is 179.5 lbs. My short term goal is to lose 10%. That will put me at 161.5 lbs. Then I will make a new goal.

My measurements are:
Bust ~ 41”
Waist ~ 34”
Hips~39”
Thighs~25.5”
Arms (at bicep) ~13”
BMI~31.3
Body Fat~35.8

I’m hoping to lose some inches this summer at least in my waist and arms.

Well, I’m off to contact doctors and arrange paperwork.

Have a great day!

I got my daughter's surgery schedule, including the followup visits. Most of the paperwork with the surgeon is done. One the other hand I'm having trouble with the paperwork here. The doc here is away. They are trying to get up with her to start the paperwork - either by email or by phone. We will see how it goes.

Exercise was good yesterday. Eating was soso. I did drink my water. I made the mistake of drinking a glass of wine. It make me sick as a dog and I am bloated this morning. I also didn't sleep well last night because I felt sick from it. I won't do that again anytime soon. It had been so long since I had drank I had forgotten how it made me feel. I only drank it because it was our 18th anniversary. Lesson learned.

Well, it is about my bedtime and I'm watching reruns of the biggest loser.

have a great day!

My daughter's surgery was canceled by the doctor in the states. So I went to the states to get my driver's license. Flew space available which is free. You have to be flexible. I flew from Naples to Sicily to Germany. Sat in Germany for 5 days. Actually had a good time, met new friends. Then flew to New Jersey, from there a group of us hired a driver to take us to the airport in Philadelphia. Then I flew to Jacksonville, Fla. A friend was suppose to pick me up at the airport but didn't. I went to get a rental car but they were $125. I ended up getting a room at the travelodge inn - they had a shuttle. Once there i was able to make reservations online for a rental car. While in Jacksonville I got my driver's license and then drove to atlanta. Was there for 3 days. Had a good time with my parents, got my hair done. Anyways after I left Atlanta I went back to Florida and then flew to Norfolk for a couple of days. Spent some time with my best friend. Had a blast. then I flew home on the 2nd. Very long flight. Now I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. I did lose almost 2 lbs while I was traveling.

My daughter saw her eye doctor while I was gone, she does need the surgery. So while in Atlanta I made some phone calls. couldn't get her in with any of the preferred surgeons so I emailed the doctor in Naples for referrals in northern VA or Maryland. Set her up with a doctor in Annapolis. She has a preop appointment on July 25, surgery on August 6 and a followup on August 8. Then we will be able to come home. I've been looking at motel rooms and rental cars. During our down time we are going to Norfolk and to Washington, DC. Going to play tourist and see all of the sights.

In the meantime I'm exercising daily, trying to eat healthy and trying not to stress to much.

That's all for now.

My Summer

14 Planes
13 Flights
63 hours flying time
1 night on a cot at an air port
5 nights with family/friends
2 nights on planes
25 nights in hotels
99 meals eaten out
13 cities visited or transited through (Sigonella NAS, Ramstein AFB, McGuire AFB, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Norfolk, Rome, Chicago, Washington DC, Bowie Md, Annapolis, Glenburnie)
4 countries (US, Italy, Germany and Portugal)
1 Amusement Park (Six flags America)
1 Island chain (Azores)
3 lbs lost (amazing)
2 IPODS (fried one)
2 cell phones (1 for US and 1 for Europe)
Calling cards – countless
1 hospital
5 doctor visits

That is pretty much a summary of my summer.

My daughter's surgery was rescheduled with a doctor in Annapolis, MD. He is a retired navy Captain. When he was in the Navy he was the head of the department at Bethesada. He was great and the surgery was successful. When he examined her eye he discovered that it was a much more complicated surgery that previously thought. The eye had to be rotated and moved. But was done on August 6 and we returned to Naples on August 12. She is doing good and her eye is healing nicely. She started back to school this week.

I am lucky that I didn’t gain any weight. I got lucky in the fact that I had to do a lot of walking in my travels and my long term hotel had nice treadmills. I did my best to make good eating choices. But it was not always easy especially in the airport in Rome. I got tire of eating out and don’t plan to do so for a very long time. Now summer vacation is over I can get on plan and start losing weight and getting back into shape. I am doing well with my walking and have moved to a harder level and longer times. My feet hurt a lot but I’m trying to ignore it. I know it is my arthritis. I will just continue to take pain medicine and continue to exercise. Once I lose the weight the pressure on my joints will lessen and I will feel better. It just takes time. I am finding my jeans, shorts and exercise pants are getting baggy and I could use a belt. Unfortunately, they don’t have any belts that fit me. I walk around pulling my jeans up but I’m not complaining. It is kind of nice.

I’ve spent the past week getting ready to real start pushing it. I can’t just jump into anything. I prefer to slide into things slowly. So I have followed my eating plan and exercise plan for 3 days and loosely followed it for 3 days. On September 1 I will be back on plan.

It has been extremely hot and humid lately and at times it drains me. When I finish my cardio I am covered with sweat and am exhausted. As September moves toward October the weather will improve and make it easier.

That’s about it for now. I have to say I am feeling stronger now that I was in June. But I am worn out from all of the travel.

Monday I am starting a new journal to finish off the year with.


Have a great day!