Sunday, September 13, 2009
Home at Last!
We spent last night at Oak Harbor and were fortunate to find a reciprocal slip, right next to our friends Wally & Linda aboard their boat, Hobbit. They too are heading home today. We are both feeling a little sad to be going to our land home after some really nice times out on the water, meeting new people and seeing new places. My unexpected surgery and our subsequent stay in Victoria kept us from doing the exploring we really wanted to do. I can already see Al trying to figure out when he can get me out on our next boating adventure. I'll be ready to go.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Another beautiful day in the San Juans
probably stopping at Oak Harbor. Al has come down with a cold, poor
thing. He wants to be so strong for me. I am feeling better each day.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Tranquil Friday Harbor
Horray! Today's savings $40. Weather is perfect and the view can't be
beat. We came from our boat by dinghy to shore as it is a long walk on
the docks.
I am feeling fabulous today with no further need for Tylenol. It only
hurts when I bend over so Al helps tie shoes, etc. Hard to believe it
is just 6 days since my surgery.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Orcas! Lots and lots of Orcas!
How fun! We were on our way the short 7 mile trip from Roche Harbor to our destination for the night at Deer Harbor. Al was looking off to his right and mentioned that there sure were a lot of boats up that way. He is such a curious guy so was looking with his binoculars to see if anything interesting was going on and sure enough, he spotted them. Orcas! Only one other time in all our travels have we been fortunate enough to see any of these beautiful whales.
Making a course correction, we headed over to what we now recognized was a bevy of whale watching boats, a sure sign of whale activity. The whales were all around us. There were so many of them, probably 10 or more. They tended to run in groups of 2 or 3 whales, regularly going up and down in the water, occasionally spyhopping and occasionally jumping out of the water and crashing back in. We took photos, watched with binoculars and without, and followed them north in Spieden Channel for about 45 minutes. It was great fun.
There were 7 whale watching boats there and about as many pleasure boats. We also spotted a Coast Guard boat and a NOAA boat. The NOAA boat stayed closer than any others and had a guy on the bow with a long handled net. What could that be for, you wonder? I believe I've read that they scoop the whale poop and study it to learn about their diet and their health. They were doing a lot of scooping.
We arrived safely at Deer Harbor Marina and are settled for the night. We have great bbx internet connections here.
Back in the USA!
It was a great trip across Haro Strait this morning from Victoria to Roche Harbor to check in for Customs. It feels great to be back in the States. We can turn our cell phones on again! We mostly kept them off in Canada as it is soooooo expensive to use them there on our US plan.
We will stay at Deer Harbor tonight, one of our favorite spots in the San Juan Islands. It is a short 7 miles from Roche Harbor, so no big deal.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Royal Victorian Yacht Club - A Port in any Storm
We cruised into Oak Harbor Marina to check it out. They don't appear to have any guest moorage but ask guests to radio the office for vacant slip assignments. We cruised on over to the Royal Victorian Yacht Club, also in Oak Harbor. There was room at the reciprocal dock so we slip in and tied up. By then it was pouring down rain and what had been a sunny day had badly deteriorated. It was a downright deluge and we were glad to be tied up to a dock with power where we could get warm.
The folks here at RVYC are very hospitable and we stopped into the very nice clubhouse for lunch in the Chartroom. We met a nice couple and ended up lunching with them. Buy by then I was getting very tired and so we went back to the boat for a rest.
Unfortunately the RVYC free wifi does not reach our boat so we are sitting downstairs in the Yacht Club in The Bilge, what looks like a casual recreation room for kids sailing clubs. Shortly we'll go back up to The Chartroom for supper.
Tomorrow we plan the short trip to Roche Harbor for customs, then to Deer Harbor for the night. We still have a small gift certificate to use up there and we love Deer Harbor. We even stayed at a B&B there on our honeymoon!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Gall Bladder-less in Victoria - OUCH!
Our first day here in Victoria was perfect and we had a great time. The next 5 days were a nightmare and I am still recovering.
I woke in the night Wednesday with a pain in my chest which seemed to move around a bit but did not get better. So on Thursday morning we went to a walk-in clinic ($90). The doctor listened to me and just said I should go to the hospital in an ambulance. So we did go to Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria ($715). The Emergency Room is a bit shocking. Dozens of people waiting in chairs with various issues; no privacy at all and cleanliness not what we would expect, especially "washrooms" which are always a single uni-sex room (so one at a time). Their system is designed to maximize the numbers of people who can be seen for the least cost with no regard to these subsidiary issues. During the 4 hours I waited I heard doctors discussing many different issues with patients near me. Their only goal is to find a way to send you home.
While I was in the emergency room Al had to go back downtown to move the boat as they needed the space for their upcoming Wooden Boat Festival. Fortunately he chose to move it to a very nice spot where we could get free moorage (for 2 days) and very cheap beyond that, the Canadian Forces Sailing Association. It was a little farther away but he still managed to do all that by himself and get back to the hospital just as I was leaving.
Well, they finally did a few tests and declared my heart in fine shape and sent me away. They made no inquiry into any other potential causes for the pains. So we went back to the boat and I actually had not too bad an evening, though the pain had started to shift towards my stomach and abdomen. By Friday morning I was in extreme pain in my abdomen and suffered with it most of the day, thinking it would go away; and also thinking the last thing I wanted to do was go back to that hospital. But by 8pm I could take it no more and off we went to the hospital (another $715) by taxi. The pain was so severe that I had been throwing up and not eating, even while waiting another 4+ hours to be seen in the Emergency Room. Finally they determined that I should stay overnight for observation in the Emergency Room, on a gurney in the hallway, in my own clothes (there is no privacy). They gave me Morphine which at least helped with the pain and I could get a few winks of sleep.
In the morning they asked if I was better or did I want a CT scan. They do not have technicians on at night so it is just too bad, if you need it you wait. So I did get the CT scan finally (duh! - the morphine was barely touching the pain) which showed an issue with my gall bladder. At that point they called a surgeon and I was lucky that one of their best senior surgeons was on call. Then they sent me for an ultrasound shortly after; and from there I went into surgery prep around 2pm. Luck was on my side at that point, and good decisions by this surgeon, who delayed other surgeries to take care of mine. Their surgery area is in a brand new part of the building and actually was very modern. The doctor and surgery team were great. They said it should take 30-45 minutes. It took 90 minutes. Apparently it was REALLY bad, with a really BIG gall stone inside, the 2nd biggest he has seen in his 19 years of surgery. He was able to do it by laporoscopy with 4 cuts, the belly button one being the biggest, to remove the stone. This was all on Saturday.
I went to the recovery room which was also very modern. A nurse there sat next to me and attended only to me. Al got to come and see me there after a while, then he had to go back to the boat to take care of it and the dog. By around 7:30pm I was taken to a 4 person ward, sharing the room with 1 other person, a man. This is the old part of the hospital and it was not great. No privacy. The nurses are very nice but don't help you much. Also they let you walk around on your own, even when leaving the hospital. I'm sure the nurses are overworked. The pain during recovery can be bad, but I am getting better. I was glad he let me go home today, though he said I could stay another day if I wanted to. He gave us his email address and phone number in case I have any problems.
I slept ok on the couch last night. I thought getting up and down off our bed could be painful. Today I've done some walking and definitely feel I am making good progress. The shocking part is how far this type of thing takes you down. I feel totally out of shape and can not walk far without feeling out of breath and tired. Prior to this I could walk several miles without being too tired. I much be careful not to overdo it.
I woke in the night Wednesday with a pain in my chest which seemed to move around a bit but did not get better. So on Thursday morning we went to a walk-in clinic ($90). The doctor listened to me and just said I should go to the hospital in an ambulance. So we did go to Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria ($715). The Emergency Room is a bit shocking. Dozens of people waiting in chairs with various issues; no privacy at all and cleanliness not what we would expect, especially "washrooms" which are always a single uni-sex room (so one at a time). Their system is designed to maximize the numbers of people who can be seen for the least cost with no regard to these subsidiary issues. During the 4 hours I waited I heard doctors discussing many different issues with patients near me. Their only goal is to find a way to send you home.
While I was in the emergency room Al had to go back downtown to move the boat as they needed the space for their upcoming Wooden Boat Festival. Fortunately he chose to move it to a very nice spot where we could get free moorage (for 2 days) and very cheap beyond that, the Canadian Forces Sailing Association. It was a little farther away but he still managed to do all that by himself and get back to the hospital just as I was leaving.
Well, they finally did a few tests and declared my heart in fine shape and sent me away. They made no inquiry into any other potential causes for the pains. So we went back to the boat and I actually had not too bad an evening, though the pain had started to shift towards my stomach and abdomen. By Friday morning I was in extreme pain in my abdomen and suffered with it most of the day, thinking it would go away; and also thinking the last thing I wanted to do was go back to that hospital. But by 8pm I could take it no more and off we went to the hospital (another $715) by taxi. The pain was so severe that I had been throwing up and not eating, even while waiting another 4+ hours to be seen in the Emergency Room. Finally they determined that I should stay overnight for observation in the Emergency Room, on a gurney in the hallway, in my own clothes (there is no privacy). They gave me Morphine which at least helped with the pain and I could get a few winks of sleep.
In the morning they asked if I was better or did I want a CT scan. They do not have technicians on at night so it is just too bad, if you need it you wait. So I did get the CT scan finally (duh! - the morphine was barely touching the pain) which showed an issue with my gall bladder. At that point they called a surgeon and I was lucky that one of their best senior surgeons was on call. Then they sent me for an ultrasound shortly after; and from there I went into surgery prep around 2pm. Luck was on my side at that point, and good decisions by this surgeon, who delayed other surgeries to take care of mine. Their surgery area is in a brand new part of the building and actually was very modern. The doctor and surgery team were great. They said it should take 30-45 minutes. It took 90 minutes. Apparently it was REALLY bad, with a really BIG gall stone inside, the 2nd biggest he has seen in his 19 years of surgery. He was able to do it by laporoscopy with 4 cuts, the belly button one being the biggest, to remove the stone. This was all on Saturday.
I went to the recovery room which was also very modern. A nurse there sat next to me and attended only to me. Al got to come and see me there after a while, then he had to go back to the boat to take care of it and the dog. By around 7:30pm I was taken to a 4 person ward, sharing the room with 1 other person, a man. This is the old part of the hospital and it was not great. No privacy. The nurses are very nice but don't help you much. Also they let you walk around on your own, even when leaving the hospital. I'm sure the nurses are overworked. The pain during recovery can be bad, but I am getting better. I was glad he let me go home today, though he said I could stay another day if I wanted to. He gave us his email address and phone number in case I have any problems.
I slept ok on the couch last night. I thought getting up and down off our bed could be painful. Today I've done some walking and definitely feel I am making good progress. The shocking part is how far this type of thing takes you down. I feel totally out of shape and can not walk far without feeling out of breath and tired. Prior to this I could walk several miles without being too tired. I much be careful not to overdo it.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Beautiful Victoria
this morning. It was exciting to cruise into Victoria's inner harbor in
our own boat, docking right in front of the Empress Hotel on one side
and the Parliament Building on the other.
We took a Pedicab to Fisherman's Wharf for fish and chips lunch. Then
took a Harbor Ferry back to the Empress dock. We walked around
downtown and to the Museum where we bought tickets to the 8pm showing
of Star Trek in the IMAX Theater. Awesome! Prior to the movie we had
dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory located in the Crystal Gardens
structure.
Photo is of the Parliament Building beautifully lit at night; view from our boat.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Sippin' Lattes in Port Angeles
mile trip from Port Townsend was really rocky with 2-4 ft seas. After
flying off the top of a few of those waves we began to wonder if we
should duck into Sequim. Moving closer to shore proved a good choice
and we continued on to Port Angeles.
It is really windy here in the afternoon. I bicycled about 1.5 miles
to Safeway for provisions. I need the exercise. Wii Fit says I have
lost some weight.
We will relax here today, exploring the town by bike. Tomorrow morning
early we will head out across the 18 miles of open water, the Juan de
Fuca, to Victoria.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Cruising Chronicle Part Un (one)
We left home on Thursday August 27th, headed south from Everett, where our yacht Morego is kept. Our goal was to make Andrews Bay in Lake Washington by happy hour. You never know how long it will take to get through the Locks and we had a couple of stops to make in the lakes on our way to Andrews Bay. Our timing was bad, as it turned out, and our transit took 2.5 hours from arrival at the Locks to exiting them on the lake side.
Next stop was close by at CSR Marine who were kind enough to let us use their dock so we could walk the 2 blocks to Kruger Propeller to pick up our reconditioned props. The ones Al had recently put on were a big mistake and not so good. So we picked up the props and headed over to Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club where we borrowed their guest dock to replace the props. Our diver met us there and in 2 hours we were all fixed up.
Finally and right on time we arrived in Andrews bay to back in as the 4th spoke of a Wagon Wheel which we were forming in preparation for the arrival of the rest of our friends on Friday. Happy Hour was well earned that day!
What a fun weekend we had with our friends and fellow members of Navy Yacht Club Everett. There were 9 boats in all. Saturday started out a little rainy but the sky soon brightened and the sun came out. We were challenged to participate in a paper plate sailboat race by Mukilteo Yacht Club, which it turned out were rafted with 4 boats nearby. 3 of our boats responded to the challenge and we all dinghyed over to cheer them on. The crew of Liberty won first prize and the crew of Venture won 3rd prize so we did pretty well.
Saturday morning Al decided he would not have enough projects for our trip so he headed home with the help of the crew of Liberty who dinghyed him to shore and loaned him their daughters car (she had arrived to visit). He brought back an inverter project which he had been intending to install. He arrived back to the boat in time for the sailboat races.
Sunday morning the wheel broke up by 9am and we were all on our way. It turned out to be practically zero visibility in thick fog starting about the locks. The good part is that we sailed straight into the small lock with 2 of our other boats and were through in less than 30 minutes. But from there is was very slow going in terrible fog, sounding our horn every 2 minutes as required by such conditions. Our radar was great and saved us running into another boat more than once. It is shocking how fast some people go in such unsafe conditions, and of course the fishermen are out there no matter what, not watching anything but their poles.
We made it over to Kingston as we planned where we filled up our thirsty gas tanks with 273 gallons of gas. Yikes! We also pumped out and will save water fillup until we reach our next port. Fortunately while we were in Kingston the fog began to lift. Horray! I was beginning to think we would have to stay there overnight.
While Al was filling the gas tanks I walked over to our favorite Creperie, J'Aime les Crepes. Perfect timing for lunch so I brought back one for each of us and a latte for Al. Soon we were on our way to our intended destination, Port Townsend. We were fortunate to snag a reciprocal slip which gives us free moorage for the night. It is great to be safely docked with power, having been on the hook and off the grid for the past 3 days.
There is no Clearwire here but our uber router is picking up bbx which I was able to successfully connect to.
Next stop was close by at CSR Marine who were kind enough to let us use their dock so we could walk the 2 blocks to Kruger Propeller to pick up our reconditioned props. The ones Al had recently put on were a big mistake and not so good. So we picked up the props and headed over to Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club where we borrowed their guest dock to replace the props. Our diver met us there and in 2 hours we were all fixed up.
Finally and right on time we arrived in Andrews bay to back in as the 4th spoke of a Wagon Wheel which we were forming in preparation for the arrival of the rest of our friends on Friday. Happy Hour was well earned that day!
What a fun weekend we had with our friends and fellow members of Navy Yacht Club Everett. There were 9 boats in all. Saturday started out a little rainy but the sky soon brightened and the sun came out. We were challenged to participate in a paper plate sailboat race by Mukilteo Yacht Club, which it turned out were rafted with 4 boats nearby. 3 of our boats responded to the challenge and we all dinghyed over to cheer them on. The crew of Liberty won first prize and the crew of Venture won 3rd prize so we did pretty well.
Saturday morning Al decided he would not have enough projects for our trip so he headed home with the help of the crew of Liberty who dinghyed him to shore and loaned him their daughters car (she had arrived to visit). He brought back an inverter project which he had been intending to install. He arrived back to the boat in time for the sailboat races.
Sunday morning the wheel broke up by 9am and we were all on our way. It turned out to be practically zero visibility in thick fog starting about the locks. The good part is that we sailed straight into the small lock with 2 of our other boats and were through in less than 30 minutes. But from there is was very slow going in terrible fog, sounding our horn every 2 minutes as required by such conditions. Our radar was great and saved us running into another boat more than once. It is shocking how fast some people go in such unsafe conditions, and of course the fishermen are out there no matter what, not watching anything but their poles.
We made it over to Kingston as we planned where we filled up our thirsty gas tanks with 273 gallons of gas. Yikes! We also pumped out and will save water fillup until we reach our next port. Fortunately while we were in Kingston the fog began to lift. Horray! I was beginning to think we would have to stay there overnight.
While Al was filling the gas tanks I walked over to our favorite Creperie, J'Aime les Crepes. Perfect timing for lunch so I brought back one for each of us and a latte for Al. Soon we were on our way to our intended destination, Port Townsend. We were fortunate to snag a reciprocal slip which gives us free moorage for the night. It is great to be safely docked with power, having been on the hook and off the grid for the past 3 days.
There is no Clearwire here but our uber router is picking up bbx which I was able to successfully connect to.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Tempered Enthusiasm
Yesterday I walked 3 miles with my friend, Shirley. We are both doing Weight Watchers and encourage each other at yacht club activities. I had forgotten to fill a prescription at RiteAid before leaving Bellevue for Bremerton. I checked with Bremerton RiteAid and it would be no problem to get it there. It is located just 3 miles from the marina. Shirley is in better shape than I am for walking and thought we could walk there and back. My husband, Al, had some reservations and he was right. So we took the bus there, and walked back. I ended up with a couple of blisters (wrong shoes) but it was an accomplishment for me. Click HERE to see our route and some photos along the way.
Weight Watchers is encouraging members to participate in a 3k or 5k walk/run this summer. I intend to do this and have signed up for a walking/training group on Tuesday nights. Last week was my first attendance and we walked 2 miles already. But the 3 miles yesterday was much harder due to the up and downhill terrain, and the sunny day. I'm glad I have a little longer to train.
Weight Watchers is encouraging members to participate in a 3k or 5k walk/run this summer. I intend to do this and have signed up for a walking/training group on Tuesday nights. Last week was my first attendance and we walked 2 miles already. But the 3 miles yesterday was much harder due to the up and downhill terrain, and the sunny day. I'm glad I have a little longer to train.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Ahhhhh, a good night's sleep - PRICELESS!
It was a good follow-up visit to my doctor this week. All my questions were answered and we settled on a course of treatment for now.
Regarding HRT - 3 sprays a day of Evamist; plus 10 days of progesterone every 3 months. We'll see how that goes for a year, unless I have any issues. The last 2 weeks on this dose has gone pretty well with just an occasional hot flash in the morning when I wake up, but nothing that wakes or keeps me up in the night.
Regarding night time bathroom visits - the baking soda nightly has worked wonders. I rarely get up more than once a night any more, which is wonderful. Dr. Avendano says the baking soda coats the bladder sort of like milk of magnesia for the stomach. She says I can have it 2 or 3 times a day if I think I need it. So far I don't have a problem during the day, just at night so the nightly dose is working great.
We're off for a vacation to Vancouver Island in Canada for a week. I am hoping my little female isues are tamed for now.
Regarding HRT - 3 sprays a day of Evamist; plus 10 days of progesterone every 3 months. We'll see how that goes for a year, unless I have any issues. The last 2 weeks on this dose has gone pretty well with just an occasional hot flash in the morning when I wake up, but nothing that wakes or keeps me up in the night.
Regarding night time bathroom visits - the baking soda nightly has worked wonders. I rarely get up more than once a night any more, which is wonderful. Dr. Avendano says the baking soda coats the bladder sort of like milk of magnesia for the stomach. She says I can have it 2 or 3 times a day if I think I need it. So far I don't have a problem during the day, just at night so the nightly dose is working great.
We're off for a vacation to Vancouver Island in Canada for a week. I am hoping my little female isues are tamed for now.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Foods to Avoid? You've got to be kidding
Here is the list my doctor gave me for anyone wanting to naturally reduce bladder irritation. Frankly, this list is a little scary. I mean, who is going to avoid all these things? Not me, for sure. But I read through the list and decided that I could cut some of them out of my diet for now. Not coffee, and obviously, not alcohol, but Guava for sure (what is that anyway) and citrus fruits and a few others . Between this and the baking soda before bed (1tsp in a cup of water, if you have missed my earlier posts), I am getting up normally just once a night, down from 4 or 5 times. As the commercials say, PRICELESS!
University of Washington, Dept of Urology
Foods That Can Cause Bladder Irritation
Foods That Can Cause Bladder Irritation
- Grapes
- Pineapple
- Cranberries
- Apple juice
- Citrus fruits
- Peaches
- Plums
- Tomatoes
- Guava
- Cantaloupe
- Strawberries
- Decaf Coffee
- Regular Coffee
- Tea
- Alcoholic beverages
- All carbonated beverages
- Nutrasweet
- Chilies
- Spicy Foods
- Onions
- Vitamin B complex
- Chocolate
- Vinegar
Friday, May 22, 2009
To wine or not to wine
Last night I slept pretty well. We drank red wine with dinner, a Three Rivers blend called Rivers Red. We purchased a case of this very nice wine when we were at the Three Rivers winery just west of Walla Walla a few weeks ago.
Night before last we drank a St Michelle Reisling, one of our favorite whites, with dinner. That night I had a bad time and was very thirsty. I wonder if it was the wine. I will avoid white wine for a while and see how it goes.
Tonight we ate out at Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill at Bellevue Square. We saw the new Star Trek movie this afternoon and it was AWESOME! I had about 60% of 1 mixed drink and no other alcohol today. Hope there was not too much salt in the meal. I hope for a good night tonight.
Sat AM: YES, a great night! Slept right through and not thirsty (ok, just a little, but did not wake me up).
On our way to a wedding today. Hope there are healthy goodies at the reception.
Sun AM: Before bed last night we drank a bottle of our favorite Rivers Red wine, from Three Rivers Winery near Walla Walla, WA. I thought this would be a problem through the night but NO, it was not. Not thirsty and still only got up once in the night. Sooooo, good red wine, no problem. White wine, not so good.
Night before last we drank a St Michelle Reisling, one of our favorite whites, with dinner. That night I had a bad time and was very thirsty. I wonder if it was the wine. I will avoid white wine for a while and see how it goes.
Tonight we ate out at Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill at Bellevue Square. We saw the new Star Trek movie this afternoon and it was AWESOME! I had about 60% of 1 mixed drink and no other alcohol today. Hope there was not too much salt in the meal. I hope for a good night tonight.
Sat AM: YES, a great night! Slept right through and not thirsty (ok, just a little, but did not wake me up).
On our way to a wedding today. Hope there are healthy goodies at the reception.
Sun AM: Before bed last night we drank a bottle of our favorite Rivers Red wine, from Three Rivers Winery near Walla Walla, WA. I thought this would be a problem through the night but NO, it was not. Not thirsty and still only got up once in the night. Sooooo, good red wine, no problem. White wine, not so good.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Some good, some not so good
Good news! I slept great again last night, only getting up once and no hot flashes. I think this will continue and I will begin to feel better. It is nice to feel I'm on the right track.
Today was Weight Watcher weigh-in day. I gained 1 pound this week. Silly me... I guess I thought I'd done so well last week under very difficult conditions that I could loosen up a little this week. What was I thinking?!! I will never be able to "loosen up", EVER! Every time I open my mouth there is a decision to be made... yes or no, good or bad, on plan or not. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes it is very very hard.
I went to Costco yesterday and picked up a couple of new items to add variety to my menu. This always inspires me to have some interesting new food to include in my meal planning. Costco is good for having new and interesting things.
I just have to keep in mind that every food is ok, and every decision is ok. There is either a cost to pay or a reward to receive. Either way it is my decision. Here's to receiving more of those rewards this week!
Today was Weight Watcher weigh-in day. I gained 1 pound this week. Silly me... I guess I thought I'd done so well last week under very difficult conditions that I could loosen up a little this week. What was I thinking?!! I will never be able to "loosen up", EVER! Every time I open my mouth there is a decision to be made... yes or no, good or bad, on plan or not. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes it is very very hard.
I went to Costco yesterday and picked up a couple of new items to add variety to my menu. This always inspires me to have some interesting new food to include in my meal planning. Costco is good for having new and interesting things.
I just have to keep in mind that every food is ok, and every decision is ok. There is either a cost to pay or a reward to receive. Either way it is my decision. Here's to receiving more of those rewards this week!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
3 shall be the number
I have been using 3 sprays daily of the Evamist estrogen mist for a week now and the result is definitely better. Only one night have I had a major hot flash/night sweat. I even slept well at home last night which has been rare lately. I seem to sleep fine on the boat, and even at my parents house when we visited over a weekend. But home has been more difficult. It is definitely much cooler on the boat so last night we left the window and door open in our bedroom. I also did not drink any alcohol last night. The baking soda drink before bed has continued to work well, reducing my need to get up for the bathroom. Things are definitely looking up.
Monday, May 11, 2009
4 weeks down, 2 to go
Tomorrow I begin the next 2 weeks of 3 sprays per day of the Evamist. I think the hot flashes are better than they were last week, but still come and go.
We spent 3 nights with my parents over the weekend. I slept very well, getting up only once per night. Even the night thirst was better. Last night I was home again and got up 3 times, waking often due to thirst. What's the deal with the thirst? I did drink red wine last night. I'm sure that contributes.
Sooooo, today: ice cream no later than mid-afternoon and no wine. I will be sleeping on the boat tonight. We'll see how it goes.
We spent 3 nights with my parents over the weekend. I slept very well, getting up only once per night. Even the night thirst was better. Last night I was home again and got up 3 times, waking often due to thirst. What's the deal with the thirst? I did drink red wine last night. I'm sure that contributes.
Sooooo, today: ice cream no later than mid-afternoon and no wine. I will be sleeping on the boat tonight. We'll see how it goes.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Darn Hot Flashes
I am frustrated. FRUSTRATED! The Evamist does not seem to be working well yet for me. I have been on 2 sprays a day for 8 days and so far it is no better than 1 spray daily. The patch I used before worked better than the Evamist, so far. Every night I have at least 2 to 5 incidents. Sometimes it comes and goes and comes and goes.
The last 2 nights I have gotten up 3 times in the night and woke up 2 or 3 times more, thirsty. I have not had any alchohol either night. We had been out on the boat for 11 nights and these were the first 2 nights home. No doubt I sleep better on the boat, buy why? At home I have ice cream in the evening, last night at about 7:30, and nothing after that except my 1 cup of water with baking soda. Still I wake up with thirst and hot flashes and going to the bathroom. I checked the sodium levels of the ice cream and pb2 (powdered peanut butter - yum) that I eat and all together it is just over 100mg, which is nothing.
It is a puzzlement.
The last 2 nights I have gotten up 3 times in the night and woke up 2 or 3 times more, thirsty. I have not had any alchohol either night. We had been out on the boat for 11 nights and these were the first 2 nights home. No doubt I sleep better on the boat, buy why? At home I have ice cream in the evening, last night at about 7:30, and nothing after that except my 1 cup of water with baking soda. Still I wake up with thirst and hot flashes and going to the bathroom. I checked the sodium levels of the ice cream and pb2 (powdered peanut butter - yum) that I eat and all together it is just over 100mg, which is nothing.
It is a puzzlement.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Lost another pound!
Wow! It has been 2 weeks since getting to Weight Watchers. It was 2 weeks of boating, eating, drinking, etc. with friends during Seattle's Opening Day of boating season. And much to my surprise, I lost 1 pound!
While this seems like some miracle or fluke of nature, I'm sure there has to be a more realistic explanation. The fact is that I did get in all my exercise and workouts at the gym. Whenever possible, which was most of the time, I cooked healthy meals on the boat. Other times I made pretty good choices, certainly much more often than I would have previously. The great thing is that I did not feel deprived at all. I drank wine and ate (a few) appetizers with friends on the dock. I ate dinner and drank a bottle of wine (with my husband) at the Seattle Yacht Club. I even had dessert.
So the bottom line is that I feel great about my lifestyle and knowing that I can have a great time and still be in control of my eating. Well, maybe that is a miracle :-)
While this seems like some miracle or fluke of nature, I'm sure there has to be a more realistic explanation. The fact is that I did get in all my exercise and workouts at the gym. Whenever possible, which was most of the time, I cooked healthy meals on the boat. Other times I made pretty good choices, certainly much more often than I would have previously. The great thing is that I did not feel deprived at all. I drank wine and ate (a few) appetizers with friends on the dock. I ate dinner and drank a bottle of wine (with my husband) at the Seattle Yacht Club. I even had dessert.
So the bottom line is that I feel great about my lifestyle and knowing that I can have a great time and still be in control of my eating. Well, maybe that is a miracle :-)
Thursday, April 30, 2009
I'm not there yet
3rd day using 2 sprays per day of the Evamist. Still having nightly hot flashes; last night a pretty bad one that lasted a while. It probably takes a few days for the extra dosage to get into my system.
Exercised at the gym the last 2 days. It is hard on my knees but I keep at it. My knees are so weak. I wonder if they are damaged permanently or if they will improve with the exercise. Working with a trainer is the best investment we have made in ourselves. She really keeps us going and challenges us (my husband, Al, and I train together with her). We have both improved a lot, getting stronger all the time. It feels great!
Exercised at the gym the last 2 days. It is hard on my knees but I keep at it. My knees are so weak. I wonder if they are damaged permanently or if they will improve with the exercise. Working with a trainer is the best investment we have made in ourselves. She really keeps us going and challenges us (my husband, Al, and I train together with her). We have both improved a lot, getting stronger all the time. It feels great!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Who would have thought?!!
Baking soda actually works. Why didin't I have any idea about this before? Every night I take my 1 tsp baking soda in a cup of water and every night I have only had to get up once for the bathroom. This is amazing. Before I started this routine I got up at least 2 to 5 times per night.
With regards to the Evamist... I am still having a few hot flashes at night. On Tuesday it will be 2 weeks and I can start taking 2 sprays per day. I am in high hopes that this will be the magic dosage that will banish the hot flashes and help me to feel more like my old self. Lately I am concerned about my memory, or lack of it. Sometimes I just can't think of the right word. I know it is there, but it is just lost. Very frustrating.
With regards to the Evamist... I am still having a few hot flashes at night. On Tuesday it will be 2 weeks and I can start taking 2 sprays per day. I am in high hopes that this will be the magic dosage that will banish the hot flashes and help me to feel more like my old self. Lately I am concerned about my memory, or lack of it. Sometimes I just can't think of the right word. I know it is there, but it is just lost. Very frustrating.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Bemoaning Potlucks
What evil person devised this manner of socializing? Some days I do
better than others. This weekend has not been a great example of
discipline and restraint on my part. What makes me think, while in the
midst of deciding to take that next bite, that it won't matter or that
the taste will be worth the consequences? Some malevolent force
overcomes me, I'm sure, and makes all my reason take flight.
better than others. This weekend has not been a great example of
discipline and restraint on my part. What makes me think, while in the
midst of deciding to take that next bite, that it won't matter or that
the taste will be worth the consequences? Some malevolent force
overcomes me, I'm sure, and makes all my reason take flight.
Thus continues the ongoing struggle. Will it ever become easier?
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Other Life Changes - Weight Loss
I lost another 1.6 pounds at my Weight Watchers weigh-in today. That makes a total of 36.6 pounds lost since I started this journey early last year. I am finding Weight Watchers to be a flexible plan that allows me to live in the real world and helps me make the best choices so I can move closer to my goal of being healthy and fit. I still have a ways to go, but I don't mind it taking a while, especially since the trade-off is that I get to have my favorite foods, attend regular pot lucks and get togethers with friends for cocktails and appetizers (we are boaters, after all).
Today we talked about keeping track of what we eat. Everything. This is surely the key to success. Tonight before dinner I carefully calculated my points and found that I was 2 points short of having enough for my favorite dessert. So I gave my husband half my avocado serving and gained the needed points.
Hey, it is time to go get that ice cream now :-)
1/2 cup Breyers fat free vanilla or chocolate ice cream (1 point)
2 Tablespoons PB2 powdered peanut butter (1 point)
Mush it all together and enjoy a sinful tasting 2 point dessert. YUM!
Today we talked about keeping track of what we eat. Everything. This is surely the key to success. Tonight before dinner I carefully calculated my points and found that I was 2 points short of having enough for my favorite dessert. So I gave my husband half my avocado serving and gained the needed points.
Hey, it is time to go get that ice cream now :-)
1/2 cup Breyers fat free vanilla or chocolate ice cream (1 point)
2 Tablespoons PB2 powdered peanut butter (1 point)
Mush it all together and enjoy a sinful tasting 2 point dessert. YUM!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
First Week
It has been a week since I began using one daily spray of the Evamist estrogen. I believe that the left over effects of the patch I was using before have worn off by now. My doctor said she was hoping that the dosage of one spray daily would do the trick. At this point I am not holding out too much hope for that result.
The last 2 nights I have had some bad hot flashes/night sweats, especially the night before last. We were sleeping on the boat, which we do often these days, and it was very cool at night. Still it seems like I was sweating all night and did not sleep well. We had been drinking red wine that evening, so perhaps that had an effect. Last night (no wine) was better, sleeping at home, but still was pretty sweaty. I have one more week at the one spray dosage so I will see if things get better.
Some good news is that I am getting up less times at night to go to the bathroom. I will continue the baking soda cocktail before bed to see if this continues. Last night I did not take it and got up once, but then it seemed like I really should not have needed to go (by the result), so maybe that baking soda routine works. More research is needed.
The last 2 nights I have had some bad hot flashes/night sweats, especially the night before last. We were sleeping on the boat, which we do often these days, and it was very cool at night. Still it seems like I was sweating all night and did not sleep well. We had been drinking red wine that evening, so perhaps that had an effect. Last night (no wine) was better, sleeping at home, but still was pretty sweaty. I have one more week at the one spray dosage so I will see if things get better.
Some good news is that I am getting up less times at night to go to the bathroom. I will continue the baking soda cocktail before bed to see if this continues. Last night I did not take it and got up once, but then it seemed like I really should not have needed to go (by the result), so maybe that baking soda routine works. More research is needed.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Evamist
forearm is the dose I will take daily for 2 weeks. Then 2 sprays daily
for 2 weeks, and 3 sprays daily for 2 weeks last. Then in consultation
with the doctor I will decide which dose works best for me.
Monday, April 13, 2009
A Pause to Consider Menopause
I need a place to record my thoughts and experiences and, despite the personal nature of my journey, I think this may be a good place to do it. Other women have no doubt had similar experiences and may relate, or even have some wisdom to share.
As I write this I am 57+ years old and have been experiencing the symptoms of menopause for the last 7 years. At first it was just hot flashes or night sweats which were not too bothersome until I met and married my husband in 2003. When there is someone else in the bed with you it is easier to notice the "turned up heat" and the excess sweating, some of which is no doubt caused by there being someone else in the bed with me. As time went on I noticed my memory slipping as I often search for words that are just on the tip of my tongue. Sleeping through the night uninterrupted is only a fond memory. I think I am a lot more irritable than I used to be, some of which I'm sure is warranted with a teenager turned college student in the house. But the short fuse is hard on my husband as well.
Of course I went to my doctor (2003) and was given a prescription for estrogen and progesterone tablets (made from mare's urine, I later learned). But they made me feel better and that was all I cared about at the time. In 2005 I had a cyst on one of my ovaries so, at the advice of my doctor, I had both ovaries removed, leaving the uterus. By then I was concerned about the pills I was taking for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). My gynecologist put me on Climara Pro, a combined estrogen/progesterone once weekly patch. I have been on and off this same patch from then until today, nearly 4 years.
I have not been comfortable with this solution for at least a couple of years, but like many women I'm sure, I just put up with it thinking that there was probably not a better solution and anyway there were so many other people to take care of in my life. It was just never my turn to take care of myself. Lately I've been unemployed and watch some TV. More and more women are talking about taking care of themselves as a priority and it is inspiring. I heard about new solutions for improving my life after menopause and I wanted to know it it could be a possibility for me. So I looked up my medical insurance provider directory and found one woman doctor with her own Women's Center in Bellevue where I live. Her website was interesting and seemed to promise a different approach that included both lifestyle and hormone recommendations. I procured the needed referral and booked my first appointment.
Today I met Dr. Avandano for the first time. She was amazing, knowledgeable, funny, opinionated and so enthusiastic about the subject of menopause. She had my file in front of her with notes she had already made and seemed genuinely excited to talk to me, absolutely certain that she was going to make a difference in my life. My husband Al came with me and I'm sure glad he did. I can't imagine having to explain all that she told me in the 45 minutes or so she spent with me.
I will write more about details as time goes along. The end result was that she gave me a topical estrogen spray that I am to begin using tomorrow. Over the next 6 weeks I will try different levels of dosing to determine the best dose for me. She also asked me to take 1 tsp baking soda in a glass of water before bed to reduce the irritation on my bladder, hoping to reduce the number of times I wake up at night.
I feel better already knowing I have a plan.
As I write this I am 57+ years old and have been experiencing the symptoms of menopause for the last 7 years. At first it was just hot flashes or night sweats which were not too bothersome until I met and married my husband in 2003. When there is someone else in the bed with you it is easier to notice the "turned up heat" and the excess sweating, some of which is no doubt caused by there being someone else in the bed with me. As time went on I noticed my memory slipping as I often search for words that are just on the tip of my tongue. Sleeping through the night uninterrupted is only a fond memory. I think I am a lot more irritable than I used to be, some of which I'm sure is warranted with a teenager turned college student in the house. But the short fuse is hard on my husband as well.
Of course I went to my doctor (2003) and was given a prescription for estrogen and progesterone tablets (made from mare's urine, I later learned). But they made me feel better and that was all I cared about at the time. In 2005 I had a cyst on one of my ovaries so, at the advice of my doctor, I had both ovaries removed, leaving the uterus. By then I was concerned about the pills I was taking for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). My gynecologist put me on Climara Pro, a combined estrogen/progesterone once weekly patch. I have been on and off this same patch from then until today, nearly 4 years.
I have not been comfortable with this solution for at least a couple of years, but like many women I'm sure, I just put up with it thinking that there was probably not a better solution and anyway there were so many other people to take care of in my life. It was just never my turn to take care of myself. Lately I've been unemployed and watch some TV. More and more women are talking about taking care of themselves as a priority and it is inspiring. I heard about new solutions for improving my life after menopause and I wanted to know it it could be a possibility for me. So I looked up my medical insurance provider directory and found one woman doctor with her own Women's Center in Bellevue where I live. Her website was interesting and seemed to promise a different approach that included both lifestyle and hormone recommendations. I procured the needed referral and booked my first appointment.
Today I met Dr. Avandano for the first time. She was amazing, knowledgeable, funny, opinionated and so enthusiastic about the subject of menopause. She had my file in front of her with notes she had already made and seemed genuinely excited to talk to me, absolutely certain that she was going to make a difference in my life. My husband Al came with me and I'm sure glad he did. I can't imagine having to explain all that she told me in the 45 minutes or so she spent with me.
I will write more about details as time goes along. The end result was that she gave me a topical estrogen spray that I am to begin using tomorrow. Over the next 6 weeks I will try different levels of dosing to determine the best dose for me. She also asked me to take 1 tsp baking soda in a glass of water before bed to reduce the irritation on my bladder, hoping to reduce the number of times I wake up at night.
I feel better already knowing I have a plan.
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