A rebus puzzle

+

+

Translation: TWO plus TERn plus VILLE = TWOTERVILLE!  Yes, just got there today. :-)

Surgery Date: December 14!

Helloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I have a surgery date for my gastric bypass!  Well, I am "penciled in" until the official approval from my insurance, but have been talking to my case manager and she's all but said it will get the green light. :-)  There was a difficult moment when the scheduler called and said they were full up for December and I'd have to wait for January, and I will admit, I burst into tears. :-(  I've written before how I teach at college, and waiting until January would really mess up my Winter quarter classes. I have three weeks off for winter break  and had been hoping and hoping I could do it then. I asked if there was any way she could talk to the surgeon, and she agreed, although told it me it probably wouldn't help.  (It's not just him, it's having a bed available and the other staff, etc.)  After a couple nail-biting hours, she called back with the good news!  She says this hardly ever happens...just another confirmation that the universe is conspiring for me in getting this done.  She says it's a New Years present, and I agree.  How wonderful to be able to enter 2013 on this path to improved health.  I also turn 50 on December 26th--another milestone.

We have very low-key plans for tomorrow--we're vegetarian, so I'm cooking a Tofurkey--but that's all for the best, since I'm just in time to start my 3 weeks of very-low-calorie diet pre-surgery (1000 calories/day).  Luckily it doesn't need to be liquid or any special thing except just keeping the calories in range and the protein at least 60 grams.

Best wishes for the holiday weekend, and happy thanksgiving to all who celebrate it!

Surgeon approval!

Just waiting now for the final insurance approval, which since I've done everything else they wanted, should be a fairly easy process (fingers crossed!).  I really might be able to get a December surgery date, which has been my goal all along (fingers AND toes crossed!).

In the meantime, I've lost a few more pounds, bringing me to a 32-pound loss. :-)  I'm only 4 pounds from "twoterville" (think that's the right term, lol)!  I've been keeping up on the old treadmill also, even though this colder weather has meant more pain in my joints.  I am reminding myself that this time next year, I should be in much less pain!

I will admit to a minor "last meal" diversion of cheese pizza and chocolate lava crunch cakes...but totally planned, so I don't feel bad about it.

Anyway, much excitement here!

10 Things Thursday!

Technically, it's 12:30 am on Friday...but I haven't gone to bed yet, so I'm counting it as Thursday. :-)

1. We have a holiday on Monday!  Woohoo...although I'll probably have to grade my students' discussion board posts and such.
2. My brother's family live in New York, where it's snowing.  My parents are in Arizona, where it's 90 degrees.  I live in Seattle, and we had...wait for it...rain. 
3. The cat doesn't like her new litter.  (Enough about that.)
4. We have the ugliest pumpkin in the world on the porch!  It was too ugly to carve, so we get to enjoy it  for longer! (It looks kind of like the ones in the picture below.)
5. I cooked a bag of frozen veggies, and had to pick the baby corn out of it.  I hate baby corn!  It seems unnatural.
6. I get paid tomorrow!
7. I didn't eat any left-over Halloween candy from the staff room.
8. I am waiting for a call from my bariatric surgery center to schedule my "review" with the ARNP.  I was cleared by everyone as far as I know--so this should be the last hoop until I get a surgery date!
9. Today I noticed that my underwear is loose. (Okay, T.M.I.)  I've lost more than 25 pounds, so guess that did it!
10. I've kind of stopped reading my facebook page lately.  I'll bet people are posting notices about games on my wall.  Should I go look?  I actually have enjoyed the time away, and I didn't have to read political rants.  Can we hope that will fade now?

Welp, that's it!  Enjoy the weekend, whenever yours starts and however long it is! :-)

Liebster award!

Marc at Fat or Fit? Changing the Status Quo has nominated me for the Liebster Award.  I’ve never heard of the Liebster Award, but it is very flattering to be nominated for one!  I feel like I should have had a speech prepared!

The Rules- Once you're nominated, write 11 facts about yourself.
- Then, take a look at the 11 questions the person who nominated you asked and answer them.
- Get your thinking cap on and come up with 11 questions of your own for your nominees to answer
- Then choose the 5 bloggers you want to nominate (they must have less than 200 followers) & let them know they've been nominated (there are no tag backs - you can't nominate the person who nominated you).
- Complete this post and then link it to the person who nominated you (in the comments of their blog).

11 Facts about Myself:

1. I have always lived fairly close to an ocean.  When I was growing up, my father worked for NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), so we lived in Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, and Washington State.
2. When I was a kid I wanted to grow up to be a dog.  At my girl scouts’ “Come As You Wish You Were” day, I wore a black leotard with dog ears and a dog tail.  Dogs rule.
3. I did school and community theater, and once played the girl in the melodrama who has ringlets and is tied to a buzz saw by the dastardly villain.
4. I have friends who had a trading cards shop, and spent time there teaching children how to PLAY Pokémon.  Yes, it really is a game.   (I’ve been known to play other collectible card games also.)
5. I once sold Longaberger baskets, and still own way too many of them.
6. I love to read.  My house is stacked with books, and there are more in my storage unit.  I especially enjoy science fiction/fantasy and anything magical.
7. I have played Farmville.  I admit it. Correction: I was previously obsessed with Farmville--I’ve kind of given it up lately in favor of reading blogs and blogging about weight loss and health.
8. I have been vegetarian and/or vegan on and off during my life, right now for about 10 years straight.
9. I teach at community college.  It’s my favorite job ever.  Once I taught a class with students from age 16 (a Running Start student) up to age 73 (taking the class with her daughter)!  It was a human growth & development class, which made it all the more interesting!
10. I’m a licensed mental health counselor, and a child mental health specialist.  Imagine the poor social worker that had to interview me for surgery!  (Actually I behaved myself quite well.)
11. I love dogs. And cats. And animals in general, including snails (see the name of my blog!).

11 Questions from Marc for me to answer:

1. What do I absolutely love in life?  Being with my partner.  We’ve been together nearly 10 years, and have the same sense of humor.  We still laugh about jokes we started years ago.
2. If there were no tomorrow, what would you do today?  Stay at home. Call my family.  Snuggle with my partner and our dog and cat.  
3. What would I stand for if I knew no one would judge me?  This is a hard one.  I don’t usually care if people will judge me for my beliefs.  If I had more money and time, I would volunteer and donate to causes I believe in, like saving the environment and reducing bullying in schools, especially for GLBTQ youth.
4. If my life had absolutely no limits and I could have it all and do whatever I wanted, what would I choose to have and what would I choose to do?  End all factory farming and using animals for food, and have the entire world be vegetarian.
5. What would I do if I had one billion dollars?  Buy a beautiful house in the woods near the ocean and the mountains that runs on solar power. Buy an electric or hybrid car.  Travel, but always come home again.  Sponsor animal rescue facilities, and domestic violence shelters, and programs for runaways.
6. Who do I admire most in the world?  People who have gone through hard times and still have a positive attitude.  People who give of themselves to others.  People who make use of their talents and training for good instead of evil.
7. Are you putting any parts of your life on hold? Why?  Traveling and sightseeing.  It is difficult to travel with my weight--I don’t fit places and am not comfortable walking for long distances.  This is one of my goals as I lose.
8. What traits in others do you admire the most?   Honesty. Empathy. Patience. Creativity.
9. If you could be your favorite animal, what animal would you be and why?  Hmmm…a dog!  (See above.)  A smart, furry, cuddly one.  Dogs live in the present, love deeply, and are loyal to their families.
10. What is your favorite pastime?  Using technology: Computer. iPad. Smart Phone. Second Life. Blogs. Facebook. Etc.
11. Who are your mentors in life? (formal or informal)    I don’t have a specific mentor.  I believe we can learn something from everyone we come across in this world, if we are only open to it.

My 11 Questions:

1. What careers did you consider before the one you are in currently?
2. What were you most afraid of as a child?  What are you most afraid of now?
3. What type of music do you enjoy?
4. What is different about your life today that you never would have predicted 10 years ago?
5. Do you watch any sports on TV?  Which ones?
6. What was your most favorite vacation?
7. Star Wars or Star Trek? 
8. What is the last movie you saw in a theater?
9. Do you wear a watch?  If you don’t, why not?
10. What do you look forward to about the holidays?  What do you dread about the holidays?
11. If you were the leader of your country (i.e. president, prime minister, etc.), what are the first changes you would make in the country’s policies?

My 5 Nominees Are:

1. Tamzin at http://moveasidefatty.blogspot.com/
2. Vanessa at http://athenabandedwarrior.blogspot.com/
3. tz at http://metabolicallyefficient.blogspot.com/
4. Laura Belle at http://beerdogsandhealth.blogspot.com/
5. adorkbl at http://adorkbl.blogspot.com/ 

Nutrition consult: check!

I got cleared by the hospital nutritionist today!  Also she had my blood work, which she said was great...even my hematocrit which was a respectable 36.  Since the social worker cleared me yesterday, now I'm just waiting for a call to schedule the test review with the ARNP.  Apparently they can't schedule it until all involved have written their reports--doctor, social worker, nutritionist in this case.  Still on the fast track with fingers crossed for December...

I got tagged for a blog award!  I will work on it on Saturday and post it soon.  TGIF!