An Update

My back pain has finally started to subside and I can actually sit in a chair for more than ten minutes at a time.  This, I think, is progress.  I'm still taking it easy because I sure don't want a repeat of what happened on Friday.  But at least now I think I can get some work done, which is a good thing.  With school starting and Steven and I wanting to get away for our anniversary, I need the $$$.

Steven got a new job which will put him on a normal schedule (M-F, 9-5) with holidays and great benefits.  This is really good news.  It's a little bit less money (maybe a quarter an hour) but with what we will end up saving on insuring the family (full medical/dental) more than makes up for it.  Plus it saves strain on him.  Working at the hotel he was working 3 days 3-11 and then 2 days 11-7 (graveyards).  With his funky sleeping schedule it's no wonder he got so sick at the beginning of the month.  Plus his coworker that he's supposed to be the "relief" person for is very unpredictable.  She got into the habit of taking one day off a month, around the 15th, by calling in sick.  Invariably Steven would end up having to work a double.

Now she's on vacation, which screws up our plans to go to the Southwest Believers Convention even though he asked for the time off months ago (she asked first apparently).  He was supposed to get tomorrow off before working two weeks straight, but she decided she needed just one more day.  So he gets the shaft, again.  She also took off every holiday, which meant he always had to work it.  And yet she gave him a hard time because she happened to find out how much he made (which was more than she makes) and she didn't think it was fair.

I don't understand the work ethic of some people.  I can understand if the situation were reversed, and Steven were taking advantage of her, causing her to work doubles or taking every holiday off and forcing her to work - but that's not the case.   I remember one instance where I felt I was being taken advantage of at my old job (the one with the boss).  I had worked for her as she built her company, training every position, knowing each and every facet of what needed to be done.  She ended up making the new girl the Office Manager at more money and telling me it was because she had a Masters Degree. 

This same girl who would take hour + lunches and put off doing what needed to be done to the very last minute that it took several other people off their duties in order to get the task done.  I grew resentful and my old boss thought I was just jealous <RME>.  When I told her what problems I had with it and she claimed it was due to this other girl's degree, I told her okay, I'm going to go to part time status so that I can go to college and get my degree then.  That's when my boss told me that it was a waste of time and that she didn't even use her own college degree - essentially talking me out of it.  And I was so co-dependent to her abusive behavior that I bought it.  Color me stupid.

But those days are over now.  I finally got my ID so as soon as I get transportation I'm going to sign up for college anyway.  Whether I use it or not is not the issue anymore.  I have always regretted that I didn't go to college - possibly the only thing I have ever regretted - and now I have the opportunity to do something about it.  It may not be until January, but I'm not going to just pass the opportunity by. 

Steven's new job posed an interesting dilemma on our upcoming trip too.  As you all probably know I've been planning an anniversary getaway to Las Vegas in August.  It was supposed to coincide with my 100lb loss mark, but unfortunately I haven't had the most ideal few months and I'm a bit behind.  Anyway we were going to fly, but then realized that's a bit too expensive.  We still have to buy the kids school clothes and stuff, so we are going to have to be thrifty travelers.  We decided to take the Greyhound, which cut the price almost in half.

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, Steven's new job wouldn't allow him to take that many days off just starting.  What they did agree to is three days, which means we're going to bus out there and fly back.  I'm a little nervous about flying.  First of all I'm not all that crazy about it, second of all the last time I flew I needed a seat belt extender - and I don't want to run into the problem of having to pay the second seat.

We're flying Continental rather than Southwest (which is what we always flew), so I'm not sure exactly how their seats are set up.  I do know that I've lost more than 11" around my fattest part (the dreaded Girth), and the seat belt extender in SWA was only short by about 4 - 5 inches.  So I *hope* that is enough to where I can fit comfortably in the seat and not need an extender to buckle up.  I'm trying to figure out how I can fly SWA anyway.  It's cheaper by about $10-15 per person, but it only flies into Lubbock or Amarillo.  The Continental flight takes us from Vegas to Abilene, but flies all the way to Houston to connect.  They also have flights that connect in Tennessee and in Cleveland.  Please don't ask me to explain that, because it boggles my mind.

Anyway the trip poses several interesting dilemmas.  How to eat sugar free when I'm eating out all the time is one.  I have ordered a bunch of coupon books to help offset the prices, and there are a lot of buffets in my future (2 for 1 baybee).  Fortunately, I think I can manage it considering I know what I need to eat servings wise.  And a lot of places do have sugar free alternatives for their diabetic customers.  It will be quite the challenge. 

As you can see I've been doing a lot of thinking while prone LOL  The body quit working but the mind, she never will.

Goals wise I have been keeping my dietary goals no problem.  On Friday I actually ate too little (coming in under 1000 calories) and I paid a heavy hypoglycemic price on Saturday morning.  My body now is trained to eat several small meals spaced evenly apart, if I go for too long without food my blood sugar drops and lets me know it. 

Exercise wise I just don't know what to tell you.  My sciatic nerve is the one affected by this episode, so walking has to be done in moderation.  That hip/leg connection is where I get the most of my trouble.  I'll see how the week progresses and if I feel up to it I will start baby steps just to get some activity in. 

I think I'm finally on the mend.

Hallelujah!