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Introduction Text I'm adding a new note, in case anyone happens to look/or read this...I've dropped out of Sparkpeople about a year ago...was OK for quite a while. About the time I thought I sound get back into it this year I ran into my new MAJOR medical issue. I had a brain tumor found, and had major brain surgery on 02-10-10, diagnosis is gioblastoma multiform, which is the most aggressive brain cancer. . .I asked for worst case scenario - if you choose no therapy, the tumor could kill you within 12 weeks. . . best case scenario was if you do whatever is available you may survive 18 months. I choose to shoot for the best case scenario...so I'm coming up on 5months (07-10 date). 50% of people with this diabnosis usually die before the 11th or 12th month...I'm hoping for longer. I have officially retired from my job/employer as of 06-11-10...which is my way of making a major reduction in the amount of stress I have in my life. I also moved out of my house (which hopefully I can sell within 2 months) and into a nice spacious apartment that has no steps causing difficulties for me (due to side effects from the steriod med they put me on). I maintain a destressful, calm, peaceful surrounding for myself only because I could not imagine that stress was going to help my brain at all. I maintain a positive attitude and refuse to listen to or be the recipient of anyone's negative comments and/or conversations with me. I wish anyone that reads this the very best success in their Sparkpeople plan/goals...I have faith that you can go this.... ********************************************************* Hi, here I am...signed up for SparkPeople...and I'm feeling totally enthused about everything I've seen or done on here so far. I had been feeling over-whelmed by the amount of weight I want to lose...to the point of feeling like "what's the point". After a friend told me about this site I feel like "I CAN DO THIS". I've already made a new SP friend...and I'm hoping to have many more. I'll be adding a lot more to my page as I figure this whole thing out...my son says I'm technology challenged...and I somewhat agree. I'm wishing you all the very best in your efforts to reach and maintain your goals. And I plan on keeping this updated as I become a world class "hurdler" moving past perceived barriers, and make progress toward my own goal. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 2001 was my FUN year, it's like all h-e-double hockey sticks broke loose. In February - I slipped on ice and shattered my right shoulder, did a good enough job on it that they couldn't pin or wire anything, they "tied it together with heavy sutures", was on sick leave for 10 weeks, did PT 3 x week until sometime in January 02 when chemo made me too tired to go any more...started gaining a ton of weight w/movement restrictions for 1 YEAR of "don't lean, bend, reach, push/pull, stretch, act as if rt elbow is glued to ribs, don't walk if you might slip or trip" (I was paranoid now anyway) In October 01 - Got diagnosed with breast cancer, had lumpectomy (no clean margins) so had mastectomy 6 days later. Got a staph infection after the surgery. Did chemo for 3 months. Did 5 years of Tamoxifen, then switched to the next latest and greatest (a nightmare), so was switched again (another nightmare), so was switched again - many side effects including gaining 20 pounds the first 2 months...I eventually stopped that med because of feeling ill ALL the time while on it. But Holy Cow, here I am...still kicking and screaming, and laughing as much as possible. Skipping ahead to January 03 when I had 1/2 my shoulder joint replaced...this was a piece of cake compared to the first ordeal...I had time to exercise that shoulder and prepare, so it went pretty well, in fact I had to keep reminding myself not to do too much. We won't go into the sorted details of chipping a bone in my elbow after I tripped at Laser Quest, or missing the 3rd step from the basement floor and crashing and ending up w/cellulitis in my leg...only to go from that (gave myself IV antibiotics for about 3 weeks) directly into some weird lung infection for another 3 weeks...a-a-a-h the joys of having pathetic health...but I'm really not complaining because the alternative sucks. I call it the domino effect...and now - finally (hopefully) breaking it's clutch on me. Life does go on. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * I enjoy doing art projects, lately it has been with soft pastels, have also done pencil sketchs, oils (has been awhile now), I want to learn how to do watercolors. I like, but haven't done for a while, sewing, quilting (by hand), counted cross-stitch, wood burning, basic knitting/crotchet...oh heck I like just about everything. My latest bigger DIY accomplishments, were: 2007 - painting about 250' of chain link fence a gloss black (it looks good) 2006 - sawing (with a hand saw [a bow saw]) down a dead full grown mountain ash tree - avoiding the electric line, and getting it to fall between my house and fence and not touch either of them. 2006 - my son and I doing all the demolition on my barely standing, but dangerous, arsonist burnt garage/storage building - told my neighbors I would get it to fall onto the cement slab with nothing falling into the alley, or my yard...they thought I was nuts, and we were going to get seriously hurt...it fell exactly where I wanted it with nary a scratch on either of us, my neighbor said her husband let out a huge cheer for us. It was something like 4 tons of debris we (mainly my son) loaded into dumpsters to be hauled away...a dirty, sooty mess. The city code inspector wanted to know who was doing the demolition...told him we were...he asked if we had ever torn anything down before...told him yes...he said "anything this big?"...told him "Yep I have". (I hadn't torn apart anything bigger than a dog house...I just didn't like his condescending attitude). I dislike people with bad attitudes...and if you tell me I can't do something I think I can do...I WILL prove you wrong...

My goal is to "re-invent" me. I've spent 21 years being known (outside of work) as Alex's mom...I need to find and develope ME again. I want to eat healthier, and in reasonable size portions...somehow over the years my portions have "McDoubled, or Biggied"...I have to retrain my brain as I retrain the rest of me. I want to get back into exercising regularly using cardio and strength training. I want to feel more alive, instead of feeling cased up in this fat, tired outter shell, that looks like someone I don't even know. I want to be able to walk into anywhere and not have people avoid eye contact even when I smile and say Hi! SW 376 1st goal 350 - 050308 2nd goal 325 3rd goal 300 4th goal 275 5th goal 250 6th goal 225 wt when medical issues began 7th goal 200 8th goal 175 9th goal 152, my wt at age 20 but I want to be healthy this time & not on 600 calori

I am using SP as much as I can...logging nutrition and fitness daily, reading, reading, and reading...gaining new info. Telling everyone I know about this site/community/resource because I think it's the best thing I've ever seen...and for the 1st time in a long time I feel like I can reach my goals

Linda Spokane, WA Birthday: Oct 28th Love: my son, my dogs (1 cocker spaniel, 1 great big baby girl-Great Dane/Lab/Blue Healer mix) Best friend: Sarah (sister) Love my job. Enjoy virtually any craft or art item I've ever tried. Like DIY projects. Dislike: the arsonist that burnt my garage/storage shed (that's pretty much all my dislikes)

FAVORITE QUOTES: Duct tape is like The Force, it has a light side, and a dark side, and it holds the universe together. From: Robert Urich: The difference between talking about cancer and having cancer, the the same as the difference between talking about bull-fighting and being in the ring with the bull. And one I've seen on other pages: Yoda - Do or do not, there is no try.

Add a Link Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse, and regret...Don Miguel Ruiz
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