Hi team, has anyone noticed the emails are no longer coming through from our thread?xx
This topic contains 14,766 replies, has 323 voices, and was last updated by Countrygal1 2 years, 8 months ago.
Having a happy Sunday so far. The weather is beautiful. All sorts of things blooming in the garden, we will have home grown vegies galore! planning BBQ fillet steak and prawns (In rich creamy sauce -reef and beef)with avocado and green salad, on the deck for late lunch. Perhaps some medicinal red….? yes, I think so. OH has made his decision. No discussion is required. Mine is to follow his lead and respect his right to make it.
My mood improves as my house comes to order and the resolve to enjoy every moment we can is just happening. When one takes stock of the big picture, then it is fair enough to say after 65 the hard yards are done. Work from that point on should be about the quality of life, rather than the quantity. It’s time to stop hoarding the ‘good china’ and start using it! To have that holiday feeling everyday, if you can. I have no intentions of returning to the yoke, and damned if I want to be updated ‘in the world of stats and suffering! So I’ll just frame the latest certificate and retire it to the wall of fame! I have a dress coat adorned with what I call my ‘Life medals’ I’ll wear to our reunion dinner (am going to be there!. It’s pretty whacky when you combine all your facets and a pin collection from it all. But why not? Time to be a whole person. To us! Hope you are looking forward to pension age girls, it’s great to be free! Enjoy your weekend xxx Gyps
Hi GG just back tracked and saw your post re OH’s condition. thank you for sharing, and never be afraid to. We are way past being just all about a diet plan on this thread! And I do know it evens things out to be sharing with the initiated when it comes to loss (of any kind) and support groups. (it quite drove me nuts to have a midwife who’d never given birth telling me to ‘relax between the pains’!! …as if there actually was a text book break in the agony of advanced labour!) So I pretty much know where you’re at and can relate to the need to talk turkey rather than sprout idealistic platitudes.
Cancer is a bitch. It has no boundaries and dealing with it comes down to individuality, so no textbook can give you any guarantees and from the moment of diagnosis, one has to make the best of living on a knife edge. Calm moments of contentment are jewels to treasure. aim for what you can of them and insulate yourself against world opinion/intrusion if that’s what it takes.
Strange how our posts crossed on much the same lines, huh?. What I can say on the positive side, is that from my years in the qld cancer unit I saw Non Hodgekins as a lot more manageable than many forms of C and has a good survival rate. It is all about the immune system and what I would caution is, be sure you are getting the best advice from an integrated team of oncologists re radiation/chemo intervention, not just exclusively from a Haematologist (which certainly should be the lead dr, it’s a blood speciality). They all look at things from different points of view, some are prejudiced against treatments other than their own specialities (‘Turkey’ means thruth, not glossy ideology, pffft! you won’t get it from me and they are all human , in business and competitive) and it pays to know about options from the horses mouth.
Having said that, the ‘wait and watch’ approach is good, in my opinion, as long as the watchers are diligent and have a plan for all contingencies. Peace of mind can only come from confidence to cope. If you aren’t confident in the course you’re on, just remember, ‘the squeaky hinge gets the oil’! You know the system, use it. And look after yourself GG.
love to you, I’m here. and lunch was sooo good! You’re right, we’ll have plenty to talk about when we get to it! Got to go get back on my wagon now and boil eggs for FD tomorrow.
Thanks, CG. Am glad GG has you in her corner. We get so much cheer from this tread, and being ourselves. sometimes the dark stuff needs an airing, but I much prefer to find the upside of being over the hill and Awaaaaay! on me broomstick! Nice shiraz went down well, too… sooo good for the circulation! xx
HI Team and afternoon, not morning any more! GG thanks for sharing your story it makes you so much more real and like a real friend if I may say so (not just an internet shallow kind of friend if u know what I mean).
Gyps keeping you in my thoughts too at this time but not in a soppy way (hell no!)…cos I know you wouldn’t appreciate it! But pls know that you are being thought of through your journey. Trouble is some of those thoughts are not so kind LOL after your sharing of snakes in the rafters!! Gross I say – we had a tree brushing across the roof a week or two ago & I swore to OH that something was up there. But he investigated & chopped off an offending overhanging branch and hey presto….they’re gone. I SWEAR they were trying to get down into our bedroom (there’s a small hole in the corner that’s not covered & I could just see them/it coming down at night while I’m sleeping). Seriously gross to me!!
We continue in our journey too with our daughter. There is no quick or easy road with that one – a daughter with a personality disorder is difficult at the best of times. But the counselling is helping a lot. I just have to learn to be more self-protective which is something I’m not so good at yet. But I’m learning.
Having a quiet day today & making cashew butter at home. Mmm shall have a piece of hot toast with it on. Then I’m going to get either knitting for new grandchild in the US (don’t know sex yet so neutral colours) or some cross stitching. Haven’t done anything like that for a long time but decided it’s well overdue. Or….reading my new book. Ooh choices…choices. Have a lovely day all & enjoy your last feeding day with something that you love…to tide you over the FD coming tomorrow.
PS I was just thinking isn’t it absolutely wonderful that within our group are individuals who can advise others on their journey with cancer, or plateaus, or bullying on social media etc etc (I reckon you think of something & we’ve got it just about!! Makes we think we’re a pretty special group what say you???)! FB we’ve had to both shut down our FB accounts due to comments from our own family members over the daughter troubles. Sad but true. It can be such a destructive thing – I do miss it but it’s best for now. Enjoy what’s left of your lazy Sunday. suejen XX
How has the 4P’s gone for our fast day tomorrow? I look so forward to them esp on a days off as I don’t have to think about food… just be busy doing house things.
SJ- Yes ,I am real and to be shallow has never been in my personality, always been up front and forthright. Nursing teaches you that. FB (Face book) can and is a horrid place for others that want to hurt you…. go with what CG has advised. Time will find its place in healing the rift between you and your daughter. The difficult part is when a loved one suffers from any mental instability…. They do not really know how hurtful they can be to the very people that love and care for them.Unfortunately others sympathize with them and feed their delusions of paranoia.
I am your friend , cannot wait to meet and give you a hug. CG and FB will tell you exactly what I am like.
Have a great day tomorrow team…….Thoughts of happiness and light to you all….GO GALxxxxxx
Hi All!
It’s great to be home and to catch up with you all. I am feeling the pain and struggles of many – SJ, GG, Raven and Gypsy and I’m also very conscious of the strength and wisdom, born out of experience, being shared by CG, Up, Taco and others. What an amazing group you are – as someone said – much more than cyber aquaintances. After reading through all the posts of the last few days, the overall and overwhelming feelings coming through it all are those of courage, optimism, devotion, determination and humour in the face of adversity. I’m adding my best and warmest wishes to all you brilliant and beautiful people and I really hope I can make the reunion to meet you all in person…the Irish are very ‘huggy’ people too!
I had a lovely time in England (not London, though). My daughter is so happy in her studies, with her friends and her life over there. She has secured an internship for the summer too so I will see very little of her over the coming months. It’s very bittersweet – I love that she is so successful and fulfilled, but I hate that she is growing away from us and making a life for herself which will probably see her settling permanently in England. I know, as you said, it’s not far but more and more of my nieces and nephews are moving and settling abroad and it’s sad to see them all leave and not come back. Ok, enough of the self-pity fest!!!!
I ate and drank more over the last three days than I had over the last three weeks!!! Chocolate, wine, chips, pizza etc etc. This morning I weighed in just one kilo up, so I think that can’t be all I gained….I’ll do a FD tomorrow and have my official weekly weigh-in on Wed; we’ll see how it goes!
Take care of yourselves, everyone 🙂
CG GG Fit thanks for you wonderful words. I sometimes just cannot understand or believe how close we have become on this thread – even those of us who have not met. I sure hope I can be there next year as I would LOVE a hug in person from you all. For now……..hugs through space to all sj XX
PS Fit know how you feel with our son permanently in the USA & empathise with you. At least you are much closer then me! You do adjust in time & skype is the way to go. Free too! We couldn’t do without it – great to see the grandies growing up. X Night all.
HI FIT….its 11.15pm here in Australia. I cannot sleep. So glad that you have had a wonderful time with your daughter. You must be very proud of her and what she has achieved. You should also give yourself a BIG well done as you have taught her how to be the woman that she has become. The best times I have had have been with my Mum. We have a great relationship , even though at times we both can be a tad overbearing with each other.
I look so forward to meeting those of us who will be able to do a reunion next year. Though it is far away it gives us time to save and plan for an exciting and fun time. I so enjoyed being with CG and FB and Andrew in Melbourne …it felt like we had known each other for along time, I think of that time alot it was fantastic,I’m sure where ever we meet up it will be the same. Take care……GO GALxxxxx
http://s12.photobucket.com/user/Sue_Spiker/media/20150428_115429_zpsg1t1vs1n.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1#
FB/whoever you’ll have to tell me in plain language how to copy those link codes from photobucket. I can’t get them to work for the love of me. So lotsa details pleeease. sj
I am so annoyed. I didn’t follow my own advice about copying and lost a long post!
Basically, Fit, I know exactly how you feel re your daughter.
Best wishes, CG, thinking of you.
There was a lot more about mental illness etc but I will have to leave you without my brilliant words of wisdom 😉
Cheers.
SJ, Up, Lotus and GG – thank you so much for the empathy and kind words; it means alot that I can share with such understanding, warm-hearted people. I know I am lucky to have the family that I have and I do count my blessings (most of the time!). SJ – it is very difficult to deal with someone who is not capable of rational thought and so hurtful when others, who don’t have the full story, make unhelpful or nasty comments. My oldest sister suffers from dementia and myself and another sister manage most of her care; thankfully we have alot of help for day to day stuff but there is still a great deal of responsibility on a weekly basis. However, we often feel others are judging us for not doing more or spending more time with her; but they don’t know how hard it is to spend more than a couple of hours with her.
CG – how do you always know just the right thing to say; I draw such inspiration from your words every day. I hope everything goes as well as possible for you at the hospital and that your boys and Maggie look after you well!! 🙂
Good Morning Gang
and Happy Monday everyone. Sorry MIA over the weekend, had lots to do.
But I really want to start with few hugs.
Raven a big cyber hug to you. I totally understand what you feel. I also know its easier said than done, but still I will say it “Have faith in yourself, You have done everything right and this weight is bound to shift at some point”
During my 6 weeks plateau, my tape measure did not move as well, however I reduced from where I was not even measuring myself. Yes, I reduced from my legs. So, have faith, things move n shift that we dont even notice. Why?? Because we are hanging onto those numbers on the scale. This is not just for you but for everyone. As I said its easier to say, I know when I will be stuck at same weight, my responses will be the same as yours. Its just human. But again, have faith, you have done everything well and things are happening inside…
SJ, Hugs to you too. I am glad that counselling is helping you. FB (facebook) is really full of mean people. We all have friends on facebook, who will send us a friend request, and then never respond or say anything. The only reason they send you a friend request is to peep into your life. Very annoying. I guess, its a good idea to remain away from negativity at this stage. Just remember, People are saying negative things because they want you to break down emotionally. You are STRONG and don’t let anyone change that..
Re photobucket:- When you upload a picture on photobucket, you are given some links on right hand side of the page. Copy and paste “HTML” link. You are copying “Direct” link. Just below that, its the third option “HTML” . copy and paste that here and pictures will appear directly on this thread. Hope this helps.
Fit, Really happy that you had a great time with your daughter. Don’t worry about that kilo gain, it will be gone in no time. You know that, Right? Best part is that you enjoyed and this is little damage that can be fixed in no time.
CG, have a safe trip to Melbourne and hoping that everythin goes according to plan with your op appointments. All the best…
Well, Fasting today. Too much damage done Sunday night. Had homemade Pizza and JD with coke… (OOps). Plan was no alcohol, but OH, got me into it. LOL
That’s done n dusted now. Happy its Monday today and I can fast and repair some damage from yesterday.
Enjoy gang, wherever you are and remember what Edison said “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to Try just one more time”
FB
Good morning AD’s, quickly went thru your posts from the weekend (must read them each day) and way too many to sink in my Monday brain
First up I just want to say Raven – I know exactly how you feel, I have been on the same up and down each week for over a month or 2 now. I am so happy by the Friday that I am down to 78ish kgs and then Monday,back to 80ish kgs. I get disappointed in myself as I know that it is MY own fault that I have over eaten or drank too much on the weekend. I was planning on 4:3 last week and of course we had visitors and had the wine during the week. Once again I know that if I don’t have the wine, I will get under that plateu. (you must think I am an Alchy LOL) I also know that I CAN DO IT eventually. Everyone else on this thread have lost major kgs, so Raven, as everyone else has advised, do not be hard on yourself, I am trying not too as well. WE CAN DO IT.
CG – Good luck tomorrow at the hospital and Sydney sounds like a plan for 2016.
SJ, love that message on the chalk board and GG would love to see more pics from your Melbourne trip.
Fitt – My mum feels the same about me living on the Gold Coast and her in Victoria. I am her only daughter and she has 3 sons close by who rarely visit and she gets so upset when I go home and truly wants us to move back to Melbourne.
Geez, that is alot from me for a Monday.
Have a great FB everyone xx
Hello team. Once again many interesting posts and words of wisdom. I personally have never done Facebook. I’m a private sort of person and don’t need the uninvited to go peeping into my personal stuff. Cyber bullying is cowardly. Just the same as other forms of bullying.
My sympathies to those of you who are having your own or loved one’s health or mental health issues. I have two close friends who have daughters with Bio polar disorder. They make their parents lives hell. Especially their mothers. It must be so very difficult.
Over the past few days I have upped my morning walk workout. I’ve found the steepest path in the area and have climbed it while out walking with Pepper. It certaimly gets the heart rate up and I’m puffing like a steam train at the top but just visualising the calories I’m burning up.
All the best for your visit to Melbourne CG. The time for your op draws near. I’m so hoping it is going to be very successful for you and that you will be pain free.
XX Doggy
FB here’s my problem. Yes I see 4 links in boxes on the RHS of my photos, but I cannot copy them. HTML & 3 others that I can’t exactly remember. But I can’t click into the box, cannot highlight & copy, can’t right click, nada…..zippo. They are showing up but just not useable if u know what I mean. Do I have a setting wrong or something???
I’ll go into it today & see what I can discover. Gotta laugh though – the other problem is that to get into photobucket I automatically logged in (as I do with many other programs) with Facebook & that has re-activated my account…damn!! So gotta fix that up too. sj X
Morning Team are we all ready for another fat-busting fast day (sorry FB for pinching the name!). Most of us have it on automatic pilot by now, so long as we do the preparation. Yes some days are harder than others & we often can’t put our finger on the reason, but we still persist. That makes you a winner. If you ended up at 600 or 700 or even 100 cals you’re still far lower than a normal day. It’s not what we aim for but…we know it does happen. So if it does don’t beat yourself up, give yourself the guilts, or give in to emotional eating because of it. We’re better than that at aussie determination! But always remember that if you ARE having a hard day the best thing to do is log on here fess up & we’ll rescue you the best way we can. There’s nearly always someone around to give you some encouragement, wise words….or….a kick up the butt if that’s what you need. But that’s only cos we want you to have a cute butt at the end of your 5:2 journey! Stay strong and be a winner today on your journey to the new YOU. It’s sooooo worht it. suejen XX
Hi team,
Uploading photos now. Not sure if the difference is visible as I am fully covered in the recent photo, which was taken day before yesterday. I had gained a lot weight after that too (2012 -2014), but have no photos to show as was too chicken to ever have any taken. SJ, if you hover your mouse over the HTML Link, it copies right away, no need to left/right click. At least, I am hoping this thing works!
Yay! It does work, but I have to now take a suitably less “layered” look in the next photo, to actually show a change!! 🙂
Can’t seem to crop OH from the photo, but he normally does NOT like his photo shared, so we’ll all just have be really quiet about this on . shhh…
And how unfair is it pose next to a taller, thinner man??
Wow,,it’s Monday for you all I amstill,well in Sunday night watching basketball with my OH. Not that I am a big sports fanebut even I can appreciate that LeBron James is something “otherwordly”.
So much happening on the posts. Wish I could speak to them all. So much appreciate everyone’s caring thoughtful sharing. As a cancer survivor I wish I had the words of wisdom to elevate the fear and apprehension associated with cancer, but I have learned that cancer is really an individual journey and we just have no idea what it will be like until it is our story to tell. Much hugs around that GG, did I I get it wrong? I thought is was gypsy’s OH.
Being 17 hours behind does have it’s disadvantages. Suejen, as a therapist and 5 years as a crisis cousnelor I do feel for you as I do have some idea of the challenges you face. Family members of those who suffer from personality disorders deserve medals. It is a very difficult prospect to stay in compassion and to remain available when assaulted by mental illness of this type. It can feel like a no win. I am so sorry that this has affected your child. It can wear you down and then down some more. I am sending you light and hugs.
FB thanks for the photo. Thanks to all of you. I would like to say that I will be in Sydney next June, but it woudo be a very long journey for me. But never say never. Sounds like Suejen wil be in San Francisco and perhaps we can meet up there. I’ll take what I can get at this point! I wish you a happy Tuesday. It’s heading into Monday here tomorrow and a holiday, so will have nothin I have to do. Whee!
Afternoon to all….. My FD has been very productive,Decided that I would ATTACK my Accounts folder… would have much rather been chating to CG, but she was on her way to Melbourne and FB….. IT”S YOUR MUM….ANSWER YOUR PH!!!!
Any how I found that I had 4 superannuation funds going….FB I HEAR YOU GRAMBLE AT ME. So I then decided to consolidate into one fund which then had me on the ph …its very hard work… So when retirement comes along there will be something to retire on .I was so exhusted from talking I needed my soup to refuel.
RAVEN- thank you for your HUGS,unfortunately it is Both GYPS and I… I hope and prey that no other members are having the same journey. Enjoy your long weekend!
LOTUS- When speaking to CG, I thought that we should have a “MISTRESS OF TOURISM” I would like to nominate you for the position……IF you feel ok to accept? The reason is with our proposed reunion in Sydney, You have more knowledge than me now(as I am out of Sydney now) about accommodation.I thought of Darling Harbour because of the proximity to the CBD, casino etc.
DOINIT- if you can make to the meet bring your MUM up from Melbourne . MY Mum is in Sydney .We could get them to share the fun with us…. just a thought.
DOGGIE- well done on the hill walk….just think of that tight tush you will soon have.
Have a wonderful evening ,enjoy your dinner the FD will be over and you will wake with happy feelings of achievement and success in this WOL……GO GAL xxxx
Well Hi! To the lovely Lotus! And all! Nice to be greeted by a smiling face. You can see the difference, Lotus, very much, in the face and body symmetry. That’s what happens, first the ‘bumpy bits’ (like thighs, shoulders, chins) sort of flatten out. It’s quite amazing to see ourselves emerge, isn’t it? I get quite a thrill (like CG mentioned once) when I catch flashes of the better outline I present in shop windows etc! Mates, I can honestly say it’s vain as hell (who’d have thought it at my age?!!) but I LOVE ME! thank God for you all just clapping at my rot. I KNOW you understand.
Which brings me to the eloquence of the posts I am reading lately. Do you all realise we are having conversations which all of us would only share with friends? fair enough, it’s obvious we feel the vibe, but it is (as usual) the fearless CG who puts it so well in words from the heart. We are feeling safe to share because we are learning to care, and trust in the acceptance we’ve received from each other. That’s so far from the ‘facebook’ model of ‘social chat’! I even think we are reversing the damage done by all the, in your face, in a hurry, quick quips (or be boooring!)FACE value crap, competing with canned ’emoticons’ substituting for personal expression! Quite frankly it’s pretty unheard of for me to spill my guts to anyone, outside of a few, rare kitchen tables, and it’s mostly because no one can be bothered to listen. Congratulations ladies, we are reversing the aging process. in more ways than one! and seeing a fresh young face like lotus behind all the kind comments we’ve thrived on is just so nice. we are ageless when we listen to each other. just thought I’d mention it. xxx gyps.
Wow Lotus, I must say that your screen name is very apt. You actually have a blooming smile like a Lotus. And yes, definitely, the difference can be seen in your before and after pictures. And if you don’t mind me saying this “Fast forward 2.5 years, you actually look younger in your after picture” I can so understand what you mean when you call your OH “beast”.
I am 5’3″ and my OH is 6’3″ .
we don’t seem to fit in same frame, unless someone clicks the picture from distance. LOL
And GG, I have not received a missed call from you today, calling you now… 🙂
GG – Certainly, happy to be the “Mistress of Tourism” in Sydney 🙂 One thing though, June is windy and cold in Sydney. I was thinking it will be nice to have a harbour cruise tour, groupon coupons are approx $29-$39 per person for cruise and drinks option.
Gypsy -thank you for the kind words, I too feel safe sharing information and images in the Net (unheard of for someone as wary as me 🙂 ). It is the general personality of this thread (not all threads on this forum are this inclusive and non-judgemental). CG, and other “founding” members should be given kudos for moderating it so well.
FB- Thank you so much, I do feel younger, and yes, others too have commented on this to me recently, so quite pleased about 5:2 working so well… 🙂
I know what you mean by the height difference. The photographer in the above photo (it was a promotional thing Cannon were doing for the Vivid Festival) had to stand really far to get us both together.
BTW, any of you in or close to Sydney, do check out the Vivid Festival – it is amazing!
No CG, just a normal left click works on html links for me. And no offence taken (at least by me) I am 34 years old. By the looks of it Lotus may get offended as she looks younger 😉 😉
Lotus, i was supposed to be in Sydney for vivid festival. But had to change plans due to work commitments. Damn it! Well, there is always next time, so may be Next year…
You know, just when I was feeling all virtous about my lovely FD ( 300 cals only so far and not feeling deprived or headachy etc, with miso soup and fruit planned for dinner) – the girl near my desk is talking about wanting cake! NOOOO… Nooo lotus, no cake today or this week even… remember you have to move the sodding plateau this week…
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1:40 am
24 May 15