Oxygen Magazine

Oxygen Magazine is The BEST fitness magazine (not for you if you think magazines like “Shape” are “good enough.”). 

This magazine features very fit women and discusses topics like clean eating (nutrition) and serious workout strategies.  No make up tips or fluff here! 

The magazine is $5.99 per issue on newsstands (and that’s IF you can even find it).  The $19.99 yearly subscription rate offered at AMAZON is phenomenal.

Update on me

The good news is I’m right on track for my weight loss.  The bad news is it’s been due to serious illness and I’m sure mostly muscle loss by how weak I feel.  I haven’t even worked for over a month (not to get into it much but the illness is either a serious reaction to something inside my home or its something neurological).  I’ve had CT scans, MRIs and more blood work than I can remember.  I’ve seen several specialists, have been on tons of different drugs and doctors STILL don’t know what’s wrong and therefore haven’t even come up with a course of treatment.  It’s frustrating and scary.  I’ve never been this sick before in my LIFE.

Please keep me in your prayers.  I need emotional, spiritual and physical strength.   The Lord has a fantastic track record for making miracles happen. 

Photos To Come

Okay so I DID take “before” photos.  I just didn’t have the nerve to post them.  And  I didn’t want to be one of those people who posts “before” photos and then proceeds to lose three pounds and give up.  Since I’ve hit the 10lb mark, I’ll take more pictures soon (and post the originals as well)  – just don’t expect to see my face or even my head in any of the photos.  P

Oh – and I have to remember to take measurements, too. 

First goal achieved!

Weight:  184.4 (12.2 lbs lost)

Okay — so a ray of light amid all the yuckiness.   First goal (185 lbs) reached.   Next goal?  175 lbs. 

For those of you new to this blog, I’m not dieting.  I’m doing a Clean Eating program (which means my diet consists of mainly processed foods  — but does not require weighing, measuring, calorie counting special foods OR perfection).   I’m not struggling to lose weight. I just “am.”

To learn more about Clean Eating (and the woman behind the Clean Eating phenomenon), visit my Tosca Reno page. 

Yuckiness Update

The blood tests from the psycho nurse practitioner came back normal.  That’s good.  Also my fever has (finally) subsided – after a full week. The dizziness and fatigue?  Not so much.  I can barely see the screen.

I just poured rubbing alcohol in my ears to relieve some of the fluid in them and just took some Nyquil.  I will be eternally grateful if I could get up tomorrow and feel even 10% better.   Ever been sick so long you doubt you’re ever going to get better?  That’s kind of where I am right now. 

Positive thoughts to convince me otherwise appreciated (*hint*hint*)

Well I TRIED to get help

I went to my nurse practitioner today for my sinus/fatigue/dizziness problem.  I don’t know why I go to this woman (and trust me, it’s the last time).  Every visit ends with an argument over what she’s prescribing (she insists on prescribing meds I’m allergic to and I have to remind her after the fact).   I usually leave her office feeling worse than when I got there.  Today was no exception (I actually left there in tears).

This woman is the kind of person who wants you to hurry up and state your issue and then get out of the examining room.  She’s not there to go over treatment options or give any helpful advice otherwise on how to get well.  She acts like your mere presence is bothering her. 

I’ve been feeling crummy and running a low grade fever for almost two weeks.  I gave her a specific list of my symptoms and what I’ve done so far (a lot of liquids and Tylenol) only for her to act like I said absolutely nothing.   She acknowledged that I have a lot of fluid in my ears but said there’s nothing she can do (???) and to let it run its course by drinking liquids and taking Tylenol (gee I’m so glad I went to a health care professional to get this helpful tidbit of information – something the local grocery store clerk could’ve told me).  She did agree to blood tests and but only gave me a prescription for something that’s essentially prescription-grade Dramamine (maybe I’m just talking crazy talk here, but why are we treating the dizziness?  Wouldn’t relieving the fluid in my ears relieve the dizziness???). 

I was feeling too crummy to protest or fight back and instead started crying (I am truly sick of feeling so bad).   When I asked (during the last few moments of her precious time I was wasting), “Isn’t there ANYTHING I can do to get over this faster?”  She patted me on the back and told me to take a multi-vitamin and wash my hands more often in the future.  ????????? And with that, she left.  I just sat there in stunned silence. 

I have an appointment with a doctor at another office on Tuesday.  Hopefully I’ll feel better by then, but if I don’t, at least I have an appointment in place.   Either way, I’ve been way too sick this winter and it’s almost sinus/ear/dizziness related.   Someone has to know how to fix this.

For the time being, I’m taking Sudafed and Aleve and putting swimmer’s ear drops in my ears to dry them out.