ActemRA Update

SUCCESS!!!  Sort of lol.

Actemra is working, for the most part, and I'm doing better than I've been since before going off of everything to start trying to get pregnant, and I've even been able to start a moderate, very low-impact workout regimen here at home.  I'm not doing as well as I did when first on Remicade, but I'm also not on my max dosage.  And that is the part of all this that has been a success.

On the "sort of" side of things, my liver enzymes are being stupid.  By that I mean they keep going up.  They aren't at "oh-my-god-stop-everything" levels yet, but it's definitely something that is concerning enough that Dr. C is continuing blood work monitoring every 4 weeks.  Additionally, he has decided to keep me at my current Actemra dose until/unless my numbers come back down.  Or, at the very least, stop going up.  The other "sort of" is that I am still on methotrexate, and Dr. C is not overly optimistic about me ever being able to stop taking that little brat of a drug.

All that said, I'm still feeling cautiously optimistic about Actemra.  I'm doing my part to try to get those pesky liver enzymes to come back down by cutting down my alcohol consumption--which I know I'm not technically supposed to enjoy anyway.  I normally don't have more than, say 5 drinks in a week; however, now I am trying to cut back to only 1-2 drinks a week.  So far I've been successful!  Additionally, in the trying to increase the effectiveness of my current Actemra dose, I've been refocusing on my weight loss efforts.  I'm trying to be more aware of what and when I eat, making the choice to be more active throughout the day, and by engaging in the aforementioned workout regimen (courtesy of Fitness Blender) in an attempt to boost my energy level, lower my stress level (sans wine lol), and, of course, lose some weight.  Daniel and Kelli, a husband-wife team of professional trainers, make and share free workout videos.  They also sell workout regimen PDFs organizing their videos according to specific health and fitness goals.  The one that I am following cost about $5 and is a 4 week low-impact workout routine meant for both beginners AND for people with health issues.  Hey look!  I'm both of those lol.  Anyway, they are very big on proper form, listening to your body, and working out according to your individual ability--all of which are attitudes that I would expect and require of in-person personal trainers.  I'm enjoying it so much that I'm going to cancel my gym membership--saving $42 a month--and I'm already seeing results after only a couple of weeks!  Suffice it to say, I'm very pleased with my $5 purchase.

For the immediate future, I'm going to continue to implement these health changes as consistently as I can, and hope that my pissy little liver calms down.  Ideally, I will be able to get on the larger dose of Actemra in the coming months and see even more improvement!  Fingers crossed!

Back in the Habit

And no, I'm not talking about the Whoopi Goldberg movie.  Though I did watch it on TV the other day, and had forgotten how much I actually enjoy it!  Yay Cinemax!

Anyway, what I'm talking about is my weekly injection habit.  I took my first methotrexate shot in almost two years on Saturday night.  Bryan and I decided Saturday nights are the best time because we almost always have something going on Saturdays and almost always have nothing going on Sundays.  This means when I'm feeling less than awesome the day after my shot, he can help me with the baby!  I have such a good hubby :-).

While I'm glad to be officially back on my meds, I honestly had forgotten how yucky the methotrexate makes me feel.  Saturday night was pretty bad--mostly nausea and feeling woozy--and I was pretty wiped out on Sunday.  Bryan took over the baby's night feeding on Saturday so I could go to bed extra early, and was a huge help taking care of her all day Sunday.  I'm feeling better today, especially after 2 cups of coffee lol.  Of course, it's been completely out of my system for quite some time--I'm sure that once it's reestablished itself, it won't hit me quite as hard.  I'm just very thankful that Bryan is so understanding and takes such good care of me and of Caylee-bear when I'm feeling so icky.

The other habit I've restarted is Weight Watchers!  I haven't been to a weigh in and meeting yet, but I'm officially tracking my points again, and hoping that I'll see some progress, even if I'm still on 20 mg/day of prednisone.  I'm going to talk to Dr. C on Thursday about the protocol for weaning off that dose--not that I'm going to be able to actually attempt that anytime soon.  Until my big girl drugs get to work, that and my NSAID are all that keep me functioning though, admittedly, they're not really doing an amazing job at that at the moment.  But that's why we're reintroducing the methotrexate and Remcade and hydroxycholoquin--hopefully I'll see more improvement this time than back in 2010! 

Other than that, I'm looking forward to getting back into the exercise habit; however, I'm just not to a point where I can do that yet.  With my first Remicade infusion this Thursday, water aerobics will have to wait at least another week.  It might have to wait even longer, depending on how I'm responding to the meds, and going on walks will have to wait even longer than that.  That said, this beautifully cool fall weather sure makes me itch to put the baby in her stroller and go for a, well, stroll!  Oh well.  Hopefully the meds will make it possible before it gets flat out cold outside.

All in all, I'm feeling fairly optimistic and empowered (weight watcher word lol) at the moment.  It sure feels good to restart my healthy habits!

Don't Do Stupid Things OR Why Standing On Chairs Is Bad

Let me start off by saying that Caylee is just fine.  With that *ahem* reassuring comment, I will now share my moment of brilliant stupidity from last week.

Last Monday, Bryan came home from work and then left again to go to the gym for his Monday run.  I planned out when I would start dinner to coincide with his return, and then took the pups outside.  It was a very pleasant evening, compared the the scorchers we had had/are having, and the sea breeze was blowing very nicely.  The only thing missing was the sound of my bamboo wind chimes, which I had taken down the week before.  I decided that I was going to hang them back up.  Bryan had been gone all of about 2 minutes at this point.  Did I think about waiting until he got home?  No.  Why?  I'm a capable and self-sufficient woman, after all.  Did I go back inside and get the step ladder?  No.  It didn't even cross my mind.  After all, I had stood on our outdoor chairs many times before without incident.

You see where this is heading, don't you?  I wish I had lol.

So, I climbed up on one of the chairs on the back porch, wind chime in hand.  Just as I was stretching up to hang the wind chime back on it's hook...well...

Yep.  The damn chair ripped on me.  I was going down.  The only thoughts in my head were "Don't land on the baby" and "Get off the concrete".  Somehow, I managed to accomplish both directives.  Someone was definitely watching out for me.  I managed to kick free of the chair/death trap, get both feet on the concrete long enough to direct my fall towards the grass, avoid the post that holds the porch up AND the pointed picket fence around the flower bed, and managed to twist so that Caylee did not get squished.  So, how did I land, you ask?

I executed an amazing pile drive maneuver to the ground using...my right shoulder.  And man did it hurt!  As I hit, I heard an unpleasant crunching sound.  I laid on the ground for a minute, and then fished my phone (miraculously unbroken) out of my pocket and called Bryan.

He hadn't yet made it to the gym...meaning all of this took place within 5 minutes of his leaving the house.  He probably broke some traffic laws to get back to me, but get back quickly he did.  He scooped me up and got me to the ER, where they took me straight back on account of Caylee.  They found her heartbeat immediately, which was good and strong, and proceeded to diagnose me with a mild fracture of the humerus.  Then, they sent us upstairs to antepartum, where monitors for Caylee and uterine activity were put on my belly.  Bryan and I were so relieved when we heard that her heartbeat was going strong, and that I wasn't having any contractions.  Luckily, my OB was the doctor on call, and after evaluating the data, she had them monitor us for another hour and then send us home.

We followed up with my new orthopedic surgeon, who confirmed the break and put me in a stylish immobilization sling...that is also hot as hell.  Fortunately, I don't need surgery, which, thanks to RA damage, would be necessary if I had landed on any other right-sided joint.

Our follow up with my OB went well, and this Friday we have our third trimester ultrasound with my maternal/fetal specialist.  I have no doubt that Caylee is fine--her heart rate at the OB's was awesome, and she's been kicking around more strongly every day--but I can't wait to see her and hear for sure that she's wonderful.

So anyway, that was my moment of brilliant stupidity.  Bryan has been very helpful, even offering to tie me in my lazy boy until Caylee gets here lol.  The sad thing is, once he sits me down in it and puts my feet up, I can't operate the lever anyway, so no rope would actually be necessary!  I don't blame him for giving me a hard time--I totally have it coming.

In conclusion, here are the lessons I have learned:

When you are pregnant, doing stupid things will get you hurt and made fun of...and you will completely deserve it.

Asking for help is not a bad thing.

Chairs are plotting, devious bastards.

Wind chimes bounce surprisingly well.

I, however, do not bounce well at all these days.

And also, that I have amazing family and friends who were all willing to drop everything to come help if I needed it.  Thanks y'all!

frustRAtion

Hello everyone!  Sorry about that...two weeks is a pretty long between-posts hiatus.

It's been a fun two weeks though!  My cousin Gina and her three came in for a couple of days, and we had a blast.  Then the next week, my cousin Carol and her husband Calley and their two boys came in for 5 days!  We had such a good time with them.  Bryan took them on a tour of NASA, we hit the neighborhood swimming pool (it has slides!), made a day trip down to the beach, saw Rio at the dollar theater (GREAT movie!) and caught an Astros game!  The Astros lost (of course), but the fireworks show after the game was excellent.

This week is the first week this month where we don't have someone coming to stay with us!  July has been, and will continue to be, quite the busy month!

***Warning: What follows is a vent.  I know I'm normally upbeat about the whole RA thing, but today I'm having trouble kicking my perspective back into gear.  So, I'm writing.  Feel free to stop reading here :-)***

I really wish that was all there was to this month--people coming in, getting to spend time with family.  However, I'm apparently caught in the flare that never ends.  I keep calling it a "flare" because the only other term that would really apply is "regression" and I HATE that word.  Regardless of its 10 letter composition, it's still a four letter word in my book.

My right wrist is pretty bad off.  Once again this morning I can barely see my wrist bone through the swelling.  Of course, that means that my entire right hand was feeling left out and decided to join the party.  For some reason, my feet decided to join in as well, especially my left one.  With my left one this flared, I distribute my weight differently on my foot, which means that this morning my left knee decided to start complaining.

Other than the knee, all of this has been going on for a FREAKING MONTH.  Which means I haven't been taking walks, and haven't been going to water aerobics.  Hurting and being stuck in the house in a pretty big bummer, so I haven't really been doing the Weight Watchers (hello, my name is Kristen and I am an emotional/bored eater), which means I've gained some of my weight back.  Which makes me feel wonderful, let me tell you.

On top of that, a friend of mine just got diagnosed with RA two months ago and calls me to vent and for advice.  I don't mind that at all--I'm glad that my experiences can benefit someone else.  

HOWEVER, she has a crappy doctor  and won't change because she doesn't want to hurt said doctor's feelings, AND she's gotten it in her head that her disease symptoms are only appearing because she now knows she has RA PLUS she randomly decides that her pain and swelling is the fault of her medications and STOPS TAKING HER DRUGS.  

First of all, RA is a progressive disease.  Once it shows up, it's here to stay and it WILL GET WORSE.  Second of all, SCREW hurt feelings--you need a good doctor with something like this.  Thirdly, she needs to give her meds time to work, get new ones if they don't, and realize there is NO CURE so the meds aren't going to "fix" everything.  Finally, if the meds were causing the symptoms I'd be happy as a lark because I'm off of everything.  The frustrating thing is, no matter how many times (and it's been a lot) that I tell her all this, a week later, I'm getting the same spiel.  I hate seeing a friend get diagnosed, but even more I hate seeing her NOT LISTEN and make decisions that are going to hurt her long-term prognosis.  Hopefully, her case won't turn out to be as extreme as mine, and these stupid decisions won't completely screw her prognosis.

On top of all of that, today I'm hurting particularly badly (see above about my knee), so I'm having to sit.  

On the couch.  

All damn day.

When I have plenty I need to get done before this weekend.

Oh, and did I mention I'm still not pregnant?  And that I go to see Dr. C (my rheumatologist) next Thursday?

I was really hoping to be pregnant by the time I saw him again.  Granted, once you figure in the time for going off of my meds and then the time for everything to regulate after going off of the pill, we've only really been trying for 4 months, but I was really hoping.  

Barring that wonderful event, I REALLY did NOT want to go see him as flared up as I am right now.  All that will do is open the door up to the Fertility Options OR Back on Your Meds discussion that I really want to avoid.  So, I'm going to be a good little gimp girl for the next week and hope that all of this settles down sufficiently so that Dr. C is fine and dandy with giving us a bit more time to try on our own.

Now that I've gotten out everything that is frustRAting me at the moment, here's what I'm thankful for:

Having the ability to be on disability...

Victoria might be coming to stay next week...

We're having dinner with Mark and Alicia tonight...
 It rained yesterday and looks like it will again today...

I get to see more of my awesome family this weekend...

and most of all...

I have an amazing and wonderfully supportive husband who loves me and whom I love with all my heart!

Silly RA

This is more a vent than anything else.  You have been warned lol.

Let me preface this by saying that I am very happy and thankful to be off all of my meds so that Bryan and I can try to make a baby!  I'm also grateful to be able to stay home on disability so my disease progression slows down and to be doing as well as I am being off all of the drugs.

BUT I am sick and tired of this damn disease!  Specifically, I'm tired of the gradual increase in activity I'm detecting in my disease.  My morning stiffness is gradually increasing.  When I first went off my drugs, my morning stiffness was only about 10-20 minutes.  Now, it's up to at least 45 minutes pretty much every morning.  That is SO FRUSTRATING!!!

On top of that, I'm achy during the day more and I've been flaring more regularly.  Last week I had a flare that lasted TWO WHOLE DAYS!  I haven't had more than one or two of those since I've quit teaching, which is awesome, but then today I wake up and I'm achy and hurting again.  Of course, today I said "Screw it" and went to water aerobics anyway.  I was hoping it would help--and to some extent, it did!  The stiffness got a bit better and my mood got a bit better--but I could still only do the exercises at about half intensity.  On top of all that, the fatigue is getting worse.  Granted, it's been back for a while now, but I'm noticing a steady increase in the amount of fatigue that I feel every day.  

Normally, I do my best to not think about all of that.  After all, staying positive and focusing on all the good things happening is the best way to deal!  But today I'm super-achy and tired and all of it's really caught up with me, which, of course, means I'm sitting around thinking about all the signs of increased disease activity, which leads me to want to be in remission (which has only happened once), which makes me want to hurry up and get pregnant, which makes me kinda bummed that I'm not, which gets me in a less-than-happy mood, which frustrates me because I LIKE being happy!  

HAPPY DAMNIT!

Sigh.  Anyway, it's time to get out of this funk!  To that end, I'm going to watch some more episodes of Shuffle! and then I'll tape off the dining room and prep for painting it.  Other than that I'm going to work on my current knitting project and maybe finish my friend's surprise scarf by the end of the day!

Gotta Hate It When My Doctor's Right

I realized the other day that it's been quite awhile since I've posted about the whole RA thing.

The last time I addressed it was in my guest post for Arena over at The Nerd's Wife.  Partly that's because I don't like dwelling on my disease, and partly because life has been so busy lately--which in itself has been shocking lol.  Since being on disability, "busy" is not really a term that's applied to me!  Which is probably a good thing.  Anyway, February marked three months since my last dose of Remicade and hydroxychloroquin, and four months since my last does of methotrexate.  I'm also off of my NSAID.  

Why?  Am I suddenly cured?  

Far from it, actually, BUT Bryan and I are trying to make a baby!  And all of those medications are SUPERbad for babies.  My doctor cleared me to try to get pregnant, which of course was very exciting.  Of course, his reasons for clearing me weren't all that encouraging.  In no particular order, they were:

1)  With the stress from teaching removed, going off all of me meds probably won't cripple me.

2)  I'm home full-time, so I can rest and take it easy when the flares hit.

3)  My disease is so active and so far progressed that I will probably never be stable enough for there to be a good time to go off my meds.  So, we might as well do it now, get it over with, and hope that it doesn't cause things to get really bad on the other end of the pregnancy.

Obviously, Number 3 was my favorite reason *sarcasm*.

But regardless of the reasons, I'm glad he agreed to let us try, especially since we're only planning on having one kiddo.  That said, going off of the meds has been quite a challenge.  The fatigue and the flares are all back.  I'm sleeping at least 10 hours a night--which is supposedly normal for someone with an unchecked autoimmune condition.  If I overdo it--like this weekend--it's taking me 2-3 days to really recover.  The morning stiffness is lasting at least an hour, and some days my hands don't loosen up at all.

The amazing thing?  All that said, I'm still doing better most days than I was when I was teaching.  My doctor was right when he said stress was a huge part of the RA equation!  Who'd have thought?! Maybe I should have listened better--after all, the man did go to medical school and then SPECIAL medical school to do what he does lol.

Of course, I'm sure the fact that I can sit down most of the day--until I get to achy to sit--also helps.  The ability to sleep 10+ hours a day might also be contributing to the doing better, not to mention I'm isolated from sick people and so I'm not getting sick as often any more.  That sucked because every time I got sick--at least once a month--I had to go off of my meds anyway, and then I had to deal with the whole readjustment period when I was healthy enough to start them again.  

And THEN I'd get sick again before they'd really take effect.  

I still hate being on disability.  I get lonely, and still miss my students and teaching terribly.  However, I have to (and hate to) admit that my body is just not able to handle an actual job.  At least with the job of housewife, I can accomplish things in small increments and rest enough in-between tasks, and the continuing severe mechanical damage to certain joints can be minimized.  Disability seems to have proven itself to be the right answer.  It's making it possible for me to actually live my life--if in a more limited fashion than I ever foresaw--instead of just suffering through it, AND it's made it possible for us to try for a kiddo.  From what my doctor has said, if I had continued teaching, my disease would have rapidly progressed to a point where I would have been in a wheelchair by 30 and where parenthood would have no longer been an option.

You gotta hate it when your doctor's right...and when it turns out the decision you hated is the one that actually helps you the most. :-)

Biting the Bullet

 So, I haven't posted my "get in shape progress" for quite a long time.

There's a reason for that.

That reason is that progress is a misnomer--if anything, I've been participating in one hell of a backslide!

Back in August, I weighed around 165 pounds.

Not horrible, but not great.

My goal was to get below 150.

Ha.

Right now, I'm around 175 pounds.

That's right--I've gained 10 pounds in the last 4 months.

I am rather disgusted with myself.

I know the whys.

At the end of August, I received 2 6-month cortisone injections.

Those always make me gain at least 5 pounds, but generally with good eating habits and exercise, I can mitigate that gain after a couple of months.

However, I'm ashamed to say my eating habits have been sporadically good at best.

On top of that, since being put on disability, I'm very limited in my work out options.

In the past, when I buckled down on losing weight, I did it with a combination of water aerobics, elliptical workouts and weight routines.

However, presently I'm only cleared for water aerobics and the recumbent stationary bike, neither of which burn many calories, even though I participate in a combination of them for an hour each three to four times a week.

And weights are absolutely out of the question, which inhibits weight loss by cutting down on muscle development.

So, I know all the reasons, and I realize that they are actually somewhat valid.

However, that doesn't solve the problem or make me feel better about how I currently look and how much I currently weigh.

With my limited work out choices, I have concluded that the only thing to do is to modify my eating habits.

However, I've proven time and again (especially now that I'm home full-time) that, on my own, I do well for a bit and then suck it up.

So this time, I'm going outside of myself for structure, planning, and accountability.

I've joined Weight Watchers.

I'm actually quite excited about it.

I've joined on their Monthly Pass plan--month to month best fits my needs and my time line.

I won't be able to go to a meeting until my card arrives, so probably later this week or early next week, but I have started using my online tools today.

I get 30 points a day, and while that sounds like plenty, its going to take some overdue adjusting to my diet to keep myself within those parameters.

Today, for example, I did fine with my 6 point breakfast.

The 2 point cookie was an acceptable splurge.

However, the 19 point Freebirds burrito was my first ooopsie--especially with Ethan and Julie's Christmas party tonight.

They say that there's 46 splurge points a week, so I'll probably end up using some of those today!

If I could lose the 10 pounds I've gained in the next two months, I'll be happy.

Heck, more would be nice--I've heard you can lose up to 2 pounds a week.

If I manage that, I could lose up to 16 pounds--which would be wonderful!  

But that's getting a bit ahead of myself.

For now, I just need to focus on trying to stay on program through the holidays!

Wish me luck!

Time for A Goal List

I haven't set out some specific goals for myself in a few months.

In those few months so much has changed--I'm on disability, I'm a stay-at-home wife, I've started working out again, I'm trying to find new hobbies, and am still adjusting to the new realities of my life and health.

Thinking on all of that today, I'm kind of surprised that I haven't set out some goals--after all, I've been complaining about feeling directionless and goal GIVE DIRECTION!  Da da da DAH!

So, here we go!

LIFE CHANGE GOALS:

Eat better--PORTION CONTROL!  MORE VEGGIES!  MORE FRUIT!  LESS EMPTY SNACKING!

Establish and maintain a workout routine--Water aerobics at least 2 days a week, recumbant bike at least 2 other days a week

Church shop and though that establish volunteer activities

Finish writing SOME kind of story lol

SHORT TERM GOALS:

By February, loose 15 pounds.  (Granted, I'd be happy with more, but I really want to get back down a ways).

By February, get the junk room/future nursery cleared out and cleaned up.

Make a Texas Flag decoration for the guest bedroom by Christmas.

Make a centerpiece for the island and a wreath for the front door before Christmas.

Get all the other decorations out and up for Christmas.

By January, have the attic decked out so all that stuff in the junk room/nursery can have a place to go (granted, this is more of a "honey do" than a personal goal--I sure can't haul plywood up into the attic!!!)

Well, I've Got To (Re)Start Somewhere!

Confession Time:  

I haven't been working out at all for the past 3 months.

Yes, I said 3 months.

It all started with a bad blood test and then came the RA retrogression.

Once I was declared disabled, I had to file my disability claim.

Because I am now subject to said status, I have to get working out cleared by my doctor, and I wasn't doing well enough to be cleared...until recently!

My doctor has cleared my to do water aerobics and ride the recumbent stationary bike!!!

So, this week I have started working out again.

Monday and today I've ridden 45 minutes a day on the bike.

I'll do the same on Friday.

Next week, I'll add water aerobics on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I'm going to have to be sure not to overdo--I doubt that I'll be able to work out every week day.

I'll be happy if I can consistently work out three days out of five.

I'm also counting calories again., and trying to make healthy food choices.

I was up to 173 pounds a couple of weeks ago, and I am NOT happy with that.

So, I've made a plan.

I want to get back down to 160 by the beginning of February.

I'd prefer to be 150-155, but I'll be happy with 160 by February.

I'll work on the other 5-10 pounds after that, if necessary.

So, February--that's 13 weeks away.

So as long as I lose at least 1 pound a week, I should be able to reach my goal.

Honestly, I'm not too worried--most of my weight gain has been due to overeating, making poor eating choices, and to inactivity.

I now can change the latter, and I am determined to improve the former.

Wish me luck!

The Good, The Bleh, and the Waiting Game

Last Friday, I posted about my trip to an orthopedic specialist who decided that I need elbow surgery.  Since he did not feel qualified to work on my elbow, he referred me to a Dr. G, who I went to see yesterday. 

Here's the GOOD that came out of that appointment:
 Dr. G is a wonderful doctor.  He's very intelligent, patient, and took the time to talk with me and explain things thoroughly.  He also took his own X-rays (something that every good orthopedic specialist will do), and even X-rayed my right wrist when I mentioned that it was painful.  Now, I knew that wrist was in bad shape--after all, it looked like Swiss cheese at my last MRI.  But even Dr. G was surprised with the amount of damage.  He asked if it was just left over from my RA-onset four years ago.  I explained that no, it wasn't this bad to begin with, nor was my elbow, but that my disease is still progressing.  Always a fun thing to admit when my main coping mechanism is to treat it as an inconvenience and pretend that the pain DOES NOT mean physical joint degeneration.  Oh well.  After that conversation, Dr. G explained that my wrist joint has actually shifted right 3 millimeters and that the bottom joint on my right index finger is acutally thinner than the others.  The good news is that, even though my wrist is collapsing, it's collapsing more-or-less straight down.  THAT means that, hopefully, my wrist won't deform.  Which would be nice lol.

The other good news is that Dr. G has decided to try cortisone injections before jumping straight into surgery.  Bryan was impressed with that because, in his experience, "cutters normally like to cut."  Dr. G is hoping these injections will work for 6 months.  That would be very nice, but I will be incredibly impressed if they work for 1--that would be longer than any cortisone injection has lasted in this wrist and elbow for the past four years.

Now, on to the BLEH:
Yes, I need surgery.  As Dr. G put it, even if God came down tomorrow and took all the RA away (which isn't going to happen), the mechanical damage would still be there and need to be addressed.  If I were 50-55, he wouldn't even hesitate on scheduling the surgery.  However, I am 25.  The wrist fusion wouldn't be all that big a deal, even at my age, but the elbow replacement would be a huge deal--it would be 2-3 months before I could move my arm again, the weight restriction on the prosthesis is no more than 5 pounds, AND the prosthesis, at best, is only made to last 10 years.  And a secondary elbow replacement never goes as well as the first one.  And I WILL need these surgeries, but there is a bit of good news.

Dr. G said I could put them off as long as I could stand to!  Those of you who know me know that he probably should NOT have told me THAT--procrastination is my specialty!  Of course, with the bone-on-bone situation in my elbow, eventually I'll probably start getting bone spurs, and at that point surgery won't be an option, it will be a necessity.  BUT I can sure try to put it off until that point!  My personal ideal would be to wait until after we've had a kid and that kiddo has grown up enough to not need to be picked up.  Of course, at that point, we're talking quite a few years, but again, I am STUBBORN and a professional procrastinator!

More BLEH:
Dr. G decided that I need to wear a wrist brace ALL THE TIME except when watching TV and taking a shower.  He's hoping that the brace will reduce the mechanical stress on my right wrist.  Last night I wore it to sleep like a good little patient and winded up clocking myself in the face with it lol.  Another plus is that, once I get used to it, I will have a pretty good idea of what not bending my wrist will be like after it gets fused, whenever that might be.  I need to think up a name for my brace, since hopefully we'll be together for awhile!

Also, Dr. G has put me on restriction, just as if I had already had the surgery.  Except he's being stricter.  His hope is that by restricting mechanical stress on my right elbow, we can put off the surgery even longer.  So, my restriction is that I can not lift any more than 2 to 3 pounds with my right arm.

I am trying to, as my loving husband says, "swallow my pride" and submit to the wrist brace and weight restrictions and be a good little patient.

Which brings us to THE WAITING GAME:
I'll go back to see Dr. G in a month.  At that point, if the cortisone is still working (cross fingers!) and the restrictions have helped, I probably won't go back until time for my next injection.  If the cortisone works like it normally does, hopefully the restrictions will help.  Still, at that point, we'll have to talk about our next options.  Luckily, I will see Dr. C before then for my August infusion, and we'll be able to discuss Dr. G's findings and I'll get his take in regards to the RA.

So, that brings us up to speed on the whole RA thing!  It's only been four years (well, four in August) since I was diagnosed, and I sure didn't expect it to get this bad this quickly.  I thought that I wouldn't be on an IV treatment (Remicade) until I was in my 30s, and that joint replacement wouldn't even enter the conversation until a good while after that.  But as my wonderful and infinitely supportive husband has said, I have to play the hand I was dealt, adjust accordingly, and, as I always have, NOT let this thing control me or my life.  Still, think good thoughts for me folks, I could sure use them!  Thanks in advance!

Well, That Sucks

I went to my very first orthopedic appointment today.  It only took me a year to actually schedule.  That's right, Dr. C told me to go see an orthopedic specialist about my elbow A WHOLE YEAR AGO and I just now went.  I'm nothing if not a procrastinator.

So, yesterday I called and scheduled an appointment with Dr. K.  I first saw the intern Dr. S, who examined the range of motion with my right elbow.  Or more accurately, he measured the lack thereof.  Next I got bustled over to the in-office X-Ray room and had a few elbow pictures taken of the internal variety.  Then it was back into the office to wait.

Once Dr. K and Dr. S had discussed me and looked over everything, they both came in.  Dr. K examined my elbow again, and told me his professional opinion:

I needed to go see someone else.

Why?  Well, while Dr. K is fully qualified and accustomed to evaluating elbow-related problems, he is not a specialist in the actual surgical approach to the elbow.

Yep, it's official.  Dr. C was right last year.  I need surgery.  Apparently, where normal people have, you know, an elbow joint, I do not.  In the X-Ray there is no space.  I have a place where my paired radius and ulna are in direct contact with the humerus.  Ironically, I find nothing funny about it.  

So, next week I will go see a Dr. G who specializes in surgery of the elbow.  According to Dr. K and Dr. S, I will probably need some sort of elbow replacement surgery, since, seeing as I have neither cartilage or tissue between the bones, I am now beyond the half-step of removing said parts to try to repair the joint.  Dr. S gave me an injection to help with the pain, but I'm doubtful its effects will last long.  My right (non)elbow has never responded to such measures.

When I go in to see Dr. G, I will have all sorts of questions I need to have answered.  Due to financial considerations, I'm hoping to wait to go under the knife until the beginning of December--that way, even though it's during the school year, I can use Christmas Break as part of my recovery time.

How long will it take to recover?  I have no idea.  That's Question #1 on my list.  Anyway, I'll make sure to share how the appointment goes after it's gone!

On Again, Off Again

And by that, I mean my workout routine.  I did well last week, but this week I haven't been to water aerobics once!  As I mentioned previously, the red truck is out of commission.  We're pretty sure we know the problem now, so hopefully it will get fixed this weekend, but until then, Bryan is still taking my car to work.  I don't mind this whatsoever, but it has kept me from getting to the morning water aerobic classes.  I must admit, Monday I just didn't feel like going and yesterday our errand-running took more time than I had anticipated.  That said, I did work in the garden for two hours on Tuesday, so this week hasn't been an entire loss exercise-wise.

I have not been counting calories.  As I anticipated, I was able to do so consistently for about a week.  Then I fell--more like jumped--off that particular bandwagon.  That said, I have relearned portion control and my brain and my stomach are once again in agreement about controlling caloric intake.  I'll weigh in tomorrow and see how I'm doing on that front.  I hope I've at least stayed the same, but I'm worried that the lack of exercise this week (plus the piece and a half of cake I've had) might result in an unwelcome outcome.  We'll see!

Oh well, at least I haven't been missing classes because of a flare!  In fact, other than my ankle and wrist persisting in being stiff and slightly sore and puffy, I'm doing well.  At my last infusion appointment, Dr. C decided to keep my Remicade at the same level.  He's still not happy with my wrist, however.  He did want me to come back in if it had not improved within a week or so and get a corticosteroid injection--but I've been there, done that, and the effects never last more than a few days.  So, even if I had use of my car this week, I don't really want to drive an hour there and an hour back for an injection that wouldn't effect a lasting improvement.

We (Dr. C and I) are hoping that the current level of Remicade in combination with my other drugs AND (most of all) the removal of the school year stress will result in improvement in my wrist, elbow and ankle.  I still need to schedule a surgery consult on my elbow.  I'll get around to it eventually :-).


I must say that, school-related stress aside, being a stay-at-home wife this summer has been wonderful.  I have been able to break chores and gardening into manageable chunks, which lets me keep the house clean and the gardens neat without working for several hours straight, at the end of which I'd end up with stiff and swollen joints.  I also have the time to plan out some household projects, which I shall be posting about as they come around.  It's such a wonderful combination of productivity and rest that allows me to feel as if I am being effective while being able to avoid both flares and serious fatigue!    So once again, HOORAY for summer!

Calorie Counting Continues

How's that for alliteration?

I did much better today than yesterday.  Keep in mind that I don't count fresh fruit or veggies--those are HEALTHY and I'm not gonna count 'em!  So with that clarified, here are my calories in for today:

Breakfast:  160 calories
                 fresh fruit
                 toast--70 calories
                 1/2 cup cottage cheese--90   calories







Lunch:  320 calories
                 fresh fruit
                 2 pcs of bread--140 calories
                 1 tbsp Miracle Whip--40 calories
                 honey ham--70 calories (or there about)
                 1 slice Colby Jack--80 calories

Snack:  180 calories
                 1 pc bread--70 calories
                 1 tbsp Miracle Whip--40 calories
                 honey ham--70 calories (or there about)
                 1 slice Colby Jack--80 calories





And tonite I actually AM going to post my dinner!
Dinner: Subway Orchard Chicken Salad w/ spinach and tomatoes--360 calories

So that brings my daily total to (drum roll please!) 1020 calories! 

That's MUCH better than yesterday, and actually helps make up for the potato salad and sloppy joe for dinner last night (yum!).  I've also only drank water all day.  Other than water, I might let myself have a glass of Sprite Zero in a bit--hooray for zero calories and zero caffeine!

I also went to the 6 pm water aerobics class tonight.  Instructor Tanya is out of town, so Instructor Tiffany took for tonight.   It was a good work out, though I had to really work to get my calves to loosen up!  I definitely overdid it yesterday--my right calf in particular is all knotted.  Still, it got better as we went.  Tomorrow Instructor Tiffany teaches her 9 am class, so that will be three water aerobic classes in as many days this week!  That's what I call getting back in the workout saddle!

Now, I just have to keep all of the working out and healthy eating up!

*Side note--tomorrow is my next Remicade infusion.  Hooray.  At least I have the camping trip this weekend to look forward to!

Back in the Saddle

Oh how I hope I don't fall back off!  I already have some ground to make up--when I weighed in last Friday, I had gone up three pounds to 162.  Not too bad, but not too good either, and definitely in the wrong direction!

That said, I'm off to a good start!  I got up this morning and went to the 9am water aerobics class at the gym.  Holy cow can I tell that I've only been twice in the past two months!!!  Class just about kicked my butt!  I also swam three laps and then relaxed in the hot tub for a bit....sooo nice and warm!  Also, I listened in on a talk our instructor was having with another class member about eating healthy--combining whole grains, lean protein, and fiber.  She also is a fan of the "grazing" eating method (which I do so love!), which means eating every three hours during the day.  In between meals, you eat a snack combining the types of food mentioned above.  I don't know how strictly I'll follow this, but at least its a good guideline for food ingredients!

Speaking of food, here's my calorie count for the day:
Breakfast: Instant Oatmean--160 calories
Snack:  1 serving of imitation crab meat--80 calories
Lunch:  Subway Orchard Chicken Salad Sandwich--400 calories

So, at lunch I had consumed 640 calories.  I've also snacked on some cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices, but I don't count the calories of raw veggies--that's just getting a bit too obsessive.  Also, I'm not going to count calories on dinner--I'm cooking a lot this summer and breaking down the ingredients is just too much work! 

Lol, so the long and short of it is that when I say "calorie counting" I actually don't mean counting ALL calories.  Like I said, I've never been good at this whole counting thing!

Anyway, I am starting to retrain my brain, eyes, and stomach to appropriate portions, and my brain to healthy food choices.  And for me, that's the whole point of calorie counting for a little bit.  Goodnight!

Feeling Fat

I have fallen off the wagon when it comes to my health goals.  I was doing so well too!  Gah.  What happened?  I'll tell you what happened.  I let a couple of illnesses and flares through me completely off my game.  Well, it stops here and now.

I have six to eight weeks before my first bridesmaid dress comes in.  The seamstress ordered what she says was a size above mine so that we'd have extra fabric for alterations.  She ordered a 14, so at least I haven't gone up in dress size--still a 12. 

That said, I want to reach my original short-term goal of 155 by fitting time.  If I can manage my long-term goal of 150, then awesome, but I'll settle for the 155.  I do not know where I stand at the present moment, and I don't want to weigh in because I just ate a very late, quite hefty lunch.  So yes, I am chickenshit.  I will wake up a bit earlier tomorrow and weigh in.  Then we'll see how much damage has been done, and how extensive my damage control measures will need to be.  That said, I have some things I'm implementing right now.

For starters, I am going to try my hand at calorie counting.  Again.  For the fourth or fifth time lol.  I never do manage to stick with it long, but it does let me become more aware of what and how much I'm eating.  So here's my list for today:
Breakfast:  1 pack Quaker Oats Instant Maple Brown Sugar and Cinnamon    160 calories
Midday Snack:  Half a PBJ sandwich  
1 slice of bread    80 calories
1 Tbsp PB           95 calories
1 Tbsp Jelly         50 calories

Lunch  2 servings of chips  300 calories

Subway Orchard Chicken Salad Sandwich  440 calories

So far today, that brings my calorie count up to 1125.  That's a problem, because I haven't even had dinner yet!  The chips were definitely a bad idea.  Argh.  No wonder I've backslid...I've completely stopped paying attention to what I eat. 


So, starting today, I'm remedying that.  Next week, I will pick my workout routine back up.  No school means I have the ability to go work out in the morning as well as the evenings.  I also need to move my methotrexate shot back to Friday.  It'll take three weeks (I have to only move the shot administration back a day at a time), but at the end of it I won't be fighting this nasty nausea on Wednesday (which means I can go back to Weds night water aerobics!).

Well, I feel better with a plan laid out.  Now its time to put my big girl panties back on and take care of business!  Starting with dinner tonight--I shall eat a salad!  Wish me luck!

Bad Bad Blogger

Wow, I can't believe it's already March 22nd!  Shame on me!  In my defense, I did spend the week and a half after my last post working and trying to get over the second bout with bronchitis.  And THEN we were off to Costa Rica!!!  Which was an AMAZING trip, and you can read all about it on my newest travel blog.

So what's new?  Not a whole lot.  I weighed in at 160.5 lbs AFTER vacation, which was superexciting for me!  I finished my three new books (two while on vacation and one the day we got back)--The Heir to Sevenwaters, Hood, and White Witch Black Curse.  

The Heir to Sevenwaters was a very well-written book and stayed true to the entire series in its reworking of Celtic mythology into a enteraining and engaging read.  White Witch Black Curse continued the Rachel Morgan series and I have to say I am glad to see the series regaining its stride.  I felt it had stumbled a bit during the book before last, but this book restored my interest and now I can't wait for the current hardback to come out in paperback!

Hood  was incredible!  I had never before been interested in reading a Lawhead book, but I am a sucker for the reworking of old tales and legends.  Seeing that this was the first book in a reworking of the Robin Hood legend, I couldn't help but pick it up.  I am so glad I did!  It really gives depth to the characters, and I especially like the growth of Bran (Robin Hood) that we see from the beginning to the end of the book.  I also really enjoyed the take on Friar Tuck and Marian--and how Lawhead has really put thought into the location of his Robin Hood legend--early Wales.  All told, I can't wait to pick up the next book, and the one after that!

Other than that, we did host a cocktail party for Mark and Alicia in celebration of their upcoming nuptuals next month!  The party was at 6pm the day after the day after we got back from Costa Rica, so I spent Friday cleaning the house and during the day on Saturday getting everything set up!  I was really glad I had bought all the dishes and such ahead of time--that only left the food (of which there was JUST enough!  hooray!) and the drinks.  The party got started a bit later by the time everyone showed up, but we had a heck of a time and it was so much fun to meet everyone!  For the first party we've hosted at our house, I think it went swimmingly!

What else?  Oh, I'm daydreaming of jobs other than teaching.  Lol, not surprised huh?  Really I think I'm just worndown, and maybe at some point over the remaining 11 weeks til summer I'll get some sort of second wind.  But honestly, I'm feeling a bit burnt out, even after Spring Break.  It's not the kids or my school--its the job itself.  The constant chatter in the back of my head questioning and planning for the next day's lessons, the feeling like a babysitter for a good many of my teenaged students, and the fact that most of my classes have between 29 and 32 students is really starting to irk me.  That all said, I'll probably sit tight for another 3 years or so, until Bryan and I have a baby.  Then I'll take a few years off and THEN I might look at implementing one or two of my part-time/work from home employment plans.  We'll see :-).  But for now, I've just got to hang in there...which is honestly really hard right now.  That said, I'm sure tomorrow will be easier.

Now I'm going to go get ready to go to my first water aerobics class in 3 weeks.  I'm super achy, so I'll have to be careful (and I wish I hadn't eaten so much yogurt when I got home from school!).  Until next time!

***EDIT***   Due to achy joints and an especially stiff neck (and a desire to play with pictures and my new travel blog) I am not going to water aerobics tonite.  I will go do an hour of cardio tomorrow though.  Time to get back on the horse!

Focus on Health

This will be a very short entry, but tehre will be some hobby-focused entries to follow later this week!

Last week--I did not go to water aerobics on Monday because, frankly, last Monday sucked and I needed a down evening.  I went and did 30 mins elliptical and 30 mins bike (at higher resistance levels!) on Tuesday, and did make it to water aerobics Wednesday, but that was the extent of my workout week, much to my chagrin.  This was because on Tuesday I developed a cough, Wednesday this resulted in my sounding like a man, Thursday I had a sore throat and the cough, and Friday was, well Friday!  I did weigh in on Sunday morning and--hooray!--was down to 158.5 pounds. 

I told myself if my cough didn't get better by today, I would go to the doctor.  It persisted through the weekend, so today I scheduled a 3:30 with Dr. Y.  And the diagnosis?  BRONCHITIS.  Yes, AGAIN.  What kind of person gets bronchitis TWICE in a TWO MONTH PERIOD?!?!  I guess the answer is me.  Suck for me.  This is a probable result of my immune system being down after my recent Remicade infusion, plus my methotrexate.  Unfortunately this results in my finding myself in a damned if I do, damned if I don't situation.  If I take my drugs, I get sick (or at least am incredibly prone to gettking sick).  If I don't take my drugs, I flare and can't walk/move/workout like a "normal" person..  All in all, however, I'll take the walking and such.

So, no water aerobics tonite, and probably little to no gym time this week.  Again suck.  That said, I do have wonderfu l cough syrup--another reason why this is a short entry.  So, I'm off to lie back down on the couch for the rest of my requisite time before I can take more cough syrup (I already took today's dose of antibiotic).  Hopefully the next dose of syrup will work longer than this first dose.  Hobby blogs to come later!

Playing Catch-up

When I revamped my blog, I told myself that I would post an entry AT LEAST once a week.  Obviously, I missed that, since it's been about 2 weeks since I last posted...oops!  Well, let's play catch-up.

On the fitness front, the week before last I got some sort of stomache bug.  Though I still went to work (the whole limited number of sick days deal is a pain in the ass), I definitely wasn't up to going to the gym on Monday or Tuesday.  Wednesday was Bryan's big 2-year promotion pitch!  So I decided to stay home and skip out on water aerobics.  I cooked him his favorite meal--meatloaf and green bean casserole with red potatoes.  I'll post my meatloaf recipe later--its actually my GanGan's recipe and it rocks!  Anyway, it did turn out to be a celebratory dinner, because Bryan got his promotion AND was converted to a permanent employee!  (The first two years of government employment are seen as "intern years").  As for Thursday and Friday, I don't have any good reason for not going to the gym...I just decided to go ahead and scratch the whole week.  That Saturday I chaperoned a Latin tournament (and spent the day wishing all students could be as well-behaved and focused as Latin students), and Sunday we went with Bryan's riding buddies (Sons of Texas) to a church down in Freeport where one of the members is the pastor.  Some assholes broke into the church about a month back and stole approximately $3000 worth of property.  Since they are a very small and relatively older congregation, it was a big blow.  The SOT passed the helmet, as it were, and raised a little over $1000 to help the church replace the stolen items.  It was a really nice experience--the congregation was so happy to see all of us, even before the president presented the check, and the sermon was engaging.  Afterwards we went to a seafood restaraunt and I ate WAAAY too much.

Last week, I went Monday to water aerobics, Tuesday for 30 mins elliptical and 30 on the recumbant bike, and Wednesday back for elliptical.  Thursday was my infusion--second dose of Remicade at the 500 level.  Dr. C was encouraged by my progress.  He's such a good doctor.  He remembered that last time I was in his office, when the Remicade still hadn't taken effect, I was worried about what my other options might be.  This time, he told me about a new drug that was just approved (after 3 years of testing), and another that is just now entering long-term clinical trials, but that is showing a lot of promise.  And of course, there's Orencia too.  But he took the time to go through all of that with me--again, he's a great doctor.  So while all that was fantastic, having to go to work the day after the infusion was brutal.  I did it in December, but that was only a half day...a full day really was bad.  I was so tired, and the fatigue lasted all the was through last night.  Truth be told, I'm still dragging a bit today, but at least its nothing that I can't overcome.  Yesterday, Bryan and I went riding with Ethan and had an AMAZING burger at this place called Christian's Tailgate.  Then we went to Bass Pro to look at some handguns (boys will be boys lol).  Last night we had dinner with Bouncer and Alicia--she made some amazing chicken and wrapped asparagus (the recipes for which I HAVE to get!).

Today Bryan and I slept in and then grabbed lunch at Potbelly's and went to the bookstore.  On Ethan's recommendation, I picked up Lost Christianities by Bart D. Ehrmen, as well as his New York Times bestseller Misquoting Jesus.  Ehrman is a former Christian (a former Baptist minister actually, as well as a hard-core Biblical scholar who can translate the new testament) turned agnostic who is currently the head of the Religious Studies department at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  I'm really excited about reading these books, which both look at Christianity and the Bible from an historical perspective.  It will definitely bring back memories of my religious studies classes at A&M...and I have missed thinking about religion on that level.  Bryan laughed at me for buying what he called "textbooks", but he's also interested to see what Ehrmen has to say.  We were both intrigued when Ethan mentioned Lost Christianities.  I'll definitely be posting thoughts and reactions to these books as I read them. 

Anyway, that pretty much catches us up!  I haven't weighed in in these two weeks...I'll save that for next time lol, and try to eat better in the week inbetween.  And so begins another week...with our Costa Rica trip only 2 1/2 weeks away!

Weekend Workout Report

Alright!  Saturday once again!  Time to report in on this week's workout routine!  I have to say, I am pretty proud of myself for completing week two.  My goal starting out was to go 3-4 times a week, and last week and this week I met the 3 times a week goal.  Granted, the four times a week goal was to include the 9am Saturday water aerobics class.  I am typing this at 8:59 am, I clearly have not made this morning's class a priority.  And I'm completely fine with that!  Lol.   Bryan and I have also been eating a lot better--more salads, grilled meats instead of fried, and smaller portions.  And on a side note, Bryan has started working out again too--I am so proud of him!!  Ok, now on to this week!

First of all, today's weigh in.  BMI: 24.09, Weight: 159lbs
This is the first time sine shortly after Bryan and I got married that I have gotten below the 160lb mark!!!  I am so excited, and even more determined to stick with my new workout habits. 

As far as this past week went,

Monday:  I left for the gym at 5:30.  This departure time allows me to get in a 10 minute warmup on the elliptical before the 6pm water aerobics class, which lasts until about 6:50.  And let me tell you, Tanya keeps us moving the whole time!  She really is a fantastic instructor, and reminds me when I need to modify the exercises to avoid aggravating the RA.  I met another classmate on Monday--Katie--who works at NASA.  She only comes to Monday classes, but she's very nice and it's good to know someone at the gym.

Tuesday:  Day off.

Wednesday:  Repeat of Monday, except this time it was Tanya, Kelly, Ramona, and Heather that I joined in the pool.  This was the first class that I used the resistance weights THE WHOLE TIME!!!  Whoop!

Thursday:  I was going to go, truly.  But I had students come for tutoring, and we didn't get done with that until 3:35.  THEN I realized I forgot my yogurt (which I usually pack on days where I head straight to the gym, so I'm not working out on an empty stomache).  So, I decided to head home.  Then I found out Bryan's meeting was cancelled!  It all worked out very nicely.

Friday:  I got to the gym by 3:15!  I did 10 minutes on the elliptical, and then headed for the weights and such.  I did:
         1 set 20, 1 set 10 wall-ball squats with a 6 lb medicine ball held up in the air.
         1 set 20, 1 set 10 balance ball crunches with the same medicine ball in the air
         1 set 20, 1 set 10 on the leg press at 90lbs
   break to walk up and down the staris twice to keep my heartrate up
         2 sets 10 on each leg at 15 or 20lbs on the butt machine
         1 set 10, 1 set 10 on leg extensions at 20 lbs
   break to walk up and down the stairs twice again
         2 sets of 20 isometric oblique twists
         1 set 20, 1 set 10 hip thingys (machine where the pads are on your inner thighs and you squeeze together) at 40 or 50 lbs
         an uncounted number of reps on the oblique machine at about 30 lbs
         2 rounds of holding myself in my modified plank position (on my forearms and toes, keeping my body straight and flat engaging my abs) for as long as I could (which wasn't all that long, but will hopefully increase over time)
        And then back to the elliptical for another 20 minutes

All in all, it was great workout, and though I left feeling a bit shaky and tired, I also felt energized and the stress from school that day (where students decided it was ok to talk back to me constantly) had melted away!  I think I will be sticking with the M-W-F routine...if I go on Tuesday or Thursday it will be because noone came to tutoring and I will do an hour of elliptical/recumbant bike.  I am so excited to be working out regularly again--I had truly forgotten how much I love feeling the burn of aerobics and weights!  And I'm also unbelievably grateful that Dr. C and I have found the medicine (Remicade) and the dosage (500) that has actually started getting my RA back under control.  Without that, this whole workout regimine would probably have not taken shape.  Whoop for Remicade and getting healthier!!!

This Week in Workout Review

My first water aerobics class was wonderful, and my second was even better!  Our instructor really keeps us moving for the entire 50 minutes of the class!  The second time, I didn't use the resistance water weights, since they caused me to flare this last Tuesday.  My strategy worked, and I wasn't limping around all day yesterday!

Today, I fought the temptation that is my new Wii game and went to the gym.  I started out with a 10 minute warm-up on the elliptical, and then went on to weight machines, isometrics and ball workouts.  Using the balance ball and a weighted medicine ball, I did 1 set of 20 squats, and a 2nd set of 10.  I then changed positions, and did one set of 20 crunches, and another set of 10.  I hit the leg press, and did one set of 20 at 90lbs and another set of 10 and 90lbs.  The butt maching (a highly technical term, I know ;-)) was next, one set of 10 at 35lbs, and another 10 at 25 lbs.  Leg extensions were 2 sets of 10 at around 30 lbs.  Then I did two sets of 20 isometric cruches, and two for-as-long-as-I-could-hold-it modified plank position holds.  THEN I went for 20 minutes on the exercise bike.  I left the gym feeling shaky but (unlike with the trainer session) NOT nauseous.  I consider that a success!

So, all in all, it was a good week.  I met my minimum goal of 3 gym session (the two water aerobics and today), and I feel more energetic already.  I can't wait to go again next week, and I can't wait to start seeing results here in a bit.  Weigh in will be tomorrow (hooray Saturday), but this one will only be weight and BMI.  I'm going to wait until Febuary 16 to get my body fat % measured again--I figure a month will give it sufficient time to truly respond to my new routine!

I'm so glad I have this blog organized so that I can record my workout information.  Yay accountability!