Bra Wars - Update

I've been hunting for THE bra. And after measuring myself and realizing I am not a C cup, I did some shopping.

Wal Mart only sells as high as 3D.  And that happens to be my most comfy bra.  Curvation.  It also is supposedly 1 cup size too small.

So I bought a Paramour 40 G and 2 Bali 40 G's from Bare Necessities.  Paramour was beyond wrong.  The band was too big - I had to hook the middle.  And the cups were not holding the girls in place at all.  It's like jello in too big a bowl.  And the underwire cut into my armpits.  The Bali's - the band was too small, which then smooshed my boobs.  And the undewire is high poking out at my cleavage.

I measured both and the Paramour has a band of about 36 ish.  It's a racerback so hard to get an accurate measurement.  The Bali's are 34 or smaller.  WTF!!!  I'm a 40 why in the hell would you make the band that much smaller?

So then I buy some Cacique from Lane Bryant, but don't look at the chart because I thought it was a standardized thing.  Even after dealing with the difference of Paramour and Bali.  Then I decided to look - for a Cacique I'm an F cup.  All the other charts I'm 4D/G.  *sigh*

I expect to be sending the Caciques back for at least 1 size smaller cup and possibly a size smaller band as well.  But I will keep the tags on so I can send it back.

That's where I messed up on the Bare Necessities purchase.  I was so happy to get new bras, I tore the tags off and can't return them.  They will be used as my work outside bras.

It should not be this difficult to find a friggin bra.  Measure, measure, subtract, BAM - go shopping.  But nooooooooooooooooo, so when you find one you like, stick to it and buy backups.  Because, ladies, you know damn well they'll quit making the thing when you need to get replacements.

2 out of the 3 Caciques fit!  Only one needs to go back and it's because there's gaping between the straps and top of the cup and me.  After chatting with my BFF, I'll do better in a demi or balconette type bra.  But the other 2 are fine.  Hurray!

Side Sleepers - A Very Comfy Pillow!

With some of my tax return I invested in an expensive pillow.  I mainly sleep on my side and have had trouble finding a pillow that stays fluffy for any more than 6 months.

I do have one that I wash and it fluffs back up, but then my older brother let me try his tempurpedic (it feels gel filled) and I was sold on wanting a better pillow.

I went to the local mattress store (Mattress Outlet) as well as looking online.  The mattress store turned out to be a good decision.  The young lady there showed me the side sleeper pillows - Malouf Z-Zoned.  They have different ones - gel to keep you cool, charcoal to detox, lavender for calming, and chamomile to help you sleep.  I chose the lavender shoulder cut out model.

The store was cheaper than Amazon.  :-)

It's a parking spot for your shoulder!  So your head is at the highest point of the pillow.  No more scrunching.  A normal pillow case fits on it perfectly.

Last night was my first night using it.  The lavender scent is very mild.  To the point that I might use the bottle that came with it and stink it up a tad more.  :-)

If you've had trouble finding a good pillow, don't give up.  Shop around.  The Malouf website has some good suggestions for all types of sleepers.  Even if you don't want to or can't spend the money on an expensive pillow, read through the ideas for your sleep style, mattress firmness and body type.  It'll help with your shopping.

https://www.maloufsleep.com/products/z-pillows/

Hashimoto's - update

That's what I've been diagnosed with.  Hypothyroidism - under active thyroid.

I need to do more research.  Because one lady that has it said that it hasn't attacked her thyroid yet and she gets checked every year.  But meanwhile, her neck looked slightly swollen to me.  *shrug*

My TSH is 5.9 and it should be under 4.  In November it was 5.63.  TSH comes from the pituitary gland to tell your thyroid to make more T4.

My endo has put me on 50 mcg of Levothyroxine.  The nurse said that's a low dose.

I was thrown off a bit because blood work was done Friday and I thought Dr. Thomas would wait till the uptake test before deciding on treatment.  So putting me on the meds now, tells me that we aren't playing around.

They have to be taken in the morning and I have to wait an hour before eating.

I'm amazed at how many of us have Hashimoto's.  We all need tattoos and some kind of special wave, like Harley owners.  :-)

So a pill each morning and waiting to be called by Diagnostic Imaging for appointment.  I'll give them a week before I call to see what's up.  Then probably off the meds and on to a low iodine diet for 2 weeks prior to uptake test.

I freaked at first at the price of the pills.  But then noticed I got a 3 month's supply for $39.  So hurray for that.

Feel free to comment here or on Twitter or FB if you have questions.  I'm mostly doing this for myself to keep a record of progress and for my dad since it's easier for him to read all this then try to understand my blabbering over the phone.  (Love you, Dad!)

2/27 - Hashimoto's is not hypothyroidism.  Hashi is a disease.  Hypothyroidism is a condition.  This website is pretty informative:
https://www.verywell.com/hashimotos-vs-hypothyroidism-whats-the-difference-3231721

First of Many Visits to Endocrinologist

First, it was worth the wait to see Dr. Thomas versus going to the doctors in Crestview.  She took her time talking to me and explaining how screwy the thyroid and the pituitary gland can be.

And I have a real strong feeling that my thyroid is behaving right now because I'm not tired and I'm happy.  But it'll act up eventually.

So tomorrow I go to the vampires and get a thyroid panel done.  And then I wait for a call from Diagnostic Imaging to have an uptake test done.  Don't ever go to Twin Cities to have an ultrasound done.  They charge a $300 room fee that insurance does not cover.  Bastards - Twin Cities, not the insurance company.

The uptake test has a 2 week prep of low iodine diet.  Which is going to take some effort on my part since I'm used to my current eating plan.  I won't be able to have my protein shakes because they have 10% daily recommended amount of iodine in them.  I'll have to stop taking my kelp pills each day.  No dairy - which some of my meals have cheese.

But I am allowed fresh veggies and frozen veggies that don't have added salt.  I have to avoid spinach and broccoli.  No edamame though because I'm not allowed any soy.  Canned peaches, pineapple, and pears are allowed.

Meat has to be fresh, noncured.

I'm allowed egg whites.  Natural, un-salted peanut butter.

I'm glad this is only a 2 week ordeal!  And it doesn't start till after the imaging place calls with my appointment.

Dr. Thomas gave me a compliment, but on the way home I overthunk it.  :-)
She said something like, "I admire you," or "I'm proud of you," or "I'm impressed by you."
I said, "Hurray!"
She said, "Seriously, you're over 50, you're in menopause, and you have a screwed up thyroid.  3 strikes and yet you've still lost weight."
Me, "Hurray!  It really wasn't that hard.  I just follow what NutriSystem told me to do."

Then I'm driving home and my wee lil brain went, "She called you old and broken."
I had to laugh at myself for that.

Her scale has me at 217.8.  My home scale has me at 215.4.  Which means my GP's scale probably has me at 214. something.

After this initial uptake thing - if nothing is out of the ordinary, every 6 months I'll do it all again.  If any of the nodules show inactivity, then a biopsy will be done.

2-23-18
My vampire this morning has Hashimoto's!  She showed me what her neck looked like because she is having  a case of thyroiditis.  I have seen women with necks that have looked like that before and never knew it was an inflamed thyroid.

First Night on the Lucid Mattress

It was so very lovely.  Though I'm looking forward to my Malouf Z pillow coming later this week.

I've had several people tell me that the newer normal sheets should be fine with my new mattress.  Hurray for that!  I'll be shopping this weekend.  :-)

I'm normally a side sleeper.  However, I woke up twice last night on my back.  No pain or discomfort at all.  (Woke up to pee.  Don't laugh - you young people will get here sooner than you want.)

Getting back in bed.....the thing is very tall.  So trying to hike my leg up like I normally do to get into bed is going to change.

All the dogs are able to hop up just fine from their doggy stairs to footstool thing.

This is a firm mattress.  If you don't like firm, you may want to consider getting any of the Lucids that have less thickness.

Cesar was the only one that seemed to have an initial rejection to the mattress.  He normally hangs out in the bedroom during the day.  Yesterday when I opened the door to allow them in, he chose to go to 'his' old mattress in the spare room.  That door is now closed.  :-)

This mattress will work on a platform as well as your existing box spring.

New Mattress

I purchased a new mattress Tuesday and it arrived Friday.

I decided on memory foam because the springs bother my hip and knee.

I kept seeing ads for Purple.  And I thought, "I have to have that mattress!"  But after looking at reviews, I decided against it.  The purple egg crate part is not covered by anything, but what you put on the bed.  So if you just put a sheet on it or even a mattress cover and a sheet, the feeling of the squares might be distracting.

I thought about getting the Puffy.  Lifetime warranty, will go right on my box spring.  But then I started worrying about if I didn't like it, that's a lot of money to put into a mattress - $900 to $1,000.

I looked at what my brother and sis-in-law have.   But it requires a platform.  I wanted something I could just put on the box spring.

Then I found Lucid.  Sold at Wal-Mart.  And they have plenty of different thicknesses.  I chose to get fancy and got the 14" four (I think) layer mattress.  It's pretty big, it'll be interesting if the dogs can make it up.

It arrived via FedEx.  It's a 96 pound box.  I could have picked it up at the store (not the same day I purchased).

I pushed the box into the bedroom.  Moved my old mattress to lean against a wall.  Then opened the box and flipped the box onto the bed.  (Not as easy as it sounds.)  I wiggled the box off the mattress.  Then had to move the mattress in it's tight roll to how I thought it would inflate.

The mattress comes with a slide cutter so you don't accidentally cut the mattress.  The thing expands quickly.  I had to wait till it was done to flip it.  I accidentally opened it upside down.

It is recommended to wait 48 hours to allow any memory foam mattress to expand completely.

I looked online last night because I REALLY want to sleep on it.  While armchair quarterbacks state they slept on theirs sooner, 2 mattress review sites made good points....2 days is nothing if it lengthens the life of your mattress by years.

I might let Cesar in later today to check it out.  :-)

It also has an odor to it.  Almost like new carpet.  So make sure your room is ventilated - have a fan going to air it out.

:-)

Busy, Busy!

David's surgery went well.  He's recovering nicely.  :-)

I didn't do so well on my walking.  I walked with him, but I know we didn't get anywhere near 30 minutes total.  It was more important for me to hang out with him and/or Dad than go for my walk.

Getting back to my routine wasn't hard at all.

Tax refund came in and I went crazy!  Paid off vet bills, medical bills, bought a mattress, and a new pillow!  So I've been excited most of the week about this mattress getting to me.  Which is today!!  Now it's waiting on the call from FedEx guy so I can meet him at my house.  :-)

It's warmed up which means I'll need to get a gym membership soon.  I have no desire to walk and sweat then come back into work.

Minimal bouts of fatigue.  It's almost swung the other way - that I'm hyper all day long.  Which is normally when I get bored and in trouble.  Haha!

Twins?