Dogs Updates

Cesar at 14 is doing well.  He's got a definite limp/swagger when he walks.  That has to do with the herniated disk in his back - I think that's what he's got.  It's at the top instead of the bottom, which is good.  If it was at the bottom, there's a higher chance he'd become paralyzed.

He has coughing fits every so often due to his collapsing trachea.  That could be due to the damage from when he got that greenie stuck in his esophagus and age.

He loves his chest rubs and kissing my whole face whether I want it or not.

Cody at 13 has slowed down a little.  When I pick him up his back crinkles.  But his vet didn't think it was a major issue, especially since Cody isn't in pain or discomfort.  He plays nightly with D and sometimes Mort even is up for a tussle.  And he still loves the kissing game.

Jazz at 15 is definitely salt and pepper - all over her body.  She's my little alpha female and will kick D's ass if the puppy gets out of line.  Despite that, she can also be very timid.  She has a stage 2 heart murmur which is nothing and corneal edema in her left eye.

Mort at...well, he's old.  Blind, stage 5 or 6 heart murmur, LOVES HIS MOMMA!  He plays with Cody and he'll even play with me a little bit.  He prefers chest rubs and me scratching the top of his head to playtime though.  And he hates taking his flurosemide.  I try to keep him calm because excitement causes his heart to beat faster which causes old man coughing and wheezing.

Adele is 6 1/2.  She'll play with D a little.  Not as much as Cody.  She loves, LOVE her belly rubs and loves her granddad.  She's the lookout for The Mafia.  Like a meerkat.  She sees something questionable, she screams.  Normally while she's sitting on the top of the sofa right at my ear.  That high-pitched bark is painful!  But it gets the others running to the door...while she stays at her post.  She's had no medical issues since her week in the hospital for her pancreatitis.

D is 1 year old.  She's come a very long way in the short time I've had her.  She asks to be picked up.  Loves to hug, loves her belly and chests rubs.  She is addicted to her iFetch mini tennis balls.  She will stuff them in the sofa if I'm not paying attention.  She goes to my dad and will even give him kisses.

I got Cody and D DNA test.  Both are 65 to 70% Chihuahua with a mix of other stuff.  <3

Back on NutriSystem

 I got back on NutriSystem about 3 months ago.  I had fluffed back up to 242.

I'm at 231.6 as of 10/4.

They've gotten rid of some of my favorites in the year or so that I was off it.  And I remember the muffins and cupcakes not being so dry.

They also have this new powder that's a probiotic sweetened with Stevia.  It is delicious!!  Berry and pomegranate.  But a 4 oz. jar of this stuff is $40 or $50!!!  It probably doesn't even cost $1 for them to make this stuff and they jack it up that high?!  I'm sure the excuse they use is that it lasts for over a month.  Big damn deal, I still have to add the water and mix it.  And, again, it doesn't cost that damn much to make it.

Luckily, the first jar of this stuff was free.  But they definitely will not be getting me to order it at the price.

I'll try to be better at updating my blog, but it all depends on how I'm feeling.

The Story of D

 I went with Dad to pick up Sugar from the groomer.  She looked so cute with a little red bow at the top of her head!

While we're chatting with the 2 groomers, a spaniel came up to the gate and said hi to Dad.  "Oh! Aren't you cute!  Are you up for adoption?"  Dad said that jokingly.

But one of the groomers proceeds to tell us that she knows of a Chihuahua that is up for adoption.  Dad and I both got real quiet.

The groomer says she's white and that the owner doesn't want her because she won't bond with her.

I look over at Dad and ask, "How much?"

"$50"

"May I have the information please?"

Then the other groomer says that she has her sister.

As we get into my car Dad asks if we're going to get the Chihuahua now.  I tell him no, that I need to go to the ATM first to get money.  But I did call on our way home and the lady's voicemail was full.

Then I try one more time when we're closer to Dad's and she gives me her address and tells me I can come by any time.  So I drop Dad and Sugar off, head to the ATM, then go to this lady's house.

It's a cute little house.  That reeks of cigarette smoke when she lets me in.  I see a very fluffy cat and a very playful puppy.  I hear 2 other Chihuahuas and she lets me see them.  The puppy is sniffing the other 2 through the puppy gate.  She's bigger then them.

I scoop her up and she immediately buries her face in my neck.

The lady's jaw drops.  "She's never done that with me!"  I just shrug that off because this puppy (called Lola at the time) was shaking like a leaf.

And my eyes are watering from the cigarette smell.

She tells me Lola was born in September sometime and that she's had 1 shot.  But wouldn't tell me the vet's name.  Meanwhile, the fluffy cat is head butting my hand.  So I gave it some pets.  <3

She gives me Lola and her little pink flamingo toy.

I had to pry Lola off me in the car so I could drive.

I think I took her straight to Dad's.  When I got her to my house she immediately got a bath - she did very well with that.  And I immediately took a shower after that.  I smelled cigarette smoke for at least a day after all this.  I even washed her flamingo because it smelled like cigarette.

Somewhere in all that Dad and I came up with her name, Dianna Krall.  I call her D.  Diana only when she's not listening.  And I call her Honey Bee when I'm being silly.

She either learned to sit pretty quickly or knew that before coming to me.  She's also potty trained.  She doesn't really like to be picked up.  But she has no problem jumping up for pets.  And for the first week she slept on my neck just like Cesar and Cody did when they were pups.  Lately she's moved down to under the covers to be near Adele or Cody.

She was very timid near Dad and David, but is slowly coming out of her shell with them.

She plays at night with Cody.  And this last weekend she and Adele were running the yard together.

Saturday was her first vet visit.  She has a yeast infection in her left ear which I'm treating.  And she has a recessed vulva.  Which just means I have to wipe her with a baby wipe once a day to keep that from getting infected.  She's 6.8 pounds.  And I put her birthday at 10/3/20.

She's not white.  She's blonde.

The lady that sold her to me asked for photos, so I sent some to her that day and the next.

I also sent a text to the groomer to let her know I had Lola and her name was now D.  That's when the flood gates of the 'truth' opened up.

The groomer is the mother of the girl that bred 2 dogs that brought me D.  The girl was hospitalized with sepsis and during that time was taking care of the litter of Chihuahuas (6) and a litter of Pomeranians.  (I strongly dislike breeders.)  The girl's husband couldn't handle the 2 litters on his own and allegedly the lady demanded that she get her puppy early.  So the first story I was told is that D went to the lady at 7 weeks.

Then a few days later the groomer says D went to the lady at 8 weeks.  Which makes me think it was probably more like 6 weeks.  When I asked the groomer for a photo of her parents she told me that her daughter sold the father, but she did send me photos of the mom and D's siblings.

She looks very similar to her mom.  One day I'll get her DNA tested.  I have a feeling she's a Chihuahua mix.  I've said the same thing about Cody and he's 12 1/2 and I still haven't tested him.  LOL

She and Enya are learning to play together.  D is safe now.  She's got 2 houses of dogs and people that will give her the love, care, and training she needs.

Puppy Pile

D with her Momma and siblings

Cesar and D

Retainers

I bought/invested in retainers.  They're called Hawley Retainers.  You might know them as the old-fashioned retainers.

I didn't feel paying $100 every 6 months to replace my Candid retainer was beneficial in several ways:

• financially it didn't make sense to me
• having that much plastic in my mouth at night was the reason I was clenching my teeth
• they became inconvenient to clean (the Smile Direct cleaning gadget started getting quirky and it was taking me 20 minutes or more to clean them)

There were advantages:

• my teeth stayed clean overnight
• my teeth didn't shift

I decided to look into permanent retainers.  But they only cover the front 4 to 6 teeth.  And with teeth pushing from the back to front, that didn't make sense to me.  Also, the orthodontist said that because the left side of my teeth don't touch and I have a slightly crooked tooth on the bottom front, permanent retainers wouldn't be beneficial to me.

So we talked about Hawley Retainers.  He said there was even a chance they would close that side gap.  And for some of his patients they've lasted as long as 20 years.  So for $640 or so, I got myself some retainers.  And I love them!  I use Retainer Brite, put both pieces into the cup for 14 minutes and TADA! they're clean.

I don't clench my jaw at night any more.  I also don't have extra skin behind my lower, front jaw.

I go back in a few weeks for any possible minor adjustments.  And they also recommend I see them every 2 years to check the wires.

Big Step - Goodbye, NutriSystem

After 2 months of thinking it over, I've canceled my NutriSystem.

I'm at a steady weight now.  Not as slim as I'd like to be, but the meals aren't causing me to gain or lose.  So I figured it's time after 2 years and 4 months to try to eat on my own.

Breakfast is 2 egg whites and 1 slice of wholegrain Ezekiel bread.  Maybe a banana on my way to work.  Protein shake with my coffee that takes me at least till 11 to drink all of it.

Lunch is a small can of chopped chicken, roma tomato, and celery with a tiny dab of mayo.  Maybe 1/2 a teaspoon of mayo.

Dinner varies - I've done a bag 'o slaw with a Morning Star Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burger.  Or a NS dinner that I still have a few of in my freezer.

I've only been doing this for a few weeks.  When I get tired of the chicken I'll get Lean Cuisine egg rolls or maybe make chili or something.

I am nervous.  I don't think I have the portion control thing down.  But I have no desire at all to go to any fast food place. 

I do eat a bunless bacon cheeseburger with fries the nights I bowl.  Though tonight I think I'll switch that up and get a hot dog.

NS isn't meant to be forever.  Though I was planning on it that.  It's just so easy to grab something out of the fridge or out of the pantry and zap it.  However, I know it's healthier to eat non-processed foods.

Snacking is either an apple or grapes.

So we'll see how I do.  :-)

2/16/21 Update -

And I failed the doing it on my own.  I'm back up to 235.  So after my roof gets replaced from damages due to Hurricane Sally, I will be going back on NutriSystem.  I don't feel like I failed and I'm not upset at all that I'll be going back.  The food is good and I know it works.  :-)

Candid Co. Amost Done!!

Put my new set in last night.  6 more weeks to go before I'm done.

I thought they were done with my bottom teeth.  NOPE!  Owie.  :-)

They are also finally getting my top teeth straighter.  I think they left them alone last set of aligners.

I'm really excited about being able to not wear these things all day long.  But I'm also nervous about it.  I've had them in for so long that my teeth will feel unprotected. 

There are moments where I just want them out.  Same feeling I get when I'm wearing shoes.

The photos below - my bottom teeth don't feel as crooked as they look in the photo.  Me smiling is with my aligners in.  And my top teeth look dirty, but I think it's the lighting.

Why I don't like Christmas

A couple blogs ago I mentioned I didn't like Christmas.

Since it's quickly approaching I shall explain why...
I love giving gifts, I love seeing people smile.

But stupid me can't accept a gift gracefully.  I then feel like I have to give you something back.  And I can't do that all the time.

This year will be especially difficult because - none of your business!  LOL
But I have some things going on that won't allow me to spend any extra money at all.

I feel there will be some asshole somewhere - probably at work - that will start the whole, "We should do a gift exchange!"
I'll be the one to shoot that down and then get questioned for it.  "You can't even afford $10 or $20?"
No, I can't.  And even if I could, why?  Don't you get enough shit from your family?  Why do you have to force your co-workers to get involved as well?
Let me wrap up this company pen for you just so you'll leave me the hell alone.

My financial situation is none of your business, co-worker.  I should be able to just say, "Nope, not participating," without any explanation.

Christmas is also fake.  It was a holiday created for consumers to buy stuff.  Not as fake as Thanksgiving, but pretty damn close.

And side note - I like Thanksgiving more than Christmas and I like Valentine's Day better than Thanksgiving.  V Day I can walk around giving hugs and saying I love you and no one thinks I'm weird.  Thanksgiving I enjoy that whole time around it to be thankful for everything I have - my family mostly.

I don't want anything under the tree this year.  I just want to be with my family and have this one huge goal reached the week of Christmas.  And maybe I'll be able to cook them Christmas dinner with David's help.  :-)

Heart Health and Hashimoto’s Update

Easy one first - I’m finally at a normal TSH!  Hurray!

I have high cholesterol and have been put on a statin by my GP.  I didn’t like it.  Side affects sucked.  So she put me on a different statin every other day very low dose.  Still got the side affects, so I quit taking it and opted to go see a cardiologist.

I went to my dad’s.  It makes sense to me because he’s pretty much got the family history right there with patient #1.

Dr. Skoufis is very nice, soft spoken and informative.  Based on my numbers I have a 2% chance of stroke or heart attack versus a female my age with normal cholesterol having 1%.  So we’re trying a different statin - Livalo.

He also ordered a calcium scan of my heart.  I get that done the beginning of next month.

And losing another 40 pounds would be optimal, but not something I see happening quickly.  I’m more active - which helps.  I just have to stay away from the bacon cheeseburger and fries at the bowling alley.  :-)

Update 12/10/19:
The Livalo cut my cholesterol level in 1/2!!!
No side affects at all.  I'm on 2 mg a day.  But I get 4 mg and cut them in half.  There is no generic form of this drug and it's friggin expensive.

WalMart would cost me $800 for a 90 day supply of the 2mg.

But because of the great result - my cardiologist is sticking with this drug for me.  I think it'll be $100 for a 90 day supply when I run out of the free samples they gave me.

Hashimoto’s Update and Other Stuff

Last blood test had me at .1 for my TSH.  It’s supposed to be above .4. So I’m now on 125 mg or mcg or whatever of Levothyroxine.  Express Scripts sent the name brand because my doctor put ‘no substitutions’ on the instructions and rather than them calling and asking what exactly she meant, since I always get generic - they went and filled it. I tried to stop the shipment before it even left their warehouse, but assholes sent it anyway.  And they wouldn’t let me return it.  They wanted me to dispose of it.  Um....I can use it, dufus.  So I’m going to switch my levo to WalMart.  I can get it there with no insurance for the same amount Express Scripts charges.  And this way, I can say, hell, no I’m not paying $100 before I get handed the pills.

And the pills look EXACTLY the same.  They both say Synthroid on them.  So how the heck does the pharmacist know one’s generic and one isn’t when they look exactly the same?

And, no, I don’t have an insurance company for my prescriptions.  I have a PMC.

Meanwhile, I visited my Endocrinologist and was complaining about my fatigue and muscle fatigue and how I felt hypothyroidic when my numbers have me hyper.  She then says, “The statin your on can cause fatigue.”  Here I am blaming my pituitary gland and it’s not even the problem!

So I went to every other day on generic Crestor and the very first day of not taking it I felt a whole lot better.  I emailed my GP to let him know (I mainly deal with the nurse, she’s so good!).  Then I get an email alert from Express Scripts letting me know my order for pravastatin is being filled.

So I go look up that drug.  Supposedly, it has fewer side effects than Crestor.

Doctor’s office calls to let me know to take it instead of the generic Crestor and to take it every other day.  Today was my first day taking it.  :-)

I think I’m getting better with my bowling.  I started that up about a month or so ago.  Dad gave me a 14 pound and a 12 pound ball.  I’ve stuck with the 14 pound ball.  I’m in a league that starts the 26th of this month.  And I’m hoping to be in another one that starts in September.  It’ll be fun to be able to get out and not think about work.  Meet some new people.

My 9 year work anniversary was yesterday.  It’s the longest I’ve worked at any company.  It’s a little scary because if I did leave the company, I’d probably take a huge pay cut because of where I live.

For now, everything is good!  I’m not exhausted, my dogs are healthy, and I enjoy my job.  :-)

Happy! What?!

I am happy!  I woke up happy!  I even happily changed out my hoop earrings today.  Which I haven’t done in years.  I’ve thought about it, just didn’t feel like doing it.

I was humming as I walked across the street to work and didn’t care that I forgot my Arctic mug in the car.

I’m looking forward to working 4 or so hours tomorrow morning with probably no one else on my side of the building.  The quiet will be lovely.

So my new ‘happy’ pills are working - Escitalopram.  Effexor was a definite no for me.

I think my TSH is still low, but I’m getting used to that.  I’ll get tested again in late August.  And if it’s still low, another adjustment to my Levothyroxin.

My weight is between 188 and 190.  Which is fine.   Every once in awhile I get bursts of energy and I’ll do all my laundry, mow the lawn, clean a room.  Then it’s back to nope, stayin in my jammies.  But that’s a lot better than it used to be.

I’m even considering joining a bowling league that starts in August!

Tomorrow is my least favorite holiday with St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo - both bullshit holidays and lame excuses to get stupid drunk - and Christmas close behind.

Shocked about Christmas?  That’s a story for another blog.  For now, it’s happy time!  And happy bedtime!

Professional Behavior

My building did our semi-annual bowling thing this past Sunday.

I was goofing off and bowling for someone who wasn't there and doing way better when I bowled for him than for myself.  So I started saying, "Fucking Chandler."
(There weren't any kids within earshot.)

But one of my co-workers said, "You crack me up!  You're so PC at work, but so different here."

I couldn't even respond to that I was so dumbfounded.

Of course, I'm different at work.  And I'm not PC - I'm professional.  Do 20 and 30 somethings really not understand that you are supposed to behave in a professional manner when you're at work?

It's also different for the company I used to work for before we got sold.  Our upper management behaved worse than any construction worker I've dealt with.  They'd throw things and cuss all the time.  The excuse I kept hearing was, "That's the automotive business for you."  Well, Sparky, we're a software company, not a car business.

To me, if you can't communicate without cussing, then you should go back to high school or take a college course on Effective Communication.  And you most certainly should behave differently in the work environment than you do at home.

So where did I learn how to behave properly?  My parents?  Mentors?  Teachers? Co-workers?  I'm thinking yes to all of the above.

Photo Progress

I’ll add a photo every 2 weeks.

Above is before aligners.

Above is after 2 weeks of aligners.

Above is after 4 weeks of aligners.

Above 3 are after Step 5 - 9 1/2 weeks of aligners.

Side by side pre aligners and after step 5.  Tiny changes.  :-)

Doesn't look like much changed between these 2 photos.  But I definitely have more space between my teeth in the back.  I can floss now without the string getting stuck.

Candid Co. Step 3

Step 3 aligners are in!  See boring video below.

Step 2 I had to file down the top aligner on the right outside.  You can use an Emory board for that using circular motion.  It seemed like it took forever.  But it was catching the inside of my mouth until I filed it down.

Step 3 was wooo! Tight at first, but I’m already pretty used to them being in after only maybe 30 minutes.  Don’t get me wrong, they still feel like jeans that are at least 1 size too small, but they aren’t painful.

I miss chewing gum.  So far that’s the only thing I’ve missed.  Everything else I’ve eaten or drank before I can do with the aligners.  So when I want gum, I grab a chewy and run that back and forth through my mouth a few times.

I can really tell my bite has changed.  Which is good because I can’t really see a difference in my teeth.  I forgot to take a photo before I put these in, so it’ll be another 2 weeks (possibly) before I do another photo.  I haven’t put the before and after of Step 1 together yet.

Candid Co. Video Call

My video call with my consultant went great!

I had a little connection issue, so she finished it up by calling me.

USE YOUR CHEWIES!!  You cannot over use these things.  They help alleviate pain and get the blood flowing.

Also, the whitener should be done twice a day, not 4 times.  I could have sworn I saw it up to 4 times, but I had dropped it down to just twice.  But she did say twice a day.

By the end of your 2nd week you should be able to remove your aligners with your tongue.  If it's still tight, they will suggest you wear them for another week - possibly 2.  If in doubt, take a photo of your mouth with the torture device thing to spread your mouth open.  Send that to Candid, then call them immediately.

Their customer service is amazingly strong.  Everyone I've talked to has been fantastic!

This is a medical procedure.  She told me that several times.

I may take 2 aspirin before I go to bed.  The discomfort is nothing like the pain I had the first few days of Step 1.

Very happy!  I told someone at work today that when you take your aligners off even just to eat, it's like taking your bra off when you get home from work.  :-)

Candid Co. Aligners Step 2

Hurray!  On to my next set of aligners.

I took a few photos, but I’ll put them in another blog that will show the photos after each step.

GET AN ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH!!!  Your gums will love you for it.

Your Discomfort is My Pain

I have pain.  Y’all can call it whatever the heck you want.  But it’s way more than discomfort.  Luckily, it’s not constant, and 3 aspirin gets rid of it.  And, yes, it’s worth it.

I’m reminded of how some women describe labor as discomfort or uncomfortable.  Bullshit - they’re called labor pains for a reason.

Chewing on the chewy helps, sucking on my teeth helps, and putting pressure on the aligner with my thumb or finger helps too.

First Night With Aligners

I’ve had my aligners in for about 11 1/2 hours.  The first night was uneventful.

Eating with them in is weird.  I hope I never find out, but I do wonder if this is what it’s like to have dentures.

I definitely felt my teeth this morning.  The upper, left back molar was the most uncomfortable.  And I felt my top teeth slightly more than my bottom.

Sucking on my teeth does make the discomfort go away temporarily.

No sore spot on my tongue from the one area of the aligner that was bothering me.  Which means I’m getting used to them pretty quickly.

When I first had them in, part of me was wanting them out.  I had to talk that part of me out of getting panicked.  I should mention that I’m weening off my current anti-anxiety meds to prepare to switch to a different med.

So if you experience a little bit of GET THESE OUT OF MY MOUTH, just breathe.  Calm yourself down and keep them in.  It’s going to take time, but that end result will be well worth it.

Putting my first set of aligners in

It was a lot easier than I thought.

They’ve been in for about 1 1/2 hours.  My tongue is brushing against the left side of the top aligner which is causing discomfort and my put a cut on my tongue if I can’t quit doing it.

My teeth aren’t bothering me at all.  My upper, left, back molar was earlier, but it’s settled down.  That’s the same tooth that bothers me when I’m congested.

I was also sucking on them when I first put them in.  It does feel good to do that.

Candid Co Aligners Unboxing

They’re here!!  For anyone else that does this - look at your last step aligners when you open your box.  I got a little teary eyed realizing my teeth will be that straight in about 9 months.

It all started with a crack

I've hated my bathtub since the first time I tried to take a bubble bath.  Either my boobs up are exposed or if a squinch down, most of my legs are exposed.

I kept telling myself I'd eventually get rid of it and replace it with a shower.

Then one night I step the wrong way and crack the tub.

So in February it got taken out.  It was a shell tub meant to go over an older porcelain- type tub.  But there wasn't anything under the shell which is why it eventually cracked.

Due to tile guy #1 deciding he had better things to do than deal with my shower, 2 months later - I'm finally seeing a possible end to not having a shower in my own house!

The bathroom floor will also be retiled.  But I'm going to ask my tile guy to please let me have my shower for at least a day before the bathroom floor gets removed.

See photos below.  :-)

Heath tearing out the old stuff.

Heath installing drywall.

Heath being a plumber.

Left photo - lip between shower and bathroom floor.

The lip got removed because I didn't like it.  :-)

Too big.

Liner getting prepped.

Liner getting installed.

And we wait......

Shower Walls and Floor

Bathroom Floor

Greg installing liner.

Sorry so small, bathroom floor ripped up.

Grout!

I love my shower floor!!

 Bathroom floor with grout!

 Close up of bathroom floor.

Video prior to painting

I finished painting! See photos below.