A Million Dollar Friday Five

A Million Dollar Friday Five


Singing Owl at RevGalBlogpals posses this question today:

Lingering effects of a cold have me watching more television than usual. There appears to be a resurgence of the old daytime staple--the quiz show. Except they are on during prime time, and a great many of them offer the chance of winning one million dollars.

I think it started with Regis Philbin and "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" but now we have a half dozen or so.

My husband and I started musing (after watching "Deal or No Deal") about what we could do with a million dollars. I thought I'd just bring that discussion into the Friday Five this week. It's simple. What are five things you would want to do with a million dollar deposit in your bank account?


1) Get thee behind me Satan! Five years ago my life changed drastically. Part of that change was financial. In that time I have been within $15 of total poverty and I have been deathly ill. Though money is a necessity, DON'T give me a Million! I would not deal with it wisely I am afraid.

2) The above aside I guess a Million would provide a level of security and ability to pay one's debts that I currently don't have.

3) I would like to be able to be generous and give some money to good causes.

4) I am not sure money would really improve my life all that much at the base of things. I would be able to help my children a bit and that would be good.

5) I might buy a new car. My present one is nine years old with 160,000 miles on it. The car would have to be fuel efficient and simple. The Amish may have the right idea about simple living.

What I would really like is a Million Blessings for each of you!

Love,
Shel

Ready

The date of my Lap-Band surgery is getting near. It is this Monday. I have had soo many tests. The latest was a CAT scan. I think I am not likely to know the results of that for a while unless it shows something alarming. The Echo Cardiogram showed a perfectly normal healthy heart. That is great. It looks like I am ready for this big step in my life. Eating will change for ever and I am hopeful that I will achieve a normal weight at long last. I am ready. Wish me well.

Love,
Shel

Preparations

Last week was a very difficult week. I had three days of different forms of medical tests and examinations. I have been poked and prodded and I have answered a thousand questions. It isn't that I am in any worse physical condition, it's that the doctor's want to make sure they are on top of the surgery. The last appointment was with a cardiologist who talked about risk management. I guess that the judgment is that my risk is rather low. This is good news. The only problem is that he followed that assessment with an order for an echo cardiogram. I had that Thursday. It's a rather easy test, kind of like a sonogram. I won't know any results until next week since Friday was Good Friday and I am sure little work was done that day. In the mean time I diet away at 1000 calories per day with no fat.

Next week will be I hope more stress free. The tests were not strenuous like the colonoscopy but the whole process was stressful. Oh and to add to the stress I testified before the Legislature's Judiciary committee on Wednesday. A fun week.

It is Easter Morning as I write this. I wish you new life and the peace which resurrection brings. I know a bit about resurrection and rebirth. Easter is about renewal. I hope you are renewed today and every day. God's Peace!

Love,
Shel

Actual Blog

Here's an actual Blog entry for you. As I have mentioned previously I am about to have the LAP-Band surgery for weight loss. I have been having medical tests prior to the surgery. Last week I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy. Today I had a battery of tests including blood work, EKG and a chest X-ray. I also had a workup by a Doctor and consultation with anesthesiology. Tomorrow I have a consultation with a cardiologist. Whew!

The surgery is scheduled for April 31st. Please remember me that day. So far everything has been a go for the surgery. I want to say a bit about the endoscopy and colonoscopy. The endoscopy is a proceedure to examine the upper digestive system (esophagus, stomach and upper intestine) and is about as unpleasant a procedure as you might ever want to have. Though they give some anesthesia it is not enough to knock you out. They place a tube down your throat and look around. Not fun! The colonoscopy is a procedure that wasn't required for the LAP-Band surgery, but it was due as a regular follow-up post colon cancer. I have had that procedure many times. The prep is not pleasant since you need a thorough cleaning inside. They put you our for the test itself so you are unaware of most of it. They woke me up during the very end of the proceedure so I watched it on the monitor. I was not uncomfortable. The uncomfortablness comes later! They fill your colon with air during the test and in the following days there is a great passing of wind. Ugh!

Today I started my pre-surgery diet. It is a 1000 calorie a day low fat diet. It should be easy to do. So much for the update.

You be well.

Love,
Shel

Virtual Blogging

I have been composing blog posts in my head for a while now. The problem is that not one of them has made it to the computer yet. I guess that that is a sort of virtual blogging. All I can say is that my virtual posts (all of them) were just brilliant!
Forgive me I am in a very strange state of mind. I look at myself in the mirror in absolute disgust. My whole way of eating is about to change drastically and I really feel deeply alone (while surrounded by friends).

Maybe some of the virtual will become actual soon.

Peace,
Shel

IWD

Happy International Women's Day! Follow the link for more information. Have a great day!

Love,
Shel

Update- Surgery

The apparent date of my surgery is March 31. I have several test to have done before and I need to go on a strict diet beforehand, starting late next week. Suddenly what seemed far off now seems to be rushing at me. That's probably good so I won't have time to fret about the whole thing. In the past four years I have had several surgeries, one for colon cancer, several for kidney stones, two to place and remove the chemo port, Gender Reassignment Surgery (SRS, GRS, removal of a tumor on my left wrist. It has been a very surgically intense period of my life. I am hoping that this LAP-band surgery will be the last for a while. The surgery for colon cancer was the scariest of them all, mainly because the outcome was so uncertain going into the surgery and immediately after.

I'll keep you all updated as things progress.

Love,
Shel

Realization

I just realized that it has been a while since I entered a Blog post. The time has flown. I have been busy. I've been a little depressed. I was absent minded about it. Take your pick of excuses. It's just been a while. I have thought about blogging but just didn't get to it. Sorry!

I am moving forward with LAP-Band surgery plans. I should know early this week a definite date for the surgery. I probably will be very late this month or early next month. The whole thing really kind of depresses me. When I look in the mirror I look so fat and unattractive. I know that this will be a solution, but it really means that eating will be an extremely different experience for the rest of my life. It is sad that I just can't seem to eat normally and not put on weight. So much of what little personal life I have revolves around meals. Maybe that has been the problem. Immediately after the surgery I will be eating about 2 oz portions and I am assured I will be full. In any case things are progressing.

My granddaughter had her second birthday and there was a party. Everything was very nice. I have been seeing my family more recently and that has been a good thing. My sons and I are speaking more and it all has been good.

I visited my father (96) and my aunt (92.) My father is in great health and is sharp as a tack. My aunt had several small strokes last year and the beginning of this year. She is getting better slowly and is a wonder of resilience for her age.

So many thoughts have been going through my head and this was supposed to be a quick update that I believe I will end here for now. One of my trains of thought has been "the fate of the Universe" or some thoughts on Dark matter/energy/fluid. We'll see on that one (I know I am really off the wall!) I have also thought of writing a bit about what being transsexual really means. I know that that last one has been done over and over, but I want to make it kind of personal.

Until next time, be well!

Love,
Shel