Just Hangin’ Out
It’s Sunday afternoon and the family is at church. They went to the late service; stayed for a VBS meeting and will just end up staying for youth group. I don’t mind and am enjoying the solitude.
I flipped open my bible to wherever it would go this morning and it took me to Nehemiah. When I think of Old Testament books I like I usually come up with Psalms, Esther, Song of Solomon (I’m guessing this is where my love of romance novels came from), Jeremiah — but not Nehemiah. I think I may add it to my list.
Now before you non-religious people run away screaming for fear of a sermon, don’t worry. I don’t preach. I just found this interesting.
Nehemiah goes to Jerusalem to rebuild the great wall and all the gates after it had been destroyed 100 years earlier. Chapter three is a listing of who did what and I found it fascinating. I mean, think about it. This happened somewhere around 2500 years ago and we have a complete list of who did what to the wall.
It lists which family worked on which gate and what they did and for some reason it just really impressed me. My favorite thing about this chapter, though, is that it only mentions so and so and his sons, so and so and his sons, etc. But verse 12 says Shallum and his daughters repaired their section. GIRL POWER!! LOL
This isn’t the first or second or probably third time I’ve read Nehemiah, but it’s the first time it really caught my attention. And that’s my “Interesting Bible Facts” for the day. Or week. Possibly month. Maybe even year.
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Yesterday Todd took me for my first outing to Target. It was nice. I made off with new jammie bottoms, a book, toenail polish and some great exercise. We walked around the perimeter once and had to stop in the garden department so I could sit for a little bit. When we got home I hit the hay and slept like a rock for about two hours. It was great!
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When we walked past the maternity section I looked at the clothes and had the same thought I always do. If only they’d put the belly panel on the back of the jeans to accommodate my large rear. I’m thinking with the current fashions of tunics and baby dolls, etc., the shirt would come down past the comfy stretchy part anyway. I may have to look into this. It could be the next big thing. Pun intended!!
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My recovery still continues to move along nicely. I am totally stunned at how little pain there is and how well I’m getting around. All without the aid of my adored Percocet. (I’m sure you all think I’m a prescription drug addict by now, but I promise I’m not. I haven’t had a Percocet since Friday!) Bending down to pick stuff up is a bit much and I have weight restrictions so I can’t be doing laundry or vacuuming. Darn. But I really don’t feel like I just had surgery a week ago. This one was so much easier than the reconstruction!
I am being plagued with thrush again, however. That has got to be one of the nastiest things of all times. I’m lucky in that I don’t have pain with mine, but it is aggravating. And gross. It took me a good six months or so after my last chemo treatment before it was completely gone. Or so I thought. Now it looks as though it’s back again and it’s a bugger to get rid of all the way. But seeing as how this is my last real medical issue (power of positive thinking) I should start rebuilding the immune system that’s been trying to get strong for the last year and a half. Then I’ll be able to fight off this disgusting yeast infection and I won’t have a fuzzy swollen tongue ever again. At least that’s my plan.
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My last musing for the day is my diet. Or nutritious eating. I’m continuing on Weight Watchers and even declined offers for food while I’m recuperating because I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT! When Katie and I were in New York City we ate dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe and they took our picture. I bought it so we’d have a picture together for our trip, but I hate it. I’m huge!
So instead of making excuses like I always do — you know the kind. I’ve just had major surgery and I deserve to eat three scoops of ice cream or That shot hurt so I think I’ll get the biggest White Chocolate Mocha with as much fat as possible to make me feel better. — I’m counting my points. I was sort of hoping the combination of ovaries, cervix and uterus would be about 10 pounds, but apparently it wasn’t. So tomorrow I’ll see if I’ve managed to lose any weight, even though my exercise has been curtailed again.
You sound like you are doing great! Don’t push TOO hard…I have had problems with thrush off and on since chemo. The thing that works to totally stop it in its tracks for me is acidifying my system. The theory is that the yeast can not live in an acidic environment. I take a big vitamin C tablet 3 or 4 times a day and I drink my Mom’s “cure all” Swizzle. You mix equal parts cider vinegar and pure honey and store it in the fridge. Twice a day take a couple of tablespoons. I mix mine in a half a cup of hot water and just chug it. My Mom drinks it straight…Ewwwww! It tastes weird, but it only takes 2 days of this for the thrush to disappear for me. I have to do it for 3 or 4o more days or it will come back, but it is worth it. Talk to your doc and give it a try. It beats a nasty fuzzy mouth
In Judges it talks about Debra, who was the leader of Israel for a while. The men refused to go to war without Debra. Now that’s some girl power!I can’t beleive how well you are doing! You must be one tough cookie!!
Thank you so much for thinking of me. I have not be doing any blog rounds recently. This is the first time in days that I have been able to. I am currently writing from a hotel room after 11 days of camping. I am rejoicing with you regarding Taylor. I pray that I would see fruit from my children in their teen years. (oops I will have to write later, hubby informed me battery is low in laptop.) So happy for you Jen.
…okay I am back and we are plugged in to the wall now…Praise God for using Taylor. What an encouragement to see God use him in this way. I pray that Taylor would be a continual encouragement to this young man as he seeks to know Christ more. I will have to catch up on your posts later. Thanks again for sharing. I needed to hear some good news. PTL!!
Jen, glad to see you had a field trip to Target! 🙂 It’s good to get out and away from the same four walls isn’t it? Kudos on keeping with the WW program. Keep up the good work. Every little thing matters and it sounds like you are doing great.
Jen, I’m so glad to hear you’re recovering well! And I know about unexpected weight gain. Blech! Although I can’t blame mine on surgery. 😉 Good luck with the WW program. It works wonders!
Jenster- Another home remedy for thrush is yogurt. The live cultures are an excellent defense against the nasty thrush bugs. I’m glad you’re up and around! Maybe next time you want some exercise you can do a lap around your favorite bookstore!
I always thought Nehemiah was cool. And we’re getting a Super Target within 20 min of us by the end of the month–yay! Re weight–I’m seriously thinking of giving in to my inner fat person completely. Who really cares how big we are, as long as our bods work?! Fat is a privilege in a world where not everyone can be that way. :o)
Deb – I promise I’m not pushing. Just cracking the whip so my kids will clean the house. lol And my tongue is already better! You rock!!Burg – I love Debra from the bible. She was awesome. :o)April – Your camping trip sounded wonderful! And I’m still praying for you and your family. :o)Rosie – It’s embarrassing how much I enjoyed making one circuit around the store. LOLShauna – There’s always something to blame weight gain on other than our own selves. Just let me know if you need and excuse and I’ll come up with something.Amanda – I knew that, but had forgotten. And then Deb told me but pointed out frozen yogurt doesn’t count. LOLBarb – While I wouldn’t mind looking thin and trim, I mostly want to feel good. My feet don’t like my extra weight and I don’t have the flexibility or the energy I would like to. So once I get to where my feet don’t hurt and I have more energy I won’t be quite as adamant about losing weight. I’ll be too busy celebrating with White Chocolate Mochas!
I think that is really funny about wanting the stuff to weigh 10 pounds or so so that you would lose weight after the surgery! I said that to my husband before my surgery, and he just rolled his eyes at me.I’m glad you are feeling so good! My mom had a hysterectomy when I was a teenager, and recovered so badly/was in so much pain that I was terrified to have mine done. I was pleasantly surprised too. I didn’t take much pain medicine at all, in fact I think after I came home from the hospital I didn’t have any. We must just be really tough women because I don’t know if I have ever heard anyone have as easy of a time as we did. Or, perhaps compared to everything we have both been through, this was actually a piece of cake in comparison.
Hang in there with your diet. I know from personal experience that there is no greater motivator than photographic evidence! LOL I will be praying for you and your success. Hugs 🙂
Jenster,I just love visiting with you when I am fortunate enough to stop by. I love how you leap from thought to thought, sort of like me on Quantum Leap. 😛 You bless me with your attitude, your gratitude, and your sense of humor. I’ll have to give Nehemiah a try, too. I’m much better at reading the New Testament, but have slowly been discovering the pearls in the Old, as well. You say you’re huge, and i know you feel it to be so. But Jenster, you’re here! You’re becoming healthier and healthier, and as such, the weight will go down. The enemy would love to create that as a stronghold or area of doubt for you–don’t let him. 🙂 I’ll be back soon. Many hugs, and congrats on Olivia and Nicholas. xxxooogretchen