Week 48 – Honolulu – Waikiki – 142 lbs – September 16, 2012

Last year at this time we were in Amsterdam, listening to classical music at the Concertgebouw (one of the world’s finest symphony halls that dates back to 1888). Fast forward one year and we are listening to wonderful Hawaiian music on Kalakaua Avenue, the main street along Waikiki Beach, which was closed off for the annual Aloha Festival. One of the bandstands was right in front of another historic structure, the Moana Surfrider; the first hotel in

Waikiki that opened her doors in 1901. The skies were clear, the tropical breezes balmy, the locals and visitors were having fun and the musicians and hula dancers were fantastic. A wonderful night in Waikiki. No one put on a better show, though, than the multitalented, legendary performer known as Uncle Willie K. If you ever have a chance to hear this talented musician, run, don’t walk to see him!

We had a perfect dinner at PF Chang’s before the show; if you haven’t had their chicken lettuce wraps, then give them a try. Perfect for us sleevers looking for a tasty dinner and keeping it light at the same time. We shared that and another appetizer and it was still too much food!

Before all the fun started in Waikiki, I went to the doctor this week for my annual pap, blood work, and to have her check out my hip problem. The good news is that my blood work is PERFECT! Because my (and if you are reading this probably yours too!) diet is so restricted, I’m very concerned that my lab results are where they should be; yes the scale is important, but for me, the blood test pinpoints what I need to be doing more of, less of, or better. I’m not a model food person by any means at all…I never get all my water or protein in, I drink 2-3 cups of coffee with cream in it each day, and I have chocolate of some sort every day. I make sure I have protein at every meal, but I’ve never come close to 60 grams; I’m lucky if I get half of it in. BUT! I am faithful about my supplements, getting my requisite annual tests done including my blood tests, and for the last 6 months I have exercised regularly. So I was thrilled when she called and told me that everything from my Bilirubin level to my Hemoglobin levels were AOK!

That was the good news…..

The bad news is that the x-ray showed I have arthritis in my hip. CRAPPOLA. Just when I was really getting into exercise that involved running (my version of it anyway).  I haven’t exercised much over the past few days because of the hip pain, which is probably why I didn’t lose that ONE LB I needed to hit my goal weight! But, you know those commercials on TV that show old people dancing or hiking some daisy-filled mountain and they say: “CELEBREX: ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT IT!” Well, I never knew what CELEBREX was; now I do because that’s what she prescribed for my hip problem. I am concerned a bit though because it’s classified as an NSAID, something sleevers aren’t supposed to take. Is it OK now that I’m almost a year out? I need to check with my doctor in Germany on that one. All I know is that I need to feel better; I haven’t heard of any cure for arthritis and I want to avoid hip surgery at all costs. The lesson: if you are pre-sleeve and young, and just thinking about this surgery, I encourage you to get the weight off before you can do damage that cannot be undone.

Looking at my hips below, it’s amazing that I didn’t do more damage! Two photos exactly one year apart…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Always the optimist, I will end on a fun note! For those of you who know me or follow my blog, you know I grew up with a mother and two sisters who were always petite. My one sister has always been beautiful, well-dressed, and very stylish. Oh how I wish I could have just had her hand-me-downs over the years! You would have thought that would have been an incentive to lose weight, but she was always a size 4 or 6 and that seemed impossible to me. Over the past few months she has given me some clothes and it’s been so much fun. But yesterday, she sent me a package with some items she got for me to wear when we move to Europe. They’re from Chicos (fabulous fabrics). They are Size Zero…..now I know they size things differently there but it was fun to see, and in fact a Zero equates to a Size 6-8! There was a black turtleneck (I haven’t worn a turtleneck in 15 years because 1) I’ve been in Hawaii and 2) my neck bubbled over the neckline….ugh). So it sure was great to, first, get clothes as a gift (that never happened before – who knew what size to get?) and then to get something I haven’t worn in years.

Painful hip or not, this year I’m stylin‘ when I get to Amsterdam!

As always, thank you for reading my blog!

A HUI HOU,

QUEEN OF CROP

P.S. Tip of the Week: for those of us who are (ahem) well, constipated, I have started eating on of the very small box of SunMaid raisins each day; these are teeny Halloween-size boxes, about 40 calories and just perfect for some smooth sailing!