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It's been three months

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

I know.....It's been 3 almost 4 months since I last blogged. Since my kidney stone surgery everything has gone to hell.

I booked a flight to California to visit my daughter. A week and a half before my flight I started seeing flashes in my left eye. I called the eye doctor to make an appointment. I didn't think it was a big deal so I made the appointment for after my trip. The week before my trip my eye was getting worse every day, including a small blind spot at the bottom of my vision.  Three days before I was to leave on a Sunday I notice the blind spot was worse, I couldn't see my husband from his knees down. I called the doctor's office to leave a message about getting in asap. The doctors exchange picked up the line and within minutes the doctor called me back. He wanted to see me first thing in the morning and he told me not to eat or drink anything after midnight.

I had my exam at 8am Monday morning November 2nd, by 1:30 I was in surgery for retinal detachment. They used a laser to tack everything back in place and put a gas bubble in my eye to hold everything in place while it healed. Come to find out I also have the start of cataracts and this procedure can advance the cataract. The doctor said I'm one in twenty where is progressed instantly. As the gas bubble diminished all I could see was white with outline of figures.

On my 3 week post-op visit I was given the okay to go back to the gym, make an appointment to get my cataract taken care of. So on Monday, November 20th, I went to the gym, I took baby steps not doing too much.  Within 2 hours of getting home, I was seeing flashes again. I called my eye doctor and he had me come right in. Halfway to the office I was seeing waves and by the time I got to the office I was seeing black.  Another retinal detachment. My surgeon was now up in Salt Lake City (he travels the state) We grabbed what we needed, the dog and drove to SLC Monday night for my 8:00 appointment on Tuesday and again no eating or drinking. Back in surgery at 1pm. This time not only did they tack everything back in place, they cleaned out the cataract and removed my lens and instead of a gas bubble they put oil in my eye to hold everything in place. I will have the oil in my eye for 3 to 6 months depending on how I'm healing. Scar tissue is what caused the 2nd detachment. I will also be without a lens until they take the oil out. I've had a couple melt downs, the tears do feel good since my eye drys out, I have to use drops throughout the day and not counting the drops prescribed for me.

Not sure when I will be able to get back to the gym, I have not received the okay.  Running will not happen until I can see, it's pretty scary not seeing what is on my left side.

I need to pick my sorry ass up and stop feeling sorry for myself.

I dislike sitting around so I am going to start walking. We have a ton of snow so I will be just walking my driveway (my driveway is a 1/2 mile) wearing my boots with spiked cleats. I would like to get poles or a walking stick just to feel a little more secure. I'm going to get back to logging in my food in MyFitnessPal.

I think this blog will help me to get my shit together and to be more positive now that I have unleashed the negative.

Getting my Gypsy Wings back,
Pam



Health Update and Shoes

Monday, September 21, 2015

My Dear Wanders,

I'm back from getting my kidney stone blasted. It was a rough week ended up in the ER twice. Everything with the kidney stone was great they blasted it to smithereens my problem was a reaction to the anesthesia. I am back to normal, except....I still have not gotten back my sense of taste.  The other sad part of all this are the items I have to cut out of my diet so this doesn't happen again. Who knew many of the items are healthy foods, spinach, nuts, berries, chocolate (sorry I'm not given up chocolate, moderation) and tea.  The tea hit me hard, I drink a ton of ice tea.

Enough of that, I'm healthy once again.

What I want to tell you about are my new shoes!

I have discovered Chocolaticas (click link) the most darling Mary Jane's ever.  They are so comfortable and they make my feet look so tiny, big plus.

The pair I got are Eternal Love and the packaging is so clever...a milk carton.

































There are two more pairs I want  Flora La Muerte and Tattoo Women they are sold out in my size and I'm hoping they get more in stock.

Love and Peace,

Pam

A Quick Update

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Good Evening Lovelies,

A quick update......

My running has been placed on hold and my upcoming 1/2 marathon has been put on hold until next year.  I have been training for the 1/2 marathon for a year and on Monday's run I started to get back pain. Pain bad enough if my husband had a cellphone I would have called him to come pick me up. After we got home I found out I had blood in my urine. Called the doctor and they got me in the same day (that's a first) I had a blood test and by the end of the day I found out everything was okay with my kidney's so that ruled out kidney disease. They next test was a CT Scan they couldn't get me in until Thursday AM due to my insurance. They told me my doctor would have the results by Friday. That same afternoon he had the results....a kidney stone the size of a almond.  He had me in to see the urologist by Friday and I am scheduled for a lithotripsy on August 26th.  As soon as I am healed I will start running and going to the gym to prepare for next years 1/2 marathon.

Peace and Love,
Pam

Books/Music and Running

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

My 1/2 marathon is a little more than a month away and I'm getting bored listening to music. I signed up for AudioBooks to see if listening to books would help make my long runs easier to get through.

I don't know if it was that night that I was listening to the sample narrating of the books but everyone's voice was annoying me. Then I came upon a book written and narrated by Steve Martin, ShopGirl. I thought for my first book it would be nice to hear a familiar voice, plus I love the way Steve Martin pronounces words, he knows how to emphasize a word just right to make a point. It only took 3 runs to complete the book and now I have the movie ShopGirl set to record on my DVR.

After my run this morning I decided to go with a self-help book. I downloaded Success through a Positive Mental Attitude by Napoleon Hill and W Clement Stone.  It's 10 hours long that will get me through a few weeks of running. I thought I would give it a listen, I put on my headphones and laid down on my bed, I woke up a hour later. Not sure if that is a good sign for running.

I have been wanting to read a book that I read years ago Summer Sisters by Judy Blume. I keep putting it off since my stack of books to read is about 3 feet high now. It is on AudioBooks I think it will be perfect re-read for running, I will be downloading it too.

Just incase the reading is not grabbing my attention while running I still wear my iPod that way I can switch over to music if I feel the need to change this up.

I will be skipping Wednesday Recipe Sharing this week, my planning is off this week.

Love and Peace,
Pam

Wednesday Recipe Share Day

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Our summers are getting hotter this year in Southern Utah. Last year I didn't even have to turn on the air conditioner. I'm hoping for some relief from the monsoon weather when the clouds take over in the afternoon and we have a little rain and a few thunderstorms. I find monsoon season soothing. It also makes for some beautiful sunsets.

When it's hot like this I like to eat lighter meals. I'm sharing with you my recipe for a Blackberry Prosciutto Cheese Quesadilla. This makes for a very light lunch and low in calories.















Blackberry Prosciutto Cheese Quesadilla

1 small flour tortilla
brie cheese, sliced thin (I used less than 2 oz)
asiago cheese, slice thin (I used 1/2 oz)
3 small sage leaves, chopped small
1 1/2 teaspoon Smucker's Simply Fruit, Blackberry Jam
1 thin slice prosciutto

Layer 1/2 the tortilla with brie, asiago, sage, jam and prosciutto. Fold in half and place on a pre-heated flat griddle pan on medium heat for about 2 minutes, flip and heat until cheese has melted. I calculated my quesadilla calories right about 350.  Serve with fresh blackberries or a green salad.

Next time I make this quesadilla I think I will have to break out a glass of white wine.

Peace and Love,

Pam



Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet. - Bob Marley


Recipe Shared at The Country Cook






It's Time To Get This Blog Going

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Darlings -

I started out with good intentions and life got in the way....but in a good way.

Over a year ago I started on a fantastic journey to get healthy.  I purchased a FitBit and took my first walk on June 12, 2014 and I have not looked back. In fact, by August I was running and in October I did my first 5k. Since that day I have 4 5k's, 1 10k under my belt and in September I'm attempting my first half marathon.  I run every other day and the days I do not run I go to the gym. I watch what I eat and log it into MyFitnessPal app just to keep me in check. This has kept me very busy and achy.  The benefits have been incredible, more energy, happier and no more high blood pressure. I've lost weight and I'm shrinking in size. Yay! I've added meditation which has changed my life, if I start to feel stressed 10-15 minutes of relaxing slow breathing and I'm good to go.

Big News

My daughter got engaged on April 3rd (her birthday) a November 2016 wedding is being planned.  She has been stressing out planning a traditional wedding to the point she was ready to elope. This is not my free-spirit kid. She has decided to have a non-traditional wedding that fits her personality. I'm very excited about this wedding.

Step one has been accomplished, the wedding gown has been purchased. She is now checking out venues and food and once that is secure it will be time to pick out a photographer and videographer.

Here is a sneak peak of my wedding attire as MOB - Mother of the Bride.






















As you can see this is going to be a lot of fun and whimsy, now this is my daughter. I look forward to sharing the steps up to the wedding and the big event with you.

Peace and Love,

Pam



A daily does of daydreaming heals the heart, soothes the soul, and strengthens the imagination - Richelle E. Goodrich

The Journey - Welcome

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Hello Lovelies,

It's about time I dove in and started writing.

My name is Pam, I'm a native Californian, that uprooted and moved to Utah. I'm just going to say it....worst mistake of our lives. The positives, I live on a mountain, no neighbors, beautiful views and not far from Zion National Park. The negative, we do not fit in Utah and the reason we do not fit in we are not LDS (Mormon) I know Mormons in CA and they are nothing like the people in Utah. Enough on that; unless you have any questions and I will be happy to answer them, leave me a comment.

I am married to a wonderful guy, we have a beautiful daughter and I am a self proclaimed Bull Wrestler - what that really means is I have a English Bull Terrier named Olive who is a handful.

What I love and what I will be sharing with this blog:

I have a new appreciation for fashion, jewelry and style

Art - photography, painting, mixed media, writing and creating beauty around me

Nature - the outdoors and animals

Food and Drink - I love being in the kitchen

Taking care of myself and loving who I am

Releasing my Inner Gypsy Soul

Life is a journey, it's time we all start living the life we love, no excuses.

Be kind to one another and make someone smile today.

Pam