"Sisters on a M...'s profileWendy and Stacey Bringin...PhotosBlogListsMore  |  Tools Help |
|
|
February 29 I AM BACK!I just had a POWER chat with myself. I allowed myself time to fall off the wagon and told myself it's time to GET A GRIP. I got up this morn at 6 am (as every other day), sent Rick and the Kids on their way, put on my work-out duds and began my day with a 40 min. work-out. I feel GREAT ! Motivated ! Energized !..... Our dad won't see me as a quiter. He will be here long enough to see ME as a "BIGGEST LOSER"! He will see the anger about his desease put into an energy of determination. A determination to beat my desease and show him he can be proud of his baby girl! Are you with me Stac? Get your butt up here tonight so I can give you the POWER chat too. We WILL Win Our Battle! February 28 In My E-Mail...Stac, this was an e-mail I got today. Our friends and family are really feeling our pain too. Let's keep showing everyone how strong our Dad taught us to be... :>)
I want you to know that your Dad and your entire family are in my daily thoughts and prayers. I went to your site last night and saw the beautiful pics of your dad. He is a handsome man and appears very blessed with a wonderful family such as yours:) Shortly after visiting your site my Aunt Diane sent me an email about her discovery of new lesions in her lung. I HATE THIS DEVASTING DISEASE...IT HAS NO RIGHT TO TAKE THE ONES WE LOVE AND ADORE!!
I am sorry I wasn't more comforting to you over the weekend. I guess I didn't see the real picture and I AM SORRY. THINKING OF YOU TODAY - A FRIEND. February 27 Thanks Sister!Apparently.....I need you (and everyone else) more then I would like to admit! When I read the comments and then your blog, I was so sad and hanging my head. I know the words are genuine but it is so hard to care at this point. Then you called. Girlfriend! You can be CRUEL! But IT WORKED! Yelling at me, telling me I needed cheese with my wine ... etc. was what I needed to hear. You are sooo right, Dad needs us. I have been reading through our BL/MSN friends sites today for inspiration and while back on our site, our second song was playing ( I am Changing ) ... I noticed "Dads" album was running through it's cycle. The words just grabbed me and hit me like a ton of bricks! "I NEED YOU, I NEED A HELPING HAND" Those words really are working full circle. Dad needs us for strength and I need dads strength to stay strong. Do you understand what I mean.....I'm not sure I'm explaining myself correctly. I went and watched dad bowl last night instead of watching BL. He is in better spirits and has a very positive attitude. He even joked about his "BUCKET LIST"! He wants to roll a 300 game in bowling, f*#> Marilyn Manroe, and hit a whole in one at golf! Well, Jack and I told him that they are all next to, or deffinately IMPOSSIBLE! We laughed and told him maybe we could switch out Marilyn for BLONDIE and that could be his "whole in one"! LOL Anyhow, Thank you fellow BL friends and Seetah...I am NOT giving up. I will get back into this! Dad will be proud of me and ... so will I. February 26 DON'T GIVE UPWell Wendy, I think we should continue to do what we are doing. I am finally out of my eating rampage and had a decent day today. Who ever said life was fair! I told Jeff he should take my debit card away - then I for sure won't go out for lunch. We have to stay busy - take the advice of our Biggest Loser friends. Thank you all for your comments - they really do mean a lot. I am soooo angry right now.  We have to turn our anger into energy. One day at a time is all we can do. We need to have a plan every day so we don't end up being so depressed. I don't know what I would do if I didn't go to work everyday. It's easy to get distracted, and I find myself just staring wondering what's next. Living so far apart really sucks too. Biggest loser tonight was a real tear jerker. Jay saying goodbye to his brother Mark had me just bawling. I wish we could take dad away on a 2 month trip to golf and gamble, and to watch boxing of course. Why is it our parents give so much to us and by the time they can really enjoy the "empty nest", it gets taken away by a monster. I hope you can convince dad to be in Saginaw this weekend. We cannot let him spend anymore weekends by himself. He needs us more than Biggest Loser does. So far America has lost close to 500,000 pounds. To think we are part of that number - small things do make a difference Lets just take tiny steps and not look into the future. We can do it - with the help of each other, our families, our children, and dad. I think we are finally realizing the outcome of this news, and I also find myself tearing up. We just need a family outing so we can all laugh and cry together. Did I tell you LIFE SUCKS!! Only the good die young WHAT'S NEXTI am so out of it! All I do is tear up and think of the fast aproaching loss... dad.  I ate everything in sight yesterday! Cereal for breakfast, 2 cans of mountain dew, 1 can of prego light soup, 2 apples. Sounds good ... right? THEN..... without even thinking, I ate ONE donut and then another...which led to another and EVEN ONE MORE! After that, I ate about 3 servings of peanut M&Ms. I felt soooo sick after all of that and it was only 2pm.! I was so discusted with myself that I felt like heading to the toilet to try bulimia! I didn't. I just suffered the rest of the day and ate NOTHING else. I was so upset with myself when you called that I lied to you about having a customer on the phone and not being able to talk. I didn't want you to be able to figure it all out. I went to bed at 9:30 and cried myself to sleep. That was after Rick had worked for 13hrs (7am - 8pm) and I didn't even have dinner for him or the kids. What a terrible parent and wife! Rick began to cook dinner at 9:15 for him and the boys so I went to bed. It is so hard to be strong as everyone says to do. It's your turn Stac, you need to hold me up. Apparently, it's my turn to crash....and boy am I crashingFebruary 24 A HORRIBLE WEEKEND!So Stac, Rick and I went on our planned weekend away with our friends. After learning the news about Dad ... I really didn't feel up to a "fun" weekend. I tried not to think the worst thoughts but it was not easy. All I could think was that I was being selfish having fun and not spending time with Dad. I know you told me that I should go but it still made me feel soo guilty. Any time I saw an older man, my eyes would well up. I can't imagine life without him. He is such a goof-ball! I was talking to Janel and Jessie on Friday before we left and they were remembering Dad when he told that joke. He was hillarious! Well, the more I tried not to think about Dad, the more all the conversations led to him. There was no work-out room at this particular hotel so I tried to do water aerobics in the pool. I wasn't very good at it so I did a few laps each day. I still tried to eat right but I have to be honest, I did not succeed. I am so mad at myself! What good am I going to be to Dad when he needs me most? He is really proud of how far we have come and I really don't want him to be disappointed in me. I really dread the weigh in tomorrow morn. but I promise I will tell you the truth. You had also not fib either! This is a pretty big bump in our road, Remember, WE DIDN'T START THIS TO WIN A CONTEST! We are doing this for all the right reasons. Changing our lives is NOT a diet that will be poundage coming back....it is getting rid of all the extra "baggage" in our lives - for good.! This horrible nightmare with Dad is just beginning, but we can still change our lives; it just may take us a bit longer then the rest of the couples. It's all about the end result and the lessons we learn on this journey, not the time it takes us to get there. Our time with Dad is most important and our weight issues are second in line. They are not being put on the back burner, we just have to "multi-task" when ever we can to accomplish both goals. February 21 OUR TOUGHEST BATTLEHey Wendy,
I think I am still in shock from the news yesterday. I don't know what to say or do. We need to spend as much time with dad as possible. Once he sees the oncologist, I will decide when to take some time off. How was your day? I just feel so down about everything. Misty said she tried to call you today. I hope you can enjoy your weekend away. I don't know what to do this weekend. Jeff will be home Saturday around 5pm. He will be golfing tomorrow - sounds like work to me. I would like to take dad golfing somewhere nice for a couple of weeks. He needs to get out and enjoy himself. This winter has been tough on everyone, it's like cabin fever. Your new dresser looks awesome!! Call me if you find out when dads appt is. I have no service with my cell phone for some reason so that's why I haven't called you. Lets take this one day at a time and spend some memorable and cherishable times - he is an Emeott after all - maybe he will live to be 92. Lets get him some tweezers and a grandma shirt with pockets to keep his hanky and money. Love you lots sis!! Thanks for all you have done!! NEWS ON DAD ... :O(Well , you may have guessed. The news was not good. The test showed that Dad not only has 2 spots in his right lung, he has 3. That would not be so bad and would make him a surgical candidate. However, he also has a small spot outside of his right lung that is in a lymphnode (sp). This makes him automatically a stage 3B cancer patient. We don't know where we go from here. Dad has to see an oncologist asap to tell us his expectancies and get him into kemo. and radiation therapy. We all are taking this very hard as you would expect. I am trying to not focus on the bad of it all and just trying to stay focused on what I eat. I made Stacey work out on my treadmill yesterday befor we went to the appt. to get her feeling guilty about eating bad. She felt so much better when she was done, she said it will help her get back to business. We plan on taking time off work to spend with Dad, we just don't know any details. I think that will help us stay on track, because Dad is addiment about NOT letting us give up! ...... I just want to say THANK YOU to all of you for your nice words and your many prayers. You all have been so kind and supportive. It makes me stay focused to be able to talk about my Dad and helps me to allow Stacey to lean heavier on me. So again, THANK YOU.  February 19 I'm Bummed ... Not AngryWell, I talked to Stacey last night via phone and she was so quick tempered. The kids were whining, it was cold in her office, she couldn't find the site....bla bla bla ....I am sure she won't be blogging her weigh-in from yesterday morn - if you didn't notice, she gained 5 lbs. It is so easy to stray from the issue at hand when your mind keeps you in the dumps about bigger issues. We all handle things differently. I am totally sure if the news is bad tomorrow, you all won't here from either of us for a bit. I am not sure how long, but I am NOT going to quit this life change! AND- I will NOT let Stacey either. I am not upset with Stac. I totally understand. She also has been extremely tired and thought she had a sinus infection. She went to the doc. and he informed her she has a bacterial infection that is causing all of her problems. YEAH!  This means we still have hope! I can't do this without her and tomorrow she is driving up for the results appt. We will lean on each other and figure this all out. Losing a parent is the HARDEST thing ever! Please continue to pray for our Dad and Thank you all for your kind words.February 18 Our "Live" Event .... HELP !!!
"Prepare" for HUNGER!Hey Stac. I just spent some time in the kitchen and desided to make some grab bags of munchie items. When I feel like munching, I usually grab a handful or the container and don't realize how much I am actually eating. I like different kinds of plain cereal so that is what I bagged up, but you could do this too with any item you like as long as you lable the bag and know what you are eating. I put 1 serving size in each bag to get me started in size control.
Do this when the boys go to bed tonight and you can take a couple of bags to work! HAPPY BAGGING! :>)
I ALSO ADDED ANOTHER ALBUM! It's of DAD :>) I thought it would be nice for everyone to put a face with a name. That way our supporters could see the "Funny-Man" we call DAD and who the lung cancer could be taking away from us. I hope his pics bring you great memories and make you laugh like they do me. According to "Womens Health"This site will show you the top 100 foods that are best for a healthy womans body. Check it out. You can make a grocery list and print it out also.
February 17 WORTH THE PAIN ...?Here we are, the bottom of the 6th, with Stacey up to weigh..... Will she do it? Will she hit a single, a double, a triple!! OR.... will she strike out from the cookies she ate!!! Yep, you heard me. I spent the weekend at dad's with her and the rest of the gang for Stacey's youngest son Ethans 3rd birthday. She may say she is out of this funk but I got to see it first hand. We are all having a very difficult time waiting for the results of dad's test but Stacey just can not focus on anything except the fairness of life. Well, stay tuned to the visiual tracking module and find out...WERE THE COOKIES REALLY WORTH IT ! February 14 Welcome Back :>)Hey, Wendy here. I just want to say THANK YOU for all the nice words and prayers from everyone for Stac , Me and our DAD. Your thoughtfulness has helped me in keeping Stacey focused. We are not focused on winning a contest....we just don't need to GIVE UP one more time with weightloss. None of us know what tomorrow will bring and as our dad said..." You're not losing this damn weight for me!" " Why would you do so well and then stop because of ME!" "Get your ass back in this" ..... He is right! There will always be something that we'll allow to discourage us from continueing-Some things will be harder then others-IF WE ALLOW DEFEAT, WE WILL BE DEFEATED! Thank you Stac ... for not giving up. It has shown in the past, I can not do this alone. I really need you Stacey and I am so glad you won't desert our mission
Happy Valentines Day..... BUT... NO CHOCOLATE!! February 13 I'M IN A SLUMPWell it has been 7 days since I last blogged. Our "Serious Scrappers" crop weekend started on Friday the 8th at noon and didn't end until Sunday at 5pm. We closed up shop and then went to the grocery store to get items for my lunches during the week. Since Monday, I have been soooo tired and feeling depressed. I think I have a sinus infection, which isn't unusual. Last night I had a dream about my mom and how strong she was even though her days were limited. It was like the same scene playing over and over again in my dream. We will get the results of our dads biopsy, PET scan, and lung function test next Wednesday. We will wait and hope and pray for the best. Wendy took Jillian's book home so she could keep us working towards our goal. You can't possibly take a person's book and follow it front to back in 2 month's. This is going to be a life long change and work in progress. My company is offering Weight Watchers incentives - if you complete the program and reach your goal weight, they will reimburse you 100%. We haven't received all of the details yet, but it is another way to hold myself accountable and contribute to my ultimate weight lose goal. To Wendy - I am not going to give up, I just might not seem as fired up as I was. I won't desert you because we need each other to get through this. Last nights show was a tear jerker. Those contestants give us the strength and confidence that it can be done no matter the hurdles we have to jump over. I could have given them all a hug last night. Don't give up on me/us. Slowly but surely, we will be the "BIGGEST LOSER'S"!! February 11 VERY InterestingMetabolic Syndrome Is Tied to Diet Soda The New York Times Posted: 2008-02-07 14:01:41 (Feb. 5) - Researchers have found a correlation between drinking diet soda and metabolic syndrome -- the collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes that include abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and blood glucose levels -- and elevated blood pressure. The scientists gathered dietary information on more than 9,500 men and women ages 45 to 64 and tracked their health for nine years. But the one-third who ate the most fried food increased their risk by 25 percent compared with the one-third who ate the least, and surprisingly, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome was 34 percent higher among those who drank one can of diet soda a day compared with those who drank none. Copyright © 2008 The New York Times Company
This information was found on http://body.aol.com/news/health/article/_a/metabolic-syndrome-is-tied-to-diet-soda/20080206155809990001
IS THIS WHY WE LOOK PREGNANT?!!
February 09 This is GREAT!Well, we are here at the scrap-booking weekend and it is awesome! Our room is only 2 doors down from the work-out room! Yep, I said it, this place has 2 treadmills, a weight machine, and an eliptical! Stac and I worked out last night for 30 min. before dinner was served. It was awesome being able to tread together! We then were really tested going back for dinner! It was "bring a dish to pass" night. Pretty much everyone brought goodies! Someone brought salad and Stac brought sugar-free/fat-free jello with bananas in it. We both did pretty good at our food choices although the smells and visuals made it real tough.
The pics we took during the work-out will be posted when we get home. February 07 Finally !!Well, it happened ! I finally got my treadmill ! I ordered it online on Jan. 25 and never got it. The store didn't know what had happened to the order. To make a long story short, they ended up canceling my order and I was ticked! I then had to shop around again. I finally got what I was looking for last night and in our amazing snow storm of 18 inches total that fell, Rick drove 30 miles to pick it up! He said he couldn't see 4 ft. in front of the truck! He is so sweet, CRAZY, but sweet. I tried it out last night and couldn't wait to be able to do a real work out today. It feels great!
Stacey-- I am sooooooo proud of you that you confessed! Sometimes just admitting your faults to other people is all it takes to pick yourself back up. I can't wait to work out this week end with you and the girls at the scrap. We will have a blast! We should have a good weigh in on Monday if we continue to stay focused. February 06 I BLEW IT :<(Wow - what was I thinking!! To start, I haven't accomplished any of my goals this week. I went up north to Wendy's house on Monday evening so we could go with our dad to see the lung specialist. On my way I stopped at a gas station and purchased a king size reese's cups, a king size hershey's bar with almonds, a bag of sweet and salty, and last but not least, a grab bag of lays potatoe chips. All four items were totally gone before I reached I-69 at Marshall - which is only about 35 minutes from the gas station. Yes I was by myself. We got news last week that our dad has lung cancer. His skin cancer doctor was out of town after the CT scan results came back, so 10 days later he finally called the office and the doctors nurse explained the results and set up an appt with his primary doctor so she could refer him to a specialist for the lungs. None of us went to the appt with him, and I guess she couldn't even look him in the eye. What were we thinking!! They were able to get him an appt on Tuesday with the specialist, which is what prompted the last minute trek up north. Being a nurse, and working with chronically ill patients, it's hard to always think positive, especially after losing our mom to cancer. Life is sooo unfair. So much guilt runs through your mind. How do we continue to laugh, be happy, or even smile. What is he thinking? Will we ever know? What a feeling it was to see him walking through his woods holding on to Ethan's hand this past summer. We collected acorns, something Peyton and Ethan had never seen. They thought they were so cool. Will we get to do it again? I guess I like to eat for comfort - does my being thin even matter at this point. Sometimes we fall off the wagon, but if we can get up and get back on, then everything will be ok. We have to take it day by day, keep our heads up and find the best treatment available. Hopefully Wendy talked some sense in to me and I'm back on track starting yesterday. Today I did 40 minutes on the treadmill which is the first time on it since last Thursday (when we got the news). I will keep plugging away and continue to work towards my goals and our team goals. Thank you Wendy for being you and sometimes mom  February 05 Confession Time :>(Well Stac... I will be waiting for your confession about your trip up here for dad's appointment. Be honest. We will get through this, even dad will get through this. He's a tuff o'l guy and stubburn as all get out! Have faith, God only gives us what we can handle. |
|
|
