Teresa’s Blog

Well, dear readers, Monday (July 27th) was the day this year for the Jenkins/Modesitt One Day Vacation to Kings Island in Ohio! Whoo-Hoo!

First, the sad part. Amanda and Brian couldn’t be with us this year. Seems they have this BABY responsibility. (OK, so at 4 months, Chloe couldn’t ride much.) Secondly, Weird Al wasn’t in concert this year. (Bummer)

We decided to go over on Sunday evening to save driving both ways in one day and to maximize our time in the park. The three grown children decided that they were unwilling to ride shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, etc. in the backseat of Mark’s Crown Vic, so Sarah’s Jeep Grand Cherokee was pressed into service as well. But wait! All of a sudden, Andrew isn’t feeling well.
(more…)

Hello again! I finally got my blog to believe that it really was me who was trying to add a new entry. It wouldn’t let me in for the longest time!

Anyway, an update is due as far as my new lifestyle is concerned. I am approaching the six month mark on my quest for health. (See entry: Fear Factor for the backstory.) Along the way I have been provided many guides/cheerleaders/astonished onlookers.

I can’t begin to fully express how great the staff of Indiana Center for Bariatric Medicine has been. (That’s right, ICBM. They’re da BOMB! Ha!) Dr. Eve Olson is a wonderful combination of “in-your-face-straight-talking-hard facts” and mega-encourager. Her heart for getting people healthy is unparalleled. Angie is the nutritionist who works with me. She is cute and perky, talks 100 miles an hour, and makes me write down every bite I put into my mouth. She has taught me more about nutrition labels that I ever cared to know. Tammy is my exercize guru. She pushes me to walk farther and faster, adds more weight to my lifting routine, and doesn’t look or act at all like my 9th grade P.E. teacher. (Thank God!) Jennifer is my couselor. She makes me cry. O.K., those of you who know me know that almost ANYTHING makes me cry, but she asks the hard questions in a quiet voice that is quite disarming and rather sneaky, I must say. Then there is the BEST medical assistant who checks me in, weighs me, takes my blood pressure, lets me hold my perfect granddaughter, Chloe, and is the best of my cheerleaders. Oh, her name is Amanda, and I guess I should mention that she is my daughter.

Then there is THE SCALE.
(more…)