You know how some people need the promise of a reward - like a cookie - to do something that they don't *really* want to do? Well I need to find my cookie. I have always been highly motivated by sticker charts, little toy surprises and even cookies, but given that the goal is weight loss and fitness, perhaps cookies are not the best way to go.
I do plan on putting together a training chart and then getting some pretty colored stars or stickers to affix to it every time I complete that workout. Yes, it's juvenile but it makes me happy. I also, however, need a prize. Sure the ultimate prize will be a skinner, rock hard body, BUT I need something a bit more tangible.
At this moment, my intermediate goal is to get under 150lbs. That will represent an approximately 15lb loss from where I've been the last year or so and get me closer to the realm of my 140-143lb pre-Gremlin weight. Once I get below the 150lb mark I will reward myself with a spa day! I love me some spa treatments but I haven't allowed myself the indulgence since long before Gremlin came. I think this will be a great motivator and a great prize. I'm hoping to be there by the end of July.
As for longer term goals, I want to be at my pre-Gremlin weight by my birthday which is in early September. I would love nothing more than to get some new skinnier clothes and a birthday is just the time for sure things.
In regards to fitness, I am going to train for an October sprint triathlon. I had *really* wanted to get back into multisport this season but apathy and lack of motivation got in the way. When I saw that there was a race about 90 minutes away and 13 weeks down the road, I knew I had to commit. I'm working on my training plan now and will start it next week. It's going to be more of a challenge to get all my workout in with the Gremlin but I'm thinking that I've got my bike trainer and the jogging stroller so that just leaves the swims. I know I can do it .... don't you agree??
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Monday, July 05, 2010
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Maybe this isn't a good idea?
I'm out of shape, still overweight, and in general feel exhausted and crappy.
So what am I doing this weekend?
Walking the Little Rock Half-Marathon! Isn't that a SWELL idea? The farthest I've gone in the past two months is just around 4 miles, and it made my feet hurt. I'm sure 13 will be no problem ... right??
Yes, this is probably not the smartest thing I've ever done. I know that I can do it, I'm a tough cookie - but it's going to hurt. I'm guessing that I'll start regretting it somewhere between miles 6 and 8, and wishing for death by mile 11. I know that I can walk that far, it's more that my joints, bones and muscles aren't going to be willing to accept that.
My overall hope is that I enjoy myself and remember how much I love to race and how much I love being a part of endurance sport. I know it'll bother me to just be walking, and to be really freakin' slow, so I'm hoping the experience encourages me to get back into serious training. I really want to run again and to shoot for those personal bests and to compete in multisport. Most importantly, I want to feel good about myself and hopefully get back a body that somewhat resembles the one I had two years ago.
I'm guessing that it's not the *best* idea I've had, but it's probably the best thing I could do to kick myself in the ass.
Stay tuned for a report ...
So what am I doing this weekend?
Walking the Little Rock Half-Marathon! Isn't that a SWELL idea? The farthest I've gone in the past two months is just around 4 miles, and it made my feet hurt. I'm sure 13 will be no problem ... right??
Yes, this is probably not the smartest thing I've ever done. I know that I can do it, I'm a tough cookie - but it's going to hurt. I'm guessing that I'll start regretting it somewhere between miles 6 and 8, and wishing for death by mile 11. I know that I can walk that far, it's more that my joints, bones and muscles aren't going to be willing to accept that.
My overall hope is that I enjoy myself and remember how much I love to race and how much I love being a part of endurance sport. I know it'll bother me to just be walking, and to be really freakin' slow, so I'm hoping the experience encourages me to get back into serious training. I really want to run again and to shoot for those personal bests and to compete in multisport. Most importantly, I want to feel good about myself and hopefully get back a body that somewhat resembles the one I had two years ago.
I'm guessing that it's not the *best* idea I've had, but it's probably the best thing I could do to kick myself in the ass.
Stay tuned for a report ...
Friday, February 19, 2010
Health Care Rant
This year did not start off in the best manner despite my being so excited about a new diet plan, workout goals and determination to live to the fullest despite chronic sleep deprivation. The working out was derailed when I pass out and fell at work early on the morning of 1/2/10. I apparently had a syncopal episode (I just remember not feeling too hot then waking up confused on the cold floor) and fell on the bathroom floor splitting my forehead open and injuring my ribs. I was at work - you know in a hospital - and I wasn't able to stand and my coworker said I looked white as a ghost and she couldn't get my heart rate to come back up. Before I really knew what was happening, I was in our ER getting a liter of fluids put in via an IV which blew my mind because they never manage to put IVs into any of the patients admitted to my unit ... but I digress. My care in our ER was not the best and I should mention that it was early in the morning, pretty close to shift change and they only had one other patient so it wasn't like they were slammed. They did an EKG, drew some blood, put in the aforementioned normal saline and after I had been in the room well over an hour, I asked if someone would wipe the blood off my face and maybe put a bandage over my gaping wound (which the resident physician didn't even touch when he "assessed me." The next thing I knew I was told that I had to go to an adult hospital since they only do children. Unfortunately this was now Saturday so my doctor's office wasn't open. My husband had arrived by this point but they REFUSED to let him drive me to another hospital that is less than 5 miles away. They said I needed to take an ambulance because, "we can't rule out a cardiac issue." I started to argue the point the best that I could in my weakened state, but the resident returned and said, "sorry you have to go by ambulance." I should have just told them to screw off and gone AMA (against medical advice) but one of my co-workers pointed out that insurance can then refuse to pay any of the claim. DAMN!
So I went in an ambulance to another ER and I should mention that my own hospital gave the paramedics hardly any report on my condition or let them know that labs were pending. I had asked the dayshift nurse if my electrolytes were back and got a breezy, "oh I haven't checked that" prior to my leaving. Once we got to ER #2 (after my hospital told me I couldn't go to my first choice of hospitals because "employee health says you need to go to hospital A or B"), the paramedic proceeded to give the new ER a report on my condition that was shockingly incomplete. I filled in all the pieces and the paramedic specifically said, "wow! Good thing you were paying attention, they didn't tell me ANY of that!" Wow, good to know that they give a good report during transfer of care. ER #2 did a repeat EKG, were going to draw labs when I reminded them that my hospital had already done that but failed to give me results. Saved myself who knows how much because they simply called my hospital and got the labs faxed to them (which should have been sent with the paramedic in the first place). After a very long wait because ER #2 was hopping, I saw the doctor for all of 5 minutes. He did a quick assessment and said the nurse would glue my laceration shut. They also insisted on getting a pregnancy test despite my COMPLETE ASSURANCE that I wasn't pregnant. I was on my period, I'm on the pill, I have a one year old at home, I am NOT PREGNANT. The ridiculous thing is that they weren't doing any x-rays or treatment that would have required a pregnancy status anyway.
Shortly thereafter, ER#2 nurse comes in and glues my head shut - now the nurse did this, not the doctor which is important for later. And then I had to wait, and wait, and wait. Turns out since it was at work and possible workman's comp, I had to wait for a third party to arrive to do drug and alcohol testing. This was finally done, and I was looking to get discharged because it's close to noon, I had worked all night the night before, I'm in a psych patient room with no TV or even handles on the doors, and I just want to get home. At this point all I needed was my discharge instructions but my nurse was busy with a trauma. I flagged someone down, had already pulled out my IV (and had to leave everything on the counter, because psych rooms also don't have trash cans), and managed to get the charge nurse. I told her I'm a nurse, I'm tired, I've been treated, can I please go home? She quickly gave me my paperwork and let me go.
So now the bills are starting to come in ... and man are they ridiculous! I'm lucky that I've never had to use an ER in my life. I've had a broken bone or two in my life, some ankle sprains, a couple of lacerations needing stitches, but I always received care at a doctor's office. Even waiting an extra day with my broken wrist because it was a holiday and I waited til my doc's office opened. Had I not been at work, on a weekend, there's no way I would have gone to the ER, and in NO WAY would I have used a stupid ambulance. Honestly, had I not felt so weak and miserable I would have gotten more bitchy and demanding. I had told my husband that I would NOT get a cat scan since I was not symptomatic and seriously they are REALLY expensive.
So here's how my bills currently stand:
My hospital ER visit = $1045
-This includes one IV placed, a liter of fluids, the tubing for the IV, an EKG, a lab analysis of my blood chemistries
Ambulance = $664
- This included a 4 mile ride and me having to give a report to the paramedic on my care at the ER since they didn't bother to tell him anything. Also, he was the first person to actually assess my laceration and tell me about it since I hadn't seen a mirror yet.
ER #2 = $1078
-This included an EKG, generic supplies, "laboratory" which I still haven't figured out what that includes and the care of the nursing staff.
ER #2PHYSICIAN = $794
-This is for the 5 minutes he spent with me and the interpretation of the EKG. Dude, he wasn't even the one who glued my head shut! That's ridiculous!!
EKG interpretation from my hospital = $29
Pregnancy Test = $18
Total Bills = $3628
All this for one forehead laceration, a liter of IV fluids, and one blood draw. WOW! That's steep!!
Interestingly enough, my employer required that I go to my doctor and have a note that it's OK to return to work. I actually wanted to see my own doctor anyway since he's actually ... well a good doctor. That visit included a consultation and x-rays of my ribs which were in excruciating pain by the day following the injury. For that visit and 2 x-ray?? I was charged a whopping $185
If people want to look at how broken the health care system is, they don't have to go far. Clearly there is a problem with healthcare costs. Why could one ER do so much many more procedures but charge me so much less - especially when you factor in the cost of the physician? Why could my own doctor do two x-rays and treat me and charge only a small fraction?
The kicker is that I do not quality for an employee discount at my hospital because you only get it if you are on THEIR insurance! We have decided to keep the whole family on Bryan's insurance so I lose a 20% discount because of that. Also, I've been totally jacked around by the workman's comp process. They conveniently lost my forms but never bothered to tell me. I'm almost positive they won't cover it but was encouraged to go through the process by our nursing supervisor. Makes me wonder how two of my co-workers had their injuries covered AND time off covered when they slipped on the ice and fell in the parking lots last winter.
Ok, I know that no one really cares about my rants, but I needed to express it somewhere. I just hate getting screwed, especially by my own employer and for truly substandard care in my own ER. Did I mention that my IV beeped for well over 5 minutes and I finally had to get up and stagger over to silence it myself because I didn't have a call light, and apparently no one could hear the blaring noise.
Oh well, on the bright side, we will be making our $2400 family deductible early in the year so I guess this is the year to have lots of random medical visits. Hopefully I can start to focus on the positive soon, because this whole process and dealing with billing agencies and workman's comp really has sucked the life out of me.
So I went in an ambulance to another ER and I should mention that my own hospital gave the paramedics hardly any report on my condition or let them know that labs were pending. I had asked the dayshift nurse if my electrolytes were back and got a breezy, "oh I haven't checked that" prior to my leaving. Once we got to ER #2 (after my hospital told me I couldn't go to my first choice of hospitals because "employee health says you need to go to hospital A or B"), the paramedic proceeded to give the new ER a report on my condition that was shockingly incomplete. I filled in all the pieces and the paramedic specifically said, "wow! Good thing you were paying attention, they didn't tell me ANY of that!" Wow, good to know that they give a good report during transfer of care. ER #2 did a repeat EKG, were going to draw labs when I reminded them that my hospital had already done that but failed to give me results. Saved myself who knows how much because they simply called my hospital and got the labs faxed to them (which should have been sent with the paramedic in the first place). After a very long wait because ER #2 was hopping, I saw the doctor for all of 5 minutes. He did a quick assessment and said the nurse would glue my laceration shut. They also insisted on getting a pregnancy test despite my COMPLETE ASSURANCE that I wasn't pregnant. I was on my period, I'm on the pill, I have a one year old at home, I am NOT PREGNANT. The ridiculous thing is that they weren't doing any x-rays or treatment that would have required a pregnancy status anyway.
Shortly thereafter, ER#2 nurse comes in and glues my head shut - now the nurse did this, not the doctor which is important for later. And then I had to wait, and wait, and wait. Turns out since it was at work and possible workman's comp, I had to wait for a third party to arrive to do drug and alcohol testing. This was finally done, and I was looking to get discharged because it's close to noon, I had worked all night the night before, I'm in a psych patient room with no TV or even handles on the doors, and I just want to get home. At this point all I needed was my discharge instructions but my nurse was busy with a trauma. I flagged someone down, had already pulled out my IV (and had to leave everything on the counter, because psych rooms also don't have trash cans), and managed to get the charge nurse. I told her I'm a nurse, I'm tired, I've been treated, can I please go home? She quickly gave me my paperwork and let me go.
So now the bills are starting to come in ... and man are they ridiculous! I'm lucky that I've never had to use an ER in my life. I've had a broken bone or two in my life, some ankle sprains, a couple of lacerations needing stitches, but I always received care at a doctor's office. Even waiting an extra day with my broken wrist because it was a holiday and I waited til my doc's office opened. Had I not been at work, on a weekend, there's no way I would have gone to the ER, and in NO WAY would I have used a stupid ambulance. Honestly, had I not felt so weak and miserable I would have gotten more bitchy and demanding. I had told my husband that I would NOT get a cat scan since I was not symptomatic and seriously they are REALLY expensive.
So here's how my bills currently stand:
My hospital ER visit = $1045
-This includes one IV placed, a liter of fluids, the tubing for the IV, an EKG, a lab analysis of my blood chemistries
Ambulance = $664
- This included a 4 mile ride and me having to give a report to the paramedic on my care at the ER since they didn't bother to tell him anything. Also, he was the first person to actually assess my laceration and tell me about it since I hadn't seen a mirror yet.
ER #2 = $1078
-This included an EKG, generic supplies, "laboratory" which I still haven't figured out what that includes and the care of the nursing staff.
ER #2PHYSICIAN = $794
-This is for the 5 minutes he spent with me and the interpretation of the EKG. Dude, he wasn't even the one who glued my head shut! That's ridiculous!!
EKG interpretation from my hospital = $29
Pregnancy Test = $18
Total Bills = $3628
All this for one forehead laceration, a liter of IV fluids, and one blood draw. WOW! That's steep!!
Interestingly enough, my employer required that I go to my doctor and have a note that it's OK to return to work. I actually wanted to see my own doctor anyway since he's actually ... well a good doctor. That visit included a consultation and x-rays of my ribs which were in excruciating pain by the day following the injury. For that visit and 2 x-ray?? I was charged a whopping $185
If people want to look at how broken the health care system is, they don't have to go far. Clearly there is a problem with healthcare costs. Why could one ER do so much many more procedures but charge me so much less - especially when you factor in the cost of the physician? Why could my own doctor do two x-rays and treat me and charge only a small fraction?
The kicker is that I do not quality for an employee discount at my hospital because you only get it if you are on THEIR insurance! We have decided to keep the whole family on Bryan's insurance so I lose a 20% discount because of that. Also, I've been totally jacked around by the workman's comp process. They conveniently lost my forms but never bothered to tell me. I'm almost positive they won't cover it but was encouraged to go through the process by our nursing supervisor. Makes me wonder how two of my co-workers had their injuries covered AND time off covered when they slipped on the ice and fell in the parking lots last winter.
Ok, I know that no one really cares about my rants, but I needed to express it somewhere. I just hate getting screwed, especially by my own employer and for truly substandard care in my own ER. Did I mention that my IV beeped for well over 5 minutes and I finally had to get up and stagger over to silence it myself because I didn't have a call light, and apparently no one could hear the blaring noise.
Oh well, on the bright side, we will be making our $2400 family deductible early in the year so I guess this is the year to have lots of random medical visits. Hopefully I can start to focus on the positive soon, because this whole process and dealing with billing agencies and workman's comp really has sucked the life out of me.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Ice Pick? Anyone?
Grab an ice pick and please shove it through my brain!
No seriously - right through the skull and swish is around a bit.
This is quite possibly the longest, most horrid night I've had at work ... ever. Not only is the unit completely devoid of patients, but I have been here for the last NINE hours alone. Sitting at the desk watching the hours pass by.
I've been bored at work before, but usually I have at least one co-worker to help pass the time. Tonight, one staff was sent to another unit, and the third was left at home on call. You would think that it's pretty easy to sit around and collect a salary for doing absolutely nothing, but really it's torture. It would be miserable enough doing it all day long, but how about sitting in a large open space by yourself, OVERNIGHT with my traditional lack of pre-work sleep.
Yeah, it blows.
You know what else blows? My attempts at running, exercising, dieting and being productive. The past two weeks I haven't even pretended that I'm following a training plan, I'm just trying to make it through the day and accomplish a few things around the house. This weekend my parents are in town so for once we have Gremlin sitters (which is ALWAYS an awesome thing). It also means that I can't miss Saturday morning training group with the excuse that is far too cold to have Gremlin out with me for a long work-out. So I'll bundle my butt up and meet the marathon training group for my 7 miles. I honestly have no plans for running at all, I'm just gonna plan on walking and maybe throwing in a fartlek here or there if I feel like it. BJ has 14 miles on his schedule and I said, "we'll probably finish about the same time!" He thought I was joking.
Luckily, there is still three months left til the race which is actually quite a long time. Most training plans I followed in the past were only 12 weeks long anyway. Of course if I don't actually start - you know - training, there really is no hope for me to complete the distance in a time short of embarrassing.
On the fat Gremlin weight front, I can honestly say that I haven't been dieting BUT I also haven't gained back any of the 6 pounds I lost already. I keep telling myself that clearly the diet works and I just need to stick to it and get rid of those pesky remaining pounds. It's easier said than done, but I am in serious contemplation. I know BJ would like for me to become hottie wife again, though he is sweet enough not to say it outright. Except for the occasional Pillsbury Dough Boy references where he pokes my muffin top and makes the "Hee Hee!" noise from the commercial.
Yes, I love him and let him get away with it.
So that sums up my latest blog dry spell.
And speaking of dry, I've had two bottles of water and have been peeing quite regularly tonight, but I still feel like I've rubbed sand all over my mouth and lips. I love winter temps but not lack of winter humidity.
No seriously - right through the skull and swish is around a bit.
This is quite possibly the longest, most horrid night I've had at work ... ever. Not only is the unit completely devoid of patients, but I have been here for the last NINE hours alone. Sitting at the desk watching the hours pass by.
I've been bored at work before, but usually I have at least one co-worker to help pass the time. Tonight, one staff was sent to another unit, and the third was left at home on call. You would think that it's pretty easy to sit around and collect a salary for doing absolutely nothing, but really it's torture. It would be miserable enough doing it all day long, but how about sitting in a large open space by yourself, OVERNIGHT with my traditional lack of pre-work sleep.
Yeah, it blows.
You know what else blows? My attempts at running, exercising, dieting and being productive. The past two weeks I haven't even pretended that I'm following a training plan, I'm just trying to make it through the day and accomplish a few things around the house. This weekend my parents are in town so for once we have Gremlin sitters (which is ALWAYS an awesome thing). It also means that I can't miss Saturday morning training group with the excuse that is far too cold to have Gremlin out with me for a long work-out. So I'll bundle my butt up and meet the marathon training group for my 7 miles. I honestly have no plans for running at all, I'm just gonna plan on walking and maybe throwing in a fartlek here or there if I feel like it. BJ has 14 miles on his schedule and I said, "we'll probably finish about the same time!" He thought I was joking.
Luckily, there is still three months left til the race which is actually quite a long time. Most training plans I followed in the past were only 12 weeks long anyway. Of course if I don't actually start - you know - training, there really is no hope for me to complete the distance in a time short of embarrassing.
On the fat Gremlin weight front, I can honestly say that I haven't been dieting BUT I also haven't gained back any of the 6 pounds I lost already. I keep telling myself that clearly the diet works and I just need to stick to it and get rid of those pesky remaining pounds. It's easier said than done, but I am in serious contemplation. I know BJ would like for me to become hottie wife again, though he is sweet enough not to say it outright. Except for the occasional Pillsbury Dough Boy references where he pokes my muffin top and makes the "Hee Hee!" noise from the commercial.
Yes, I love him and let him get away with it.
So that sums up my latest blog dry spell.
And speaking of dry, I've had two bottles of water and have been peeing quite regularly tonight, but I still feel like I've rubbed sand all over my mouth and lips. I love winter temps but not lack of winter humidity.
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