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GottaDEAL 2021 Black Friday Prize Club Thread

Brad

By Brad
in 2021

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jesusluvu

jesusluvu

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It's a little early, but my "covid quarantine project while mom sitting" was to make Easter egg ornaments the last 5 weeks. I made mom an Easter egg tree. And I just put it up. I found some cute German Easter bunnies on EBay. They are wearing lederhosen. 1 pack came. I have 1 more pack coming. And I need to pick up a pack of Easter grass from the dollar store. Then it will be done!

Beautiful

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rlbarajas

rlbarajas

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It's a little early, but my "covid quarantine project while mom sitting" was to make Easter egg ornaments the last 5 weeks. I made mom an Easter egg tree. And I just put it up. I found some cute German Easter bunnies on EBay. They are wearing lederhosen. [emoji16] 1 pack came. I have 1 more pack coming. And I need to pick up a pack of Easter grass from the dollar store. Then it will be done!

They came out super cute!!

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Bopeep

Bopeep

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Hey Bopeep! How about a Secret Easter Bunny exchange?!?! Mom's tree needs candy. (And she has been asking all afternoon too.) We really only need to ask 1 question.....Peeps or no peeps. (No Peeps for us thank you.)

Sounds like a great idea to me!  I think someone else would have to be the Easter Bunny though. Sorry. :)

 

I love the tree!!

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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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I debated putting this in the Low Carb Cooking thread in The Lounge, but decided the Club is a general discussion thread so decided to put it here. I went ahead and wrote my full story for another forum. I know I've shared bits and pieces here before, as well as the photo. And those who have been Facebook friends with me throughout will recall each step happening. But, I don't think I've ever told the whole thing in one go before.

I'm sharing in hopes some will find it encouraging, and possibly inspiring.

 

Why I started keto and chose it as a lifetime woe:

 

In May of 2018 I was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) in my left breast. This is after already having my thyroid removed in 2011 due to Stage 3 thyroid cancer, and being diagnosed with chronic (lifelong) myeloid leukemia in 2017. After doing tons of reading, I was hopeful of having a lumpectomy of the area affected, even though as Stage 0 breast cancer there was no lump to remove. However, when I met with my cancer surgeon, she informed me that the DCIS was spread throughout 75% of the milk ducts in my left breast, and it would have to be removed.

My mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer and had the one breast removed at the age of 42. The cancer reappeared in the other breast and metastasized seven years later, leading to her death on her 50th birthday. In 2018, at 58, I had already outlived both my parents ages at their deaths due to various cancers.

I decided to go for a double mastectomy, to hopefully eliminate a recurrence, which was done at the end of June that year.

Prior to surgery, I was told I should start thinking about reconstruction. My cancer surgeon waa hopeful to have both the double mastectomy and reconstruction done at the same time. However, that usually occurs with implant reconstruction, and hearing many horror tales regarding implants, plus the implant surgeon telling me my skin was too thin to cover the implants in an appealing manner, I decided to pursue DIEP FLAP Reconstructive Surgery, which involves removing fat from the stomach, basically referred to as a tummy tuck, to rebuild the breasts.

When I met with the reconstruction surgeon, she pinched my tummy fat and said I was definitely a candidate for the DIEP FLAP surgery. However, at the time I weighed 250 lbs. on a 5'3" frame. She flat out told me she would not put me on an operating table until I got down to 200 lbs. Then she suggested doing keto.

I told her I wanted to discuss it with my primary care physician (who had me on two blood pressure medications as well as a statin), as well as my endocrinologist for my thyroid cancer and type II diabetes (for which I was on medication), my oncologist for the breast cancer, and my hematologist for the leukemia. She told me to do so, and *if* I reached 200 lbs. to contact her office again. I suspect she has a lot of overweight patients she never hears from again.

All of my specialists and my primary care physician were in favor of me giving keto a try. So, I started keto the day after being released from my mastectomy surgery in June of 2018, and started a twice a day walking regimine when I was given clearance to do so.

In mid December of 2018, five and a half months later, I returned to the reconstructive surgeon's office weighing 196 lbs. The first words out of her mouth was, "Give this girl a goal!" We scheduled my reconstruction for April of 2019, but there was a cancellation and my reconstruction was done in January of 2019.

Even at 196, on a 5'3" frame, I wanted to aim for my high school weight of 112. A bit extreme, and if I hit 125 I'll be happy. I made keto my lifetime woe choice, and while I have a long way to go to get to the weight I want, I have had other benefits in the meantime. I have been taken off one of my blood pressure medications, and since my A1C has been hovering at 5.4 for over a year, I am no longer on any diabetic medication as well.

At 61 years old, I'm feeling the best I have since my weight gain started in my early 20s. Keto for Life!

Here is a side by side photo of me before my double mastectomy and at my current weight. As I said, I still want to lose another 70 lbs., if I can, but I'm on my way.

 

2020-03-29-12-27-32.jpg

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redraccoon

redraccoon

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have had zero enthusiasm to do anything fun for St. Patricks day....   blah.  Usually my weekends would be full of dashing here and there to either run or restock girl scout cookie booths.  lol  

 

Not this time....  just hiding from bad weather inside and hoping for some signs of spring to come along soon.

:coffeetim

 

Edited by redraccoon
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Reinholt1

Reinholt1

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Fun and gorgeous!

 

Thank you, thank you! Unfortunately, it came out so well that mom's caregiver wants to make one for each of her three adult children! I promised to help. I am now gonna be making eggs until Yom Kippur!

 

BTW good shabbos! And for tomorrow evening...Chag Pesach Sameach Gator Pam! (boy this new tablet hates typing Hebrew....)

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Reinholt1

Reinholt1

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It felt like BF in my house this morning when the Sanrio x Animal Crossing collaboration dropped at Target. Refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh.....35 minutes later, victory!

Congrats! I didn't know how popular Animal Crossing was until I bought a copy for the game console on our pediatrics unit at my hospital. Man that thing was stolen faster than the Mario games!

 

Enjoy the games! They were hard won!

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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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For those more shomer than I am and who will be offline for the next three days, as well as those who will be around...

 

!שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם

!חַג פֵּסַח כָשֵׁר וְשָׂמֵחַ

 

Have a Joyous Shabbat and Kosher and Happy Passover!

 

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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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So, last night at the more intimate than usual seder at Chabad, the rabbi was asking participants to speak on "freedom." No one really volunteered, until a more elderly than me gentleman spoke. He said some typical platitudes, then took his seat. The rabbi than looked at me and asked if I had anything to say on freedom. Not prepared or expecting that at all, I declined.

However, would it be totally inappropriate in such a setting to talk about "freedom from cancer?" I would give a brief history of losing Mom and Daddy to cancer so young, and then talk about my own diagnoses and victories. I might even briefly slip in that my treatment has all been thanks to Medicaid, and how single payer would bring health care freedom for all.

 

If asked again next year to speak on "freedom," or heck, if it happens at the next seder tonight, would that be totally inappropriate?

 

The speakers always appear to be spontaneous, and I think being asked to speak is considered an honor, similar to opening the Ark or carrying the Torah during services is an honor. So, asking the rabbi if speaking on it is appropriate would be paramount, in my eyes at least, to asking for an honor, nu?

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Reinholt1

Reinholt1

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If asked again next year to speak on "freedom," or heck, if it happens at the next seder tonight, would that be totally inappropriate?

 

 

Not being Jewish (I am a Lutheran pastor) I don't know that it is appropriate to say anything with any authority to your situation....but I am (as all preacher's are) willing to give my two cents/shekals worth.
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Reinholt1

Reinholt1

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Posted (edited)

Conversation with mom that took place 15 minutes ago.

 

Mom complaning: There's nothing on tv to watch! I can't find anything interesting!

 

Me: I know. It's Sunday. There is nothing you like on on Sunday. How about I put in a video?

 

Mom: YEAH!

 

Me: How about Easter Parade?

 

Mom: No, I want to watch White Christmas!

Edited by Reinholt1
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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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My short answer opinion (from a hospital chaplain) is: yes! By all means speak to the freedom that you feel from cancer, and to the deliverance, the healing and the hope that it brings. If there is one experience that speaks to all humans - it is the experience of suffering and dis-ease. I am very sure that your modern experience/understanding of the Passover story will speak to those you break matzah with.

Thank you, Reinholt1!

 

Conversation with mom that took place 15 minutes ago.

 

Mom complaning: There's nothing on tv to watch! I can't find anything interesting!

 

Me: I know. It's Sunday. There is nothing you like on on Sunday. How about I put in a video?

 

Mom: YEAH!

 

Me: How about Easter Parade?

 

Mom: No, I want to watch White Christmas!

LOL!!!
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