Re-entry into the ordinary life - Weight update too!

Finally I'm sitting down to get off at least a brief post to get back in the groove of blogging. I've been missing my daily fixes of writing and reading in blogdom and have been itching to get back, but have felt so emotionally, physically and mentally overwhelmed that I haven't known where to begin! It's around 12:30 p.m. Thursday, and we've been home since 6 p.m. Tuesday. The last few days of our trip found me feeling okay but tired, with very little voice, and not sleeping well for any number of reasons including not being able to breathe through my nose at all and coughing for hours at night! It was hard to say goodbye to Jean, though Tom and I were both looking forward to getting back to civilization as we know it, as well as to friends and routines that serve as the matrix for day to day existence. Life has been rich, full, and at fast tilt and it will take time for me to internalize and process the amazing journey from which we've returned.

Anyhoo - I spent yesterday doing laundry, getting groceries, going to the doctor (and happily getting 2 big-gun prescriptions to treat a rauchy sinus infection), picking up the CD of my knee MRI done just before we left to take to the ortho doc so he could look at the images before talking to me about it, getting back to my dear AA...just a zillion errands and details and reconnections. I didn't sleep much at all the first night home - excitement, sick, who knows why - by yesterday I was so blurry minded in my activity junkie mode that I couldn't remember Tom's work phone number! Eventually it came to me, but it was at that point in the afternoon I realized I probably shouldn't be driving around anymore because I might take a wrong turn and end up in east Jepip.

Today I'm beginning to feel like myself. Better physically, clear-headed, more rested, and my hair looks the best it's looked since we left for our trip! I'm back to work, and was greeted like a beloved family member returning from war - they were glad to have their nurse back, and I was/am glad to see everyone and be here. I've started loading pictures into the computer, and will probably post some in my next post. I take pictures like I eat potato chips - one is not enough. Neither is the whole bag. About 270 pictures, I think. Don't worry, I'll only post some key ones here, but Facebook may have to increase their web strength to house the many phases of DR albums I'm posting!

Given that this blog is first and foremost about my weightloss journey to fit-terness, I do have some news from the food front. I posted from vacation that while we were eating lots of delicious local fare, we also were walking, hiking, up and down hills, and at no time overeating. No bingeing during my time in the DR - no nighttime eating (the bane of my existence) or snacking. I didn't try to restrict my intake or say no to fresh made juice because it had - da dum!!! sugar in it. I just enjoyed what was served. It was effortless - I wasn't scheming and conniving ways to stockpile coconut patties and Dominican junkfood to consume in clandestine fashion while the family's backs were turned. There's no other way than to just say this: I ate normally. Food was a pleasure but not the focus. Pretty radical.

Over the course of the time, as my number of binge free days added up, I intuitively knew I was on solid ground, and taking up a couple less pounds of its gravity. I felt it somehow, though my clothes didn't change their drape or fit. On the day we flew back - I did end up eating some salty crap during a 4 hour layover in Miami, and then had cookies at an AA meeting that night. Yesterday morning when I got up I saw that my socks (to keep my wittle toes warm in the night) had left a light impression in my ankes so knew not to get on the scale due to fluid retention. But I had a clean food day yesterday, made an amazing beef and vegetable stew for dinner with a big salad, and when I got up this morning and hopped on the scale, it said 192 pounds. That's the lowest I've been. WOOT! When I left for the DR on 11/2, I was 194. I expect another clean day may rid my body of even more accumulated water weight. So I feel really good about dropping a couple more pounds without really working at it. I also feel very motivated and enthusiastic to get back to my routines of food prep and exercise. I should find out the scoop on my knee today or tomorrow, but it felt pretty good the whole trip. Now that I'm on prednisone for the sinus infection (I know, water retention can result), it feels perfect. Ahhh - the miracles of anti-inflammatory agents!

All in all, I feel remarkably grateful and content in this moment. We had a wonderful visit with our amazing daughter. She's a remarkable young woman (had to force myself to not call her "a kid") who is fully engaged and assimilated to her life in a third world country and is thrilled to be there. She's a fixture in her town, with many friends and surrogate families who also welcomed and opened their homes to us during our visit. She loves and is loved. We know that she is safe and solidly watched out for by many generous, kind people. It kind of makes a mom proud.

Rest assured you will see and hear much more about our visit. But for now, all is well.