A day in the life

Ya Ya I know

2007-12-28T15:41:00.000-06:00

So does anyone even look at this any more?

Me and my girls

2006-12-30T23:53:00.000-06:00

I got to spent last night and today with my two best girls. At first Sasha did not know what to think of Evie but not after long she would not leave her side! YesSasha is trying to give Evie a bath. She is always so help full.

Look at the big boy!

2006-12-27T13:16:00.000-06:00

This is Chris on one of the happiest day of his life. He became a member of whedonesque.com today. This is a picture of him composing his first post and yet he still can’t figure out who I am on the site. Oh well he will have to keep searching. Good Luck with that!

Today is a sad day :(

2006-12-14T22:22:00.000-06:00

As many you know I have had a special man in my life for the last three and a half years. He had the best brown eyes a the most adorable bald spot but Steveie Pigie died today 12/14/2006.

Congratulations Adam and Angie!

2006-12-14T22:07:00.000-06:00

I want to extend a congratulations to Adam and Angie on there upcoming wedding and I mean upcoming! I can’t wait to see them grow as a married couple.

Gala 2006

2006-11-25T15:00:00.000-06:00

A few weeks a go I attended a Gala.

I thought I would pass a long the pictures for it. Enjoy.

Look What I Got Look What I Got!

2006-11-13T10:52:00.000-06:00

Evie Elizabeth Casper

11/1/2006 11:59pm

8lb 11oz

Congratulations Jeremy and Kate on my new niece!

Happy Birthday Angie

2006-10-31T10:21:00.000-06:00

Baby Boy Reed

2006-10-29T06:48:00.000-06:00

Congratulations

Paula and Aaron Reed

on your new baby boy!

Ethan Thomas Reed
Time and date of Birth: 1:22am 10/28/2006
Weight: 7lb 8oz
Length: 20 inches long

What a Saturday!

2006-10-23T20:53:00.000-05:00

Well what a Saturday! The day started by getting a book and letter mailed off to my brother. I have started to send one by one the “Left Behind” series of books. Then is was off to coffee in Egan with the OH gang. At coffee I had brought up my interest in doing The 3Day Walk for Breast Cancer next summer. There were a few other that want to do it also so we think we are going to form a OH team for the walk. I am excited! After that I headed home for some fun doing laundry. I know you are thinking is she on drugs? No I was excited to do it because at coffee I got some clothing from an OH member that she has shrank out of.

Then is was time to go to my surgery angles wedding reception. It was a Vikings extravaganza and I showed up in a green and yellow shirt. OOPS I am not a packer backer but dang I looked good.

After the reception I headed to ACME comedy club to celebrate Leia’s Birthday.

It was a blast!

I hope you enjoy the Pictures.

2006-10-07T09:05:00.000-05:00

I love Snoopy!

Happy B-Day Autumn

2006-10-06T14:25:00.000-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUTUMN!

Sick Computer and Fun With A.J.

2006-09-14T11:46:00.000-05:00

I am so sorry I have not been posting very much in the past few months. I am having major computer problems and have not had the time to fix it because I have been very busy with spending as much time with my brother. His reporting date got pushed back to September 28, 2006. So we have gone to the lake house twice, Valleyfair, Renaissance Festival, and of course The Great Minnesota Get Together also know as The State Fair! I have also been working two jobs the day job to survive and the PT night job at Lane Bryant for the discount. It is 40% off how can I pass that up when I am flying thought clothing. I have lost a total of 56 pounds. This weekend I will be going camping with some friend for eXtreme Life. We are going up near Ely, MN. IT should be fun and I hope not to cold! I hope to have my computer up and running in tip top shape soon so I can put up some picture for you all to enjoy!

Ok Ok Here You Go.

2006-08-23T15:44:00.000-05:00

Ok ok so you all want an update. Well life has been pretty busy lately. I just started a new job last week and a 2nd one last night. I am working down town Minneapolis during the week in the day time and on some nights and weekends at a clothing store (for the discount). I have been keeping myself busy with my brother we have been doing a lot of stuff together. I have been trying to make his last days of freedom as fun filled as they can be. AJ got his GED last Monday and for a grad present he will be getting a tattoo on Friday. Also I know you all want new pictures and hopefully I will take some in the next few days. I have also joined a new bible study that I enjoy. I am the host but not the leader. Thank goodness! This weekend I hope to get to Valleyfair and the State Fair with my brother. Valleyfair should be interesting now that I have lost 50lb as of this morning. Yes this morning the scale said I was 50lbs lighter that when I started this journey Well I am at break right now and should get back to work.

A.J. Update

2006-08-03T10:57:00.000-05:00

Well on Monday my brother A.J. had his sentencing finely. My brother ended up getting 37 months. He will be going to serve his time in South Dakota at a federal prison camp. I don't have to much else to say right not I just thought I would let you all know.

Ok Ok I know I have not done an up date for awhile.

2006-07-25T13:26:00.000-05:00

Ok Ok I know I have not done an up date for awhile. I am sorry I have been very busy and a little bummed.

Well lets start with the crappy news.
First my brother (AJ) was given his sentencing date. On July 31, 2006 he will find out how much jail time he will be getting. So please keep him in your prayers.

Second on July 19, 2006 I lost my job. I really loved my job! It has been a long week of looking for a new job. It is going to be hard to top my last job. It was a very fulfilling job and I felt like a contributed a lot. So if you know of any job openings send them my way.

Now on to the good thing.
As of today I have lost 43 pounds. I have not been able to see the change in the mirror. I can see it in the fact that all my old clothing is WAY to big for my now. I took picture on July 5th but there was not much of a change I plan on taking picture every 5th of the month and I plan on posting the August 5th picture for you to see. Also I thought I would let you know I have named my pouch. And the name is Ralph. I name it that so it dose not ralph so much.

Again I am sorry for not updating more often.

Down a pants size.

2006-06-28T15:10:00.000-05:00

Here are pictures taken on the morning of my surgery (6/5/2006). I plan on taking a picture to track my progress every 5th of the month. As of right now I am down over 20 pounds and a pants size. It is hard for me to see the changes because I see myself every day but it is nice to put on a smaller size pants and have them fit nicely.

Hospital Picutres. Sorry Bryan. haha

2006-06-28T14:56:00.000-05:00

Here are the pictures from the hospital.

This is Angie and Bryan visiting me in Tuesday. Bryan is the photographer.

This is me the day after surgery. I am still pretty drugged up. I hope to laugh at this some day will all of you.

The Surgery

2006-06-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

OK sorry for not putting up a post sooner. But after surgery I didn’t take out my computer all week. So here is the story. I went in to the hospital on June 5th at 8:45am. They took me back to pre-op right away. When I got back there it was about an hour. I got to watch some Regis and Kelly. Then the man with the good drugs came back. I wanted to marry him. I don’t remember any thing after that. In the past I would remember rolling in to the operating room but not this time. And on top of that I don’t remember much of the remainder of the day. My Brother came to the hospital just before I got out of surgery. He stayed for about 4 hours. He asked the Nurses if I was going to wake up any time soon. They told him that they gave me more drugs before I came up to my room so he decided to leave and come back later. The came back that night and I was still pretty out of it. My Surgery Angel cam by also I don’t remember much of that also.

On Tuesday I had many visitors. My brother came by in the morning. I was still pretty tired and told he didn’t have to stay. Later in the afternoon Bryan and Angie cam by as you can see by the picture Bryan tried to take below. They hung around for awhile. After they left I took another nap. When I woke up my Friend Paula came by. She decided to leave when I started to get sick. Tuesday night was NOT a good night. It was my first time saying “What the carp did I just do?” Well it passed!

Wednesday was good I felt good and the only thing that was not going well was my roommate in the hospital. That is a whole other story. I called my brother and told him to come by at around 2pm to get me. Then I got a visitor that I didn’t think would come by. Mike Brinkman my youth pastor and a good friend of me and my brother. The nurse came in and asked if I wanted to take a shower. I told her I would do it just before I went home. She said that my discharge paper we ready. I Mike told me he would go to lunch and then come back ant take me home. Well when I got home I pretty much spent the remainder of the week in bed.

So all is well now. I have included by before picture taken the morning of surgery and a few from the hospital. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Name My New Pouch

2006-05-29T20:39:00.000-05:00

Happy Memorial Day! I have ate my share of BBQ food this weekend which made me think about how in less than a week I will not be eating any hamburgers for awhile but I will be able to eat them again just in small amounts. OK so lately I have been on message boards for people that have had are going to have or are thinking about having or have had a gastric bypass. I have heard many people refer to there new stomach as a pouch or by a name. So I am asking for suggestions for a name for my pouch. Please submit your suggestion in the comments space. I will put up a post and tell you my new pouch name.

Donald E. Rudolph Feb 21, 1921 - May 25, 2006

2006-05-28T10:20:00.000-05:00

Donald E. Rudolph

Feb 21, 1921 - May 25, 2006

Ok I know I know it has been awhile between now and my last post. I was in the middle of writing a post on Friday saying that I have not posted in a while because it has been an uneventful few weeks. Well I had started to speak to soon. My Grandmother called me on Friday and told me that my Grandfather Donald E. Rudolph passed away on Thursday. So my uneventful week changed in one phone call. I do find it ironic that he had passed on the eve of Memorial Day weekend. Please keep my family in your prayers this week.

2 for the price of 1

2006-05-16T09:57:00.000-05:00

As many of you know I am an adult that has tubes in her ears. Well I have up grated to permanent tubes about a year and a half ago. Well when they say permanent you would think that they would say in for EVER right?!?! Well I went to the doctor yesterday and my right tube has come out (I could have told him that and saved 2 hours in the office). Well need be I have to have it put it back in. That is not as easy as it sound. See because I can not have Novocain and because it is a “permanent” tube I have to be put under to have it out in. I will take more time to knock me out and bring me back that it dose to stitch it in to place. Well at that time I informed the doctor that I would already be having surgery on June 5th for my gastric bypass. He said that is great he will just come up and scrub in and do it then. I guess it is all for the best because I rather only have to be put under once this month. But back the permanent thing what is that about?? Oh well I have just happy it can be done all at once.

Before

2006-05-08T19:39:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to get together with people that have had surgery and other that are about to have it like me. So this weekend I went to coffee with a large group (amount of people in numbers not size) of people from the weight loss world. Here is a picture of a few of us about to have surgery in the next few weeks. It is a before picture. We are going to try to take a few pictures over time to see how far we have come. I will also be taking solo pictures of my progresses to share

Look what I got!

2006-05-04T09:41:00.000-05:00

Here is the letter I got from Blue Cross Blue Shield. I am not sure why I am so excited about it. I already know that I am approved. I just though I would share.

I HATE WAITING part II

2006-05-03T13:08:00.000-05:00

OK so I am now back on the waiting merry go round. I have a surgery date and I am very excited about that but I want it come sooner! I just want to wake up tomorrow and be on my way to the hospital. I keep debating if I should give up pop when I run out or drink until I can no longer do so. If you all have any suggestion on how to pass the time or a way to make it go faster send them my way.

I have a date!!

2006-04-28T14:43:00.000-05:00

I got a date already! I was very surprised to get a date so soon when I just got approved yester day so let it be know to all my new life starts on JUNE 5th some time in the afternoon. In most cases I have found out that there is a 2 week liquid diet for the surgery. I was not looking forward to that. Well I guess that with the Regions Specialty Center there is only a 2 day liquid diet before surgery. Thank God! I will only have to be on liquids over the weekend before. I am so excited that I want to just go asleep and have June here already. Any suggestion to make the time go faster? I am hope to be able to attend more support groups between now and then so that I can get a better support group of people that have gone through the surgery. I realized I didn’t have much of one when I only had two people to call when I found out I was approved. I AM GOING TO BE A BIG LOOSER! Stay tuned for a survey for naming my new stomach.

I was approved!!!

2006-04-27T20:48:00.000-05:00

I was approved!!! To day is the day Blue Cross Blue Shield decided to let me go a head with the surgery. I call them this morning and then around 12:00pm. Another person I know that was waiting for approval that was submitted on the same day as mine got hers so I called again. I was still in a holding pattern of “Pending Approval“. I wanted to just keep calling every ½ hour to see if there was any change but I didn’t I went to lunch and keep working then I figured I would try one last time before the day ended. So I call just before 5:00pm. I guess 3rd time was a charm. The woman on the other end said “Your Approved” I let out a little squeak. The woman kind of giggled I think she knew that this met a lot to me. The door has now swung wide open on a new life. So now, I am back in a holding pattern waiting for a date for surgery. I tried calling the specialty center but they were closed but of course, I will be calling them early tomorrow. Please keep me in your prayers.

$0.50

2006-04-27T09:37:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I was granted the opportunity to go to lunch with my friend Bryan I just want everyone to hear about our day. Well the lunch started off under with the mission of going to lunch before I won’t be able to eat anymore. So we decided to go to Andy's Garage. We had good food and got caught up on life in true Brian fashion. After lunch we proceeded to go to Target as we passed over Snelling Avenue I pointed out that the McDonald’s expanded its store. Bryan was misguided in thinking that it was a new store. I informed him it had been there over 10 years. Well Bryan was missed informed and this is where the $0.50 comes in to the story. The bet was on. I called Justin to help me bring Bryan on to the right path but he was unavailable. We went along our way to Target. As we were leaving Target Bryan said I guess we will never find out who was right. I could not let that happen. I decide to go up to the police officer at the door of Target (we were in the hood target hence the police officer) as ask him to verify the McDonalds a few block up has been there for years. He said YES it has. After that Bryan up the money. Wow I sure have some strange lunches some times don’t I?

I called again.

2006-04-26T09:38:00.000-05:00

Last night I went to my first support group last night. I was nice because I don’t know anyone who has had the surgery. As I looked around the room I saw people in the past I would love to look like. I was reassuring to see these people and know they were where I was once and that I am not dreaming unrealistically. There were a lot of really cool people there and I can’t wait to get to know some of them better. I also called Blue Cross again yesterday. Every time I call them I ask for the guidelines for having the surgery approved just to make sure there is something I don’t know about that I need to do. So far I have jumped through all the hoops they want. I will be calling them back on Friday until then I will be keeping my fingers crossed.

I HATE waiting!!!

2006-04-25T14:49:00.000-05:00

Ok so I hate this waiting for the Blue Cross approval. As of April 20th, 2006 they have received my claim to have the surgery done. About time after all the hoops of fire I have to jump through to get to this point. I have been calling every two business days to make sure they got it then to see if it has been approved. . I do not to have any nerves about having the surgery done. I guess I am not nervous because I know I need to have it done. I guess I am more nervous about having insurance denied me than having it done.