Send Good Wishes to Barb Weimert

Ron said:

Barb,


I told Frank about the Coachman and I bet if you contact Phil he would like meeting you guys there for dinner some time if your up to it.

Please keep us posted on your travels.

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Ron:

Coachman--Barb's new healthy lifestyle. Let's see I remember the chicken fried steak, meatloaf, pasta, etc.  :

Ron said:

Barb,

I told Frank about the Coachman and I bet if you contact Phil he would like meeting you guys there for dinner some time if your up to it.

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Coachman is not on the heart healthy list but, Sizzler has a nice salad bar.

Phil

I love those cyber hugs.  Thanks for all the support and encouragement.  You have no idea how much it helps.  I slept very well with the new VPAP machine.  Which is a little bigger than a football.  I moved about the MH very well on fri, and had no nap.  Slept very well last nite.  So we're gonna try to go for a short walk outside this morning.

So with a little luck, knowing my limitations, some common sense, and lots of cyper hugs, I'm gonna get better.

I'm paying attention Jeff.

Now if I can stop wrapping the oxygen tubing around the base of the office chair.....................

Thanks so very much everyone

Barb

Good to have you back, Barb!

Barb said:

Now if I can stop wrapping the oxygen tubing around the base of the office chair.....................

Barb

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Barb:

A friend from Seattle who went through this called a CPAP sleeping with a snake. ;D

Jeff Cousins said:

Ron:

Coachman--Barb's new healthy lifestyle. Let's see I remember the chicken fried steak, meatloaf, pasta, etc.  :

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One has a choice at Coachman.  Sam has ordered salads there several times or chicken.  She thinks the salads are great.  I am sure a lot better than one will find at Sizzlers. ;D  I know the shrimp salad at Coachman is outstanding.

Sounds like, even in a remote area like Monument Valley, you can get health attention as readily as any big city

Daisy,  I wouldn't count on anything.  The first thing we did was call 911, and they gave us  incorrect  information. 

Thanks for the best wishes.  Improving better than we thought.  We're heading to Or, when we leave SLC.  Maybe we'll connect.

Barb

Guess I should have welcomed her to the "It's time to get healthy club"

Jeff and I and a few others now belong to the healthy club.  Out to dinner would be nice, I'm not strong enough for that.  And with all the bruising from the blood, and i v pokes, I look like a battered woman.  They would probably arrest Frank, my hero.

Just because there is Chicken on the menu, or a salad bar, doesn't mean healthy.  And shrimp is a definite no no, as well is most other salads at a salad bar for the healthy club.  I plan to be a member for a long time.

Improving, better than we thought.  Getting stronger every day.  Thanks to prayers, and cyber hugs from Framily.

Barb

Good to hear you are improving so well.  Don't let me or anybody else sway you from the healthy club stick with it.  We want you around for a long time. 

Okay, all you people who have to watch your food intake.  These days you CAN eat healthy at most places, including the Coachman.  It wasn't always as easy as it is now, but chefs have become much more aware of health issues.  In fact, I've noticed recently that several restaurants have notes in their menus to tell the server if you have allergies or other dietary restrictions.  BUT, you have to take the initiative.  Tell the server you want lemon wedges and olive oil instead of salad dressing.  Tell the server not to put butter on the table.  Avoid ordering fried foods; ask for substitutions.  If you do order an item that has a sauce, sometimes it easier just to tell the server to put it on the side.  That way you can avoid it entirely or just dip a few bites into it.  At buffets, ignore most of the the premixed salads and pile your plate with the raw veggies, then use lemons, olive oil, black pepper, and even salsa to spice it up.  Heck, if they can handle me with my allergies and lowfat preferences, they can handle those of you who need to eat heart healthy.  Many menus today have heart healthy designations for specific dishes and I've even seen them print heart healthy items in its own category.  So you will be able to eat out but YOU have to control what is put on your plate or on your table.  Jerry and I started healthy eating at least 25 years ago and it didn't take all that long to get used to it.  Butter was the hardest thing to give up, but now we prefer the taste of the breads and butter tastes too fatty (except for artichokes and lobsters which we seldom eat anyway).  Actually today we prefer food plain because now we taste individual foods rather than having them drenched in sauces.  Example, even before we pinpointed my garlic allergy I didn't like Shrimp Scampi because the garlic overwhelmed the taste of the shrimp which I adore.

So, Barb, maybe it's better to eat at home until you recover and adjust to your new dietary needs, but once you're feeling better there's no reason that you can't eat out.  It's like a diabetic who has to learn to avoid sugary foods.  It may seem difficult at first, but you will adjust.  Most recipes can be adjusted to be healthier.  For example, use two egg whites in place of one whole egg.  They'll have the same nutritional benefits but without the cholesterol and saturated fat.

In some respects I think it's easier for women to adjust their diets because they tend to be the cooks and are more aware of the ingredients of specific dishes.  If a man doesn't cook at all, he's less likely to know what's in a dish and therefore has a harder time avoiding the pitfalls.

Good luck!

ArdraF

The first step Sue did was to haul me to Sprouts Food Store in Surprise to choose all the Walden Farms no carb, no calorie dressings, sauces, catchup, veggie dips, fruit dips, and syrups  that I wanted to stock up on for awhile. These include quite a selection and have individual packs of cressings and syrups to take to restaurants.

Second thing was to stop my wine intake for awhile. ???

Ardra,

I left the hospital on a regular diet.  Whatever that means.  But we started a low fat, low Cholesterol food program 10 years ago, after Franks first Cholesterol test.  And have no problems with food choices eating in or out.  Even with food allergies. 

There's choices out there, and you are right, one has  to be responsible for what they eat.  I think I was basically trying to make the same point you are, I just didn't do it as well.

Arrive home on Thurs.  Walked 300 feet on Fri.  Walked 3000 feet on Monday.  I now have a portable oxygen tank.  Improving everyday.

Feeling Stronger
Barb

Barb said:

Walked 300 feet on Fri.  Walked 3000 feet on Monday.  I now have a portable oxygen tank.  Improving everyday.
Feeling Stronger

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Great news, Barb.

When will you be ready for a lunch at the Coachman?  How long will you be in SLC?

Phil

Barb,

That's great!  I can remember after some health issues where we measured my walking distance by the neighbors' house widths.  The first time I made it around the block was cause for celebration.  Nothing worth doing is easy. 

ArdraF

When will you be ready for a lunch at the Coachman?  How long will you be in SLC?

Phil,
We're here till Sat.  Frank said he'd give you a call.

Barb

Nothing worth doing is easy

Ardra,

You are so very right.  I have been stealing strength from reading this thread.  I have gained confidence, courage, and have challenged myself because of you, and all of framily.

Thanks so very much
Barb

Barb,

We are all pulling for you and we know you can and will do what they Doctors have said need to be done.  Keep up the good work.

Barb,

It's great to have goals when you're recovering from a nasty health problem.  Maybe next year you'll want to go on a hike with us - wherever we all end up!  We would love to have you along and it truly would be a celebration of your success.  Here's to long life and good health!

Cyber hugs,
ArdraF

Barb, Frank, Doris and Phil had lunch at the Coachman Salt Lake City.

How good to see Barb, oxygen and all. Oh, and Frank and Doris look pretty good, too. Don't know about Phil as he's not in the picture. I'm assuming that there was no "bad" food on the table??

Cyber hugs
Wendy
home in Cortez