Busy, Busy, Busy!

Christmas is just around the corner and I have barely anything done yet at this point! I did get some shopping for the kids completed but I still have quite a bit to finish. Luckily, I looove to shop especially when I have the money to do so and not worry about how I'm going to pay for everything. This 2nd job has allowed me that freedom and I'm actually not stressed about paying for Christmas this year. Do you know how good that feels?


Let me tell you a little story. Every year, I have an emotional breakdown in the Toys R Us parking lot come mid-December. Without fail, you can plan to see me in my car dry heaving with mascara running down my face. I always want to do so much for my kids. I know it's not necessary and they will be happy no matter what they get. It's myself putting the pressure on. I grew up really poor and, little known fact, but I'm the first person in my entire family (read grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, mother, father, etc) to graduate college. So, I have more means to provide than my family did. I think I want to do everything for my kids that I never had and sometimes I go overboard. There's probably a therapy session just waiting for me out there!

So for those of you who were confused about my job status (waves at Mary), hopefully this will clear it up. I have worked full time at the health department for 2 years. One of those years I was a school nurse which I loved but I had difficulty because school nurses are not paid during the summer and at that time I couldn't find alot of summer work around here so I switched to Healthy Start department, which is basically a program for at risk pregnant women. I grew to hate the job. Lots of referrals from Department of Children and Families for abuse, drugs, etc. I had to do home visits and most were in less desirable parts of town. I even had a man come at me one time and try to grab my name tag from around my neck. I just didn't feel safe in that job. So, I found out from a friend about a position in the nursery at the hospital. Nurses have the ability to work PRN shifts, which means as needed. I give the hospital my availability and I work when I want to make extra money. I'm required one shift per month but I can work above that. As a result of getting the nursery position, I was able to go back to school nursing! So, to break it down for you, I work full time as a school nurse and part time as a nursery nurse. Alot of explanation for something rather simple! *LOL*

Last night, I worked at the nursery and we were BUSY! It's 12 hour shifts over there and I ended up working about 14 hours during which I maybe sat for 1 hour tops to do my charting. In fact, while I was sleeping this afternoon, I got some really bad cramps in my legs. You know the type you get when you exercised really hard the day before? I'm thinking all this running around will be good for the weight loss!

Feeling Much Better About Everything

So I think I was freaking out way too much the other day about my Halloween candy binge! I got back on track Monday and actually weighed myself and I had only gained a pound. Thanks goodness for that 5 K! I will tell you one thing I love about being banded. I know that I will always have slip ups with food but with the band it's like a controlled slip. I don't gain 5 pounds when I overeat like I would have in the past. I need to learn to let it go when I make a mistake and just focus on being better the next day. I'm bad about beating myself up.

I haven't posted about this yet but I'm a little scared that I might be having gallbladder issues. I have problems with going from either constipation to diarrhea since being banded. It's so annoying. And then twice in the last month I've had these "episodes" where I will feel like I have to go to the bathroom shortly after eating something but I can't go. Then I broke out in a cold sweat and thought I was going to die with really bad pain in my stomach. It's almost like how you would describe dumping syndrome but that's very uncommon in banded people. At any rate, my doctor's ordered an u/s of my gallbladder. Just hoping I don't have to have another surgery!

I had my interview today at the hospital and it went really well. The hospitals have these things called peer interviews so first you interview with the manager of the unit and then if she/he likes you, you have to be interviewed by the other nurses who work there. It's a little nerve wracking. I have to go to that interview this weekend. I'm really hoping they like me because this would be so good for me financially. And I've decided that if I go get this job, I'm gonna reward myself with a gym membership. I know I said I couldn't go before but I think I will have the time and the money if this new gig works out. I felt so good on Halloween after the 5 k and it reminded me that exercise can be fun, especially when you have a partner to work out with =)

Going to the Hair Stylist and Other Musings

I'm off to get my hair done today. Don't you love going there? I'm such a girly girl and I live for these things. I'm slowly trying to go completely blond. Isn't funny how it seems like when girls lose weight they automatically go blonder? Maybe because blond screams look at me, I'm a hottie. I'll post pics when I take some later tonight. Here's a pic of what I eventually want my hair to look like.


In other news, I'm down another 2 pounds, well almost. I weighed in at 182.3 this morning. I'm really surprised because last weekend I went out with some coworkers and had one too many Martooni's. Alcohol is calorie loaded but somehow I managed to lose. I'm not complaining, but isn't it strange how some weeks you know you haven't been following the rules and you still lose while other weeks you keep your nose to the grindstone for nothing. Hmmm....

I still feel like I've lost some of my restriction so I called for a fill and the first available is next Friday. I love my doctor but I hate how busy the office is. If you call for a fill, it will be 2 weeks before you can get in. I guess that's what happens when you go to the best. I also have a job interview that day! I'm really nervous. I don't know if any of you go through this but whenever I'm thinking about leaving a job, I get really scared. Like what if this new place sucks even worse than where I'm at, what if no one likes me, what if I'm the dumbest one working there, etc. UGH, I have to work on my confidence. I really do hope I get the job. I need to make more money and this would be quite a raise for me.

Ok, off to the hair doctor!