2 week post op....

Can you say puree baby?? Yep, we're at stage 3.

Went to my follow up doctor appointment and everything is great!  They have me down 19 lbs since the 3rd of the month (when I went on fluids). I'll take it!

I made a ricotta bake for my first mushy food...yummmy!! I can eat about 2 ounces of it.  LOL  That's right...it makes me soooooo full!  Even Dr Trieu was amazed the restriction was working that well so soon. ;)   My incisions are healing nicely...no more bandages or packing gauze...AND I can exercise to whatever my comfort level is...well, hopefully beyond my comfort level to get some changes going on.  ;)

Yes, that is a regular teaspoon you see in that cup. And that is as much as I can eat at one time. :)

I haven't seen a big drop this week in weight, BUT I have noticed some changes in measurements...as in I lost a half inch off my neck...I literally lost a chin!  I also lost 1.5 inches off my waist!! whoot!  I'm averaging between 375 and 450 a day for calories...but you ask, how is the protein and water going?  Well, protein is not too bad...I'm getting between 50 and 60g a day...however, water is still a struggle...I was explaining it today...you see I used to be hungry all the time...I'd be hungry and I'd tell myself...drink some water.  I was getting in over 100 oz easy...but now...I have no hunger...or at least not very often.  I have nothing to prompt me...I have to REMEMBER to drink! ugh!  So I've only been averaging about 64 oz.  That's not terrible, but it's not great either.  Another goal to work on.

Jay has been keeping me company the last couple nights on my walks and that is much more fun.  I can tell I'm not as hydrated because I'm not in a rush to get to the bathroom half way through!! ;p

I just started taking some vitamins...we'll see how that goes...so two to four weeks of mushy foods or until I can get at least half of my protein in from solids.  It will be a process given I can only eat such a small amount...but Dr. Trieu told me today if I need to do 5 or 6 small meals to do it he would much rather I do that then push the sleeve so we'll see!

How are you all doing?? Getting your water? How about some exercise?  It's starting to get colder, is that effecting your exercise?? How about the dark? I'm not liking that!!  Hoping that your week goes well!

Thanks for staying with me!

~Mikki

A week out...

Soooo....it's been a week since surgery and where am I?  Well, I'm down 11 lbs in that much time so that's great.,..that means I've lost 35 lbs since starting this!  People are starting to say they can see the difference in my face. :)  What? No more play-do face?   The hubby says he can feel the difference in the boobs and ass...and let's face it that will help my health even more than my face!

So down side?  Well, as I mentioned on Friday it has been really hard getting 60 g of protein and a minimum of 64 oz of water in.  Sunday was the first day I made those numbers and of course it caught up with me.  Sunday was my worst day.  Coming home from the hospital I was rolling along on the IVs that they pumped into me. I felt great for days.  Sunday...I just felt beat.  I was cold and tired.  I really pushed through trying to get all those fluids in.

Monday I had work for a half day.  I was still tired when I got up.  I thought I might pass out in the shower.  I had Jay come and get me after work because I didn't want to drive.  I came home and went to bed.  Got up around 5pm and felt soooo much better!  What changed?  I had the liquid and protein in me.  That's it.  I always drink better at work, as we know, and I figured out getting the half scoop of protein powder in the soups often enough... plus...I got to see the grandbabies...that always makes me feel better! ;)

I'm glad I had today off.  It let me get a good walk in (back up to 3 miles!) and get lots of rest!  Plus got to see the short people again! :)  Now if I can just keep this going through the next 3 work days all will be good! :)

Do I have any regrets?  Jay has asked me a couple times if I do.  No,  I don't.  I can eat about 3 ounces at a time.  Does food sound good? Yes.  Does food smell good? Yes.  Do I have an uncontrollable need to eat? NO.  After I have my 3 ounces. I am full.  Sooo full.  I'm pretty sure that I will eventually be able to eat almost anything and I will still only be able to eat a few bites.  I will enjoy those bites but I will then be full.  Can I get a hallelujah??  No, I don't have any regrets. :)
This is exactly what I wanted.

Thanks for staying with me...6 more days of liquids!

~Mikki

simply amazed

Hi guys.  I just ate breakfast.  Yep, all 2.5 oz of it.  HOLLA!!  You know that worry about not getting to drink right away?  Well, I know my meal was liquid, but I really could not drink another drop for at least a half hour! Holy Hanna!

Ok, for those of you who haven't been with me the whole time lets go back a bit....Monday, they took me back and had me change out of everything into one of their little gowns.  I got the sexy stockings and an IV.  They took blood, gave me a shot in my stomach, half a pill of Dramamine (that was gross) met the anesthesiologist and they let my family come back to see me for a bit.  Dr. Trieu came in and met the family.  He seemed all pumped to go.  They took my vitals for the first of a million times and got me one of those sweet blue hats to wear.  They gave me something that they said could just relax me or knock me out and wheeled me off...well, I must be a cheap date because about all I remember is rounding the corner,,

The next memory I have is of throwing up.  Of course there wasn't much, but I was going through the motions.  There were doctors and nurses around and finally they got me a med that helped hold back the nausea.  It took awhile I guess but I got there.  I don't remember much pain other than when I threw up.  I had a morphine drip that I could click but the nurses all commented that I didn't use it much.  Monday night into Tuesday morning the nausea came back...I thought it was because I wasn't keeping up with the pain so I tried clicking the morphine more...in hindsight, I think the morphine might have made the nausea worse.  The nurses were all very sweet to me and my only frustration was the foley catheter...it made me feel like I had to pee all the time!  Ok, so Tuesday morning the good news? that darn catheter came out!  The bad news? yeah dry heaving some more...more nausea meds to help with that.  Still not allowed to drink.

I think it was about 8am when then took me down for the sleeve x-ray.  I'd been walking some but they wheeled me down.  The x-ray machine was set up so I could just stand in front of it and see the computer screen as the image was taken. I took a sip of the liquid concoction they need to see go through...guess what??  yeah...that was not staying down..I actually heard the doctors watching the screen say "yeah, that's coming back up" while I was busy asking for a bucket.  Fortunately, they were able to get enough motion (up and down, I guess) that with the additional still shots they took Dr. Trieu was able to get a good look and he said the sleeve looked perfect!

Now, I could finally sip water...of course, when I did...yep, came right back up...but it got better.  They brought me broth and jello...the broth was good...jello was gross...I had broth and decaf tea for the rest of my meals.  They also were giving me antacid meds in my IV...you really don't want to lay down or it feels like a ton of acid hitting your stomach.  I got heparin through Wednesday as well,  The compression sleeves came off on Tuesday but the socks stayed on until my shower on Wednesday.  They put big pieces of plastic over my IV and my belly button to shower.. Dr. Trieu told me that he had put some gauze in there there would need to be repacked each time I change the bandage.  I think the nurse and I were expecting a much bigger piece but it was just a little thing. :)

I stopped throwing up by Wed morning and Dr. Trieu said that was very normal with a sleeve and he had expected it to be gone about 48 hours out.  So just like that!  I got the ok to go home!  ;)

Truthfully, Tuesday and Wednesday were mostly sleeping days.  I tried to walk some but I was really tired.  Thursday was a nice day.  I wanted to go for a ride in the sun...and I need to walk but be able to sit often...the best place?  The casino of course!! ;)  I even won $100!  I walked about a mile spending the afternoon there.  Got water to drink the whole time.  It's so weird not to think about food the whole time I was there.

Got home and made some protein soup and protein pudding.  Ate about 2.5 oz of soup and maybe 1 oz of pudding,..trying hard not to push the limits but it's very hard to adjust to how little I really need....and be FULL.

So maybe you noticed the one thing missing on Monday??  No one (that I saw) weighed me.  Of course I stepped on the scale before I left so I had a pre-surgery weight in my head.  Wednesday night I decided to step on our scale to see how much surgery weight I had gained...I mean they were pumping stuff into me for days...the fluid weight alone has got to be bad, right?  So I prepared myself for a gain......nope......I had lost a pound.  WOW.  So Thursday morning I stepped on again... I had lost another 1.5 lbs...as of this morning?  I've lost 6 lbs since Monday...that's right 29 lbs total since April!

It kind of floors me!  I know it happens fast but 6 lbs in 4 days! wow!  I could be in Onederland by this weekend!!  How amazing is that?? I could have dieted for months and not got here.  I have! LOL
I have not taken any pain med since I left the hospital...for one thing I got a taste of a liquid dose on Wednesday and let me tell you for as expensive as it is, they do not waste anything on taste!!
Jay bought me a great reading pillow that I sleep on to keep elevated and haven't had heartburn too bad...I will start those meds in a week or so.  9 days until my post op visit and I get cleared for pureed foods... I will say the only thing I've been craving is meat.  They said my blood work shows my iron level a little low so I guess that isn't a surprise.  I'll start vitamins at two weeks out too.

Water...this battle is starting over.  I got about 35oz in yesterday.  It's hard to get as much in when you need to drink slower.  BUT I will keep chipping away at it.  Gotta go walk....cause you know...little steps lead to big changes!!

Thanks for staying with me!

~ Mikki
.

this is definitely NOT the other side...yet...

Hi guys! Well, we did it! The big step...now it's getting through it and healing.

The pain is manageable...the pain wasn't really the problem.  It was the nausea...they had to try 3 types of nausea meds before they found one that worked.  In the meantime? Yeah I tried to throw up.  I do NOT like to throw up.  This is not today.  This is always.  It is my last recourse... I may have mentioned this before...and since I've had nothing but liquids for days?.... well, it was more just dry heaving.  Not a pleasant feeling when 80% of your stomach has been removed and you have a brand new staple line going the entire length of it.   That was the bad news.

The good news? The surgery went well.  I only have one little bandage over my belly button!!  Dr. Trieu said it went without a hitch.  I really don't have much pain (other than the dry heaving) of course that might be due to the morphine pump.  :)

The tag system that I thought was cool? well, it kept me in pre-op until recovery so I guess no one got to worry while I was in surgery. :)  The surgery was around a couple of hours...recovery not so quick.

Sorry if this is rambley...I'm on drugs you know... ;)

I have sexy compression socks on my legs and compression pumps there too that "massage" your leg to help prevent clots.  I did get two shots of heparin. One before surgery and one about 10 hours later. The catheter is the thing I dislike the most, but it will come out tomorrow morning.  My hands are too swollen to get my wedding band on, but my engagement ring is back where it belongs.

My throat feels like I am in the desert. I have a little sponge swob that I can wet and swirl around in my mouth.  It helps but not for long. Very glad I brought chap stick.   My daughter took pics of me...I said it was really sad that they make you come with no make up on so you look your worst! Oh well,  It's about getting healthy.

 I am so glad to be here and excited to move forward, but if anyone says that I chose "the easy way out" I may punch them in the throat. :)

This is gonna be short tonight guys.  Gotta head back to bed, but wanted to let everyone know I made it and how much I really appreciate all your support.

Thanks for following the ride.

~Mikki

"So Bring on the Rain"....

It's the last night with my "normal" stomach.  It's been almost 5 months since this little journey started...what have I learned?

Notables:

1. 22 lbs comes off a lot harder than it goes on.
2. I'm not really that much of a jello fan...
3. I'm going to make mistakes...and that's ok
4. I can now walk 3 miles without much of a problem, but if I want to walk much more than that I need to plan a route with a porta-potty.
5. I don't really care that much about bread, but 3 months later I still miss chips every single day.
6. I have wonderful, supportive friends and family which I love.
7. You can only prepare so much, and then you just gotta live it...
8. I am extremely grateful for the bariatric team I have, compared to some I've read about, I am lucky!
9. My thin, tan shorts are now baggy enough to not show the poke-a-dot undies under them.
10. oh! I now fit into the poke-a-dot undies! ;)
11. I moved into the middle line on my bra snaps.
12. I can bend down and tie my shoes without feeling like I'm going to pass out. ;)

I'm sure there are many, many more.  I may have mentioned some along the way.  :)

Going into tomorrow I really am excited to start this next new phase of my life. I don't think it's going to be easy...in fact, I'm pretty positive it's not.  This is not a magic bullet.  This will not changed head hunger.  This will not - by itself- change my attitude toward food.  I still have to do the work. Every day.

Every Single Day.

I think I'm ready.

Sometimes I'd like to hide away somewhere and lock the door
A single battle lost but not the war ('cause)

Tomorrow's another day
And I'm thirsty anyway
So bring on the rain

cause you know me...

I'm not gonna let it get me down
I'm not gonna cry
And I'm not gonna lose any sleep tonight ('cause)

Tomorrow's another day
And I am not afraid
So bring on the rain 

I'll see you all on the other side!  Thanks for coming with me everyone! Your support is amazing! 

xoxo

~Mikki

only I can change Me...

Hi guys!! What's shaking?  Oh yeah, protein in my shakes!!  3 more day of this diet! Then 1 day of clear liquids....that's it people!! That's what's left!!  Holy Smokes! It's so close now you can see it!!  So for those of you that don't know, I had my pre-op visit today.  Well, holy cow did they take some blood!! LOL  I guess Dr. Trieu likes to be very thorough.  First they asked me a lot of questions.  Then they took urine.  They did a pregnancy test and urinalysis...then the request came through for all the other tests... the lady who was going to draw a couple tubes of blood in pre-op decided this was beyond what she was pre-pared to do and called the lab and blood bank ladies to come help.  So first they tapped an artery...that's where they took the blood from for my CO test.  (came back excellent by the way) And then they hit a vein for no less than at least 9 tubes!  I kind of lost track, but I know there were at least that many...see what happens when you throw a wrench into the works!

Ordinarily you have blood work done 2 weeks prior to surgery and then have a bit more done at pre-op; because we had to put a rush on everything to get in by the 15th Dr Trieu combined it all in this visit.  I tend to give blood takers a hard time...remember the scope IV incident?   But I have to say these people were both excellent.  No pain really and got it first try...I don't even think I'll bruise much. ;)

Days 5-8 haven't been too bad on the liquid diet.  I've settled into a pattern and I'm getting about 600 calories a day.  I have been avg 70g of protein and under 50g of carbs...so pretty much ideal for weight loss.  Oh...that reminds me... I got weighed today.  On the big scale.  She took off two pounds for clothes.  That number?  It's 21 lbs less than when I started this little trip in April!!!  21 lbs....that's freaking 84 sticks of butter!!!!  :)   It means I've lost 4 pounds in a week.  Ok, I can deal with the liquid thing a little better now. ;)

I didn't quite hit 10,000 steps tonight (9,369) but I have several times this week and I just hit the 250 mile trophy on my fitbit.  Yeah, you read that right...all those little steps have amounted to 250 miles!! Who'd have thought??

I stopped and filled the prescriptions that Dr. Trieu had given me for after the surgery.  The stomach one wasn't bad...with insurance it was about $4, the liquid pain med?....$93!!!!!!!!! OucH!

Had to wait in line at the bank tonight so I didn't get to the town office before they closed...why the town office you ask? Well, it turns out that the advaced Directive needs to be notarized.  So that's now on my list to do tomorrow.  As well as picking up more cheddar soup...oh! the trick to the soup?  Heat your water separately...while that is heating up put your soup powder in a bowl and add an ounce or so of tap water to stir in and make a paste.  Now, when you add your hot water it doesn't clump. ;)  It is actually about my favorite thing.  I think because so many of these weight loss things are sweet...I like something savory for a change.  The broth has been a nice snack too...it doesn't have much value, but it's warm and salty and fills you up a bit.  The sugar free jello and Popsicles are fun, but I don't know how filling they're gonna be on Sunday when I can only do clear liquids...pray for Jay that day. ;)  Hopefully I'll be so busy thinking about getting ready for the next day it will just fly by.  

Alana has promised to post updates for those of you that follow along on my facebook page.  I will take my laptop with me and try to blog Monday after surgery if all goes well.    Keep me in your prayers guys.  If all goes well, I'll be on the other side soon. :)

Remember to keep hydrating and Squeeze your Butt!!

Thanks for following along!
~Mikki

Mad dogs and Englishmen....

Up to this point I've been doing my walking on the road around the neighborhood.  It has up and down hills and I can't really measure but try to push myself a little further each day and I know when I check my fitbit that I've worked up to about 3 miles a day.

Today I had a hair appointment at 10:30 so I decided to try walking the rail trail.  I started out at noon.  Yup! right in the mid day sun!  I learned all kinds of new things.  The trail is not really as flat as I thought it was... it takes me much longer than I thought to get into my comfort zone when I'm walking....and I really don't like it when I can see the measurements!!   It seemed much longer...I had to tell myself to stop watching for the  mile markers and just relax and enjoy the view.  About 1.25 miles in I begin to not struggle against it so much.  I knew it took awhile, but I was thinking it was about a half mile.

Today is day 3 of my liquid diet.  The first two days were not bad...I think riding the high from the news of getting the date...today was a little harder.

Day 1 I had about 600 calories, day two 845...so far today I'm at 630.  Tomorrow is supposed to be the worst day they say and I think I can agree.  I did mix up a cup of decaffeinated instant coffee and cooled it down to mix with the "New Directions" vanilla pudding from the bariatric center.  That was breakfast and it was pretty good.   I did eat my bar for lunch today because I was feeling like I needed something a "little more". Having tomato soup for dinner as I type this.  It is far superior to the cheddar broccoli from New Directions but it doesn't have the protein either.  There is always a trade off in life.

I took a little break from typing this because I got the call from my mum that she had to put down her beloved dog. Was a sad evening.

The good news, if there could be any from that, was I did burn some extra calories digging.

So tomorrow will be day 4.  8 more days.  Had a little hard time with emotion tonight.  Hunger can do that when you're upset I guess.  The excitement will return as we start getting closer.  I go for pre-op blood work on Wed. morning.  I won't know until Friday what time the surgery actually is on the following Monday.  I guess they want to keep the romance and surprise me. ;)

One thing about the liquid diet, I am totally hydrated!! When you can't eat it's easier to drink.  LOL  Did everyone else hydrate today?  This heat takes it out of you.

I did have a good surprise today...I'm now on the next to last hole available in my belt!! I have gone from the first to almost the last in a little more than 3 months! ;) I've lost 18lbs...I'd really like to think I could lose another 10 during the liquid diet.  That would be cool.  But, if I don't lose anything I'm still in good shape going into this surgery, so it's all good.

Hope you all have had a healthful day.  Thanks for staying with me.

OMG! OMG! OMG!

Sooooo.... remember when I said best case scenario I'd have my surgery in October???  WRONG!!!

I'm scheduled for surgery September 15th!!!!!!!  whoot! OMG!

No time for food funerals....no time to think about one last cheat.....no time to chicken out...I am ON liquids, baby!!!  That's right!  Dr. Trieu had an opening in his schedule and I've lost enough so he wasn't worried about me not having the full two weeks...

We made it happen people!!  AND! Get this...I've lost enough to lower my BMI to 38 so he is going to do the single incision sleeve....it goes through the belly button...sooooo....no scars!!!  How cool is that??  I didn't even know that was an option! He doesn't mention it ahead of time because not everyone can have it done that way.

I'm so excited!  I had to buy my bariatric food today since I couldn't eat the lunch I took to work! LOL

Ok, what else did I learn?

1. He will not take out my gallbladder since it is not having issues.  Only 30% of sleeve patients have any issues with their gallbladder and of those, only 10% have symptoms.  When you weigh that again the risks of a (currently) unnecessary addition to the surgery it makes sense that he doesn't want to mess with it.

2. I can have an MRI with no issues.

3. I will not set off airport security.  In fact, the staple line will not even show up on an x-ray.

4. I can not lift or do anything strenuous for two weeks.

5. I can take up to two weeks off from work but he will let me try to go back some after one week.

6. His weight/bmi goal was right in line with mine.

7. He will give me pain meds but not nausea meds unless I really need them.  He gave me the scripts to get filled for liquid pain med and liquid antacid.

8. I can not wear my bra into surgery.  He didn't come right out and say it but basically, the rule is so that if I code on the table they won't have to cut off a bra to revive me....he made a point to say that will not happen tho. :)

9. If I can remove my rings before surgery he would recommend it, if I can't they will tape them.  There shouldn't be enough swelling to have an issue but I can get them off so I will leave them with Jay until I wake up.

I was supposed to have blood work 4 weeks before surgery as well as the pre-op blood work...but I take no meds and am overall healthy so he said they could just do it all at the pre-op.

So, Diet...I can have protein shakes right up until the day before.  I can have their soups (New Direction weight control system) I chose Cheddar Broccoli. :)  I can have ONE of their protein bars...I chose Short bread cookie and chocolate peanut ;)  I also got their vanilla pudding that you can add flavors to and make a thicker shake out of.  I can also have broth, jello, tea, and decaffeinated coffee.

I'm gonna try and save the bar for at night to have something to chew.  10 more days of those kinds of liquid...then just clear liquids the day before.  Look! I'm already 3 days in and didn't even know it!! ;)

I'm a little sad they go by my weight today for all future statistics of pre-op.  But, I know what my original was so I'm totally counting that in my loss count!

I might be a little closer to feeling like it's real now!  I'll be back on my feet and able to go into the hot tub by Halloween!!  (Can't go in for a month)

Today totally surpassed my expectations.  Too bad I can't celebrate with a glass of wine, right??  LOL  oh well!  I think it's probably a good thing that I'm thrown right in.  I can celebrate by walking an extra lap!

Thanks for sticking with me!!  AND thank you for all your support!

~Mikki

uhm...so I cheated today...

No, really, I did.  Not in a oh I didn't plan to eat that many carbs kind of way...in a 4x oh no! kind of way...but let me explain...

We took our daughter back to college today.  She's the youngest and this is her second year so she was very excited to have her own dorm room....and had two car loads of stuff to fill it up.  It's a 3 hour drive (one way) to get there, so I was up early this morning.  I know what you're thinking, but no, I did eat breakfast...4 oz of protein.  I also drank a 20oz bottle of water...and poured another bottle to take with me on the road....but I did have two cups of coffee (#1)---- this caused a pit stop in the woods because there is no way that 40oz of water and two cups of coffee make it 3 hours in my bladder...just is not happening.  We got to campus about 12:30 and started unloading.  Of course, once we got unloaded we realized that Jas needed every piece of furniture in the room moved.  Seriously.  Why we didn't realize this when we checked the room before we unloaded is one of life's little mysteries.  Why did she need to move it?  Because the way it was set up her head would have been at either the window or the door.  Now, every conspiracy theorist knows that in a new place you put your back to the wall.  You just do.  I'm betting the stuffed caterpillar is between her and that door tonight too.  ;)  Did I mention it was hot?  Not just hot, but they were expecting thunder storm- muggy- hot.  By the time we moved all of the furniture and about all of her belongs a time or two, my hubby was literally dripping.  So, being the good wife I am, I sent him off to get a drink and find a place to smoke...the campus in non-smoking which is great,  unless you happen to be married to a very hot, smoker...so he happily agreed to go off while we started unpacking...it's now going on 1:30 or so...

It didn't get less hot.  Just sayin'... so.... a little while later I look up and my wonderful hubby is walking back in....he's carrying a cardboard McDonald's cup carrier.  In which, he has 3 ice cold cokes and 3 hot fudge sundaes.   This is one of the reasons I married him.  :)  So I drank soda (#2) through a STRAW (#3) and had ice cream for lunch...now, I think I should get partial credit for this one because I did eat all 3 packets of nuts on my sundae and that should count for some protein...but then again, it was mixed in- so not first...oh alright! (#4)! Damn!  I cheated!!

Well, that could be how the story ends...but on the way home, I stopped and got another 20oz of water...and when we got home...I really didn't want to walk.  I mean 6 hours in a car?  My back was killing me and my legs were all swollen.  But you know what?  That is exactly why I needed to walk.  Being  fat  plump is exactly why my legs swell and my back hurts.  And I'm gonna stay fat plump unless I keep my ass moving.  So off I went on my walk while my loving hubby fixed me some protein for dinner.

My little lesson for myself today?  I'm human.  That soda and ice cream really tasted like heaven in that moment.  Do I need to prepare better for the 3 months after surgery? Yes!  Am I proud of myself for getting right back on track? Yes!  Not long ago I would have said "oh, I blew it for today anyway lets get junk".  And then I would have sat and ate the junk without moving (except to pee).  But today I was better.  Not good, or I wouldn't have cheated, but better.

I know I will not be perfect on this journey.  Maybe you find it hard to be perfect too?  All I can do is do better.  Better than I've done in the past.  Better than I did 5 minutes ago.  Small steps.  I'm now down 17lbs over all and an inch off my waist and an inch off my hips, which lets me get into pants I couldn't get into at the beginning of the summer. :)  Small steps.

People have been asking me if I'm starting to get scared about the surgery.  Not really.  I am starting to get a bit nervous about the two week liquid diet.  I am so hoping that I can nail that.  Not only so that I can say I did, but so that my liver will shrink and help make the surgery as easy and successful as it can be.

I'm still feeling dehydrated from today...brings it home that all you folks in the tropics need to keep the fluids going! :)  Here's to you! Keep that water going!  Cheers!

Thanks for being here for me!

~Mikki