All clear

I'm feeling fully recovered now apart from slight wheeziness, like I don't have full lung capacity back. Otherwise good. 

I had a mammogram last year that showed a dubious shadowy area, today I had the follow up with an ultrasound and it was just overlapping breast tissue so I got the all-clear which is awesome. I wasn't super worried but I was a little bit, after all my mother did die of breast cancer - considerably older than I am now. I'm still waiting to have my colonoscopy scheduled, it's been a couple of months since I put in the forms but obviously hospitals are a bit busy at the moment. 

I celebrated my all-clear with KFC and cake. Not really ideal. I'm really struggling to get back into a weight-loss mindset. At least I walked half an hour today (in the rain!) because I refuse to pay the ridiculous hospital parking fees and unrestricted street parking was quite a long way away. 

Birthday girl

Thursday:

As usual, the menu and daily activities were entirely chosen by the birthday person. I'll say up-front that I do not put responsibility for what I eat on my daughter - totally my choice to indulge today!

We started with presents in the big bed, then I made French toast with raspberries. Big doses of carbohydrate seem to affect me more and more these days, and two slices of sourdough bread (which doesn't sound that much to me, that's just the same as a sandwich) soaked in egg, cream and sugar etc left me feeling overfull, bloated and sleepy for hours. I am not planning to completely ban any food as that seems to put me into a panicky fear-of-deprivation mode, but I feel much better if I eat smaller amounts of wheat-based products and sugar. So breakfast was a (daughter's) birthday indulgence. Even so, I don't really want an indulgence that makes me feel like that! Still, I don't regret it - I enjoyed eating it and I am done with regrets over insignificant little choices like that.

The rest of the morning was filled with utilizing the various presents. We listened to the soundtrack from "Frozen", the kids watched "The Croods" and "Despicable Me 2" (yes, two movies in one morning!) and played with the various little girly toys like Littlest Pet Shop miniature animals that she is collecting. She had 21 before today and I must have got her another five or six.

We've tried not to be gender-biased in the treatment of our kids, presents we give them or activities we suggest for them, but it has just turned out that Jasmine is a very girly girl (I wasn't) and Aiden is a boyish boy. They were just born that way.

Then into the city (such as it is, Canberra has a population of around 350,000 so the "city" is just the biggest collection of shops) to pick up Tim from work and have lunch at our favourite Chinese restaurant. The Shan Tung chicken can vary a lot in amount of chilli, today it was super hot. But very tasty.

After dropping Tim back at work we went to uni so I could return my borrowed Biology textbook. I had read the first four chapters, I haven't done any Science for 25 years and I can see it is going to be very challenging. A lot to learn. Maybe it's a good thing I will only be able to fit in three subjects this term instead of four, don't want to overtax the aging brain. While we were there I bought my Chemistry and Nutrition textbooks and I've started reading the Nutrition one. Fascinating stuff already. I can see I am really going to enjoy the core of this course. I'll keep you posted on things I learn.

It was really hot again outside and just walking back to the car with two very heavy textbooks was tiring. Back home to relax for the afternoon, with Jasmine creating some glow in the dark stickers, then her favourite lasagne for dinner and ice cream for dessert. And then watering the garden with daddy which seemed to get more water on them than the plants.

I think my little girl had a good day.

I had some great news, my mammogram came back clear. I hadn't really been worrying about it, but it's good to know.

Mammogram

Wednesday:

Today I had my first mammogram. I'd been meaning to have one for a couple of years, and of course mum being diagnosed with breast cancer made it more urgent. When I asked her about them she said she'd had one once, years ago, but it was so horrible she never had another one!

Sure it was pretty uncomfortable, enough to bring a tear to my eye. I would rate it about the same as having my blood pressure done, which I hate. I've often wondered if those would hurt so much if I had strong muscular arms instead of wobbly fat ones. The squeezing! The pinching! Anyway, having your bosoms squished flat isn't at all pleasant, but not bad enough to avoid, considering the risks. I can grit my teeth for 10 or 15 seconds (4 times). I'm much more likely to put off going to the dentist.

Tim looked after the kids while I was there then took the car and we came home from the city by bus, which the kids found quite exciting - especially as we got a bendy bus which is like two busses stuck together end to end with an accordion bit in the middle so it can get around corners. There were never more than about six people on it, including the three of us, so it seemed a bit wasted. Presumably it is good for peak hour services.

It's a super stinky hot day so once home, especially without the car, we didn't go out again. I read my last short story for the Award (now I have to duke it out with the other judges to pick a winner), lunch, nap on the lounge under the air conditioner, folded a couple of baskets of clean clothes, watched some TV, made dinner. Slow day.

Breakfast: two nectarines
Snack: cream cheese on crackers, tea
Lunch: Caesar salad (awesome)
Snack: cup of tea
Dinner: T-bone steak, corn, salad
Snack: mini ice cream cone

Calories: 1408
Exercise: 10 mins walking
Water: six glasses (but should drink at least one more before bedtime)

Today was a good day. This afternoon I watched a show detailed the most amazing transformations of past Biggest Loser contestants (the new season starts on Sunday, love that show, very excited). Not just their physical change and makeover, but the change in their mental attitude. Afterwards I was making dinner and smiling to myself, feeling very happy. I love seeing people change their lives and realise that they are strong loveable people after all - and that they always were.