Week 358 Update It was 5:39 AM when I stepped up on Mr. Scale and he said, "199.5 pounds!" The main Weight Commander graph this week shows that I am headed in the right direction, with the solid square trend heading towards my target range of 195 to 200.

The future graph really looks good this time around. It predicts that I will be below my old target weight of 185.0 by the time my lovely bride and I celebrate our 32nd anniversary. It is unlikely that I will be there at that time, but at least it is not showing an upwards trend!

Saturday I weighed in at 204.0 pounds, which was not where I wanted to be! But that had been a very trying week, as I had gone through my "sinus lift procedures" and I was in pain, taking pain meds, and completely knocked out by the process. This week I have still been in recovery from that surgery, but I am feeling a bit better, and just in time for our happy visit from our Jamie and Hunter!

I ate 39.5 points on Saturday and Sunday the scale dropped to 202.5 pounds. I had not had my dentures in since the preceding Tuesday (March 11) when I had the operation done, and so I was eating soft food only still.

Monday, I weighed 202.5 pounds. I was having some trouble with my stitches, and I went in to have the checked. My dentist decided it was time to take them out even though it was a day early. He felt I was healing exceptionally fast. So, a few minutes later I was stitch-free, and very happy about it! He felt that what was done to my gums and bone should not have altered the contours of my mouth, so my dentures should go right in. (As it turned out, he was right about the side of my mouth that he had worked on, but on the other side, the other dentist had packed in more material or something and my gum protruded out far too much for me to get my denture back in, but I didn't know that yet.)

I pulled out my cell phone when I got into the car and called up the prettiest girl I know and asked her if she would be willing to take a walk with me to Red Robin and have lunch. Dotti agreed right away and so when I got home I rushed back to the bathroom and grabbed my dentures and tried to put them in. No way! Not even close!

I was left scratching my head. Here I had just committed to taking my lovely girl on a date and I couldn't use my teeth. Well, I couldn't let her down! So, off we went anyway.

I hadn't done any walking since March 5th, and this was March 17th. I also had been flat on my back for a significant portion of a number of days after my "sinus lift procedures" and I was still convalescing really. I didn't carry a backpack and still, after walking the 1.1 miles to Red Robin I was very, very tired. I did carry a large umbrella that we have, which is sturdy enough to use as a walking stick in a pinch and I used it for that a few times along the way.

At Red Robin I had to find something I could eat without teeth. I ordered a smoothie that Dotti recommended as being very good, and she was right! I also tried a side order of fries to see if I could soften them up enough to eat. I knew if they came cooked right they would be soft and not crunchy at all, and then I would have a chance. As it turned out, I was lucky and could eat most of the fries and all of the smoothie.

Dotti and I then walked over to Borders for a bit of reading, and I had a couple of soft desserts while we were there. But by the end of the day I had only eaten 41.0 points, and I was within my limit.

After walking home, I was very tired and relaxed the rest of the evening.

Tuesday I was down a half-pound to 202.0 as the ibuprofen worked its way out of my system. It was cereal and milk, and Slim Fast for meals, and a smoothie for a snack. I only ate 23.0 points for the day.

Wednesday the scale took a drop to 199.5. I was still eating only soft stuff. I had arranged for an adjustment on my dentures for Thursday. Everything was still pretty sore and so I was not in a big hurry to get the dentures in, but we had Jamie and Hunter coming on Friday and I didn't want to run around the whole time they were with us without any teeth. So, I had to have a solution to this problem by Thursday.

I hadn't been very happy with how tired I had been on our walk to Red Robin and so I went out and walked around the block at our house, and the walk was just over a half mile in length. I was monitoring how I felt pretty closely and I didn't feel bad at all for that short walk. I was recovering slowly it appeared.

I was still eating only soft stuff and I held it to 33.0 points. But on Thursday morning I was back up to 201.5. Clearly the drop on Wednesday was a fluke, and a correction happened on Thursday.

While I was at the dentist getting my dentures fixed, Dotti had taken our van down to Les Schwab to have our studded snow tires removed, since the really cold weather had left already for our area. After I got my dentures I drove over to swap cars with Les Schwab, so they could pull the studded tires off our Honda too. And Dotti and I went off in the van, planning to return in a bit to pick up the Honda. We went to Red Robin once more to see if my dentures would work okay.

Food! Real food! Okay, I didn't go with anything too hard to chew. Chili and fries was all I had, but they were good! It was after 2 in the afternoon, so this was a combination lunch and dinner. When we got back to Les Schwab they weren't finished yet, and so Dotti and I walked over to Dairy Queen and had "a snack." Well, it came to 17.0 points but it was delicious. And at the end of the day, I had only eaten 46.0 points, and was within my limit, just barely.

Friday was the big day! I weighed 200.5, down a pound, and our special visitors were going to be on the way soon!

When Jamie called us from Spokane she said that it was snowing hard. Our temperature was well above freezing and so we were a bit surprised. So, I checked the traffic cams online for Spokane and found that the south end of town, where the airport is was nearly having a white out on some of the cameras. A camera to the north of town hardly showed any snow at all.

The really good news was that it was only around 8 AM and the temperature in Spokane was only 30° and it was predicted to get up to 46 for the day. So, even if there were going to be a delay, it would be a fairly short one. I thought the odds were pretty good of a take off on time, because Spokane handles snow all winter long, and often their temperatures are down close to zero. This was March snow that would melt quickly.

We were ready to go early. We had purchased a good car seat for our little grandson, so he could ride safely, and it was in the van and strapped in. We had room for their luggage and were eager for them to arrive.

After stopping at Starbucks for some coffee, we made our way to the airport and parked in the Short Term Parking lot. Dotti looks so pretty with her beautiful smile in full bloom. She, like I, was feeling the excitement as our Jamie and Hunter were about to arrive!

Naturally in our excitement, we arrived early. But that was okay as Dotti got to do some shopping in the gift shops they provide for that very purpose.

Soon our waiting was over and here they came past the security check point, with big smiles on. Hunter was walking really well (and running well too, I later learned) and talking up a storm. Jamie, as always was the perfect attentive mother, and a pleasure to have with us. Our house is brightened up every time she has visited us, and now Hunter has added his own wonderful sunshine that he carries with him everywhere. Dotti was reaching out and looking for her first of many hugs from our Grandson over the upcoming visit.

I had hit the flash one too many times for Hunter's liking and so he squinted his eyes closed as Grammy "Doe" smile in glee. The fun had begun!



Dotti took my camera and let me get in on the hugging too. Can you tell I was happy to see them?

Grampy Al soon found out that Hunter likes escalators, and so naturally we went up and down this one more than once. Hunter liked to walk on them himself too, especially on the way down.

Before long, after we had stopped for lunch at Sweet Tomatoes for lunch, and then made it home, Grammy Doe was reading a book to Hunter and showing him all the pictures in it.

It is going to be a great week I can tell already!!!

Even after stopping at Starbucks for coffee, and Sweet Tomatoes for lunch, I only ended up eating 36.0 points for the day on Friday, and so I dropped down to 199.5 for my weigh-in today.

I am sure the up coming week will be a challenge, but it will be a fun time I am sure!

6 years, 316 days on my journey; a lifetime to follow.

-Al-
6 '3" 239.5/199.5/197.5±2.5/BMI:24.64/WK- 358

Starting weight: 239.5       Target Weight Range: 195 lbs to 200 lbs