I can’t believe it’s been 13 days since I posted. Caught another cute baby and did tons of clean eating and exercise while in Shanghai.
Still on track, down 11 pounds!!!
Just spent two days in Hong Kong with my friend Alice…
And found a lovely running path this morning in Shenzhen…
Pleased with my progress!
How are your summer plans going!?
Ciao!
Eating strict Dukan, feeling groovy! Feeling very good about the diet and the exercise. I set a goal to do 25 miles by July 1st, I surpassed that this afternoon! It’s the 11th! Woot!!!
The support I’ve had for Tiffany from family and friends, local and afar, has been amazing. I feel so blessed. Tiffany is feeling overwhelmed by the generosity. A reply yesterday from her had me in tears… My love, Tiffany, you DO deserve the love and support of all these people. TIFF had her heel set and she’s now in a cast up to her knee, no weight bearing for 6 weeks. Hard with four kids, but she’ll be able to do it with continued support. She had pain relief initially we the cast, but now that her swelling is going down, she’s actually having pain again. The doc will put on a smaller cast Monday, to support it more.
And…. A baby. A lovely wee boy slipped into my hands yesterday afternoon. This is my 2nd of the two babies I came to China to assist earthside. I’ve said it a few thousand times and will continue saying, I am so blessed to be present and in service to families at their births. I came home, had dinner and did 5K, faster than I had in a long time (which is slow for most, but fast for me… At least I’m out there, lol). A birth high… Feels so good!
During this run I also restarted C25K because Jenni and Sadie are doing it (my oldest daughter and my granddaughter). They started yesterday, too. So when I get home, we’ll be up to speed with each other and can run together. We’re doing the virtual kilomathon together this month and a 5K near home together in September. Three generations running together… How cool is that?!?!
Another day in Shanghai. Went out on foot today while the sun was shining. Found a park nearby with an elevated walkway and a running path marked off in 25m increments. Pretty awesome!
Feeling like this today…
And this was my walk…
Breakfast: 2 fried eggs
Lunch: pork stir fry
Dinner: amazing burger (no bun) at Blue Frog with some veggies
Snack: FF Greek yogurt
And I finished reading Dan Brown’s Inferno. Lots to think about at the end of that book!
How was your week?
Ciao!
I’ve had a busy first few days in Shanghai getting settled in, meeting new people, finding the grocery stores, etc. I am staying with friends of the couple I am here to assist and they are all lovely. On Wednesday I got to hang out with the awesome kids at Amy’s house and then came back to the flat I am staying in and met a pretty awesome 5 1/2 year old… she thought I came to Shanghai to be a “wife” for Amy, too stinkin’ cute.
Day 4 Food:
Breakfast: 2 tea eggs
Lunch: salami (yes, I know that the fat is too high for Dukan, but it’s what was available, lol) and 2 ounces of low fat cheese
Dinner: Beef stir fry
Snack: FF Greek yogurt with flax seed
Water: 1300mL
Exercise: Walked around all day and didn’t calculate that, but did an intentional interval walk: 1.9 miles
View from the balcony of the flat I’m staying in. It’s been around 70 degrees and hazy since I got here Tuesday evening. The sun peeks through the haze every once in a while 🙂
Thursday was Day 5:
Breakfast: 2 fried eggs and a sausage link
Lunch: Iced coffee and FF Greek yogurt
Dinner: Cauliflower stir fried with ginger and spicy something!! Yum and some beef stir fry, as well. So yummy!
Snack: FF Greek yogurt
Water: 1500mL
Exercise: 2.2 interval walk + walking around all day.
I have my blue tooth keyboard hooked up to my iPad so typing is so much faster and easier!
It’s Friday afternoon here, just found out the Miami Heat lost to the Spurs… argh… they need to get it together!!! I’m off to explore the streets!
Ciao!
So here I am again 🙂 China, needing to lose weight, needing to exercise more. I’ve gained back 40 pounds of the 111 that I lost, IN 10 months! Many things contributed to this, but the bottom line is I lost my discipline and accountability. I continued to eat well this past year, but it’s so easy to eat out. A fractured foot on Labor Day also added some down time and on and on.
So I figure I’ll start over where it all began! A challenge by Tatjana over at No Heels Just Sneakers started June 1, as well.
I have no idea what I weigh. No scale here. I do know what I weighed when I left home 2 weeks ago and feel like I’ve lost weight already, which is awesome! Lots of walking here in China. I will see if I can pop into a clinic and get a weight. But I’m back on Dukan, I’m doing 5 days of attack, and I’m committed to walking a minimum of 1 mile a day.
Yesterday morning before my first walk of the day, holding my bib. I had it laminated so it would last:
And this is what I walked/ran (intervals of 60/30):
Food:
Breakfast: Tea Eggs x 2
Lunch: Pork and garlic stems
Dinner: Beef stir fry with red onion chunks and garlic stems
Snack: Yogurt with 1 Tbs flax seed meal
Water: 1500 mL throughout the day
So that’s Day 1. Feeling great. Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!
Ciao!
I’m back in China. This time for 6 weeks to be with two different birthing families. Baby number one was born this past Tuesday and he’s a keeper!
Yes, that’s a chip clip on his cord. Sometimes you have to improvise 😀
Wednesday my friend Alice and I met up with my personal assistant Rose from Guangzhou. She brought along Jack (yes, Jack and Rose) and they are now married! We went to Splendid China and had a splendid day!
We finished our day together with amazing, mouth numbing Hunan food!
Thursday Alice and I walked across the border to Hong Kong. Spent the day exploring and picking up things that Alice needed.
Last night I had dinner with Lotte, a midwife from Denmark. I wish our obstetrics were more like theirs! No competition for money = excellent care for women. The midwives take care of the 90% of women who have normal pregnancies and the OBs only take care of the complicated patients. Hmmm, what a concept. Their infant and maternal mortality rates are much better than ours. I wish we’d take the money out of medicine so all of us could receive better care!
I also signed up for a month long challenge (see yesterday’s post) and Tatjana sent me this very cool racing bib…
And last, but not least, not only am I going to do the month long Kilomathon, but I’m going to do strict Dukan every day the month of June. I’m committed, going to shed those pounds that creeped back on 🙂
So here’s to a wonderful June… You ready?!?!?
Ciao!
Well…. this decade was a roller coaster, for sure! Tomorrow at 11:11 p.m. I hit FANTABULOUS FIFTY! I’m super excited about this milestone.
My 40’s were crazy. Love, loss, travel (lots and lots), delivering babies on every continent except Antarctica, 3 of those years living in the Middle East and another whole year living in China.
Dukan weight loss, learned to run, 5Ks, new friends, renewed friendships, ended friendships. Grandbabies!!! 6 of them born in my 40’s!!!
I had a fabulous party on Saturday night. I am so blessed with amazing family and friends in my life…
Cynda and Me
Teri and Natalie
Me, Nick and my Mom
Mom, Me, Hope and Tiffany
Jenny, Eric and Aydan
Mom, Me and Lisa… My mom is a hoot!
Denny serenading us!
The gang!
Me and My 3 and the littlest grandbaby, Steele.
I’m truly blessed and can’t wait to see what the next decade has in store for me.
Bring it on, 50!!!
Ciao!
Wow… today marks 50 days until I reach 50 years of age. I am SUPER excited about this milestone. I know, you’re rolling your eyes, but I really am!
I am in better physical, emotional and spiritual health than I’ve ever been. And I feel great!
And I get to travel to catch really cute babies!
So join me on my count down! Tonights special… my first run since I broke my foot! WOO HOO!!!
Well thank you, Mona, for the kick in the butt to write a blog 🙂
Where to start? The radio show I talked about in my last blog was so much fun! I had nausea all day that day, for nothing! The hosts made me feel like we were sitting in a comfy den, chatting over coffee. If you missed it you can click here: Sandi on Maternally Yours radio
The first weekend in September I traveled to our nation’s capital to visit my friend Rana, her husband Mohammed and their son Azooz. They were here visiting from Abu Dhabi. So wonderful seeing Rana. She is like a sister to me and I cherish our friendship!
I can’t believe how big Azooz has gotten!
On Monday morning my dear friend Danielle came visiting!
We had a wonderful breakfast with Rana and then she dropped us off…
We visited The Mall, the Lincoln Memorial at one end, and the new Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial. We even saw President Obama when his helicopter flew just above our heads at the MLK Memorial.
Oh, and this happened first thing Monday morning! I didn’t let it prevent me from walking all over DC!
I just did this…
And continued on.
On Tuesday I spent about 5 hours walking around Arlington National Cemetery. What an amazing experience.
The servicemen and women in this section were born in the 80’s and 90’s very sobering. I found myself whispering, “thank you”, over and over.
Then it was time to fly home. Wednesday morning I drove to work and then went to my chiropractor Ian Schtulman’s office for an X-ray. Diagnosis… Fractured 5th metatarsal. That’s a fancy word for broken foot. So I am now wearing this gorgeous fashion accessory…
That night was girls night out… Nothing like hanging with the girlies! I met some new friends who are just as awesome as the old gang!
Friday brought me to the International Institute for Health Care Professionals where I have the honor to teach student midwives. I have to say its the highlight of my week… Here are some of my girls at lunch with me…
Saturday I was suppose to run the 9/11 Heroes Run, but broken foot wouldn’t allow me. So I got up early to support my friends who were running it and took pics!
Saturday night was my friend Lorie’s 50th birthday party… It was a wear all white party, which I thought was an awesome concept… Then I found out why…
Yes, that’s me, all did up!
I was spared the color fun due to my broken foot 😀
Sunday morning spent with family at Life Church Jensen Beach… The part of the week I really look forward to! I stopped for a sunrise coffee…
Sunday afternoon spent having a BBQ with my friends Ed and Elizabeth… Watched my Dolphins win their season opener and the Serena win the US Open… Phone call from midwife colleague Tammy to GO NOW to an address she texted me… She had three births going at the same time! What an honor to assist one of my former assistants and be present at beautiful beginnings…
This is me charting on the electronic medical record on my iPhone (technology rocks!!) and assisting the baby with breastfeeding at the same time 🙂
At midnight the birth workers, having been present at 5 births total this beautiful Sunday, gathered at the Irish pub for libations and to exchange birth stories… I love these beautiful women!
Poured down the rain on the 70 mile commute on Monday morning. Cranky from the rain or lack of sleep? Nope… Thankful for the busyness of my life and for the rain to nourish my space here on Earth. I was rewarded with this, just as I pulled into work…
Busy, busy week working all my jobs… Monday & Wednesday the Birth House, Tuesday & Thursday SLB Billing (my midwife billing service), also did a ton of paperwork to help a sister midwife get caught up. Thursday night, Life Groups (another highlight of my week), Friday teaching in Boca at the midwife college.
Wednesday, September 11 was my baby Tiffany’s 28th birthday. We also buried my Uncle Russell at the So. Florida Veteran’s Memorial Park. Uncle Russ was my mom’s little brother and Tiffany’s Godfather. He will be missed. He was quite the jokester!
And then off on another travel adventure to catch a baby in the Virgin Islands…
I missed baggage check in by TWO MINUTES, so had to change flight to 8 hours later… Not a big deal. Had a yummy breakfast…
And hung out in the Admirals Lounge for the day. Even got to watch my Dolphins win the 2nd game of the season! I “checked-in” on Four Square from the Admirals Lounge and American Airlines TWEETED about me on their Twitter account… How cool is that???
Ill post an update from St. John in a couple of days… Need to make breakfast and get ready for the beach 🙂 Here’s a couple teaser photos…
Sunset
View from the flat I’m staying in.
I hope everyone is having an amazing September!
Ciao!
It’s been 10 days of up and downs, but things are improving!
Last Sunday a bike ride after church and then a drive 70 miles north to Melborne to visit Nick in the hospital. Very sick, my boy 😦 He had surgery for this unknown infection in his left leg at 0700. Ask for prayers for healing… so many responses… THANK YOU!
Monday drive 70 miles south to job at the birth center. Call on my drive home, Nick being rushed back into surgery after spiking at 104.6 temp.
Tuesday drive 70 miles north to see Nick. Things not looking good. Surgeon says he may have to amputate to save Nick’s life. Lots and lots of prayer and healing energy, lots of emails and messages on facebook… my friends are AWESOME! Still no work on what this infection is.
Wednesday. Drive 70 miles south to birth center drive. In the late afternoon we’re told that it’s Group G strep… I’ve never heard of it. Conversation with my friend Julie so positive and full of light. Great suggestions! She also sends texts which I forward to Nick. I go to my Wednesday night bible study and everyone asks how Nick is… prayers said, uplifted by everyone’s spirit and positivity. Go to wifi cafe to read up on this G strep and it doesn’t look good. The first study I read 1 in 5 die. 2 of the 4 that survive have amputation. I decide to meditate on his leg and body being WHOLE. I went home, tucked Sydnie into bed and went for a 45 minute run… forgot to set the RunKeeper, but think it was about 3 miles total.
Thursday… NO IDEA WHAT I DID… LOL Oh wait! Tiffany and I ran the billing business all day… sheesh, I have NO BRAIN! Nick got his PICC line. That is an indwelling catheter in his subclavian artery so they don’t have to keep poking him for blood draws and resticking for IVs every 72 hours. Nick will be receiving long term antibiotics through this port for approximately a month.
Friday… Drive 80 miles to my college teaching job. Had a GREAT class. I really, really love teaching midwifery. LOVE IT. Then 10 miles north to the birth center to hook up with my girls and a 180 mile drive across the state to the west coast to see the mother of US midwifery Ina Mae Gaskin’s film premier and a meet and greet with her. Thank you boss lady, Miriam, for the trip… you’re the best… I still think the highlight of the trip was the stop at the TACO TRUCK in the middle of nowhere (South Bay) on the way over. FYI: I only ate the pork with the onions and cilantro… yum!!! Then 180 miles back to the birth center, where I spent the night, exhausted!
Saturday… Drive 70 miles north to home. Catch up on housework, saw the grandkids, did a nice bike ride. Nick improving. Doc cautiously optomistic. No temp over 100 for 3 days!!! Woo hoo!!!
Sunday… rode my bike to church 4.25 miles. Then rode it home, but took the long way…
Gorgeous day for a long bike ride!
My butt hurts, LOL. But it was a GORGEOUS ride! Lots of time to think and not think and just enjoy the wind in my hair. Nick update… surgeon says Nick is doing so well, he MIGHT go home this week! Last Tuesday he told him he’d be in hospital for at least 3 weeks! He will keep his PICC line in and continue on the long term antibiotics, but be at home. This is awesome news!
Monday… 70 mile drive to birth center job. It’s EARTH DAY and we’re celebrating. So much fun! Nick is still doing well and is waiting on news whether he gets to go home this week.
On the Dukan front… I’m eating very well, but my weight isn’t budging. I was starting to get VERY discouraged, but had a pep talk with myself. I know the Dukan Diet works… I mean everyone that follows this blog knows that. I also know that stress causes cortisol levels to rise, which makes it difficult to lose weight… I’m thinking my cortisol levels are through the roof this past week and a half 🙂 My weight is 164. I’ll take that, for now. I’m focusing on my boy and that’s what is important. I’ll just keep eating right and it’ll happen.
So that’s the update. Waiting on word on whether he is going home today. My mom and sis are on the way there now. I’ve been skyping him on days I can’t be there. And I am so grateful for the technology that we have!
Skyping with Nick
My bike… a gift for which I’m grateful 🙂
Ina Mae Gaskin at her movie premier.
So that’s my week… what have you been up to? How is your exercise and food choices going?
Ciao!
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