Countdown To The “Big Weekend”

Earlier this week when the calendar turned to September my wife and I began the countdown to the biggest weekend of the year for our family. It involves 3 big events that are all happening concurrently during the 2nd week of October.

On October 11 our 27 year old son and his fiancé will be getting married in Nashville.

Our 20 year old son will be coming home “on leave” from Iraq. He’s been there since April. He’ll be here in time for the wedding and be staying about 2 weeks.

My two sisters, brothers in law, youngest niece, and only nephew will be coming down from Pennsylvania to visit and to attend the wedding.

The “soon to be” newlyweds have been engaged since Christmas ’05 so we’ve been waiting for them to start their new lives together for a few years now.

Our soldier in Iraq has recently started “conversing” with both his mom and me on AOL instant messenger. He’s been telling us both how much he misses home. He’s really looking forward to getting back home; even if it’s just for a visit.

Ever since I’ve lived in Kentucky my family and I have been exchanging visits to each other every other year. Last year I went and stayed with them for a week in June. This year they decided to hold off their summer vacation in order to coordinate their visit with my son’s wedding.

I’m excited about seeing my sisters for a couple of reasons. My younger sister had gastric bypass surgery this past February. She’s lost close to 100 pounds. I can’t wait to see how good she looks.

My other sister had knee replacement surgery in May and is able to get around much better now. I can’t wait to witness her new mobility. Perhaps even take a walk with her.

While these are all exciting events and we have been anticipating them since the beginning of the year it’s hard to believe they are just around the corner. So as of today I want to “officially” begin the countdown. Since all the events are subsequent to the wedding I’m going to use the date of the wedding as end of the countdown. We now have just 33 days left before it all happens.

Scale Mystery Solved

Well what seemed to be a big problem (no pun intended) just 3 short days ago is now resolved. The number I needed to know, my weight, is no longer a mystery.

I had an appointment with a dietitian this past Thursday afternoon. Her name was Sarah. We had some good discussion about diets and nutrition. I told her my story about going to the hospital to find a scale. She then told me that the scale in her office would be able to weigh me. I got on it and had my number.

Before I left her office I also had a new weight loss diet plan and guidelines for better nutrition. She set my daily caloric intake at a level that would have me losing a pound a week. I told her that I could very easily cut another 500 calories a day and shoot for the goal of 2 pounds a week.

Of course this means I have to stop eating all the cookies, cakes, candy bars, and other sweet things I’ve been indulging in over the last 2 years. I guess that means anyone with Wendy’s or McDonald’s stock should sell because their Frosty and McFlurry sales are going to plummet.

Friday, I received my new bathroom scale from the Living XL catalog. The UPS shipping time was a lot quicker than I had expected. It’s a very nice scale and works very well. It talks. At first I didn’t think I’d like the voice feature and planned on disabling it off even before I used it. But hearing the number is rather convenient for me. I’ll use the scale to track my weight over the next month. Also I’ll take it with me when I go back to the doctor in October so I can weigh in at his office.

Now as far as starting the new diet plan is concerned. Next week my wife goes to see her doctor to get her 6 month weight loss effort started. She’ll also have to go see the same dietitian I did. I’m going to wait until she does that so we can start our new diets together. Besides next week is my birthday and I want to have some cake.

But it looks like all things are in place now for me to start down the road that will lead to lap band surgery. Along the way I will focus on developing good attitudes and habits when it comes to eating.

A lot of it will come from the renewing of my heart and how I look at my life. I must always consider myself a living sacrifice to The Lord. I must work to get and keep my body and my spirit in the condition they are most useful to Him and the work He wants to do through me. I must depend on the Holy Spirit to help me.

It is only with that kind of faith and those principals that I will be successful in finally losing weight and becoming a healthy person for the first time in my adult life. Please pray for both my wife and me. We’re going to need it.

Miss Maher Makes Top 40 Appearance On AGT

My favorite act on America’s Got Talent made her 3rd appearance on the hit NBC show this past Wednesday night. Four year old Kaitlyn Maher (pictured on the right) sang the song “What A Wonderful World.” While her vocal performance was not perfect (I would have had her sing the ending differently) but her confidence and charm continued to impress. Both the audience and the judges loved her once again.

I was a little concerned when for the first time in the competition I saw the youngster just a little uncomfortable on stage. During the judges’ review of her performance she really didn’t know how to respond to their comments answering only a nervous “yes.” several times. It’s just evidence that she’s at her best on stage when she’s doing what she loves: singing.

Kaitlyn will only advance in the competition if viewers called in or voted for her online during the 2 hours after Wednesday night’s broadcast. It may be too late for you to put your support behind her for the show but you can visit her “My Space” page:
http://www.myspace.com/kaitlynmaher. You can also see her performances online at http://www.nbc.com/, clicking on "shows" at the top of the page and then on "America's Got Talent."

We now have to wait until next Tuesday to find out the results of America’s vote to know if our favorite four year old singer is going on to the top 20 of AGT. I’m rather certain that she’s going to advance but she's not going to win. However she may get a lot farther than anyone thinks she will. Like I wrote back in June; I’d hate to be the one to have to tell that little girl she’s come up short in the voting and that she was going home. I believe even Piers Morgan, the “mean” judge would have trouble with that one.

“Deal or No Deal” Gives Away A Million

It’s a unique feeling to sit in your living room and watch someone live out a dream you once tried for yourself. I did that this week.

On May 1, 2007 I went to Indianapolis to audition for the show “Deal or No Deal.” Believe it or not I went with the pastor of my church. We arrived at 3:30 in the morning and got in line at a car dealership behind at least 2000 people. We ended up waiting about 18 hours before we got to audition. Even then we only got 20 seconds to impress the staff member. Needless to say we didn’t get chosen to be on the show.

Now ever since that experience I continued to watch the show. At the end of the 3rd season despite NBC”s efforts to make it as easy as possible (with as many as 13 out of 26 cases in one game holding the $1 million prize) no one won the big prize. The problem was that no contestant stayed in the game long enough to win the million. If they did stay in until the end they didn’t have the top prize.

My opinion was that no one was going to stay in the game for a 50/50 chance to win a million dollars if they were offered $400 or $500 thousand as a guarantee. That’s a lot of money and normal everyday people like they have as contestants just won’t turn down that kind of money.

This past Monday night, September 1, on the 2nd show of its 4th season “Deal or No Deal” found a contestant who was willing to take an “all or nothing” risk. Actually it was a $200,000 or a million dollar risk.

The contestant was Jessica Robinson. An expectant mother originally from Texas who wanted to move back there ( I forget where she was living at the time of the show) so her baby boy could be born in her home state. She ended up with the final 2 cases in her game holding either $200 thousand and a million. She was offered over $500,000 by the banker as the last offer but decided that the consolation prize of $200,000 would still help her family get started in Texas. So she took the risk and won the show’s big prize.

I’ve auditioned for two TV game shows: The syndicated version of “Who wants to be a Millionaire” and “Deal or No Deal.” I didn’t make it onto either of those shows. Although it has happened 3 times I have never seen anyone win the million on the syndicated version of “Millionaire.” I did see the one an only big winner on “Deal or No Deal.” I must admit it stirs up some interesting feelings to see someone do something you were hoping to do.

But I guess that brings up the issue of trusting in God’s sovereignty in your life. Doing what He wants you to do and having faith that he will work it out for his purposes. As a born again Christian I have to believe that what God wants for me is best for me. Looking at other people and what happens to them should not be an issue. The Bible clearly states that learning to be content with the blessings God has given you and where he leads you in life is an important aspect of following Christ.

To some of you it might seem like a long jump from wanting to be a winner on Deal or No Deal to accepting God’s sovereignty. But for me it’s lesson that teaches me that I should always put total faith in God whether he blesses me with a million dollars or not.

A Simple Problem Becomes A Complex Issue

As I wrote yesterday I went to see my doctor to start a supervised weight loss effort on the way to getting gastric lap band surgery. Although it's an aspect of any doctor visit; getting on the scale and finding out my present weight was very important during this visit. This proved to be a problem for me.

The balance scale in my doctor's office could not accurately measure my weight. I am not very proud to have to admit that what I weigh is beyond their scale's measurement capacity but it's a fact. Because a starting weight record is necessary to track my weight loss effort getting weighed was a key action in the purpose for my visit. I told the nurse and subsequently the doctor that I knew of a place where I could go to get weighed accurately. I would have to get a nurse or physician's assistant to write the number down and sign it so I have "official" documentation for my insurance company.

I left the office and went to the local immediate care clinic because that was where I had gotten weighed in the past. After some explaining they allowed me to step on their digital scale. The problems was that scale couldn't weigh me either.

Having not considered the possibility that the clinic wouldn't be able to help me I was confounded about where to go to get the all important initial record I needed. I was close to a local hospital so I decided to try the out patient surgery department. I was pretty sure they could help me. I'd stepped on scales in that hospital before while visiting some one there. I simply planned on going into the department, ask to step on their scale, get the record documented and leaving. It wasn't that easy by any means.

The woman at the out patient registration desk told me that they would need an order from my doctor to do what I asked. I called my doctor and had the nurse fax over an order requesting 6 once a month weigh ins. Upon receiving the order I was sent to out patient registration. The clerk there was very nice and reassuring. She got on the phone and began trying to find out 2 things. The first was whether there was a scale that would weigh me correctly. Second what kind of billing was going to have to be done for this service.

The first question was answered rather quickly. After only a couple of phone calls a scale was found. The next 30 minutes was spent waiting for an answer as to how I should be charged for the service. The clerk advised me that whatever the answer to the billing problem would be my insurance company would probably not pay for it.

Soon I realized that the people in this hospital while they may have been willing to just help me were bound by the procedures of the hospital. I couldn't believe what a problem the simple thing I was asking for was for the hospital staff. Nothing is free especially in the world of health care.

As I sat there waiting for an answer my mind began to speculate what the cost might turn out to be. I calculated a minimal charge of $50 per visit over the next 6 months. I thought that to be a reasonable assumption because the services of a nurse or hospital worker and use of the facilities would be involved. That's a total of $300. $300 just to get weighed!

Now no one is to blame for my situation than me. If I wasn't the weight I am I wouldn't have the problem with the scales. But I considered charging me for this simple service was taking advantage of someone who was trying to help himself.

A few months ago I got a catalog in the mail called "XL Living." It was full of merchandise made especially for people who are living their lives as an "extra large" person. In that catalog were bathroom scales that had a higher than usual weight capacity. I didn't remember the price of these scales but I was sure it was a lot less than $300.

I decided that I would order the scale and just take it with me whenever I go to the doctor or need to get weighed. I got up from my chair and thanked the registration clerk for her time and help. I told her I was going to take care of the issue another way.

On my way out of the hospital as I walked through the out patient surgery waiting room I ironically saw at least 2 people who, from my visual estimate, would be in the same situation as I was should they need to know their weight.

The problem of people being overweight to the point of obesity is the topic of continual conversation in today's media. It is a fact that the percentage of people who are excessively overweight is higher today than ever before. Three of the health care facilities I went to: a private practice, an urgent care clinic, and a hospital did not have the capacity for dealing with something as simple as finding the weight of someone over 350 pounds. That's amazing to me.

Anyway, I came home, got online, and purchased a scale that will allow me to weigh myself whenever I need or want to. I'm thankful that I found a solution to this very frustrating problem for myself for about 67% less than I would have paid at the hospital.

It was an interesting adventure in the world of health care. I can only conclude that this experience is just another fortification of the reasons to keep working on getting my weight under control and becoming healthier.

The Start of A Hopeful Journey

Today I went to see my doctor for the first time in about 2 years. I've been to the Urgent Care center in the area a couple of times during that time period but hadn't been to see primary care physician.

The reason for this visit was rather humbling. I was there to seek his help and assistance in initiating my effort to under go surgery for the placement of the lap band device so I can lose weight. When I saw him three years ago he suggested bariatric surgery then. I very strongly rejected the suggestion. I still believed at the time that I could follow a conventional diet and lose what I needed to lose. I did manage to lose 80 pounds on the LA Weight Loss diet in 2006. But like most people I gained that all back and more. Over the last 6 months or so I've come to realize that I needed to take more drastic measures to lose and control my weight. The lap band surgery is the only means I can deal with.

A visit to my PCP was the first step in fulfilling the requirements to get my medical insurance to approve my surgery. Documentation of 6 months of physician supervised weight loss effort is the key requirement. At one point during my visit with the doctor I began to refer to the path to insurance approval as "jumping through hoops."

The doctor was very supportive and he set everything in motion for me including an appointment with a dietitian to start a weight loss plan. There was only one "fly in the ointment" that would prove to be a lot bigger issue than I ever anticipated. More about that in tomorrow's post.

While waiting for the doctor in the examination room I began to review the paperwork I need to have filled out over the next 6 months and beyond and the things I have to do. I became very frustrated. The idea to just give up because this was just too much effort and would never work out came into my mind a couple of times but I resisted it.

I am certain that a serious effort and eventual success in losing weight and keeping it off is the path that God wants me to take. Not only does it involve physical means to stop overeating and being glutonous but it involves a spiritual aspcect as well. Overeating and gaining excess weight is a sin. It keeps me from my relationship with God and what he wants me to do for him over the course of my life.

Knowing that keeps me encouraged. Although it may be frustrating and require time and patients I must be faithful to God's Will for my life. No matter how difficult it may be. That brings me back to the "fly in the ointment" I mentioned earlier. Come back tomorrow and I'll tell you a very interesting story about trying to find out what I weigh now.

Jerry Lewis Telethon: A Labor Day Tradition

When I was a kid growing up in New Jersey Labor day meant a couple of things: A picnic with family & friends, school would be starting soon, and the Jerry Lewis MDA telethon. The one that holds a place in my heart to this day is the MDA telethon.

The 21 1/2 broadcast was a "must see" institution around my house. My parents would make sure they watched the beginning before going to bed on Sunday night. When the TV was turned on Labor Day morning it would stay tuned to watch Jerry & "his kids" all day long.

About 5:45 or so the entire family and anyone else who was at our house for a picnic would start to gather in front of the TV in anticipation of the telethon's final minutes.

While the entire program was filled with touching moments and great entertainment the last 45 minutes were usually the best. Jerry would bring out onto the stage one final time the MDA poster child to make an appeal to the public for help. This was where you could witness for yourself Jerry's love for "his kids" through his relationship with this one child. It was always a touching moment.

It was during this time that the marquee guest would perform. Some years it was Frank Sinatra, others it was Sammy Davis Jr. In 1976 it was Dean Martin. The comedy team had their first face-to-face reunion in 2o years; a now infamous moment in television history.

Not only did the quality of the entertainment go up near the end of the program. The donations to the MDA usually skyrocketed. Many times in those last 45 minutes announcer Ed McMahon had to interupt Jerry to allow the drums to usher in the changing of the numbers to reveal a new, and often record breaking, number on the infamous "tote" board. At times the ensuing celebration, confetti and all, rivaled New Year's Eve in Times Square.

Finally as it came closer to the end of the broadcast, with about 5 minutes to go, the ballroom of which ever Las Vegas hotel it originated from became quite. It was time for Jerry to close the show. He usually spent 2 minutes summing up the efforts of all who had participated and expressing his gratitude to his viewers. Then the lights went down, Jerry took center stage sitting on a wooden stool in just a single spotlight. He closed the show with a voice shaking with emotion as he sang the song "You'll Never Walk Alone." It was always so sincere just writing about it now brings a tear to my eye. It was a moment we all enjoyed sharing as a family every year.

Since moving to Kentucky 9 years ago watching the MDA telethon has become less of a tradition. My Kentucky family doesn't seem to have the same sense of awe about the telethon that we did back in Pennsylvania. Perhaps that's because they never had the chance to watch it as I did while I was growing up. There is only one station that carries it here and that's on cable. I've miss the ending most years here because the station, WGN out of Chicago, usually has a Cubs game on instead of the end of the telethon. I really miss seeing it.

Again this year the MDA telethon raised over $65 million in private donations in less than 22 hours. Even at 82 years old Lewis continues to lead one of the most successful and consistent charitable organizations in the history of this country. The telethon is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the work Jerry Lewis puts into MDA. I will always admire him for his devotion; now 43 years and counting. That's why on Labor Day I will always think of Jerry Lewis & his kids.