[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Check this HAPPY DANCE out... Made me -- HAPPY! Hope it does the same for you all...

Carlton's Happy Dance - YouTube

ALL CLEAR! YAY!! is right on...

Fractured rib? Have you been laughing too hard lately? Hmmm is right.

Listen to Bonnie's words re pneumonia thing! Her opinion concurs with mine... We are professional patients, which gives us a degree of some kind medically.

I am so sorry you feel baaaad.

Of course you're adrenals are shot. Look what you've been through, Denise!! Still perky in your head, and through your fingers on the keyboard though...

I HATE INSURANCE COMPANIES. They come around, but feel they must wear you down and hope you'll go away first. They are in "business"... They really don't care about you... BUT WE ALL CARE -- BIG TIME!!! Sending them SHAME ON YOU energy as I type!

I recently discovered WITHDRAWAL is a hell all its own. I was off the blood clotting supplements for 5 days. My body was overwrought. Out of nowhere, I was getting the old hot flashes, overcome with emotions, felt like I wanted to cry (which I honestly don't do, despite it all). Then they stopped all meds -- but for heart -- the day before surgery.

WARNING TO YOU -- I only just learned -- you do not ABRUPTLY STOP anti anxiety meds!!!!!!!!! That can have serious neurological consequences. My brain is still messed up, and I'm back on everything since yesterday. Very foggy in there. Not totally psychotic but Wednesday night, day before surgery -- I could not meditate midst my 10+ hr bowl rushes, no food, no water from midnight -- blood sugar was dangerously low!!!!!!!!

YOU MUST SLOWLY, VERY VERY SLOWLY WEAN OFF OF ANTI-ANXIETY MEDS (ATIVAN, XANAX) and I took my Zolft w/a teeny sip of water along w/my heart meds pre surgery -- and I told them I did! Though they told me not to... I am a good girl and I listen to what I'm told, but common sense told me I needed that!

I was sooo foggy headed, shaky, had chills (couldn't work my mouse) -- and I am a hot girl/don't get chills. Felt like I was going to pass out all Wednesday afternoon and night and Thursday AM.

Lesson learned.

Hospitals need to have pharmacologists overseeing your and coordinating pre op instructions I have discovered. Maybe a Naturopath too. Western medicine is so centuries behind!!!

NO ONE TOLD ME the above -- or details about stopping my Byetta (for diabetes). I injected in A.M. as always and ate some jello with my larggggeee cup of tea. APPARENTLY THAT IS NOT A MEAL, AND AS THE BYETTA LOWERS YOUR BLOOD SUGAR -- YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ABOUT TO PASS OUT.

I too Neddy have new respect for those fighting to free themselves from addictions. I suppose I am addicted to my supplements.

You're also right Denise, no amount of will power or positive thinking can counteract such powerful physical reactions to WITHDRAWL! You can't get "talked" down.

I too am one who likes to be in control. I could not meditate. And I meditate every day! My thoughts were racing and banging around in my skull and I could not catch them. I kept trying to bring myself back to the Present Moment. This is what I do alllll the time. Impossible during WITHDRAWAL!!!!!!!!

As for God, I talk to him/her, I talk to my body, I confer with the Universe, with my Teachers and Guides, and my Spirit. I explain what I believe I Expect, but at the same time I TRUST that we are always exactly where we are supposed to be. Tricky business, letting go, but not wimping out and putting it all in a Higher Power's hands. He/she gave us the power of choice. So I was just saying...

Yes, fat is waaay better than dead. Remember our Brenda's signature? "

I'd rather be anecdotally alive than statistically dead".

TAPER SLLOOWWWLYYYY PLEASE DENNY -- TEMPTING THOUGH IT IS W/ STEROIDS TO WANT TO SHOVE IT OUT OF YOUR LIFE... Don't mess with success.

My prayers for you are a continual stream. And for all who need it! Healing energy and Light, my dear Sisters!

You know how they do a CAT scan? You lie on a table and a cat walks all around you... )))

Andi
P.S. POSITIVITY IS CONTAGEOUS! TRUE!

Denise -- must ask -- how do you get BOLD in your TITLE of a thread? I can't even manage ALL CAPS, which I always aim for, but it just doesn't work out... What's the secret???