I'm starting to get a little nervous & I hoped there was someone here to distract me. Bugger! Oh well. Wish me luck! Cheers, Cate.

Sorry I haven't been around it definitely is a crazy time.

I hope all went well with your first day. It sounds like a wonderful job...very rewarding. What level of diabilty are you working with?

I have been so busy with christmas kids related functions and and i am so tired. Which is the reason why I haven't been around.

Hubby and I just got back from xmas shopping and I am just about to pick up the kids from School. My oldest son has his last guitar lesson today....and then I am looking forward to just settling in for the night....and hopefully watch a bit of tv or go to bed early and read my book.
The weather here today has turned slightly cooler...snuggle weather.

Tomorrow is the last day of School......Hooray!!!!! I feel like the kid now.
What was that old fashion rhyme.......all I can remember is "no more teachers dirty looks" or something like that.

I will "TRY" and PM you tonight Cate.

Sam

Sam- I just had to take 'time out'. I typed a big post & then my computer had a fatal error & I lost the lot.
A very abbreviated version-
I really like my client- she's quirky & we get on very well.
There are certain aspects of the job that I don't think I will be able to change that may mean I will not be able to continue. I came home with a splitting head-ache, asthma & flea bites (cats & cigarette smoke) & feel somewhat shell-shocked for quite a few good reasons.
I typed 3 paragraphs then deleted them. It got it off my chest but I would hate them to be identified. It is a very private job. I will try to persevere & put my thinking cap on for ways to overcome some of the hurdles, without causing offence.
Change of subject-
I feel really drained & think I'll go for a walk & get some fresh air.
One thing the day did achieve(more than 1 really)-
I came home & cooked a big Spanish Chicken casserole, which I just got out of the oven.
I appreciate my husband even more for the struggles he has had in his job(similar would you believe!)
I'm glad I'm not being asked to work full-time as I would have to say no & probably quit.
I'm feeling pretty flat & almost teary. It's not what I imagined. Without training I won't be able to really help her get back on her feet & to become independent. I must ring my SIL tonight. I don't think she has done a shift in the home yet but will be next week.
I'll head I think. I feel stuffed. Bye, Cate

Hi Cate

Sorry to hear about you coming home not feeling well. Your symptoms are something I can completely related to and are the exact reason why, even with 3 different free / family accommodation options, we are staying in a cabin at the local caravan park when we go up to the Clare Valley for Christmas. All LBs family have cats and 2 of them also smoke cigarettes and unfortunately worse and for my health with my asthma and allergies we just cant stay there. Even just spending a few hours at any of the houses leaves me with sinusitis and on many occassions a bout of bronchitis so I can understand you aprehensions relating to the situation.

You poor thing. I hope you got outside for you walk...

Take care and I hope today is better for you.

Lauren

Lauren, Thanks! I got a lot off my chest with my SIL who rang me last night about something else. She said I do not have to stay in the house with them smoking. I had a pretty restless night & went in this morning thinking I must sort something out. I hate quitting & I really like this girl.
First up this morning, just as she was about to light up her first cigarette I told her how sick I had been last night( I had painful sinuses, asthma & a splitting headache) & that I hoped she did not take offence but I would have to go outside when she has a smoke. She said no that she should go outside to smoke & insisted.
Subsequently we got off to a great start. Do you know that we did not sit in her lounge room the entire day. Without going into detail we really had a fun, exhausting, rewarding day & I feel we have established a great foundation. She told me no-one else has taken much interest in her condition or treatment. I want to learn more so that I can really help her get back on her feet, literally. We spent most of the day outside. The kitten (flea-bag) I shut out of my reach & it's fleas.
Every-one was happy & there were a feq other things that got sorted out, including family issues. I think after a bad first day we moved along very well. I have had my eyes opened in more ways than one in the last couple of days.
I think I can do this & do it well. It will have its' ups & downs I'm sure but that's life. I have been offered a couple of extra shifts next week, one of which I will be taking my client to a beauty parlour. That will be a new experience for me. I will also be taking her to physio another day which I am looking forward to.
I weighed myself this morning, after waking up after my crap day yesterday, only to weigh 73.5kg so I took fruit salad & yoghurt only for my lunch (enough for the 2 of us) & only ate that during the day. Plus my client ate her share. She has not been eating any breakfast or lunch-just coffee & smokes. That was a small achievement but still, a start.
I'm feeling exhausted, but positive again. I pushed a wheelchair around up & down steep hills for a couple of hours. We both loved it but zzzzz, cheers, tired, Cate. (short day tomorrow-phew)

Hi Cate

I am so glad to hear you worked things out. It does sound like a great job.
It's also a bonus if you get on well with your client. Do you work weekends? or is it only week days. Hubby and I have just returned from dinner with my brother and girlfriend, it was an Ethiopian restaurant.....the first time I have had it. Lots of lentils and veg. Some of the dishes were very nice.
Well I'd better go check out my diary. Bye for now.
I will leave you a PM about that situation now.
Sam

Hi Sam, Ethiopian sounds nice. I think I would like it. I love most African food that I have tried. Not too many exotic restaurants in our little part of the world! I really hope you have a wonderful holiday with your family! I'm sure you will. When you sort this thing out with your neighbour or she gets the message when you keep putting her off you will feel like you are on a loooong holiday!xo Cate
Folks-
My job is very interesting to say the least. I think it will get easier as I go. I mainly have to adjust to being in a totally different environment to what I am used to. My client is lovely & is quite a character. Already I have taught her something new- how to dry her back herself. I thought about how I did it before I went to work & then gave her a demo & she did it! Every little step....
I also took her for another long walk in the wheelchair today. It's not a good one unfortunately & is really only for her to use herself in the house , not for someone else to push so it's not easy to use- I don't have a brake for example- they're at the front.
I have 3 days off now which will be lovely.
After I left yesterday my client's mother & then my client both spoke to my employer to let her know how happy they were with me. That's nice. They both told me this morning. I am working 4 days in the next week & am looking forward to seeing the physio & learning some techniques. Her mother asked me if I want to come along to her swimming as well. She said she has chosen to do this on her own so that they have some special time together but thought it would be nice if I would come along to see what happens. I will be paid to go as it is down as being my rostered hours so I might. Otherwise I can just take the time off. I'll see how I feel on Wednesday. I want to ease myself into the job.
I have trouble switching off when I am at home. I feel the need to off-load to my LH but cannot talk to anyone else about it. It's very hard when you live in a small community. I know before long we are both going to be asked about the family but I will be telling people nothing & neither will my LH. I told him I will lose my job if he does & he will like me earning the money so he will be careful. It takes a lot of pressure off him. It also looks like he is going to have his contract extended past mid-Feb.
I am really looking forward to Christmas with our YS home. We are also going to drive him home to Hobart & stay a night with him. We have to so he can get his Christmas presents home. I'm up to 30 jars of spices etc. I still haven't found a copy of the cook-book I want to give him so had better get on the phone Monday & try to find it in Launceston. I'm going there during the week & will have a little spare time to pick it up if I can locate it.
The book is Charmaine Solomons "Complete Asian Cookbook". It's wonderful!
Sam- I forgot to say- The Countdown show was really good. It started off lame & got much better. I hope you watch Spicks & Specks on SBS on Saturday nights. I just love it! It's about to be on so I'll say goodnight gals. Pit stop required first.
Cheers from me, Cate.

Hi Cate

Thanks for the reply on Lauren's diary. I think I'll tackle your diary next

I have a question I hope you can answer for me. You mentioned the maintenance guidelines. What are they?

I think I've managed to get a pretty good feel for what Cohens is all about, except for life after Cohens.

I have to say Im pretty excited about doing Cohens, just wish I didnt have to wait until mid January when the clinics open back up.

I'll be back soon to have a read of your diary!

A healthy life- Great name by the way, great aim!
I'm in a bit of a hurry at the moment, but just had a quick peek at my diary. Have a look at this thread which is a preparation for Cohen's.
http://weight-loss.fitness.com/cohen...re-cohens.html
I'll be back later with more info re maintenence, but this would be more helpful for you right now. I too was very curious to know about life after the weight-loss when I had only just started but had 36kgs to lose first! Cheers for now, Cate.

Merry Christmas cate to you and your Family.

Hope you have a joyous Christmas and a wonderful New Year.


Best wishes

Sam

Hi Sam! Thank you for your Christmas wishes. You sound so relaxed & happy which makes me feel good! You are going to have a wonderful holiday!
I had a nice day today but my life feels so different all of a sudden. This new job has changed me just a little. Either that or I am having to make many changes in my way of thinking. I think my horizons have been broadened very widely, very quickly & I haven't quite caught up. I am going to throw myself into my days of work & then learn to really relax & try not to think about my job on my days off.
TOUGH!
This could be my New Years Resolution! I do feel like I have chosen something that is more appropriate for the real me. It's probably more challenging than any one job I have ever done but it shouldn't hurt me. If it becomes too difficult I am fortunate in that I have the option to quit. We have managed to live on very little before. I think I will be able to do this job well.
I think I have decided not to go with the Wackies tomorrow though. It's the Christmas party, with only a 1 hour walk & I don't feel like fielding lots of questions just yet. Because I am now working the extra 2 days-Wed & Thurs I feel like having a day at home. I spent most of today home gardening & doing housework & then went into town to pick up a parcel for the MIL, sent off replies to her Christmas cards & came home with my LH & had a delicious dinner- Spanish chicken with a little rice & stir-fried vegies, with one glass of Rose, followed by some fresh fruit-grapes, peach, apricot, orange & a little kiwi fruit.
Life is good!
I thought I would play with a little colour tonight. The thought of a free day tomorrow sounds wonderful. You forget how good a day off feels when you are working. You need the contrast to really appreciate home & you need the job to get motivated to do things around the house. My job is going to mean my house is going to end up almost spotless. There's a fair way to go I might add!I might pop into the chat room for a while. I'll go in there for the next 15 minutes(until 9pm Tas time-it's 8.45 now) if anyone wants a quick chat.
Cheers, Cate

Hey Cate! Thanks for stopping by my diary! I can always count on you!! It was an awesome feeling trying on those Size 12's... I am not really "believing" that they are real though because they are from Millers and they are always very generous.... When I fit into something from Target..whcih is where I normally shop... I will believe it!! Still its AMAZING! Not far now...

It sounds like things are FULL STEAM AHEAD for you! I am so happy that you are starting to really settle into your job! Remember it always takes time to work out all the kinks in a new job! (Which I am sure you know after all these years!!).. I remember with this job.. it took me about 6 months before I felt like I actually KNEW what I was doing and was part of the "furniture". Its great that you are so energetic about it all. I am also glad that you are able to make it work in with your own routine... as in the fact that it is part time... means you can still fit "your life" in around it and pick up extra shifts etc!!

Blessya Mate!!
Kannadew

Hi Kannadew, I enjoy reading your diary & keeping up with what's happening in your life. I didn't realise I hadn't been "over there" for a week though. I was thrilled to see how excited you were about your size 12's. It's sheer joy when you make these discoveries.
I am settling in to my "new" body now which is reall good. I am going to keep an eye on how I look though. As soon as the new year starts I am aiming at getting down to 66kgs so that I can go up to 69 but no more. I know it's only a number but being 72kgs at the moment feels really uncomfortable. The Cohen's goal range for me was 66-69kg & I think, in retrospect that they were correct. I should have put up with being ravenous for an extra week or two.
I got a call today to say that Sat's shift is cancelled so I am working the next 3 days & then have 6 off. Excellent! I have no idea why it's cancelled but maybe my client's mum is taking her Christmas shopping. I'll find out tomorrow. One of the other support workers is trying to get extra hours & has been up to very unprofessional & unethical tricks. If I find she has been given my Saturday shift I will ring & protest. She rings the client's mother after other worker's shifts to ask how they went. She took the client's brother & his mate with her on a long drive into the city & is arriving on Boxing Day with a crayfish to share. She is so obvious. I know this because I did a "buddy shift" with her first day. She showed me nothing & taught me nothing & tried to show me up. I was not impressed. My SIL has lost a few Sunday shifts & I know where they went-to her. She is wanting to move to the town where the client is so wants most of her shifts for herself.
The mum tried to talk to me about her, saying she was very full-on & that she is forever ringing, harrassing her, but I said I didn't think that I should talk about her & that a team is needed as I cannot work 7 days a week. I will keep an eye on it though. She is so unprofessional.
I am not really relaxing about the job at all yet. I am constantly thinking about the client & what I can do. I really would like to have some training. I will talk to my SIL soon about it.
OK-time to go & get dinner organised. We are having either steak & salad or fish & salad. The salad is straight from our garden. It is so crisp & lovely! I'll go make a new balsamic dressing. I just add garlic & seeded mustard(no sugar), salt & pepper. My LH has vinaigrette.
Be back later, cheers, Cate.

Thanks Cate

I just want to make it is actually possible to keep the weight off after losing it on such a restrictive program. I should have asked at my consultation

Sure you can. It's like everything else. If you follow the maintenence guidelines there is no reason for you to put your weight back on. I think most of us have dieted in our lives but usually go back to our old bad ways & put the weight back on. Cohen's give us the know-how, it's up to us what we do with it. Cheers, Cate
It's quiet in here tonight but just popped in for a quick look. I have not sat down once just to relax today so will do so now. I'll be back tomorrow night with an update on today & then tomorrow in one hit. Had another good work day, but tiring. Cheers, Cate.