AuntieJan's Journal, 02 May 2011

What a fantastic day on many different levels! I am very tired but wanted to get a journal entry in before I put it in the rack.

Today was my off day from the gym, and it was good because I had to make a trip to the art & craft store to get a couple things to finish a little drawing I made for Erin's parting gift. I had most of the piece done last night and was at a point I could stop and go to bed and was preparing to do so when the news broke that Pres. Obama was to be on TV shortly with what we all know now was the announcement of the extermination of Bin Laden. So I ended up getting to bed late, again! Oh well. I have more energy now than I know what to do with!

My final session with Erin was awesome.. we sort of wrapped up everything and talked about the future, and surprisingly neither one of us cried. She took the time to tell me how very proud she was of me and that she felt privileged to have worked with me, and that I had entrusted her with so much of my heart and soul. She also said that she wanted me to know that while I had learned many things from her during the course of treatment, that she also had learned many things from me. I was a little surprised by that but she said that I had helped her to balance the really serious stuff that occurs during session with humor, that most people think because someone is a therapist that they surely are all put togther all the time and that just isn't the case... I taught her that it is OK to have some laughs and some light-hearted moments during therapy. She also told me that she now understands what real courage is and that I was the one that showed what it really means to have it. I was humbled and flattered and proud. Imagine me, broken up, messed up, washed up me, teaching the teacher. It's all good. Isn't it?

Anyway I can't possibly reiterate everything but let me cut to the end... we exchanged our parting gifts, and she loved my drawing, and I loved the thing she gave me. It was a really cool way to end our session. I'll elaborate more on this later... this journal is already long enough!

At the very end I asked her what she was going to do now and she's going home for summer but will be back at school in the fall to begin work on her doctorate, so she will be checking up on me from time to time. I'm sure I'll run in to her once in a while. That will be fun for both of us!

The last thing she told me was that I was her very FIRST client, that she had a couple people passed on to her like I am being passed on to now, but that I was the very first client that walked in the door and was assigned to her for treatment. Imagine that! I told her that she was an awesome clinician and I knew she would make a fantastic psychologist. She was so good I thought she had seen quite a few clients, but nope, me, myself, was the first one. How cool was that. We walked out to the lobby and hugged each other and said goodbye. I walked out with a smile on my face.

And then to end the afternoon I had to get to the grocery store and while I was there I hopped on the scale and *BOOM* I BROKE INTO THE 40's!!! Finally, I don't know why this particular milestone was so meaningful but it was... I still have a long ways to go, but with my own courage and determination I will get there.

Really, really good day. I am outta here, back to the gym tomorrow!

249.0 lb Lost so far: 29.0 lb.    Still to go: 99.0 lb.    Diet followed 100%.

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1346 kcal

Fat: 33.63g | Prot: 60.45g | Carb: 211.57g.   Breakfast: South Beach Diet Cereal Bar, Stonyfield 0% Organic Yogurt, Skim Milk, coffee. Lunch: Publix Wheat Crackers, Grapes (Red or Green, European Type Varieties Such As Thompson Seedless), Jazz Apple, Mini Babybel Light Original. Dinner: Merita Wheat Hot Dog Roll, Grillin' Beans , Chicken Apple Sausage, Kraft Light Mayo. Snacks/Other: Weight Watchers Ice Cream Bars - Giant Chocolate Fudge, seedless grapes, Publix Caramel Rice Snacks, peanut butter, Low Fat Honey Graham Crackers. more...

3534 kcal

Activities & Exercise: Shopping - 1 hour, Walking (moderate) - 3/mph - 1 hour, Resting - 12 hours, Housework - 2 hours, Sleeping - 8 hours. more...