I have been to my clinic...

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 10:51:01 -0700, "Monique Y. Mudama"
wrote:

On 2005-02-24, Nan penned:
On 24 Feb 2005 06:00:05 -0800, "Katz" wrote:


I would encourage you to DEFINITELY get company insurance. Again, you have
no idea. Ours just went up, as it does every year, & I think mine is
$80/month also, on a plan w/100% coverage. Why in the world do you have to
wait til Nov. to sign up? How long a wait period does your company have? I
never heard of more than a 3-month wait. I think no wait is more common.
Mine is no wait.

Some companies require that you sign up for insurance when you are first
hired. If you don't you have to wait for an open enrollment period.

Nan

I always thought this was a legal issue. At both my company and my husband's,
benefits can only be changed during the enrollment period, or if there's a
change in your family situation (marriage, new dependent, or someone changes
jobs).

According to what I have been told at my present job, and at previous
jobs that had insurance, this is a Federal law.

--
John F. Eldredge --
PGP key available from http://pgp.mit.edu
"Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better
than not to think at all." -- Hypatia of Alexandria

in article , CATherine at
wrote on 2/24/05 11:24 PM:

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 11:00:11 -0700, "Monique Y. Mudama"
wrote:

On 2005-02-24, CATherine penned:
The doctor wasn't there but a Nurse practitioner was there. She is great.
Very knowledgeable and helpful and answers my questions and gave me the most
thorough heart exam I ever had.

She told me i only had to cut my salt, fat and cholesterol in half after she
got my full life history! I told you she was thorough! She got all my eating
habits. Since I usually only eat one meal a day, I wasn't eating as much of
the bad stuff as i thought. A lot for one meal, though. Of course, she would
rather I spread the consumption out into more, smaller meals.

Eek! I'd rather you eat more small meals, too =P Your blood sugar won't
spike as much and your stomach will also shrink, allowing you to feel full
with less food. Me, I couldn't survive on one meal a day. I'm on the five
or
six meal plan =P

It is kind of hard to have several meals a day in my job, let alone
noon. I find I cannot do my job with a full meal under my belt. So the
most I do is peanut butter/cheese crackers or a candy bar. I tried
carrots and celery but they were not satisfying and left my stomach
rumbling.


--
CATherine

Catherine, think about getting one of those little portable coolers and put
some mozzerlla sticks and veggie sacks in it. Also baggie up some little
serving size bags of nuts. Those are good snacks that are pretty portable
and actually go a long way to helping you even you out during the day. Or
even, if you enjoy it, some little yogurts. Just eating veggies alone, I
agree, may not do it, but if you also have some nuts or mozzerella, it will
really help. I also like those little tins of chicken. And actually, a
veggie that does help me past hunger is sliced up cucumber with salt and
pepper that you can put in a baggie too and munch on. Grapes are very good
as well. Hope some of these ideas help.

Karen wrote:
Catherine, think about getting one of those little portable coolers
and put
some mozzerlla sticks and veggie sacks in it. Also baggie up some
little
serving size bags of nuts. Those are good snacks that are pretty
portable
and actually go a long way to helping you even you out during the
day. Or
even, if you enjoy it, some little yogurts. Just eating veggies
alone, I
agree, may not do it, but if you also have some nuts or mozzerella,
it will
really help. I also like those little tins of chicken. And actually,
a
veggie that does help me past hunger is sliced up cucumber with salt
and
pepper that you can put in a baggie too and munch on. Grapes are very
good
as well. Hope some of these ideas help.

Anything with protein will help stave off the hunger. Dry roasted
almonds are a good one - and they have been shown to lower cholesterol,
too. Any low-fat cheese (cottage, mozzarella) are good, as well.

-L.

Karen wrote:
in article , CATherine at
wrote on 2/24/05 11:24 PM:

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 11:00:11 -0700, "Monique Y. Mudama"
wrote:

On 2005-02-24, CATherine penned:
The doctor wasn't there but a Nurse practitioner was there. She
is
great. Very knowledgeable and helpful and answers my questions
and
gave me the most thorough heart exam I ever had.

She told me i only had to cut my salt, fat and cholesterol in
half
after she got my full life history! I told you she was thorough!
She got all my eating habits. Since I usually only eat one meal a
day, I wasn't eating as much of the bad stuff as i thought. A lot
for one meal, though. Of course, she would rather I spread the
consumption out into more, smaller meals.

Eek! I'd rather you eat more small meals, too =P Your blood
sugar
won't spike as much and your stomach will also shrink, allowing
you
to feel full with less food. Me, I couldn't survive on one meal a
day. I'm on the five or
six meal plan =P

It is kind of hard to have several meals a day in my job, let alone
noon. I find I cannot do my job with a full meal under my belt. So
the most I do is peanut butter/cheese crackers or a candy bar. I
tried carrots and celery but they were not satisfying and left my
stomach rumbling.


--
CATherine

Catherine, think about getting one of those little portable coolers
and put some mozzerlla sticks and veggie sacks in it. Also baggie up
some little serving size bags of nuts. Those are good snacks that
are
pretty portable and actually go a long way to helping you even you
out during the day. Or even, if you enjoy it, some little yogurts.
Just eating veggies alone, I agree, may not do it, but if you also
have some nuts or mozzerella, it will really help. I also like those
little tins of chicken. And actually, a veggie that does help me
past
hunger is sliced up cucumber with salt and pepper that you can put
in
a baggie too and munch on. Grapes are very good as well. Hope some
of
these ideas help.

Yes, I agree. Take some snacks to work with you in a cooler. You can
keep it in your vehicle and eat them while you're driving or any other
time you have a minute.
I would take it easy on the nuts though, they are *extremely* high in
calories. 1/2 cup of nuts can have more calories than a whole meal
and you don't get all that much satisfaction from them.
I would recommend making a large sandwich with whole wheat bread and
some lean meat like chicken or turkey breast and some low fat cheese
as well as veggies. Cut the sandwich in half and eat it 2 or 3 hours
apart. A meal that combines complex carbohydrates as well as lean
protein will keep you full longest and you won't crash from it a short
time after eating. I would avoid sugary snacks like chocolate during
the work day. Save that for dessert after dinner or special treats on
the weekend.
--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
covered in fur!
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album

"CATherine" wrote in message
...
On 24 Feb 2005 06:00:05 -0800, "Katz" wrote:

CATherine wrote:
Since I usually only eat one meal a day, I
wasn't eating as much of the bad stuff as i thought. A lot for one
meal, though. Of course, she would rather I spread the consumption
out
into more, smaller meals.

Definitely! Going hungry al day makes you eat more when you finally
eat. And screws w/your blood sugar. Maybe that's partly why you felt
faint.

Maybe, but my blood oxygen was only 88. But i do eat a few of those
peanut/cheese crackers at noon on a work day. Or grab a peice of
chocolate from the basket at the office. But that day the dizziness
started pretty early in the day. Right after the nose bleed at 9:30,
in fact.


Can I make a suggestion? Try to give up the peanut butter, cheese &
chocolate - for a while at least. Nice as they are (and I love all three),
they are *loaded* with fat, salt, sugar, calories and are not good for you!
Currently, when shopping, I force myself to walk down the cheese & chocolate
aisles in the supermarket to prove to myself I can refuse to succumb to
temptation. I feel better when I do that as it reinforces my willpower - and
heaven knows, it needs all the reinforcing it can get ;-) Plus, you'll get
your cholesterol levels down to healthy limits quicker if you avoid the bad
stuff - keep reminding yourself this is for *your health*.

Also - try to eat three healthy meals a day. Breakfast is *crucial* - if you
have a decent breakfast it helps stave off hunger pangs and you are less
likely to reach for unhealthy snacks. I always start the day with a piece of
fruit and some fibre, such as porridge (oatmeal) or a wholemeal roll (no
butter!). I am now well able to keep going until it's time for a healthy
lunch - and I feel much better for it.


! I was dehydrated from fasting and they made me go drink a
ton of water and then they poked me again.


You *must* keep hydrated. Water is best, but if you don't like plain water,
have a fruit squash or a diet drink.


Wow! Had they told you not to drink water, either? Doesn't mae sense,
if it ends up dehydrating you.

No, I had coffee; but of course it is a diuretic. I haven't had blood
drawn in so many years i had forgotten to hydrate myself. i am hard to
get blood out of; and hard to get a needle in the vein. Next time i
won't have coffee and will make sure i have plenty of water before
leaving home.


I find if I keep a bottle of water with me, I can sip as much as I like and
I just keep refilling the bottle.

FWIW, since middle of December I've lost 39lbs with relative ease - and I've
hardly had any cravings. I feel better for it too. I'm eating healthily and
well. I've still a long way to go, so I understand what it's like having to
accept a long-term lifestyle change.


Cheers, and best of luck, helen s

"CATherine" wrote in message
...

It is kind of hard to have several meals a day in my job, let alone
noon. I find I cannot do my job with a full meal under my belt. So the
most I do is peanut butter/cheese crackers or a candy bar. I tried
carrots and celery but they were not satisfying and left my stomach
rumbling.


--
CATherine

Monday this week I was out on the road all day as I had to drive up to Leeds
& back. It's not easy to find healthy stuff to eat at roadside cafes - it's
all high-fat, high-sugar snack & junk food, so you have my condolences on
the difficulty of trying to eat sensibly during the working day.

I took my food with me on Monday. I had a large flask of homemade veggie
soup made from non-starchy veggies, a wholemeal roll, some *lean* chicken
(no skin) and a couple of pieces of fruit. The food I kept in a cool bag
with the little freeze blocks in it to keep the food cool. You have to think
ahead & prepare stuff yourself, but it's worth it in the end! Honest! :-)
Give it a try.

Please, please, please try to keep off the peanut butter, cheese & candy -
*you and your health are worth more than that junk*

best of luck, helen s

in article , badwilson at
wrote on 2/25/05 1:38AM:

Karen wrote:
in article , CATherine at
wrote on 2/24/05 11:24 PM:

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 11:00:11 -0700, "Monique Y. Mudama"
wrote:

On 2005-02-24, CATherine penned:
The doctor wasn't there but a Nurse practitioner was there. She
is
great. Very knowledgeable and helpful and answers my questions
and
gave me the most thorough heart exam I ever had.

She told me i only had to cut my salt, fat and cholesterol in
half
after she got my full life history! I told you she was thorough!
She got all my eating habits. Since I usually only eat one meal a
day, I wasn't eating as much of the bad stuff as i thought. A lot
for one meal, though. Of course, she would rather I spread the
consumption out into more, smaller meals.

Eek! I'd rather you eat more small meals, too =P Your blood
sugar
won't spike as much and your stomach will also shrink, allowing
you
to feel full with less food. Me, I couldn't survive on one meal a
day. I'm on the five or
six meal plan =P

It is kind of hard to have several meals a day in my job, let alone
noon. I find I cannot do my job with a full meal under my belt. So
the most I do is peanut butter/cheese crackers or a candy bar. I
tried carrots and celery but they were not satisfying and left my
stomach rumbling.


--
CATherine

Catherine, think about getting one of those little portable coolers
and put some mozzerlla sticks and veggie sacks in it. Also baggie up
some little serving size bags of nuts. Those are good snacks that
are
pretty portable and actually go a long way to helping you even you
out during the day. Or even, if you enjoy it, some little yogurts.
Just eating veggies alone, I agree, may not do it, but if you also
have some nuts or mozzerella, it will really help. I also like those
little tins of chicken. And actually, a veggie that does help me
past
hunger is sliced up cucumber with salt and pepper that you can put
in
a baggie too and munch on. Grapes are very good as well. Hope some
of
these ideas help.

Yes, I agree. Take some snacks to work with you in a cooler. You can
keep it in your vehicle and eat them while you're driving or any other
time you have a minute.
I would take it easy on the nuts though, they are *extremely* high in
calories. 1/2 cup of nuts can have more calories than a whole meal
and you don't get all that much satisfaction from them.
I would recommend making a large sandwich with whole wheat bread and
some lean meat like chicken or turkey breast and some low fat cheese
as well as veggies. Cut the sandwich in half and eat it 2 or 3 hours
apart. A meal that combines complex carbohydrates as well as lean
protein will keep you full longest and you won't crash from it a short
time after eating. I would avoid sugary snacks like chocolate during
the work day. Save that for dessert after dinner or special treats on
the weekend.
--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
covered in fur!
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album





That's interesting. For me, an ounce of nuts can keep me through a whole
morning. But yes, you do have to not overdo. That's why I premeasure them.

Karen wrote:
in article , badwilson at
wrote on 2/25/05 1:38AM:

Karen wrote:
in article , CATherine
at
wrote on 2/24/05 11:24
PM:

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 11:00:11 -0700, "Monique Y. Mudama"
wrote:

On 2005-02-24, CATherine penned:
The doctor wasn't there but a Nurse practitioner was there. She
is
great. Very knowledgeable and helpful and answers my questions
and
gave me the most thorough heart exam I ever had.

She told me i only had to cut my salt, fat and cholesterol in
half
after she got my full life history! I told you she was
thorough!
She got all my eating habits. Since I usually only eat one meal
a
day, I wasn't eating as much of the bad stuff as i thought. A
lot
for one meal, though. Of course, she would rather I spread the
consumption out into more, smaller meals.

Eek! I'd rather you eat more small meals, too =P Your blood
sugar
won't spike as much and your stomach will also shrink, allowing
you
to feel full with less food. Me, I couldn't survive on one meal
a
day. I'm on the five or
six meal plan =P

It is kind of hard to have several meals a day in my job, let
alone
noon. I find I cannot do my job with a full meal under my belt.
So
the most I do is peanut butter/cheese crackers or a candy bar. I
tried carrots and celery but they were not satisfying and left my
stomach rumbling.


--
CATherine

Catherine, think about getting one of those little portable
coolers
and put some mozzerlla sticks and veggie sacks in it. Also baggie
up
some little serving size bags of nuts. Those are good snacks that
are
pretty portable and actually go a long way to helping you even you
out during the day. Or even, if you enjoy it, some little yogurts.
Just eating veggies alone, I agree, may not do it, but if you also
have some nuts or mozzerella, it will really help. I also like
those
little tins of chicken. And actually, a veggie that does help me
past
hunger is sliced up cucumber with salt and pepper that you can put
in
a baggie too and munch on. Grapes are very good as well. Hope some
of
these ideas help.

Yes, I agree. Take some snacks to work with you in a cooler. You
can keep it in your vehicle and eat them while you're driving or
any
other time you have a minute.
I would take it easy on the nuts though, they are *extremely* high
in
calories. 1/2 cup of nuts can have more calories than a whole meal
and you don't get all that much satisfaction from them.
I would recommend making a large sandwich with whole wheat bread
and
some lean meat like chicken or turkey breast and some low fat
cheese
as well as veggies. Cut the sandwich in half and eat it 2 or 3
hours
apart. A meal that combines complex carbohydrates as well as lean
protein will keep you full longest and you won't crash from it a
short time after eating. I would avoid sugary snacks like
chocolate
during the work day. Save that for dessert after dinner or special
treats on the weekend.
--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
covered in fur!
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album





That's interesting. For me, an ounce of nuts can keep me through a
whole morning. But yes, you do have to not overdo. That's why I
premeasure them.

One ounce of almonds (23 almonds) has 164 calories. That's the same
as one slice whole wheat bread, 2 servings (50 grams) of fat free
turkey breast (Louis Rich), one ounce of low fat cheddar and various
slices of vegetables (lettuce, tomato, etc.). If you use mustard
instead of mayo and some pepper, you have yourself a great
half-sandwich, which would keep me personally satisfied a lot longer
than 23 almonds. But everybody's different.
--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
covered in fur!
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 22:24:45 -0700, CATherine
wrote:

On 24 Feb 2005 06:00:05 -0800, "Katz" wrote:

CATherine wrote:
Since I usually only eat one meal a day, I
wasn't eating as much of the bad stuff as i thought. A lot for one
meal, though. Of course, she would rather I spread the consumption
out
into more, smaller meals.

Definitely! Going hungry al day makes you eat more when you finally
eat. And screws w/your blood sugar. Maybe that's partly why you felt
faint.

Maybe, but my blood oxygen was only 88. But i do eat a few of those
peanut/cheese crackers at noon on a work day. Or grab a peice of
chocolate from the basket at the office. But that day the dizziness
started pretty early in the day. Right after the nose bleed at 9:30,
in fact.

That blood oxygen level is pretty low, also. Lack of oxygen may have
been contributing to the dizziness. Do you regularly have that low a
blood oxygen level?

--
John F. Eldredge --
PGP key available from http://pgp.mit.edu
"Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better
than not to think at all." -- Hypatia of Alexandria

Jeanne Hedge wrote:
On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 19:22:30 -0600, "jmcquown"
wrote:

LOL I'm sorry, but that strikes me as funny. COBRA (Consolidated
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) - I wrote the friggin book on it
for The Prudential when it went into law in the 1980's. Try paying
those premiums - you'll see exactly what your employer was paying
for your health benefits.

I was paying $366/month under COBRA (which only lasts 18 up to months)
to continue what I had under my previous employer (Blue Cross/Blue
Shield PPO $500 deductable w/prescription plan co-pay). I tried to get
individual stand-alone (went to the local insurance agent) because
COBRA rates were killing my limited budget, and got denied for reasons
neither of us understand. I ended up getting into a 6-month temporary
plan (renewable) paying about 1/3 of the COBRA rate for individual
stand-alone, but it's not as good as what I had (classic case of you
get what you pay for).

By its very definition, "group" insurance better because of the spread of
risk among a wider population of insureds. So the benefit levels can be
much higher and include yearly checkups and coverage for preventive medicine
such as flu shots, GYN exams, etc. But as you discovered, your employer was
probably kicking in a considerable amount towards your benefits. Most
people have no idea.

I'm so fortunate my doctor gives me free samples of the meds I need
for my stuff when he has them on hand. Prices for prescriptions are
through the roof.

I have a deductable on my prescriptions that's completely seperate
from my medical deductable. I'd better not start having to get
prescriptions filled - once I clear the prescription deductable
they'll only pay $2K max before that part of my coverage ends and I
have to pay it all.


Jeanne Hedge, as directed by Natasha

Purrs that you don't wind up needing any type of maintenance medication and
that you find a job soon!

Jill