Weight Off My Mind: Thyroid Diet Weight Loss News -- January/February 2003

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A WEIGHT OFF MY MIND | January/February 2003
Helping Thyroid and Autoimmune Disease Patients Lose Weight and Feel Great

from Mary J. Shomon
Author of Living Well With Hypothyroidism, Living Well With Autoimmune Disease, and The Thyroid Diet Success Guide

IN THIS ISSUE:

2003 Thyroid Survey Results -- Summary: First Patient Quality-of-Life Survey Of Nearly 1000 Patients Published

Endos Say Normal TSH Is Now .3 To 3, Millions More Considered "Out Of Range"

Americans Need To Stop Weight Gain, Say Experts

Selecting Personal Trainers... What You Need To Know!

Weight Loss: Eat To Live - Not Live To Eat

How To Get In The "Zone" Every Time

Lose Weight In 2003! Revised "Thyroid Diet Success Guide" Published

Silly Stuff! Is It What You Eat?

Notes From Mary: A Tribute To Pat Shomon

BACK ISSUES:
Online, back to December 2001

A Weight Off My Mind email edition is published monthly, and is copyright 2001-2002, by Mary Shomon.
Web: http://www.thyroid-info.com
Email: diet@thyroid-info.com
Regular mail: Mary Shomon, P.O. Box 565, Kensington, MD 20895-0565
Fax: 425-977-1175

IMPORTANT NOTE: All information in this newsletter is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should always seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and always consult your physician or health practitioner before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, herbal therapy, supplement or other self-directed treatment.

Welcome to the thirteenth issue of "A Weight Off My Mind," Mary Shomon's email newsletter for thyroid and autoimmune disease patients who are interested in losing weight and feeling better through diet and nutrition. You are receiving this issue because you signed up to receive this free email report. (Note: If you are no longer interested in receiving future issues, or you wish to unsubscribe, email weightoffmymind-unsubscribe@topica.email-publisher.com. If you have something you'd like to see covered in future issues, drop me a line anytime at diet@thyroid-info.com.

IF YOU’VE SENT ME A QUESTION: If you wrote me a personal message or question with your "subscribe" message, I'm afraid that my system automatically extracts email addresses, so I didn't see your message. Feel free to send it again to me at diet@thyroid-info.com, with a subject line that doesn’t say “subscribe.”

2003 THYROID SURVEY RESULTS -- SUMMARY
FIRST PATIENT QUALITY-OF-LIFE SURVEY OF NEARLY 1000 PATIENTS PUBLISHED

From late 2001 to 2002, a survey was conducted with readers of my various thyroid disease websites. Final results will be published later in 2003, but preliminary results, based on a tally of 907 respondents, are being published now, to bring increased visibility to thyroid issues.

This is the first large-scale quality of life survey of thyroid patients, and the first to look at critical patient concerns such as unrelieved symptoms, weight problems, attitudes toward patient organizations, smoking behavior, and effective treatments and solutions.

There are some very surprising and interesting findings from the survey, everything from symptoms you may not realize that are related to your thyroid, to weight loss solutions that patients themselves have found helpful, to what thyroid patients REALLY think about the various patient organizations.

For example, almost 84% of respondents indicated that they are overweight. Among them:

25% indicated that they are 30 to 50 pounds overweight.
20% said they are 10 to 20 pounds overweight.
18% said that they are 50 to 75 pounds overweight
14% indicated that they are 20 to 30 pounds overweight.

Interestingly, while many conventional doctors report that hypothyroidism causes no more than five to ten pounds of weight gain, only 8% of the respondents said they were 5-10 pounds overweight.

Of the 334 people who indicated that they have had success losing weight after being hypothyroid:

53% recommended an exercise program, self-directed
40% suggested a general low calorie diet (general)
27% recommended a general low fat diet
27% recommended Weight Watchers
24% suggested a low glycemic/low sugar diet

Read a summary of the findings, or see all the detailed numbers online now, at:

ENDOCRINOLOGISTS SAY TSH NORMAL RANGE IS NOW 0.3 TO 3
MILLIONS MORE HAVE THYROID PROBLEMS UNDER NEW GUIDELINES

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists is now encouraging doctors to consider thyroid treatment for patients who test outside the boundaries of a narrower margin based on a target TSH level of 0.3 to 3.04. The AACE believes the new range will result in proper diagnosis for millions of Americans who have gone untreated until now.

Read the full story in "Sticking Out Our Necks," at: http://www.thyroid-info.com/news/janfeb2003.htm#endos

AMERICANS NEED TO STOP WEIGHT GAIN, SAY EXPERTS

Researchers at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center have estimated that the average American has gained 14 to 16 pounds over an eight year period -- an average of 1.8 to 2 pounds each year.

At this rate, the researchers say that almost 40 per cent Americans will qualify as obese in just five years.

Dr. James Hill, who led the Colorado research, which was published in the journal Science, has said: "We asked ourselves, 'what's it going to take to start turning the tide?' The first measure of success is to stop weight gain...we can break it down into concrete steps."

Specifically, Hill's team estimates that 90 per cent of the American population is "gaining" an extra 50 calories a day in terms of weight gain. For every 100 calories consumed, 50 are be stored as fat, so the experts are recommending cutting down on 100 calories a day -- or the equivalent of three bites of a hamburger. Cutting down on 100 calories a day could help prevent putting on two pounds a year, research has shown.

ARE YOU GETTING THE FREE THYROID NEWSLETTER?
If you're a new "Weight Off My Mind" subscriber, you may not know about my monthly thyroid newsletter, "Sticking Out Our Necks," which features thyroid-related news and information, both conventional and alternative. Each monthly issue covers a variety of the latest thyroid disease news and information of interest to patients and practitioners. If you signed up for this diet newsletter, you are NOT automatically subscribed to the monthly thyroid newsletter, so get on the list for this free monthly now! Or, send an email to diet@thyroid-info.com with "Subscribe Thyroid News" in the subject.

SELECTING PERSONAL TRAINERS... WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!

Note from Mary: I have been working with a personal trainer since the Fall, and it's the best decision I ever made. I'm doing Pilates weekly, and it's really helping strengthen my muscles and change my shape! Phil's article is an excellent guide to determining if you could use a personal trainer!

By Phil Beckett
Copyright © Physique Concepts Inc.

If you've ever thought about hiring personal trainers for your fitness or health needs there is a lot that you should know and need to know.

Certified personal trainers are individuals who have the knowledge, educational training and capability to know how to design an exercise and nutritional program to fit your individual needs and wants.

Before you can decide between the many personal trainers available, you have to determine if this is something that's right for you in the first place.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself.

Are you uncertain how to operate all the equipment at a gym or with your home gym equipment or what equipment you should be using in the first place?
Are you unsure if you are seeing any results?
Has your progress come to a halt?
Do you have difficulty going to a gym or exercising at home even just three or four times a week?
Do you have difficulty motivating yourself during each exercise session?
Do you feel a need for more guidance to get better results?
Do you know where to start with your fitness program?

If you do feel that you aren't going to reach your specific fitness goals, aren't putting the maximum effort into your exercise sessions, you aren't getting the maximum results from them, or you answered yes to any of the above questions, you may need to sort through the thousands of personal trainers out there and find one that fits with your unique needs.

All personal trainers who are professionals must be certified by an accredited professional health and fitness organization.

Personal trainers will differ in educational background, cost, personal philosophy training and consulting practices.

When you first meet with personal trainers, they will find out exactly what your goals are, then develop a program to help you achieve them. With the guidance from personal trainers you usually are able to achieve your results in a short time.

With most personal trainers you can get the individual attention you need for the motivation, guidance and results you want.

Personal trainers don't just train movie stars and CEO's of large companies anymore.

More people are working out with personal trainers now than ever before. And for good reason, since most personal trainers can make the difference between a great workout and no workout at all.

Good personal trainers are very affordable and can help you reach your goals regardless of what those goals may be.

What's a training session like with personal trainers?

When you first begin, most personal trainers will go over your fitness and health goals with you in private.

Some items of discussion may include:

weight loss in general;
body composition;
cardiovascular conditioning;
general body shaping and toning;
muscular conditioning;
lean muscle increase;
health concerns;
strength;
injury prevention and rehabilitation;
lower-back conditioning and strengthening;
flexibility training;
expectations, etc.

Your goals are different from anyone else's, so your exercise and nutrition program has to be individualized to your specific needs.

Most personal trainers can design a program that's just right for you for both long-term and short-term goals.

Are there any benefits to hiring personal trainers?

The biggest benefit with personal trainers is motivation.

You need more than just fancy looking exercise equipment to reach your health, fitness and weight loss goals. You have to be able to exercise consistently and make all of your exercise sessions worthwhile.

Most personal trainers are able to help motivate you into sticking to your plan and keep you focused on your objective.

The expertise that personal trainers have permits him or her to customize and personalize an exercise program making it very specific to your goals, wants and needs.

Personal trainers can also help to teach you correct form, which is critical for you to reach your goals and also reduce the chance of injury.

If you can't seem to find the time to exercise, most personal trainers can figure out a schedule that will work for you, and come up with ideas to help you eliminate any other difficulties that you may have.

Yes using personal trainers does have several great advantages but there is a better and much more affordable way...

Stay tuned!

Phil Beckett is the author of The New Women's Guide To Successful Weight Loss & Fitness. He's helped thousands of women with their weight loss & fitness goals over the past 14 years. Visit http://www.womens-health-fitness.com to contact Phil

INSIDE MARY SHOMON'S MEDICINE CABINET
Find out what thyroid medicine I take, as well as my daily supplements and vitamins, what I take to fight colds and flus, things that help with weight loss, enhance energy, and help hair and skin.

WEIGHT LOSS: EAT TO LIVE - NOT LIVE TO EAT

By Wendy Hearn

Do you find yourself eating food when you're not even hungry? I've noticed that others, myself included, often eat food without even stopping to assess whether we're hungry or not. I encourage you to get in touch with your body and eat only when you need to. This entails being aware of your body's needs and not eating food if you're not hungry.

When I speak to people who maintain a healthy weight level without any real effort, I find one of the keys for them is they only eat when they're hungry. If they're not hungry they don't eat. This group of people generally find it hard to understand how the rest of us can eat food if we're not hungry.

As most of you know, when we eat food when we're not hungry, this is usually being triggered by something else which is going on in our lives. One of the first steps to identifying these triggers and dealing with them is for you to be aware of the times when you're hungry and the times when you're not.

This will take some time and effort to start with, but as with any habit, it becomes easier over time. Eventually, you will unconsciously go through the process of determining when you're really hungry.

First, you need to start thinking consciously about your hunger levels. I would suggest that in your mind or on paper you create a ladder with 10 rungs and label each rung with a level of hunger, according to what feels right for you.

For instance, rung 1 might be "I've just eaten and feel full up." Rung 2 might be "I ate an hour ago and still feel satisfied." Rung 5 might be "I'm starting to feel slightly hungry." Rung 7 might be "I'm feeling hungry now and it would be a good time for me to eat." Rung 10 might be "I'm absolutely starving and want to devour anything."

The wording of these rungs needs to suit you and reflect yourself. I suggest that round about rung 6 or 7 is when you really start to feel hungry and therefore it's appropriate to eat. Rung 1 should be not needing to eat at all and rung 10 needs to be the other extreme, where you're far too hungry.

When you want to eat food, take a look at this ladder and determine for yourself where you are on it. If you're on a low rung, perhaps your urge to eat is being triggered by something else and it would be beneficial to take a look at this.

I would suggest the best time to eat food is round about rung 6 or 7 when you're genuinely hungry and need food more than anything else. I would also encourage you not to get to rung 9 or 10 before you eat, or the hunger you're feeling will overwhelm your good sense and you're likely to overeat in order to feel satisfied.

When you get that hungry, eating reasonable quantities of food seems to go out of the window. This level of hunger causes your blood sugar level to drop and affects the ability of your whole body to operate efficiently, especially your brain.

Also, when you reach this stage, you'll probably grab any food that's going, rather than making healthy choices. The idea isn't to get to the top of the ladder quickly and be able to eat what you want!

When you find yourself thinking about food to eat, I encourage you to use this ladder and ask yourself a few questions. Where am I on the ladder? What am I going to do about being on that rung? For example, if you're not hungry, what else is prompting you to eat?

If you're on rung 4 or 5, do you have healthy food available when you move up a couple of rungs? What do I most need at this moment?

Wendy Hearn
Weight Loss Success Coach
Author of "What's Eating You? - The Top 10 Things That Stop YOU From Losing Weight"
http://www.PositiveWeightLoss.com
Subscribe to her Weight Loss Success Newsletter

Wendy works with people who want to successfully lose weight. http://www.WeightLossCoaching.com

Copyright 2003, Wendy Hearn. All rights reserved.

HOW TO GET IN THE "ZONE" EVERY TIME

by Shawn LeBrun
Certified Personal Trainer

Have you ever had one of those days where everything just seemed to go right?

Ever have one of those workouts where everything seemed to just "click" on all cylinders and all of your lifts and all of your exercises were great?

A day where you just felt an extreme energy coursing through your body as you go from one exercise to the next, ready to kick it up an even "higher notch."

Let me ask you, are these workouts few and far between for you?

Do you wish you could have an awesome workout every single time you wrap your hands around the steel bar or step up onto the treadmill?

Well, you can.

What's the alternative, betting that you can't?

Every single time you step foot into a gym to lift, run, and sweat, you must approach that workout like it's the very last one you'll ever do.

Truth be told, you never really know if it will be, but without sounding too morbid, that's the mindset you must have.

You must condition yourself to hit a "high peak" each and every time you walk into a gym. Soon, a series of these "high peaks" ultimately must lead to nowhere BUT success.

I just gave you the key as to what it takes to have a killer workout each and every time you step into the gym.

Your mindset.

It's as simple as this....

Before you can create anything, you have to think it.

Before you have, do, get, build...anything... you have to think what it is you're trying to achieve.

What are you ultimately after?

Architects do not start building houses until they've thought of every last little detail.

Then they just construct what they thought about.

Approach your workouts and your body the very same way.

You cannot and should not just walk into the gym without thinking of what you want to accomplish and just start exercising with no direction.

Before even stepping into the gym, know what you're after.

If not, you're spinning your wheels.

So what does that have to do with getting into the "Zone" and having a killer workout every single time?

When you are focusing like a laser beam on those things that you KNOW will lead you to results, you start to become more motivated, more driven. You know success is right around the corner, waiting to meet you halfway.

You feel like you are in that "Zone" which is going to lead you to what you want.

And it all starts with thinking about what you want.

More muscle, more strength, less body fat...

Keep these thoughts embedded in your mind.

And then begin to do only those thing that will bring about those things you want to achieve.

If you know exactly what you want and know the exact steps to get it, how can you NOT have awesome workouts each and every time?

I mean, imagine yourself in the gym, right now, doing only those things that you KNOW are going to boost muscle and strength for you.

Wouldn't you feel more pumped knowing that the stuff you are doing is going to lead you to where you want to be?

That's exactly how you can have awesome workouts every single time you step into the gym....it comes from realizing that you are well on your way to getting what you want.

And that the only thing stopping you is you.

So the next time you step into the gym, approach it with an attitude that says "There is no possible way I can fail."

If I go in there, do every single thing I know I have to do and do it well, success is guaranteed 100% of the time.

What's the alternative, dreading going to the gym and when there, wishing you were somewhere else, speeding through your workouts just to get it done.

Every time you go to workout, make it the single best workout you've ever had.

I can PROMISE you, if you do this, not only will you have great workouts every time, but you'll also guarantee yourself fat loss, strength increase, muscle toning, or any other goal you want.

There's a small difference between getting the body you want and the one that you now have...Want to know the difference between those people that have awesome physiques and those that don't....http://www.shawnlebrunfitness.com

LOSE WEIGHT IN 2003! REVISED "THYROID DIET SUCCESS GUIDE" PUBLISHED

Thousands of people have already ordered their copies of the "Thyroid Diet Success Guide,” and people are reporting that the low-glycemic approach featured in the guide is helping them slowly and safely lose weight.

Thousands of people have already ordered their copies of the "Thyroid Diet Success Guide," and people are reporting that the low-glycemic approach featured in the guide is helping them slowly and safely lose weight. And now, I've just updated the guide for 2003!!

Just a few of the key features in the newly updated and revised 35-page Guide include:

Is Your Thyroid Causing Your Weight Problem
Weight Loss Requirement: Optimizing Your Thyroid
Common Questions About Thyroid and Weight Loss
Do Your Doctor's Mistakes Stop You From Losing Weight
The Habits of Successful Weight Loss
Menstrual Cycle Linked to Weight Loss
Weight Loss Secrets for Thyroid Patients
The Thyroid/Weight Loss Connection - Some Theories
How To Lose Weight With Hypothyroidism
Stevia for Sweetening
Thyroid Diet Newsbriefs
Nuts for Nuts: Can They Help your Diet?
Weight Loss Success: How I Lost 25 Pounds in 12 Weeks
Choosing a Good Protein Bar
Dieting for the Disinhibited: "Am I Really Hungry?"
How Much Weight Do You Need to Lose?
The Ultimate Thyroid Exercise Program
Seeing Results with Weight Loss and Exercising
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Overview

The "Thyroid Diet Success Guide" features a diet plan that you can follow, and specific information on exercises, and many other tips and resources. The Success Guide will help you get on the right track, with information that has actually helped other thyroid patients -- including me -- to effectively lose weight!

Order online now, securely, using Visa, Mastercard, American Express or your Discover card, via secure processing with CCNow.

DISCOUNT FOR ONLINE ORDERING!
US ORDERS: $12, plus $2 shipping and handling, for U.S. online orders
OUTSIDE US: $12, plus $7 shipping and handling, for international online orders.

Buy Your Thyroid Diet Guide Online Now

FAX OR MAIL ORDERS
You can also order by fax, or mail. For an order form you can print out, visit http://www.thyroid-info.com/dietbook.htm. U.S. cost is $15, outside the U.S. is $25.

ORDER TOLL FREE
To order by phone, call our toll-free order line during weekday business hours at 888-810-9471 to order using your credit card. If you'd like a call-back, leave a message with your name and number, and Pat at the office will call you back to take your order. U.S. cost is $15, outside the U.S. is $25.

DELIVERY TIME: Don’t forget to allow 10 days to 2 weeks from receipt of your order for delivery of your Thyroid Diet Success Guide.

SPECIAL OFFER: We had the “Mini-Guides” reprintd, so every Weight Off My Mind subscriber who purchases The Thyroid Diet Guide will receive a free pocket-sized "Mini-Guide" that summarizes the key diet tips in a portable, easy-to-carry format!

SPECIAL NEW SUBSCRIBER VALUE PACKAGE! FOR ONLINE ORDERS ONLY!

The best possible value for those who want both the Thyroid Diet Guide, and a year’s worth of continuing information on thyroid disease and weight loss!!

The Thyroid Diet Guide -- Thyroid Diet Guide (a $15 value), with Mini-pocket guide
A One-Year Subscription (6 bimonthly 12-page issues) to "Sticking Out Our Necks: The Thyroid Disease News Report" (a $25 value)
The 8-page Summer 2002 Thyroid News Roundup, Featuring More than 40 Thyroid-Related News Stories (a $8.00 value)

A $48 value, all for only $37 plus postage. You save $11! ORDER NOW – ONLINE ONLY!!

Order online now, securely, using Visa, Mastercard, American Express or your Discover card, via secure processing with CCNow!

ORDER NOW!!

Order online now, securely, using Visa, Mastercard, American Express or your Discover card, via secure processing with CCNow, and receive:

A year's subscription (6 bimonthly 12-page issues) to Sticking Out Our Necks
The Thyroid Diet Guide
The special 8-page Summer Thyroid News Roundup Report, featuring 45 important thyroid-related news stories!

US ORDERS: $37 total (plus $2 shipping and handling), for U.S. online orders
OUTSIDE US: $37 (plus $7 shipping and handling) for Canadian and international online orders.

BUY NOW! -- Use your credit card for a secure online order now!

Note: You should receive your order within a week to ten days for U.S. delivery.

SILLY STUFF! IS IT WHAT YOU EAT?

The following funny stuff has been floating around via email on the web.

For those of you who watch what you eat... Here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting medical studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

3. The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

4. The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans

5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

(No author credited)

NOTES FROM MARY: A TRIBUTE TO PAT SHOMON

Some of you know that my mother, Pat, who ran the home office for the my print newsletter, has been battling lung cancer for more than two years. She was here at my house for the holidays, and after returning to Florida, she had to go into the hospital to have a procedure done to help drain some fluid from her lungs during the first week of January. After the procedure, they told us her right lung was entirely collapsed, her cancer had spread, and that she had 3 to 6 months to live. They recommended she contact hospice. They then proceeded to recommend draining the working lung, to prevent infection or collapse.

Here are some excerpts from emails I was sending to family and friends to update them on my mother's condition, from both my home, and later, from Florida...

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 15TH

My mom is still in the hospital...she's having some sort of procedure done on her good lung in order to prevent it collapsing or filling with fluid. In the meantime, she's not getting pain meds or other things she needs in a timely manner...with 20 patients for every nurse, you apparently have to have a screaming hissy fit every time you need anything. It's all I can do not to get on a plane, and not go to that hospital and start taking names... But they don't want me to come now.

They've met with hospice and have figured out what sorts of services are available. I still don't know when they want me to come -- right now, my mom says she wants me to wait till she's gotten organized. I think she's holding me in reserve for when she can no longer manage her medical situation...

(NOTE: I decided to go ahead and fly down to Florida on Sunday the 18th)

TUESDAY JANUARY 21ST

Mom is home (we got her home late Tues p.m.) -- what a medical adventure that was.

Met with hospice team at the hospital before we left. I am amazed and impressed with hospice...they've been fantastic beyond belief.

We spent all day yesterday getting things organized...all the equipment arrived, the nurse came and I got all the medicines organized, and learned how to work with the morphine, we got the room organized with all the medical supplies...went straight from 8 a.m. till 11 p.m. without stopping. My aunt is here, she did about 10 loads of laundry, my cousin is here too, she got in from NJ at 5 p.m., and then gave my mother a foot massage for an hour.

All in all, my mother is MUCH happier, and far more comfortable physically here. It's amazing how different things are when she can sleep, eat and get medication on HER schedule, vs. the hospital's.

We've all ended up with our roles. I'm medical director, drug dispense, scheduler and project manager, Dad is production, facilities, equipment and purchasing manager, my Aunt is head of housekeeping (laundry, and home organization) and my cousin is personal care!

Today we had another nurse visit, my cousin shampooed my mom, I did all the medications all day, and am cooking dinner, my Aunt reorganized the fridge, Dad did the shopping, so we're all working hard, and spending good time with my mom in the midst. Mom even had enough energy to get wheelchaired from bedroom to living room to have lunch at the table with us. Given that over the weekend, we thought it was pretty likely she was dying and wouldn't make it out of the hospital, this is a huge thing.

I've decided to stay through till the 7th of Feb (originally was supposed to go home last nite, and then come back the 1st, but I need to be here to help with the meds and such.)

MONDAY JANUARY 27TH

My mom has transitioned into the early stages of dying. She's moving in and out of lucidity, eating and drinking little, has reported seeing dead relatives, but is having amazingly clear conversations with us as well. She's in no pain, and is totally comfortable, and has said "if I realized that your loved ones come for one, and that everyone around you gives you so much love, and you would be at so much peace, I'd tell everyone that dying is lovely!"

She's simply utterly amazing!

My husband and daughter and my brother are all coming in the 8 p.m. range tonight, and I think she's holding out to see them. Then my guess is she will either die, or slip into a coma.

The chaplain, a nun, came today and prayed with her and gave her communion, and told us my mom is very much at peace, with one leg in our world, and one in the next. It certainly seems that way...Mom is predicting things for the future, giving us all advice, and it's really quite astounding.

It's the hardest thing I've ever done, but an incredible privilege to be here with her.

We have opera music, flowers, and lots of love all around her, and she's at peace and in comfort. What more could we ask given the circumstance.

FRIDAY JANUARY 30TH

My Mom died last nite at 9:40 p.m. eastern.

We had called the local priest to come...she was not lucid at all yesterday, and was breathing quite raspy and irregularly all day. He came at 9:30 p.m. and was wonderful...did a short service, and then called out to her and quite firmly but lovingly told her it was her time, that God was waiting.

He left, and ten minutes later, she took her last breath, with all of us by her side.

The hospice nurse came, and cleaned her up and I picked out a beautiful dress and strappy sandals she loved. The nurse dressed her, and I put on some makeup for her. She is having a closed casket, but she looks peace, and so beautiful.

Gratefully, my daughter slept through it all, and had given Grandma a big nite nite kiss before she went to sleep. She drew a lovely picture of heaven which is tucked in Pat's hands, along with her rosary.

Hug those you love tight for me, everyone, because life is so so incredibly precious...

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 5TH

I gave the eulogy at my mother's funeral, and if you'd like to see it, I've included it online:
http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/patshomon.htm

* * *

Every single person from the hospice, from the nurses to the home health aides, to the chaplains, to the delivery people, were simply amazing. The respect and caring for not only my mother, but my entire family, was astounding, and life-affirming, and allowed us to care for my mother with greater strength for us all, and comfort for her. If you aren't familiar with hospice, check out the programs in your own area, and consider volunteering time or resources. They are doing an incredibly important thing in this world to help people live well.

Live well,

-- Mary

All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician or health practitioner before starting a new treatment program. Please see our full disclaimer.

Sticking Out Our Necks and this website are © Copyright Mary Shomon, 1997-2006. All rights reserved. Mary Shomon, Editor/Webmaster
All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician or health practitioner before starting a new treatment program. Please see our full disclaimer.