Weigh in and belly laughs

I went to Weight Watchers this morning and I lost 1.2 pounds.  The meeting started and the leader (Kathy) starts speaking about the 5k we had walked Saturday.  Our group at Weight Watchers is around 40 and about 20 members plus friends and spouses walked on Saturday. 

Kathy goes on about what a great morning it was and then said... She thought there would have been a bigger turn out.  She says... There are people here who complain about arthritis or aches and pains, and there are people here who don't exercise but really need to for their health.  Then she said she saw me determined to walk with my oxygen tank on my back and she felt that no one should complain of aches and pains. 

Ughh.  This is really hard for me.  Inspiration is something I never intended to be.  It's perception I think.  I look at me like a woman who damaged herself with an addiction she knew was bad for her.  My family I think looks at me the same.  I think they are occasionally proud of me for pushing forward and trying to reach my goals.  But, I am humbled when I hear that I am an inspiration.  It pleases me very much to think that I can help someone with my words, or by sharing my story. 

I remember when I was diagnosed there wasn't many sites or people talking about Copd.  I first met people on the Become an Ex . org site that I used to quit smoking.  (which if anyone is trying to kick the habit... that is THE site to go too)  There were a couple ladies there who told me they had Copd and they became instant friends of mine.  Just talking about the symptoms we each had was reassuring.  It made me know I wasn't imagining things, and that I was not alone.  It also showed me what may be in store for me.  We are all a little different.  Our disease and it's progression depends on so much.... exacerbation's, colds/flu/pneumonia, exercise, over all health, other health issues.  So, no one person shares everything with the other.  We do have things in common like... Depression, anxiety, exhaustion... we share similar side effects from the drugs... eye problems, bladder problems, bowel problems, bloody nose issues. 

Wow...I get side tracked.  Anyway... I will take being an inspiration but it comes by accident.  And, I am so grateful if I can help anyone, or help a family member understand what struggles their loved ones are going through. 

Now... Britt and Fernando are moving into a new house.  So.. tomorrow they will move in here until their new house gets ready about a week or so.  They will be going over and finishing cleaning and mowing the yard and touching up paint this weekend.  Tonight Britt and Layla brought some things over to put in the closet.  Britt and I started taunting each other.  We used to have fly swatter fights.  We would chase each other around the house and smack each other with fly swatters.  Sometimes those things really stung!!  That was kind of the point... Tonight Layla was outside with one of my wooden spoons trying to use it as a baseball bat to hit a tennis ball with.  So, after she got through with it, I picked it up and on the way in the house swatted Britt on the back of her thigh with it.  Pop it went really loud!!!  She let out a yelp and I started laughing so hard I almost wet my pants.  She came in and grabbed the remote control and started swatting back.  We both connected 4 or 5 real good hits.  As she was leaving I had hidden my spoon in the waistband of my pants and I pulled it out and swatted her... thwack!!!!!!  She said and I quote......"I should wrap that cord around your neck and pull you down on the ground".  I said (through tears from laughing so hard) Gawd I wish I had that on a tape... the nursing school would love to hear that!!  Whew!!!! 
Anyway... It was SO nice to laugh.  I think that's the first time in months that I laughed out loud so hard.  :)  Tomorrow when I get ready to lay in the tanning bed and see black and blue marks on my legs and arms a big smile will come across my face. 

I am posting these for my records... but today i was really pleased to see my lean body mass increasing.  It was a pleasant surprise.  I seem to be losing inches now and even on the weeks I don't show a weight loss.  And, that works for me.  It's all about BMI and getting into physically good shape.