Three Weeks to Go

3 weeks from today my husband and I will fly to Maui for a 3 week vacation. This will be our first vacation in 2 years. Last year we spent a 'stay-cation' at home having our crawl space converted into a bonafide basement. We also spent vacation money on my Invisiline teeth correction program. So we both anticipate a real get-away and worry about getting everything done before we leave

This morning my orthodontist gave me my last 2 invisiline aligners which will straighten my lower teeth enough to allow another dentist to restore a tooth which was crooked and smaller than the others. Then my ortho will take impressions for a permanent retainer (stronger material than flimsy aligners), which I will only wear at night to 'retain' the correction which the aligners did to my teeth during the past 18 months. Originally we anticipated 12 months of alignment. However Invisiline and my ortho overlooked the size of the tooth which had laid in front of another tooth. When that tooth finally shifted into the proper place, we noticed it was much smaller than the others. So Invisiline designed aligners to move that tooth into a position where another dentist could increase the size of the tooth (with bonding, rather than a more expensive veneer).

2 weeks from today the restoration dentist can make the smaller tooth match the rest and correct my 'bite'. Then I will receive the permanent invisiline retainers, which I only need to wear at night. So I will no longer need to remove retainers, eat, brush teeth, floss teeth, brush retainers and reinsert retainers everytime I eat while on vacation. That will make eating picnic lunches as well as restaurant meals much easier.

If we weren't leaving for Maui on October 6, I would continue with pulse (tapered) doses of vancomycin to prevent c-diff recurrence. Currently I'm on once a day fpr another 4 days. Then I switch to once every 2 days for another 8 days followed by a week of high dose probiotics. If I had more time I'd do another 2 weeks of once every 2 days. My husband suggested taking vanco with me just in case. However, if I'm completly off vanco and start taking it full dose to treat c-diff symptons, I'll get side effects of massive diarrhea, which will interrupt my vacation and confine me to the condo bathroom. So I hope my abbreviated pulse dose plan will prevent c-diff recurrence when I'm in Maui.

The big question for both my husband and me continues to be: Will we fit into our usual Maui clothes, like swim suits, lighter weight shorts, etc.? Both of us gained weight this year. I still weigh 3 pounds more than I usually weigh when I'm in Maui. Those 3 pounds mostly translate into an extra 1-1/2 inces around my waist and a 1/2 inch around my hips. I gained that weight while taking flagyl and vancomycin to treat c-diff. My husband accumulated at least 12 pounds since our last Maui vacation, because he eats to cope with job stress. His job stress remains high. So he still has not lost that weight. I've changed what I ate. So I eat much more fruits and vegies and no sweets (like ice cream or cookies). However, my scale tells me that I still overeat, because I haven't lost the extra weight.

I also suspect I'm eating too much salt and not drinking enough water. I've eaten so many garden fresh tomatoes lately, but I always overly salt tomatoes. Hopefully cutting back on salt will eliminate water retention, which returns me to the higher weight every few days. However, I also know I just need to abstain from those unnecessary between meal snacks and mealtime excess food. I certainly developed some bad habits while I was taking flagyl and initially vancomycin. Mostly my attitude changed from "I don't need food when I'm not hungry" to "I will eat for nausea and worry about weight gain later". Now I want to do more than worry. I want to lose those excess pounds and inches.

Between now and October 6 (when we leave) we face many appointments, errands, meetings and prevacation chores, as well as our usual daily schedules. If I didn't have so many 'unknowns' about weight, c-diff, my teeth, getting it all done would seem exciting, rather than stressful. However, I feel so overwhelmed with all the unknowns that I'd gladly cancel the vacation to eliminate all the stress. I certainly don't need a vacation deadline to motivate myself to change my eating habits and lose the extra weight. My winter clothes will also fit better without those extra inches.