A Big Decision and an "AHA Moment"

Be warned...this is going to be long!

Yesterday, I resigned as President-elect of MeHIMA. It has been looming over me since the "great lymphoma scare of 2010". I feel like I've been burning the candle on both ends and that was just one more thing that I had to make time for and quite honestly, it was beginning to feel like a burden (which honestly benefits nobody-me or MeHIMA). I need to simplify my life and focus on my health & family. So, yesterday I gave my resignation and it feels great.

Today was my March ME First facilitation meeting. I woke up this morning and didn't want to go. I thought about it and decided that I really needed to go regardless if I wanted to or not. Plus, when I don't feel like going is the time that I actually need it the most. So, I went. We all started talking and doing our "check-ins" and I just didn't want to talk. I knew that if I started talking, I would end up crying and I just didn't feel like it. So I didn't do a "check-in".

We were handed some paperwork regarding goal setting and a form on "Process for Creating Long Term Goals". This form was basically a range of numbers from 1-10. 10 is the "ideal state" which should be a stretch, but also realistically attainable. Things to consider are: how will you be feeling? How will you be looking? What will you be physically capable of doing? How will you be eating? How will you be exercising? What will be your overall health (including medication use, disease management, etc.). On the 1-10 scale, we were instructed to mark where we believe we were when we started ME First and write some descriptors of our condition at that time. Then, we were instructed to mark where we believe we are today and add some descriptors. Finally, we were instructed to mark the place on the 1-10 scale where we would like to be in 6-12 months and write descriptors for how we will be then. AND write a "long term (6-12 months) goal" for ourself at the top of the goal worksheet.

I started filling it out and had no problem at all writing down my "ideal state": at goal weight, feeling fit & fabulous, looking fit (toned & healthy), physically capable of working out 4-5 times a week, eating clean 80% of the time, strength, cardio, & flexibility 4-5 times per week, overall health (taking vitamins/supplements regularly), feeling good, clothes fitting well, lots of energy, no low back pain (don't even get me started on that one!), feeling good about appearance.

I completed the "mark where you believe you were when you started ME First and write descriptors. I feel that I was at a "2" and used the following descriptors: overweight, inactive, eating very poorly, no energy, felt really bad about my appearance.

Then, I had a hard time. I had to write where I felt I was today. I did it-marked myself at a "5" because although I've "fallen back", I have learned so much and feel that I'm farther along than where I was when I started. BUT, I kept looking at the paper and it just felt like it didn't show the "full picture". I kept obsessing over where I was 6-8 months ago. Then, I feel that I was doing great and was well on my way to my ideal. I would say I was about an "8" on the numbers range. I was eating nutritiously, working out regularly and was well on my way to my weight loss goal. And honestly, weight is not the most important factor in that (although when I first started it was my number one motivator). I want to be leading an active & healthy lifestyle and the weight is just a number because if I am doing what I want to be doing, the weight loss will just be an added bonus.

So, I kept looking up at Jeri (my facilitator) and then I would look down. I was trying to decide if I wanted to talk or not because I knew that the minute I opened my mouth the tears would start. Well, I had to talk. So, I explained to Jeri that I was struggling because I felt like I had been so close to my goals and then went backwards. Jeri is awesome. I felt that she was truly listening and got what I was saying. She helped to redirect all of the negative energy that I  was feeling into more of an empowering direction. (if that makes sense). She asked me why I felt that I couldn't get back to where I wanted to be. She asked me if I had fear. YES! That is exactly it. I am sooooo scared that if I get back to a place where I'm feeling great and achieving my goals, then what happens if I have another health crisis, or something else that derails me? Well, she said that is just how life is and the one thing she said that totally sent chills up my spine was this: "Do not fear yesterday or tomorrow because we only have TODAY". Wow. I just got chills again typing it. It is SO true. I have been beating myself up because I have not been eating well, not been working out because of my back-I am focusing so much on the negative. So, I really thought long & hard about what she said and decided that if I want to achieve my goals, I really need to stop all of the negative chatter that is going on in my head. And in all honestly, I am certainly not where I was when I started ME First. I have gained soooo much information. I know myself more, I know what "makes me tick". So, today is the first day of me taking it one day at a time and just doing what I need to do to achieve my goals. Will I have setbacks? Of course I will-I'm human and life happens. But, will I achieve my goals? You better believe I will! I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but does it really matter? All I can do is focus on now.

So, my goals for today are:

1. Set up appointment with Jameson (my new fitness specialist-Aaron is no longer with ME First-more on that later!)

2. Call my doctor and get an order to get my vitamin D level checked.

3. Schedule meeting with Hope (my wellness coach).


UPDATE on goals:

1. I emailed Jameson, he replied so we're working on a date/time. 
2. Called and left voicemail. Waiting for response. Update: Doctor's office called me back. She wants me to come over at 2:30 today to do some bloodwork. She is doing vitamin D level as well as thyroid & CBC.
3. March 14 at 1:00


Do Not Fear Yesterday or Tomorrow-we only have TODAY.

Orlando Day 3!

This morning I had to be at the Gaylord Palms convention center (which is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!) for the AHIMA House of Delegates. This was a full day meeting from 7:30-5:15. It was pretty amazing. The room we had the actual House of Delegates in was decorated very nicely with all 52 state flags lined up on the sides.

And here is the Maine placard:

This was the 64th AHIMA House of Delegates. Since 2008, the delegates have been signing the placards so I made sure to sign since it was my first time there! Check out what I wrote:

Soooo ME!

Here are the Maine Delegates: (pardon the manly looking shirt-totally NOT me but duty calls):

There were over 200 delegates with each of the 52 states represented! COOL!
Once the voting was over (it actually ended at 4:00! EARLY!), Anand picked me up and we headed to CityWalk at Universal Studios. Check out these adorable t-shirts!

First stop? Any guesses???!!! If you're a facebook friend, you will notice that my status read "Wastin' Away Again in Margaritaville!". YEP-we went to Margaritaville! And I had my margarita:

I had the Pink Cadillac!

It was HOT!

We were seated beside this wall where people had left tons of handwritten notes, so I added one for us!

Awwww!

After our margaritas, we walked around and took a few pictures.

And I stood between some really tall dude's legs!

Did I just say that?!

We went into the Hard Rock Cafe to look at the stuff. We saw Snoop Dogg's rockin' suit:

And some Barbies!

I'm thinking we need one of these in town:

We hung out with Bob Marley:

Took some pictures in a ROASTING HOT photo booth:

And it looks like someone really was "Wastin' Away Again in Margaritaville":

Then we headed to Benihana for dinner. Yum!

Hubby used the kiddie chopsticks...hee hee!

Ok...I think I need to go to bed. We're off for more adventures in approximately 7 hours...

Orlando Day 2 (and my new toy!)!

So...remember yesterday's post? Well, this is where we were:

Getting my new iPad! Anand told me on our way to Orlando that he wanted to get me an iPad for our anniversary! YAY! LOVE it, but still figuring it out!

So...back to the beginning of Day 2 in Orlando! We started the day with breakfast at the hotel. Then, Anand took the shuttle to the airport to pick up our wheels for the week. This is our "luxury" vehicle (ha ha!):

We headed to the Millenia Mall
(I'll finish this post later as I'm off to the House of Delegates!)...

I'm back!
So...we went to the Millenia Mall. When we arrived, we saw this:

It was Fashion Week 2010 at the mall. And then, I saw a sign that said that Giuliana Rancic from E! News was going to be there at 2:00. So, after our little Apple shopping spree, and lunch at the Cheesecake Factory (we had tuna, chicken samosa & tamale appetizers):

Then we headed back to the Fashion Week area. They told us we could get free tickets for the runway show, so we did that. My first fashion show-it was SO MUCH FUN! They gave us these adorable Betsey Johnson bags:

along with the bracelets. Then, it was time! GIULIANA!!!!

I was SO excited to see her! (yeah, I'm crazy-what can I say?!)

Then there was the runway show which totally rocked!

The energy was AMAZING! It was super high energy, music was blasting and you could just feel excitement in the air! After the show was over, we were leaving and I looked down and saw Giuliana behind the stage. I decided to be a creeper and take a picture! Here is Giuliana's head!

See her?

What a great day! Then it was time to head back to the hotel so I could get ready to go to the House of Delegates orientation. It lasted for an hour, then we got takeout again (we were tired and I really wanted to play with my iPad!).

See you tomorrow!

I'm FAMOUS!

This article (along with the picture of me with AHIMA CEO Alan Dowling) was in my work newsletter. Thanks to my good friend, Monika, who happens to be the editor :D


Riverview Medical Records Director Elected President of Maine Health Information Management Association


On June 7, Nicole Ginka, RPC Medical Records Director was sworn in as President-Elect of the Maine Health Management Information Association (MeHIMA) during their annual convention.






MeHIMA is the Maine chapter of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). AHIMA is the premier association of health information management professionals, a respected authority for rigorous professional certification, and one of the industry's most active and influential advocates in Congress.


Its Maine chapter, MeHIMA collaborates with public and private associations on health information issues and is active in providing health information development and education in Maine. Nicole will serve a term of three years.


Congratulations, Nicole!

Time to Go Home!

We got up bright & early to pack and head to the airport. When we got outside the hotel, we saw these:

Tanks on the street! They were filming Terminator 3 on the street that day! How cool is that?!

We hopped in the cab and headed for the airport. We drove through this on the way:

MAGNIFICENT Mile...oh, how magnificent it is?!

Coach on the right...

CARTIER on the left...

We got to O'Hare to discover our flight was delayed an hour and a half due to weather in New York.

Got to JFK, and guess what? They boarded us even though there was a pretty major thunderstorm going on, so we had the pleasure of sitting ON THE PLANE for FOUR HOURS. Fun times had by all. NOT. Thankfully, JetBlue has tv screens for every seat. Otherwise, it would have been torture. I got caught up on the Real Housewives of New Jersey. (gotta look at the positive, right?!).

SIDE NOTE FOR you, Kelly:

Look what I saw when I walked into the terminal at JFK:

SEPHORA vending machine-remember we talked about this?! I was SO excited!

You can buy a Clarisonic in that thing! Now THAT is what I call a vending machine!

And on another note, I swear I thought this man was some bigtime fashion designer. I tried to be discreet, but HAD to have a picture!

I kept thinking "oh my god-it's Ralph Lauren or something". He had his wife with him who was also super fashionable!