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This is an archive collection of entries from  my main personal blog, My Mundane Mid-Life.

This collection of entries is from the Category "Health". Since I have decided to actually do something about my health, I've also started to post items about my endeavors, about how I feel, my doctor visits, my diagnoses, and things that have to be done just to keep me going!

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Friday, February 08, 2008

Painless stick

I have to go to the doctor every three months for a slew of things... primarily, because of my Type 2 Diabetes I have to check my HbA1c (or glycosylated hemoglobin) along with cholesterol and liver functions, along with blood pressure (all of which I have meds to take).

So, a fasting blood draw every three months. Not a big deal, but I still have this needle phobia (you think it would get better over time, especially if i am actually injecting myself every night). Maybe it's this whole idea of having something shoved in a vein... I don't know...

But today was really odd...

I'm sitting there, the nurse has me all prepped to do "the stick". I always look away, because... well.. it's easier to cope, I suppose.

Next thing I know, she's changing sample tubes.. she had stuck me and I NEVER felt it AT ALL. I commented on it, congratulated her and I was just generally surprised, perhaps shocked. Don't get me wrong - I still hate blood draws, but this was a pleasant experience... today.

posted at 10:11 AM | Link | Health | Care to comment? | § |

Friday, January 25, 2008

One Year

Well... I think I said earlier that I needed to write something here... and here it is one year later...

it's not like I haven't talked about it though... I did a podcast episode last year that talked about it. I have just never written about it.

So... here it is. One year later, I can look back and try to remember what that day was like. You never want to get a phone call at work from a health care professional. I had been getting all kinds of MRI's, spinal taps... just to figure out why I'm getting these leg twitches/spasms...

So, the doctor that I had gone to for a second opinion made a diagnosis based on interviews, symptoms, and something that showed-up on an MRI that I had of a totally different region...

I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

I happened to be seeing my neurologist that day, so I called Carol and we both went... and we both listened to what she said...

I started a daily drug therapy... I had to get over an extreme phobia about needles. The drug is administered daily - via injection - into a fat layer under your skin. I guess the only way I could handle this was I was able to get an Autoject - a device that uses the pre-filled syringes and fires/injects at the pull of a trigger... that way i don't have to handle it all .. and deal with manually injecting myself...

So... the drug itself - Copaxone - is not a cure. There is no cure. It's just supposed to reduce the number and severity of exacerbations. It works by modifying my immune system... which you know, you gotta watch. And *NOT* cheap. Thank god for insurance - it's saving me over $2,250 a month. But, it's a drug that, since it doesn't cure, doesn't make you feel any different either. So what weighs on you mind is - "is this drug even working?"

So... there you have it. A disease without a cure. A drug that just reduces the lesions and their frequency...

Just to keep me going...

Here it is a year later, and I don't really know how I feel about this... don't know at all... I know it was "caught early" before things really went "south"...

So... you only do what you know you can do... don't let the disease "define you"... just keep on living each day... and see where the road takes you

posted at 09:40 AM | Link | Health | Care to comment? | § |

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

No change

Hey! That's me in there!
My neurologist called me at work today. I hate doctors calling me at work - it usually means something bad.

Today though... that was not the case.

She called to say that the MRI I had done the day after Christmas, when compared to another I had done showed no changes... and that's good. However, when comparing the two images, it looks like there is a possibility that the original radiologist may have been able to diagnose my issue earlier (almost 2 years ago, a year before the diagnosis).

Umm... oh oh... you know... I never blogged about this... I talked about it in my podcast, but I've never wrote about it...

I'll do that next week..

posted at 11:32 AM | Link | Health | Care to comment? | § |

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Soda does... what???

So... as I sit here with my bottle of Diet Pepsi, comes word that this bottle is really bad for me. It doesn't matter what's inside, exactly... since it's a carbonated soft drink... pop... soda.. whatever you call it...

It doesn't matter that I drink the diet version because the lack of carbs is good for my Type 2 Diabetes...

... but then there's this report of a study...

Apparently, if I drink one or more soft drinks a day (which I certainly do) I would have a more than 50 percent higher risk of developing the heart disease precursor metabolic syndrome than people who drink less than one soda a day - diet soda or not, it doesn't matter.

The study, in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, looked at more than 6,000 healthy people, who showed no signs of metabolic syndrome, and then followed up. After four years, 53 percent of people who drank an average of one or more soft drinks per day developed metabolic syndrome. Those who drank one or more diet soft drinks a day were at a 44 percent higher risk.

So... nobody knows the "why" behind this. Not the carbs, not the calories... so... what is it?

posted at 01:18 PM | Link | Health | Care to comment? | § |

Friday, January 05, 2007

I do not like 2007

Every single day this young year has sucked for me... loads of bad luck... the bifold door on our pantry fell off, our nice new-ish gorgeous patio door was dripping water during a rain storm,.. I had a significant birthday (OK, that really shouldn't be a sucky thing), and then i went to my neurologist today as she was giddy that she actually found something in the cerebral spinal fluid they sampled a few weeks ago - now giddy, is not good, it just means that something was found ad so many possibilities exist, and most of them aren't good ,and most of those have some nasty treatments...

Is it too early to want the year to be over?

posted at 07:23 PM | Link | Mundane | § |

Friday, December 22, 2006

Twitch?

I had something happen today, that quite frankly... I'm not comfortable talking about.

Why? Because I can't believe I had this done...

A girl in the office came up to me this afternoon (after I was walking around trying to figure out what a loud noise was that we had heard... it was thunder!). We went into a larger, empty management-size cubicle and she asked me if I was having back problems. I explained my situation.. that for years my legs have been spasming... I had no pain, but the spasms can get severe... and it's not fun trying to drive if your right leg twitches, causing your foot to tromp on the accelerator...

She then told me that she is a practicing healer.. and that she can help me with a "treatment" as a Christmas Present...

read more of this entry »


posted at 08:44 PM | Link | Mundane § |

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

...huh?... what did I need to do???

The day after a myelogram, I was told could be hell, because of headaches. I had one last night, but I took Tylenol (not Advil, not aspirin) and it helped.

Today - no headache...

...but...

I really feel like I had a side effect. I was loopy - my short-term memory was shot. I couldn't remember things that I neded to do, that I thought about just minutes earlier. Let me give you the final example of the day...

I went to Walgreens to pick up a prescription and I bought 5 containers of Dibbs ice cream nuggets (mmm.. mint... love these things...) I came home, put the Walgreens bag on the counter. The first thing I do when I get home, is bunny-proof the family room and let the "kids" (bunnies) out o fthe cage so they can romp and exercise. I prepped the room, turned on the TV... and went upstairs to sit down at the computer and login to Second Life...

About an hour to hour and a hlaf passes when Carol finally came home, and I can hear her yelling at me downstairs. I cam edown to find 1) the "kids" ar still in the cage - I had prepped the room, but never opened their door to let them out, and more importantly 2) I never put the ice cream away in the freezer - it was still in the bag on the counter.

That's what my whole day was like.

posted at 07:18 PM | Link | Mundane | § |

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

A needle into the spine...

My little medical journey to finding the reason why my legs twitch changed today from hands-off to my first "invasive" procedure.

read more of this entry »


posted at 07:58 PM | Link | Mundane | § |

Thursday, November 09, 2006

You know... just like Jack on "Lost"...

I had to take off of work this afternoon. I had an appointment with a neurosurgeon downtown at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

What a gorgeous day, for November.. 68 degrees.. the drive downtown wasn't so bad, though not totally free and clear. It's maneuvering downtown that's a bitch. I had t go to the 675 N. St. Clair which is just east of Michigan Avanue... tight streets, lots of traffic, lots of peds. Thank Dog I had left early to compensate for the possibility of travel issues.

My buddy Barry knows Northwestern Hospital pretty well, but this is my first time. It's a sprawling campus in the middle of town. I had to go to the 20th floor of one of the pavilions and I was SOOOoooo impressed with the facility.. the people... The doctor is a spinal surgeon, so this is right up his alley...

So... again, another doctor that doesn't understand what's going on (MRI's do not show what the symptoms would indicate), but I'm at the right place... a teaching/research hospital. We've got another test on the books that would help the diagnosis... so I'll need to coordinate it with my neurologist and the new "Team"/doctor.

Thank God I had stopped at the oasis on the way into the city to buy snacks and drinks for the drive home... I left at the beginning of Rush Hour and it took me about 90 minutes to get home. So i listed to some Podcasts on my iPod on the drive.. and the time passed pretty easily.

posted at 07:39 PM | Link | Mundane | § |

Monday, October 23, 2006

Taking a header - Part I

About 1 o'clock this morning, I woke up, having to go to the bathroom. No big deal, this is what my life has been for the past couple of years.

I rolled out of bed, placed my feet on the floor, and then...

...WHAM!...

I never had my balance when I rolled out of bed. I was never dizzy, no sense of vertigo. My legs seemed to support me, but I must have planted my feet waaaayyyy off balance...

..and collapsed into my nightstand, tipping it, sending things to the floor, including myself, and along the way scaring the hell out of Carol who was silently asleep (at least, I think she was silent).

I was awake, but I just remember realizing my body isn't in the position that I think it is just before I crashed. So, I wasn't dizzy, but maybe this is vertigo?

I've been unsteady on my feet for the last few years, and, come to think of it, I've had this sensation MANY times before,where I'm not where I think I am. When that happens, I'm not dizzy, it's almost like a type of disconnect when I finally realize "Hey! I'm not supposed to be here!" and then try to compensate.

Even though I am frequently off-kilter, I have never lost my balance and fallen.. up until this morning. But, take it with a grain of salt.. .I had been sleeping, and was barely awake when I rolled out of bed. (It's not like I rolled out of bed onto the floor either... I had swung my legs underneath me... I just never got vertical.

I think I'll partially blame that new 4-inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper... making the bed too tall to easily get in and out of for us Height Challenged individuals.

Gotta blame someone.. or something...

posted at 07:26 AM | Link | Mundane | § |

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Stand-up? Not really

I'm still having trouble with what we've been calling "leg spasms". They usually get worse as the day progresses. Sometimes they're bad from the morning on. My neurologist decided that I should have 2 more MRI's (it was only going to be one, but I'm starting to get tingling in my hands - both of them - so now it's two).

But... she decided to have a different look, and sent me for a Stand-Up MRI at a facility in Deerfield.

Well, it wasn't stand-up - it's actually recumbent.

That's not good - Problem #1: sitting aggravates the leg twitches.

The machine was huge, HUGE! it sits on a 3-foot thick concrete slab under the building. The magnets are to each side of the device, so you walk into it and sit down.

Problem #2? My shoulders are wider than the sitting area, so I have to roll them forward to fit.

I was so uncomfortable. This was so much worse than the others I had... It's hard to attempt to sit still when you don't have control of your body.

Problem #3? Because I twitched so much, some of the scans had to be re-done, and the two hour estimate suddenly became three.

Problem #4? Because of the several twitches, there *is* movement in the scans. Not good.

Any positive things? Well, the machine was significantly quieter than the other GE lay-down types. On the far wall that you face while sitting in the machine is a large plasma TV. You have the option of watching movies while being scanned! But, instead, the tech was watching The Simpsons on the local Fox affiliate, so that's what I watched (Simpsons, Malcom in the Middle, Simpsons, Seinfeld...House)

It is extremely weird sitting in an MRI and watching House on TV. VERY weird.

Problem #5 - I have an extremely sore shoulder/upper right arm. I can barely move my arm... something about being wedged in this thing for three hours... wasn't great.

Hope the scans are good and show something.

posted at 08:19 PM | Link | Health | 1 comment | § |

Friday, August 25, 2006

CPAP

CPAP - Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

I spent the night at a hospital's Sleep Disorder Clinic, sleeping (or trying to) while somebody watched my on TV, monitored my breathing, my snoring, my eye movements, my jaw movements, my brainwaves.

So I have sleep apnea. My guess - pretty bad. Solution? Wear a mask to sleep every night for the rest of my life. And in my case, a full face mask (nose and mouth), not just a nose one like everybody else could use. My nose just doesn't work the same. Hasn't for years. It's perpetually blocked, stuffed. I haven't breathed through my nose in years. The normal nose-only CPAP doesn't work for me.

CRAP.

CPAP.

posted at 07:46 AM | Link | Health | § |

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

One Month Follow-Up

Got a phone call from my dietitian for a one-month follow-up (late). Had to answer a bunch of questions and I seem to be doing well (based on the answers to the questions). And I think I'm starting to feel better now, too.

posted at 09:10 PM | Link | Health | § |

Thursday, August 17, 2006

6 less

I know this isn't a big deal for anybody out there... but it's a big deal to me...

Carol shortened a band new pair of pants for me to wear today. (yeah, my legs ar just REALLY friggin' short...)

Big deal? Well, yes, when the waist is 6 inches less than my biggest pair that I used to wear...

posted at 01:51 PM | Link | Health | 1 comment | § |

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Maybe on the right path?

I finally had an appointment with a neurologist today. It has been months and months, and because I was a new patient, this was the first opening I could get.

So.. it's the same thing.. "I don't know"... because like all my problems and all my doctors, it's all the same.. "I don't know".. and whatever I have, it doesn't "fit" with test/scan results.

But, now with her, it's like.. OK, let's go down this path and start eliminating. I have another series of blood tests to take.. eliminating Vitamin deficiency, Lyme Disease.. stuff like that..

Oh, and she wants me to go in for a sleep study... my fatigue, coordination issues... it all fits sleep apnia... along with - believe it or not - high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.

I feel comfortable with her.. great attitude... I think maybe, SOMEDAY, we'll figure this out.

posted at 03:13 PM | Link | Health | § |

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

MY DAY OF FIRSTS

My view from the gurney - not a smooth ride The view out the back windows from the gurney The paramedics offered to take my picture - see? I look FINE! My home in the E.R. for 5 and a half hours Sneaking a peak out into the E.R.

OK, I'm thinking of posting this entry later, sometime after I can tell my family about what happened today before they read it here first.

read more of this entry »


posted at 09:06 PM | Link | Health | § |

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Not comfortable

I just stopped at home after an appointment with a neurosurgeon. He was recommended by my primary physician. I don't have an appointment to see a neurologist until the end of July. I am so confused why I had to go see this guy ASAP before seeing the neurologist. In fact, I'm not really sure how to proceed.

So, I'm doing all of this because of these weird leg "twitches" which are more like "spasms". they started almost 5 years ago, very slowly and very steadily have become more and more problematic as they get more and more intense. To start the process, I went for an EMG & NCV, and a series of MRI's. Now, we have to see what they say.

So, I got my own copies of the MRI's and went to this neurosurgeon.

Have you ever have an experience where the experience of just walking into the office "colors" your view of how the doctor may perform? this was one of those.

read more of this entry »


posted at 02:18 PM | Link | Health | § |

Friday, June 09, 2006

Let's back this off a smidge...

Quick health issue update:

I've been taking some Blood Pressure medication to help control my BP, which has been too high for too long. A prior drug wasn't working, so my doctor put me on LISINOPRIL-HCTZ 10/12.5mg tablets, and the last time I saw him, I was finally getting close: my BP was 135/88.

Now that I've been diagnosed as a diabetic, my BP has to be even lower, so my doctor tweaked the drug a bit and put me on LISINOPRIL-HCTZ 20/12.5mg tablets.

I noticed that I was feeling a little... weird. I wasn't light-headed, but the other night when I was hauling the hose around in the yard, I was short of breath, panting like a race horse.

I pulled out my wrist BP cuff and tested my BP: 83/56 ! OK, not good.

So I called the Dr's office and left a detailed message. They called in a new presecription for me to replace what I was on... It's the same dosage as the one prior to this, so I'm back with the medication that was working, without being "overmedicated".

I had taken my BP a few times with the heavier dosage drug, just to see what was going on. There were times were it was 113/66, 109/67, 123/80, 103/66, so this seemed good to me... I guess it was 87/49, 97/62 and that 83/56 that were probably problems.

posted at 08:42 PM | Link | Health | § |

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Class #2

We went to my second Diabetes Education class tonight at the hospital. Tonight - it was all about me. I was the only one there (well, not the only one... Carol came with to learn and support).

So, since I was the only one, it was one-on-one education all night, so it was a bit intense. And long. And draining.

Did I learn more? Oh, yes.

Like the realization that once you diagnosed with diabetes, that's it - you are a diabetic. You may have everything under control, thus forcing your blood sugars within "normal range", but all that it means is that it's "under control". Once you've been diagnosed, you don't "get rid" of diabetes. You have it for life. There is no cure.

What's scary is that no one know why it happens.

No one knows how you as an individual will progress with the disease, how many complications you may get, how many will impact your life significantly.

So, education is a good thing.

posted at 09:49 PM | Link | Health | § |

Monday, May 22, 2006

First Class

Just got back from my first Diabetes Education class at St. Alexius Medical Center. Tonight was about exercise and how it benefits a diabetic. We had a podiatrist and an elderly gentleman ("civilian"-type) that teaches "walking" and stretching continuing education classes. Learned a few things, but not too much. I mean, how much do you have to learn about walking, other than how - medically - it benefits a diabetic. Of course, there's issues of foot care for a diabetic that I sort of knew, but didn't. I guess it's a denial thing, because the two things that happen to diabetics (can happen, at all kinds of severity) is poor circulation and neuropathy, which could lead - unchecked - to significant pain, sores, and - because of lack of circulation - even amputation of body parts... which SCARE THE HELL OUT OF ME... Is that my future? Can I avoid that???

There was only 2 people in class (including myself) and this class is only held quarterly. The rest of the education sessions for the month of May - it's only me, so we're customizing a few sessions into one final session for me. Feels odd being in a certified education class and being the only "student".

posted at 08:44 PM | Link | Health | § |

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Parched

Time to share with you a side effect of diabetes that I have been plagued with.

Dry mouth and extreme thirst.

I've had this for a while, actually, most severely at night or when I awake. I wrote it off ats1) being a mouth-breather because my sinuses are usually always clogged, and 2) no humidifier in the house during the winter.

Turns out it was diabetes.

But lately, it's took a new turn. I have been taking Zyrtec for my allergies (and it's not that all effective, in my mind), and I think it's done something to my throat.

Now, on top of my extremely dry mouth and throat (because of diabetes plus a side effect of Zertec is - dry mouth), now I'm coughing because it feels like my uvula has dried up and sticking to the back of throat.

***eewwwww***

Then again, I remember Barry telling me something about ACE inhibitors and coughing (turns out that my blood pressure medication changed and now has an ACE inhibitor in it, and a side effect is cough (3.9%)).

posted at 10:00 AM | Link | Health | 1 comment | § |

Monday, April 24, 2006

Is it the drugs?

I didn't mention that I went to the doctor on Saturday morning, just for a regular stop-in and catch-up.

My blood pressure - though I think it's been OK, doesn't seem to be under control. The medication doesn't seem to working as efficiently, based on my in-office BP checks. I'm thoroughly convinced its 1) the manner in which the BP is taken, which is different than the when I had it taken regularly by the P.A. Kristi., and 2) I'm pretty sure I have a case of "White Coat BP" meaning that my BP goes up any time I see a white lab coat, like the doctor wears.

Anyway, we changed my drug to a two-drug combo, Lisinopril and Hydrochlorothiazide.

I was really "lucky" in that when I saw him, my sinuses were full, my nose clogged, and just in a full-fledged spring allergy attack. I was able to get a prescription for Zyrtec.

Problem? Side effect: fatigue & drowsiness. Effectiveness? For me, questionable. It's barely, and I mean barely, attempting to keep my sinuses clear. I know that this is a hell of an allergy season right now and a lot of people - me included - are suffering terribly, but I'm questioning if this drug is right for me. Right now, what's more evident than it "sort of" working is that I'm really tired. I mean really tired. I've fallen asleep at my desk once this morning already. I finally had a night of sleep that didn't include my very regular interruptions or going to the bathroom every hour and a half (side effect of the diabetes - every hour and a half all night long every night... my current hell).

So, I think I'm going to keep taking the Zyrtec and see if it gets more effective over time, or I'll give up on it when I go to the doctor next time.

I hate this time of year and fall - the two big allergy seasons, and this particular season is bad.

Update: Fell asleep three times today, once this morning, twice this afternoon, the last for at least 20 minutes at the very end of the day, after I would have gone home. God I hope I didn't snore...

posted at 10:12 AM | Link | Health | § |

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

1600 Calories

Carol and I met with a diabetic dietitian today. My doctor seems to be trying to get me into a program at the hospital to support newly diagnosed diabetes patients. She worked with us for well over an hour, trying to get a feel for our lifestyle and then figuring out what I should eat, based on both my diabetes and cholesterol (yes, that's bad, too).

So, she came up with a 1600-calorie per day plan that gives me about 60g of carbs for lunch and dinner. The great news (as far as I was concerned) is that it really seamed that no food was off the table - it's just a matter of portion control and realizing that I may have to sacrifice one food for another to make my 60 carbs. I can't go over, and I can't "save" like you could do in Weight Watchers. you use or lose it.

Then we went to a local Jewel and spent another hour and a half, doing a lot of reading to figure out what had what. We bought some good things and figured out quite a few things, not to mention finding the error of our ways on a few items now that we read the packaging in relationship to the diet.

posted at 06:45 PM | Link | Mundane | § |

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

A Kick in the Pancreas

Damn it.

I was fearing this.

Official diagnosis: Type 2 Diabetes.

Yeah, the tests are in from last Saturday. A normal fasting glucose level is between 65-99 mg/dL. I was 137. The kicker was the two-hour test. The glucose level should be 65-139.

I was at 327.

Time for regular glucose testing during the day. Have an appointment to see a dietitian. the doctor wants me to go through some education (classes) as well.

I'm scared to death. I feel helpless because I just don't know what to do with myself. I guess it's the fear of the unknown, but, damn, this feels scarier than that.

Life changing. Great.

What kind of life will I have? Maybe that's the unknown that I'm not looking forward to. I don't understand the mechanics of the disease and the treatments and how things all work. When I think hyperglycemia I think "no sugar" at all, but I know there's much more to it than that.

And then I start thinking about all those foods I will never eat again, probably.

And I think about eating out with friends and family and how I'm not going to be able to eat what is prepared. I don't know, it's a bit of paranoia as well I guess.

posted at 12:55 PM | Link | Mundane | § |

Monday, April 10, 2006

A Kick in the Wallet

I came home after work today to find the bill for all of those MRI's from 2 weeks ago.

Patient Services Provided
MRI / Brain - Quantity 1 - $4,146.00
MRI / Spine - Quantity 3 - $12,679.00
Drugs Requiring Det Code - Quantity 1 - $561.00
Total Charges - $17,586.00

Ouch!

I hope insurance will cover this!

On top of this, I'm having an uncomfortable situation with my doctor. When I first went in for the EMG/NCV, he wanted my to see a neurologist. Now that he's seen the MRI's he wants me to see a neurosurgeon.

I feel like we've jumped a step along the way. I feel that we're thinking of surgery and that might not be the only thing wrong to fix my "twitching" legs (Oh, the diagnosis was Cervical Spinal Stenosis and moderately advanced degenerative spuring in my thoracic spine).

I said I still wanted to go to the neouraologist first, so I maid an appointment - for first-time ("new") patients, the earliest I can get was July 26th at 2pm.

Apparently this is too long and now the doctor wants me to see the neurosurgeon.

I've got to get this cleared up.

posted at 05:01 PM | Link | Mundane | § |

Saturday, April 08, 2006

Two sticks

Just got back from the Glucose Test.

Boring.

Had my blood drawn, then had to drink this flavored drink that had 100 grams of dextrose (i think it was dextrose) in it. Then I sat around for two hours. The office was empty (it was 8:10 on a Saturday morning) but there was a young woman that came in about 5 minutes after me - for the same test. I got the last Lemon-Lime drink, she had an Orange.

The magazine selections in the office sucked (I mean, they actually had a magazine I've never seen before -"Cheerleader"). So I watched the fish in the fish tank for a while. I brought my bag from work, so I had my laptop with me, and I used it like a big black iPod and listened to some podcasts. I actually read Green Eggs and Ham cover to cover (actually, I liked it, Sam I am).

Then the two hours were finally over and I got out of there. A few people came and went in the meantime, but overall it was quiet.

And boring.

posted at 10:32 AM | Link | Mundane | § |

Friday, April 07, 2006

Friday Fast

I'm fasting again.

No, it has nothing to do with it being a Friday during Lent.

I have another blood test tomorrow. This is a glucose tolerance test, so I have to stay at the office for two hours with nothing to do. Not looking forward to it.

These fasting things really aren't so bad. I don't have a big snacking "drive" in the evenings - I just have to drink water when I get thirsty and nothing else.

So, yeah, that's my big "secret" from the blood test from before. I guess the normal fasting glucose level is about 100 and I was at 149. And this is the one thing that's scaring me.

I immediately dropped any sugared soda I was drinking and started drinking diet soda. I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate the taste, but what can you do? Hopefully, i can correct this all with diet... I'm hoping...

posted at 08:33 PM | Link | Mundane | 1 comment | § |

Thursday, March 30, 2006

MRI's #3 & #4

OK, today's experience was totally different, and not in a good way.

read more of this entry »


posted at 09:35 PM | Link | Mundane § |

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

MRI's #1 & #2

The MRI truck behind St. Alexius Hospital
I have four MRI's scheduled over two days.

Today is my first day of two scans. And I've never had an MRI. And I'm... nervous.

read more of this entry »


posted at 09:14 PM | Link | Mundane § |

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Still fighting something...

Got home after work last night and was a mess. I felt drained and then i started getting the chills. Carol thought I had a fever, but we couldn't verify that because we couldn't find our thermometer. Carol made dinner and I got through that and I felt better, but then I was sweating my ass off, so who knows what's going on. I slept pretty well, so, other than an occasional cough this morning, I'm certainly better than I was last night.

Carol, in the meantime, isn't. She's been pretty uncomfortable since the surgery and the pain is just a little too disturbing her normal activity. She called the Day Surgery center and they're recommending for her to take a day off and keep her feet up. So, she's staying home today and following their recommendations.

We're a mess. We'll be fine some day, but right now - we're a mess.

posted at 08:11 AM | Link | Mundane § |

Monday, March 27, 2006

Taking the next step(s)...

I mentioned sometime earlier that I'm starting a new adventure in my life - actually visiting a doctor and getting myself "fixed". No, I don't mean neutered, I mean fixing whatever is broken.

I had went for my EMG/NCV tests, now it's time for the next steps - MRI's.

I have never had an MRI before, so I'm not sure what to expect. I'm hearing everything from it's nothing, just noisy to people freaking out because of claustrophobia. I have absolutely no idea if I'm claustrophobic or not, so I'm not sure what to expect.

I called to schedule two MRI's - Brain and Spine (cervical, thoracic, & lumbar). That's what the Doctor's Orders say. What I found out is that it's actually 4 MRI's Brain, Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar! And they schedule an hour for each! 4 HOURS TOTAL!

We broke it into two pieces, and I'm going in Wednesday night for the first two and Thursday Night for the next two.

I don't know what to expect - anybody have any real-life experiences that want to share them with me? Enter a comment or send me an email.

I think what's worse is my blood workup that I had done last week. I have to go in for a follow-up blood test because, well, let's just say something is "askew" and I don't like it and neither does my doctor, but it's something I suspected. I just hope I can manage the whole thing with diet... here I am being fatalistic about something I don't even know what I have exactly... Crap... exercise and diet....I mean, c'mon, I haven't seen a doctor in a while and I don't exercise and I'm overweight... is it a shock that I have to exercise and diet? Well, no... I guess...

Still, I knew I would have to do something to get back "in line". It's just I'm so friggin' lazy it's hard to reconcile. I mean, potentially, changing my diet dramatically and forcing myself to carve-out some kind of time for exercise. It's life changing, I guess.

So, it's time to get my act together. Will I blog about it? Probably. Will it become a major focus of this blog? God, I hope not. It's supposed to be part of my life, not my whole life. There better be more to life than diet and exercise!

I don't need to be berated and/or hassled about this. I know I got myself here. I'm not happy about it. I don't need to be reminded of it. When I need it, Carol will take care of the motivation/admonishing/teasing, etc. All I ask is support. Actually, that goes for the entire readership out there (HA! All, what, 6 of you?) - all I ask is for your support.

posted at 02:43 PM | Link | Mundane § |

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Not right

Man, I'm not feeling right today... I feel a little light-headed, a little "disconnected". I even feel a little week. It feels like my blood pressure medication is screwed-up.

How the hell am I going to sweep 48 stones tonight? I'm never gonna make it. I'll fall over or passout. I need a sub.

posted at 07:14 AM | Link | Mundane § |

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Back on the meds...

So, I started re-taking my blood pressure medication after yesterday's doctor visit.

The problem is that it's a mild diuretic.

Great. All day at work, it's work-work-work, go to the bathroom, work-work-work, go to the bathroom, work-work-work, go to the bathroom, ... rinse and repeat...

Hope it doesn't last long. I don't remember how long it was when I was finally back to normal last time on these. Also, this is half the dose I used to be on.

posted at 10:36 AM | Link | Mundane § |

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

The next step to make things right

I visited another someone today that I haven't seen in a while - my doctor.

I haven't been there in 3 years. This is probably worse than my dentist, though. Why? I have high blood pressure and during this time I haven't been on medication for it.

I've been slowly and slowly feeling worse. I don't exercise. I've gained weight. I don't exactly eat well.

Blood pressure? 144/100 - 144 is better than I'd thought it would be, 100 is worse than I thought it would be

I need to try and fix the things I can before "something" happens from neglect.

So, I'm back on some medication - the same drugs, though in half of the dose I used to take. Things change, I guess.

I'm getting older. I want to... be around longer.

There are places to go, things to see, things to do, things to be.

I've got to turn this around. Back in a month for a physical.

posted at 07:24 PM | Link | Mundane § |

Thursday, February 16, 2006

The start of making myself right

You know where I went today? Went to see someone that I haven't seen this millennium?

What's the big deal?

He's my dentist.

Yep, had x-rays, teeth cleaning and a discussion of what to do next. For the first time this decade.

Feels good getting the "sweaters" off my teeth. Yes, there was some discomfort during the cleaning since he had to work a bit to get everything done.

What's next? I have to get all four wisdom teeth pulled. I knew this before.No surprise. No new cavities. That was sort of a surprise. No gum problems. That was a surprise. I just need these teeth out. I'll do it - all at once, if possible.Don't know when... let's see how much my procrastination kicks in.

posted at 07:23 PM | Link | Mundane § |

 

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This Blog was last updated Friday December 18, 2009 13:03:12 CDT (-06:00 GMT)
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