JUST OUTSIDE OUR SUN ROOM
A fine Spring morning saw me on my way to Goderich for my 9 a.m. Nurse Practitioner appointment. Surprised at very few people in the Medical Center waiting room. Last time there it was packed full of folks.
OH NO, NOT THE DREADED EXAMINATION TABLE AGAIN…SAY IT ISN’T SO, SAY IT ISN’T SO:((
All my test results were back & I was in for some changes. Overall, things were looking not too bad. Blood work showed most things were in good shape but after dodging high cholesterol levels for years, today was the day of reckoning. I could no longer talk my way around the obvious & beginning this morning I am now on a drug called Crestor to do for me what I obviously have not been able to do for myself. Bugs me like nuts to be dependant on pills but there is no way of getting around this aging nonsense.
X-rays & Ultra-Sound of my legs did not show anything abnormal & she was encouraged by the fact my legs have been pain free for two weeks. She said to stop the Nortriptyline meds & see how the legs do. I had no side effects from that drug at all but I'm glad to be off it, simply because it's a drug that is not necessary in my system. Blood pressure has been coming in on the high side the last few appointments so that may become a concern at some point in the future. Always had perfect blood pressure years ago. Nuts!! And, I was OK'd for the Kidney Stone surgery at the end of the month. 
OUR BACKYARD FERNS ARE DOING WELL
However, I now have another dark horse standing on the sidelines. I have a small lesion on my right temple. Just discovered it in my hairline a couple weeks ago. That, plus another one on my chest are suspect, so arrangements are underway for me to see another specialist. I had a similar lesion surgically removed from my left temple 3 or 4 years ago so I suspect this will go the same route. Gotta watch out for those 'dark horses' standing in the wings alright. 
KELLY HANDLES AN EARLY MORNING DEER PARK LODGE CALL WHILE ON OUR MORNING WALK
My next medical appointment is early Wednesday morning when I will undergo another Ultra-Sound on my abdomen regarding just where all those Kidney Stones are hiding out. First Ultra-Sound I had was in Tucson last December. Doc Robot needs to know what challenges lay ahead of him in a couple weeks. I already know what challenges lay ahead for me. I gotta dump some of this excess weight I have been carrying around for way too long now. Oh how I wanted to stop at McDonald's for a sausage & egg McMuffin this morning, followed by a carrot muffin. It was quite a tussle I had with myself as I wrestled my way right on by the big golden arches. 
IN OUR FRONT YARD BUT CANNOT REMEMBER IT’S NAME
Sorry to turn this whole post into a boring medical report but if it wasn't for that I really wouldn't have had much to say for today. Other than Pheebs & I doing a second walk around the trail this afternoon it has been a quiet day. Sat down in my recliner about 11:55 to have a quick peak at the noon news & woke up at 2:30. Never did see the news but that's alright because it was probably just another bunch of Bobble heads jabbering & giggling back & forth anyway.
GROANER'S CORNER:(( Q: I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it… don’t waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that’s like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap:))
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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
Good job dodging the golden arches. There are a lot of cholesterol in those "goodies".
ReplyDeleteWe got a flyer in the mail recently where they advertised with healthier stuff on the menu now. Maybe you could get to like them instead. I guess, it is all a matter of "re-programming the mind".;))
Luckily our next golden arches are 1 hour driving away!
Oh my, that is such a bad drug you are on now...do your online research. A person we know has been on it for awhile...and his brain has taken a vacation now. No longer can drive even. A friend has had great results with using alternatives from the health food store. But seems one could do something about this with diet too.
ReplyDeleteWell, I am not on good meds either (are there any?) but am working on researching to see what else might work for me!! My aunt has figured out a lot of things that have worked for her...she was going down for the count and now is back doing the stuff she always has even though she is 21 years older than me!! She is researching to see how to help me and her daughter now with our thyroid, high blood pressure and diabetes problems!! Tain't fun getting old!!
Your garden is gorgeous!!!
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your coming surgery. My daughter had kidney stones plus a kink and went through surgery and recuperation like a breeze. Never any repercussions.
yeah, been on crestor for 3 years now, diet is the most important thing. I used to get 2 bac&egg sandwiches for breakfast every morning, after heart surgery and had to watch cholesterol, found out the eggs every morning was more than I should have in a week. Love eggs, but had to give them up. You're strong you'll do just fine in changing diet, still have your MacD's but only as a treat,
ReplyDeleteDonna
When they diagnosed me with my heart cardimyapathy a few months back they prescribed beta blockers cause that is what the computer told them todo I took 2 1/4 pills and promptly fell down within hours had terrible nightmsres and so threw the pills out I went to the health food store in Goderich and started on Strauss Heart Drops with no side effects Think I will take my chances on the natural way
ReplyDeleteAl, best of luck on all the body part tweakings coming up.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I'm really liking these drugs I'm on - and I usually hate drugs - but these make my back spasms go away and let me sleep laying down, I've been sleeping all last night and most of today and zzzzzzzzz
You have to do what you have to do. I don't think McD's is good for anyone. :)
ReplyDeleteIt may be a bunch of "boring medical stuff" but your photos are awesome as always. I can understand why you love the view from your sunroom...I would never leave the space!
ReplyDeleteDen and I are both on a cholesterol drug..no problems...Do what ya gotta do...Dennis started walking 2 miles every morning and lost 30 lbs...His cholesterol is way down...better than mine..Do what it takes to keep you alive and healthy>....
ReplyDeleteI'd say try anything a doctor convinces you to try, but watch closely and if you start feeling something different than normal, stop the drug. I wish I hadn't continued with Boniva for as long as I did. It's supposed to prevent bone loss but now is known to cause bone loss in some people (many people). It caused me no end of problems which makes me against taking any drug if I can find an alternative. But you have to do what you think is right for you.
ReplyDeleteHey pops, I cut out wheat and all 'cane' sugar and dropped 50 lbs in 6 months. Now, I went a little too far and have put 10 back on and am where I should be but wheat and sugar did it for me.
ReplyDeleteBe well.
Sean.
http://www.naturalnews.com/035112_statin_drugs_diabetes_memory_loss.html
ReplyDeleteThis link just came in from a friend this evening...you might want to look into it. We only have this one little life to live. Hopefully we can figure out how to do so, living in as good a shape as we can manage. One of my doctors told me that she had only 1 nutrition course in college and med school. Same as me. I was a Home Ec major. Doesn't there seem to be something wrong with that picture?? I trusted docs too much and now my youngest will never be wtihout health issues. Of course, we did not have internet 29 years ago, to do our own research. But when I see how she struggles, and the frequent pain she has, just from eating, even tho' eating so limited and oh so carefully...somehow that does not ease my pain in not being smarter!!
Best wishes...Elizabeth in NC
Like my hubbie says - you have to be tough to get old. Not much fun but hopefully we can live it fully until it's over.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is giving you their best remedies....mine is Nordic fish oil
ReplyDeletecapsules, 2 in the am and 2 in the pm...with some food. Read up on it.
By the way, your foiledge is all so lush and green...just beautiful.
Does that mean you have lots of
big bugs, like in the southern US states where it is humid?
Just love the pictures and your posts, all of them !!!
Hi, Al. Just to reassure you, I've been on Crestor for a couple of years now. Over the past 15 years, I've been on all of the most advertised meds for high cholesterol. When my numbers went up a little, I'd get a different prescription. My doc says he thinks that with me it's a genetic thing; even after losing 50 lbs, down to size 8! my cholesterol never went below 230. I was on Zocor for a long time. He put me on Baycol, but I didn't like how I felt on that. Complained. Turned out that that got recalled! Was on Pravachol for years. I asked him why he never put me on Lipitor?? He says he is happy with my numbers with Crestor. His answer is that my "good numbers" are so high that he isn't worried about my 230+ "bad" cholesterol. He's an internal med. specialist. I've been on blood pressure meds for many years, too. No problems. And I'm a year older than you. Have had 5 BIG surgeries since I was 27. None related to the pills I take. I would not have lived to be 28 without a wonderful surgeon. So, take heart. I think you will come through OK. Am glad to hear that your legs are giving you less trouble. Rose(in Texas with a Newfie and 2 yorkies!)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update - we are all hoping you get your medical issues taken care of before October so you can get back to the Southwest. There are no easy answers, can only do what you think is best. Take care and enjoy that beautiful yard.
ReplyDeleteAl...I always ask the doc what my LDL and HDL numbers are...if the good outweighs the bad, I don't pay attention to the high total number. (Docs have been getting by with pushing statins for years with the total) There is a scale from 1-5 LDL vs. HDL. My cholesterol runs up to 290 total but through diet, my good cholesterol takes care of the bad. I've had an MRI of my vessels and arteries and there is no sign of plaque. Just saying....
ReplyDeleteI should have said "HDL vs LDL"
ReplyDeleteI'm working hard at lowering my cholesterol this summer otherwise I'll be popping those pills too.
ReplyDeleteI always like to look for an alternative to drugs if possible, but we need to do what it takes to keep going. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThose azaleas are GORGEOUS!
ReplyDeleteAs for the blood pressure and cholesterol issues, stay away from McDonald's and watch a movie named "Forks Over Knives." It may not change your life, but it will make you think about the way you eat and how it impacts your health.
Your photographs are beautiful today as they always. Everything looks so lush.
ReplyDeleteI hope Crestor helps you. My doc tried me on 3 or 4 different meds...Crestor, Liptor, Zetia.. they caused extreme muscle aches, I could hardly walk, I discontinued taking the meds.
I pray your surgery goes well...
I will chime in too. Although everyone is different...
ReplyDeleteSteve was given a choice, either a drug or use 6 months to get his cholesterol under control. It was tough, but he didn't want to be on pills for the rest of his life.
He gave up brats, eggs, peanuts, chips and almost all oils and deep fried foods. He might do one thing once a week, and small amounts. 1 egg if at all, or half a brat with the grease drained out on a napkin.
We eat more salmon, tillapia, grilled chicken and only tenderloin or low fat ground chuck. More rice and only no-egg noodles. Only ex virgin olive oil, no more margarine.
He takes cinnamon pills, garlic pills and red yeast rice pills.
His cholesterol went way down and within 6 months he is in normal ranges. Been 2 years now, and he is still doing great.
Steve is tall and lean and gets plenty of walking at work, so exercise was not his problem, just the luck of the draw of having bad cholesterol at age 50.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Karen and Steve
(Our Blog) RVing: Small House... BIG Backyard
http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com
Your pictures remind me of Florida,,,,,, Sure is GREEN up there!
ReplyDeleteIts pushin 100 here again Al,,,Its almost to HOT to be able to get the ambition to get out of here.... But I'm ready!!!
Lovely photos of your estate - the plants and flowers are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteYou and Mike--no pills for him either if he can help it!! Hope the legs continue to do well and that the other stuff gets better with weight loss--blood pressure, etc.
ReplyDeleteI was on a generic statin drug for years to reduce my cholesterol but recently when I told my PA that I was having some muscle pains she immediately took me off.
ReplyDeleteI have never had extremely high levels so she now has me on fish oil supplements and I'm working on my diet. We will see how I'm doing after a 6 month - a year. If still high then it is my genes that are causing the elevated level and diet alone will probably never fix the problem.
many have mentioned their genes and this can be an unfixable problem. my mother went on a strict diet, took meds and her #s never changed....doc told her to go ahead and w/ moderation eat a normal diet that her body was manufacturing the cholesterol and no diet or pills would change that
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you what we got,
ReplyDeleteSWANTON- THEARLDR - THEARL - LKINGER- CRENO.
So you pit that with ONCAREN- ONOLAND you get ONOTC.
And that's with KILLA KYLEON .
Not only do you get that from OFTESTE, you get it from ECTSST .
CTLEG.
Didn't you know?
That's what NICK BARKER says.
And he's a PAGICATE so he ought to know.
Yes, do your research on cholesterol as the theories are changing.
ReplyDeleteOn blood pressure, reducing salt intake (it's in just about everything - especially processed food, cans and condiments) and increasing dietary potassium (fruit, avocados, low sodium vegetable juice, potatoes, beans, etc) can really make a difference.
Looks like you've got the best of both worlds, Al, with the lush beauty of your wooded sanctuary and the vast openness of your desert hideaway. Good times!
ReplyDeleteThe whole blog is very nice found some good stuff and good information here cardiology fellowship personal statement
ReplyDeleteThanks
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