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6422. Magoseph - 3/29/2005 2:54:22 PM My heavens, how could I even begin to cope with such demands--all I can say is if anyone can get through this, it is my belief that it's you. Arky, If I can of any help or support, don't hesitate to call on me. 6423. arkymalarky - 3/29/2005 11:40:06 PM Thanks so much, Thoughtful and Mags. You're two reasons I love this place. I will keep you posted.
If the follow-up on the mammogram is like the others, it's a cyst, and that's the most likely culprit, though it's still very stressful going through more tests. WRT the hysterectomy, most of the women I've talked to seem almost excited for me, talking about how much better I will feel, so once I get through the early recuperation I'm looking forward to feeling good for a change.
I told the kids today that I wouldn't likely be finishing out the year and that my replacement would be the #1 boss--no one will be calling me and I won't be helping in any way. My replacement is fully certified. They're fine with it and very sweet about everything. I assured the seniors that I'd come to their graduation. 6424. wonkers2 - 3/29/2005 11:44:51 PM Tenga buena suerte, Arky! W2 & The Cap'n. 6425. arkymalarky - 3/29/2005 11:49:12 PM Gracias to you both!
In fact, I told my Mexican student pal (not exchange or Mexican-American, which he is very quick to point out--and I have others, but he's been my student several times over several years) that I'm going to try to use some of my down time to pick back up the Spanish. Since he's a senior I don't know that I'll get a chance to practice on him, for which I'm sure he's grateful. ;-) 6426. judithathome - 3/30/2005 3:22:30 PM Watch the Spansih soap operas while you're in Bob's big ol' recliner. 6427. thoughtful - 3/30/2005 3:44:06 PM My mother had a hysterectomy done vaginally. So naturally, given her sense of humor and mine, we had a good laugh coming up with all the warnings signs she could write on herself for the doctor.
Caution Slippery When Wet
Remove Sunglasses in Tunnel
Low Clearance
No Outlet
6428. RickNelson - 3/30/2005 4:22:27 PM concerned, regarding 6415. My blood pressure has been a concern for some few years now. I've steadily increased meds to try and lower it. Mine has hovered at 150's/90's for most of that time. It's just now starting to come down with the newest dosage. A high 40 milligrams of Linsinopril and 10 of that water pill, hyd... something. My damn LDL was at 273 and now I'm on a cholesterol lowering drug too. The doc. said I have this in my family history so it was inevitable that I would take meds for it. I have tried to watch my diet, most of the time. I'm even better now. Weight is still a problem and some more exercise is helping.
How are you doing? 6429. thoughtful - 3/30/2005 4:48:38 PM Rick, how heavy is your diet in carbohydrates? 6430. RickNelson - 3/30/2005 4:57:46 PM moderate thoughtful. I've cut back on anything that isn't whole grain with the exception of occassional spaghetti. I will eat a potato once in a while. I eat mostly chicken for meat, sometimes beef and pork. I eat almost no egg yolk, but will consume as much egg white as I wish, along with fresh mushrooms. I like some ketchup and non-hydrogenated spread for my toast. I also use Splenda if I want to sweeten something.
I think I've been good for a diet, but my exercise has suffered because of winter, and I don't have machines at home, nor inspiration to bring my 9 mos. old to a gym. I have however, set up a weight bench and once in a while give my arms a working over. I think more of that will be a good thing.
6431. Magoseph - 3/30/2005 5:19:24 PM <... I eat almost no egg yolk...>
May I ask why you don't eat egg yolks? 6432. RickNelson - 3/30/2005 6:45:40 PM Cholesterol is the sole reason I've taken egg yolks out of my morning eggs. 6433. thoughtful - 3/30/2005 6:46:24 PM good. brown food in general is better for you than white food. I would suggest that it is important for you to get a balance of fats in your diet including some saturated fats, though you want to limit those. Make sure you're getting in your omega-3 fats...I didn't see fish on your list. You might check out fish oil and flax seed oil as both are high in omega-3.
Next question...how often do you eat out vs. eating at home? 6434. RickNelson - 3/30/2005 6:55:05 PM I'm eating at home a good 90%. Rarely fast food. Though Arby's had the 2 fish for 4$ all of March and I took them up on that about 6 times. Not that fried fish is good for me. But the cost was a major factor.
Sometimes I eat fish that my wife cooks, such as Talapia, which I love. When we go for Chinese food, we like to order a whole fish, sometimes Waleye, sometimes Chinese Yellow Fish, most of these are quite fresh. Though I don't have a lot of fish.
I do take a men's multi-vitamin and a B-complex. For the most part I've been feeling pretty good. 6435. arkymalarky - 3/30/2005 8:16:59 PM Thoughtful, those are hilarious!
The lump was a cyst, the radiologist took a lot of time talking with Bob and me, and the bottom line is that I will have them to deal with in the future but he has to check them out, rather than just assume a spot is nothing, with which Bob and I both wholeheartedly agree. There were actually a lot of them, but only one large enough for the mammogram to flag. And it's important to continue yearly screenings because my breast tissue is so dense (sort of like my cerebral matter). In fact, the radiologist a few years ago told the lady who did the mammogram that my breasts were just "trashy." He didn't know the half of it. ;-)
This is I think the third time now, if not the fourth, in just a few years (less than ten), that I've gone through this, but having just found out a few days before that I was going to have surgery, my mind couldn't block out all the possible nightmare scenarios. It doesn't help that I haven't had surgery since I was 8 and had my tonsils out.
Tomorrow I schedule the hysterectomy for ASAP, and then leave early Friday for WV, which I hate is such a there-and-back trip, but one I'm very much looking forward to. 6436. arkymalarky - 3/30/2005 8:18:53 PM I think I will do just that, Judith. When I was watching Spanish-language tv a while back I found the news and soaps were easiest to pick up words from. The soaps are hilarious, and just like American ones you can pick up where you left off of one five years later and not miss a beat. If anything, they seem to go to more extremes with the drama than American ones do, if that's possible. There are a lot more channels to pick from than last time I looked, too--five or six, I think. 6437. arkymalarky - 3/30/2005 8:27:27 PM Rick, aren't you under 50? I hope things level out for you with the changes in diet, meds, and exercise. I know Mags hs said her husband has seen dramatic changes, and Bob went from 230 lbs to 160, his heart rate dropped to "a runner's rate" as the doctor told him, and his blood pressure is actually a bit on the low side.
But we don't have a baby, his chronically ill father passed away last year (who he'd give anything in the world to have back, but whose quality of life for at least two years was extremely bad and required a lot of care), and he now has time and energy to concentrate on his diet and walk four miles a day. So you have more obstacles, but it sounds like you're working to overcome them and get where you need to be.
For me, outdoor exercise is somewhat problematic because of my allergies, though I'm not so bad I can't walk some--I refuse to live in a bubble. But for indoors, I chunked the treadmill, which I wasn't using, and I got a neat stepper for about $40 which has no rails--just the pedals--so you have to balance yourself. I also bought a mini-trampoline, a jumprope, dug out a GREAT exercise tape that I've had for years and has done wonders for me in the past, and I bought different sizes of small handweights. So I hope to walk a mile or two outside and do anything else I decide to do indoors, no matter the season or weather.
Diet is my problem--not so much total calorie intake as empty calorie intake. Pixy Stix are non-negotiable, but I might cut back on them some. I will have to reassess my other indulgences. 6438. RickNelson - 3/30/2005 8:35:26 PM Pixy Stix eh, could be worse. I'm only recently back on track. My Jan. saw way to much chocolate. I indulged.
Arky, I'll be pullin' for yah for WV. It's gotta be one of those things. Just a routine deal.
OOOps the boy just woke up. 6439. arkymalarky - 3/30/2005 8:42:10 PM Awww. Have a fun afternoon with him!
Thanks for the support on the WV trip. The conference will be very fun and productive, and I really don't mind the drive. Bob does, but I don't mind his whining, either. ;-) 6440. thoughtful - 3/30/2005 9:00:10 PM Arky, I know other ladies who have also said that the recovery from surgery was soooo much easier than what they went through before the surgery. I'm sure it will go well. Things that we used to worry about like anesthesia are so high tech these days that people rarely have trouble with it any more. I'm sure you'll do just fine.
I'm glad the cyst was just a cyst. Now that you've had it checked out you can relax about that.
6441. thoughtful - 3/30/2005 9:08:40 PM rick, that's good. Eating out is a huge risk factor when it comes to nutritious eating. Yesterday's NYT had an article entitled "Diabesity" and the combo of diabetes with obesity and the impact on health. The stats start getting really scary when you see the increased incidence of diabetes, esp among children. A lot seems to be related to the cost factor, esp as fostered by things like supersizing meals ... as one doc put it, we focus too much on quantity of food rather than quality.
Exercise is absolutely critical to heart health, bone health, muscle strength and even mental health. I suggest you wrap that baby up in a papoose or pop him in a stroller and take him for a walk with you. No excuses with the weather improving.
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