I think I wrote about seeing a new doctor in August. I wasn't having anything seriously wrong, I just felt off somehow. My regular GP/family practitioner had told me (annually, in fact, at my check up, any time I mentioned any of these concerns) that it was all part of aging and I had to face facts that I was getting older and so was my body. I didn't like that answer. So I went somewhere else to get a second opinion.
Dr. A is a specialist in women's health. She runs a women's clinic in Orem and also works part time in a large general practice--where she is one of the partners with my regular GP. At the women's clinic she focuses on hormones related issues and some reproductive issues. My concerns were leaning toward the hormone side of this equation. She spent almost an hour with me at the first appointment, then she took blood for a variety of tests.
I had another follow up appointment scheduled for Sept 2nd, while I was already off work to be with The Girl. In between the first appointment and the follow up, I received the standard EOB from my insurance. There were three pages of blood tests done. That is more than I have ever had. Usually it is just the standard cholesterol/liver function/lipid panel. Already this made me anxious to see what these new and different tests showed.
At my follow up appointment she walked me through each of these tests. What they were checking for and what my results showed. Then she went back through each test and we talked about steps to try to fix the problems they showed. It wasn't all about prescribing new drugs either. She actually dropped my statin dosage to one fourth what I have been on for about a decade. That was a good sign.
She also showed me my heart was in great shape and, with our family history of heart disease and stroke, I was thrilled to hear that.
Then she got to the hormone issues. My levels are not as far off as I had feared. But they were off. So far the things she asked me to try are over the counter herbal things. I would have never thought to try the things she mentioned. I just didn't understand how my body used these hormones. In fact, i learned there are more hormones at work here than just estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. I knew there was more to them but I am beginning to understand my own body for the first time--and even in its aging state, its pretty amazing.
This week I have finally gotten on board with all the things she asked me to try. Some of them I had to order--SO much cheaper than our local health food store. So far, they are making a positive difference. I'm feeling more energy throughout the day. I'm clearing out the foggy-brained feeling I'd get each morning. I feel like I can deal with the stresses of my day to day life better. I feel more alert and connected to myself--does that even make sense? And I feel my body becoming more settled with less of the food I used to eat.
I'm not saying I am losing a ton of weight. I haven't been on a real scale since my last GP checkup, really. But I don't feel like cravings taking over my life in the afternoons. My body is functioning the way it did ten or fifteen years ago. Yes, my knees still "click" going up the stairs. Sure I could stand to loose weight still--but THAT was not the only answer. Sorry, Dr. GP...you were wrong there. There ARE other things going on here. And who knows? Maybe the weight will start to fall off as I reset my eat patterns and metabolism--not through drugs, but with some nutritional education and additional understanding.
That is the next step of this process. I am looking forward to making the small changes I need to reset my body's metabolism by changing the food I am eating. That takes some will power, but more knowledge and understanding will do wonders with this step. I'll keep you posted on how that goes. I begin next week--assuming my book gets here tomorrow like it is supposed to. Comes on, Amazon!
I just feel so much better knowing there is hope for changes I can do myself, without all the drugs. An easy weight loss miracle pill is a nice pie-in-the-sky idea, but not happening. I am excited to learn and come to understand this amazing machine I have possession of for the next 30-40+ years. And here's hope for keeping it in prime working order for decades to come.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Catching Up Is Hard To Do
It seems like yesterday we took The Girl tot he airport and she headed off to her missionary adventure. the intermediary time has been spent catching up--in every facets of my life. I worked an 8 hour day last Saturday trying to get caught up. I taught a Relief Society mini-class Tuesday about freezer meals for their provident living night. Wednesday I met with one of my PTA cohorts and taught a quick lesson about keeping our PTA website--thus offering my first of many PTA bequests this year as I calmly withdraw myself as The Boy gets ready to graduate. I attended the temple in preparation for the stake and regional conference sessions we had this weekend. And I spent about 4 hours cleaning up my house which had taken over by gross and filthy neglect.
In fact, I need to insert a special apology to my parents--who, while they were here last weekend, shared the bathroom with the kids. Prior to them arriving here, I asked both The Girl and The Boy to clean the bathroom and make it "clean enough for Grandma". You know, that is a different level of clean than the run-of-the-mill weekend chore kind of clean. Yesterday, I checked the kids' bathroom since The Boy was taking the ACT for the umteenth time, I thought I'd clean his bathroom for him. EWWWW! The shower curtain liner, while actually cream, was orange from the knee level down. EEEEW! I apologize. I hadn't thought to check that before Mom and Dad got here. That was thoroughly disgusting and I apologize that it was that nasty for your visit. It is bleached and washed and disinfected but good now.
The other bit of the last ten days that I need to comment upon is Tuesday evening. The Girl has her preparation day--only one day a week that give a missionary chance to email home, do their laundry, shopping and any other "preparation" for the week ahead--on Tuesday while she is in the MTC. when she left, I knew that getting news fro her would be important--but I had assumed it was more for her to write home and give me direction for things she forgot--or needed somehow--as well as quick update on her doings and her safety. Little did I realize that I would become absolutely giddy in hearing from The Girl. I was thrilled to hear that she loved her compañera, that the food was good and she was enjoying her classes and language lessons. I can only hope her letters will be as fun-filled and widely anticipated the duration of her mission.
In other news, our darling friend, Zack F.--the son of my best friend from high school--received his mission call this week as well. He'll be serving in the Taiwan, Taichung mission beginning January 7th. Another dear friend, well prepared and willing to serve The Lord. It is invigorating to know all these friends serving simultaneously all around the world to bring God's children the hope and peace and happiness that is found in the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Another dear friend, Josh V., entered the MTC in Provo--instead of the Mexico City MTC, as he was originally planning--due to a problem with his visa for leaving Mexico and serving in Ecuador. This made some of The Girl's "plan B" of sending her forgotten items with him to give her impossible. But his mission service was touching nonetheless. I'm thrilled for him. The afternoon his family took him to the MTC, I stopped by to visit with his mom, my dear friend, Wendy. these two little pucks--the Girl and Josh--have been in school together for years. Wendy and I served in the PTA for those same years, and since they both also swam for the team in the city and the HS, we have had a lot of common interests to support our kids. I love my friend and her darling family. I had a wonderful and enjoyable visit with her about her boy and The Girl and the adventures before them--and our families.
The other big event this weekend was our Stake Conference. Six congregations met Saturday evening where we heard some wonderful messages. It started out with a powerful musical number from the youth (12-18 year old Young Men and Young Women) of one of the congregations. I love the youth of our stake. That feeling hasn't left me even though I haven't served in the YW for two years now.
The meeting was a wonderful reminder of our part in sharing the Gospel too. While I have had missionary work on my mind lately, I forget that I can be part of that effort beyond sending The Girl out to serve full time. I was prompted to do more to share what I believe. That is a scary thought sometimes, but I know it is important to do. Sometimes I just need a little more courage to share what I know. I have it in me, but I get pretty comfortable where I am and take for granted I need to share that feeling of love and acceptance as a child of God and the happiness that comes from obedience to God's commandments and in honoring the covenants I have made with Him.
Things don't really slow down this coming week. I have things on the calendar every day this week, and that is what I already know. Things will fill in even more as the week progresses. I guess that is one way to pass The Girl's absence from us faster than it feels.
Let's hope the week teaches the good lessons I need to fulfill all that I need to be doing. Where there is a will, there is a way. And The Lord's way is better yet.
In fact, I need to insert a special apology to my parents--who, while they were here last weekend, shared the bathroom with the kids. Prior to them arriving here, I asked both The Girl and The Boy to clean the bathroom and make it "clean enough for Grandma". You know, that is a different level of clean than the run-of-the-mill weekend chore kind of clean. Yesterday, I checked the kids' bathroom since The Boy was taking the ACT for the umteenth time, I thought I'd clean his bathroom for him. EWWWW! The shower curtain liner, while actually cream, was orange from the knee level down. EEEEW! I apologize. I hadn't thought to check that before Mom and Dad got here. That was thoroughly disgusting and I apologize that it was that nasty for your visit. It is bleached and washed and disinfected but good now.
The other bit of the last ten days that I need to comment upon is Tuesday evening. The Girl has her preparation day--only one day a week that give a missionary chance to email home, do their laundry, shopping and any other "preparation" for the week ahead--on Tuesday while she is in the MTC. when she left, I knew that getting news fro her would be important--but I had assumed it was more for her to write home and give me direction for things she forgot--or needed somehow--as well as quick update on her doings and her safety. Little did I realize that I would become absolutely giddy in hearing from The Girl. I was thrilled to hear that she loved her compañera, that the food was good and she was enjoying her classes and language lessons. I can only hope her letters will be as fun-filled and widely anticipated the duration of her mission.
In other news, our darling friend, Zack F.--the son of my best friend from high school--received his mission call this week as well. He'll be serving in the Taiwan, Taichung mission beginning January 7th. Another dear friend, well prepared and willing to serve The Lord. It is invigorating to know all these friends serving simultaneously all around the world to bring God's children the hope and peace and happiness that is found in the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Another dear friend, Josh V., entered the MTC in Provo--instead of the Mexico City MTC, as he was originally planning--due to a problem with his visa for leaving Mexico and serving in Ecuador. This made some of The Girl's "plan B" of sending her forgotten items with him to give her impossible. But his mission service was touching nonetheless. I'm thrilled for him. The afternoon his family took him to the MTC, I stopped by to visit with his mom, my dear friend, Wendy. these two little pucks--the Girl and Josh--have been in school together for years. Wendy and I served in the PTA for those same years, and since they both also swam for the team in the city and the HS, we have had a lot of common interests to support our kids. I love my friend and her darling family. I had a wonderful and enjoyable visit with her about her boy and The Girl and the adventures before them--and our families.
The other big event this weekend was our Stake Conference. Six congregations met Saturday evening where we heard some wonderful messages. It started out with a powerful musical number from the youth (12-18 year old Young Men and Young Women) of one of the congregations. I love the youth of our stake. That feeling hasn't left me even though I haven't served in the YW for two years now.
The meeting was a wonderful reminder of our part in sharing the Gospel too. While I have had missionary work on my mind lately, I forget that I can be part of that effort beyond sending The Girl out to serve full time. I was prompted to do more to share what I believe. That is a scary thought sometimes, but I know it is important to do. Sometimes I just need a little more courage to share what I know. I have it in me, but I get pretty comfortable where I am and take for granted I need to share that feeling of love and acceptance as a child of God and the happiness that comes from obedience to God's commandments and in honoring the covenants I have made with Him.
Things don't really slow down this coming week. I have things on the calendar every day this week, and that is what I already know. Things will fill in even more as the week progresses. I guess that is one way to pass The Girl's absence from us faster than it feels.
Let's hope the week teaches the good lessons I need to fulfill all that I need to be doing. Where there is a will, there is a way. And The Lord's way is better yet.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
