Saturday, June 11, 2016

Year One

Well, as you can imagine, or if you follow our Facebook page you know, the great start didn't last too long.  We made it for a couple of months (the first month was sugar/processed free with very little exceptions), then gradually fell completely off the wagon.  We do make an effort once in a while and have attempted a few re-starts.  It is hard, I won't lie.

Recently we have made another new start.  This time I also made an appointment with a doctor.  Long story short, I now HAVE to be healthier.  Aside from weighing me they also ordered some blood labs.  The findings were only a little shocking.  My lipids are pretty high, doctor recommended diet and exercise *shock!* for that.  She also tested my thyroid hormone levels, which turned out to be low.  This explains some of the issues I've been having as it turns out.  She also recommended that I get off my ass (not her words) and get a mammogram.  With my family history, and turning 45 it was actually a bit past time I do this.  So I sat in her parking lot afterward and called the facility and they were able to get me in that afternoon.  It was a great day, I took myself out for a date and kicked around, bought myself lunch at my favorite Turkish restaurant (mmmm their red lentil soup is amazing).  The tech that did my mammogram mentioned that since it was my first time they would probably order some further images, so I wasn't surprised when they did order more images.  Then I saw that it was for the left side only.  Hmm.  Curious.  Suspicious.  Sure enough, when they did the further imaging they found something concerning and I was scheduled for a biopsy.  The biopsy was this past Wednesday.  Yesterday (Friday) I was relieved to find out that the biopsies showed not trace of cancer.  Let me back up a second.  My mother and her mother both passed from breast cancer. Mom at 51 and Grandma at 63.  Both WAY too young.  As relieved as I was, there was another shoe to drop.  In spite of there not being cancer there was still enough abnormality that they want to take it out.  So now Monday I have an appointment with the surgeon who will do the lumpectomy.

Why am I talking about this on this healthy eating blog?  Because it is all about health.  I am determined to become healthier.  I have too many plans, and too many reasons to become healthy and this last couple of weeks has reiterated that to me tenfold.  So that's my mantra.  Lower the lipids, take the thyroid meds, exercise more.  Play with my granddaughters.  Enjoy life.  Live.  Not just exist.