Category: Health

Did You Know?

I’m filling out some HR forms for the new jobby job. There’s info on the medical Flex Spending Account. In case you didn’t know, some employers participate in programs that let you set aside money out of your paycheck for medical expenses. The bonus of the program is that the money is taken out pre-tax. So you save money on your taxes for pre-determining how much you’re going to spend on medical expenses every year. They also sometimes offer a similar program where you can set aside pre-tax money for childcare expenses, if you have a child.

Anyway, I’m looking through the forms, and there’s a bunch of info about what you can buy and be reimbursed for out of your medical FSA, and I saw something on the list that I never realized was a qualified medical expense. You can buy condoms with your FSA!!

Incidentally, you cannot be reimbursed for vitamins out of your FSA.

They’re both prophylactic, right? So why is that?

A Party to End All Parties

Alli says to me today that she hopes I will ping her some day when my life is finally normal, and I’m bored.   She says that when the day comes that I have no boy drama, no health drama, and no family drama, she will throw me a party.  I am working towards this party.

So far I’ve eliminated all boy drama.  He dumped me, and I’m pretty much over it, at this point.  I have my moments, but it’s not like it was a month ago.  He hasn’t called me at all.  All the lose ends (i.e. the motorcycle, the lease, and the spare keys) have been dealt with.  I doubt I’ll ever hear from him again.  Onward and upward, as I’ve finally realized that what all those people were hinting at all along, that I could do much better, is probably very true.

On the health drama front, I got some good news today.  The results of last weeks test came back normal.  I have more tests this Friday.  I’m still eating healthy like, and am currently roasting veggies and salmon in the oven.  Look out world; I’m cooking!!  Also, I’m still on the same routine in the morning, so I’m peeing like a fountain.

My family is still holding their collective breathe.   My uncle is quite ill, but my fingers are crossed for him.  Cancer blows.   Good news, though, my dad got a job, so that takes a lot of stress off me and the folks.  My mom is going to come down for a visit, and will be staying with me for just about a week.  Just in time for test results!

So, when that day comes that I’m A-OK, and my family is A-OK, and I’m either enjoying being single or loving being in the arms of the next one, Alli and I are going to paint the town red.

I’m shooting for June.

Floating or Drowning?

I started this whole health kick thing.   The doctors have me on this wait and see holding pattern.   In the meantime, I gotta do something, right?   So I’m reading up on all the best foods to prevent this or that.

So, now I’m taking an Omega-3 pill, in addition to a regular multi-vitamin, suppliments for my joints, and skin.  Also allergy meds and BC.   I take seven pills every morning.   That takes at least one big glass of water.

In addition to that, I’m now drinking a cup of green tea every morning.  Oh, and a small glass of juice.

So before eight in the morning, I’m completely waterlogged.  I don’t think I’ve ever felt so hydrated in my whole life.   At least it’s not as bad as the ultrasound, though.  I can go.   And oh, do I ever!

What’s the Worst You Could Do?

What’s the worst thing you could do to the world’s tiniest bladder? Fill it full of 32 ounces of water, make it hold it for an hour, and then put pressure on the outside with an ultrasound wand.

I had to have a pelvic ultrasound today. This was the second time around for me. I had my first one about a year and a half ago. I’ve been having some issues with my girly guts.

So, in order to get a good image with the doo-hicky that the run over your belly, they need to have your bladder 100% full of liquid. I don’t know why. What I do know is, it’s the most horrible trick anyone has ever played on me. It was miserable.

So, this morning, I got up, got ready, and drank the water. Then i got to drive to the hospital. I felt every single little bump in the road. And as I was sitting in the car, the waistband of my jeans were cutting into me a bit.

The truly cruel bit was, when the technician was done, and she finally said I could go, I ran to the bathroom, sat myself down, and then couldn’t. I had done such a good job of telling my body to hold it, that it took a few seconds to change it’s mind.

That was the nicest, most satisfying pee I ever took.

Just sayin’

I’m Still Here

I’ve been dealt some more crap, and it’s been getting me down. This time it’s much more real than that “he doesn’t love me any more” unreality nonsense. That all doesn’t mean a thing. It’s not important.

The thing that matters most is that I woke up this morning. And I’ll wake up tomorrow. And next week. And next month. I’m not giving up. I don’t want to give up. I’m going to fight. I’m going to do what I have to do to get better and be good to myself. And this is not going to get any worse. I won’t go there.

I may not be 100% right now, but I’m going to keep doing what I need to do, and hopefully someday this will all just be a bad memory. I think the best thing I can do for myself is accept things for what they are, let go of all the things that aren’t, and just focus on the fact that this morning, this moment, I’m fine. This is my attempt at venturing into the uncharted territory of optimism.

That’s how I’m going to get better.

Pearly Whites

I had my biannual teeth cleaning this morning.    They’re all smooth and clean.  I don’t want to eat anything ever again, so I don’t mess them up.   This is probably not very feasible.   The one sour note, though, I have one cavity, so I have to go back next week to get that taken care of.

I have to say, I love my dentist.  It’s not just because he’s super good looking, either.   He’s just super understanding.   I get really nervous when they have to do any kind of drilling on my teeth. so he always hooks me up with the nitrous, every time.   I know he sounds like a bit of an Elvis Doctor, but it’s nice that I don’t have to just suffer through it.    Also, he’s just about the only person that can call me kiddo, besides my dad, and it doesn’t sound funky.

Anyway, I still have all my teeth.  I need one little filling.   Not bad for a girl who never went to the dentist until she was 18.

Keep flossing people.

April Schmapril

I hate April. April, historically speaking, pretty much blows. And then there’s that whole spring thing.

The only season I hate worse than spring is winter. I hate being cold, but what’s going on with my eyes and nose right now is almost as bad. Everything is either running, itching or crusted over right now, and I don’t think I can take much more of this.

I know everyone loves spring. The sun has come out. The flowers are blooming. Baby animals abound. I know. I hear you on the April showers and May flowers. Seriously, though, enough with the bloody flowers.

I realize that I am a total freak. I’ve said this every year, I’m saying it now, and I’ll probably say it again next year – I can’t wait for summer so everything can just go ahead and die, and I can breath again.

Not to mention that whole not cold thing.

Just sayin’.

Fighting the Fight . . . with My Credit Card

Cancer has touched my life in several ways in the last year.  I’ve lost two family members, and a third was diagnosed and is fighting multiple myeloma.  It’s depressing to think about, and I worry about it.  I worry about my family.    I’ve got a strong connection to my family, I think, and I always want the best for them.  I think the feeling is mutual.   They are all just about the most important thing I have in the world.

The simple fact is, though, that there is not much I can do.   But I have to do something.  So this afternoon, I busted out the credit card for a good cause.

Today, I sponsored my cousins in The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

And while I was at it, I also sponsored my friend Hill for the AIDS/LifeCycle.

So if you’re feeling gifty . . .

And if you’re really broke, maybe there’s something you can donate that’s free.  I started a few months ago by donating my hair to Locks of Love.

Just sayin’.

Holed Up

Day 4.   Yesterday, I finally went to see the doctor to see if there was anything to be done to help me give get over the sickness.   Well, it turns out that I have bronchitis.   I have been put on antibiotics and some serious cough syrup.   Earlier, my temperature we got up to 99 again, but it’s back to normal now.

I’ve basically been home alone for the whole week.  I’ve only left the house to go to the doctor, the pharmacy, and the gas station on the corner.   I’m getting kind of bored, and what I really want is some chocolate cream pie.

I’m not contagious after being on the antibiotics for more than 24 hours, so if you want to hook me up with some pie, you’ll be my most favorite reader ever.

Gym Motivation

I thought of a new reason to go to the gym today. I’m not cold at the gym. Working out warms me up like it’s summer. Almost like it’s summer in the central valley.

The thing is, I hate winter. I hate chills, shivering, and I absolutely abhor goose bumps. I hate cold that I can’t escape. Lately, there’s no escaping cold.

It’s unusually cold in California this week. I think the high in Oakland was 47. That’s usually the low. I’ve said before that I think 70 is my personal minimum. Maybe 68. I could deal with a day like today every once in a while, but it’s been two days already, and I think tomorrow will be more of the same. Plus rain. The only thing worse than bitterly cold is bitterly cold and wet.

On top of the cold outside, the heat in the office is lame. Someone from my office calls the maintenance dude every day. I sit on my hands. I take off my shoes and sit on my feet. I wear sweaters over my sweaters. I wear my coat. It’s just ridiculous. It’s inhumane. I’m about to call my boss in New York and tell him that if nothing can be done to fix the heat, then I’m going to insist on working from home. It’s that bad.

So, in the midst of the hellish coldness, it occurred to me that if I was on the elliptical, I wouldn’t be cold. So for the rest of the week, the gym is my blanket. My calorie burning, thigh toning blanket.