Dec 28, 2009

Chaviva's PSA: GET HEALTHY! - PART 2

Shloms to my homes. That's my new lingo for "Shalom to my good blog readers." Get down with the Chavi lingo!

Anywho, I wanted to update everyone on my medical happenings, because I visited my sock-it-to-you doctor this morning. She was just as feisty as before, although luckily the test results came back, and she didn't have too much to be angry/worried/concerned about.

I'm happy to say that (almost) everything came back completely normal, if not excellent. My cholesterol and thyroid and blood count were great, with the doc commenting that she wished she had my cholesterol level. It also appears I need more Vitamin D, but she assured me that just about everyone in the U.S., especially in the Northeast in the winter, has low Vitamin D levels. The only downer was the results of the fasting/glucose test. Now, the results weren't horrible, but here's the deal. After you fast, they have you drink the gross soda, then make you sit for one hour, then another, testing your levels at both intervals. At the second hour, your level should be between 75 and 139 mg/dl. Mine, unfortunately, was at 141. This puts me on the very, very low end of "impaired glucose tolerance." To be a full-blown diabetic, those numbers would be greater than 200. So, let's just say I'm pleased that I'm only two mg/dl on the bad side of things. The doc said it isn't anything to be really worried about, that I'm not at death's door, but that I have one option: lose weight, eat better. So she's setting me up with an appointment with the "diabetes educator," whatever that is. My dad has diabetes, and I grew up with us going on and off the "diabetic diet" (picture mom scooping out green beans and everything else with measuring cups, super fun). The upside is I only have to see the educator once, and it's only to make sure I know what I'm doing and that I'm doing it right. Lose weight, eat right, and diabetes won't eat your body up and make you die from some horrible diabetes-related cause. My dad lost two aunts to diabetes-related complications, and countless other relatives on his side suffer from the craptastic glucose giant. I, however, will not be one of those people.

So that's what's new with my medical woes. I also had a EKG, for no apparent reason. I also might be visiting a cardiologist for a completely arbitrary and infrequent chest pain I've been getting since 9th grade social studies. It's funny how we can remember very specific moments in time like that. I was sitting next to Christina, or was it Russ? I stood up at the end of class at the bell, and for some reason, this really sharp pain struck the very center of my chest. It knocked the wind out of me and I plopped back down in my chair. I sat there for about 2 minutes, unable to move without feeling the horrible pain. I went to the doctor, thinking I was having some early-onset heart attack stuff, and the doctor just told me I probably pulled a muscle. Who'da thunk you could pull a muscle in your chest just by standing up? My current doctor doesn't buy it and because the pain persists once every three months or so at completely arbitrary points, she wants to make sure it isn't more serious. The EKG came back fine, so who knows.

Do I sound like a walking ball of disease and impending doom? I swear I'm not a hypochondriac. In fact, these are all things I've been dealing with for a long time; I'm just really stubborn and don't go to the doctor until they're all sort of bugging me at once. Then I sound like I'm one of those people who sits on WebMD researching all the various ailments they have. I'm not that person, I promise.

Anyway, let this be an even greater reminder to y'all to schedule appointments, get yourself checked out, and be as HEALTHY as YOU can be in 2010! Darn't! Or else. Don't make me come over there ...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad its all nothing major. Eating right is something we all should be doing anyway....

I hate hate hate that glucose test. They make you do it when you pregnant too. I whined so much at the time... Good for you for being a good patient.

HUGS

frumgeress said...

My older sister is a diabetes educator, it's an incredibly difficult job that deserves some respect--people never take her seriously. Eating healthily IS important, and it CAN make the difference between you maintaining your borderline health and developing diabetes. Whatever you do, take the educator seriously.
You may not need to be on any kind of "diabetes" diet, there are all kinds of minor changes you can make, especially with vegetables etc and simple things like choosing plain yogurt with a little bit of vanilla or other flavoring over a flavored fruit yogurt...makes a big difference.
Good luck, you can do it!

Anonymous said...

Hey Chavi. I'm glad that there's nohing too major going on inside! I too don't think that reducing your blood sugar levels will require too many drastic changes to your diet, having had a couple of friends who've been through the same thing.

As to the chest pain thing, me, my sister and my Mum all get odd heart arrythmia every now and again - a strange fluttering in the chest that takes your breath away for a few moments. We've each been checked out with ECGs and all been told we're fine. I hope your symptoms are something equally minor - it's good you're getting it checked out. Getting ahead of the game before 2010 even starts!

Daniel Saunders said...

I'm glad nothing major is wrong.

Chaviva Gordon-Bennett said...

@HSA Yup, someone actually asked me if I was pregnant because they tested me, lol. YIKES.

@FrumGeress I wasn't trying to disparage the profession, believe me. I was merely stating that I've been through all of this before, and I've been rocking Weight Watchers. I just gotta get on the exercise wagon.

@Rachel This chest pain thing is running rampant! Who knows what it is. I hope it's nothing serious in the long run for you guys!

@Daniel Thanks :)

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