That Scary Word

I went to the dermatology doctor again today to get results on the "thing" I had removed from my scalp last week.

Unfortunately it was basal cell carcinoma.

Now I will have to see the surgeon and have more tissue removed till they get clear edges.

It will be done under a local anesthetic on Dec. 1st.

I'm hoping that it doesn't involve shaving too much of my hair!!

I need it.

It's winter!!!

The Trillium Center is quite a place.  You can look it up on FB or their webpage.

I also had a complete dermatology body exam today.

That is interesting!

The doctor looks at every inch of your body that has skin on it with his big magnifying glasses!

I had 3 more things removed today!

I'm at the age that back when we were younger, we sun-bathed!

I laid out on the beach with oil on!!  Just frying and getting as tan as I could.

That was before all the sun precautions that there are now.

I have a lot of sun damage.

All those age spots . . . . Yep, gifts of the sun!

Time to pay up I guess!

Shirley

Inflexability

It seems as I age, I am becoming more and more inflexible.

It doesn't really bother me but it seems to irritate other people!

I realize that being somewhat inflexible has made my world a little smaller than it used to be.

That doesn't really bother me either!

I'm comfortable here.
It doesn't mean that I'm not doing things and moving around a lot.  I don't just sit and watch TV!  In fact, I watch very little TV.  I seem to find things around the house or running errands that keep me quite busy!

I don't really want to travel anymore.
Since I've been posting "Parts of My Life" on face book's Throwback Thursdays, even I am amazed at the things I've done and the places I've been!

I do seem to have to plan things more now however.

I'm not one to just pick up at the drop of a hat and go somewhere out of my comfort zone unless I plan for it at least a couple days beforehand!!
My plans for the day are written in my datebook and on the calendar on my iPhone.
My comfort zones consist of going to town and to the barn.
I know that does sound small but I do go other places too, but there's rules.
I have to plan ahead of time, I like to get started before noon and get back home before dark!
Boy, that does sound "old"!
Well, I have my dog to feed and my chickens to put away after-all!!!
Of course, unexpected things happen in life and we all have to adjust but, I'm saying, it's harder now than it used to be.

Shirley

You can also find me on my main blog here:
http://shirleys-world.blogspot.com/

And on Face Book here:
https://www.facebook.com/shirley.corwin?ref=name

Imagination Running Wild

My imagination is so strong.

And it usually isn't imaging the best senario for things!!

Why is that??

Am I that negative??

Well, here's the most recent one.

I've had a growth on my scalp, under my hair for years.  Like it started at least 6-7 years ago.

This past year it has grown in size significantly and become painful.

My hair covered it, so it was easy to keep a secret.  Only my hairdresser had seen it!!

Why did I keep it a secret?  Well, because I was afraid it was something awful and I kept putting off showing the doctor.

I know he would've yelled at me for not showing him sooner.

I just avoided the whole thing and buried my head!

Dumb?  Yes!
Especially when you're a nurse!

Well, I finally admitted to myself that something had to be done.

I imagined that it was cancer and had probably invaded the skull, now giving me bone and brain cancer!

That's what imagination can do for you!!

I stressed so much about the appointment that was scheduled for today that I got a cold sore.

Stress induced!

I signed into the Dermatology clinic at 10:30am.

Saw the doctor who said,

"Oh, we'll just take that off right here and now."

He's pretty sure it is benign and it was removed with a local anesthetic in about 3 minutes!!!

Years of worry!!!

Fixed in 3 minutes.

No I don't have a picture of it because it was really horrible looking.

But it's all gone.

Sigh!!!!!

I go back next week for a whole Derm exam because I have moles and age spots and all those great aging things!

There's a lesson here somewhere!!!!!!

Shirley 

A1c Results

I had my A1c drawn at my doctor's apt. on Monday.

I was anxious to see if I had changed my results with changing my diet.

My A1c that started this whole awareness 4 months ago was 6.2.

My doctor told me I was pre-diabetic.

Since it was in my genes, I wanted to stop it in it's tracks!!

I knew I was a 1st class, died in the wool, could eat a whole cake at a sitting,  carboholic!!

So I drastically changed my diet.

I did not cut out all sugar!  That, for me, would have been a sure plan for failure!

I've been writing down everything I've eaten since June and counting the carbs.

(The app, Calorie King is a great help with that.)

Reading, reading, reading labels!!!

I've tried to keep under 180 carbs a day.  Some days it was a little more and quite a few days I stayed under 160.

More importantly, as I found out later, is keeping each meal a more steady amount of 35- 45 carbs and then allowing low carb snack between meals.  I try to eat more carbs in the morning and less for supper and in the evening but that is hard.

I seem to be the most hungry in the evening.  I think, though it's because that's when I am finally sitting down and doing a lot less.

In August I decided to start testing my blood sugars to see exactly what foods affected my sugar the most so I got a meter and test strips and at first tested really often. 

 (Like 6-7 times a day.)

Fasting, in the morning, then 1 and 2 hours after each meal.  

I found out that my blood sugar had it's rise in one hour and was back down by 2 hours.

Other people may have a slower rise.  

So then I only checked randomly once or twice a day after breakfast and supper.

I found out that white bread was a bad culprit!

I never really had a spike over 157 and that was only twice.

I also read up on the good things that foods with a low or medium glycemic index can do.

Anyway, my new A1c level is 5.4!!!!!!

Yippppeeee.

This new awareness can only be a good thing.  I am past that horrible craving for sugar all the time.

Yes, I do bend to the occasional big chocolate chip cookie from Panera or a cheesecake brownie from Starbucks.

But I at least only have just one!!

I read labels on everything and am trying to eat foods that are much less processed and mostly organic if I can.

So, it was a good thing that my elevated A1c was caught so early and yes, I believe you can stop or at least put off the development of type 2 diabetes.

I'm not a doctor, but I am a retired RN and you have to educate yourself about your health.

That's for sure!

It has certainly made me so much more aware and has made me educate myself much more on 

this ever increasing disease.

Shirley

Where Are My Words??

One of most maddening things about aging is forgetfulness!

Especially when it comes to words.

It can happen mid-sentence.

Sometimes, I swear, I must sound like a real dolt!

The harder you try to remember a word you want to use, the further back it goes.

Where DOES it go!!

Do I have early dementia, am I getting Alzheimer's!

Every senior that is forgetful asks themselves those questions!

I don't think so.

Or else everyone I know would have them.

I'm not worried about it but it sure is frustrating.

Just saying!

Shirley

Observations at Panera

I had lunch at Panera this afternoon, as I do about once a week.

I sat next to a table where a "little old lady" was sitting with a slightly heavyset older man.  

He had a tee shirt on that said something about rehab.

I had been up at the coffee bar waiting for this little lady to get done putting her cream in her coffee.  Everything was in slow motion.  She was only about 5 foot tall and all bent over.

She walked slowly to her seat and the server brought their food.  She said something to the man about how nice the bread looked.  I didn't hear him respond.  They sat there and ate with not a word uttered between them the entire time.

That's what amazed me.

I'd steal glances over at them.

Her posture was all bent over when sitting also, with a Dowagers Hump, a sign of sever osteoporosis.

She concentrated on her food and finished everything.

I was surprised when he evidently told her he wanted a refill on his drink.

I had thought all this time that he was taking care of her.

She slowly got up and went to the counter and got him a refill.

When they were done eating, she gathered her things and took them to the clean-up area.  He then pushed his tray to her so she would clean his place up too.

I was just really surprised.

Not at all the way I thought it would be.

She shuffled so slowly but got it done.

However when they were ready to leave, he turned and pulled out a walker that had been out of sight on the other side between a couple chairs.

He opened it up, stood with some difficulty and using it, he shuffled out the door.  As she was getting up, she caught my eye and sort of shrugged.

I would've loved to sit and talk with her awhile but of course that wasn't possible and I would've never intruded.  She might have liked to have someone to talk too.

Strange and sometimes sad how life is.

Shirley

Aging, Such a Joy!

Yes, of course, I'm thankful that I am aging instead of the alternative but "Oh, My", some days!!

I think I have been doing really well on watching and changing my diet though.

I have not had one huge spike in blood sugar the whole time I've been testing.

In fact, nothing really out of the ordinary!

I'll be anxious to see what my next A1c is next month.

OK . . . . The Aging thing!

I hope there's other seniors out there reading my blogs on-line and plodding along with me!

Please feel free to comment if anything looks familiar!

Or if you have any suggestions!

I finally let the color grow out of my hair!

After the bad winter I had with hospitalizations and surgeries, I thought, 

"What the heck am I coloring my hair blond for!

Nobody thinks I'm 30 or 40 anymore!

So I got it cut short and that took care of most of the color.

I'm pleased that it has come in nice and white.

I have colored my hair since I was 20!!

I didn't even know what stages of color my real hair went through!!

I still have 5 boxes of Clairol and L'oreal hair color upstairs.

I'd buy it when I had coupons or when it was on sale.

I guess I'll take them to GoodWill.  They are fairly new and still sealed.

Here I am with my son's two.  My grandkids.  They are 5 and 7.

I surprised everyone and actually went in their pool on Saturday!!

Of course, no bathing suit!!  NOOOOOOO!!!!

Just a tee shirt and clam diggers!

I got a pedometer for myself to see how many steps I take most days.  I was just curious and read it is good for your heart to do 10,000 steps a day.  Well, I haven't ever even reached over 7000, and that was only once.  It's usually around 5000.  Even on slow rainy days I make sure I'm over the 3000 step  "sedentary" mark by going to Target or someplace and walk around.

It helps me to have a basket to push so I don't weave all over.  I swear I can't walk straight anymore.  What is that!!!  I remember my mother used to say that.

OMG, I am my mother  : ))

(Bless her heart!)

Shirley