Why I'm here....

Since I've always been quick with an opinion an old friend once lost and again found suggested that perhaps I should share with more people my commentary. Never being one to pass on a challenge I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Reflection Time

It's that time of year that I reflect on my life and where I'm at again.  I know most people do that at New Years butt I do it each year as I approach my birthday.  I'll be 45 this year.  Seems like I should be sixteen.  Would I trade it back?  Only if I could be the person I am today inside and emotionally.  It's been a hard year.  I still miss my friend Rob a lot.  I have family that I somehow doubt will be with us this time next year.  I have aging parents and thoughts of when they are gone how much I will miss them; yet I intend to enjoy them while they are here.  In reality all we can do is live each day and try never to waste a moment that we have to live.  In reflection comes cleaning.  I am at a point in my life where I hate clutter and I live in a very tiny apartment so I'm into purging things right now and trying to figure out how I'm going to get down to that hotel like living.  As I clean I see things that bring memories.  Some of them pleasant, some not so much.  I also see things and wonder when they hell I bought that.  I don't remember it, having seen it since I bought it probably and wonder what was going through my mind when I did cause it sure wasn't anything rational.  It's a good day for me to clean cause I really am in a throw it out mood.  Anyone else need it cleaned up?  We really have gotten to be a society of people who want "STUFF".  We may never use the stuff and we may never see it, but we have to have it come hell or high water.  Not me.  Now I just wish I had more free time.  I have been spending a lot of time in Indy because it's fun for me.  I have a couple of wonderful friends there and it's a get away for me from my life and the reality of day to day.  I love my parents, but living next door to them is difficult at times.  It doesn't give me much privacy and yet I wouldn't trade my time I have gotten to spend with them for anything.  What will the next year bring?  Hopefully better health and happiness for all my family and friends.  The year started out rough so it should be better now, I would hope.  My health is what it is.  Hopefully in November everything will be thumbs up.  Meanwhile I'm getting back to the gym.  I'm getting back to walking and working on eating healthier and I'm working on making me the best I can.  In the end that is all we can do.  Reflection is good for the soul.  Walking and cleaning are my best two ways to have that inner reflection.  Well, this was just a short break, no pun intended, from cleaning.  Time for more purging.  Happy Fathers day to all the dads out there.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

4000 Women Will Likely Die this Year from Cervical Cancer

That is a lot of women that could potentially die and I know it's an estimated statistic from past years.  The good news is that over the last fifty years death rates have decreased by over 74% from this disease.  The main reason for that is early detection thanks to yearly exams.  If it's found early there is every reason to believe your life will be just as long and healthy as it was before it was found.  Sounds good to me.  It's all conjecture in a way though.  You hear these odds and you think great,but what happens when you fall in the percentage that die?  Sad thing is a lot of the women who are dying are probably not getting tested and the cells that cause this horrible cancer are present in most men and women.  Yes I know men don't have a cervix,  but from what I've read prostate cancer can be caused from these same cells.  Until I was diagnosed with "abnormal" cells I wasn't aware of just how huge of a problem this was.  I've talked to tons of women about their issues they have had with Displaysia of the cervix.  Some who had just mild cases, some who had moderate and some with severe. Some had precancerous cells, some did not.  Some went through what I went through with the freezing of my cervix, which hurt like hell, to then getting a Leep procedure, to then eventually having a hysterectomy.  If you recall I was told that freezing the cervix takes care of the issue in 92% of the cases.  Well, lucky me I fell into the 8% mark.  Then on this one I was told 80% success rate and if it's a no go then hysterectomy.  So I'm nervous about my November 5th appointment to see what will happen.  I did go back to see the doctor last week and she did say everything looked good.  It was worse than they had initially thought.  There was more swelling and more cells and you get it right... They are fairly sure they did though.  I am on folic acid to help keep it at bay.  Yeah vitamin I knew basically nothing about but it boost your metabolism, helps with your immune system and ladies if you want to try to avoid this it's a good idea to take it.  It also helps your energy level and most people are depleted of it. Wish I had known that earlier.  Men it's good for you too.  I feel better than I have in a long long time.  I'm pleased to say between the thyroid medications and the folic acid I'm starting to drop the weight again and feel better about me.  It was severely depressing to be watching what you eat and still gain weight.  Not fun and something to remember.  Not everyone over weight is that way because of what they eat.  I literally for two weeks ate nothing but Chicken, boiled eggs, veggies an fruits and gained 15 pounds.  It seems that when your thyroid isn't working your body has a tendency to store everything you eat so good thing I wasn't pounding down donuts I guess but geesh.  Hopefully though this summer I will have some time to write some fun posts on here.  I just thought I would throw out some stats in hopes that all my female friends will go get their yearly exams.  It's important.  I want to keep you all around for a while and what I'm finding is this is very very very very common.  It's been a long year for many reasons.  Lots of death all around us everywhere.  Don't be one of them.  Get checked.  I know it's scary.  It's scary to think about, and to worry about and when you're going through it you always fear the worst but stay positive.  If anyone out there has any questions or wants to know anything or just wants support because you're going through it feel free to email me and we'll arrange a time to talk.  Sheilavz@frontier.com