And So The Doctor Said, "Carly..."

"If I'd known I was going to live so long, I'd taken better care of myself."

-Leon Eldred

I paid a visit to my doctor this past week, it was time for my 6 month Fibromyalgia health progress check. There was plenty for she and I to talk about, but the first thing she wanted to address was why my blood pressure was 190/96 at 8:45 a.m. on a Wednesday morning! "I don't know," said I, "George Bush maybe?" She was not amused, although she did grin a little bit. LOL. No, the true culprit was probably the swelling that tends to attack me on cold mornings, or it could have been my lack of sleep the night before. "Well...I don't go to bed most nights until 5:00 a.m., it is just my internal way of life." Ok, so again, she wasn't amused, although she was still grinning. "Carly, what are we going to do with you?" "We?" Now there's a "we?"

Yes, "we" consisted of herself, Alan, and the surgeon I had to have a visit with, as part of my Breast Cancer scare. You remember that...right? One day, while minding my own business, I found a large round lump in my left breast, just sitting there, doing nothing, but scaring the Noodle-Roni out of me. Well, one visit to Mr. Squishy and one visit to a technician for an Ultrasound, and I got the good news that it was a cyst that would resolve itself, but I also found out that while that cyst was benign, my chances for getting Breast Cancer had just increased...a bit. It's always something. I was a lucky girl the day I was told it was all going to be ok... other ladies aren't always given good news about such things.

As we talked, my doctor continued the exam, by listening to my heart. Then she asked, "Carly, do you snore?" "Snore?" Not me thank you very much! That is one of the things I have been most proud of in my life... I don't snore! "Nope," said I, "Why?" "Well, I hear an irregularity, and I suspect that is what is causing you to not reach that 4 stage of sleep you need. It might also be causing the pain in your legs, and the Restless Leg syndrome." YIKES! Now what? As it turns out, some folks with Fibromyalgia, had disturbed sleep patterns and some even experience Sleep Apnea. So, I am now on a medication for my heart, it's a very mild medication, and she thinks it will work to relieve the pain in my legs and ankles. That means that perhaps I won't go into hibernation this winter, like I did last year. :) I may have to change my office hours however. :( That will be difficult, I have always been a night owl.

If you are reading my journal the old fashioned way, by visiting in person and not through subscription, you may have noticed I have already begun displaying the pink ribbon, for Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. It's never too early to raise awareness to this disease. The statistics are scary and something needs to be done. I am making a plea to you ladies who supported me last spring, when I needed to get my first mammogram, to please schedule yourself and appointment for your own mammogram, the sooner the better, and share your own good news of a clean bill of health with us. Please feel free to swipe the dragonfly ribbon on my sidebar, I made it myself, and display it on your sidebar along with the link to the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Let's get going...let's make a difference!

Here is what I am doing...

The Yoplait Lids For Life...



Yoplait yogurt is asking us to save the pink lids, now through December 31st. Clean them off and send them in to Yoplait for their "Save Lids To Save Lives," campaign. For every pink lid we send in, they will donate a dime to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. This is really great, yogurt is so delicious, and my doctor actually recommended it to ease the stomach spasms I have sometimes. I like the idea of the yogurt a whole lot better then swallowing yet another pill. :) And now, I get the chance to help others, while taking better care of myself. Pay a visit to the Yoplait website to download your own badge for your sidebar.

Passionately Pink For The Cure



This is a great idea. The Susan G. Komen foundation has a great campaign all set for October, and you can be a part of it. All you have to do, is choose one day in October, and wear pink that day, and donate $5.00 to the foundation. It's not just your chance to make a difference, it's a chance to encourage others to help raise awareness of Breast Cancer, and make a difference. Just click on the above banner to visit the website and find out what you can do in your cities all through the month of October. I have chosen, Sunday, October 22nd. I will be sure and post my outfit, so you can see what I will be wearing that day. One hint... it will be pink! LOL.

About the above picture, well, that was my heart healthy lunch. A mug of tomato soup, and a fruit salad I invented. Mixed salad greens, strawberries, tomatoes, mandarin oranges, sliced red onion, crumbled french Feta cheese, fresh limes, and low-fat red wine vinaigrette. Too yummy! :) Fibromyalgia is such a strange condition to live with. It causes irritating things to happen, like when I lose whole words, or go to type one thing, only to have something completely different make it onto my blog. I have to check everything I do two or three times, and then there is no guarantees that it will be right. I am still searching for that groove Shelly told me about, but I count myself as a very lucky girl because I have all my friends here in Bloggerville, who don't worry about every little mistake I make, and in general, I am a healthy woman, with many more years of life to let George Bush raise my blood pressure! LOL. That's what I want for all of you! The healthy life... not the George Bush part. Tee Hee.

So, who else is going to join me, by choosing a day in October, and wearing pink to raise awareness of Breast Cancer?

Save Lids To Save Lives
P.O. Box 72716
Rockford Mn, 55572-7016

-OndineMonet
"Salad ala Carly"
Berkeley, California
September 22, 2006
Afternoon