Day 13

Monday, December 13, 2010
What's one thing about your body that's secretly concerning you/freaking you out right now?

Wow, this is actually a great prompt. If I have to be completely honest (and, yes, Suz says I HAVE to be!) I'd have to say I'm very concerned about the shape of my body. I don't just mean "round," I mean - how are my arteries? Are they clogged? What is my cholesterol level these days? How 'bout my blood sugar level? What does my heart look like? You get the picture.

My daddy had his first heart attack about 2 months before his 51st birthday. Stud Muffin was 3 months old, and I thought he was going to grow up never knowing his papa. That's the first time I remember feeling that kind of absolute mind-numbing fear. Since then, he's had a few more. He's had many angiograms (sp?). So many so, that he developed an allergy to all shellfish (I guess the dye they use is somehow derived from shellfish?). He's had a few angioplasties, as well. And, about 14 yrs. ago, he had triple by-pass surgery. In addition to all that, Daddy is diabetic, and has blood pressure issues. Not exactly the picture of health, huh?

My mother has had her share of heart-related issues, too. She's had an angiogram, but they couldn't do the angioplasty because her arteries are too small. So, she's on a drug regimen to keep her arteries cleared out. She, too, has blood pressure issues. And, she's a cancer patient. (Soon, we'll be able to call her a cancer SURVIVOR! Yay!)

You can see that my family has health issues on both sides. And, it's not just my parents. It extends to their families, which doesn't bode well for the future of my health, does it?

So, all that being said, I am concerned with what's going on inside my body. I've been saying for years that I need to go get a 'tune-up.' I need to have a stress test done. I need my blood tested, both for cholesterol levels and sugar levels. I'm going to really try to at least find a doctor while I'm on break. That's been my biggest hurdle (excuse?) for not doing all these things sooner. I have no general physician, only an OB/GYN. I'm going to have to suffer through what, undoubtedly, will be a LONG call with Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and see if I can find a doctor. Right now my goal is to do this in baby steps. I'll start with finding the doctor, then move up to making the appointment. And, now that I've put it here, I'm hoping some of my Bloggy Buddies will hold me to it. Ask me in a couple of weeks if I've found a doctor yet, ok? Thanks!