Grateful in the Month of Thankfulness

And here we are again, my most (food) tempting and challenging time of the year.

This year’s been challenging all around, as far as keeping an eye on what I eat. But the holidays are the worst, as you can imagine. I wish I can say eating healthy is a way of life, after 33 years of knowing about my disease. But I am an FH patient who happens to love bacon and ham and eggs and French fries.

As you also know, no, I don’t eat all that every day, but even once a week or a month makes me feel bad about myself. The latest (September) numbers are below, and I was thrilled that my triglycerides are once again normal – which always tells me as far as I can control this, I am controlling this. The rest of the numbers don’t look too bad for an FH patient, I think. And without having had a drastic procedure, like an apheresis or anything like that, I think I am handling the numbers the best I can. 

Plus, you know what the doctor said last time: the numbers are not important anymore (till next time when they become important again!). They said the presence of heart disease and atherosclerosis is what matters. Not sure how they gauge the severity of that – but there you have it.

My quality of life has been pretty poor lately, although the cholesterol numbers are OK (for me). I have either a gallbladder issue or some food sensitivity that wreaks havoc in my body – my metabolism doesn’t seem to be quite happy lately: from skin rashes, to skin peelings, to bloating, stomach pain, fatigue, no energy, you name it, I’m going through it. Some people say it’s the stress. I think it’s yeast, gluten, fat, all of these, some of these, or something else … but I am not the happiest patient, for sure!

 Plus, living in a state where doctors print internet articles to have you read them at home, rather than knowing what is wrong with you, based on your tests and symptoms, doesn’t really move things in the right direction.

With all these symptoms and apprehensions, I am marching right along into another holiday season, and later next month into my 40^th year of life. 33 years or so ago, no one believed this day would come. But here I am. A third part luck, a third part modern medicine and another third part moderation in everything that entered my mouth and in lifestyle, in general, got me here. It’s more than I ever asked for. More than anyone planned for. And for that, I am grateful!