Being a cancer survivor, I want to stay cancer free.

I feel I cover the activities in other goals, and I am cancer-free after my colon surgery over 5 years ago.

Also, to quote Des, I hope never to have to open this one again!

My nurse practitioner called me on Friday and left a message right before the 3-day weekend, something about, “this isn’t life-threatening, but call me right away. Your lab tests showed a problem.” Charming.

So, I called back today, and she said that my liver tests are slightly elevated. They could be caused by one of three things: (1) my cholesterol medication is irritating the liver; (2) too much alcohol (more than 1 drink a day or 7 drinks per week); (3) too much Tylenol. Since it couldn’t be #2 or #3, we decided to cut back on my cholesterol meds by one-half. I’ll be taking another lab test in about 3 weeks to see where I am at that point.

I wanted to add: (4) too many M&M’s, but she didn’t give me a chance.

I just talked with him this morning. We’ll talk once a week about how I feel and what I’m doing.

this one is with the Lab. The doc said I should wait three months and then get my labs done. It’s on the calendar for the beginning of next month.

Well, not really “upon me.” Those OsmoPrep pills are upon me. The procedure is tomorrow.

I read a really funny column in the San Francisco Chronicle a few weeks ago, about a woman telling her doctor that she couldn’t possibly have a colonoscopy. “I don’t have any friends,” she told him, hoping to get out of the procedure. You see, someone has to take you and drive you home. I loved that!

The dreaded procedure is scheduled for late December. I have pills to take instead of that horrible liquid, and I’m eager to see how that all works out. When I get the good results from the colonoscopy I’ll look into whether I qualify for long-term care insurance at this point.

Damn them. They make it so easy. Takes about 5 minutes, not terribly painful (not like the OLD days).

If they could just do something about those too-short-and-flimsy nightgowns you wear from room to room, I might not have anything to grouse about. And then where would I be??

I just realized that, as of last month, I have four years under my belt. My colonoscopy, scheduled for December, will tell me if I have made it through four years.

Mentally, I feel I have to get through five years of this to be considered cancer free.

The mammogram is scheduled for tomorrow morning. The colonoscopy is scheduled for mid-December. I’m beginning to think of October as “health” month for me because I’m putting all of these things in motion. Having these check-ups is the best way to ward off another bout with the Big C.

Now that it’s springtime getting into summer, the rain has abated here in the Bay Area, and I’m starting to walk again. Lately I’ve been walking my 3-mile trek about twice or three times a week. I hope to step that up.

In two weeks I’m going to Walt Disney World, and the plan there is to walk about 9 miles a day! I’ll need to, to combat the Disney food.