And, I look old. So many new flabby parts on my arms, and lines in my face and neck. I'm pretty sure the medications are doing that to me. It couldn't be because I'm 59 years old, could it?

So, there you have it. I'll be more dutiful about blogging. I promise.

I have to admit I haven't done the initial 60 day 'get my genes healed' part of the diet yet. I do eat black dots, though with a little pang of guilt. Now that I know what my true avoidance foods are, I have been able to eliminate them. (I even gave up my one morning cup of coffee - finally!) Well, except for avocado. Hubby practically force-feeds it to me because he is convinced it is a miracle food. I eat as little as I can get away with.

Activity-wise, I still don't do as much as I should. I still do pilates twice a week, and have been doing something aerobic 2 - 3 times a week. Didn't get nearly enough golfing in this summer. I still find it hard to get up in the mornings with all the medications I'm still taking. In fact I still sleep 10 - 11 hours at night. Obviously my body needs it for the nerves to continue to heal. And they are healing. Unfortunately, as they slowly wake up, the pain gets worse.
My blood lipids are currently under control with medication. I don't find it difficult to keep cholesterol intake low. I miss liver and egg yolks the most. I know that there is controversy whether egg yolks are good or bad for cholesterol, but at this point it's not going to hurt me NOT to eat them.

I saw my favorite Halloween candy in the grocery store today. Complete corn syrup. (Sigh). I hope hubby doesn't surprise me with any. He will be doing me a favor to keep it away from the house.

I am also pleased with the combined BTD and GT food lists. I get to keep some of my favorite B- nonnie foods. I am surprised Ezekial bread is now an avoid. That will take some getting used to. I still haven't memorized the lists But I will probably ease myself into it. Hubby gets really weird when I try to change eating habits too drastically. I have to sneak them in.

I think I am recovering well from the heart attack. I still can't get over all the medications I have to take right now. Hopefully when the magic one year mark happens I'll be able to cut back. Sometimes I ask myself why I still try to follow the diet, when it obviously didn't work. I got what I had been trying to avoid. But, then I have to remind myself how quickly I recovered. Eating right had to have something to do with that!

It's been quite a week. Hubby is making it his mission to change our diet to minimize animal fats and increase fruits and vegetables. This is Mr. 'Atkins lover' turned 'Heart Healthy' fanatic. I must admit we did love our steaks. But I'm not convinced it was all diet that caused the heart attack. My whole family is afflicted with heart disease. My father had carotid blockage in his early 60's and eventually died from heart disease. My mother had a stroke in her 60's and still takes medication for high blood pressure. My sister had angioplasties done when she was only 47. We don't know about my brother, since he won't go to a doctor. My grandfather died of a heart attack when he was 58.

So, I'm guessing that my artery problems started long before I started BTD. They started several generations before I was born. I wonder if I had known for sure what my genotype was when Dr. D's book came out last year and immediately changed my diet then, if it would have been effective enough to prevent this.

A couple of weeks ago I had my annual bloodwork done. Cholesterol and Triglyceride levels were still high. About the same as last year. LDL's were increased. For the first time in my life my heart health risk ratio has risen above the magic 3.3 number. It's telling me WAKE UP, LINDA!!!!

I do follow the B non-secretor diet about 85%. But I have not really been rigid about how may times a week I eat a certain food. So, for now the grains are abolished (and I do love those spelt pretzels!). I'm adopting a low carb version of the diet. Also, I'm going to be more diligent about aerobic exercise. As much as it makes my right side burn, I just have to get through it. Pilates makes it burn more, but somehow I am able to drag myself there twice a week.

I think those two things will keep me busy this spring. I am taking advantage of the NAP offer to order the genotype supplements for three months to be able to get SWAMI-ed. I am pretty sure there will be some changes once that happens. I can't wait. I've been wanting to be SWAMI-ed for a long time. I just can't justify the expense of flight, hotel, car, and all that.

Thanks for visiting.

All I can say is that it has been one heck-uv-a year in the health department for hubby and me. He had his diagnosis in July, but insisted on waiting till the first of October for the surgery, because he had a big motorcycle trip planned. He has always wanted to ride across the country, and this was his year. He was going to ride to the Moto-GP races in Indianapolis in September. Our daughter was going to fly out there from school and they would spend the weekend together, and then he was going to have a scenic ride back. Every man's dream....right? Well, as the summer progressed, he got sicker and sicker. He had an increasingly difficult time digesting food. He had horrific pains. He lost 30 pounds. He was just SO determined to go on this trip, he was blind to what was happening to him. Well, the first of September rolls around and he realizes he is not going to have the strength to ride his bike. So, he bought plane tickets. The time comes for him to leave, and he was so sick, he knew he wasn't even going be able to handle the plane ride. At this time, he finally called the surgeon and asked to have the surgery as soon as possible, which turned out to be only one week earlier than previously scheduled. The surgeon wasn't real happy with what he found inside. The intestinal wall had perforated, and there was an abcess hiding way back in the abdominal wall. He took out two feet of intestine and hoped that was enough. Hubby spend 10 days in the hospital. He was so nutritionally deficient, the surgeon was concerned that he wasn't strong enough to fight infections. He never said it, but I could tell the Dr. was really angry that hubby had let the pain and wretching go on for that length of time.

Well, I guess I got that number off my chest for awhile! Anyway, hubby is all better. Has gained most of his weight back and is as 'cranky' as ever. I had ordered NAP probiotics for his blood type, and he has been taking them, but not on a regular basis. I keep reminding him that he'll 'digest' much better if he lets the little buggers get in there and do their job. Needless to say, he is not one to listen to me on health matters. Otherwise he would have had the surgery in July and would have been HEALED by September and could have at least taken a plane to Indianapolis. (BTW, Daughter went to the races by herself. The weather was so windy and rainy, they called the big race off anyway)

I've been slowly healing. At least I have a good drug regimen that keeps me from burning too much. And I am getting more feeling in the parts that were numb. It's slow. But it is progress.

Well, there's more.......lots more. But I will save it for another weekend.

When is it going to stop snowing?

I like the little poem that says: “Mirror, mirror on the wall……I am my mother after all!”

Anyway, that’s a little segue into the “Update on Linda’s Condition”. It seems they have put a name to the nerve problem. It is called Brown-Sequard Syndrome. There was some damage to the spinal cord during the incessant firing of the C7 nerve during the surgery. So, the burning in my right leg and torso continues. I take a drug called Lyrica that allows me to function and sleep. Without it, the burning is so bad I just about go out of my mind. Last week the neurologist added some Carbotrol the mix. I take a lighter dose during the day so I can get to work and function at some level. I don’t feel as bright and alert as I’d like. Sometimes I get a cup of coffee (avoid) in the afternoon. But I’m doing well with green tea in the mornings. I’m not nearly as dependent on coffee as I used to be.

An unfortunate side effect of these drugs is peripheral edema and weight gain. I have put on four pounds since the surgery. I can no longer get my wedding ring on. I’m taking some herbal diuretics, but they don’t seem to help. The roll around my waist is pretty ugly. I’m still doing Pilates and try to get aerobics in during the week. I do aerobics both weekend days, but that’s not enough. Work has been getting in the way. I must make time for it.

I’m still carrying on with my B Nonnie diet. Other than the occasional coffee and a teaspoon of mayo once or twice a week, I can’t see many avoids creeping in at this point. Of course, 100% compliance would be in order. Ok……this week I’ll try not to have any coffee. (Laying it out on ‘paper’ sure changes ones resolve, doesn’t it?)

Oh yeah, as if we middle aged folks haven’t had enough with the health issues. Hubby has come up with a one inch mass in his small intestine. He has been having pain and cramps for several months, but wouldn’t call a doctor until a couple weeks ago. A CT scan pointed out the mass. So, we can’t get in to see a surgeon until NEXT Monday. Looks like another surgery in the family looming pretty quickly.

Okay. There’s gotta be some good news in this blog. Daughter got four A’s and one B+ in her college courses this summer. She made the President’s honor list. We are very proud. She has also started her own fitness and diet program. She found a free diet website. It called www.sparkpeople.com . Lots of support for her there. So far she has lost eighteen pounds. I’m very pleased for her.

I think a lot of the problem is just dealing with the post-surgical issues. I'm dealing with constant pain and burning in my right leg and it's now moving into the torso. I only get relief at nightime when I take a dose of Lyrica. It knocks me out so I can sleep. From what I can learn from my physical therapist and the internet, the pain will get worse as things wake up closer to the spinal cord.

Whoopee.

Sorry for the downer blog. But, thought I should check in. I'm thankfull that I can still be productive and make a living.