My Husband Doesn't Call Me His "OLD LADY" For Nothing...

(If you're not interested in MY HEALTH, pass me by, OK?)

OK OK OK..I went to see Dr. Duncan yesterday and this is the 4-1-1:

I've HAD osteoarthritis. That he'd already documented during my pregnancies. It's most common in knees and hips, but *I* (being the FREAK that I am!) have it in my lumbar region of my back. But what I have NOW is OSTEOPOROSIS. I am not going to splain it all, so if you're curious, check this out:

http://my.webmd.com/content/pages/11/1829_51056.htm

Anyhow, I've got to get on the phone with my insurance company and get a "go ahead" for a bone density scan (AKA: DEXA Scan). The little bit of information I got is vague at best, and it SOUNDS seemingly painless, but you never know with modern medicine nowadays....it's complicated to splain also, so check this out if you wanna know more:

http://my.webmd.com/hw/osteoporosis/hw3738.asp

So...as soon as that's all done, Doc says we'll figure out the game plan. Of course he says, "Lose the weight, it'll make a difference."

Like my friend NFW says:

UH-HUH, YEAH, SURE WHATEVER. :(

Either way, it's all down hill from here. *sigh* Ever wake up in the morning and wish you could do your life over? Well, in my case, I just want different and better genes. Not ALL women on both sides of my family have been affected by this, but some have and I can remember being little and thinking that those old ladies (my grandma, my great-aunts, etc) were NO FUN :( I don't want to be that old lady. The Dr. did throw around some drug names like Fosamax and something else that will increase bone density over time. But you know what? Here's the weird (or maybe NOT so weird in MY case?) part:

Almost 100% of my condition has been attributed to radiation therapy for my cancer treatment.

If you were to tell me it was because I DON'T eat enough dairy, I would tell you "MOOO!" Cuz that's bullshit. I eat one of the most balanced diets of anyone I know. It's not a PREFECT food pyramid, but it's close. Not only that but I take calcium, too (and YES it's the good kind that gets absorbed easily). So I don't know where it's going??

This is just all so frustrating. Not only dealing with the current pain (I'm up to 3-4 Vicodin a day!!!), but trying to prevent bad things from happening because "The Future" is coming @ me one minute at a time. The compressions in my vertebrae aren't going to stop. I am not going to always be the statuesque Goddess I am now. One wrong move and **SNAP!** goes any random bone. All of that upsets me a LOT. But I guess I just have to take it one day @ a time like I have been for the last 2 1/2 years. Like I have a whole lot of choices at this point. Grrr..

In other news...

It's been hotter than the sweat on the Devil's ballsack around here! It was up over 100F today. That's odd for Prescott. At an elevation of 5600+ ft., we should be a lot cooler. I saw on the Weather Channel where Phoenix had a record high of 115F yesterday. I don't know HOW It can be a RECORD? It's always hotter than hell almost everywhere in AZ from June - August. Oh well. It was ONLY 124F in Death Valley, CA today. If it don't cool down around here soon, I think I am going to shrivel up...my bones are already on THEIR way. :( Oh,oh--and don't try to tell me, "But it's a DRY HEAT....".....yeah, a DRY HEAT like an OVEN SET AT 450F!!!!! So shut up about THAT already. I've lived here my whole life, although I am not sure WHY, so I know my AZ climates.

And yesterday 7/12/05 was my ONE YEAR anniversary of being DONE with cancer treatments. Kinda of a milestone for me. The feelings about it and what all I went through are personal, but just know that even though it's choppy waters from here on out, I DO NOT intend to lay down and DIE any time soon. I'll give it all I got for as long as I can. I just might need some encouragement every now and again.

Oh, and my 3 yr old has begun her Life Of Crime. She stole a toy from Target the other day. OMG. See!?!?! I TOLD you that SHE'S the one I have to worry about!!!! So my hand and her butt had a little talk and she got no TV or treats that afternoon. I guess I am going to have to chain her to the basket from now on....*sigh* That girl's gonna be the death of me.

OK, enough garbling for tonight. I am incredibly tired and have one last day to rest up before I return to work on Friday (YAY! I CAN'T WAIT! My sanity has been saved and is no longer in jeopardy!!!! Woo hoo!). :)

Take care, be well, and KEEP THE FAITH! ;)