I'm home...

I'm home...I arrived late last night after a wonderful visit with my daughter in Colorado! The scenery was of course spectacular...we even enjoyed a little snow while traveling into Evergreen. The weather there is starting to become pretty brisk...and the fall colors are really just awesome!
I stole this lovely picture from Jackie's blog when she went on a road trip with her hubbin a couple of weeks ago...beautiful!!
Can you believe that neither one of us took one single photo? YES, we are BAD...I have an excuse though, hubbin took our camera with him on his hunt...so I didn't have one. However, my daughter has several, but we were so busy doing our thing...we just never took time to photograph anything!!


This is another stolen picture from her blog...I just couldn't post without some pictures....it goes against my grain...but stealing from my daughter doesn't appear to bother me in the least!! :)

We did lots in Colorado and stayed pretty busy. I was able to accompany her to one of the art classes she teaches in Evergreen and had a wonderful time watching her with the kiddos...she had her hands full with the 7 year olds, who were not only very inquisitive & energetic... but so very smart! One of her students even told me I was a very good artist (Jackie let me join in), so of course that little girl became my instant friend! Jackie told me after class..."I think she liked you, Mom!"...well, I did draw and paint a pretty spectacular owl! They were really just too precious and Jackie did a fabulous job...and YES I am biased! We also, were able to dine at one of my favorite restaurants in town..."Bella Bistro"...it did not disappoint! We shopped some, watched a cute chick flick, organized her studio area, we both cooked some of our favorite things, and of course we spent an afternoon at the spa...yes, all in all I would say we had a great time and were able to relax some, too! I miss being with her...but as you all know it is always GREAT to get back home, too! Double edge sword, I suppose...but I'm just so thankful that we both had the time to hang out together while the guys were gone!

Thanks Jackie...I enjoyed spending time with you and Corinna (my grand-dog)!

I'm off tomorrow before the guys get back home to indulge my DIL in a little pampering, too...she's had a tough week...missing her guy, attending class AND taking two major test this week. She will finish this semester of med school and then in January she starts her rotations! Whew! She will need the pampering then more than ever...and I will just be too happy to oblige!

Hope all is well in your world...I've kept up with some of my blog pals...but I am sorely behind...so forgive me while I try and play catch-up!

Updates...graphs...and getting away!

I feel so technical..not sure how well I did on the graph but I did want to show everyone how well my levels are looking since we first found out about my coronary blockages.(ignore the left side numbers...I don't know WHERE those came from...but they don't have anything to do with MY graph!!)

Overall my levels have improved immensely...so much so the doctor has lowered my lipitor from 20 mg. a day to 10 mg. a day. My HDL levels did lower slightly, but he said this was not uncommon since everything else plummeted...but we'll work with diet to get those back up as high as possible! One of the main reasons he lowered my Lipitor dosage is b/c my levels are very, very low (which is not bad...actually very good, but leaves room for some change if needed) but he noticed my liver levels AST and ALT were slightly elevated...normal being AST 10-35 U/L mine was 46 and the ALT normal being 6-40 U/l mine was 72. This means my liver is reacting a tad to the lipitor...so to keep that from continuing he lowered my lipitor intake. He told me as a general rule they never lower the lipitor dosage unless the liver levels have almost tripled and as you can see mine are no where near that...but b/c my LDL and cholesterol are now so unbelievably low he felt comfortable lowering the Lipitor dosage which in turn will only help the liver get back to normal . He was shocked how quickly my levels lowered. He told me he can't ever remember any ones levels coming down that quickly on that low of a dosage in less than a month! I'm sure he thinks this all happened b/c of the statins...but I know differently. I know lots of folks have been praying for just this and God has answered so many prayers already. Plus, I'm going to pat myself on the back...just a tad...b/c I have been living like a saint as far as eating goes ( now b/c I gave up one vice...I fear my vice of spouting a few inappropriate words may have increased...but I only say this to myself and out loud on occasion...HEY, it's my ONLY vice!) I have stuck strictly to a heart healthy diet...which in turn I believe helped out with the lowering of my cholesterol and LDL...plus I've lost 7 pounds...so that is another great thing!! I will return to the cardiologists in 3 months with new test in hand...he will then see how things are going (which I KNOW are going to be great) and if so he wants to run another nuclear treadmill test to see just where we are at with the blockages! I'm going to love it when he says..."all is good" and I can breath a sigh of relief. I know it is something I will always have to be diligent about....but these last few weeks have been a little more stressful than I care to think about. Nothing like having to carry a bottle of nitroglycerin around with you at all times to make you feel a little "freaked"!!

I tell you I don't know if I am more excited about my doctors report or the fact I was able to navigate my way around designing a graph :) :)....weak and lame maybe...feeble in fact...but hey it was my first ever attempt and WELL, I'm just so darn proud of this little baby!

Other news...my lovin hubbin and the boys are gone to Montana and Idaho...in fact I just talked with my man minutes ago. He was about to board a little hopper flight to the Bitteroot Mountains where the base camp will be for their 9 day excursion of wilderness, eating and sleeping in the cold mountains with their Indian guides, hunting elk, bear, deer and sheep...you know living a childhood dream of being mountain men doing all those crazy things that have to do with nature and I'm sure LOVING every minute of it! Remember now...my idea of "getting away" was going to Costa Rica with my girls...and we did...and we had a blast. I pray for safety for our fella's and that they have the time of their lives. Meanwhile, I am flying to Colorado to spend some time with my girl...we're going to do a little exploring ourselves...like the local Oasis Spa...the downtown Denver art museums and restaurants...and of course some "shopping" in all the quaint little towns surrounding that area...not to mention I will be accompanying my daughter to a couple of art classes she teaches...I can't wait!

When I return I am going to pamper my daughter-in-law some...she deserves it...she has been working ubber hard in med-school!! I think this has been one of her toughest semesters yet...but she is hitting home runs all the way! She is so dang smart, she works her butt off and she has an incredible work/study ethic...so she is having quite a bit of success. She starts her rotations in January...so I want to give her some Pamper Time before her sweet hubbin gets home!

Thanks for all your prayers and continued prayers for not only my health...but the safety of our guys while traveling!

Thanks again...I'll catch up when I return...if not sooner....hopefully with pictures...I'll have to rely on my daughters lovely pictures however, because my lovin' hubbin' took my camera....hmmmm...I may have to find me a new one...after all that one is really his...ahhh...now I have a mission...FIND a new camera...if any of you have a great one that you think I should know about PLEASE let me know...soon!

HEARTfelt....

Over the weekend...we were blessed to see our sweet daughter. She flew in very briefly for her 10 year class reunion...YIKES...I have a daughter who has been out of high school for 10 years...GEEZ...I can remember my 10 year, 20 year...and not too long ago my 30 year reunion....kind of makes me feel old....Anyhoo...she was only here for what seemed like a minute...then she had to fly back home to Colorado! While she was here...she gave me this book that she compiled from information off the Internet, magazines and healthy heart articles. I know she worked very hard on this and it is a very comprehensive guide to living "heart" healthy! It is compiled of not only facts and articles for the mind, body and soul...but it is complete with wonderful heart healthy recipes, workouts and practical guides to living heart healthy! Folks...I nearly burst into tears when she gave it to me. I never expected anyone to do so much for me when it came to helping me figure out all this crazy heart healthy lifestyle, it's sometimes daunting or at least to me! (I've never had to really worry too much about my weight, in fact I was always told when I was younger that I was too skinny; even my husband thought I was way too thin when we first met, my how things can change!!...but skinny or fat has nothing to do with bad genes). I also think she was rather excited about it herself because she gave it to me the minute she got in our car to leave the airport (she's the one who can keep a secret forever, too)...and she should have been excited...it is absolutely GREAT! I love it... AND I love her for taking the time to compile it...I feel like the luckiest woman and mother on earth! It is divided into chapters and each is color coded...making it so easy to refer back to other articles and such. I have spent several hours reading over it, making lists, compiling new menus and basically learning a whole lot of things I should have listened to a long time ago. I've always thought of myself as someone who never really ate too badly (remember I was a child of the late 50's and told to always clean my plate and when it came to exercise we all got plenty by just being kids and playing hard), but with the issues I face now...I am not giving it a chance to get worse...I am going to stick to the healthiest possible way of eating for my heart for as long as I can. I am hoping at one point my levels will be so great (they aren't bad now for most folks...but need to be lower b/c of my family history) that I won't have to take statins or beta-blockers...but for now...I'll continue to take those 2 pills a day...eat healthy and start a better work out regimen.

THANKS JACKIE...you've made this a whole lot easier for me and I am so grateful to you for taking the time to do this for me...I think your love language must be "giving" or "quality time" b/c that is just what this is to me!!

Between Jackie keeping me on my toes with this book and Emily (my daughter-in-law) passing on more heart healthy eating lite recipes....I should be in great shape before next summer....hmmmm...maybe that would warrant another trip...somewhere...???? Costa Rica...maybe????

OH! and one more thing...Listen to Jack LaLane...and even Richard Simmons...ladies...they both tell of just shopping the parameter of your grocery store...that is the best way to shop for a healthier life style...b/c you don't get into the middle of the store where it is full of processed foods, junk and things that are not healthy! Makes for a faster trip, too...I've heard this for years...but never really took heed! It's funny how the words 75% blockage can cause you to get busy doing what is right for your health! I'm not going to hang my head and look back at things I could have done better b/c honestly I did not know I had a higher cholesterol than I should have had with the family history...b/c those things are in the past...but I will abide by the new rules as if my life depends on it...and I pray we will see a marked change in things...very soon!! I go to the cardiologists on Monday...have blood work drawn, tomorrow...so we should find out soon what is working and how well.