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Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Mammogram & Fortune Telling?

Grateful for health insurance, for a radiology place right in town, for doctors who persistently ask when I had my last mammogram. For technology and smarts and for Nikki (sp), the pretty, fit young blonde in light turquoise scrubs who took my films today with patience, professionalism and grace. Also, I received my results on my iPhone by this afternoon. Such speed. Everything was good except now they add a breast cancer risk assessment score, based on family history, how many relatives had (breast or any kind of) cancer, their age at death, your age at having your first baby (if you had one), etc. 

This article about actress Olivia Munn is alarming, but she is trying to help all women and of course she saved her own life. A lot to consider and ponder, but not at 9:50 p.m. on a weeknight.

Good night.


Friday, July 10, 2020

Good Morning

Once again, I didn't post even two words last night.

Dan and I watched the old movie "Reversal of Fortune"--the Sunny von BΓΌlow story--starring Glenn Close, Jeremy Irons and Ron Silver. We had an old video that Will and Kelly brought up to the Cape Cod house, and Figgy had watched it there, but we hadn't.

It was very good, and Mr. Irons won an Oscar for Best Actor. I love him, especially when he voiced Scar in "The Lion King" [1994]. I had that soundtrack for years and now will add to my Spotify, as I've missed it. This is sooooo rich....watch!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0WjHJjYBYI

Now that I checked Wikipedia--click that link, he is so handsome--I see that he played the twin gynecologists in David Cronenberg's psychological thriller Dead Ringers (1988). Sis and I saw that with a guy she was dating--we went to a movie theater in Times Square after work--and it was gripping and scary. Unforgettable. [Her date chose the film.]

I spent a fair amount of money yesterday and will update later. I have an article to write today for ASPIRE. How long has it been since you heard me say those words? I've been been doing essays more.... I thought I would be on staff where I was freelancing full-time, and told my editor I could only do a couple of pieces for the quarterly magazine. And also, Covid. Everything changed during Covid, espeically magazine production--even Vogue did one issue for June/July instead of its usual two.

It feels good to be back writing a style article.

TTYL.

Yesterday TCOY
  1. Blueberries at breakfast.
  2. Went to dr. appt and to CVS. Dr. suggested Omega 3/fish oil capsules to bring down triglycerides, so I got some. Dan wrote a book about the dangers of the unregulated supplement market, so over the years, he has balked if I tried to bring supplements in. So far, I'm in this time. I have to take a big dose. Two 1,000 mg capsules twice a day. I got the odorless ones. But please check with your doctor before trying this.
  3. Nice shampoo.
  4. Chelsea Square, a store that has been in Montclair for about 40 years [under three different owners, the first and second for a long time] , is closing. It carries Kiehl's and a lot of other good brands; I've found a lot of beauty secrets there. Everything is 50 percent off, and I got some great TCOY items for face, legs, body--plus bath bubbles and a rose candle from Paris.
  5. Lit candle and washed face--owning the products does not guarantee using them.
  6. Dan made salad for our movie dinner.
  7. Gardened.







Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Day 12, CPAP Doctor Visit

And...there's a Smashburger right next to his office. I usually get lunch after the appointment, before scooting on Route 80 West to the Parkway South to return to Montclair. Today I got a delicious mushroom Swiss truffle grilled chicken sandwich on small multigrain bun. No sides. In the past, I was greatly tempted and sometimes succumbed to the very good fries and milkshakes.

What's different by day 12 is that the cravings have decreased. I was not even tempted. That's a very big change.

I think my weight was a couple pounds down since my last visit to that doctor 6 months ago. [I subtracted for my Tory Burch silver sandals today.] Nearly two years in, my CPAP is working. It was a learning curve. But now my oxygen is good. I'm not tired all day. I no longer get up to pee during the night. Dan says I don't gasp for air and stop breathing anymore.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET
  • Smashburger chicken sandwich and free cup of ice water, $8.95.
  • Whole Foods Montclair again. I went for the lox, $19.99 per lb. I left with 18 items and a bill of $166.08. I also wanted to get Punch the Hydro Flask insulated water bottle she has wanted for school since August. When she and I were in this store the other day, there were only a few left, and today there were two. Fortunately, one was bright yellow, the color she wanted. Bottle, $29.95; good sourdough bread, $5.93; Boca vegan burgers, $5; half-gallon organic milk, $3.50; frozen toaster waffles, $3.50; chicken sausages, $7; pound of fresh figs!, $6; quart small local strawberries; 4-oz bag Hu Kitchen chocolate vanilla cashews, $7 [the 6 oz. bag online is $10 plus $10 shipping, so I figured this was good]; fancy cheese on sale, $6; lb. marinated salmon, $14; quart half and half, $3; big bag shelled walnuts, $7; and a splurge, but 3-pack of beautiful fall scented soy candles in jar, each burns 20+ hours, $32 [going for $35 + shipping at pfcandleco.com,]; feta cheese, $6; and 2 gallons water to use in my CPAP machine. But I think I better now stay out of Whole Foods for a while. PLANNED FAMILY DINNER FOR ALL OF US TONIGHT, MAKING BIG PLATTER WITH LOX, SOURDOUGH, GARDEN BASIL OLIVE OIL, CHEESES, NUTS, FRESH FIGS, THOSE SMALL STRAWBERRIES. I EVEN HAVE VEGAN "feta" CHEESE BUT IT'S NOT THAT GREAT.
  • CPAP doctor/pulmonologist, specialist co-pay, $50.
  • ATM bank fees, $7.
  • Charity donation, Covenant House, $30.
  • Java Love, Punch Love Child drink and a cookie plus tip, $7.47.
TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $269.50.
RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF SEPTEMBER 11: $992.42.
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $90.22.

Big-ticket 🎟🎟 September spends:
🎟 Citarella at Hudson Yards, dinner; plus fresh fruit, etc. to bring home, $35.
🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including present for Fig and big yellow mum plant, $84.
🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including salmon for dinner and an iced coffee from the barista, $63.
🎟 ShopRite, groceries, laundry detergent etc., $50.
🎟 Sky Zone [worth it, Punchy went with her nice friends], $25.
🎟 Joyist, $29.
🎟 Kings, groceries, $46.
🎟 Piazza della Sole, comfy, high-end shoes, half-price, $90.
🎟 Gasoline, twice, $52.
🎟 Chinese lunch with Sis, $33.
🎟 Grocery shopping in Connecticut w Sis, $48.
🎟 CPAP dr. co-pay, specialist, $50.
🎟 Whole Foods again, including 3-pack soy candle, pound smoked salmon and Hydro Flask, $166.




Saturday, May 25, 2019

Not Holding My Head High

I haven't done a full blog post since Tuesday night. This is unlike me. I have been super tired, as in can't hold my head up,  must rest--be it 1 p.m. or 9:30 p.m.

I suspect it could be the increase in my anti-anxiety med about two weeks ago....not sure...but maybe I was SO unanxious that I was sleeping. I contacted my psychiatric nurse practitioner and we dialed down the dose today. I hope it helps.

Blogging as a nightcap? I was so tired, all I could do was crawl under my soft covers and thank God Punchy was with Dan or, last night, at her friend's house for a sleepover.

Today I finally had a little more energy after sleeping from 10 p.m. to noon and resting again from 1 to 3 p.m. Yes, you read that right. I couldn't get up for my support group. But I was later able to walk Sug around block, garden, grocery shop and go to several businesses in town to ask for dessert donations for the May 31 community supper that is part of montclairbounce.org.

I haven't tracked my spending since Tuesday. Here goes.

Wednesday, May 22
  • Starbucks before Punch's 8 a.m. chess class at school. Breakfast and drink for me, breakfast, drink and lunch for Punch, $23.30.
  • Glendarragh Lavender Farm in Appleton, Maine--2 glass bottles of hand soap refill plus lavender soaking salts in glass bottle and $12 shipping and handling, $62. [I'm trying to reduce use of plastic. I have the farm's glass hand soap bottle and each refill fills it at least twice.]
  • J. Clores florist, tray of snapdragon plants for garden and mini succulent plant for P's planter, $16.59.
  • Jackie's Grillette, drinks for P and me [we biked to town for appt after school] plus rice pudding and macaroni salad for her, and a blueberry scone, plus tips, $19.60.
  • Kings, milk and lox and $5 cash back for Punch to bring to school for Toni's Kitchen donation, $22.77.
Thursday, May 23
  • Red Nose day donation at school to fight children's poverty, $2.
  • Parking meter, $1.75.
  • Starbucks after Punch dr. appt at 3 p.m., purchase included drink and sandwich for P. and another very tall cup I plan to reuse for drinks ordered instead of adding to landfill, $26.87.
  • Cafe Giotto, spinach salad w grilled chicken and arugula with burrata, both to go for dinner, $30.92.
  • Cafe tip, cash, $3.
Friday, May 24
  • Ruthie's BBQ, $15.
  • Parking meter, $1.75.
Saturday, May 25
  • Joyist, a healthy "Greg" cold brew blend for me and one for Fig, $22.
  • CVS, went for Rxs, got cashews, dried apricots, Kind bars, milk, other groceries and also InStyle Magazine, $43.21.
  • Kings, 2 lox, hotdogs, hotdog rolls, sauerkraut, 2 pints blueberries, bacon on sale, bag of lemons, box of pasta, veg sushi rolls for Figgy, eco-friendly lavender dish liquid [but not in glass bottle], pint expensive Jeni's ice cream from Ohio, $65.
TOTAL SPEND FOR FOUR DAYS: $355.76.
AVG. DAILY SPEND FOR THOSE FOUR DAYS: $88.94.
RUNNING TOTAL SPEND FOR MONTH AS OF MAY 25: $2,062.86.
MAY AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $82.51.

COMPARE TO APRIL STATS, DOING MUCH BETTER SO FAR, largely due to spending 9? days with Sis in May?
TOTAL MONTHLY SPEND FOR APRIL: $3,634.28.
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND IN APRIL: $121.14.


Friday, March 1, 2019

Doing My Best

I had an appointment with my new doctor [since the other retired after many years]. Actually, she is a nurse practitioner in Montclair, and I like her very much. This is my second experience with a skilled and compassionate nurse practitioner.

Punch had no school today--teacher training, I think--but did have stage crew rehearsal for "Newsies" from 9 to 12:30. Then we walked to Starbucks with her friends, then her friend's parents watched her while I went to my appointment.

I got to my writing deadline, and enjoyed the craft.

Good night.

TCOY
  1. Healthy food at Joyist.
  2. That dr. appt.
  3. Refilled my RXs.
  4. Spoke up for myself and Punch in an uncomfortable/unfair situation.
  5. Writing.
$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET
  • Organic latte; breakfast bowl with roasted tomatoes and mashed root vegs; and Java Love Energy Bites at Joyist, $20. 
  • After school pickup, used Starbucks app, spent too much, did earn free future reward for whatever I want. Sandwich for Punch, quinoa salad with chicken for her friend, Frappuccino for each, small salami and cheese tray for me, $34.39.
  • CVS, got RXs and then spent money on large Horizon organic milk; large Fairlife chocolate milk; large almond milk; Late July tortilla chips; 2 cans pink shaving gel; and sugar-free PB cups, $31.
  • Kings for groceries including chicken, berries, bananas, vegan veg burgers, nonvegan veg burgers, frozen broccoli, ricotta, half & half, heavy cream, Irish butter and more, $63.80.
Expensive day. I was rushing between appointments and wanted to get the girls lunch; Starbucks was nearby. Maybe I should have picked up sandwiches or taken them to the deli. No time to go home in between. My family was on such a lean budget when I was a child that I think I go overboard the other way. Food for thought.

DAILY TOTAL: $149.19.
ONGOING MARCH TOTAL: $149.19.


Thursday, September 13, 2018

Major Fork in the Road to the Sugar Shack

Today I went to my doctor's office for routine bloodwork. I got a little lost on the way home from Glen Ridge [yes, even though it’s the next town over] and ended up on the border of Montclair near Nicolo’s Italian Bakery & Deli [since 1967], known for the best Italian bread around. I hadn’t been there in years.

Major fork in my road to sweets and back: I didn’t get the crumb cake, though big trays of it were positioned right at eye level. I took the right turn. I’ve eaten lots of crumb cake in my day, from the Entenmann’s ones Granny [Alice] got us to the tender, chocolate-dappled squares the bagel shop in Montclair used to sell--so deluxe.

I want to remember the revelation today. It occurred to me, as I drove away, that I don’t need to have decadent treats on an everyday basis--or just because I see one, or feel like it. I thought of one of Michael Pollan’s famous food rules: "Don’t eat anything your great-great-great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food." He means things like Twinkies and margarine, but let’s just throw fancy, sugar-laden baked goods into the mix, too.

And then I thought of the Harvard professor I interviewed years ago for a nutrition article in Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine. He said 1. That ideally, adults should be at their high school weight [!!] and 2. That we don’t need to keep ice cream in the house. If your child wants some, on a special occasion, go buy her a cone or cup. Hence, I don't need a treat like crumb cake just because it presents itself right after a doctor visit, either.

I wish I could ask my parents about my great-great-great grandmothers, but that would have been Mom and Dad’s great-great-grandmothers--not sure how much was known about them.

As for my grandmothers, they didn’t grow up with luxuries--one in Italy, one in NYC, and sadly, in an orphanage for years after her mother died. Her crumb cake gifting period came much later. If anything, I might be genetically programmed to make up for any possible deprivation my grandmothers suffered at the table.

And though, as a baker and food writer and sugar lover, I have made and tasted many tender pale yellow cake layers, crowned with the best, most buttery, cinnamon-flecked crumbs, that did not mandate that I get a square today. Even if, just by looking, I could tell it was a good one--that the base would taste like butter, not notes of shortening or margarine, and that the generous cascade of crumbs would be sweet and rich.

I had fasted for the bloodwork, so was hungry. I got the frittata, but instead of being baked, it was eggs that had been scrambled stovetop with a lot of mushrooms and spinach. I got a semolina loaf to bring home and ate the end of it. I poured myself a cup of coffee from the glass pot in the store.
And bought:
  • Frozen manicotti to bake tomorrow for Dan’s bday. [It’s today, but he has to go to D.C. on train for work, returning after 1 a.m.] He loves homemade manicott--his mom, our friend Elaine and I have made it from scratch, crepes and all, but our family/work schedule is too busy this week.
  • A quart of sauce w meatballs and sausage, for Punch and me tonite and tomorrow.
  • Fried whole peppers, one of the few vegan things I could find for Figgy. They look good, a little charred, etc.
  • Escarole w crumb topping for bday dinner tomorrow.
  • For Dan bday breakfast just now, a spinach-cheese-egg "muffin"--no flour. I want to learn to make these. I know Sis has.
I have to get to work. Enjoy your day.

Friday, June 15, 2018

Article Archive: My Sleep Apnea/CPAP Essay

Nora Ephron famously said, What's bad in life is good on paper. Meaning, of course, that rough turns can make compelling stories--and that readers/movie goers can probably relate. Her mother, Phoebe, a screenwriter, often told her young daughter, Everything is copy.

This essay isn't on paper, but it is copy. Stories don't have to be typed on paper anymore--my first editor, at Woman's Day Magazine, used to say things like Run it through the typewriter one more time. Now words flow into the world via clicks on a computer keyboard. And you can access them anywhere, from an airplane, the beach, your backyard.

My story is in the widely read "The Girlfriend" newsletter.

I hope you enjoy this ESSAY about the CPAP machine that I despise with all my heart.

Happy Friday evening.