Really, I'm there?!

As a child, I remember my parents talking about their overall health, cholesterol levels, weight and the need to manage all of it. It was what "old people" talked about and was something that this immortal 16 year old would never have to deal with. So, you can imagine my surprise yesterday when the doctor informed me that my cholesterol was 287 (absurdly high for those of us who never paid attention to the "old" talk). She informed me that if I wanted to live to see my children grow up that I needed to take better care of my "overall health", what? Really, am I there? Am I at that age where I have to watch what I eat, count calories and read labels to check for cholesterol? (Some of you are smarter than me and have been doing this all along...apparently I missed the memo). Did my doctor just use the line, "well, you aren't as young as you used to be and your body has changed so your diet needs to change too"?! Be still my heart, (if I don't watch my cholesterol my heart will be still). Really, I am not 16 anymore and can't just eat what I want? Ugh!!! The first thing she said had to go was sugar, she obviously has never seen that sugar is part of my food pyramid. The next thing that has to go is starches...basically anything white. Finally, she said if I can't get my cholesterol under control in the next couple of month then I will need a cholesterol regulating drug...What? That is for really "old" people, like my dad's age old. Now, I have to deal with the fact that this immortal 16 year old is actually a 32 year old who has inherited my father's bad heart. Ugh. I guess everyone has to grow up and have the "old people' conversation with their doctor and make changes. But, U-G-H!

So, the above tells you part of my conversation with my kill joy I mean thyroid doctor. The other part went: "There is no way I am putting you on those pre-historic natural drugs". Then she informed me that I was close to perfect metabolically, but just needed another medication adjustment. Of course, she discouraged every hope I had in doing all that research and added that I can't blame everything on my lack of thyroid. As you can imagine, I was less than pleased with how it went, but have decided that I need to make some changes because my dad who passed away from a massive heart attack at 52 has missed way too much in my life. I don't want to do that to my children and want them to have a mom who lives to a ripe old age of 103, (just kidding...90 or less would be great). So, over the next few weeks please pray from me as I will be withdrawing from nicotine, sugar and beginning to eat my greens. Heaven help me! No more Paula Dean for me!

Over the past 24 hours, I have learned the above. Over the past 5 days we have learned the following:

Payson has developed the dreaded RSV...severe and dangerous viral respiratory infection. We made one trip to the ER and have been riding the boarder line of being admitted since, but have been handling this at home. The best environment for him.
Payson has had a drug reaction to one of his antibiotics. He looks like he has measles.
Todd has taken a job to photograph 100 surgeries over the next 6 weeks causing him to travel to Rhode Island, Boston possibly Portland and Minneapolis. He will be gone starting next week Mon, Tues, Wed. This is very exciting for Todd as he started out as a medical photographer and would love to get back into it, (at least on the side).
I am going to be left at home with 4 kids, the house work, doctors appointments (4 days a week for Payson) and running the business to an extent. Because of this I have decided to not return to school this 8 week term. I am scheduled for the following term though!

So, I think that makes it a very, very busy 5 days! I'll end at that!