My efforts could be better, but I figured they were at least enough to put up some good numbers and I'm not so pleased, especially with my worsening Lipid Panel. Wife is kicking my ass right now (although she's also due for new numbers) and cholesterol is a problem that runs in *her* family, not mine, at least before the age of 70. My family history is high blood sugar, and mine continues to creep up. I'm sure all health-related numbers naturally deteriorate as you age, and I'm just not putting in enough effort to offset it.

Between the two of us, I'm the only one on medication. I know the reason they focus on liver and kidney function is to make sure my BP meds aren't affecting those organs. I still believe the key is to get off of the meds completely and that isn't going to happen until I drop the rest of the weight. I'm going to have to find my old paperwork (never finished unpacking boxes from 2009!) but I remember at least one or two blood work results which had *no* flags at all, when I was ~180 lbs. (81.6 kg) and running for stretches of up to 3 miles at a time. I'm struggling right now to run even a single mile on the treadmill, and that's easier than pavement!

Wife's best numbers (even in her 40's) has been when her BMI dips into the 17's (BMI can be unreliable for an individual on both ends of the scale) but I don't think it's her weight as much as having better diet and exercise habits during the times when she's maintaining it. Of course, we both want to look our nicest on a Friday evening in our new duds (although that's been a while) but it's the annual physicals and blood work which determine how healthy we really are, along with how we feel every day (strength and stamina).

I've had roaming aches and pains (mainly a dull soreness) which travel from my back to my abdomen, sometimes up my chest, shoulders and arms, for a couple of years now. I'm checked during my physicals, my GP pressing up and down my torso, finding nothing unusual. BTW, still no lubricated finger or nadsack check (yahoo! biggrin ), maybe after 50? I had both a prostate and hernia check (separate GPs) in my early 40's (Jax., FL) but only once, so I don't know if it's just a personal preference by the GP as to what gets checked on a physical. Maybe because I had just turned 40 and getting a physical was new to me, but I haven't been checked since.

Anyway, my aches and pains don't so much affect my quality of life, but I'll be glad to get this upcoming colonoscopy over with and put that concern behind me.



The rusty wire that holds the cork that keeps the anger in
Gives way and suddenly it’s day again
The sun is in the east
Even though the day is done
Two suns in the sunset, hmph
Could be the human race is run