Donna in Hollywoodland

Exercise DVDs

I checked out a few Yoga and Pilates tapes from Los Angeles Public Library. At least if I am going to twist around like a pretzel, I can do it in the comfort of my own home. And getting the DVD via the libary, it has to go back - so I am not stuck with an unused DVD if I ended up not liking it. I've also read that things like Tai Chi are excellent for building your immune system. Here are a few DVDs I really liked: Yoga For Beginners Yoga Journal's Yoga For Beginners Fit At 40 Plus - Beginner/ Intermediate Pilates David Carradine's AM & PM Tai Chi Workout for Beginners

Labels: health, shopping, store

Stress !!!

I had to make a Doctors Appointment today to talk about ... Stress !!!!
I can't even write about my Stress!!! without adding the explanation points at the end.

I was very concerned because on two occasions I have had slight heart palpitations when thinking about my stressful situations.
And about four times I have had insomnia. And I have never had insomnia in my entire life.

He recommended a Behavioral Therapist ... okay, like I can find the Time to go !!!
(More explanation points.)

He said "I can give you a prescription for something to help you sleep, but most of those can be addicting."
He recommended Tylenol PM for the insomnia.
But, as he said it "Now, I know you don't like to take any Medications, so you might want to try Melatonin or Valerian Root for the insomnia. These are both natural things you can try."

I LUV my doctor !!! He actually recommends holistic alternatives.

Here's the thing... Most nights I can fall asleep fine. But I do need something to make me sleepy some of the time.
But usually by the time I realize I am not falling asleep, it is way beyond that 8 hour period that is recommended before you use the sleep products.

What I need is this: a pill where I will feel like I have had a full 8 hours of sleep - but only within 4 hours of actually sleeping.

Whoever invents that will make a fortune.

Labels: doctor, health

New Eye Glasses

Well, I am still getting older. And it is time to get new reading glasses - again!
The little muscles aged again, and the computer screen is getting slightly blurry.
This time I decided on a dark blue frame. I can hardly wait- I really like the frame.

My first set of frames I liked, because they were a weird octagon-like shape, and a brownish tortoise shell look.

The second set of glasses I hated. They were just a plain gold frame. I think I had to pay the second time. My insurance didn't cover it, so I got the cheapest frames.

Now, my insurance is covering it this time. And I am getting lovely dark blue frames.
For me, just the idea that they are blue - even though a dark blue - somehow feels really artistic and colorful....

Labels: doctor, health

Ear Nose And Throat Doctor

First, this is a new doctor - way down in Downtown Los Angeles where I have never been before.
Since I have no idea where I am going - I end up running late.

I arrive into the office with the huge envelope with the CT scan xrays.

The ENT doctor was a very nice lady.
We went over my medical history.
She handed me a kleenex tissue.

"Why are you handing me a tissue?" I ask

"Oh, I am just going to put some spray up you nose to numb it", she replies.

"Why are you going to numb my nose?"

She says "So I can put an instrument up there at look at your sinus."

"No,no - we aren't doing that. Nothing up my nose." I say.

"Well, I can't give you a thorough medical exam without looking up your nose." she says

"Thats fine, just look at the CT scan" is my reply

"Oooh, You're going to let me look at your CT scan" she says with alittle tone in her voice.

We talk. She points out the deviated septum. She circles two cysts in my sinus.

I tell her I will not take the sinus sprays because they have steroids, and I have had breast cancer in the past.
She tells me that really the only other thing that can be done is Surgery.
Surgery ???!!!!!
No.....

I'm not in any pain. And I just got over having surgery in 2005.
No, no - I can not deal with that idea.

I ask her "Are these cysts anything having to do with cancer?"

"No, these are not cancer related at all". Was her reply.
She can tell I have suddenly become very skittish and nervous.

"Ok, I am just going to take a wait and see approach, since the cysts aren't causing me any pain."
And I start to pack up.
She gives me a nasal wash.
And I am out the door like lightening...

Labels: doctor, health, losangeles

Veggies !

I love veggies ! Especially if they are fresh, and cooked just right.

I had some Purple Potatoes & Red Potatoes that I had picked up from Trader Joes .
And I stopped off at Mayfair Market and got some Yellow and Green Patty Pan Squash, Yellow and Red Bell Peppers and onions.
Alittle oil, alittle seasonings - and I put them in a covered glass baking dish.

The perfect side dish for chicken.
Lunch for the rest of the week.

Links:
Vegetable Cookbooks

Labels: food, health

Xrays

I have to go see an ENT - Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor - later this week.
It turns out that when they did the CT scan of my sinus - it showed that I have a slight deviated septum, and some cysts in my left sinus.

I have to go and pick up my Xrays today, so I can bring them to the ENT doctor with me.
So today I drive from Hollywood into downtown Los Angeles, to the office of my medical group where they actually took the CT Scan.

The woman at the Xray Reception informs me that because my Old Doctor used to be in Glendale, my patient number begins with a Glendale ID number - and they have shipped the Xrays to Glendale.

"But I have changed Doctors to my new doctor here in Downtown Los Angeles. I have seen him twice. My old doctor in Glendale left the group. So I am coming here to the Downtown LA office now. The Doctor here in Los Angeles is the one who order the CT scan anyway."

It doesn't matter. It all depends on that Number on my chart.
I fill out a form to have my number changed in their computer system.
For the future.
Today, my records are on the other side of town

So I decide I am just going to have to drive over to Glendale and get this done. Today.
Once in Glendale, I am given the huge folder with the Sinus CT scan in a matter of minutes.

I spent way to much time driving to try to get this simple task accomplished.
I waste far to much time on crazy doctor things.

Labels: doctor, glendale, health, losangeles

Weird Oncologists

This a really Weird Doctor's Appointment story .. so I will give some historical background in this post.

I only went to see an Oncologist today because the doctor I had for 6 years left the Group, my new doctor asked me to follow-up with "his guy", an oncologist with 15 years experience, named Dr. G.
Doctor New told me he knew I didn't want chemotherapy for the breast cancer in had in 2005, but there would be no harm in just going to talk to Dr. G because he was "a really good guy".
So I said okay, and the office made an appointment for me with Dr. G.

Now... go back to 2005 to when I was diagnosed. My Breast Cancer Surgeon made me 2 appointments with two different oncologists... one was Dr. S, - but I will call him Dr. Psycho .... 2 years ago, after I had my wacky consultation with him, he kept calling me and having his staff call me.
His staff would call me and say "We are calling to confirm you appointment." - and I had no appointment.
He kept calling me at my office, and it got to the point we were yelling at eachother. He would call, and I would tell him not to call again - and he would. I told him point blank that even if I was going to have the Chemo, he would not be giving it to me... and I would never have him be my doctor. Then one day he called and we were screaming at eachother... and my coworkers overheard it and were very worried... and he was yelling at me "You are going to DIE ! You are going to DIE if you don't have chemotherapy!"

So I sent him a Fax ... and I told him that if he continued to call me, or have his staff call me, I was going to get a Restraining Order against him.
After that, he didn't call me.

One of the reasons why I wanted nothing to do with Dr. Psycho was that he was a very good lier.
I was concerned about getting Chemotherapy because I have had only one kidney since childhood.
His reply was "Well, what will happen if the breast cancer spreads to your kidney - then you will really have problems."
When I told my regular doctor and my breast surgeon what he said .. they were both very honest.
Breast Cancer can't spread to your kidney. It can spread to your brain, lungs, liver or bones. Those are some how all related, and its to scientific so I can't explain it. But they both said if I were to ever end up with Kidney cancer,
it would an entirely different cancer, and not related to the Breast Cancer at all.

So there I was in 2005, weighting Pros and Cons on a Scale, trying to figure out what to do with my health and all the cancer treatments the doctors were telling me about....
And Dr. Psycho tries a scare tactic, and lies to me.
So forget him.

Not to mention he turned out to be a real Psycho, and gave me all sorts of weird phone calls.

So now Today, Thursday morning.....I take the morning off from work, and I drive to downtown LA (Its only about a 30 minute drive). I get to the office for my appointment with Dr. G, who is the new oncologist that my doctor recommended. I tell them I am here to see "Dr. G" and I pay my insurance co-payment, and I wait in the waiting room. The Nurses take my blood pressure. And Nurses take me to the exam room. We even have a little conversation of how Dr. New recommended Dr. G because he likes him and he has 15 years experience.

In the Exam room I take off my shirt and bra, and I put on that little smock . So I am waiting there in the little smock for Doctor G...... and in walks Dr. Psycho !

Right away I knew it was not Dr. G, because Dr. Psycho is much younger.. I am thinking of the 15 years experience that Dr. New talked about .... and I sense that something is really wrong .... and Dr Psycho says to me "Donna,
do you remember me?"
And I look down at his name badge, and it says "Dr. Psycho". (Well, Dr. His-Real-Name.)
And I was so mad !

He said something about a Mix-up, and Dr. G was not available - Did I want to talk to another Doctor?
I stood my ground and said "No, Dr. New, recommended Dr. G because he has 15 years experience, and they know eachother."
He said "But are you sure you don't want to talk to anyone else?" Of course, he means Himself.
I said "NO, I want to talk to the doctor, that my new Doctor recommended."
He started to ask me questions about my health and my cancer follow-ups. I told him I had passed all my mammograms and was following up with my Breast Cancer Surgeon every 3 to 6 months - but that I wanted to discuss that with Dr. G and no one else.

So after I am naked in that little smock - he says "Ok, we will cancel your appointment today, and you can make another appointment with Dr. G."

So I put on my clothes, I go back out to the front desk ... and they try to make another appointment with me.
I tell them my Day Planner is at the office and I will have to call them later on.
The two nurses smile at me like Brain-Washed Cult Members.

Then they give me back my check for my insurance co-payment !!!!
Isn't that the weirdest thing - they cancel the appointment and give me my check back - after I am naked in the little smock in the exam room and have seen a Doctor !

Well, I wasted the entire morning that I took off from work.
They could have called me the day before, or even that morning, and told me that Dr. G was not available, and ask if I was willing to see another doctor ... but I am sure they didn't because Dr. Psycho thought he could get me in the exam room, naked in that little smock, and I would be vulnerable and easily manipulated.
I don't think it was a scheduling error. Dr. Psycho knew I was coming in and planned it.
I felt so Emotionally Abused, .....

I sent Dr. Psycho's office a fax right away - and I told them I was not their patient, do not call me, and I will be getting a different oncologist referral from Dr. New.
Then I sent Dr. New a fax, asking for a different referral, and telling him the entire story of my history with Dr. Psycho, including what happened in 2005, and with what happened this morning.
I am sure Dr. New is mad, because he got me to the point where I was willing to see an oncologist and then Dr. Psycho screwed it all up.
They should have called me before I went down there and rescheduled my appointment, but Dr. Psycho is a very manipulative person.

I also have a call into the health care group's complaint department. I'm waiting for them to call me back...
Believe me, I will be placing a complaint.


Links:
Books on Natural & Holistic Cancer health

Here is a fantastic website:
BreastCancerChoices.org

Labels: cancer, doctor, health, losangeles

Back to the Gym

What many people might see as Irresponsibility:
I have a monthly gym membership of $35 automatically deducted from my checking account every month.
And I only go about twice a year.

So yes, the gym is getting all that free money.
But... I don't really see it as wasting money.

First, I see the wasted monthly fee as punishment for not going to the gym that month.
Its my own fault, I signed up on the dotted line years ago. I should be going.
So thats $35 I can't spend on anything else. You would think it would be a good lesson, but it doesn't really sink in.

Second, when I do get the urge to the go to the gym - or a Doctor gets on my case about not exercising like what happened yesterday - the Gym is already there.
All I have to do is back up my gym clothes and go. No problem.

If I didn't have the gym membership: After the doctor told me to exercise, I would spend two weeks on the internet researching the best gym to join. And by that time, I would lose interest and motivation.

So in the long run, it is $35 well spent.

After work today.... off to the gym I go.
After work, all gyms are crowded.
Being surrounded by all those skinny healthy people can be intimidating.
But I paid my money just like everyone else, so I deserve to be there.

I head on over to the Treadmill area. It pretty full except for one or two machines.
There is a really really Hot young guy - buff and muscular - stretching near the machines.
I look at him and ask "Are you in line?"
No, he isn't - so I take the available treadmill.
And I make the note in my head "Benefit of going to the gym: watching hot young muscular guys stretching next to the Treadmills."
hmmm, this might not be so bad after all.

Of course, I am the slowest person on the treadmills.
I put the earphones on my head, and turn into the gym music.
I have also brought a magazine to read. Which also require reading glasses.
So it takes alittle while to get set-up to walk on the treadmill.
And walk I do ... for 20 minutes.
While I look at the magazine and read. And listen to music.
I manage to get up to speed 2.
Not so bad for a first day.

After the treadmill, I feel really invigorated. I want to do more.
I tell myself not to overdo it on my first day. If I injure myself or get too sore, I will just be discouraged.
I go over to the recumbent bicycles anyway.
And I can't figure out how to work them. I think they are all broken.
Besides, I shouldn't be doing more on my first day. Its best that I don't overdo it. So I head on out.
And I say to one of the people at the front desk "Are those low bicycles in the corners not working".
And he explains "You have to pedal first, then punch the button."
Ohhh, okay, now I know for next time.
And there will be a Next Time ...real soon.

Links:
New Balance Shoes
Exercise Items
Treadmills

Labels: health, hollywood

The Arthritis Doctor

Among the numerous Specialists that my new Doctor has recommended, was an Arthritis Specialist.
Back in 2005, when I had that full body CT scan due to the Cancer, a little Arthritis showed up in one hip. Well now, in 2007 - it feels like it has moved to both hips. So off to the Arthritis Specialist....

I arrive in his office, and the waiting room is filled with people.
Wall to wall, hardly a place to sit.
After I check in, I find a spot, and hits me, - At home I have a huge stack of unread magazines and another huge stack of unread library books and I did not bring a single one.
So I am going to be sitting there without anything to read.

Thank heavens for my Verizon Cell Phone . Having their internet on the cell phone was and extra $5 a month.
I hardly ever use it. Now it the perfect time.
After reading some news, I end up playing Bubble Ducky.

Over an hour later, the Nurse calls me in.
She takes my blood pressure. "My, you have low blood pressure", she says.
I think - Of course, I do, I have been sitting in the waiting room playing a silly computer game for over an hour !

In the exam room, fully clothed - and I meet Dr. Z, the Arthritis specialist.
He comes in an we chat. And he asks me to point to where my pain it.
He presses really hard on the side of my hips.
"Does that hurt?" he asks..
"yes", I answer. Well, of course it hurts, he is basically punching me in my hips.

He doesn't think that I have Arthritis. It didn't show up in the Xray that my regular Doctor took.
He tells me it is my Sciatic Nerve .
And the problem is that... I need to lose weight.
Sciatic Nerve problems are very common in people who are heavy, and they get worse as you get older.
Because of the extra weight, you end up pinching the nerve.
And thats what I have - a Pinched Sciatic Nerve.

He talks to me honestly about my weight. He was actually very nice about it - but firm.
"Now, a woman might think its unfair and discrimination to be told to lose weight. But if I told you to carry around a sack of potatoes all day, you would feel discriminated against. You wouldn't want to carry around a sack of potatoes all day."
Where did that come from ? I wonder. Maybe a women actually told him she was discriminating against her for mentioning her weight.
I find that most doctors, talk to you based on their past patient interactions.
Well, I didn't think that at all. I mean, its my health we are talking about here.

His advice is to Walk. Do as much walking as possible.
But walk everyday.
If I walk, it will help my sciatic nerve, and build up the muscles in my legs and lower back and abdomen.
"If you can walk an hour, or only 20 or 15 minutes - do whatever you can do, but walk every single day on a regular basis."
Aaah, I tell him "Thats the problem. I can walk on the weekends. But it is the every single day part that is the problem. I can't find time."
He tells me "Consistency. If you can't walk outside. Go to the gym and use the treadmill."
I ask 'What about the bicycles at the gym?"
He tells me the bicycles will build my legs - but its not as good for all the muscles that he wants me to build which is also my lower back muscles. Walking and the Treadmill are still the best.

And he tells me to wear good, cushioned athletic shoes.
I ask if he has a brand he prefers.
And he tells me he recommends New Balance Shoes.

I also ask about the way I sleep on the bed. And I want to eventually buy a new bed.
Yes, my bed can contribute to my leg problems.
He tells me a firm bed is the best. With a mattress pad for softness.
And he tells me about putting a bed board under my current mattress.
But I am planning to buy a new bed. Its about time for that any way.

As we leave, he tells me that I am completely healthy, except for my weight.
He seems very relieved and says "Its so nice to actually have a healthy patient for once."

Well... its nice to actually have a doctor tell me that I am healthy for once.
I usually don't get to hear that.

Link:
New Balance Shoes

Books on Walking:
Walking: The Ultimate Exercise For Optimum Health
Walk Away the Pounds : The Breakthrough 6-Week Program
Fitness Walking for Dummies

Labels: doctor, health

Farmers Markets links

If you are in California, and are looking for Farmer's Markets to buy your veggies at, I have found a few links

California Federal of Certified Farmers Markets
and
Farmer Net
Also
Local Harvest has information for the entire US

I guess with Spring here, I have fresh produce on my mind....

Link:
Vegetable Cook Books

Labels: food, health, links, losangeles, shopping

Shoppping and Cooking

I have been trying to cook early in the week. That way I have something healthy in the fridge for lunch during the week.

Tonight I stopped at Mayfair Market in Los Feliz.
They have Free Range Chicken there.
Then I went home, and cooked two chicken breasts with spices.

Then I made the Near East Pecan & Garlic whole grain blend rice.
And I mixed it with brussel sprouts and chopped red bell peppers.

A very healthy selection for lunch this week.

Links:
Healthy Cookbooks

Labels: food, health, shopping

Salads !

Since I wrote in my last two entries about all the junk I ate over the weekend, I thought I would fix the situation and talk... Salads !

I usually like to buy a box of Earthbound Farms the Organic Herb Blend, along with a box of Epic Roots Mache (also known as lambs lettuce).
The organic Herb blend has yummy herbs like Dill. And the Mache is a cute little flowery looking lettuce with a sweet nutty flavor.

I mix them together in a bowl ... and then I usually top it with Fresh Gourmet Organic croutons.

Then for variety ::
Chopped yellow bell pepper or red bell peppers ... orange bell peppers
if the store has them
Organic low-salt kidney beans or garbanzo beans...I saw that S&W foods
is starting to make Organic kidney beans and garbanzo beans. I even sent them a nice email about how happy I was about their organic beans.

Then I will add either chopped broccoli or cauliflower, or sometimes alittle of both.
On the side of the plate, I will place either organic carrots or celery sticks, or sliced cucumber or zucchini.

Every once in a while I will live dangerously and use Tomatoes, but mainly small baby tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. They seem to be somewhat sweeter.
I like tomatoes - but they don't like me.
Tomatoes are the one thing that will give me such bad heartburn that I feel like I am in an antacid commercial with the buttons of my shirt burning off.
Friends even look at me funny when I peel the tomato slice off my sandwich
in restaurants - but that the way it has to be.

Just this week, at Mayfair Market in Los Feliz - they had package of little organic Heirloom Tomatoes .
Pretty little red tomatoes with white strips.
Purple Tomatoes and Yellow Tomatoes (both very yummy).
Funny bell-shaped tomatoes.
And there were green tomatoes of different shapes and sizes. I couldn't figure out what to do with these, so I left them until last, and they went soggy before I had a chance to experiment.
As for the tomatoes that I did eat, since they were very sweet, they didn't seem to bother me much.

Even less often will I use cheese. If I am over at Whole Foods, and I happen upon a Feta Cheese or Blue Cheese, then I will pick some up.
I try to limit my cheese because of all the hormones and antibiotics they put in it.
But I had a long talk with the person in the Cheese section of Whole Foods not to long ago. She told me it is very difficult to get Organic Cheese - they only have it once in a while. All of the cheeses at Whole Foods are Natural cheese, meaning that they do not use growth hormones or antibiotics on the cows that produce the cheese.
Sometimes when I am at Whole Foods, I will ask "Any organic cheese today?" Once or twice they have had some.

Very, very rarely will I buy Cheese at the Supermarket - if so, then I read the teeny tiny print to try to see if it was produced outside of the United States because most other countries do not use antibiotics.
If all of that works out, and there is cheese in the salad, thats usually when I used the Garbanzo beans.

After all those goodies are in place, I will add a type of fish.
Sometimes when I am in a rush, I will just add canned tuna or canned salmon.
But lately, I have been cooking salmon, shark, or halibut. Once they are cooled down, I flake them and add to the salad.

For dressing:
Organic Olive Oil, Organic Balsamic Vinegar, and Organic Garlic powder
or Marie's Dressing
or Newman's Own Salad Dressing.
The Whole Foods Private Label 365 also makes some good salad dressings.

As far as all the fixings go, I try not to skimp. I'll always buy organic if its available. And weird varieties and types that I haven't eaten before.
I figure when I do that, it helps cancel out all the times I eat at a restaurant and
decide to eat the greasiest thing on the menu.
Its very important to have both vegetables and fish in your diet.

Labels: food, health, shopping, store

Insomnia, subtitled: How I Love Coffee

Its 3 am .... And in my groggy sleep-deprived state, I call the office and leave my boss a voicemail.
I say "its 3 am, and I am still wide awake".
I will be late for work.

I never really get insomnia. But lately its happening often.
I need to totally cut out the coffee. Like that will ever happen. ha ha ha...

But for now ... no point in just laying there staring at the ceiling.
I make myself a cup of Trader Joes Decaf Chai Green Tea, and I play games on Pogo.com until about 4 am, when I start to feel myself nodding off.

As I start to drift off, finally falling asleep, I hear a distant "poof! poof!".
What is that "poof" noise ?
I figure it out... its a Coffee Maker.
Someone in my building is making their morning coffee, while I slowing drift off to sleep.

Oh, how I love Freshly Brewed Coffee.
And I can't wait until I can get enough sleep so I can wake up and have a cup......

Labels: health, losangeles

Dinner and Conversation

Dinner with friends at Mel's Diner on Highland.

I got a meatloaf dinner. And then we had berry pie for dessert.
Enough food to bring take half home for lunch tomorrow.
Not the best choice. But maybe the berries in the pie will kill all the bad things in the red meat.

Interesting conversation. You know, its kind of strange looking back on 2005 and my cancer surgery.
And its kind of strange how I pick and choose what I do and don't do.
I did the radiation. I refused the chemo.
I won't use plastic utensils or Styrofoam if possible. And I have been known to educate a restaurant or two about their dangers.
I won't drink artificial sweeteners or eat processed meats.
I take a long list of vitamins a supplements, like Co-Q10 , Flax seed , Fish Oil, Mushroom Extract and Curcumin extract .
I even tried "Cats Claw" herbal tea, though I didn't like it very much.
Every so often I do the Budwig thing with cottage cheese and flax seed.
I drink organic green tea, and Trader Joes Organic Decaf Chai Tea, which contains organic cinnamon and organic ginger.
And I try to buy Organic whenever possible. (Except of course eating out.)

Every morning I have a bowl of slow-cooked oatmeal, with fresh berries, cinnamon and ginger and ground flaxseed, along with an organic hard boiled egg. (Thats a big change from the bagel with cream cheese that I used to have every morning..)

Yet...I still have one or two glasses of wine per month - which I still think is to often.
I keep trying to quit high-fructose soft drinks. (I'm down to one a day, or less - which is still to many.)
I use the microwave about twice a week - which I also think is to often.
I wanted to quit dairy products, but that was next to impossible, so I try to limit them.
I still drink coffee.
I still need to lose weight, and exercise more.
And I dye my hair. Which pretty much makes most of my friends freak completely out.

I guess it comes down to the fact that you can't stop living your life even though you have had a terrible disease.
You still have to do, whatever it is you have to do.

This all came from the part of the conversation where my friends noticed my hair.
The last time they saw me, I was blond.
Now I am such a dark brown, its almost black.
But it is closer to my natural color, and I prefer how it covers up my grey hairs.

I told them that after the cancer, I was pretty much committed to becoming an "Earth Mother", not even polishing my nails. But thats not me, and there was no way I could stick to it.
I had to keep living my life, and adjusting what I could, and accepting what I can't.
And I laughed about my hair and said "I'm surprised you even recognized me !"

---
More info:
Johanna Budwig books on Amazon.com
and
Natural Approaches to Cancer Treatment books on Amazon.com

Labels: doctor, food, health, restaurant

Pet Food recall

I am completely stunned by the Pet Food Recall that is going on.
I just can't believe something like this is happening.
It saddens me to think how many little innocent pets have died, or become seriously ill, because of this.

On the nightly news, one commentator mentioned the entire thing brings up a whole new question.
Is any of this poisonous food, in any human food ?
Supposedly it has something to do with the Wheat Gluten in the canned pet food. It was imported from China where they are allowed to use the rat poison around food products.
Why are we buying any food product from a country that is allowed to use pesticides that the USA has banned ?

There needs to be a big investigation into this entire thing.
Who are we buying our food products from, and how are they farming ? Why aren't we buying wheat Only from the United States and other countries that watch what they put in their food?
As far as I am concerned, the only thing that can make up for this is a
huge class action lawsuit, that will make Menu Foods pay for what has happened.
Because, since they are buying from China, we aren't going to get the company that grew the wheat to be accountable for what they have done.

As far as Cinnamon the cat goes, she has been eating organic canned food.
I actually switched her about six months ago, because a few times she did throw up and have diarrhea.
I thought it was because she was getting old, she's around 11 years now, and I thought a higher quality would be better for her tummy. Now, I wonder if something was wrong with the food even six months back.
Since I switched her canned food 6 months ago to organic, she hasn't had a single stomach problem.

Her dry food was still Iams Weight Control - and a full bag of that went into the trash. I won't take a risk with any of it. I bought a bag of the Brandon Farms, and she really liked it.

But the "By Nature" and "Brandon Farms" brands that they sell at Ralphs is made by Menu Foods as well, even though the website says that they don't use wheat products.
I really don't want to use any food manufactured by Menu Foods, because morally I don't want to give them a penny of my money.

Here are the cat foods that I use :

At Whole Foods Markets:
Pet Promise

At Mayfair Market ,which is part of Gelson's
Newmans Own Organics

These I have found at Ralphs Grocery :
By Nature Organic
and
Brandon Farms
The only thing about these two brands is that the website says they are manufactured by Menu Foods, even though they don't contain any wheat, and safe to use according to the website.
Just the fact that Menu Foods is in involved in the production, makes me not want to buy them. We need to "vote" with our dollar.

I wrote an email to Ralphs Grocery Store Management, since thats where I shop most often, and I asked them to carry Newmans Own pet foods. Then I emailed Newmans Foods and asked them to put their pet food in Ralphs.
We need to let the grocery stores know how we feel.

Also, check out the fantastic blog on PetConnection.com
There is up to date info on the pet food recall posted.
Its a very informative website for pet people.

Labels: cat, food, health, losangeles, losfeliz, pet

Ground-up and Bitter

So I get a call from my new doctors nurse. I thought they had the results of the CT scan already. No.... they had the results of the pee in the cup.

"You still have a urinary tract infection. The Doctor has called in the antibiotic prescription to your pharmacy" She said.

Dang, and I thought my pee had looked so pretty in the cup- compared to all the others I saw on the shelf.
I guess looks don't matter when it comes to a urinary tract infection.

After work I stopped at Rite Aid .
This time it is Sulfamethoxazole.
And sure enough - they are big chalky pills.
I wait to speak to the pharmacist, and I ask him if they can be pulverized and put in juice .
Yes, they can.
Yeah I am so happy.

Always ask the pharmacist if they can be put into the pulverizer - because some pills you just can't.

The Sulfamethoxazole in juice doesn't taste so bad.
The Cipro I had been on a few weeks ago, had tasted really bitter. And I had to drink more juice right away, and chew gum to get rid of the flavor.
Sulfamethoxazole really doesn't dissolve that well. It stays as chunky tiny pieces that I have to somehow get down my throat.
So I barely taste it as it goes down. Its just grainy.

The another thing with Sulfamethoxazole is that you have to drink a ton of water. Or it can cause crystals to form in your urinary tract.
You might want to actually take a peek at your Pee, and if you see sugary flakes in the toilet bowl water, then you need to drink more water. And stay away from acidic drinks like coffee for an hour before and after you take the medication. These sugary flakes form because your pee is to acidic. They can make your kidneys bleed, and you don't want that.

As you can tell, I read the instructions that Rite Aid gives completely all the way through. And I look at the drug company website.
I'll bring up the page on the drug company website and hit "Control F" for Find.... then I will type in my concerns like Cancer or hypoglycemia. That way I can see if the website says anything about their drug interfering with any of my other problems which aren't related to what they are currently trying to cure.

Sometimes when I write stuff like this I think "I should have been a doctor."
I have one sister and one sister-in-law who are nurses, but it never
appealed to me. I don't have what it takes to be in the medical profession. If a
patient told me a medicine tasted bad, or made them feel weird, I'd completely agree with them ....
I have no strength of character when it comes to yucky medical things.

But I will drink bitter ground-up antibiotics in juice when I have to.
My sister, the one who is the Nurse, was shocked when she found out I
grind up my antibiotics.
"What does it taste like ?!?!" she asked
"Absolutely the most disgusting thing you can imagine" I happily replied.
She was horrified - and she's the nurse.

Labels: cancer, doctor, health

Sinus CT scan

I told my boss at the office that I was going to get a CT Scan of my sinuses.
I said "I will try to come back to the office, but I don't know how horrible it will be or what they will do to me".
Anything that is named "CT Scan" pretty much scares me. And I was very nervous.

The technician reminded me of Jennifer Lopez, I kid you not.
I said "I have never done one of these before, I'm alittle nervous."

She made me take off my earrings, and any other metal around my face.
I laid on my stomach, with a pillow under my chin. So my head was bent back.
Then she said said "Get comfortable, because you have to stay in the position for seven minutes."
"I'll try, Its kinda hard", I replied.
Then she fed me through the CT Scan Donut thing.

I was worried because I kept swallowing. I was wondering if that was going to ruin the image, but I guess not. Because after the seven minutes, we were done.

That was that. No yucky drink or injection. And I was pretty much out of there in 15 minutes.
I wish all medical tests were that easy. I was back to the office in no time.

Labels: cancer, doctor, health

Meet & Greet with the Doctor

Even though I have already had one appointment with him, and I have been to "After Hours Care" more than I can count - today was my "Meet & Greet" extra-long appointment with my new Doctor.

It went well. We went over pretty much everything wrong with me.
How did I get this old so fast ?
I'm totally falling apart.

He wants to me to visit his Oncologist, even though I don't want chemotherapy.
"I recommend that people who have had cancer get check ups with on oncologist as well as with me," he said.
Ok, whatever... I ended up with an appointment form.

And, I need to go see the Arthritis specialist, because the arthritis in my hips in killing me. so another referral and appointment form.....

"You know, every pound that you loose with be in your favor as far as the arthritis is concerned", the doctor said as gently as possible to remind to lose weight.
Yeah, I know.

Finally, since I keep getting sick - bronchitis and then the Flu - he ordered a CT scan of my sinuses .
To see if I have a deviated septum, or any cysts or nodules growing in my sinuses.
Thats what he told me anyway. But I know he is really checking for cancer.
I keep getting a cold/flu thing - so they are going fishing to see if anything else could possibly be causing them besides your basic cold/flu viruses.
I told him that I was fine getting a CT scan, as long as I didn't drink any toxic liquid that would make me sick.
He said they can do a CT of your sinuses without contrast. And he ordered it without contrast material. Another appointment form.

The way things are going with me - if I got a hang-nail three times in a row, they would probably do a CT scan of my dern finger. I'm joking, but you know what I mean.

By the time I left the doctor, I had my hands filled with paper. Appointment forms.
First, off to pee in a cup. Double-check that the urinary tract infection went away.
Ok, I am still not drinking alot of water or enough cranberry juice.
So I had to pee in the cup....

There was alittle shelf to leave the cup on. And compared to some of the other pee in the other cups, my pee looked pretty good if I must say so.
Some of those people who peed in those cups, should be worried. Some of the pee I was looking at reminded me of a dark pilsner beer. I was looking at the cups thinking "Did they drink beer for breakfast? That can't be good."
Yuck... just a reminder to drink 8 glasses of water every day.

Then it was to the Xray Department, to have an Xray done of my hips.
The technician escorted me to the changing room.
"Ok, take off everything from the waist up. You can leave the jeans on." said the Tech.
"But I am having my hips Xrayed", I said slightly worried.

The technician crinkled his eyebrows and said "Wait here, I'll be right back" and he went off to check my forms.
He said that I was right, it was my hips they were xraying - but that they actually had someone else scheduled for a chest xray at the same time, and both our papers got all stuck together.
Thank heavens he actually did end up xraying the correct part of my body - my hips.

Labels: cancer, doctor, health

Back to work

Yeah, I am back to work today !
Still coughing and hacking .... but no more fever, and at least I had the energy to get out of bed.
I made sure I had plenty of cough drops and kleenex - and headed back to the office.

I was just happy to be out of the house, and back in the land of the living.

Labels: health

After Hours Care - and the Flu

I missed Thursday and Friday from work. And I even stayed in bed all weekend, except for one trip to the grocery store for kleenex and cold/flu medicine.

But this morning when I woke up, I still wasn't going any where.
At first I told my boss, I would be in that afternoon.
Then I called back at noon to say I was going to the doctor.

So off I drove to After Hours Care location.

Basically, I went in saying "I think I have the flu."
And I came out with the Doctor saying "You have the flu".
But he did give me a prescription for drugs. Some super-duper cold medicine.

And... after he took a look a my records, and saw that I had just had bronchitis in December - he ordered a chest X-ray.

Since I seem to be having a chest xray every few months - after having radiation treatments for cancer in 2005 - I really was not to happy about having another chest xray.
I said "You know I just had a chest xray in December."
He said "Yes, and that one was clear, so lets do one now, just to make sure."
And I was way to sick to argue about it.
But this chest xray was clear too.

He also gave me a note, putting me out of work until next Thursday.
That means, it is only March - and I will have used up all of my sick days for the year. No more left.

I stopped off at Rite-Aid to get my Super-Duper cold medicine.
And there were some pills that were way to big for me to even think of swallowing.
After I saw the bottle, I said to the pharmacist "I can't swallow these."
Since they can't be ground up, he recommended some over the counter items that did the same thing.
But I was starting to weaken from being out at the doctors and then the pharmacy.
I just took my Super-duper cold medicine, and went home.

I took the Super-Duper cold medicine before I went to bed for a few nights because it helped control the cough.
Believe me, I have never had dreams this weird.
Something about Shakespeare and a horse floating in the air. That was the first night.
After the third night - a psychedelic dream with lots of revolving colors - I decided to go back to good old sugary cough drops.

Labels: doctor, health

The Internet and The Flu

Here's what you do when you are stuck at home sick with the flu on a weekend.

You click on FluWatch.com , and you click on your state to see if you really do have the flu.

Or you can go to the Weather.com Flu Reports and see what it says about your state.

And guess what ? As of March 3 ... in the state of California, we were having the Flu.
So I didn't image it ... I really am sick with the flu.

I am so sick with the flu, I even made - and ate - Jello !

Labels: food, health, internet

Its The Bad Flu

Basically, I spent two days weak, feverish and shivering.
I got up, trying to have some coffee - and I couldn't even hold the newspaper up.
It was an effort to get to the telephone and call my office to say I was sick.

I sat on the couch with the coffee and newspaper - and it was to much effort.
I put them down, and just laid back down on the sofa.
All I could do was watch Live with Regis and Kelly , and The View - as I dosed in and out of sleep.

Occasionally, I was awake to watch Ellen Degeneres .

Labels: health, television

Oh, No... its the Flu

So I went out tonight. I was with friends, and enjoying myself.
But I couldn't take my coat off - I was freezing.
Well, it was a really cold night out. But I was super cold. Teeth Chattering cold.
Then, the fever started.

Oh, no... I'm sick.
The minute I realized I was sick, I left.

But the time I got home, it was official - I had the Flu.
The Real Flu.
Where you pile 20 blankets on top of you, but you are still underneath them all shivering away.

It was not a good night.

Labels: health

Cipro Antibiotics

I slept in, and then I head over to pick up the prescription.
There's a new shift of Doctors at the After Hours Care place.
"Oh, you're the one who wouldn't stay here last night!" said the new somewhat older Doctor.
"Yep, thats me. I just came for my prescription". I say.
He is looking at my from over his glasses, like he's never seen anyone like me before.
He made sure to tell me to come back in a few days and get a follow-up urine test.
Ok, fine.

My first stop on my way to work is a pharmacy.
It really makes a difference where you go with these things.

My first stop is Ralph's pharmacy.
I hand that Pharmacist the prescription.
"Is it pills? Are they big?" I ask.
yes, and yes.
"It doesn't come in a capsule? Or liquid?" I ask.
no and no.
What can I do... I can't take these.
She is no help.
I say "Give me back the prescription. Let me go to Rite Aid, maybe they have liquid."

Off I go to Rite Aid .
I ask the Pharmacist the same questions.
He is a wealth of information on how to swallow big chalky pills.
He said "These are Cipro . You can pulverize them. We sell Pill Pulverizers ."

Oh, joy ! Pulverize ! I love it ! I can crush the big chalky pills !
I buy a little plastic pulverizer for about 4 bucks.
It grinds the pill up with no effort whatsoever.

Then I get home. And I mix the ground up Cipro with Grape Juice.
Oh, what a lovely bitter flavor !
But I am fine with the yucky bitter flavor.
I can deal with it, if it means the medicine is getting in me.
The pulverized Cipro is on its way down.

Labels: doctor, health