Over two weeks ago, I informed you in thanks for the memories that I saw my doctor for a long-overdue physical. Now that I am about to enter the world of no health insurance, I thought I should have some idea if my tires needed to be replaced or if my carburetor needed to have the carbon blown out.
As a result of my examination, he informed me I had "metabolic syndrome" because of my weight and several other factors. His recommended treatment (1) lose weight, (2) get more exercise, and (3) eat a better diet.
What he did not have in front of him were my blood and urine test results. He does now. And he asked me to return to his office earlier in the week.
His diagnosis is that I have gone beyond "metabolic syndrome." I have diabetes. Based on my blood tests, my glucose level would not constitute a diabetes diagnosis several years ago. But it does now.
Fortunately, the treatment remains the same. Losing weight should help in several respects. To lose weight, I need to exercise, and I need to more carefully monitor what I eat.
If I were going to stay in Salem at my current job, I would almost throw up my hands. It just would not happen. I would then take him up on his offer to start taking another pill.
But the move south is going to give me an opportunity to start anew. It also gives me another good reason to buy the kayak.
For those of you seeking an update, I intended to look at one in Portland today, but the dealer did not have one in the shop. I may have to make a trip to the coast to see one.
But I did have lunch with two lawyer friends I have known since the early 1980s. One is retired. The other is plodding on loyally in his prosecutor job. The conversation was fantastic -- hitting all of my favorite points of law, politics, and courtroom drama.
But I will not get points from my doctor (who reads this blog occasionally) when I tell you that we ate at Lew's Dari Freeze -- best known for their foot-log coney island dogs. Not an auspicious beginning on my new diet.
I will do better.
As a result of my examination, he informed me I had "metabolic syndrome" because of my weight and several other factors. His recommended treatment (1) lose weight, (2) get more exercise, and (3) eat a better diet.
What he did not have in front of him were my blood and urine test results. He does now. And he asked me to return to his office earlier in the week.
His diagnosis is that I have gone beyond "metabolic syndrome." I have diabetes. Based on my blood tests, my glucose level would not constitute a diabetes diagnosis several years ago. But it does now.
Fortunately, the treatment remains the same. Losing weight should help in several respects. To lose weight, I need to exercise, and I need to more carefully monitor what I eat.
If I were going to stay in Salem at my current job, I would almost throw up my hands. It just would not happen. I would then take him up on his offer to start taking another pill.
But the move south is going to give me an opportunity to start anew. It also gives me another good reason to buy the kayak.
For those of you seeking an update, I intended to look at one in Portland today, but the dealer did not have one in the shop. I may have to make a trip to the coast to see one.
But I did have lunch with two lawyer friends I have known since the early 1980s. One is retired. The other is plodding on loyally in his prosecutor job. The conversation was fantastic -- hitting all of my favorite points of law, politics, and courtroom drama.
But I will not get points from my doctor (who reads this blog occasionally) when I tell you that we ate at Lew's Dari Freeze -- best known for their foot-log coney island dogs. Not an auspicious beginning on my new diet.
I will do better.
