Living in Mexico has been good for me.
I lost 30 pounds. I was walking. I was eating fresh food -- lots of vegetables.
My blood pressure was down -- with the exception of one scary incident.
Other than that pesky broken right ankle, I returned to Oregon healthier than when I left.
My family doctor, who attended grade school and high school with me, is retiring at the end of this month. Before he goes, he wanted to run some tests.
When I left Oregon last year, I was diabetic and overweight with high cholesterol and stratospheric triglycerides.
When I left Oregon last year, I was diabetic and overweight with high cholesterol and stratospheric triglycerides.
I saw him on Wednesday. My cholesterol is good. My triglycerides have been reduced by half. My weight is up a bit due to my recent lack of exercise. But, best of all, my glucose levels are normal.
My one concern is that I managed to get myself into bad numbers when I was living in Oregon. It could happen again if I do not stick with the lessons I learned in Mexico.
Candy and snack foods are rare in my village. They are plentiful at my workplace. If I can stick to eating fresh food, I should be able to keep my numbers where they should be.
That is the good health news.
There is one note of caution.
The swelling in my right leg appears to be related to a blood clot deep in my right calf. That is not good.
We all know clots wandering through the blood stream can be as unpredictable as a teenage boy with car keys and a bottle of whiskey.
I have now joined the Coumadin club. Starting on Monday, I will periodically show up at my doctor's office to have my Warfrin level monitored. For some reason, that makes me feel very old.
But, at least, I can still feel.
If I can survive the next three months of Coumadin, put physical therapy to good use for my right ankle, and stay away from chips and candy, I will be able to return to Mexico in good shape. Or better shape than when I headed south in 2009.
My one concern is that I managed to get myself into bad numbers when I was living in Oregon. It could happen again if I do not stick with the lessons I learned in Mexico.
Candy and snack foods are rare in my village. They are plentiful at my workplace. If I can stick to eating fresh food, I should be able to keep my numbers where they should be.
That is the good health news.
There is one note of caution.
The swelling in my right leg appears to be related to a blood clot deep in my right calf. That is not good.
We all know clots wandering through the blood stream can be as unpredictable as a teenage boy with car keys and a bottle of whiskey.
I have now joined the Coumadin club. Starting on Monday, I will periodically show up at my doctor's office to have my Warfrin level monitored. For some reason, that makes me feel very old.
But, at least, I can still feel.
If I can survive the next three months of Coumadin, put physical therapy to good use for my right ankle, and stay away from chips and candy, I will be able to return to Mexico in good shape. Or better shape than when I headed south in 2009.
And that will be good news.
