I've always loved John and Yoko's Christmas song, and particularly these lyrics:
"And a happy New Year. Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear."
Why "fear"? Just because it rhymes with year? I don't think so. Artists are geniuses at coming up with just the right words. There is so much fear everywhere. Wars, climate, politics, and more personal fears about one's life.
We have had some months of fears. Tom had a fall and had to go down to the hospital where Hazel was born ten years ago. They needed to check him out because of concussion and brain bleed (aren't those awful words). This happened on August 30th. He came home on September 1st. While he was there, it was discovered that he has a heart ailment called "a-fib" and then later found out he has high cholesterol. One wouldn't expect a vegetarian of 52 years to have such a thing, but the past few years he has eaten a lot of fat - cheese and butter particularly. Probably this is stress-related from issues dealing with his mother's old age.
I went online and found out how many grams of saturated fat he should have in a day. It was miles less than he had been eating. He began mindfully living by those grams, and has lost a lot of weight. We won't know for a while if it has done good with the cholesterol numbers. Apparently there are some kinds which are genetic, rather than caused by diet.
He had a stress test for the a-fib and found that his arteries are not clogged. That is such a relief. He only has to take an aspirin a day to deal with it. The cholesterol medicine comes with warnings for most everything on earth, but I am ignoring them hoping the eating less fat will make a difference.
He definitely has post-concussion stuff. The problem is that we think he had three before this, but he was never unconscious as he was in August, and we never thought much about them. Now, knowing what we know, there were side effects. He is working hard to rest more, and walk, do qigong, and meditate each day. Slow and steady wins the race, we hope.
All this is why I have written even less lately than before. The days have been sometimes exhausting.
I am really going to try to write more in 2024. I have continued to read your blogs, though not often commenting. I want to be a blogger again.
Wishing you both a healthier, relaxing 2024!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
DeleteSending you and Tom my love. It's a worrisome time when a loved-one experiences health issues. It does sound like he's on the right path, though. I checked to see how much saturated fat an average woman should have and am now going to see if I'm eating more than I should. I eat a lot of cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt, but not too much butter (unlike my husband!). Hugs to you, Nan. xoxo
ReplyDeleteThank you dear friend.
DeleteI hope that 2024 brings Tom a full recovery, Nan. It sounds as if both of you endured a pretty rough 2023. I've taken the cholesterol meds for three decades now and they have served me well, especially since my diet is not nearly as low in fat content as it should be. I'm aware of all the potential side effects, but made the decision to assume that the benefits would outweigh the negative possibilities. So far, so good. Do take care of yourself, too. Rest when you need to, blog when you can but don't let it stress you out.
ReplyDeleteThank you. And thanks for the advice to me. I needed it.
DeleteSorry to hear about Tom taking a fall back in August. I can sympathise as I took one on Saturday night. I didn't black out and wasn't concussed so didn't need to go to A&E (we were on the phone to the advice line and then spoke to a nurse) and I was grateful for that. It's a scary thing and it terrified Peter, it's usually the other way round, me looking after 'him'. It's nice to see you here but, as Sam said, don't stress about it. All the best for 2024 and I'll be wishing for better health for all of us... we had problems from August to the end of the year, really hoping that's now behind us.
ReplyDeleteOh, Cath, I'm so glad you are okay. Falls are so scary. I'm sure it was hard for Peter. I'm sorry about the months of health problems. Email anytime you want to talk, dear one.
DeleteSending you and Tom the best wishes for healthy and safe new year. Glad to hear he is eating less fat and I myself could stand to cut back on the cheese as I have high cholestrol. Write when you can or when you feel like it. For me I havent found that mojo for blogging again but I do keep up with friends. Love reading your blog xo
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at how many people have high cholesterol. I'm hoping to write more - it really is good for me. Writing and reading blogs takes me out of myself and into other worlds (and books).
DeleteNan, I'll echo what Les said above - sending much, much love to you and your whole family. And, yes, definitely a tough time when your loved one is having health problems. I agree that cutting back on the fat will help. Just know that we are here for you and thinking of you both. Cutting back on posting is something many of us are doing, but know that whenever you are able to share something - we'll be here to read it. Big hugs!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, my old friend. I so hope that not everyone gives up on blogging to go to the speedy social medias. The book bloggers seem to still be around which gives me hope.
DeleteYes, all good wishes ! Often think of you with thanks as I make you wonderful coffee cake with blueberries!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteDear Nan, I am glad you felt up to writing about this now so we can keep you and Tom in our hearts, especially as you're concentrating on helping him adjust to a new lifestyle and have concerns about lingering effects of the concussion. As far as the AFib goes, I certainly can understand how that alone is scary to come to terms with after RH going through the heart conversion for it this fall. That on top of my Mohs surgery has meant that we've been oriented towards lots of self-care this holiday season. I'm so glad Tom didn't have to go on statins! RH has been on it for a decade now due to a heart defect and while it's saved his life, it has also meant a lot of muscle loss. When my PCP advised statins for me two years ago I asked for 6 months to try to get the lab numbers down naturally and with some diet changes and wild salmon fish oil the numbers were back in a safe range by the next lab work.
ReplyDeleteI remember decades ago being in the low fat study by Vanderbilt University when the low-fat craze began and having to go regularly to the hospital in Nashville for monitoring how I did on it. It was so hard to stick to the diet but I did, only to find out years later that the whole program had been debunked. And then to learn that it wasn't fat that was the danger to a diabetic but sugar. And then for a while my potassium was just at the high level and I went on a low potassium diet for a year and that led to other problems because your body does need potassium. And now that I'm trying to follow a diet to guard against infection after skin cancer surgeries on my forehead and knee in December, I'm eating broccoli and strawberries like crazy. No Christmas baking this year because sugar is definitely not good for that, except a fruitcake for RH and a sliver of the Boston Cream Pie I made the other day, for testing purposes only, of course. Sometimes I wonder if there's any food to eat that's not bad for something in your body when you reach my age! It's not easy.
As far as blogging goes, I hope you can participate when you're able. I know for myself that it helps me emotionally to create when I can and I'm hoping to be a better blogger too. We have so many "have-to's" that we should treat ourselves to some "want-to's" also, right?
Thank you, dear one. Tom actually is on statins - for the high cholesterol.
ReplyDeleteYour last sentence is so true. Blogging helps me enormously. Being connected with so many people I like, and though haven't met am as close to as many in-person friends.
There is a program on Netflix - You Are What You Eat A Twin Experience. You might want to check it out.
Nan, you have shared posts faithfully since this post! I on the other hand have done none in January despite good intentions. Maybe tomorrow? You've inspired me to try anyway!
DeleteI'm so sorry to hear about Tom's health problems and the worry it is for you.
ReplyDeleteI take statins for high cholesterol and they've worked. My doctor told me that in my case it is hereditary and not diet-related. I was astonished that a blood test could tell the difference but apparently it can.
Wishing you both a happy and healthy New Year!
That is very interesting. Probably he will find out sometime. Thank you so much for the good wishes.
DeleteDear Nan, I didn't realise Tom was three years younger than I am! Somehow with you having grandchildren I always had you two down as older than me, but of course, now that I am 55, I could easily have grandkids if I'd had started early enough (I married for the first time at 22).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I am glad Tom's health looks to be improving, and it is no wonder; from what you say, he is really consciously making an effort by eating less fat, walking more and so on. You could of course have done without those scary falls he's had, but at least things were found out in hospital because of the last one.
My Mum will be 80 next year, and unlike many women her age, she never feels dizzy and has not had any falls. That is a huge relief, since she now lives on her own (and even with my Dad still alive, he would not have been able to help).
Wishing you all the best for this year, healthwise and other!
(And I can't believe Hazel is 10!!)
He is not 52 - he has been a vegetarian fo 52 years. haha We are both in our seventies.
DeleteThank you for the good wishes! I can't believe she is either.
Sending love to you and Tom. I have genetic high cholesterol and I've kept it down for over a decade now without statins (I am on a blood pressure pill and was very not keen to take another pill and my doctor gave me 6 months to try before the pills) with a combination of low saturated fat and lots of oats. I hate hot milk so porridge did NOT work for me (there were tears; I was 40 years old!!) but I have half-oats, half bran-based cereal for breakfast with half-oat milk, half skimmed cow's milk and I add oat bran to sauces and soups. Take care both of you, and hope you have a good and healthy 2024.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to tell me all this. He is so hoping that it will go down enough that he can get off them. His bp was fine. Our daughter has to take meds for her high bp.
DeleteI eat oatmeal cooked in water, and I put honey on it.
Thank you for the good wishes.