Day 2419

I find going over lab results with my doctor a bit frustrating. Today, my A1c levels had improved, but my Creatine and Bun levels had gotten worse. When I asked the doctor why, he told me that the Metformin I have been taking to control blood sugar and A1c levels tended to be hard on the kidneys, which often elevates Creatine and Bun levels. This is what happens with just about every prescription medicine you take. The body is complex and everything is interrelated. When you make something better, you often make something else worse. This didn't really seem to bother the doctor, who seemed to think that preventing diabetes was more important than perfectly functioning kidneys. "Your kidneys are still working pretty well," he said.

Apparently, my big problem is stress. My Cortisol levels have been increasing for several years and are now pretty high. I think the doctor was expecting me to tell him that there had been a death in the family or a divorce to cause this much stress. Instead, he got a convoluted tale of sleep loss and dog poop. The doctor and his nurse both gave me an odd look when I described my daily life, but they had no suggestions. They like dogs too. I'm doing the right thing with Dot. I probably just don't have the right kind of personality to deal with her continuing deterioration in a calm, relaxed way. Actually, the conversation with the doctor was causing me stress, because it was taking too long. I knew that if I didn't get back home in time, there would be more poop to clean up. Sure enough, I was right. Not only did Dot poop in her bed while I was at the doctor, she ate the poop as well.

I'm always surprised when I have lab work done just how advanced medicine has become. It is amazing how much a simple blood test can reveal. Today, I was introduced to something new. They took a DNA sample and said they would be able to use it to predict my susceptibility to certain diseases and even if the medications I was taking were interfering with each other. I asked if this test would tell me who my ancestors were and the nurse said they didn't do genealogy. Too bad. Every time I see one of those 23 and Me commercials on TV, I'm curious if I'm actually as Norwegian as I think I am.

I didn't tell the doctor that I'd had pancakes topped with whipped cream and powdered sugar for breakfast. What the hell. I felt like pancakes this morning. After three years of eating nothing but steel cut oats, I've decided that breakfast needs to be a little more enjoyable. I think my morning smoothie is generally pretty healthy, but I need a break occasionally. At least once a month, I pig out on pancakes or waffles.

I'll need to clean the roof off this weekend, in preparation for the roofers promised return on Monday. They probably won't show up, but at least I'll have done my part. I'm glad that July is almost over. It's been a long, very hot month. If we can make it to Winter again, life with Dot might be a little easier.

Tink is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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