Healthy Me

I seem to be stuck at the 17 pound weight loss point the last couple weeks.  I was hoping to have another ten pounds gone by our vacation but seeing how that is now just 2-1/2 weeks away, I should only hope for a few more at best. 

I did get a gallon of blood drawn the other day for all the different thyroid tests.  They couldn't do the Reverse T3 though.  Apparently, the lab the hospital uses doesn't do that test.  Surprised me!  It was irritating because if they'd told me that during registration - before I was in the chair with the band around my arm and a needle poised to strike - I might have gone to the other lab in town.  I'm not big on needles and having to do it again doesn't thrill me.  Besides, the person who drew the blood wasn't that great at it.  It hurt the entire time!  It felt like she'd shoved a pencil into my arm.  I actually got woozy and dropped my head.  They had to put my feet up. 

Now I wait for results.

• The International Agency for Research on Cancer has reclassified tanning devices as a definite carcinogen.  (The definition of carcinogen is "agent directly involved in the exacerbation of cancer or in the increase of its propagation.")  This isn't new news to me.  I think it is pretty common knowledge.  Knowing that, I don't understand why people would use them (and use them often in a lot of cases).  Are there health benefits to using a tanning bed?  Not for me personally.
• According to this article..."exposure to UV light can lead to melanoma, especially if you're exposed to it in your teens and/or 20s."
• Melanoma cases are even showing up in the genital area of women.  I doubt women are standing on their heads outdoors and getting sunburned there.  This is from the tanning bed.
• Is your excuse for using the tanning bed that you get Vitamin D from it?  Go stand outside a few times a week and you'll get the same benefit.  Find another source for Vitamin D.
• Do you think the tanning bed is safer than the sun? According to this article, the bulbs in the tanning beds are several times stronger than sunlight. 

I've lost 17 pounds so far since changing my thyroid medication all up.  I'm thrilled and can't wait for the rest of the 15 pounds to come off too!

I have added a weight loss ticker to my blog to keep track of my progress.  It is in the left margin.  I used to have one on here but I became frustrated when it never went anywhere so I took it off.  Now that I am finally making progress, I won't mind looking at it. 

I was just thinking last week that we were lucky this year.  We didn't have any major illnesses in the family.  We got through flu season pretty well.  We didn't have any H1N1 swine flu scares.  I spoke too soon.  I should learn to keep my mouth shut.

A stomach bug has hit our house this week.  Two of my kids are down and out with it right now.  I hope it doesn't spread to the rest of the kids.  How do you force liquid into a kid who doesn't want anything at all in their stomach?  If it was just a day or so, I wouldn't worry but we are on day four right now.  She has today left and if she's not holding anything down by this evening, she goes to see her pediatrician tomorrow.  I don't think it is a flu.  I think it is a gastroenteritis bug but if she's not better, we will find out for sure tomorrow.

I have had the headache from you know where for several days now. It must be the changes in the seasons coming up (soon I hope). I hope I don't have to put up with headaches for the next month.