1) A happy doctor’s appointment
I had my follow-up doctor’s appointment this week to go through my bloodwork. I was a little nervous about this appointment. While my A1C had decreased back down to prediabetes, it was at the tippy-top of that range. I worried that she would feel that it hadn’t decreased enough and would want to start me on medication. (I likely would have asked for another 3 months to see if I could bring down the number further if she had recommended medication.) But I needn’t have worried because my doctor was so pleased with my results! She also reminded me that in 2022, my A1C was normal, so it is possible to get back there. And I’ve shown myself that I can make changes and improve my bloodwork, so I just have to keep on keeping on!
We also talked through some of the other parts of my bloodwork that were a little troublesome. Even though my total cholesterol is normal, my other cholesterol numbers remain fairly high (and have been high for several years). The plan is to continue to improve my diet and physical activity, and then retest everything in three months. She also wants to do some extra tests to see if my high cholesterol numbers are affecting my blood/veins (honestly, she said a lot of long, sciency words here, and I don’t remember much). But basically, she just wants to make sure everything is looking good inside my body, even with high triglycerides/HDL/etc.
The other troublesome result was my low iron. I’ve always struggled with iron (I have a really hard time giving blood because I rarely make the cut-off for my iron levels!), but now I’m in iron-deficient anemia. Usually, taking an iron supplement stabilizes my iron levels, so that’s what I’ll be doing again. I’m hoping this will help me feel a bit more alive during the day. While being on CPAP therapy has improved my energy levels a lot, I am still a sleepy girl most of the time, and I wonder if my low iron levels are contributing to that feeling. It will be interesting to see if I have more energy after being on this supplement for a while!
Have I talked about my health enough these days? Oof.
2) Lila turns 7
Yesterday was Lila’s birthday! Now I have two seven-year-old daughters. Here are seven things you should know about Lila:
- She is a whore for treats. She will jump up on my dining room table multiple times a day and give me a squeaky meow, and she is just so damn cute that I find it hard to deny her. I need to cut down on the amount of treats she gets, but ugh, that little face and tiny meow get me every time!
- She hates being picked up. The only time I have anxiety when it relates to my cats is when I know I have to get Lila in a carrier. She doesn’t let me pick her up on a normal day (if I do manage to pick her up, she brings out her claws and acts like I’m trying to murder her), so getting her in a carrier is a process. I’ve finally figured out a method for getting her into the carrier quickly, but ugh, she always makes the saddest meows when I’m trying to grab her and it breaks my heart.
- She loves morningtime snuggles. Every morning when I pull off my CPAP mask and turn off my machine, I know I’ll hear her little trill as she jumps up on my bed for pets. It never fails; within just 30 seconds, she knows it’s time for snuggles! This is one of the only times she will let me snuggle her close to my body and kiss the top of her head. If I tried this any other time of the day, she’d act like I was crazy. But in these early morning moments before I’m fully awake, I get to snuggle with my girl and it’s my very favorite thing.
- She’s shy and timid. Oh, how I wish the people in my life could enjoy Lila as much as I do! Alas, she is always hiding when people come over. The only person she’ll come out for is my mom, but everyone else is off-limits. Even my cat sitter never sees Lila when she comes over! Whenever there’s a knock at the door, she immediately hightails underneath the couch where she will stay until the people leave.
- She loves a weird sleeping spot. On my stinky running shoes? Check. Curled up with a set of hand weights? Check. On top of my tote bag? Check. Using a hardcover book as a pillow? Check. Sleeping on top of my planner with the spirals cutting into her stomach? Check. This girl will sleep anywhere and everywhere she damn well pleases.
- She is SO fluffy. You haven’t known soft until you pet Lila. She is so soft and fluffy, and petting her belly makes all of my problems go away. There is something healing in being able to pet her soft fur and hear her little purrs.
- She has a quiet but squeaky meow. I wish I could get her meow on video, but it’s just so quiet that it’s hard to hear at times. A lot of times, she just makes this adorable “ah” sound when she meows, but when she really wants to get my attention, she gives me a louder, squeakier meow. I call her Sissy Squeaks a Lot when she does this. 🙂
3) The switch to Prozac
I am currently finishing up my first week on Prozac, and things are… okay. I started to get nervous that the taper process was coming to a head last week. I had a night of extreme anxiety and couldn’t sleep. Whenever that happens, I get worried that my body is telling me that something has happened to my mom. Thankfully, I wouldn’t have to wait too long to make sure she was okay, as we had signed up for a 6am HIIT class together. Around 5:45am, I checked the Find My Friends app, and sure enough, her little dot was moving in the direction of the gym. Crisis averted! Another time this week, I started having anxiety right before bed, so I called her even though it was late. I had to remind myself that she told me to call her when I was feeling anxious, and if what I need to feel calm is to see her on FaceTime, then that’s what I need to do.
That has been the worst of the anxiety episodes lately, though, and I’m starting to feel like I got off pretty easily with the taper process. Hopefully, I am through the worst and can start feeling the difference of being on Prozac.
4) Workout clothes
Where is everyone buying their workout clothes these days? On Wednesday night, my HIIT instructor decided to start our class by having us run around the room for a few minutes, which is fine, but I quickly learned that the shorts I was wearing were a little too loose. It’s not very comfortable to run when I’m trying to hold up my pants! On the one hand, yay! Great problem to have! On the other, oof. Time to invest in some new clothes that I’m not constantly having to adjust throughout class. Usually, I would buy something from Target or Amazon, but since I’m trying to lessen my reliance on these stores, I’m on the market for another place to shop for workout clothes. Maybe Old Navy? I don’t want to spend a ton of money since I am hoping to lose more weight, so these aren’t going to be investment pieces.
5) Weekend plans
It will be another low-key (ish) weekend, which I am all about these days! I don’t have any plans tonight. Tomorrow, I only have a writing date with Mikaela on the schedule. And Sunday is Mother’s Day! I will obviously spend it with my mom. We’re going to do a bike ride with my brother and older nephew and then do lunch afterward. It will be a lovely afternoon!
Where do you buy your workout clothes? What are your weekend plans?
I’m much like Lila – I am too a whore for treats LOL
Iron & I have always had an issue. It just doesnt want to stick around. I did infusions for years. Nothing would keep my iron levels up – cant find why it always drops – so doctors just said “gotta live with it” – thanks for that medical advice.
Hmm, iron is one of those mysterious things. I had low iron during both my pregnancies (which isn’t that unusual, as your blood volume increases a lot) but other than that, I’ve never had an issue with iron. And I’m vegan, so it’s not like I’m eating red meat. Seems like there’s some other piece to the puzzle, but hopefully a supplement will solve the issue. Yes- being anemic is probably making you tired!
Happy Birthday Lila!!! Cats are so funny. Charlotte loves to sleep on our welcome mat, which is all prickly and right inside the front door where everyone has to step over her. How is that comfortable??? And Muffin LOVES to snuggle- except she HATES being picked up. It’s actually almost impossible to pick her up- as you said, the claws come out, and she writhes away as if I’m trying to kill her. Next time I have to get her into a carrier I’m going to ask you for your method.
Affordable workout clothes that aren’t from Target or Amazon… I would try Old Navy. They actually have some pretty nice stuff.
Enjoy your weekend!
I struggled with low iron for years and even ended up getting infusions. I’m not sure what the doctor recommended in terms of a supplement but I tried MANY and without a doubt Feramax was the absolute best in terms of absorption. It IS more expensive than many other iron formulations but it’s much better absorbed and doesn’t cause stomach upset. 10/10 recommend Feramax.
Also, and I’m not trying to play Dr here, but try to make sure they check your ferratin. That’s a distinct marker and my ferratin was SO LOW (while some other blood results were normal). It really impacted my ability to exercise.
I have had good luck with Dick’s Sporting Goods online choices–much better than in the stores. They have their own line now called DSG which was well priced and good quality.
I am no help on the workout clothes front, as I am a staunch Lululemon gal, and that is not a cheap date. That said I have had some items for almost fifteen years and they still look great. But! Because they are so expensive, I would definitely wait until your sizing isn’t changing. I have heard good things about Old Navy and Gap athletic wear, and I’m sure they are less expensive.
Will you start taking iron supplements? I have a friend whose daughter actually gets iron infusions and it’s been very helpful. I take a multivitamin/ mineral support that has iron in it, but there are iron supplements that are touted to be gentle on the tummy.
Happy birthday to Lila! She sounds like a fuzzy delight! I hope you have a fun weekend! I’ll be taking a hanging basket of flowers to my mom on Sunday. Otherwise, I don’t have any plans except to do a little yard work. I’m thinking it’s time to get out my hoses and sprinklers!