Bark Your Joy

When was the last time you laughed out loud? I'm convinced it's crucial to our general health to giggle or guffaw on a regular basis. It lightens the spirit, cleanses the soul, and etches pleasant lines into our faces.

Of course, we can't squeeze out a genuine laugh on demand. And certainly we all have life circumstances that are serious or tragic and totally humorless. But from day to day we should search out ways to find amusement and celebrate it by throwing back our heads and barking our joy. 

When I need a laugh, I search out my friends. Last night at our Bunco gathering, we laughed like crazy women, and I went home happy. My golf buddies tease me and each other mercilessly, and we have a great time - especially when it's all balanced out with heartfelt hugs. One of the reasons that I love my husband is that we share the ability to find humor in many things, and enjoy being silly sometimes. 

Search out your happiness and embrace it noisily when it comes your way.

"Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine."

LORD BYRON

"At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities."

JEAN HOUSTON  

"He that is of a merry heart has a continuous feast."

PROVERBS 15:15

"If you become silent after your laughter, one day you will hear God also laughing, you will hear the whole existence laughing - trees and stones and stars with you."

OSHO

I'm Insured Again!

Back in June, I wrote about having to go without health insurance for 6 months in order to get insurance in Arizona. That was an unpleasant by-product of past health issues and the expiration of my COBRA 18 months after I retired from Hilton. If you missed that, here's the link.
http://runawayboomer.blogspot.com/2012/06/without-net.html

That was a scary 6 months, as you can imagine. Fortunately, I made it through without a health incident. I applied for high risk pool insurance in Arizona last month, and my application was approved. I had to provide documentation proving that I am a resident of Arizona, my previous insurance had been cancelled, and that I had been declined for individual insurance. Now, as of February 1, I am covered by a state program that exists as required by Obamacare. My cost is about $350 per month, and the coverage is fairly good. It's difficult to describe how relieved I am to eliminate this financial risk from our retired lives. Let's just say very. VERY, VERY.

There are a lot of things wrong with how medical coverage is handled in our country. I'm no expert, but I know that those of us who can pay are paying for those who can't pay. Insurance is so complicated that it costs doctor's practices a ton of money just to process claims and payments. But I do believe strongly that everyone who wants/needs coverage should be able to get it. I need it, and I can pay for it. If Obamacare (or something similar) hadn't passed, I would have been out of luck. Uninsurable. I am thankful for what is available to me now.

I heard something interesting on CNBC the other day about trends related to health care deductibles. Because costs are rising, many are opting for higher deductibles. That tends to make people more selective about how often they go to the doctor, and for what. At best, that cuts down on unnecessary visits and expenses. At worst, it could keep people from going to the doctor when they should. Only time will tell the long term effect.

The moral of the story is... Do what you can do to maintain your health. Eat right, keep moving, get plenty of sleep, and pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you have insurance, appreciate it!

My Wishes for You

I've spent many, many hours in the past month in medical care facilities, around people whose bodies and senses are terribly vulnerable.  My own mother is bouncing back slowly from the most invasive procedure I can imagine - open heart surgery.  Mom must make changes to her way of life to protect what has been repaired, insure her recovery and recapture what is important to her.  It's not easy.  These wishes are for her, as well as reminders for me and others who struggle to do the right things to stay healthy, active, and engaged with the best of life.

May your world be brighter and more colorful,
and scents surprisingly sweeter.
May your appetite be responsive to healthy temptation,
and nourishment easily consumed.
May your body respond to your bidding with ease,
and your muscles feel renewed.
May your sleep be sprinkled with dreams of comfort,
and your day enhanced with energy.
May you be at peace with your existence,
and greet each day with joy.

Those are my wishes for you.

Staying in the Saddle

It's very difficult for us sometimes to let go of "control" of our lives. We want to be able to plan, to make decisions, and drive our existence in the direction we have predetermined.  With a destination in mind, we can be frustrated by the rerouting made necessary by detours - temporary or permanent.

The fact is that control isn't always ours to exercise.  Other energies, good or bad, can snatch the reins from our hands and take us on a wild ride.  It takes courage to simply hang on and try to enjoy the scenery.

Mom is on her own wild ride now.  Her continued health is in the hands of nurses, doctors, and surgeons.  Her life is in the hands of a greater power.  The plan changes from day to day, and the ins and outs of medical mysteries are confusing and disconcerting.  Some would fight this situation with anger.

I'm heartened by the grace with which Mom is riding out this chaos. Certainly she is frustrated with the on and off schedule for her hospitalization and surgery, but in the bigger scheme of things Mom is willing to let go, put herself in others hands, and allow events to unfold.  She is at peace with whatever may come from this journey, and even encouraged me yesterday not to worry.

Sometimes there is peace in letting go and trusting in powers you can't control.  It's a lesson we all should learn.

Stay in the saddle, Mom.

Without a Net

In my transition from Illinois to Arizona, I have lost my health insurance.  The insurance I had in Illinois after my COBRA expired was a high risk pool sponsored by the state.  Having been declined for individual health insurance, I was eligible to apply for this safety net provided to full-time residents of Illinois.  My coverage was through Blue Cross Blue Shield, and we paid about $560 a month for it.  For Ron’s individual policy, we paid another $325 per month.  Each of us had a $2500 annual deductable.  Do a little math and you can guess that health care has been a substantial percentage of our expenses in retirement. 

Thirty-five states have high risk pools – Arizona is not one of those.  Now full-time residents of Arizona, I just sent in the cancellation notice for my Illinois insurance.  I applied for individual coverage in Arizona, and have been declined.  So now what?

The Obama administration’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, AKA “Obamacare”, will be my safety net.  Although a very imperfect bill (yes, I read the whole dang thing), it will provide the option I need to secure health insurance in this long gap I am in before being eligible for Medicare.  Obamacare requires states without high risk pools to provide them to people who prove that they cannot otherwise obtain health insurance.

But…in order to be eligible for Arizona’s high risk pool, I have to be uninsured for six months.  This is a condition of entry into the plan that, frankly, I do not understand.  I prepared as well as I could for this period, by seeing my doctor and having a check-up, making sure my prescriptions are current, and having a colonoscopy.  All I need to do now is make it through six months without a major incident.  I am very scared that my situation has put me and Ron at great financial risk.

I’m writing about this for several reasons.  (1) If you have group health insurance through an employer – appreciate it.  You cannot be denied coverage, and most employers pay fifty percent or more of your actual health care costs.  (2) Your health is precious.  Any health issues become part of your history and until Obamacare is fully implemented in 2014, could result in you not being able to obtain insurance.  Finally, (3) You must consider and plan for your health insurance needs in retirement.  There are many resources available online that will clarify the situation and explain your options.

If the federal health care law is ruled as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, I may be without my safety net for much longer than six months.  It doesn’t seem right that I can’t obtain health insurance, even though I can afford to pay for it.  Health care reform outside of Obamacare probably wouldn’t come soon enough for me.

Wish me good health!

Prescription: A Little More Spring

My friend Tom Wingham's untimely death at 42 hit me pretty hard last week.  I found that I had trouble sleeping, thinking about Tom and his family.  Also, I began to stress about unknown medical issues that can sneak up and do us in without warning.  How can vibrant, seemingly healthy people so suddenly be stricken down?  Next thing you know, you're anxiously looking in the mirror wondering if you are next.  You start thinking about taking evasive action.

So after a few years of resistance, I decided to heed my doctor's request to take medication for blood pressure.  The tipping point was when, on Monday, I checked it at home and found it to be alarmingly high.  I placed a page to Dr.Chien after hours to call in a prescription, which he did. I had scared the beejeezus out of myself and my husband.

Two days later (yesterday), my blood pressure is well within a normal range, and I am sleeping better.  I visited Dr. Chien who assured me we did the right thing and he is not overly concerned, because my other vitals and blood work are good. 

I credit Tom with sending me a message to delay no longer on treating my blood pressure.  Thanks Tom.  I'll keep tabs on it now.

We're back in Chicago until May 4th, when we depart on our big trip to England.  Until then, I will follow my prescriptions.  That includes the official one to regulate my blood pressure, as well as the unofficial one - to enjoy a little more Spring.

Healing at Home - Chapter 4 of My Cancer Story

This post is the 4th in a series describing my journey with Colon Cancer 10 years ago. If you haven’t read the previous installments, see the Blog Archive listing in the column on the right for the hyperlinks.

It’s been a week since my surgery, and I am going home. Ron helps me from the wheelchair by the curb at the hospital entrance into our own car for the five minute drive to our house. I’m shuffling around slowly like an old lady, but at least I am ambulatory.

Wow, how marvelous it is to be home! My job now is to get stronger and continue the healing from the surgery. I still have staples in my stomach, which makes me feel very vulnerable – as though my guts could tumble on the floor if I make a wrong move. Sounds melodramatic, I know, but I am a little afraid. Try sitting up from a prone position without using your stomach muscles. It’s an exercise in creativity. I either need assistance, or I have to roll over into a position where I can push myself up with my arm muscles.

There are some challenges we have to overcome with being home for recovery. Our house has two stories, but I’m not authorized to take the stairs more than once a day for now. That means I spend my days on the sofa in the family room, where I can watch TV and get to the kitchen. Ron must go to work, but isn’t comfortable leaving me at home alone yet. We call my family for help, and they respond. The first week, my older sister Xandy (Alexandra) comes to stay with us, to keep me company and help with meals while Ron is at work. The next week, Xandy passes the baton to Mom and my little sister Althea. This takes a huge load off Ron’s mind.

My cat, Beezum, missed me and wants to laze with me on the sofa. One problem…She wants to stretch out on my stomach. I snooze with a pillow on my abdomen to make sure I don’t get an unexpected 11 pound weight pouncing directly on my incision. Who doesn’t sleep better with a purring cat on their lap? I get healing energy from her.

The news is out about my return home, and I am stunned by the influx of phone calls, cards, flowers and plants, and casseroles! These gestures are very, very moving. I will always remember what I learned from being on the receiving end of those kindnesses.

As the days pass, I feel progressively stronger, and can move around more easily. The staples have been removed from my stomach, and my guts didn't fall out.  I revel in taking real showers.  Pajamas are traded in for real clothes. One day I decide to attempt a walk around the block with Ron. But I run out of energy at the end of the block and have to sit down and rest before I can even retrace my steps to retreat home. By later in the week, I can make it all the way.

What’s ahead? It’s almost time to meet my Oncologist and prepare for chemotherapy treatments. The first part of this journey is behind me. Now I need to gather my strength for battle with the unseen enemy.

Our Fragility

As we age, I am finding that I have a heightened awareness of our fragility.  We didn’t think about this when we were younger.  Life was navigated casually, and we took our health for granted.  It was impossible to imagine that something really bad could happen to alter our existence.  So, we burned the candle at both ends, got behind the wheel under the influence, and worked so hard that we sometimes made ourselves sick with the effort.  We just knew that we could cheat Fate.

Now that we have passed the mark of 50 years on earth, I look at things a lot differently.  There are more years behind us than in front, and I appreciate life as a gift. We’ve experienced more, and we’ve felt the rancid breath of the grim reaper get a little too close for comfort on one or more occasions.  There’s a different perspective that comes with age.

You see, any of us is a moment away from debilitating misfortune.  I don’t live life dreading it, but I know it’s true.  It could be the illness that confines you to bed, the terrible car accident that severs a family, the numbness in an arm that signals a stroke, or a diagnosis of cancer.  These mini tragedies occur around us every day, and mark us all in one way or another.  At best, they bring us together to share our strength, fear, and hope.

We try to take care of ourselves by eating correctly, working out, getting enough sleep, and enhancing our nutrition with vitamins and supplements.  Wellness visits to the doctor and dentist are part of our routines.  Now we know that a reduction of stress in our lives and active social connections with friends are part of a healthy lifestyle.  There is so much we can do.

Embrace every day with gratitude, and take care of yourself and your loved ones.  

The Pleasure of Your Company

One of the most rewarding things about retirement is that I have more time to interact with my friends in a meaningful way. One of the biggest and most welcome surprises is that I am still making friends. All told, the warmth of my friendships bathes me in happiness and comfort.

This week, I have been fortunate enough to enjoy the company of several good friends and long distance encounters with others:

• I spent almost an hour on the phone Sunday with one of my very closest friends and confidantes. We live in different cities now, I miss him, and I treasure our weekly phone calls.
• One of our neighbors has become a close friend. Sunday evening, we chatted with him for about an hour after our condo association meeting, and promised to keep an eye on his place and collect his mail while he is out of town this week. It’s good to have a trusted friend so nearby. (Ron calls him my texting buddy, since that’s often how we keep tabs on each other.)
• Earlier this week, a friend from college sent me an out-of-the-blue message telling me what it means to her that we have reconnected online. It was a heartwarming surprise that made my day.
• Last night we went to dinner and the theatre with friends in Chicago. Over dinner, we caught up on each other’s doings, and then shared a wonderful experience enjoying the play together. We’re already talking about planning a get together during the holidays.
• My new friends in Arizona are a true blessing. I look forward to the day we are full-time residents at Talking Rock Ranch, so we can enjoy that sense of community full-time.

Even surprise acquaintances can offer bright spots to your day. Ron and I golfed with a man two days in a row this week that we met at the starting tee. We discovered that we not only have a friend in common, but also several mutual interests – the symphony, theatre, and golf. Our golf experience was greatly enhanced this week by our conversations with Bob.

Keep expanding your circle of friends. It adds a richness to life at any stage, but may be particularly important to your health and happiness during retirement.

I just downloaded a book to my Kindle - Vital Friends by Tom Rath.  It features results from Gallup studies on friendship, explores how friendships contribute to health and happiness, and even explains how having strong friendships can improve engagement and productivity at work.  I hope it’s an interesting read.

These Feet!

One of the things I will always remember about our recent trip to Europe was how much we walked! In four days in Rome, we figure we logged about 30 miles on foot – between our hotel and the Colloseum, through the Domus Aurea, to the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Vatican, the Pantheon, Palatine Hill, the Piazza Navona, the Forum Palatine Hill, the Piazza del Popolo, along the Tiber River, up the Via del Corso, across the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, and back and forth on the Via dei Fiori Imperiali. In Athens, we climbed the almost 500 feet to the Acropolis. In Santorini, we passed up the tram and took the 600+ steps up 890 feet to the top of the volcanic cliffs above the sea. Oh, these feet!

I loved every minute of our walking explorations. Fortunately, I was smart when selecting footwear to pack. My fabulous little silver gladiator sandals with heels were reserved for a dinner reached by taxi. For all other city excursions, I had my Skecher tennies, Privo boots, or Privo flats. On one eight mile day, I admit I had to stop at a pharmacy for an emergency purchase of a gel toe sleeve, which saved me from what could have been a painful blister. My feet performed admirably, pampered with afternoon naps, hot baths, and foot crème before bed. Not bad for 54 years old, huh?

Walking in an unfamiliar place really gives you time and the perspective to soak up the local atmosphere – the sights and smells, the overheard conversations, and window-shopping. I have happily dodged scooters in Rome, mad taxi drivers on Sicily, and a stampede of donkeys on Santorini. We didn’t always know where we were going, or even where we were, but we enjoyed each day’s journey immensely.

The point of all this is that I am thinking about health, energy, and mobility – three things I am fortunate to have and to be able to enjoy as an early retiree. Traveling on a cruise ship, I saw many people with obvious physical problems requiring walkers and wheelchairs, and some with no more issues apparent than I myself had two or three years ago (unwanted extra weight and a lack of energy).

Let’s all get up off the sofa and move for our futures! Walk, stretch, eat wisely, keep moving, and participate in life’s little daily adventures. You will be investing in your future health and happiness.

Eating & Thriving, the Low Carb Way

The first time we went to the grocery store to stock up on low-carb food items, we were flummoxed and frustrated. We didn’t understand enough about the do’s and don’t’s – the good foods vs. the “bad”. What freaked us out is that we knew we couldn’t eat the way we had been eating for years.

BASIC THINGS TO KNOW
1. Eat three meals a day, or four or five smaller ones.
2. For the first month consume only a total of only 20 carbs a day. As your body learns to burn fat more easily, you can re-introduce a few more carbs. (Get a carb counter guide for frequent reference.)
3. Read nutritional information labels on any prepared foods! Look for how many grams of carbs are in a serving size. Be sure they are what you would really consume in a sitting, because some serving sizes are ridiculously small.
4. Supplement your fiber intake using Psyllium Husk Powder - a taste-free additive to salads, eggs, or sauces.

THE GOOD NEWS
1. Protein is good. Most proteins have no carbs. Eat steak, chicken, seafood, and eggs guilt-free.
2. Berries are the best fruit to eat. A half cup of raspberries is 3 net carbs.
3. Fiber is good. A gram of fiber negates a gram of carbs. But beware - a gram or two of fiber in a “healthy” snack bar won’t help much if the bar contains 23 carbs that mostly come from sugar.
4. Many veggies are high in nutrients and low in carbs. Go for lettuce, broccoli, asparagus, eggplant, cauliflower and cucumber. (See the bad news veggies.)
5. Get your dairy via cheese (5-6 oz per day).

THE BAD NEWS
1. Avoid bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and cereal. Sorry.
2. Most fruit is fairly high in carbs (e.g. a medium-sized apple has about 17 net carbs).
3. Corn, peas, carrots and beans are starchy veggies higher in carbs.
4. Some “healthy” snacks are loaded with carbs. A quarter cup of raisins has 30 carbs.

Now for some ideas about how to change your eating habits:

Instead of a Cheeseburger, have a bunless Beef patty with cheese
Instead of Potatoes, have Mashed Cauliflower (we use butter & cheese & a touch of cream)
Instead of French Fries, have sauteed Eggplant
Instead of Potato Chips, have "Soy Crispettes”
Instead of salad Croutons, have Parmesan Crisps (add Psyllium Husk Powder for more fiber)
Instead of Crackers & Cheese, have Salami & Cheese
Instead of sugary Desserts, have Sugar-free Candy or Berries
Instead of a Milkshake, have an Atkins shake blended with ice
Instead of Pizza...well, if you find a replacement – let me know!

It’s not always easy, but it works! In restaurants, ask for extra vegetables in place of potatoes or rice. And send the busperson with the bread basket away forthwith! Sometimes it’s just best not to be tempted.