Thrilled

I'm absolutely thrilled, y'all.  I went in early this morning for my health screening for insurance. We've done this for years, and every year my cholesterol and triglycerides are high.  The last couple of years, they've been in the upper 200 range.  Each.  The only thing that has saved me is that my HDL is usually high. 

Well, this morning, when she read me my numbers, I could have done a happy dance.  My total cholesterol is still high, but my triglycerides are down to 170!  Yeah, it's above optimal, but much better than last year's 295.  My LDL was also down to 182, from over 200 last year.  I'm thinking it's because about a month ago, I started drinking almond milk.  I still drink regular milk, but I'm drinking at least a cup of almond milk per day.  I'm also thinking about investing in a home cholesterol monitor, just so I can keep a check on it.  If I can get it down through diet and exercise, maybe I can avoid having to go on medication for it.  Of course, I have to get off my lazy butt and exercise...

Speaking of medication, my blood pressure is also holding steady at 110/80.  High blood pressure runs in my family, so I'm also thrilled with those numbers, as well. 

As if that weren't excitement enough for the day, my new Christmas music book arrived.

I didn't even wait to change out of my work clothes before I started playing songs from it.  There are a couple more level 1 books I want to get, then I'll be done for a while.  For real, this time. 

Heh, I have one friend who says if the books bring me joy, then buy them all, and another who wants to stage an intervention.  The books bring me joy.  My checking account, not so much.  I'm thinking about starting a GoFundMe for my piano books.

Or just publishing my wish list.  Think people will go for it? 

Update

Baby Isaiah has been granted a few more weeks by the Canadian government. That the government is making these decisions at all is a travesty. It should be between the boy's parents and their doctor.

Period.

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What Price Isaiah?

Somewhere in Canada, a tiny little boy is fighting for his life. Somewhere in Canada, a young mother and father are pleading for their baby's life. Give him another chance, they cry. He'll do better, they plead.

Little Isaiah is scheduled to be executed at the end of this month, just a week after he turned three months old. And just crime could a three month old baby commit that he deserves the death penalty? He was born brain damaged.

Isaiah was born after a long and difficult labor with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. His brain was deprived of oxygen, resulting in permanent damage. Though he is growing, gaining weight, moving, showing signs of cognitive development, the Canadian government has determined that it is just not cost effective to continue providing medical care for this, one of their smallest of citizens. They have ordered his care--and thus his life--to end.

His parents appealed to the courts, and little Isaiah was granted a stay--of only 7 days--until January 27, 2010. His family has little hope, though that his death will be prevented. This is what happens when a government stops seeing its citizenry as human beings. This is what happens when people become no more than assets and liabilities. This is what happens when governments attach dollar value to human life. Isaiah will require hundreds 0f thousands of dollars worth of medical care throughout his life. What return would a brain damaged adult provide on an investment of this magnitude? Well, this is just one child, you may say. Just one child. But what if Isaiah were your child?

What if Isaiah were you?

Nothing in this life is free. Socialized medicine comes at a price, and often a much higher price than the 60+% tax rate citizens are forced to pay. Much higher than the billions of dollars confiscated by the government to maintain such programs. Socialized medicine comes at a much higher price than that.

Just ask Isaiah.

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