Thursday, July 31, 2008

Gearing Up!


Thursday is always my day to begin cooking for Shabbos. I love this time.

There is something so very special about preparing my home for guests to come and share meals, zemiros and Torah. Sharing their Shabbos time with our family is a gift.

So today I shop, bake, cook, clean, etc. and love every moment. This week's parsha is Masei.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Mammogram Time! Yeah!

Today was my every 6 month mammogram check. I wanted to share some methods I use to prepare for my mammograms. Then you can try them, too!

Exercise#1: Visit your garage at 3:00 a.m. when the temperature of the cement floor is just about 25 - 30 degrees. Take off all your warm clothes and lay comfortably on the floor with one breast under the rear tire of the car. Ask a friend to slowly back the car up until your breast is sufficiently flattened and chilled. Turn over and repeat for the other breast.

Exercise #2: Place in the freezer two metal bookends overnight. Strip to the waist. Invite a stranger into the room. Press the bookends against either side of your one breast. Smash the bookends together as hard as you can. Set an appointment with the stranger to meet next year and do it again.

Exercise #3: Open your refrigerator door and insert one breast between the door and the main box. Have one of your strongest friends slam the door shut as hard as possible and lean on the door for good measure. Hold that position for five seconds (while you hold your breath). Repeat again in case the first time wasn't effective enough.

Seriously ladies.
  • If you're over 39 you should be having yearly mammograms.
  • Every woman should be doing self breast exams, monthly.
  • Know the risk factors, and see how many of them you can include or exclude yourself from. Keep your doctor informed of any of these risk factors you do fall under.
  • If digital mammograms are available in your area get one. They cost no more than the regular imaging, are covered by insurances also and detect much smaller, much sooner.
This is very important for all women.

Also click here if you want to give free mammograms to women who would not get them otherwise:

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Hello, Is this seat taken?

My father is 76, and was diagnosed with PD in 1999. It is my belief though that he had symptoms for about 5 years prior.

My Dad has always been a health nut. He did advanced aerobics for 15 years. Windsurfed, rode and showed Tennessee Walking horses. Ate well and overall took good care of himself. So when he was diagnosed it was such a shock for everyone.

Here we are almost 10 years later, and he is doing reasonably well. Better than most people his age without PD, in part to the fact he did take care of himself. Even now he still goes to the gym 2 - 3 times per week, using the treadmill and doing weight training.

Over the last few years he even took up doing woodworking. Making things with his hands for others. His big (size 13 ring), beautiful, gentleman and father hands.

Now though, there has been more change in him over the last year than before. In part I blame his age to this much change in the brief time span. Most people don't even notice the changes, but since I see him all the time I see them. And it makes me sad.

To me PD is one of those people who comes into a restaurant alone that is not so crowded. However, for whatever reason does not want to sit alone. So PD decides to sit with someone else, and taps you on the shoulder when you least expect it. "Excuse me, is this seat taken?"