yum, and not so yum.

this is good. so, so, so good. great, even!! i LOVE it, basically. if i wasn't sitting at my desk at work, i'd lick the bowl.

this, is not so good. strange chicken piece i had to spit out, and too much ginger. not so much... wah.

Still truckin' on the health train. It's a-goin.

update. health, 2010: the saga.

So, the update on my overall health situation: (in case you care).

Moles. Well, I didn't get the best news of my life yesterday. It could have been worse, definitely, but it could have been better, too. Out of three moles they removed, one was benign, but two were dysplastic. Which means, abnormal, pre-cancerous, whatever you want to call them. They aren't melanoma, but they aren't good either. The good news is, they're gone. They're off my body and can do no more harm. I will continue to monitor and see if I have anything else grow back from what was removed, and the doc will keep a close eye on my moleys.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to go get a skin check. Health Insurance covers it. It's a doctor's visit, 30 minutes, some medium discomfort if they take any biopsies, but it could really be worth it. It was for me. Had I not gone and gotten those moles checked and removed, they would still be on me, just waiting to get worse. And I will continue to get my annual screenings, because even if a mole isn't bothering me, it could be a bad one that only the doctor will recognize.

Nashville Skin and Cancer. Please call, make an appointment. It might be the best decision you make all year.

In other health news, I am already starting to feel better, now that I'm back from the holidays and being proactive about my health. I'm back on the daily plate (when I can remember) and I'm trying to really focus on my calorie intake (that's what works for me) and get good exercise. My apartment just opened a gym, and it's small. I'd rather be 1 of 200 at the Y, than 1 of 3 in my apt gym, so I don't really know how much I'll be using it.

I've actually been rockin' out on my wii fit this week. I jogged in place last night for 30 mins, and it was a really good workout. It told me I jogged over 3 miles - hmm, if you say so! I have incorporated using my 5 lb hand weights into the step aerobics, and 30 mins of that will definitely work - you feel it the next day for SURE. Adding in a bit of yoga and strength training, and I'm really enjoying it.

I have also only consumed alcohol one night so far this month - 3 beers, I believe, was the total. And I only plan on consuming this weekend (in moderation) because it's my sister's birthday. But I really feel better not drinking. I REALLY miss my evening red wine that I had on occasion, but I'm ok without it. I've been guzzling down the green tea and water at work. I'm drinking a hot cocoa right now. Not feeling too guilty about it because it's my substitute for a dessert.

This morning I woke up and felt thinner. I don't care if it's mental, or if it's really happening. I just felt good, and that's the goal.

GOD I WANT A COOKIE. DAMNIT.

dermatographism

That's what I have. Diagnosed. Official. Even though I was pretty sure that's what it was anyway (I mean, we're living in the online research "be your own doctor" age, aren't we?)

So, I went to the dermatologist today for my annual mole screening (i'll get to that in a minute...ugh) and made sure to ask about this itchy hivey welty insane ruining-my-life thing that has been going on for a little over a year. I had done some research, and figured it was dermatographism, but wasn't 100% sure. It literally means "skin writing," because you can actually write words on your skin formed from hives. It is a form of hives where your skin is allergic to being touched (with heavy pressure) or scratched. I get it even from being cold, hot, and from the slightest scratch on my skin - one scratch of an itch, and my skin becomes a raging field of long, linear hives within minutes. The worst is my bra and waistband area.....always, always, itchy. :(

It only affects 4-5% of the population - wow, am I lucky. If there was a "get wacky health shit" lottery, I'd be a winner with all the crazy health issues I've had in my lifetime. The good news with this anomaly is that it can mostly be managed with anti-histamines. So I will pick up my prescription ASAP to start hopefully feeling some relief. I'm glad I finally have an answer, but not glad that I have to live on anti-histamines forever unless I want these symptoms to come back.

**This is NOT me, just a picture I found on google images....some people use the condition to make art - hey, why not make the most of what you're dealt? It's actually kind of cool if you google image the condition; you'll find some amazing stuff. Some stuff very similar to what my skin looks like most of the time. And while it might sound fun and interesting, don't come trying to write on my skin, because it will work, but I will be hurting and itching for quite a while afterwards. :)

The mole situation: I have a strong family history of cancer, malignant melanoma being one of them. I am pretty "moley," even though most of them aren't raised, so they really don't bother me too much. I actually like them.

But, with the family history, I try to really be aware of my moles and if/when they change, etc as I have a much higher chance of having skin cancer than someone without a family history. I even have them on the bottom of my feet and on my scalp. They took off three of my moleys today. Ugh. One was driving me nuts and itching, bleeding, etc...so I knew it was a goner. One I didn't even know I had, and one I kind of suspected she wouldn't like as it went from brown to black and was rather large. She disliked that one the most, and disliked it strongly - it was rather alarming. And painful. Local anesthetic is ok and all, but it hurts like hell going in, and I am rather uncomfortable (and even a bit shaky) at the moment, given that I have three holes in my neck, stomach, and back. And now lovely scars to go along with it.

Moral of the story: go to the dermatologist, even if you don't have a family history. don't use tanning beds. wear sunscreen, PLEASE. And be aware of and love your skin, as it's the only skin you get. I'll get my results in 7-10 days, so I'll keep everyone posted. I won't worry too much about it - after all, it might be nothing, and if it is anything bad, at least I'll know.

.resolute.

I'm going to be resolute about my 2010 New Year's resolution. My self-inflicted resolution to stop drinking. To stop drinking for a while. Not a pre-determined amount of time. Yes, I will have a beer or a glass of wine on my sisters birthday, but other than that, I'm going to chill out. I am by no means a big drinker, and I can usually keep it down to a few drinks and not get wild. The goal of this resolution is to generally work on my overall health. A big inhibitor of my overall health is alcohol. For example:

**I want to go grab a beer, so I can't go to the gym because I'll get sweaty. I mean COME ON. No more excuses. Get your shit together, Meghann.

**I am drinking, so it's OK if I eat this taco bell so I don't feel like shit tomorrow. OH COME ON. I will feel like even MORE shit if I eat this taco bell. Who am I kidding?

**I want people to think I'm fun, so I'm going to spend money on alcohol I can't afford so my friends don't stop calling me. Really, self? If they are truly my friends, they will still call even if I don't drink and act a fool.

**I can't afford it, but that's ok. NO, it's NOT OK. Screw you stupid credit card..... Yeah, no more of that.

**It's not a girls night without wine. Ok, this one is kind of true, hence the rare glass I will allow myself over the next few months. The purpose of this resolution is not to completely deprive myself of all fun; it's to realize and not believe the stupid excuses or rationalizations I make up that involve alcohol. Every girl deserves her girls night, hello! But I need to stop lying to myself and making up excuses to be unhealthy.

I booked my dermatologist appt, cut out drinking for the most part, and spent $140 on nothing but healthy shit at Kroger. So basically, that health train that got off the tracks? It's back on. I'm choo-chooing around, people, so get outta my way. :)