Sometimes it's easy to weigh the pros and cons of medical choices we have to make.
Should I take insulin?
It's a synthetic hormone that, if taken at the wrong dose, can be lethal.
Well when you weigh that information against the knowledge that not taking insulin has a 100% chance of killing me, I'm all for it.
Bring on the insulin!
And thank you Doctors Banting and Best for giving me the choice.
Other health decisions are a little less cut and dry.
Should I take calcium?
Pros - it will help reduce the risk of bone density loss, something I am at high risk for and have already shown early signs of.
Cons - the are health risks associated with calcium supplements, include cardiovascular disease risks which, as someone with T1, I am also at risk for.
Should I take a low dose statin?
Pros - it will help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, things I am at risk for as a person with T1.
Cons - there are all sorts of side effects that come with taking statins including, I recently discovered, memory loss. For some reason that one I find particularly disturbing...but I can't remember why.
Should I take iron? Should I take digestive enzymes? Should I take vitamin D? Vitamin K? A multi-vitamin? Low-dose aspirin? A pill whose name I can no longer remember that is supposed to help protect my kidneys? Birth control?
All of the above have been prescribed or strongly recommended by a doctor at some point in my diabetes care. Some I have said yes to, many I have said no. All I have agonized over and still second guess as I pop open the daily pill bottles.
Despite all of the no's, I take three pills when I wake up, one with breakfast, one mid-day and one before bed.
I can only hope that they are doing more good than harm.
Showing posts with label choice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label choice. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Monday, November 18, 2013
The Choices We Make
Some weeks it's pretty easy to fit in all the workouts I want to fit in. I get my three swims done sans problème. I get my three runs in without missing a beat a step.
Other weeks, like last week, things seems to conspire against me.
Last week I had a workshop on Wednesday morning that prevented me from getting my swim in.
I also had an early appointment on Friday morning that prevented me from getting my swim in.
I could have gone to the pool on Thursday morning instead. There are masters classes every morning so it's not a problem.
I could have skipped my Thursday run in exchange for a Thursday swim.
But I like my Thursday runs. A lot.
I like them as much as I like my Wednesday and Friday swims.
So I missed two swims out of three but got all three of my runs in.
I can also tell you that if I had had Tuesday and Thursday meetings last week, I would have missed two runs but got all my swims in.
You could argue that I'm a little too entrenched in my habits.
You could also argue that I should have done two runs and two swims rather than three and one.
You could be right.
I would argue that I did what my body felt like doing. I've had a bit of down time lately in my running routine as I recovered from my half marathon. I am enjoying getting back out there and loving my crisp, early morning, quiet time.
I would also argue that I don't have any scheduled 'easy weeks' at the pool. Every workout is different but they're all pretty tough. So the only down time I get is down time that I create. I figured two days off would make it an easy swim week.
There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to workouts. At least not at my elite level. My body benefits from a variety of workouts, some hard weeks and some easy ones. I made my choices.
The runners among you might agree with them.
The swimmers might argue that too many days out of the pool is never a good idea.
The cyclists might wonder where my cycling workouts were (fair enough).
Luckily the week ahead looks clear in the early mornings so I'll get all three swims and all three runs in. And I'm working on convincing myself that I really do want to head down to the spider-filled basement for my cold-weather 'Bending Crank Arm" workouts.
I'm just really enjoying my lazy Sunday morning routine right now...
Other weeks, like last week, things seems to conspire against me.
Last week I had a workshop on Wednesday morning that prevented me from getting my swim in.
I also had an early appointment on Friday morning that prevented me from getting my swim in.
I could have gone to the pool on Thursday morning instead. There are masters classes every morning so it's not a problem.
I could have skipped my Thursday run in exchange for a Thursday swim.
But I like my Thursday runs. A lot.
I like them as much as I like my Wednesday and Friday swims.
So I missed two swims out of three but got all three of my runs in.
I can also tell you that if I had had Tuesday and Thursday meetings last week, I would have missed two runs but got all my swims in.
You could argue that I'm a little too entrenched in my habits.
You could also argue that I should have done two runs and two swims rather than three and one.
You could be right.
I would argue that I did what my body felt like doing. I've had a bit of down time lately in my running routine as I recovered from my half marathon. I am enjoying getting back out there and loving my crisp, early morning, quiet time.
I would also argue that I don't have any scheduled 'easy weeks' at the pool. Every workout is different but they're all pretty tough. So the only down time I get is down time that I create. I figured two days off would make it an easy swim week.
There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to workouts. At least not at my elite level. My body benefits from a variety of workouts, some hard weeks and some easy ones. I made my choices.
The runners among you might agree with them.
The swimmers might argue that too many days out of the pool is never a good idea.
The cyclists might wonder where my cycling workouts were (fair enough).
Luckily the week ahead looks clear in the early mornings so I'll get all three swims and all three runs in. And I'm working on convincing myself that I really do want to head down to the spider-filled basement for my cold-weather 'Bending Crank Arm" workouts.
I'm just really enjoying my lazy Sunday morning routine right now...
Friday, September 7, 2012
Sister gifts
My sisters sent me a gift certificate for my birthday. They are very much in tune with what makes me happy and are great gift-givers. They buy me gifts like purple laptop bags, makeup classes, olive oil from Israel and lip balm tested by surfers in Hawaii (which therefore makes it the best!).
This birthday, they gave me a gift certificate. For nail polish.
They are well aware of my love of bright colours and, when we're all home together, we love nothing more than going on sister dates to get our nails done.
Except for, maybe, sushi.
In an effort to learn a new skill and save a few dollars, I decided a few months back that I was going to learn how to do my own nails. The first few attempts were rather awkward and the final product was not exactly stellar but I'm getting better with each attempt.
So my sisters decided to help support my habit by giving me the gift of choice.
Armed with a gift certificate and the freedom that comes with knowing you get to choose something but don't actually have to pay for it I spent last Monday night looking at all the different colour options on the website. It was a little overwhelming and I found myself constantly drawn to colours similar to the ones I already had. So I forced myself to branch out a bit and go for shades I wouldn't normally buy for myself.
On Tuesday night, I went to visit the O.P.I. and Essie websites because I found their sites easier to navigate. I figured I'd pick some colours I liked and then head back to the site I have the certificate for and order them. To my chagrin I quickly discovered that the same nail polish looked very different on the different sites. What was pink on one site looked red on the other. What was almost black on one site looked bright blue on the other.
What colour was the correct one? There was no way I was going to order something only to have it arrive and not like it.
So, on Wednesday, I drove to the local Trade Secrets store and spent about 15 minutes looking through their nail polish colours. I took note of the ones I liked so I could go back home and order them (much to the chagrin of the sales lady I'm sure).
I took three night but I finally placed my order.
A few days later, these arrived at my door:
How much fun am I going to have??
This birthday, they gave me a gift certificate. For nail polish.
They are well aware of my love of bright colours and, when we're all home together, we love nothing more than going on sister dates to get our nails done.
Except for, maybe, sushi.
In an effort to learn a new skill and save a few dollars, I decided a few months back that I was going to learn how to do my own nails. The first few attempts were rather awkward and the final product was not exactly stellar but I'm getting better with each attempt.
So my sisters decided to help support my habit by giving me the gift of choice.
Armed with a gift certificate and the freedom that comes with knowing you get to choose something but don't actually have to pay for it I spent last Monday night looking at all the different colour options on the website. It was a little overwhelming and I found myself constantly drawn to colours similar to the ones I already had. So I forced myself to branch out a bit and go for shades I wouldn't normally buy for myself.
On Tuesday night, I went to visit the O.P.I. and Essie websites because I found their sites easier to navigate. I figured I'd pick some colours I liked and then head back to the site I have the certificate for and order them. To my chagrin I quickly discovered that the same nail polish looked very different on the different sites. What was pink on one site looked red on the other. What was almost black on one site looked bright blue on the other.
What colour was the correct one? There was no way I was going to order something only to have it arrive and not like it.
So, on Wednesday, I drove to the local Trade Secrets store and spent about 15 minutes looking through their nail polish colours. I took note of the ones I liked so I could go back home and order them (much to the chagrin of the sales lady I'm sure).
I took three night but I finally placed my order.
A few days later, these arrived at my door:
How much fun am I going to have??
Monday, April 16, 2012
Choice
The concept of choice is one that is fraught with all manner of pressures, both internal and external.
In my line of work, choice is something that we often give people. In my humble opinion, it's often given in a way that is unfair and that restricts their right to (real) choice. Asking: 'do you want to stay home or go to Tim Hortons for coffee?' is not the same as asking 'what would you like to do today?' Asking: 'do you want pizza or pasta for dinner' is not the same as asking 'what do you want for dinner?'.
But I don't want to talk about work today - I want to talk about choice.
Today is Boston marathon day. There are very few things in the running community that compare to today. Runners have trained, sometimes for years, for the opportunity to simply qualify to run Boston. That alone is a feat few of us will ever accomplish. Once qualified, runners begin training for the race. Being a spring marathon means that runners train over the winter. Runners living in cold climates must run 3+ hour runs through the cold, the wind, the snow and the ice. Through is all, they dream of joining the ranks of those who have run before them. When they head home after the marathon, they will be the owners of a blue and yellow Boston medal and they will most likely have a bag of Adidas running clothes that bear the logo and the recognizable colours that signals to other runners that yes, they have run Boston.
This year's race is a little different.
The weather is calling for heat. Thirty degree heat. In April.
Because of the predicted heat, on Saturday, the Boston Athletic Association made an unprecedented announcement. Runners, should they chose, can opt out of racing and defer to 2013. In order to do this, they must pick up their race bib in person (i.e. they can't have already dropped out for injury or other reasons and use the heat as a way to get into Boston next year), they cannot run the race (or part of it) and they must let the BAA know they are deferring.
Can you imagine?
Before the option of deferral, runners had two choices: run the race or not. If they chose not to run, they might never have another chance at Boston.
Now they have two different and (I believe) more difficult choices: run the race or defer.
Some people argue that runners, real runners, should be able to run through anything. It's wimpy to drop out because it's hot. Suck it up princess. Be a man. Run the damn race or move your sorry ass out of the way to let the real runners through.
I argue that it's that kind of thinking that gets runners into trouble.
Running is a hard, uncomfortable sport. Every run we do pushes us into an uncomfortable zone and we have to push back and keep moving forward. We get used to pain, to discomfort, to heat, to cold, to nausea, chafing and all sorts of other things that seem ridiculous to non-runners.
The trick is knowing when it's time to push through and when it's time to back off.
Most of the time, the answer is to push though. But sometimes, the answer is indeed to back off.
Boston would not offer the option of deferral if the weather were calling for high winds, driving rain or snow. Runners run through that stuff and they suck it up. Heat is different. Heat can be deadly.
Most Boston marathoners are elite, hardened athletes. Most of them will run the race today and be fine. There are 5,000+ runners in Boston who are not seasoned marathoners. They got in the race for reasons other than qualifying - they raised money, they were given entry bibs etc. Many people will take 5+ hours to run. Many people have medical conditions. Many people are not conditioned to running in extreme heat in the middle of the day. Many people probably shouldn't run.
Last Friday, if they chose not to run, they had to walk away from their Boston dream. In other words, without the option of deferral, many people would chose to run, whether they should or not, because it might be their only chance.
On Saturday, that changed. Now they could make a decision based on knowing their fitness level and their ability to run a marathon in the heat. And they could decide knowing that there will be another chance to run Boston.
Personally, the thought of training for four months and then not running is heartbreaking. I trained for 3 1/2 months before I was forced to drop out of my marathon - and that broke my heart and nearly broke my spirit along with it. Imagine sitting in a hotel room in Boston yesterday trying to decide if you should run or not? Imagine wondering if running a marathon is worth the risk to your heart? To your body? Imagine going home and having to tell everyone you decided not to run after all? Imagine having to train all over again next year?
Most of the 25,000+ runners will be out there today despite the heat - and I will watch with respect and awe.
A few runners will have made a conscious choice not to run - and part of me will respect them even more than I respect the runners who are running. They chose their health over a race, the race of all races. They chose for themselves despite the little voice in their head saying 'suck it up it's Boston'.
To all Boston runners - those who are running and those who are not. You are all heroes today.
In my line of work, choice is something that we often give people. In my humble opinion, it's often given in a way that is unfair and that restricts their right to (real) choice. Asking: 'do you want to stay home or go to Tim Hortons for coffee?' is not the same as asking 'what would you like to do today?' Asking: 'do you want pizza or pasta for dinner' is not the same as asking 'what do you want for dinner?'.
But I don't want to talk about work today - I want to talk about choice.
Today is Boston marathon day. There are very few things in the running community that compare to today. Runners have trained, sometimes for years, for the opportunity to simply qualify to run Boston. That alone is a feat few of us will ever accomplish. Once qualified, runners begin training for the race. Being a spring marathon means that runners train over the winter. Runners living in cold climates must run 3+ hour runs through the cold, the wind, the snow and the ice. Through is all, they dream of joining the ranks of those who have run before them. When they head home after the marathon, they will be the owners of a blue and yellow Boston medal and they will most likely have a bag of Adidas running clothes that bear the logo and the recognizable colours that signals to other runners that yes, they have run Boston.
This year's race is a little different.
The weather is calling for heat. Thirty degree heat. In April.
Because of the predicted heat, on Saturday, the Boston Athletic Association made an unprecedented announcement. Runners, should they chose, can opt out of racing and defer to 2013. In order to do this, they must pick up their race bib in person (i.e. they can't have already dropped out for injury or other reasons and use the heat as a way to get into Boston next year), they cannot run the race (or part of it) and they must let the BAA know they are deferring.
Can you imagine?
Before the option of deferral, runners had two choices: run the race or not. If they chose not to run, they might never have another chance at Boston.
Now they have two different and (I believe) more difficult choices: run the race or defer.
Some people argue that runners, real runners, should be able to run through anything. It's wimpy to drop out because it's hot. Suck it up princess. Be a man. Run the damn race or move your sorry ass out of the way to let the real runners through.
I argue that it's that kind of thinking that gets runners into trouble.
Running is a hard, uncomfortable sport. Every run we do pushes us into an uncomfortable zone and we have to push back and keep moving forward. We get used to pain, to discomfort, to heat, to cold, to nausea, chafing and all sorts of other things that seem ridiculous to non-runners.
The trick is knowing when it's time to push through and when it's time to back off.
Most of the time, the answer is to push though. But sometimes, the answer is indeed to back off.
Boston would not offer the option of deferral if the weather were calling for high winds, driving rain or snow. Runners run through that stuff and they suck it up. Heat is different. Heat can be deadly.
Most Boston marathoners are elite, hardened athletes. Most of them will run the race today and be fine. There are 5,000+ runners in Boston who are not seasoned marathoners. They got in the race for reasons other than qualifying - they raised money, they were given entry bibs etc. Many people will take 5+ hours to run. Many people have medical conditions. Many people are not conditioned to running in extreme heat in the middle of the day. Many people probably shouldn't run.
Last Friday, if they chose not to run, they had to walk away from their Boston dream. In other words, without the option of deferral, many people would chose to run, whether they should or not, because it might be their only chance.
On Saturday, that changed. Now they could make a decision based on knowing their fitness level and their ability to run a marathon in the heat. And they could decide knowing that there will be another chance to run Boston.
Personally, the thought of training for four months and then not running is heartbreaking. I trained for 3 1/2 months before I was forced to drop out of my marathon - and that broke my heart and nearly broke my spirit along with it. Imagine sitting in a hotel room in Boston yesterday trying to decide if you should run or not? Imagine wondering if running a marathon is worth the risk to your heart? To your body? Imagine going home and having to tell everyone you decided not to run after all? Imagine having to train all over again next year?
Most of the 25,000+ runners will be out there today despite the heat - and I will watch with respect and awe.
A few runners will have made a conscious choice not to run - and part of me will respect them even more than I respect the runners who are running. They chose their health over a race, the race of all races. They chose for themselves despite the little voice in their head saying 'suck it up it's Boston'.
To all Boston runners - those who are running and those who are not. You are all heroes today.
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