from Annual check up

Chol 179, hdl 63, ldl 80 (no fast)
Psa 0.2

this weeks sewing project - water bottle belt

I had decided that I needed to start carrying water with me and Droopy (dog) on our hikes every Saturday and Sunday. Started looking at EMS ($40) belts, Sierra Trading Post ($30) and finally decided I had the basic skills to build my own. This is the first prototype. Bottle holder is made from the center section of a 2L soda bottle, covered with material. Adjustable for different size water bottles.

Works and rides pretty well (first hike today with it). Things to make it better...

1 - hold two bottles - one for me (fruit punch additive) and one for Droopy (regular water).

2 - wider belt on hip bones. This one is padded and that is great. I really never felt it on. But with two bottles of water, wider belt at the hips would better secure the belt for the added weight.

3 - storage pouch zipper on top. This zipper is below the top. I loaded it with a Cliff bar, my cell phone and my keys which fit fine, but loading and unloading felt safer when the belt was off me.

4 - clip for keys

5 - zipper across top of belt between bottles. opening zipper reveals 2 straps for holding a coat or windbreaker.

Katie's foot

Talar Dome Lesion: "Talar Dome Lesion


What is a Talar Dome Lesion?
Talar DomeThe ankle joint is composed of the bottom of the tibia (shin) bone and the top of the talus (ankle) bone. The top of the talus is dome-shaped and is completely covered with cartilage—a tough, rubbery tissue that enables the ankle to move smoothly. A talar dome lesion is an injury to the cartilage and underlying bone of the talus within the ankle joint. It is also called an osteochondral defect (OCD) or osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT). “Osteo” means bone and “chondral” refers to cartilage.

Talar dome lesions are usually caused by an injury, such as an ankle sprain. If the cartilage doesn’t heal properly following the injury, it softens and begins to break off. Sometimes a broken piece of the damaged cartilage and bone will “float” in the ankle."

blood work back

Cholesterol total - 160
HDL (good)- 58
LDL (bad) - 79
Triglycerides 113

Risk Ratios (total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol):

Optimal: lower than 3.5
Average: approximately 4.5
Increased: higher than 5.0


160/58 = 2.75

body fat percentage measurement

yesterday at BI they offered to measure my BMI and body fat. So the professional results are....

BMI - 28.1

% body Fat - 24.5

Height - 73 inches (6' 1")

Weight - 213 lbs.

waist circumference - 39.5 inches (measured top of the hip bone).

a weight update

this morning I hit the scale at 213, that's a BMI of 27.3.

when I started my efforts to lose some weight it was January (2009). I was as high as 250, with a BMI of 32.1.

My goal was to get my weight to 220 for my May round of doctor visits. I just made that, but now I've been stuck in the 216-218 range for 2 months. I has been just in the last week I seem to have broken through.

I'd like to get under 210, that's the current goal.

The BMI calculators want me at 196 pounds, but one step at a time. Maybe next year.

DAMN - Adult female Deer tick!

this morning on the drive (8:30AM) into work I felt a point of discomfort in the middle of my back on the left side. I removed my shirt and saw a red sore about the size of a nickel with a tick in the middle.

Dr. Berman's office 1:15PM. Had tick removed and area inspected. It's a deer tick (Dog ticks are better because they are less likely to carry Lyme disease. Rx antibiotic for 2 weeks.

The question is when did the tick and I become acquainted? Saturday - hike at Tarrywile with Droopy; Sunday - Tarrywile again and Golf cousre walks with Droopy; Monday, probably not, no walks with Droopy, first night for LTR; Tuesday - hiked the gas line (deer highway next to the house) all the way to the next street.

Barb's been suffering with Lyme for 10 years. It is bad stuff.