Let's Get Physical

Medicare Wellness Exam

Last week I had the CT Cardiac Calcium scan as well as the bone density test. I was able to schedule both of the tests last week at the same location 45 minutes apart, so that was a time-saver for sure. Both of them were non-invasive and quick. 

The bone density results came back that same afternoon, and it showed that I have osteopenia, which is a loss of bone density. Mine is located in both hips. Experts think that 30% of people over age 50 have some degree of bone density loss. Females are 4 times more likely than males to have osteopenia.

Fortunately my results are at the lowest end of the osteopenia scale, which means I won't require any prescription medication at this time. The doctor just wants me to take 2000 units of Vitamin D3 each day, as well as 600 mg of Calcium twice a day. That certainly seems manageable enough. And then she will request a repeat of the test in 2-3 years.

The CT Cardiac Calcium scan results were not so quick to come back. I just received the report from the lab yesterday. It indicates that my total coronary calcium score is 10. The test measures five different areas of the heart, and four of the five had a reading of 0. The fifth, Left Anterior Descending, is where the 10 came in. Any score from 1-99 puts you at a mildly increased risk for a heart attack or stroke.

My doctor has not had a chance to review the test yet, but I am anticipating that she will view these results as pretty good for someone of my age. I don't think any medication will be required at this time.

Celebrating Three

Buc-ee's

We were home from Belize a total of two days before we packed up the car and headed north to our son and daughter-in-law's house. Our granddaughter was turning three, and we wanted to be there as we have for all of her birthdays so far. The fall color on the drive was still pretty nice, so that always makes the drive more enjoyable. 

We also had our first opportunity to stop at a Buc-ee's. We have heard a lot about them but never had the time to stop at one. They pride themselves on their bathrooms, and I have to say they have justification for their bragging rights! The ladies room was huge with individual stalls each boasting a red/green light overhead so that you could tell which ones were occupied. The restroom was spotless to boot. We went ahead and grabbed sandwiches to go, and they were large and delicious.

3rd birthday

We had a really fun time with the kids, with lots of visits to the neighborhood park. It is an easy walk from their house, with a nice lake, trails and playground. Our grandgirl loves to swing, so we got a bunch of pushes in. I cannot believe she is already three and well on her way to being potty trained. She is a delight, still a grandma's girl (which I love), and I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to spend this time with her. (And her parents too, of course.)

Celebrating Seventy

Charlotte skyline

We have often traveled with our friends, Kathy and Paul. Kathy and I went to high school together, and later college at Iowa State University. Our birthdays are three days apart, with hers falling on Halloween. Jim and Paul were fraternity brothers at Iowa State, so we have all known each other a long time.

Paul and Jim put their heads together to plan a surprise for Kathy and me as we were both turning 70. They booked us into the Orchid Bay Resort in Belize. None of us had been to that country before, which is surprising since Paul was a captain for a major airline and has been around the world.

coming into Belize

Our ungodly early flight on October 30th necessitated a 4:30 a.m. Uber pickup, which was ugly. We had a few delays out of Charlotte due to maintenance issues and the government shutdown which has resulted in a shortage of control tower workers. From Charlotte we flew to Atlanta so that we could be on the same plane with our friends for the journey to Belize.

The resort was a two hour drive north of the Belize City airport, so we definitely wanted to share transportation for that ride. Upon checking in we were offered a welcoming beverage before being shown to our separate, thatched-roof casitas. They were lovely and included a good-sized screened lanai, which we took advantage of in the mornings and evenings. 

welcome to Orchid Bay

The next day we hung out at the resort. Because we had the all-inclusive package, we could have anything we wanted to eat and drink. We did some hiking on the resort grounds, played some games and also took out the kayaks to paddle around looking for birds. On Saturday we took a boat ride, which included a visit to some Mayan ruins, a trip down the New River, some snacks and then a stop to watch the sun set over the bay. It was lovely. Following dinner that night the staff provided both Kathy and me with our own cakes while they sang Happy Birthday to us.

birthday celebration

Sunday was our last full day at the resort. We decided to do a snorkeling expedition. Following a breakfast sandwich we made our way to the boat dock to meet the captain and his crew. It was only the four of us as passengers, so that was nice. They first took us to Bacalar Chico National Park & Marine Reserve, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is the only place in the Western Hemisphere that a reef touches land.

Bacalar Chico

Next we made our way to the Belize Barrier Reef. Part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, it is the largest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere and the second largest in the world. As we have also been to the Great Barrier Reef off Australia, we have now snorkeled at the world's two largest reefs. The first stop that we made was not very pretty nor were there very many fish. The second stop was super shallow and when the captain said you had to walk backwards over rocks to get to the deeper water, I decided to wait in the boat. That ended up to be a good call as they quickly spotted sharks and hustled the others back to the boat. The third stop was much better in that the coral looked healthier and there were a lot of fish. I will say that I have never snorkeled where there were not a ton of other boats around. We were the only ones there. And also normally the guides will feed the fish to draw them in, but that was not the case here. The fish were just there without added enticement.

snorkeling

One of the most interesting things to happen is that the assistants on the boat captured some conchs. They brought them on board and showed us how the conch hides within its shell. You have to tap the shell in a certain spot to loosen the conch so you can pull it out. They placed the shells back in the water as they become a home for other sea creatures. They then cleaned up the conch and served it in a dish called ceviche. You really can't have any seafood that is fresher than that!

conch

Following our breakfast Monday we make the two hour trek back to the airport. I have to say, it was a lot easier to leave the country than to enter it. When we arrived there were three other lines/checkpoints to go through once you got through Customs. Ridiculous... 

Our flight to Atlanta left a little late, but we had sufficient layover time in Atlanta to weather that. Plus our flight leaving Atlanta was late anyway, so no big deal. Going through Customs in Charlotte was a piece of (birthday) cake since we have Global Entry. It is worth every penny if you do international travel.

goodbye Belize