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Doesn't this look a bit like Jack from The Nightmare Before Christmas? It's a birch stump from the back yard. We use it for setting plant pots on.

Last night Carol and I had a super get together at Las Palapas. We had the sopas (soup) there for the first time. You get your choice of a brothy type soup and then you fill the bowl with all kinds of good stuff from the soup bar. It was delicious and very filling. My only complaint would be that by the time you fill your bowl up with stuff from the chilled soup bar, your soup isn't very warm. It was fun to get together with Carol and have some laughs.

Today has been busy and good! I had a morning appointment with my Naturopath for which I did considerable preparation. I had a list of questions and I'd printed some research study reports that present some possibilities for treating my stiff, aching joints. It was a short but productive appointment. She's going to do some additional research into a couple of things and call me back. So far, though, we've determined that I'm deficient in Vitamin D (at 74 nmol/L) whereas optimal is 125. She would like me to get my Vitamin D levels tested again to see how much progress has been made since my last test at the end of October. I've been taking 4,000 IU per day since then. It takes about a month to get results back from Vitamin D tests. In the meantime, for the next 5 days I'm going to take 20,000 IU per day and then drop to 10,000 IU per day. She poked and prodded my arms and legs and my shins, in particular, are quite painful when touched. When I had that pedicure a couple of weeks ago, I had to ask the esthetician to stop massaging my legs because it just hurt too much. Apparently, that can be an indicator of Vitamin D deficiency. My Naturopath also referred to the clinical study that was presented in December at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Seminar that indicated success in using high doses of Vitamin D to reduce and even eliminate joint and bone pain caused by Aromatase Inhibitors (such as the Arimidex I had been taking). It would be ideal, I think, if we could find a way to prevent or at least diminish the bone and joint problems, which would allow me to go back on Arimidex again, it being the best drug available (according to studies) for preventing cancer recurrence in post-menopausal women. Since low levels of Vitamin D also put women at higher risk for breast cancer, I'm all for optimal levels of Vitamin D for that reason, as well.

Good news is that my Iodine tests came back normal. My thyroid tests are borderline. My neutrophils and white blood cell counts are a bit below the normal range but generally, all my regular blood test results from last week show a lot of improvement from where everything sat at the end of October, so all's good.

I'll also start taking a cup of pomegranate juice (or one pomegranate) per day for breast cancer prevention and Rhus Tox every day to try to help my aching joints. Recent studies indicate that Pomegranate may prevent or slow the growth of some types of breast cancer. At any rate, it certainly can't hurt to eat pomegranates and is good for me anyway.

It feels good to be doing something to help my body and I appreciate the guidance my Naturopath provides.

After that encouraging part of my day, I picked Bonnie up and we went for a celebratory lunch at Original Joe's. We tried to go to Bliss on Broadway, neither of us ever having been there before, but alas ... there was a water main break. Original Joe's was good, though, and it was great to spend some time with Bonnie! Thanks, Bonnie!

I'm thinking of Don today. He hasn't been feeling great and I'm glad he's getting a bunch of tests done so that he can feel good again as soon as possible!

This evening I plan to walk the track with Erin! First time. I can't wait. I have to do something to get back in shape and shed some pounds and this marks a start.

Happy Birthday, Josh!!!

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