Crossing another old-lady threshold

Yesterday, in addition to the annual smash-o-gram, I had my first bone density test.

My health insurance company had to pre-approve it, even though my doctor felt it was time for one. Y'all know how I feel about health insurance [single-payer universal, anyone?], but the fact that the company will pay without pre-certification if you're 60 made me feel kinda old.

I learned from the woman who administered the test that being post-menopausal but not on hormone replacement therapy are reason enough for a doctor to order the test.

This was certainly the easiest medical test I've ever had done. No sticking, no pinching, no smashing, no blood, no poking, no prodding, no tilting, no bruising – I've had my share of diagnostics. Can you tell? You just lie down on a table with your knees elevated on a big foam block while an x-ray machine kind of wands over your midsection and hips. No biggie. Kind of relaxing, really.

It only measures bone density, so if there are any large tumors in there accounting for the extra weight I'm carrying around I'll have to have a different kind of test to find it. You'd think they'd figure out a way to do a two-fer, but they wouldn't be able to charge for two different tests that way.

Cynical about U.S. health care delivery? Who, me?

Anyway, I'm hoping to learn that the daily 1000 mg of calcium I take, plus running, plus a pitiful little amount of weight training and now yoga will result in the bones of a 30-year-old. I was joking with the technician that maybe the test will show I have extra-dense – really heavy – bones, and that's the reason I can't seem to lose weight.

But my clothes don't fit as well as they did last year and I know better, I really do.

I had a much better food day yesterday, which was a rest day. I did 45 minutes of yoga in the morning and grocery-shopped after leaving the hospital. Turned in early, which is an excellent strategy for not eating in the evening. I feel well-rested this morning and ready for a real tempo run.

And a really good rest of the day.

Can you believe it? An entire post without mentioning the weather! Heh.