I had chicken pox so bad as a kid -- down my throat, literally everywhere -- that if I get shingles, it will seem like a bad sign from the universe. That said, I should get the vaccine.

Amy, it was because I remember having chicken pox that I agreed to get the vaccine. Whole lot of nope at the thought of shingles.

I am growing to hate Bed Bath and Beyond. Their operational processes are cumbersome.

Speaking of immunizations, we are watching a series which I will not name so I don't spoil anyone, and a big plot point has to do with someone losing their spleen. There have been several scenes about how they now need prophylactic antibiotics and special immunizations. They are told that can live a normal life but they have to follow this regimen or they could face life-threatening consequences. I lost my spleen when I was 12 and not one doctor has ever said doodley squat to me about anything like that. Well, one did say I should get a pneumonia shot every few years, but that's it. HAVE I BEEN TEMPTING DEATH ALL THESE YEARS?

TV never lies about medical issues, so

Scrappy - defying death every day!

There have been several scenes about how they now need prophylactic antibiotics and special immunizations. They are told that can live a normal life but they have to follow this regimen or they could face life-threatening consequences.

I hope it's not spoilery to say the writers appear to have Googled "spleenectomy recovery time" roughly 5 minutes after putting that episode to bed.

So, I ran by Trader Joe's on my lunch break to stock up on lunches. One of the things I got was cabbage rolls, and I decided I'd have that today for lunch. It is only now, halfway through the second roll, that I realize that I am bemused and disappointed that they are not in tomato sauce even though they aren't in the picture and they are described accurately in the packaging, I just deep down was sure they'd be swimming in tomato sauce because that's what I'm used to.

Huh.

People!! I am so thrilled I can hardly stand it. Since my doctor is a customer and I can see my chart anytime I have of course been checking all day to see results. My cholesterol in March was 236; it has been above 200 for at least a couple decades. Today it was 182. Don't have the A1c numbers yet in there, but just that one change has me so delighted.

Dieting sucks so much, but it is a lot easier when it actually works. Still way heavier than I want to be, but the nutritionist says it is because of the functioning being screwed up and if I fix the cholesterol and A1c the weight will follow.

PCP better have gold stars when I see him Thursday. Woooot!

Congrats, Laura!

Splenectomy is a fun word to say. Probably less fun to experience.