Metrics
Over the years, I have had at least two conversations with people who talked to me about metrics. They quoted medical test figures at me and/or asked me about medical test figures to try to engage me on the topic of health stuff.
Much to my chagrin, I had no idea what they were talking about. Their figures were meaningless to me and I could not speak their language.
THIS is my idea of metrics for the lay person:
I am nearly 57 years old and these are the longest, strongest, prettiest fingernails I have ever had. And the nail beds are a healthy bright pink instead of an anemic off white.
When we were young, my older sister had gorgeous fingernails that were tough as nails. In contrast, mine were paper thin and tore rather than breaking. I could never grow mine very long because they would soon tear and had to be clipped.
People with cystic fibrosis are prone to clubbing, a condition I have never had. It is associated with or attributed to low blood oxygen levels and several other lung conditions, though it can also be due to heart disease or gut issues.
I have come to believe that fingertip health is generally impacted by any kind of circulatory issue at all. People with CF not only have lung issues that impact oxygen levels, we have gut issues that impact the nutrients available in the blood stream and we are at high risk of Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes.
Years ago, I went through a period of time where my fingertips hurt like a bitch when I got up in the morning. I would shriek when pulling my panties up after peeing, then shower and have breakfast and after that my fingertips were okay again.
I had pus come pouring out from under the cuticle of one thumbnail for a while, maybe a few days or a couple of weeks. For months, I had strange striations on my fingernails that I failed to adequately record though I tried one or more times.
I can't tell you what my blood oxygen levels are. I haven't had such medical tests in a lot of years.
I can tell you confidently that my fingertips are getting more oxygen and nutrients and are vastly healthier than they used to be. I can measure that visually in terms of how my fingernails look.
They are longer, thicker, stronger. They no longer readily tear like tissue paper.
And I can tell you fingertips get shorted first. If my fingertips are healthier, all of me is healthier. All of me has more oxygen, more nutrition, etc.
Hair quality, skin quality, ability to take the stairs, carrying capacity when running errands on foot and myriad other details also serve as meaningful metrics for casually tracking my progress.
I don't have the money for medical tests. I also don't need them.
I have eyes and I know how winded I get when taking the stairs, etc.
Much to my chagrin, I had no idea what they were talking about. Their figures were meaningless to me and I could not speak their language.
THIS is my idea of metrics for the lay person:
When we were young, my older sister had gorgeous fingernails that were tough as nails. In contrast, mine were paper thin and tore rather than breaking. I could never grow mine very long because they would soon tear and had to be clipped.
People with cystic fibrosis are prone to clubbing, a condition I have never had. It is associated with or attributed to low blood oxygen levels and several other lung conditions, though it can also be due to heart disease or gut issues.
I have come to believe that fingertip health is generally impacted by any kind of circulatory issue at all. People with CF not only have lung issues that impact oxygen levels, we have gut issues that impact the nutrients available in the blood stream and we are at high risk of Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes.
Years ago, I went through a period of time where my fingertips hurt like a bitch when I got up in the morning. I would shriek when pulling my panties up after peeing, then shower and have breakfast and after that my fingertips were okay again.
I had pus come pouring out from under the cuticle of one thumbnail for a while, maybe a few days or a couple of weeks. For months, I had strange striations on my fingernails that I failed to adequately record though I tried one or more times.
I can't tell you what my blood oxygen levels are. I haven't had such medical tests in a lot of years.
I can tell you confidently that my fingertips are getting more oxygen and nutrients and are vastly healthier than they used to be. I can measure that visually in terms of how my fingernails look.
They are longer, thicker, stronger. They no longer readily tear like tissue paper.
And I can tell you fingertips get shorted first. If my fingertips are healthier, all of me is healthier. All of me has more oxygen, more nutrition, etc.
Hair quality, skin quality, ability to take the stairs, carrying capacity when running errands on foot and myriad other details also serve as meaningful metrics for casually tracking my progress.
I don't have the money for medical tests. I also don't need them.
I have eyes and I know how winded I get when taking the stairs, etc.
