I live in Tennessee. I was recently diagnosed with Lyme Disease. (In some parts of the country, they call it Lymes Disease, but technically, it's Lyme Disease.)

With approximately 20,000 new cases reported each year, Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States... Lyme disease became nationally notifiable in 1991." Source

It was after a month of "weird" symptoms, several trips to the doctor, and several rounds of tests, that they finally realized that Lyme Disease was the reason for all of my recent ailments. Lyme Disease was actually the last thing they tested for.

But... I'm one of the lucky ones. Typically people go through upwards of 20 doctors and years of wrong diagnoses and treatments before they are accurately diagnosed with Lyme Disease.

I used to...

Added to my list of "weird things about my body that I might need to take care of soon" is: a Ganglion cyst.

Ugggh!

At least it's relatively harmless. Just odd-looking, that's all.

Figured I'd share some info, in case others are experiencing something similar...

A ganglion cyst is a tumor or swelling on top of a joint or the covering of a tendon (tissue that connects muscle to bone). It looks like a sac of liquid (cyst). Inside the cyst is a thick, sticky, clear, colorless, jellylike material. Depending on the size, cysts may feel firm or spongy. Source

I've actually held off on posting this, because I wonder if I don't divulge too much on this website sometimes.

As a rule, I prefer to write about things that I've personally experienced -- with the hope that it will help someone else in some small way.

My theory is: If I wondered about how something works or how something's done, then chances are someone else has wondered the same things.

That is what fuels my desire to keep writing these sometimes overly-personal stories... like today's.

After a friend of mine told me that she was experiencing something similar and did I have any tips, suggestions, little-known facts that she might need to know, that was all the motivation I needed to share my experience of having a laparoscopy to remove cysts from my ovaries, caused by endometriosis.

I have affectionately subtitled today's post:

What I've learned:
If you're going to have your old silver fillings replaced with nice white fillings (also known as "composite fillings", "porcelain fillings" or "tooth colored fillings"), be prepared for a series of Crowns and Root Canals in your immediate future.

Here's how things went for me...
I had good dental insurance, so I thought I'd take the time to replace all of those old silver fillings that I'd had since childhood with nice new white fillings.

The goal: No more mouth-full-of-silver whenever I smiled big.

The reality: Serious dental work in every quadrant of my mouth.

With the recent release of the study that found "car steering wheels carry more than twice as many germs as a toilet seat," I feel compelled to share my thoughts.

Helloooo!...

When in the world is everyone going to figure it out?... Toilet seats just aren't that dirty!

Yeah, there's the stink-factor. And the splish-splash that sometimes goes along with it. But when was the last time your butt was actually "dirty"?

I'm talking the outside part... the big cheeky part... the part that actually touches the toilet seat. When you think about it, that's probably one of the cleanest parts ON our bodies!

Mostly because that area rarely sees the light of day. And, therefore, it has very few occasions on which to pick up dirt and grime and bacteria.

So why do you suppose we are so inclined to continue thinking that a toilet seat is obviously "dirty"?

"Surprisingly, toilet seats consistently had the lowest bacteria levels of the 12 surfaces tested." Source

Still don't believe me?...

I apologize in advance...

Today's post is purely in response to all of the people who've been asking for "Mr. Silent Killer Gas Passer" over on our Bud Light Real Men of Genius pages. (Trust me, there have been many!)

Listen to Bud Light's Real Men of Genius "Mr. Silent Killer Gas Passer":

Watch the video for Bud Light's Real Men of Genius "Mr. Silent Killer Gas Passer":

In the process of doing my "research" about flatulence issues, I came across a number of interesting products, treatments, cartoons and pictures regarding the act of passing gas.

Therefore, I will share.

While this tends to be a comical issue, I do feel obligated to point out the fact that flatulence can be a serious problem for some people.

But I figure that even they would be hard pressed not to laugh (or at least smile) at some of what follows...

Due to a recent traffic accident (where I was hit from behind), I've been experiencing neck and lower back pain. My chiropractor recommended an MRI.

I had my first-ever MRI yesterday, and I'll admit I was a tad nervous.

Mostly because of the claustrophobic thing. But also because of the magnetized machinery thing. (The entire MRI scanner is magnetized such that it is strong enough to send things like hospital guernies, floor buffer machines, and office equipment flying across the room in the process of being SUCKED into the machine itself!)

These visuals (and these stories) were stuck in my brain the entire time:

But, I also managed to find some humorous things about the whole process of getting an MRI.

In the event that you have to go in for an MRI in the near future, perhaps you will find some value in the things that I learned:

...or does it?

That pretty much summarizes my take on the whole blood pressure monitoring thing lately.

You see, the "professionals" always seem to get a (vastly!) different reading on my blood pressure -- no matter what time of the day, or where I'm having it done. I just don't get it. Truthfully, I'm not sure they do either.

If you too, are concerned (and just as confused) about your blood pressure readings, then read on...

For the record, here's what the blood pressure numbers mean:

...not according to Paul Harvey

Listen to Friday's Paul Harvey show in which he discussed city water vs bottled water. (A not-so-subtle reminder from Paul Harvey at the end of the audio: "Evian" spelled backwards is "Naive".)

But wait, it gets better!