Ugh and true love...

My life from the start has not been boring, usual, or humdrum.  It has been one fast-paced, crazy adventure after another due to factors within my control and many without.  Today, I learned that I have early onset artherosclerosis.  Ugh.  Although the plaque build up in my carotid artery is fairly minimal with a slim chance of a heart attack or stroke today, the medical staff agreed that it is still a  concern that needs to be addressed. My cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic thinks it is a good idea to wait with treatment until after my next MRI, so I can see how the ketogenic diet is working with the tumor, and then decide which drugs/treatment to take/do to lower my cholesterol.  The medical team at Mayo stated that my high cholesterol is genetic, which means that it cannot be controlled by anything that I do personally and in order to lower the cholesterol I will need medical intervention (i.e. drugs).  "This is a very, very, unique situation in every way..." according to one of the cardio-staff.   "From the moment I met this woman, everything about her has been unique," responded Andrew.  <3

Andrew  *sigh*  I Don't Want to Miss A Thing -- Aerosmith

Andrew has been without a doubt the single best thing that has come into my life.   We have created the life that I always dreamed of as a child.   He has been willing to accommodate and aid in my crazy schemes from eating vegan (and teaching vegan cooking classes in our community), to homeschooling, to moving to Brazil, to moving to India after we knew I had brain cancer,  to leaving the church of our youth and embracing life on our own terms, to eating a mostly fat-filled ketogenic diet, etc..  He has supported me 99.9% in all of my craziness and hunger for knowledge and excellence and striving for an authentic life.  And, now here we are in a situation we did not create, nor ask for, but it is what it is.  The people around the world who died today of a random accident or unknown health condition did not ask for that either.  :-(   There are no guarantees.  We all hope that we will have the best of the best, but really all we can do is be our best, love our best, and then hope for the best and accept the rest.  

xoxo ~ Autumn

P.S.  I re-opened our old blog I started back in 2006 for Sam to access for a school project.  If interested: Old Foerderer Family Blog

             Rochester, MN  ~  Cold and Cloudy May