Start of 2025

It's been a hectic start to 2025. I feel overwhelmed for some reason, but I'm having trouble identifying what I've been doing. One thing I'm certain of is that I've been riding a bicycle for at least an hour every other day, keeping my heart rate between 125 and 130 beats per minute. I chose to exercise every other day to prevent overexertion at my age. Plus, working out too intensely and risking injury would only set me back.

On January 7, I eagerly awaited the results of my annual physical and blood test. I was thrilled to see my weight was 302.7 pounds, an unusually high number that I need to control. However, it’s a positive sign that I’ve lost about 23 pounds since retiring, when my highest weight was 325.3 pounds. I’m losing about half a pound per week, a sustainable rate that I hope to maintain. The stress of helping my mother move from a nursing home to a closer facility caused me to gain a few pounds back.

One very disappointing part of my visit was that my iron level was extremely low. Again, it's frustrating because I've been battling anemia for a long time! Test results were:

• Iron (normal range 61-157 ug/dL) 
• Current 20 ug/dL - 31 below normal range
• This is the lowest it has been since the diagnosis in 2017, when it was 23 ug/dL

• Iron saturation index (normal range 15 to 46%)
• Current is 5% - 15% below the normal range
• This is the lowest it has ever been, with 7% in January 2023

• Ferritin (normal range 31 to 409 ng/mL)
• Current is 11 ng/mL - 20 ng/mL below the normal range
• The lowest ever, with 8 ng/mL in July 2016. I was 11 ng/mL in November of 2023.

• Hemoglobin (normal range 13.3 to 17.7 g/dL )
• Current is 11.4 g/dL - 1.9 g/dL below normal range
• This is the lowest it has ever been; in January 2023, it was 12.1 g/dL

• MCV - Mean Corpuscular Volume (normal range 78-100 fl)
• Current is 72 fl - 6 fl below the normal range
• This is the same as January 2023, and it is the lowest it has ever been.

• MCH - Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (normal range 26.5 to 33.0 pg)
• Current is  21.3 pg - 5.2 pg below the normal range
• This was at 20.9 in January 2023.

• MCHC - Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (normal range 31.5 to 36.5 g/dL)
• Current is  29.6 g/dL - 1.9 pg below the normal range
• This was at 28.8 g/dL in January 2023.

Therefore, my anemia has worsened, not improved. I should have noticed it through the shortness of breath and low energy! I've been busy cleaning out the basement and getting rid of the junk. This will be a multi-week project as I build shelves to organize my belongings.

Since I retired, I haven't seen markets this volatile. I have cash ready to withstand the downturn. I am living off my tax-deferred savings because the market has performed well over the past two years and is currently at a high level.

Carry on, my friends, carry on!