Doctors' visits (to them, not to me)

My annual physical was Friday. I'm menopausal, diabetic, trying to reduce my meds and gain muscle weight, watch my cholesterol, get fitter (first by walking daily for 30 minutes, taking a yoga class for 2 hours a week, then by playing badminton, and once I get stronger and more flexible practicing Karate). My blood sugars are BADDDDD, but if I am disciplined with diet and exercise and meds on schedule I can get them down (so why don't I). And my blood pressure, outside the doctor's office, is 11o/70 (this is good, by the way).

Also, I'm as weak as a kitten (except I can't scratch the hell out of the furniture). Since my doctor now knows that my maternal grandmother died of intestinal cancer I now have to get a small-bowel screen as well as a colonoscopy. And my physio wants me to get an Xray on my right knee to be sure I just have a slight inflammation and not incipient osteoarthritis.

I found a $10 bill on the sidewalk this weekend! Hoo-Rah! I make a good living and don't have any debt but mortgage, but I'm not ashamed to bend down and pick up a penny or nickel.

Please define the following terms: Backer rod. Contact cement. Water control valve. Staple. I have not been able to get a hardware store person to send me to the right department using any of these terms. Are they really strange?

Dark rye bread: I had some in a restaurant on Friday for a late breakfast following my fast and appointments and exercise. It was yummy. So I had some again this morning. It's very dark bread (black-coffee dark) and I had it with fruit salad and two scrambled eggs. Until I googled Dark Rye Bread recipes I would never have guessed that cocoa powder might be an ingredient---from a tablespoon to a quarter cup, depending on the recipe.

Glucosamine-Chondroitin-MSM: I found a liquid on sale. It's tangerine flavoured and very yummy, which persuades me to keep taking it three times a day for the 60 days it needs to be effective in reducing joint deterioration.

Black cohosh: One source says it's contra-indicated for diabetes. Another source says it's a hypoglycemic. Since it seems to promote periods I don't take it (I want to stop having menstrual periods). But who the hell knows for sure!? Anyway, I have a beautiful mature black cohosh plant growing in my back yard. It's a native North American species (you can get one at www.richters.com).