Last week I learned from my cardiologist that there are two ways elevated cholesterol levels can kill me. The first is by increasing the likelihood of a heart attack. The second is at the hands of my doctor, should I continue to refuse to follow his advice. In his two-year battle to put me on a statin drug, the heart attack argument never worked, but his demonstrated aggravation in our Wednesday morning appointment went the distance toward securing his victory. As I walked to the pharmacy to drop off my prescription, I asked myself why this doctor is so doggedly committed to ensuring my good health—especially given my resistance to following his advice—and pondered over whether we as patients can actually affect the quality of care we receive. After cogitating on this over the weekend, I came to a conclusion—an emphatic yes—and identified things we can do to ensure first-class treatment.

One of the first things people want to know when they learn I had cancer is how it was discovered. There’s an element of personal concern in this question that’s perfectly natural—if I get cancer, will I know right away?—and I think what folks are hoping to hear is that all cancers in their earliest stages present clear, distinguishable symptoms that will prompt them to follow up with a medical professional. Unfortunately, this is not the case with many cancers, and all people, especially those at higher risk due to things like long-term exposure to carcinogens (tobacco, for example), a family history of cancer, or age (cancer risk naturally increases as we get older), should take a proactive approach to cancer detection and prevention.

If you’ve been following Ciao, Cancer! over the last few days, you know that 1) I spent some time kayaking and hanging out with my family last week on Orcas Island; 2) while I was there, broke my foot; 3) asked people for help (which I don’t normally do); and 4) got some exercise ideas from Captain Quinn to discuss in my then-forthcoming appointment with my orthopedist. I saw Dr. John Kennedy at the Hospital for Special Surgery yesterday afternoon, learned that I’d previously been misdiagnosed (with potentially significant consequences), and went home in an aircast.

In yesterday’s post, “Ask and ye shall receive. Really.“, I talked about the importance of reaching out for help, particularly in the health arena. I injured my foot a few months ago and found out last week that I’d actually managed to break it. I wanted to know whom to see–a top-notch orthopedist as old breaks can be problematic–and how to stay in shape if I were to have to withdraw from my fitness class. My normal approach would be DIY: conducting online research to find the doctor and learn about my fitness options. But this time was different. I sent emails and called people who I thought might be able to help me. All responded, one of whom was Jon Quinn, the head of Captain Quinn’s Fitness Boot Camp.

After learning a few days ago that I’d managed to break a bone in my right foot, I decided to do something that’s relatively new to me in regard to personal health. I asked for help.

The morning kayaking adventure around Orcas Island that I wrote about a few days ago ended as they always do there—hauling the kayak out of the water, across a rocky beach, and up a set of stairs to the lawn in front of my parents’ house. My right foot was sore when I reached the shore—the base of my big toe has been bothering me on and off ever since I started boot camp a month ago—but by the time I got the boat up to the house, the pain was so intense that I found it difficult to walk.

Since I started working out with Captain Quinn six weeks ago, I’ve noticed some real changes in my body. There’s less fat, more muscle, and a significant increase in endurance. This Saturday, I hopped on my bike and raced out to Coney Island, about 11 miles, and, after a lovely conversation on the boardwalk with a Ukrainian grandfather who wanted to teach me Russian, I raced back. I thought I’d feel fatigued when I got home and sore the next day, but neither was the case. I gotta say, I feel kind of proud (and grateful to my über-cool instructor and classmates).

Now that regular exercise has become part of my norm, I’ve decided to take another step and look into my nutrition. I remember someone telling me that they were tracking their calories via a tool they found on Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG.COM site, and on Saturday, after my ride, I checked it out.

Given the name of this website, you might infer that I have a certain affection for Italy (and you’d be correct). As such, after their poor performance against New Zealand in today’s World Cup match, I was feeling melancholic.

While my usual response to the onset of mild depression has been to stay indoors until it leaves me, often plopping myself down on the couch with the TV on in the background, more recently I’ve considered another approach