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| Yeah, so my attempt to update and use my Xanga more hasn't gone well this year. But I found it again. So much has happened. Where to start?
Well, I found out today that I fractured my ankle/heel three weeks ago when I slipped coming out of the shower. I've been walking around on it all of those three weeks and even moved into my house with the injury. Fortunately, high doses of Advil Liquid Gels and lots of determination have kept me going. I go in tomorrow morning and they will fit me with a boot to wear for a few weeks, then probably some therapy!
I think that the fractured ankle started my current foul mood. The pain mixed with the stress of buying a house and then moving into said house made for a few bad weeks. Ask my mom. She was about ready to kill me last week. But we're getting settled and preparing to move her in a couple of weeks. I'm glad that she found a nice place to live that has a lot of security. As retirement communities go, this one is a good one that's affordable.
I got my internet and cable hooked up tonight and I feel like I've moved to the modern times. Now mac is completely up to date.
Part of my bad mood is coming from the fact that the ankle injury has sidelined me from working out. My first three months of training garnered at 21 lb weight loss with over 3% loss of body fat. My body is going through some subtle changes with lots of strength, better mood, less back problems and a decrease to almost no acid reflux. I went back to the gym this week and will still be lifting upper body 2 days a week, but I won't be able to do cardio for at least another 3 weeks, probably more with therapy. The stress of everything in the past few weeks has gotten me away from healthy eating. Of course, I won't be hitting the gym very hard for a few weeks, so I've got to get the eating down to maintain.
The new house is great. It's 123 years old and I love every bit of it. It was a tough move and lack of sleep didn't help matters. But in the end, my family and friends kicked in and we got it all done. Sometimes I can't believe that I'm a homeowner. It was a big step that has been great for me. | | |
| This is the first year that I've made a resolution and gotten right to it! It excites me and empowers me. I'm going to try and keep my blog current with news of how it all goes. TRY is the operative word in that sentence.
I decided that it was time for action - REAL action. The past year-and-a-half has been tumultuous, to say the least. With my back injury and my mom in and out of the hospital, I wasn't sure if I was coming or going and never knew when to go or stop or relax or plan or even dream anymore. But now things are going well. I really took some time to get deep inside and really listen to what was in there. So I made the biggest resolution that I could ever make. I decided that I have to make the effort and lose about 75 pounds this year. I've said it for 20 years now and it's never really happened. Well, there was a 2-year period, or so, when I really did it before my back injuries, but I digress. However, this year I decided I really needed to decide why I was doing it and with what purpose. I realized that if I don't drop a significant amount of weight and keep it off, I'm going to have to have back surgery much sooner and won't have much to work with by the age of 40, if I make it that far without surgery. So, I'm digging deep down inside of me and trying to work from the inside to make it all happen. First, is the mental aspect. I'm tackling the issues in my mind that cause me to overeat. I'm actually going to deal with some real feelings in order to face my food issues. The next facet is the physical aspect. I've hired a personal trainer and I see him 3 times a week for weight lifting and fat burning workouts. Finally, I'm dealing with the world around me in positive ways. I'm working on changing my whole paradigm in order to bring out the guy that I remember. There is a catch. If I can't lose a significant amount of weight (at least 50 pounds) by the end of the year, I must visit a doctor and start looking into weight loss surgery options. I have no choice. The weight MUST come off.
I changed church singing gigs to one that is less stressful and a lot more fun.
I faced my financial future and found that things are so much better than I thought. All of my work to repair my credit and to get back to life has paid off. I was approved for a home loan at a the lowest rate! It's the answer that I needed for a few years. I spent a long time being a good boy and saving and paying off and doing things right for once. I have always been intimidated to buy a home because of the past. Well, the past is buried in the past. I move on!
I am looking for a home for me. Mom and I have been through a lot of stuff with her illness and my injuries and we have become very close. But now it's time for me to move on to other things. I'm learning what it's like to make my world what I want it to be rather than what I can do for now. Who knows what the future brings? I just have to live in the moment. I'm terrified of this home purchasing event, but I think it will cause me to grow in ways that I never thought possible.
So here goes! I'm in week 2 of personal training and feeling like a champ. Last Friday's weigh-in was a loss of 3.2 pounds.
Wish me health and happiness. I don't need any luck! | | |
| Mom's surgery was moved to Nov 11, just one day later. I just wanted everyone to know. It's on my brother's birthday. That'll be weird. | | |
| Mom's surgery date has been set. She will be undergoing open heart surgery to repair the mitral valve on November 10. The visit with the surgeon yesterday was very good. He's a very smart man who has developed a procedure to repair heart valves that does not involve breaking any ribs or cutting down through the chest cavity muscles. They do it through an incision in the right armpit and tiny holes in the chest as well as a catheter back up through the groin (like in the angiogram). Dr. Huang feels that he only has to repair the central ring of the valve, which is less complicated than it could be (however, still a long and involved surgery). Because he won't be cutting down through the chest wall and breaking ribs, her recovery time will be cut in half. Both mom and I were comforted and somewhat relieved after yesterday's appointment. I believe that I have a small amount of normal and typical worry. There are a lot of factors involved, but let's face it, mom's heart is not that strong and there can always be complications. However, I think it's just that little nagging thought that is really there and not a lot to worry about. But I am a little OCD, so those small thoughts need a little attention. Other than that, I think things are in the right direction. If the surgery goes well, mom will be well on her way to very healthy by the first of next year and we hope to be celebrating mom's birthday in February in style. We'll have a big bash. And I told her that if she recovered from all of this and got healthy again, I'd take her for a big trip to NYC to see Phantom of the Opera, which she's never seen. I guess I better start saving those pennies, huh? | | |
| I'm terrible about updates. I know this. Mom's angiogram went splendidly. Not one issue during the process. The doctor said that there is no blockage in any of the coronary arteries and no other coronary issues to deal with. The mitral valve is very damaged and not working properly. She will have to undergo open heart surgery to repair or replace the valve. Fortunately, we have the best valve surgeon in the area, and one of the best in the nation, to do her surgery. He has developed a couple of procedures that are becoming world-renowned. We meet with him this afternoon and hope to set the surgery date then. My dear friend's mother passed away yesterday. I only found out within the last week that she was going into liver failure and apparently, it was more advanced than they believed. My heart goes out to anyone losing her mother. I don't know what I'll do on that day in the distant future when my mother passes. So I offer all of my deepest sympathies, condolences, thoughts and prayers to Billie, her family and Anisa. May you all find peace one day soon. I started the last part of rehab for my back last week. It's going well. I feel so much better already. I'm walking longer and longer, my recovery time is much shorter and I'm slowly get stronger. I lost 2 lbs last week. I have to lose about 100, but I'm determined to work hard to make it happen. I know my pitfalls and triggers and I am working hard to overcome them. I even got up at 5 yesterday morning to get on the treadmill. It didn't work so well this morning, but I'm trying. Fortunately, my current trainer is very patient and extremely qualified. Off to the rest of the dreary Wednesday. Maybe I'll wake up soon. | | |
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