Life in General

After my recent medical adventure, my weight is down to 193. The last time I weighed this little was in 1989? 1990? Somewhere around there. It was part of the subtle weight gain. Just three pounds each year. It never seemed like much at the time. Until I felt it.

I really felt it was time to lose weight when it felt like I’d broken a toe. “Gout,” said my doctor. He x-rayed it to reassure me. But yes, he was right. I had gout. He was also wrong, weight loss did affect gout. It got better. I also used gout reoccurrence as hints that I was gained weight again.

I cannot recommend visiting hospitals and having major surgeries as a weight loss program. But hey! it works. I had plateaued at 204-208. Now I’m close to the “normal” weight as stated by BMI charts.

Actually, I’m more interested in converted fat into muscle. When you lose weight, at least the way I have, is to lose muscles first. As I exercise – a big recommendation from all doctors – is to regain the lost muscles. That’s number one to do.

Three Days without Hospitalisation.

Yes, I’m counting.

On the good side, I now weigh 197 pounds. My next mini-goal is 195.

On the surprising side, I find it very difficult to walk. No 10 mile walks on the path to a half marathon. I’m not shooting for a single mile.

If you have ever worked in a factory, you know the signs. X Days Since Last Accident. I’m going to add one of these to
my wall. X Days Until Last Hospital Vist.

It was 366 days since I was released from my TAVR/Heart_Attack/Stroke/etc visit. I was preparing to take my car into a mechanic, walk the six and a half miles home. It was part of my healing, rebuilding life.

And then I was up early, about 3:30. I coughed up something that didn’t feel right. So I spit into toilet paper. I will leave the description to “bright red and a lot.” Over the next couple of hours I this persisted. I packed up my backpack and called the ambulance. The next day it seems to have subsided. A Broncospcy did not show any active bleeding. After a night of observation I was released. This, by the way, is a side effect of the agressiver radiation treatment for Hodgkin’s Cancer in 1986. It was early treatments and all they really knew.

Less than 24 hours later it was back. Jennifer called her friend Billy and he saved us a call to the ambulance. I’m back in. More consulets today. Probably surgery on Wednesday. We will see.

When I get home I’m putting the X Days Since sign. Shooting to keep it incrementing.