Today

A productive day.  First thing in the morning I went and got some blood work done, then returned and cut the lawn.  These are the rhubarb plants that opposed me:

Smiley attacked (most) of them while I did the lawn,  using a new-to-us mower Lulu got us from a gentleman on Facebook who repairs them and gives them away for free. 

After that,  a shower and a nap. I woke up and went to Mass, then headed to Cedarburg with Lisa. 

We had margaritas and chips at a Mexican restaurant we've been to before, but maaan this time was a miss. No taste,  no flavor,  no Bueno.

Afterwards we hopped across the street to the Rivoli where we caught a showing of The Blue Angels.

Not our normal fare, but the documentary,  while devoid of drama, was interesting enough. Lisa enjoyed it more that I did, and I still grade it a B.

A good and busy day for yours truly.

A Day with Junie

 I left work early today to take Junie to an appointment at Children's Hospital. That place is HUGE and although our visits there are mad infrequent, I'll be glad to put it in the rear view mirror. 

Cool wallpaper tho!

Afterwards we had an hour to kill before picking up Lisa from work so we stopped and looked at the animals at the humane society. 

Then Junie made a spaghetti dinner for the family, including salad and homemade garlic bread!

A good afternoon with my youngest!

A Big Change

Sometimes it's hard to see any change. Other times I see it. I saw it today. Here's a before and during. I've been reluctant to admit I'm trying to be healthier because accountability is scary. Lisa

Surgery is On

 Surgery is on! IV being inserted soon and then it's showtime. Lisa 2.0 to be revealed soon. Thanks to all my friends and family who have reached out with encouragement, it means the world to me! Dan thanks for a wonderful night before surgery and being here every step of the way. I love you. - Lisa

Flat Chested with a Mullet????

I've agreed to a free haircut on Thursday of this week. A "wolf cut". Then the following Wednesday a surgeon takes my breasts down 8 sizes. So by Thursday of next week I'll be flat chested with a mullet...but it's got a cool new name for a mullet so it's gonna be all good right? RIGHT? These before and after pics are gonna be something else lol -  Lisa

Good News

Good news.We got the test results back from Junie's EEG - no evidence of epilepsy. Bad news: unless this is some weird habit (and I doubt it) we have to eliminate the other possibilities the doctor brought up.

At the Gym

Visit #4 of the week, hip pain be damned.

 Guess its time to invest in a humidifier upstairs. Too many nose bleeds and sore throats. - Lisa

A (good?) update

It's 2:54 in the morning and I just got off the phone with my Mom, who says she's back at the rehab facility and that - and here I admit skepticism - her heart condition was misdiagnosed. She says it was COPD and fluid buildup in the lungs, along with blood in her throat. I've been in a funk for days, but I'm hesitant to release my worry. How could that possibly have been a mistake? The doctors (presumably) aren't quacks, and I heard the diagnosis.  .  .

Down 4

I'm down four pounds this week and am at my lowest weight since 2006, and only four pounds removed from my lowest weight of the century.

It could happen only to me

That awkward moment at the grocery store when someone congratulates you on your weight loss while you have three pies in your hands.

A medical update

I went to my physician today to follow up on the chest pain, but after a short wait he came out and told everyone in the waiting room there was a staffing problem and we'd have to reschedule. Swell. I wasn't going to wait and fret another week so I went to a local urgent care. A nurse hooked me up to an EKG and pronounced my sinus rhythm normal, showing no evidence of a heart attack, and said it was probably muscle strain combined with a bad panic attack. He said the dr wanted some more tests, and plopped me back in the waiting room. Ninety minutes later,still waiting but with class looming, I thought "F this" and bolted. I'm going with the panic attack/muscle strain theory, and thus will happily resume both gym and romantic activity.

A Scare

A scare tonight. I had severe pain in my left arm, and as a long time fat man I grew concerned. My anxiety led the pain to expand to my jaw, at which time - after stopping at a friend's house to try and relax - I went to the ER. One look at the wait there and I turned tail and left. Once I did so the pain immediately lessened. I'll still follow up with my physician, but it's probably a pulled muscle from lifting weights yesterday. Or my impending death. Either/or.

A Day at the Gym

 The hip is bad today, so I concentrated on the upper body. A big thanks to these two for keeping me company! (And yes, LuLu s reading on the treadmill.)

 Back to back appointments two days in a row, plus work and school, means sleep has been in short supply. The hip is progressing fine. I've abandoned the cane and the pain is only notable - meaning rehabilitating - maybe twice a week. The physical therapist complimented my progress and work ethic, saying I'm ahead of where he and his coworkers thought I'd be by this time. Aiming for medical clearance on April 5th.

Good News

Good news: after a follow-up, the doc says Junie's hearing is back to normal and the replacement ear tube is working fine.

A Follow Up

Good news: after a follow-up, the doc says Junie's hearing is back to normal and the replacement ear tube is working fine.

A Snow Day

Nine inches of snow and I shoveled not a flake. Who says a bum hip is all bad?

But - Lisa fell when shoveling and went to the Urgent Care with a knee injury. Nothing broken, but we're looking like a collection of cripples 'round these parts.

update: I just returned from the first post-op appointment. The stitches were removed and he said I'm doing well, with the pain merely to be expected from the operation. The long term prognosis was less than stellar, but that's the future. The vertigo is something he thinks will pass on its own Crutches for 3 more weeks, and no driving until both the vertigo stops and I'm off all pain killers.

A Visit with My Mom

My Mom was admitted to the hospital Tuesday. Knowing I'd be unable to traverse the mammoth St Luke's after the surgery, I went to visit her yesterday evening. I think she'll be fine, but I wouldn't object to you saying a prayer on her behalf.

On Jenny McCarthy

Jenny McCarthy, who preaches that children shouldn't get vaccinated against disease, is angry that Charlie Sheen may have exposed her to a communicable disease. Now, her ignorance on how HIV is spread is very 1983, and rather laughable, but if she wasn't married to a New Kid I might be tempted to point out the hypocrisy of her newest rant.