Apologies,Apologies....& I Made It To 42!!

Many apologies for not posting more frequently!! Although, I am back on 40 hr work weeks(till nextweek...45) I have continued to be very tired. I've been sleeping 8 -10hrs every night when I get home from work. I haven't worked out at all since around the first week of the year. I was put on Levaquin a while back but, no one saw the need for me to be placed on Prednisone at the same time. My lungs still aren't quite right. I get feelings of lightheadedness and for a while was having awful head rushes...I had attributed it to the Levaquin and then to the guifenesen(I took this in hopes it would help clear my lungs). As a result of this I chose to not attend Strictly Sail. I'm a little bummed but, it's probably just as well. I think if I attended I might come home the owner of a new to me sailboat which can wait till I've seen Dr. Hogarth in March. I really need to see exactly what if anything I can do for my lungs.

I guess I could say "poor poor me" except I stopped at Burdy's after work and was struck by the fact I made it to 42 and have been cancer free for over 6 months now. Linda(Mrs. Burdy) was there tonight. Right after I returned to Wisconsin folowing my cancer surgery I wasn't able to drive and walked to town due to boredom(plus I am pretty social). Due to heat, meds, soreness or all of them together I was having a time making it home(walking and getting sick to my stomach). Linda stopped and said "You mean you STILL haven't made it home yet?!! GET IN!! I'll give you a ride. I TOLD YOU to call if you needed a ride!"

I turned 42 today. I know of at least 5 classmates whom I graduated high school with whom have passed away. I know of at least 2 people I attended Eastern Oklahoma State with whom have passed. My life may not be as long as I or anyone else thinks it should be.....but, I work at making it a rich and full life instead! Tomorrow I pickup my Saris T-Rax Pro 700 series bike rack. Monday I sign an agreement to begin the process of bidding on a piece of land. In 30 days I'll know whether I get it.

I'm waiting on a couple woodworking books. "The Cabinetmaker's Notebook" and another by Udo Schmidt. I already got the one book by Tage Frid. I'm thinking of ordering the book "The Diving Bell and The Butterfly". I don't think I could ever watch the movie. It's about "locked in syndrome". It is the memoir of a man who was editor of Elle magazine who suffered a stroke at 43 yrs old. When he recovered conciuosness he was only able to comunicate by blinking one eye lid.

I took care of my Dad when he died of brain cancer and it still bothers me to this day when I think fo how quickly his quality of life changed. What most people don't know is... He went from being able to run every tool known to man(or at least pretty close) to not even being able to dress himself within 2 weeks time. We didn't learn till he was hospitalized 10 days before he died...that the tumor was placing pressure on his optical nerve so that he could not read, see a movie or tell what time it was. He essentially was locked in his body. My father was a very gifted man. He wasn't just a high school industrial arts teacher/dept head(tech ed). Until 1975 he was a licensed plumber. He would master one thing and then proceed to the next thing. He taught me how to roof, drywall, frame up a building, lay bricks and many other things. He made furniture(& looms) and he taught my brother how to be a machinist. In retirement he took up lapidary & billiards and looked forward to returning to Wisconsin in spring to all his tools & equipment.

I asked my Mom after Father had passed away how he knew how to build the cabin...I mean I knew how he could understand how to build a house but, a cabin is unique. Mom held her hands at least twelve inches apart and said "He went down to the library and got a stack of books this high and 2 months later he built it!" That just made me think WOW!!