The Top10 Things You Should Do If You Test Positive For Alpha1

  • Have A List Of Questions When You See a Doctor About Your Alpha1(If you try to remember the questions you want to ask you may forget half of them)
  • Learn To Breathe Effectively
  • Limit Or Eliminate Your Alcohol Consumption
  • Don't Be Afraid To Be Proactive About Your Alpha1
  • Get Plenty Of Rest(You will likely have a higher oxygenation level)
  • Avoid Sick People(You have a lower immune system than most people)
  • Drink Plenty Of Water
  • Eat Healthy/Avoid Processed Food(Carbonated beverages)
  • Start A Careful Exercise Program/Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program(Your muscles will become more efficient so they won't use as much oxygen and if you have surgery you will likely recover quicker as well)
  • Stop Smoking

Friday, September 30, 2016

Great Expectations

That was what my Father had for his children. Bill had talked about how Dad had wanted him to be a toolmaker in a real bad way. He had wanted me to pursue a business degree shortly after I graduated high school. I signed up for a couple classes at the local UW systems school. I endured it for one semester to appease him but, failed miserably! Dad could be one of the most enthuisiastic people I knew. I think in both Bill and my situation he didn't present it in a way that truly sold either one of us on the idea. Throw back moment to 7th grade...."Kate, I think you should be a veternarian or heart surgeon.". Why Dad? "Because you are so good with animals and people.".

Fast forward 32 years later and I'm sold on the idea. I finally explored where I was at academically at Oklahoma State when I dropped out a year after Dad died. I am planning to return to college in 2017 sometime. I spoke to the new human resources manager at work about tuition reimbursement. He had said that the company will cover up to $2000 a year. They have a policy in place to reimburse up to 75%. He had thought maybe he could convince them to reimburse up to 100% but, I think policy is policy. The HR manager also was encouraging me to take to courses a semester. At first I wasn't too keen on that idea until I started doing hr crunching and thought back to all the things I did while paying for what was going to be a bachelors in animal science. Oh my God! The things I did to avoid student loans and cash flow college!! During the summers I worked two jobs and picked up odd jobs in between. At Eastern I worked on the school ranch, worked part time on a stocker operation and then every week there was a school dance. The night of the dance I would study for 4 hours till 10pm, sleep 4 hrs and then go collect all the beer cans on campus. Back then aluminum was $.75/lb. I paid for my tuition with the can money. I wish I could have gone to the basketball games. I remember washing dishes at some stockyard, working at a private country club and working the world quarter horse show. At Oklahoma State before Dad got sick I worked at McDonalds off of McElroy st 39 hrs a wk. Sometimes I would also work at the lone chimney Mickey D's location on the Cimarron turnpike, too.

It has taken me a while to find a school that offered a sales and marketing degree online that a working person could take. If I take two classes a semester I should be able to complete my degree in 4.5 years. I am pursueing the degree for two or three reasons. One I need something positive to focus on after Bill, Two because of three strikeout w/ high school grads I am starting to think a college graduate may have more intestinal fortitude for a relationship. And possibly fullfillment of a lost dream of a bachelors degree. I just remember years ago I wanted that bachelors in animal science so bad I could just taste it!! The experiences in Oklahoma I would not trade for anything in the world. I had classmates that used to tell me you are one of the most determined people in the world I know. If anybody can accomplish it you can!! I could never do what you have done!

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Triumph and Defeat

Triumph the kitty who showed up at the local cafe with part of her front leg gone and bone showing has come around to trustung the staff and some of the regulars. We are looking into medical care for her. it has taken about 4 wks to gain her trust.

Defeated by a rusty nail while reclaiming barn boards from my collapsed barn. One tetanus shot later and I was back on the job. I'll be glad when that is done. Finally made it back into the fitness center for the first time in weeks. I gained 3.5 lbs. That will go away soon. Have been so busy with work or the barn or something else. Gotta get up Holly pigeon house SOON!

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Life Goes On

That was what Bill texted to me midway through our 3 month interaction after a 25 yr sabbattical of communication. We were basically on loan to on another to prepare each other for something. Sometimes in life we are placed in anothers life for a short period of time. It is to prepare them for something or for them to prepare us for something. I think we helped each other achieve a new level of enlightenment. Bill said his way of thinking has changed completely since he was 35. In reality his view point changed 18 months after he left our hime town. He just didn't notice. He has a different view point of achieving retirement. He did come to realise retirement was what you make it but, he also came to realise he didn't want a romatic relationship. I came to realise that sometimes educational backgrounds really can impact ones perception of how life plays out. He thought since his Dad wasn't going to pay for education beyond high school he had to join the work force. I grew up knowing despite being a fulltime special ed student in second grade I was expected to go to college and pay for it myself. In the beginning I wasn't too thrilled with the idea of paying for my college. Took me one semester to realise my Dad gave me power that he was going to have to bite his tongue about. I paid for my tuition and he couldn't stop the check when I signed up for something he didn't want me to sign up for!

Bill & I care about each other but, he moved on. He worked 12 hr days the better part of 35 yrs for GM. He had two failed marriages to his credit. If anybody was going to understand him saying "You get used to them." it was going to be me. I just explained to another co worker why I work 7 days a wk. Most of my co-workers don't know how I do it and think I am crazy!! It is not expected to be a long term thing but, a short term thing to achieve a specific fianacial goal. I am a big www.daveramsey.com fan! Bill brought back a flood of memories of my Dad that I am soooo grateful to him for bringing back. I explained to Bill early on that my Dad was my best friend. He thought he got it but, I don't think he truly got it till I texted things Dad had taught me over the yrs. To me my Dad was my best friend because he taught me to raise the bar higher than I ever thought I could reach. He instilled good manners and good values in me. He also told me things to watch out for in a partner that would serve me well long after he was gone. He instilled a zest for life in all of us! He was strict but, he loved me from the top of his head to the very tip of his toes!

I don't know if I lost anymore weight. I had a couple of heat exhaustion moments in the last couple weeks. I am starting to reconsider participating in the Dairyland Dare. I still want a smokin hot body by next spring. I just renewed my fitness membership Friday for 3 more months but, I have been working outside salvaging a falling down barn. I am still wrestling with myself over whether to start a website for my forest products biz or to just settle for a facebook presence over the next 8 months.