What's been happening?

I tried to take a much-needed vacation last week.  So far this year, I have lost 7 vacation days, as I am an idiot and not using them.  I was looking forward to a bit of time off.  Work has calmed a little.   We have filled the open positions, and they are very high-quality individuals.  The female we hired 6 months ago is one of the best I have worked with, and it is a pleasure to have such skilled workers.

The vacation started out well, but it just kept getting worse.  The worst part was early in the trip.  I was within seconds of seeing a bicyclist get killed by an alcohol-impacted driver.  It was in the mountains near Golden, Colorado.  I felt sick as they worked on the innocent bicyclist for at least 15 minutes, and it only looked worse.  Read about it here.  

The axle of the car I was driving fell off within 10 miles of careening down a mountain with significant drop-offs.  If the axle had not held as long as it did, I would undoubtedly be at the bottom of some ravine and, I am sure, dead.

Toward the end of the trip, I had an enriching experience.  My son decided to ride his bicycle up Mount Evens (just south of Idaho Springs, Colorado).  It was a 14-mile ride with just under a mile ascent, ending above 14,000 feet.  I'm still determining how he did it, but seeing him score the goal was nice!

On that part of the trip, I was able to take some snapshots of some critters as well!

For some reason, I am growing more distant from those I care about most and closer to those I do not care for.  It is such an odd experience.  It is easier to hide the intense pain I am experiencing from those I do not know well.

Another downer is I recently found out a perfect friend has stage 4 colon cancer.  He had stomach pains for a while and even had his appendix out recently.  Then, this was discovered.  He is working hard to get the house ready to sell and make sure his wife is going to be OK after he passes.  Just heartbreaking to see such great people stricken with this grief and a short time to live.

Things must improve soon.  On Monday afternoon, I am going in for balloon sinuplasty.  While this is not as extensive as a few years ago, I hope this will help clear some of the issues I have had for years.  I will not need general anesthesia and hope to work the next day! 

I am sick of facial pain, nasal stuffiness, loss of smell, cough/congestion, bad breath, fatigue, and headaches.  The headaches have been worse for the past few weeks!  I rarely had headaches before 2009, but they have been regular since 2009, almost debilitating recently.

So wish me well on Monday afternoon.  May I get home safe and not have too many post-surgical issues.

Carry on, my friends, carry on...

Increase from 9.8 to 12.6!

I once ran on average five days per week. Then I had knee surgery, and slowly, I stopped running. I did not start walking; I started biking. 

I have been attempting to bike to work more often than once a week this year.  I did make three days one week, and half the time, I made two days a few times.  Just under 1/3^rd of the weeks starting April, I did not ride at all.

I have complained about work not being more than a significant stressor and the long hours required to complete the tasks at hand.  As I stated before, we have 1/3^rd fewer staff than in 2006 and are by far busier.  Now, that technology could have reduced one position.  We have been trying to fill the positions, but they take forever.  We had a staff member quit over one year ago, and we are just starting the process to fill that position permanently.  The good is I see in November, my work life may be tolerable again!  I will take a vacation, but I need to figure out where.  I have lost over three weeks of vacation, as it was unused over the past few years.

Health-wise (THIS IS T.M.I., so feel free to skip two paragraphs), my hemoglobin was 9.8 grams per deciliter in June.  My most recent test was still low at 12.6, but it improved.  The improvement is the result of bismuth subsalicylate, metronidazole, and tetracycline.  I have nausea with occasional vomiting, headache, and dizziness.  What I hate more is the metallic taste in my mouth.

I am not seeing blood in the stool as often.  I generally have to balance the pain by taking Advil and caffeine to stay awake; both are not good for an ulcer.  I am tired of the fatigue (no pun intended), weakness, and shortness of breath!

I am really looking forward to a quick trip in a few weeks.  It is forcing me to leave the office, which I need. 

I picked up a new bicycle attachment and am anxious to try it.  One thing I miss about running is the music or audiobooks.  While biking, the wind noise is high, and you need to hear it from around you.  I purchased an Ivation1000mAh speaker system for my bicycle and cat ears for the wind.  Is the weather good tomorrow?  For the first time in a long time, I am excited about the low-cost purchase and hope they make a bike commute far more enjoyable.

If you are not aware, I have started an extensive Root Beer Review blog.  I have purchased over 50 brands, and little by little, I review them based on my preferred enjoyment.  After the first 10, it is incredible how different the same product is in this world.  Imagine if a tomato had over 30 different tastes but was labeled and looked the same?

On a final note, I recently saw the Fruitcake Lady on YouTube.  For those who know here, enjoy a memorable laugh.  For those who do not, enjoy it anyway. 

While I am at it, here is one of my favorite Tonight Show clips.  What is amazing is that new staff (young) ask me, “Who are they?” when they see Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Johnny Carson.  The skit means so much more if you have watched Dragnet.

Carry on, my friends, carry on!