FRIDAY the 21st!! Part II

I feel so relieved. My stress test came back normal. The cardiologist says it's my stomach and some stress. He stated the facts every other dr. has--watch my diet and lose weight. So, I guess that is what I'll do.

I stopped at Captain D's on the way home and got their Alaskan Salmon Special. It is really good. I'm still shying away from broccoli a bit, so I got fried okra instead.

So now I know what the problem was. That should help the stress, as I was worried about what he would find.

OK, time for a relaxing evening. I am planning on keeping my butt at home tonight. Don't know if it will be a video, a book or genealogy. Maybe just kick back and watch some videos.

I forgot to mention that yesterday was the feast of one of my favorite Saints--Sebastian. When I was in Rome in 1998, the Lithuanian Pontifical College of St. Casimir had their jubilee banquet at a restaurant across from the Church of St. Sebastian. I went over and explored. Didn't have time to go through the catacombs underneath it, but I was able to see his relics and do some intense praying. Today is the feast of St. Agnes. The Pope usually blesses some lambs whose wool will be used later in the year to make the stoles (palliums) for the newly named archbishops throughout the world.

OK, have a restful night and Woo-Hoo, I'm doing fine!

Mark

It's FRIDAY! 1/21/2005

Well, I am sitting here waiting for 1:10 pm to hit so I can go get my stress test. It is scheduled for 2 pm. I am nervous about it, but I am just ready for it to be over. No use worrying over it...it won't make results any better. I just hope my knee doesn't go out and I fall on the treadmill! That's all I need...to rack myself in front of the professionals!!!

I was very happy to see the inaugural yesterday. My political passion is satiated for awhile. Well, at least until next weekend and the Iraqi elections.

It was great seeing Joan and Peggy at the Family History Center last night. Felt like old times! I ordered film of parish records from Lesbury and Kyloe in Northumberland England and West Auckland in County Durham England. Bell's were in Lesbury, James' was in West Auckland and Jobson's in Kyloe. I hope I can find more family.

I was planning on going to Louisville tomorrow, but the weather doesn't look too cooperative.

Thanks to everyone who has wished me well! I really appreciate you!

To my friends: Chris--thanks for all the chats; Doug--I'll be talking to you soon; Dave--congrats on the promotion-we need to celebrate; Laura Lee-we need to go out and do something soon!; Vaidas-how's classes so far?; Rich-see you next week?

OK I'll write some more tonight. Hopefully they'll be able to give me some idea of how the test turned out.

Mark

Inauguration Day 2005

CONGRATULATIONS MR. PRESIDENT and MR. VICE-PRESIDENT!

I can't help but feel proud and happy to be an American!

The parade will start shortly....time for lunch.

Wednesday night 1/19/2005

Hello!

Yes, I am still among the living. I just couldn't make myself sit down and write anything the last two weeks. Had some great highs and had some bottomed-out lows and just am trying to sort everything out.

I am feeling better. My two week regimen of Prilosec ended Sunday, so I have been "on my own". Had some pain Monday and Tuesday, but I figured out it was from not eating more than stress. I'm still feeling this reflux thing out. I found I have to eat breakfast, or I get some pain about 9:30. Today I have been fine. Why does your body have to beat you up? Maybe it is retribution for all the past 43 years I've put it through? If so, man, am I going to be hurtin'!

Taking a day off tomorrow to relax and watch the inauguration of President Bush. I am still a political junkie and this feeds right into my veins! I am relieved it will be President Bush, and not President Kerry. I am not too much in favor of Bush's spending policies; but I want to see what he does on the tax code issue and immigration issue.

Friday at 2 pm I have my stress test. I'm going into the office in the morning, so they won't have to do much at 2 pm to get my heart rate up! I need to call tomorrow and see if I should take my blood pressure medicine. No use taking the medicine if it is going to keep my heart rate down.

Everyone knows I needed to lose weight. I have been wanting to do that for how many years now??? Well, I guess I started when the pains started. I have lost 20 pounds since I weighed at my last doctor's visit November 30. I am fitting in some clothes that were tight and some of the shirt buttons aren't stretching to the max. I am trying to get more exercise...if Mother Nature cooperates! And I have been walking at work on break--11 times around the 1st floor is a mile. I've cut out the soft drinks, caffeine (except some chocolate every now and then) and most importantly alcohol. I've cut my portion size (what's a portion size??) down at mealtime too. And I try to not eat when I am bored or down...instead go outside and walk, or do some physical activity in the house or office. So far, it's working great! I'm a third of the way to my goal of at least 60 pounds lost.

I have some trips on the horizon...mostly for stamp shows. Yes, I collect things--stamps, coins, baseball cards, holy cards, relatives (or as the joke goes...dead people (genealogy)). So I am excited about a day-trip to Louisville this weekend and to the APS Stamp Expo in Atlanta in February.

Talked with my friend Doug tonight. He always says the right thing to calm me down a bit. I am a little scared about this stress test...I guess facing my own mortality has me unnerved. I just can't think too much into it. He gave me a quote from Mark Twain, "I am an old man and have a great many troubles, but most of them never happened". With me that is true, I worry myself with all the possibilities.

Going to the Family History Center tomorrow night and see my friends Joan and Peggy. I need to order some English records so I can start looking for the families of the ancestors I found while in Salt Lake City. I got the main trunk of the tree, now I need to find the branches and leaves.

So I guess I'll close for now. I hope you are all doing well. So, who is going to make it to the Super Bowl?? I'm going with Philadelphia and New England. The NHL players and owners were supposed to meet today. I haven't read about the meeting yet. Hopefully they'll get something going. Myself, I think it is too late to salvage a season and playoffs. Better to pound out a deal and start fresh for next year.

OK...have a great evening and I'll write more tomorrow.

Mark

Feast of the Epiphany, January 6

Greetings and Happy Little Christmas!

Today is the day on which the Church used to celebrate the visitation of the Magi to Jesus. I say used to, because some whacked bishops decided to move it to the 2nd Sunday after Christmas. They think Mass attendance will improve if they keep moving the Holydays. Maybe they need to get some better priests who don't drone on about money during the homily, but actually discuss God's presence in daily life, how the Church views issues of the day, how the Scripture is to influence our thinking and actions... Getting rid of the Holydays just drive more people away than attract them.

I feel great today. Better than I have since last Monday! The medicine I am taking is finally kicking in and I feel like my old self, well, my old new self. Started a weight loss program at work this morning called "Peel the Pounds". It's a six-month program, and my goal as I see it right now is to lose between 25 and 30 pounds. The program isn't a diet or anything, but an education as to which foods are right, correct portion sizes and exercise. With this last episode, I think I can do this and avoid more pains...no, I need to do this to avoid more pains.

Turned cold here today, 38 as I type. Weather is see-sawing back and forth. But Spring is around the corner! Saw an ad on TV tonight for the Boat Show at the convention center next weekend...I went last year and had fun. A definite return trip...anyone wanna go?

Trying to get some more lessons finished for my genealogy class. I'll work on it over the weekend and get them turned in. I want to get this class done and over so I can move on to something more interesting. Midwest Research is fun, but so dry....I want some foreign stuff next!!

Well, going to go and do the annual Epiphany ceremony of posting the first Three Kings Christmas Card I got this year over the door. Still have my tree and lights up. Took down the ones outside while it was still warm.

Have a great night everyone and Thank God it's almost Friday!

Mark

Monday January 3rd

Hello all!

Hope everyone had a great New Years! As I left you on Friday, I had said something about Germantown doing a Sausage drop into a bowl of Sauerkraut. It was great! The "kielbasa" was a sausgae-form wrapped in red blinking lights. The bowl was on the sidewalk in front of the Mad Platter. It had verying lengths of material cut and colored to look like sauerkraut. At one minute to midnight, the drop began and we celebrated 2005! A great turnout--looked like about 100 folks or more. We had fireworks, music, champagne and sparklers.

I still felt bad on Saturday, so I told Mom and Dad about it. They were worried, so they said they would come on Sunday. Since the Titans game was at noon on Sunday and I figured traffic would be bad, I told them to come Saturday night and stay. We had a good time. Went to Mass on Sunday morning, and then took a trip to St. Thomas Hospital Emergency Room Sunday about 1 pm. I finally decided I needed to have that chest and abdominal pain checked out, especially the chest pain. It shouldn't have been a hard decision to make, but it was for me.

But, after being poked, wired to monitors, IV'd and X-ray'd, they decided it is stress and acid reflux. WHEW!!! They said my EKG was fine--no damage to heart, my blood tests were all normal and my chest X-ray was normal. I still need to go to a cardiologist for a stress test, just to be on the safe side. Also, have to take prescription Prilosec for 14 days, cut-out caffeine, avoid spicy foods and avoid eating at least 2 hours before going to bed. Dropping some weight is a must too.

So, guess I have some big changes to make in my habits. Maybe they won't be so bad, especially after experiencing what could happen. Those pains were awful. I am told I have a high pain threshold. And these were bad...so I can just imagine what other people feel, or what a heart attack feels like. I DON'T WANT TO EXPERIENCE THAT!

So, I guess this can be considered New Year's Day for me too--day one of a new lifestyle year. Mom, Dad and I went shopping this morning to Rhodes Furniture--the folks are looking for a sofa--Target and Captain D's. No, I didn't have fried fish! I had their low-cal fish platter and it was really good--baked whitefish on rice, steamed broccoli and Tuscan roasted veggies. Only 370 calories, lowfat and only $4.79.

So, here I sit, deciding on what to do next. I know I need to clean out the pantry, cookie jar, refrigerator and freezer. Maybe I'll start on that tonight!

Take care everyone! Have a great week and you'll be hearing again from me soon!

Mark