COVID-19 vaccination follow-up

On April 16th, I received my second dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.  Like the first dose, it was administered by a member of the Ohio National Guard at the Wolstein Center’s mass vaccination site. 

As with the first dose, I experienced a slightly sore arm afterward – but no worse than a standard vaccination.  Shortly after I went to bed that night, I began to feel a bit feverish and achy, and I didn’t sleep well.  The next morning, I awakened around 8:00am, late for me even on a weekend.  I felt sleepy but recovered.  Over the course of the day, I felt progressively better; and by Sunday I felt like Superman.  The last few days I’ve been physically active, going to the gym, working on the house, and have started losing weight.

Here’s to a healthier remainder of 2021.

#GetYourShot    

 

On being vaccinated against COVID-19

Today I observed the 90^th anniversary of Leonard Nimoy’s birth by doing the logical thing and getting vaccinated against COVID-19.  The timing was coincidental.  After spending hours refreshing pages at the Ohio Department of Health website, only to find local appointments already filled, I opted to head downtown to the mass vaccination site at the Wolstein Center.  Setting up the appointment was a snap.

This site is being run by the Ohio National Guard, and I can only say it was a model of efficiency, run like a well-tooled machine at every step in the process.  I can’t imagine a better or more compassionate use of our tax dollars than sites like these - in patriotism filled not with jingoistic chest-thumping, but in the spirit of service and concern for one's fellow Americans.

Parking was readily available, the lot I was directed to only about 1/4^th filled.  Noticing signs admonishing against taking photographs, I was directed to tents near the designated entrance, was asked if I had any symptoms of illness, and handed three pages of information about COVID and the vaccine to be administered: Pfizer.  I then entered the building, was temperature scanned, and directed toward an admittance table where my information was taken.  Then I was directed to the site on the main floor, the very surface on which I’d seen Cleveland State athletes and the Cleveland Crunch, and sent to one of the many carefully distanced chairs that had been set up there.  National Guard personnel then proceeded down each lane of chairs taking information: Had I received any vaccinations within the last two weeks?  Have I ever experienced a reaction from being vaccinated?  Do I have any allergies?  And so forth.  This information was entered into a pad.  Then I was asked when I wanted my next appointment, selected a time, and before I’d had a chance to write myself a reminder note, I received a text notification with my next date.  This was followed in a few minutes by a second Guardsman with a cart on wheels – rather like the carts flight-attendants use to deliver snacks – who handed me my vaccination card and administered the shot. 

Most recipients were happy to be able to receive their poke.  The exception was someone near me who was obviously in a state of anxiety.  The Guardsman who had taken my information summoned some counselors who came by and calmed this person’s fears.  Another thing I noticed about the recipients was that they were overwhelmingly white.  This is very concerning in a majority-minority city like Cleveland.   A better job needs to be done in getting vaccines to those without internet access and addressing understandable concerns in minority communities about the vaccine (many, quite reasonably, have not forgotten the Tuskegee Syphilis experiment).

Within ten minutes of my entering the building, I had been vaccinated.  I then waited in the same chair for the designated 15 minutes to ensure I had no allergic reactions.  I spent that time reflecting on the fine young people who volunteered to protect the United States from “all enemies, foreign and domestic” and serve their country.  It also occurred to me that, despite the xenophobic comments by some, there is no such thing as a “foreign” or a “domestic” virus.  Viruses do not have passports and the spread of disease is the inevitable result of our modern world where international travel is so speedy and so accessible to so many.  There will be more novel viruses in the future, and how we react to them will determine whether we have learned lessons from the disaster known as 2020.  At that point, another Guardsman asked me how I was feeling.  I replied that I felt great and thanked him for being there.  Something then occurred to me, and I told him “You’re probably going to tell your grandkids about this.”  He nodded and mentioned to me this was the second time he had been involved in such an operation – the first was in Africa during the Ebola epidemic.  Then a fourth Guardsman addressed the crowd and asked to let him know if there was anything the Guard could do better – noting that some had already suggested a beer truck outside.  He also mentioned something that I wish to pass along: if there are any who are reluctant to get the vaccine for religious reasons related to personal modesty, the guard has provided several curtained off areas where the recipient will have privacy and be vaccinated by someone of the same gender.  Those of us remaining applauded as he left.  At that point, it was time for me to go, and the procedure for leaving was even easier than it had been for admission.   I drove home with a smile on my face.  But when I got home, I wept.  Tears of joy, tears of pride for my country, tears of relief and hope that this will soon be over.

Vaccines and sanitation are the two primary reasons why average life-expectancy increased so dramatically during the 20^th Century.  Over the past few years, that trend has started to reverse in the United States, and part of the reason is anti-vaccine sentiment led by anti-science hysteria and at least one misleading – and now discredited – study.  It is time for a return to sanity and respect for earned expertise. 

Get the shot.

Why the FDA matters

In recent days, concerns over blood-clotting possibly caused by the Oxford-AstraZenica COVID-19 vaccine have led to the suspension of that vaccine in Europe. 

This is not an issue in the United States, as the Food and Drug Administration has not approved the use of that vaccine.  The three approved vaccines, by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, have yielded an adequate supply so the need for a fourth vaccine is remote here.

As the Pfizer vaccine was entering into final FDA review, then-President Trump, in a demonstration of his usual contempt for the “deep state” tweeted a chest-thumping threat to the head of the FDA: approve the vaccine by the end of that day or be fired.  Since the board was already meeting that night to give approval, Trump’s tweet was pretty meaningless – it was just a way to throw red-meat to his diminishing cadre of followers.  But it still set a bad precedent.  Whatever the urgency of the situation, this kind of threat is the last thing a leader should do – especially as the FDA has already been criticized for allowing the hasty approval of unsafe drugs.  Trump’s tweet was part of a pattern of his attempted dismantling of the Federal government’s regulatory powers. 

The FDA began in 1906 with Theodore Roosevelt’s signing of the Pure Food and Drug Act – a time when pharmacological drugs were unregulated and your corner pharmacist (called a “druggist” back then) could whip up whatever concoction he thought was efficacious.  One can easily imagine what was actually in these drugs, especially as the initial formula Coca-Cola contained trace amounts of Cocaine!  Those who were predisposed to distrust the government repeatedly called for rolling back the FDA’s power to approve or reject drugs for medical use, including homophobe Pat Buchanan who pushed the FDA to allow the use of unsafe drugs for treatment of AIDS.  It’s part of a pattern that included Trump’s touting of Hydroxychloroquine as an effective treatment for COVID.  It was a quack treatment with adverse side-effects.  At the risk of their jobs, experts including Anthony Fauci stated that Hydroxychloroquine was not a suitable treatment for COVID.  The lesson is simple: be guided by the science (itself a Latin word for “knowledge”) and defer to the experts, not the soccer mom who gained her ”science” from youtube conspiracy videos.     

2017 in Review

To put it mildly, 2017 was a challenging year.

Nationally, the most noteworthy event has been the inauguration and continual dysfunction of Donald J. Trump as President.  I will not waste space recounting every one of Trump’s lies, outrageous tweets, bad appointments, and bad decisions.  Trump is not worth my time, other than to say that by mid-February, my first thought upon awakening was commonly “What stupid thing did Trump do overnight?”  I’ve since found the best way for me to cope with the stress of a dangerously demented President is to adapt an air of detached bemusement – and occasionally fire off brazen tweets which, surprisingly, have not gotten me blocked. 

I have had more than enough to deal with otherwise.

I slammed into my 50s with an almost simultaneous diagnosis of high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and an inguinal hernia.  Surprisingly, dealing with the hernia was considerably less complicated than the apnea: I was diagnosed, surgery was scheduled, performed, and I recovered.  Sleep apnea was first suspected by my doctor in February.  It was not until June that I was able to undertake a sleep study, another month to get the results, then a dental consultation in October, fitting for an oral appliance in November, which I finally received in December.   And American politicians have the gall to warn about the dangers of universal healthcare by trotting out waiting times in the UK and Canada!  Of course, none of these politicians have ever had to deal with private health insurers or providers.

Prepped for the sleep study

2017 marked nine years since Dan & I bought our home in South Euclid.  On the home front, we only undertook one project this year – a new fence.  2018 will bring a small expansion – a small mud room leading to the back door.   There was a time, mostly 2009-2011, when I worried moving here was a mistake.  But 2017 saw continued evidence of a renaissance in our city.  The newly rebuilt shopping center and Mayfield and Green Road opened to 100% capacity and brisk business – so much so that the parking lot had to be expanded.  This is on top of Oakwood Commons and the newly renovated Cedar Center North - both of which are well filled and busy. 

2017 is also the year South Euclid city council began work on a new, comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance.  City Council, for the most part, have courageously stood up to the bullying tactics being carried out by the local Catholic Church – including an outrageous web posting I previously blogged about.  I am hopeful the ordinance will be passed in early 2018.

2017 was not all gloom & doom, nor hell-fire and brimstone.  Dan & I enjoyed our first ever cruise in March, and had a brief but eventful visit to LasVegas in September.  We have tentatively signed on for another cruise in 2018.

And there will be other events on which to report.

My Hernia Experience

My doctor told me it was coming.  Back in February, as I prepared to cross the threshold of 50 years, my doctor performed my annual physical – which included the inevitable “turn your head and cough” test.  He mentioned that there was a weak spot and that I might develop a hernia within the next year.  I had already noticed that spending more than 30 minutes on the elliptical machine would lead to a bit of soreness that would generally pass after a day.  Then, around summer, the soreness began to linger for two days, then a week, then finally refused to subside.  So, last month, I scheduled an appointment with Doctor Carneval, a specialist who confirmed my suspicions, ordering a CAT scan to be sure: an inguinal hernia.  Surgery was required.  I was provided with a time and date for the procedure and instructions for preparation – no food for 12 hours before the procedure, no liquids for two hours before arrival. 

At 9:00AM Monday, November 13^th, I arrived at Euclid Hospital for my first ever experience with surgery under general anesthesia.  Dan was kind enough to take the day off and acted as my chaperone.  Before I continue, I wish to point out that Euclid Hospital is a Cleveland Clinic facility and I was absolutely thrilled with their professionalism and commitment to quality from the first interaction to the last.  In fact, this has been the case with all of my interactions with Cleveland Clinic over the past year – which have been numerous.

After check-in, Dan & I headed to a pre-op room where I undressed and we chilled watching lame mid-morning TV while staff occasionally stopped by to get me ready – including one person who signed his name on my right hip to verify that the incision would be on the right side, a nurse who prepped my hand with the IV for the anesthetic, and finally the surgeon.  Prior to taking any action, each person asked me to verify my date of birth.  As a Quality Assurance Analyst whose motto is “Trust, but verify”, I appreciated this extra step.  One person asked about power of attorney and I advised that Daniel is my husband and has full authority to “pull my plug” if it comes to that.  Finally I was wheeled to the operating room, noting the cliché of seeing the overhead corridor lights rush by in cinema hospital scenes.  After I arrived in the room, which was painted in white, I noted that in the old days operating rooms were colored “easy-eye Green” because it was the photonegative of blood red, and thought to relieve surgeons’ eyes.  When I’m nervous, I tend to babble, and we chatted for another moment.  Then all was suddenly black and I was being told the operation was over and vaguely felt a breathing tube being removed from my throat.  I have no memory of going under.  None the “count back from 20” one sees in hospital TV shows.  One moment I was being prepped, the next, it was all over.

I was wheeled into recovery and I groggily asked the nurse what time it was.  2:00pm.  I felt no pain.  There was little sensation at all, and I found myself unable to scratch my nose – I could lift my hands only about an inch off the mattress.  The nurse advised me to breathe deeply to help flush the anesthesia out of my system – and I raised my eyes to look at the monitor and see if I was taking in as much air as she wanted.  I saw another nurse walk by with a Mr. Coffee style container and complain that someone burned the coffee.  My response, “What, Cleveland Clinic is too cheap to buy you a Keurig?” drew laughter from the nurses. 

I normally have a reliable internal clock, and it seemed like I spent about 20 minutes in recovery.  In fact, I was there for two hours.  Then I was wheeled into another post-op room where Dan was allowed to join me.  By now, it was dark outside and the ward was emptying out.    The check-out nurse provided me with two prescriptions: Hydrocodone, for the pain, and a laxative to counteract side-effects from the Hydrocodone.  Then she asked, “Are you in any pain?  Do you need a Percocet?”  I replied that a Percocet seemed like a good idea.  Then she said to me, winking, “you’re a pretty big guy, I’ll give you two.”   This was most helpful, as we soon discovered our local CVS was encountering a computer issue and was unable to fill my prescription for several hours. 

Dan drove me home slowly, being careful to avoid the numerous potholes on East 185^th Street.  The rest of the evening was a Percocet haze, but I vaguely remember deciding to sleep on the recliner rather than in bed – which I continued to do peacefully for the next nine days.

Tuesday, the pain was excruciating, despite the Hydrocodone.  I found myself needing to take the maximum dose (one every six hours), which I generally avoid due to addiction problems in my family.  Still, there was intense soreness when sitting still, with a hot stabbing pain when I stood or sat.  I eventually learned to alleviate this by using my arms to push myself up from a chair or as a brace when sitting down.  Wednesday was a bit less intense, which left me able to move about a bit more and take a  much needed shower.  It was during this time that I also noticed some major bruising in the incision area.  The bruises seemed to migrate over the following week, with one appearing on my right love handle, several inches from the incision.  (During my follow up appointment on Tuesday the 21^st, Doctor Carneval advised this was a normal occurrence.)

By Friday, I had a serious case of cabin fever and, with some difficulty, I got into my CR-V  for a short drive to the post office and CVS.  I was out of the house for no more than an hour but it was quite refreshing.  Over the weekend, I ramped up my activity: Saturday, Dan & I went to World Market and to see the Cleveland Orchestra – but I had to leave the concert at intermission as the swelling had made my dress trousers uncomfortably snug.  Sunday, we braved the crowds at Costco and went out for a late lunch.

On Monday, I returned to work – silently thanking Progressive for their casual dress code as I walked around with my shirt untucked.  The following day, I saw the doctor for the follow up where I was given a timeline to return to unrestricted activities.  As of this morning, I am no longer taking meds and mostly pain free.   

Health and the Presidency

The bulk of this post was written before Karl Rove made several idiotic comments relating to Hillary Clinton's health.

Today would have been the 97th birthday of John F. Kennedy. Even if JFK had not been stolen from us, he would almost certainly not have lived to our era. He suffered from a genetic defect (probably Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type II – also known as Schmidt’s syndrome) which decimated his immune system and adrenal glands (Addison’s disease), and caused a plethora of other maladies – leaving him subject to every bug that came along, and chronically deprived of energy. Kennedy was also born with one leg shorter than the other – the root cause of his back pain, which was exacerbated by a football injury, a war injury, medications he took for his Addison’s disease, and two steel rods which were inserted in 1954 to shore up his spine. He was given Last Rites three times during the course of his short life. The host of medications necessary to keep him functional - including Cortizone (both oral and injected), Lomotil, Peregoric, Phenobarbital, Testosterone, Trasentine, Tuinal, and various amphetamines – would keep your local pharmacist in business. Needless to say, very little of this information was shared with the American people during Kennedy’s lifetime. Just as most Americans of FDR’s time thought the 32nd President had mostly recovered from polio and merely walked with a limp, JFK’s contemporaries thought he was in fine health, save for back pain he suffered as the result of war injuries.

I share this information to make two points:

1). Historically, a President’s physical health has had almost no impact on job performance. Consider our leaders who faced serious illness while in office: Grover Cleveland (cancer), Franklin Roosevelt (paralysis, heart failure), Eisenhower (heart attack, stroke, ileitis), and Kennedy. Now consider those who were physically healthy: Herbert Hoover, Jerry Ford, George W. Bush

2). Whatever the defects in JFK’s character, and they were considerable, he was still a great and heroic man. It would have been the easiest thing for JFK to live the life of a charming invalid; coasting on his father’s success and money, and taking a meaningless desk job. No one would have questioned if this sick young man chose to languish in quiet insignificance. Instead, Kennedy pursued what Theodore Roosevelt (another sick young man who willed himself into action) called “the vigorous life”. During World War II, Kennedy pulled strings to get into the Navy despite physical issues that disqualified him, and became a genuine hero when his ship was sunk by a Japanese destroyer. As President, he projected an image of youth and vigor that was in contrast to his sad medical reality. President Kennedy inspired a generation to national service, fought for civil rights, skillfully negotiated a peaceful settlement to the Cuban Missile Crisis, encouraged the arts & culture, and set man on a course for the moon. Can anyone imagine what would have become of the United States, the world, if Richard Nixon - a physically healthy but mentally and emotionally unstable man – had been elected in 1960?

Our nation is better off for having had JFK’s leadership – and worse off because he left us far too soon.

Fitness Quest: Losing weight for the wrong reason

I have been blessed with a resilient digestive system. It’s a mixed blessing, however. When one can eat nearly anything without being adversely affected, one usually does. Prior to last weekend, the last time I had a bout with intestinal illness was in the middle 1990s – the last time before that was 1986.

Then last Friday night, I started to feel unwell. By 2am Saturday, the sweat started pouring, that green feeling started, and I was bent over the commode while my engines reversed. That’s as graphic as I’m going to get. But my engines reversed three times over the course of that Saturday, and I didn’t feel better until Monday afternoon. Naturally, all my weekend workouts were cancelled – as was a planned trip to Parade the Circle and Gordon Square.
 
I did a half workout Tuesday before feeling dizzy and stopping. I resumed my normal workout schedule Friday and now feel in the peak of health.

6/17/2012 208 1/2 #

Into the arms of Morpheus

I’ve no new progress to report on the work out regime. My schedule has not permitted regular training sessions, although the intensity has been amped up. So, I’m devoting this post to a digression on sleep.

  

For years, I had difficulty getting a good night’s sleep. The occasional restless night is unavoidable for any of us, but when good sleep is the exception and not the rule, there’s a definite underlying problem. At my worst, I could only count on three good nights of sleep per week. Worries, physical discomfort, or general restlessness were all factors – and sleeplessness took a toll on my productivity and happiness. It’s even more difficult for people who work off-hour shifts.

  

Even the experts disagree on how much sleep the average human needs and whether naps are a useful supplement or can harm the overall sleep cycle. No two people are exactly alike in their needs for sleep. But the general consensus is that eight hours of sleep should be sufficient for most humans. As for myself, if I get less than six hours of sleep, my performance and mood are impaired. Conversely, if I get more than eight hours sleep, my body’s rhythms are thrown off and it takes a day to readjust. About seven hours is right for me. The occasional brief nap (no longer than 15 minutes) helps when I am mentally fatigued. It’s like hitting the CONTROL-ALT-DELETE keys on a frozen computer – it reboots and is refreshed.

  

Over the years, I’ve been able to stabilize my body’s rhythms and improve me sleep. Here’s what works for me:

• Exercise at least once per day – even light exercise like house cleaning will help drain your body of excess energy.
• No consumption of caffeine within eight hours of bedtime (i.e., if you go to bed at 10pm, you should finish your last caffeinated beverage by 2pm).
• Avoid overuse of sleep supplements – whether Nembutal, Valium, or even Melatonin – your body will develop a dependency.
• Place yourself in a state of mind that is conducive to sleep. Turn off the phone, don’t surf the net (especially news/political sites). If you’re worried about something, tell yourself “I’ve done the best I can for today. If there are any problems tomorrow, I will deal with them then.” Scarlett O’Hara might have been on to something when she said, “I’ll think about it tomorrow.” If you feel grimy, take a quick warm shower.
• Your environment – the bedroom – should also be conducive to sleep. The bed sheets should be relatively fresh. I can’t sleep in an unmade bed, and have been known to make the bed and fluff the pillows minutes before turning in. The bedroom should be a sanctuary reserved for two things: sleep and sex. Keep your work, bills, and worries out of the bedroom. Even television can be a distraction to sleep – although a TV in the bedroom is nearly unavoidable these days. A half-hour before you go to sleep, dim the lights, light a candle (but put it out before you turn in), turn on some soothing music at a nearly subliminal volume. (I have the Tune In Kindle app, which lets me play any radio station with an internet stream, so I play quiet Classical music all night.)
• Do not eat a large meal within four hours of going to bed – the heavy feeling will make it difficult to sleep.
• If you sleep with a loved one, never go to bed angry with him/her. There’s nothing better one can say or hear at the end of the day than “I love you.”

4/24/2012  210 #

Fitness Quest: Fluctuating downward

Spring is here! Actually, it has been here for several weeks in fact, if not on the calendar. My weight, which fluctuated for two months between 212-214#, is now from 209-211. Several times in the last month, I have fallen off the wagon – only to get on again. The most egregious was last Sunday, when Dan & I went to Mr. Hero. Dan had never been there before, and I had last been there in 2002. I could virtually feel my arteries clogging up as I chowed down on the Cheesesteak sandwich – meaning I also broke my pledge against red meat. Despite this, I have been able to fit into an old pair of jeans for the first time in years.

3/20/2012 210 #

Exercising my way out of Winter Blues

Winter is a mixed bag for me. Although I don’t suffer from full-fledged Seasonal Affective Disorder, the lack of sunlight and occasional cabin fever can bring me down emotionally. At the same time, I appreciate the challenge Winter throws at me, and try to surmount it. As with many people, I have tended to gain weight during the cold months and taper off during the warmer months. But over the past 15 years, I gained more and lost less each season. There has been a variation on that pattern this season: I lost no substantial weight.

But then I started to put things into perspective: If the number on the scale is the same, and I am gaining lean muscle, then ipso-facto I am losing body fat.

Today, I went to Progressive’s Healthy U class – an all-day training session geared toward proper nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, along with financial and end-of-life planning. Every company should offer this kind of class.


2/16/2012 211 #

Fitness quest: January 5, 2012

A new year has begun. Instead of reviewing the details of my latest workout or changes in my body, I’d like to review the most important factor in fitness: proper diet. Most fitness instructors will tell you that eating the right foods in the right amounts is 75% of the battle in becoming and staying healthy. Think of all the athletes who may be sidelined by injuries and unable to workout – the proper diet is the critical factor between staying in shape and dissolving into a puddle of jelly. There is also the fact that what we eat has as much impact on the environment as what we drive. With that in mind, I’ve put together:

Hank’s non-Mammalian, ecologically responsible, yet very tasty diet.

Foods to avoid:
Any food derived directly or indirectly from mammals. This includes:
Red Meat & Pork (replace with Poultry & Fish)
Dairy products, including Milk, Cheese, and Butter (replace with Soy milk, Vegan cheese and margarine)

Other foods to avoid:
Potatoes (including baked, fried , chips and sweet potatoes), white bread, white rice – replace with wheat bread and brown rice
Sugared or Diet soda – replace with Diet Snapple or Green Tea. These will give you the energy and provide superior hydration.
Salt – use a salt substitute instead

Tips for Healthy Food Preparation:
Poultry or fish can be baked or cooked in a pan.
When cooking food in oil, avoid products like Wesson oil or Crisco – use Olive or Sunflower Oil. Check the labels to avoid hydrogenated fats.
Vegetables can be stir fried or steamed – avoid overcooking as this removes nutritional value and taste.

Food Allocation
40% of your calories should come from Breakfast & a mid-morning snack
35% of your calories should come from Lunch & a mid-afternoon snack
25% of your calories should come from Dinner – no snacks after dinner, which should take place no less than four hours before bedtime.

Healthy Meal examples:
Breakfast: Egg beaters (can be made omelet style with onions, peppers, vegan cheese, etc); oatmeal; fruit juice (a tall glass mixed ½ & ½ with water)
Lunch: Chicken breast with two servings of vegetables.
Dinner: Salmon burger on wheat bun with a large side of vegetables

Exercise:
You should get at least 30 minutes of Cardio exercise at least 3 times per week
You should get at least 30 minutes of Strength training at least 2 times per week.

Control your portions: stop eating when you’re no longer hungry, don’t wait until you’re full! Avoid all-you-can-eat buffets. Remember, there is always room for exceptions such as special occasions – but the important thing is to practice restraint and moderation.

My weight varied over the holidays, and by January 1, my weight had ballooned to 216#. But reapplying myself at the gym and in the kitchen has worked out and my weight is back down.

1/5/2012 212 1/2#

Fitness Update: The revenge of Christmas dinner

Despite the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I have been managing to keep up with my workouts. I worked out every day this past week, including Wednesday which I usually skip. I even managed to get in a Christmas Eve (well, the afternoon of Christmas Eve day) workout at Progressive’s gym, which was nearly devoid of people. I wish I could say I was being as vigilant about the diet end of things. Between the food offered at various project and seasonal work events, and the treats shared by coworkers, I’ve put a couple pounds back on.

Dan had to work overnight, so while he slept Christmas morning, I began work on dinner: Candied Yams and Stuffin’ Muffins (muffins made of stuffing). After he awakened and we opened presents, Dan made Pasteles and arroz con gandules, and we washed our meal down with coquito. A traditional feast, but one that mixed several traditions.














Making the Stuffin' Muffins - note the time on the stove.

12/24/2011 214#

Beethoven's deafness and his compositional style

The British Medical Journal has published a fascinating article about how Beethoven's increasing deafness may have influenced his compositional style.







Click here to read the full article.

Fitness Quest: Illness and recovery

As mentioned in my previous post, I was ill with a sinus infection and sore throat for most of my vacation. Even at this point, I have not fully recovered – although I have been able to resume workouts. I had already decided not to schedule training sessions the week of my vacation since I didn’t know where I would be in my home improvement. But I planned on working out on my own – which illness put the kibosh on. So, from November 20 – 27 I didn’t work out at all. The most exercise I got was pulling the carpet and walking the dog – neither of which amounted to very much. When I resumed training last Tuesday, my weight had upticked. But I have tapered down and my weight is at its lowest point since I began training. How much of that loss is due to atrophy and how much is due to fat loss I don’t know. But I felt energized enough to combine two workouts into one on Saturday.

12/3/2011 212#

Fitness Quest: November 7

Two steps forward, one step back. I’ve observed that my weight is like a ball bouncing down the stairs. The overall trend is downward, but it does bounce back up. Over the past week, I have been tremendously busy with work and canvassing for Issue 96. Although I’ve certainly been active, I have not adhered to my diet principles as I should. Last night, I fell off the wagon in a bad way when I ate a bison burger at burgers 2 beer, a new place across from Progressive’s main campus. (The burger was excellent, by the way, as were the fries that accompanied it.) So, my weight has upticked.

I used the time change to my advantage this morning to grab a cardio work out before my shift rather than after.

11/07/2011 weight: 214 #

Fitness Quest: October 24

I had a pleasant surprise this afternoon when I stepped on the scale: my weight has dropped again – this time to 212 ½ pounds (yes, I am counting fractions when they work in my favor – I need all the encouragement I can get). This boosted my mood at a time fraught with some personal strife I’d rather not go into here. During the previous week, I’ve had a slight reoccurrence of my brachial plexus injury (that’s fancy talk for a pinched nerve), but I soldiered on through my workouts. I find myself able to do things with coordination and weights that were impossible for me before. But I still have limitations: my right knee remains inflexible and weak, so that my right leg can only hold my weight for a short time while bent. This is a problem that’s been creeping up on me for many years – I first noticed it when I lived in New England – but it has definitely grown more pronounced as of late. Both my ankles, but particularly the right, also have limited stamina. I have upped my time on the elliptical machine to 35 minutes. At that point, my body is not fatigued, but my ankles start to pain. So at that point I switch to a stationary bike.

10/24/2011 weight: 212 ½ #

Fitness Quest: October 15

I had a potential setback on Thursday, October 6. Toward the tail end of my workout, while doing some intense work on my “core” (back, abs, and obliques), I felt a pull in my back and let out a yelp of pain. Bryan, my trainer, immediately halted the workout. Despite the use of Icy/Hot when I got home, I continued to feel sore Friday, and took a Flexeril that night – which more than did the trick as I was something of a Zombie well into Saturday.

By Sunday morning, I felt completely better, and headed to the gym for what turned out to be my best workout in a month. Toward the end of my routine, while doing a tricep pulldown, I noticed something I have never seen before: defined biceps and triceps. This is part of a trend over the last few months: first there was definition in my lower legs, then my shoulders – particularly where the trapezius runs from the shoulders to the neck – then my forearms, and now my upper arms. Previously, I’ve been able to get a decent sized but undefined lump of muscle. Now, for the first time in my life, I’m starting to see some striation. This indicates that my modified diet and my combination of strength-training and longer cardio sessions is finally working – even though my actual weight loss has been minimal. The definition is not always noticeable, only when I’ve just worked out and am “pumped-up”, but the progress is definite.

A side benefit of getting into better shape is that my sleep has improved. I’ve grown accustomed over the years to having two poor nights of sleep per week – being unable to fall asleep due to worries, an excess of energy, or physical discomfort. Now, I’m asleep almost immediately after my head hits the pillow - and I sleep through until morning. I had to work late on Thursday night, so my sleeping patterns were disrupted.


10/15/2011 weight: 214#

Fitness Quest: September 19

Over the weekend, I noticed an ingrown toenail which became very painful by this morning. Despite that, I did a short cardio workout after work today. Sunday, my workout was disrupted by an emotional upset that I won’t go into here. But I was thrown off my bearings and forgot how to do several of the exercises Bryan showed me.

I won’t have my usual Tuesday morning session with Bryan tomorrow, so I plan on working my upper body and staying off my feet.

A bit of good news: I continue to make slow progress. Despite occasional obstacles, I’ve lost another pound. This is more significant than it seems, as my upper chest and legs are significantly more toned and my pants are noticeably looser.

9/19/2011 weight: 214#

Fitness Update:September 6

Three weeks into my new routine. My training sessions with Bryan seem to be going well. By working with him at 8:30am, I am able to get 25 minutes more sleep on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I repeat the routine he gave me on Saturdays, with Daniel if he's available. Mondays and Fridays I do straight cardio. I have increased my cardio time from 25 minutes to 40 - although I have had to stop early twice. Wednesdays and Sundays are off days - no workout.

So far, I have not lost a substantial amount of weight – in fact, during the first two weeks, I gained two pounds, then tapered down by three in the next week. Over the last ten days, I have started to notice minute changes. While brushing my teeth last week, I noticed that my chest seemed better developed. And on Sunday, I caught sight of myself in the gym mirror and noticed my calves looked more cut. I am not particularly looking for more definition in my legs, but there it was. Bryan has told me this is to be expected. As the body loses fat, the legs and upper chest become more defined first – and the belly last. So, I have a lot of work in front of me.

9/06/2011 weight: 215#

Fitness Update: August 21

I had my first session with my trainer, Bryan, on Thursday. This was preceded on Wednesday by a fitness assessment – the results of which were worse than I thought. Because I intend to maintain a modicum of privacy, I won’t go into all the details here. But suffice it to say we have our work cut out for us. I weighed in Wednesday at 216#. As stated before, I hope to get my weight down to 180# - although hitting that number is less important than improving my Body Mass Index, increasing my lean tissue, and greatly reducing my body fat percentage. We put together a fitness plan and Bryan confirmed that a goal of losing five pounds a month until I hit my target weight is realistic. I also signed up for Progressive’s Healthy U class – although the next available session is February 16th.

During my Thursday morning session, Bryan put me through a series of exercises including working with free weights – the first time I’ve done this in years as my balance is not the best. This was followed by some stretching, and then I went into work. I did no cardio during that session, although my heart rate was elevated during the strength training. I plan to arrive ten minutes earlier for my next session to get in a cardio warm-up beforehand.

I felt mostly OK for the rest of Thursday, just a feeling of mild shakiness and a somewhat “tight” feeling – I became progressively stiffer during the day and was beginning to feel sore by the evening. (I bought Ibuprofen at Costco that evening.)

I felt rather sore Friday and Saturday – and Friday morning I encountered spasms in my right hand between my thumb and index finger. I don’t believe these were caused by my workout – but are related to use of the computer mouse. There was no pain involved, just involuntary contractions. They recurred slightly on Saturday and were gone by this morning. Also this morning, I repeated the workout with Dan and felt fewer side effects than before.

I will be doing cardio and abs Monday afternoon and have another session Tuesday morning.

I will be reporting weekly on my progress. As this is a family friendly blog, I will not be providing shirtless beefcake (or in my case, flab cake) pictures. Small variations in weight of a pound or two are meaningless, but for the record, here’s where I stand:

8/18/2011 weight: 215#