This weather is fantastic! Another bright sunny day. A just right breeze coming in from the north.

Cameron returned from a one month stay in Mongolia. Lisa and the family met him at the airport yesterday. Lisa says he has become “worldly.” I can’t wait to talk with him. Probably tomorrow night.

Lisa, Corey and Ally are in Miami at the moment. Drove up yesterday after greeting Cameron. They are picking up Robert at 9 this morning. I am anxious to listen to his recitation of the past week.

I have much to look forward to this weekend.

Lisa telephoned me already this morning. Two times. Someone had sent her a pictuire of Robert swimming with a dolphin this week. She said they looked like they were kissing.

My yesterday started with lunch with the friday group. My new found friends. Though I knew some from before. Pleasant conversations. Nothing dramatic yesterday. It is a discussion group.

Cupboard bare again! Followed lunch with a trip to Publix. I spent just over $100! How do families do it? I am only feeding one. Myself.

Grocery bills are a perfect example of today’s economy. The producers can raise their prices to the supermarket. The supermarket raises its prices to the consumers. That’s us. Who do we raise prices to in order to compensate? No one. Are consumers receiving higher pay to help? No. Some do not even have jobs.

Not good. Families are having a bad time. Groceries plus $4 a gallon gas. Will it ever end? Will it ever return to more tolerable costs for consumable goods? Will the middle class ever return to being a middle class?

Later in the afternoon was the visit to my heart doctor.

I was supposed to do the stress test a couple of months ago. Kept rescheduling it because of my teeth. Finally got to it. And discovered my blood pressure was out of whack!

A little background is in order.

About 2.5 years ago, I was brutally tired all the time. I was shipped up to Miami for a heart catherization. I had an enlarged heart. They told me why. I did what I was instructed to do for 15 months to hopefully correct the situation. No drinking and no smoking.

Last September, I had a stress test to see what, if anything, had occurred with my enlarged heart. It was gone! Had shrunk back, though not to its original shape.

The enlarged heart problem was resolved. I was proud of myself.

The doctor said…..wait…..don’t get so excited…..you have a new problem. Terrific!

The bottom of my heart was not getting any blood. Note the word “any.” The artery feeding blood to the heart had crinkled and twisted. It had also shrunk. Terrific, again!

I was advised it would be diffocult to stent. Surgery difficult, also.

Wonderful!

My doctor thought he had a solution. There was a relatively new procedure. It involved this monstrous machine that I would have to lie on one hour a day for 35 consecutive days, excluding weekends. The bottom half of my body was encased in two inch wide air hoses. Tight. Every second or two, air would be forcefully shot into the hoses. My body would literally jump off the table a bit with each shot.

The purpose was to force blood into my heart. Hopefully collateral blood sources would develop and/or the screwed up twisted artery would straighten out.

I had to wait several months after the conclusion of the 35 days before taking a stress test and the pictures that go with it to see if success had been achieved. That was the purpose of the stress test thursday.

I am pleased to advise it worked! The twisted and shrunk artery had straightened out and blood was flowing properly into my heart. No longer was the bottom of my heart not receiving blood.

The wonders of modern science!

However, my blood pressure was up. Dramatically!

I am happy to report that in a mere two days, it is back to normal. The doctor merely doubled my blood pressure medication.

You do not have to tell me. I know. My renewed bad habits led to the hike in blood pressure. I am once again a good boy and resolve to stay that way. Hopefully. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Again, I never shared with you the 35 day machine exercise to open blood vessels carrying blood to my heart. This problem was discovered at the same time I was into the teeth thing. The doctor and dentist consulted. Decided one would not hurt the other. Or me. So I was undergoing terrible pain with my jaw and daily tiredness from the heart machine at one and the same time. I figured no one really wants to hear that much about someone’s medical problems. Additionally, it would be difficult to convey what I was experiencing each day. Pain from the jaw and getting beat up from the machine.

So where are we?

My heart is good. Good!

My dental procedures are within two months of ending. Good!

My self inflicted blood pressure problem is being dealt with. Good!

So I am going to go out tonight and tie a good one on, overeat and only bad foods, and smoke my brains out! No, only joking.

I do feel good. Pleased with myself. Want to remain that way. So it will be none of the above.

I am leaving you and heading for Smathers Beach. To take a walk!

Enjoy your day!

4 comments on “

  1. Hello from a beachbum in San Diego. the real paradise.

    Sorry to hear of your infirmities but glad to see you are doing ok.

    You need to stick to an escarole and beans diet from your ole days on Jay Street.

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