Brain Dump

On September 12, 2001, I decided I'd donate blood, like so many. Living across the country from NYC, not many opportunities were available for me help in any significant way. I learned that on September 10, 2001, I was banned, for life, from ever donating blood again.

What grave sin had I committed?

I'd lived in England, for 3 months, before 1989.

Remember Mad Cow Disease? No test exists. No vaccine. No treatment. It lives in your system, undetectable, until something - they don't know what- activates it. However, they won't be able to tell you what it is until the final stages.

I may or may not have it. There's no way to know. I could have lived my life fretting. What would be the point? If I die of Mad Cow Disease, then I won't die of dementia or cancer or something else.

We are all going to die. I know the idyll is to die peacefully in your sleep. That luxury isn't afforded most people. The majority of us will die of a disease or accident. For some, the process will be long and painful. For others it will be blessedly quick.

If I'd been born a few years earlier, before the wide use of penicillin, which didn't happen until the late 50s, I would have died of a kidney infection as a child, exactly like my great grandfather and great uncle. I've struggled with kidney infections all my life. It puts me in the high risk area. I've worked hard to learn how to manage my health and haven't had an infection in a long time.

So, pardon me if I don't join in the fear fest. I don't have to participate in the pity-poor-me-I-might-die party. More importantly, no one can make me.

I've seen this latest panic bring out courage and compassion, but I've also seen it bring out the monster in people I thought were very different. What kind of person wishes death on someone who doesn't agree with them?

One Day Follow Up

How'd I do, so far?

Physical therapy ~ So far so good

Walk ~ So far so good

Scripture study ~ So far so good

Edits ~ So far so good

Read ~ So far so good

Eat healthy ~ So far so good

Good sleep ~ So far so good

Errands ~ Not yet

Make something fun ~ Delicious over-easy fried duck egg on toast and brownies

Give the battle to God

Praise God in the storm

Carpe Diem Darlington

NASCAR ~ 6 Truex 11 A. Dillon 21 Wallace 23 McDowell 28 Yeley

What needs to be done?

Physical therapy

Walk

Scripture study

Rewrites

Read

Eat healthy

Good sleep

Errands

Make something fun

Give the battle to God

Praise God in the storm

Thank Goodness It's Sunday 517

~ Roses

~ Friends

~ Music

~ Books

~ God's grace

End of Week Follow Up

How'd I do?

Physical therapy ~ Done

Walk ~ Done

Scripture study ~ Done

Edits ~ Progressing

Read ~ Done

Eat healthy ~ More good than bad, improved as the week went on

Good sleep ~ Pretty good

Errands ~ Done

Make something fun ~ Rice and spice and lemon turned out pretty good. 

Give the battle to God

Praise God in the storm

Brain Dump

Please explain the logic:

You can go to the home improvement store, but you can't go to the House of the Lord.

You can't go to a clothing store, but you can go to the grocery store.

You can't visit family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers, but you can have total strangers prepare and deliver your food.

You can't have a knee replacement because it's elective and you might die, but you can have an abortion which isn't considered elective and a baby will die.

In what universe does any of this make any kind of sense?

REAL Week 563

REAL - Reduce stress Exercise Adequate sleep Lower caloric intake

What Navy SEALs are required to do to make it into BUD/S:

http://navyseal.s5.com/requirements.html

http://military-fitness.military.com/2013/01/the-spartan-300-workout-and-new-variations.html?ESRC=sm_fit.nl

Right up front: Never in a million years could I do what is required. However, I needed to start somewhere. Considering how fit the SEALs are, I figured it was a good place to start. My pushups are against the wall.

Using 1, 2, and/or 4-lb weights:

PT ~ Physical therapy

UBP ~ Upper body exercises, pushups, and chair sits against the wall

SEALFit shared some good hints I want to learn and remember:

http://sealfit.com/sealfit-blog-how-to-build-durability/

8: 1/2-mile walk PT UBP 0-lb x3 Stretch

9: 1-1/4 mile walk PT UBP 0-lb x3 1-lb x2 Stretch

10: Rest

11: 1-1/4 mile walk PT UBP 0-lb x3 1-lb x2 Stretch

12: 1/2 mile walk PT UBP 0-lb x3 Stretch

13: 1-1/4 mile walk PT UBP 0-lb x3 1-lb x2 Stretch

14: 1/2-mile walk PT UBP 0-lb x3 Stretch

TBR

56. Failsafe (Guardian series book 1) by Traci Hunter Abramson contemporary Christian suspense romance. Heart stopping.

57. Courage to Change (Grant Us Grace series Book 2 of 5 in the Box Set) by Elizabeth Maddrey contemporary Christian romance. A bit of a nail biter. This series tackles a number of tough subjects. I'm enjoying Elizabeth's approach.

58. Serenity to Accept (Grant Us Grace series Book 3 of 5 in the Box Set) by Elizabeth Maddrey contemporary Christian romance. I wondered if Allison and Phil would be able to work past their differences; differences that were similar, with very different outcomes.

59. Joint Venture (Grant Us Grace series Book 4 of 5 in the Box Set) by Elizabeth Maddrey contemporary Christian romance. My heart ached for Karin. I wasn't too sure about Jason. I couldn't stop reading until I finished.

60. Pathway to Peace (Grant Us Grace series Book 5 of 5 in the Box Set) by Elizabeth Maddrey contemporary Christian romance. The last of the series was a delightful ending.

One Day Follow Up

How'd I do, so far?

Physical therapy ~ So far so good

Walk ~ So far so good

Scripture study ~ So far so good

Edits ~ So far so good

Read ~ So far so good

Eat healthy ~ So far so good

Good sleep ~ So far so good

Errands ~ Not yet

Make something fun ~ Exploring spices with rice

Give the battle to God

Praise God in the storm

Carpe Ciem Martinsville

NASCAR ~ Virtual ~ Race scheduled next week

What needs to be done?

Physical therapy

Walk

Scripture study

Rewrites

Read

Eat healthy

Good sleep

Errands

Make something fun

Give the battle to God

Praise God in the storm

Thank Goodness It's Sunday 517

~ New book by a favorite author

~ Good friends

~ Unexpected gifts

~ Sleeping better than I have in a long time

~ God's grace