Alligatorob's Diary

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, ate well, did a lot of work in the yard and feel good tonight. However I have to say I was sorely tempted this evening, a combination of my all too frequent night time urges and a jar of cookies my wife put out... however I managed to resist.

It was a long day of outside work, getting ready for winter and a time when I won't be able to work much. Cut some weed trees and piled them for the spring burn. Dismantled the garden and irrigation system, and picked the last of the apples. I was surprised even after giving a lot away we had about 120 lbs left. No idea what to do with them, try to give them away I guess. It's turned cold and this was about the last day they could be picked. A very cold day working in the yard, temps at or just below freezing and a strong north wind all day, it snowed the last couple of hours. Despite being real well dressed I was chilled to the bone... probably added to my eating desires.

I think you're doing really well, trying to make sure that you are as healthy & as fit as you can be. LLama has given you some excellent advice & I agree that asking for specific instructions as to what you should/could or shouldn't do afterwards is a great idea. I am more aware of looking ahead, rather than down, when I walk Archie, as Llama suggested to you which has helped my neck & shoulders.

Thanks Cate, and like you I appreciate Llama's posture advice and have been trying hard to follow it. Did some online research and found that she was right, should not have been a surprise...

Four hours at the gym is amazing, Rob!

A few years ago I would have said the same, but now it doesn't seem so amazing. The last hour was yoga, not real hard, and I don't push too hard just try to keep up a consistent pace.

The video you posted is amazing. I really want to watch Dead Man Walking now. I am reading a book called No Bad Parts from a psychologist author who (among other things) went into prisons and helped people who had been murders see that they were over-defensive and over-protective of themselves and what that caused, and that those parts that made them murder can indeed be reformed. I really respect people who work with prisoners to find redemption.

Thanks Marsia, you really should watch Dead Man Walking again, it was a great movie, I had forgotten how great. You are right about the tragedy of many of those murderers. If they had gotten some of the attention they get in prison it might have saved both the lives they took, and their own lives. Finding redemption in prison is good, but finding it before hand would have been so much better.

I agree with Cate, so good you are making sure you are healthy. I am going to watch my posture, too.

We all should, who knows had I started earlier it might have let me avoid this surgery.

That is an excellent and very thought-provoking video about the prison. I watched Dead Man Walking years ago and remember it having an impact but can't really remember details--maybe worth a re-watch....But yeah such a good point in the video about all that help (vocation training, anger-management training,mental health help etc) coming after the crime was committed--it would be nice to see more helpful things in place before a person ends up in prison! But nice to see the prison reforms as well for sure.

Thanks Liza, I looked at a number of Angola videos, that one really was by far the best.

"it would be nice to see more helpful things in place before a person ends up in prison! But nice to see the prison reforms as well for sure." - Absolutely!

Thanks for sharing that. You seem to be such a thoughtful person where even this little trip away leads you down such a thoughtful journey.

Thanks Liza, a really nice complement. Makes me feel better tonight.

 

[Llama]

I always get more hungry for a while after a temperature drop. Of course for me it helps to just eat more but I guess for you that'd just increase the cravings.

 

[alligatorob]

I always get more hungry for a while after a temperature drop. Of course for me it helps to just eat more but I guess for you that'd just increase the cravings.

Thanks Llama and you are right about the more eating. I also seem to get cravings after the temperature goes up, or when it stays the same... Weather neutral I think.

 

[liza3]

Do you allow for any extra calories when you do outdoor work Rob? Sounds like you would have burned quite a few with all that work-- so between all that work and it being cold it would be no wonder to me you would be wanting a little extra food...
I can't believe all that fruit you guys have--do you have any local food banks or soup kitchens that take donations of fruit?

 

[Emilyrose]

Being put in prison for the rest of your life is sad but having one of your family members murdered is a lot sadder. I'm not a fan of the death penalty but I do think people should be punished for their crimes. It is tragic that a lot of prisoners are 'normal' but their one moment of madness has caused a lifetime of pain and suffering for the victim's families unfortunately.

Anyway...

Hope you find a home for all those apples.

 

[Cate]

I definitely get hungrier when it's cold, even though my body should have enough padding. All the best for the op, Rob. Is it tomorrow (Tuesday)?

 

[Marsia]

You are so active and in shape. That's wonderful you can pick 120 pounds of apples and still have the stamina to do more yard work! Like Cate said, good luck with your operation - it's the day after tomorrow, right?

 

[alligatorob]

Today was a good day, I ate well, did a lot of work in the yard and around the house and feel good tonight.

Bottled 24 liters of the peach wine, still have another 24 liters aging waiting to be bottled. Will have to wait until I recover a bit. Had to have some of the peach wine tonight, it is the best I have made. Not that it's great, I think the best you can expect is a wine that people call "interesting"... homemade wine is hard to get really good. The last batch I made a friend's daughter asked for a second glass, maybe a first, LOL. We have about 25 gallons, 100 liters, of juice in the freezer, still trying to figure out what to do with it.

Do you allow for any extra calories when you do outdoor work Rob? Sounds like you would have burned quite a few with all that work-- so between all that work and it being cold it would be no wonder to me you would be wanting a little extra food...

No, I try not to consider exercise in my calorie intake. I know it burns some, but I also know how easy it is to gain weight despite exercise.

I can't believe all that fruit you guys have--do you have any local food banks or soup kitchens that take donations of fruit?

My wife volunteers at the local soup kitchen, she gives them all they can use. We have done pretty well, most of yesterdays picking gone already. Mostly to friends who want to make pies or apple sauce. Makes me feel better than going to waste.

Being put in prison for the rest of your life is sad but having one of your family members murdered is a lot sadder. I'm not a fan of the death penalty but I do think people should be punished for their crimes. It is tragic that a lot of prisoners are 'normal' but their one moment of madness has caused a lifetime of pain and suffering for the victim's families unfortunately.

I agree, once the deed is done the perpetrator needs punished. It's the victims family and friends who matter most. Just sad that so many murders get done... At a conceptual level I do not support the death penalty, but at the individual level when I hear what the person has done its hard not to want to see it done... The death penalty is still legal here, but in reality its not very often actually carried out. Only a very small fraction of murderers are executed. In Louisiana the only prison executed in the last 20 years was one who asked to be put to death. Antoinette Frank is a good example of someone on death row in Louisiana that it would be hard to not want to see executed. Awful story https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoinette_Frank

Hope you find a home for all those apples.

Working on it, and I think we will. You want some? Come on over!

I definitely get hungrier when it's cold, even though my body should have enough padding.

Since losing weight I get cold much more easily. Even with a bit of padding...

All the best for the op, Rob. Is it tomorrow (Tuesday)?

Yes it is Tuesday, but here that's not tomorrow, LOL! Thanks for your wishes, I am pretty confident it will go well, but am not looking forward to the recovery.

You are so active and in shape. That's wonderful you can pick 120 pounds of apples and still have the stamina to do more yard work!

Thanks, but it doesn't feel like I am in great shape. In some ways I still feel the same as when I was much heavier and in awful shape. Funny how that works...

Like Cate said, good luck with your operation - it's the day after tomorrow, right?

Yes, day after tomorrow, which I believe for Cate is tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[Llama]

Best of luck with surgery

 

[liza3]

That is really great that between all that processing you do and giving it away you don't let the fruit go to waste-I imagine people are very grateful for it in these times where prices are going up all the time...
I don't know how you do all that activity on so few calories--I couldn't manage at all!

All the best for the surgery tomorrow!

 

[Cate]

and.....it's 8.16 am Tuesday here in Australia. All the best, Rob!

 

[alligatorob]

and.....it's 8.16 am Tuesday here in Australia. All the best, Rob!

If I were there it would have already started. Scheduled to begin at 7:30 am Tuesday here

 

[Marsia]

Glad you are feeling confident. All the well wishes!!

 

[alligatorob]

Today was a decent food day, though I had to end it with an early last supper... no painting. Fasting from now until surgery is over. Got little exercise and feel ok tonight, maybe a little apprehensive.

I got treated for wet macular degeneration this morning, not a fun thing. It involves a shot into the eyeball. Until this morning I did not even know they did that... and I will need at least one a month for a few months, not sure after that. I have had dry macular degeneration for 5 years or so, keeping it controlled with some eye vitamins, AREDS2. When in Louisiana I noticed a problem in my right eye and made this appointment. I was there for 3 hours doing lots of testing and things, then got the shot. The doctor was confident it was caught in time and the loss of vision I have will likely recover, at least partially. Getting old ain't for the weak hearted...

Best of luck with surgery

All the best, Rob!

All the best for the surgery tomorrow!

All the well wishes!!

Thanks ladies, I appreciate it. If I lived in Australia it would all be over now!

Glad you are feeling confident.

That may be overstating things a little, but I am less worried than I was for the knee surgery. I think it will go well... hope the eye thing isn't a bad omen.

I don't know how you do all that activity on so few calories--I couldn't manage at all!

LOL, my secret is that I only post my food when I am doing well, and I really think I underestimate the calories. I used to obsess about getting the calories right, lots of weighing and measuring and recording every bite. Now I realize that bingeing, not a few hundred calories one way or the other is my real problem. So I do try to record everything, but don't worry as much about precision. I think I do better this way.

 

[Llama]

hope the eye thing isn't a bad omen.

The eye thing is proof that you take care of your body and alert the doctors in time when something is off. Same as with your neck. I'd call it an annoying but good omen.

 

[alligatorob]

The eye thing is proof that you take care of your body and alert the doctors in time when something is off. Same as with your neck. I'd call it an annoying but good omen.

Annoying, but good, omen? I like it!

I am up earlier than I need to be, could not sleep... and no coffee or anything this morning. I do get to drink a 200 calorie pre-surgery thing, so far as I can tell from the label it's just 200 calories of sugar water.

Trying to more fully wake, but without caffeine it may not be possible...

The good news is that stick in my eye feeling is getting less...

 

[liza3]

Thinking of you this morning Rob...maybe you are in surgery by now...and maybe waking soon to finally get that cup of coffee!
I had a friend who had to have those shots in his eye--always sounds terrifying to me.
Anyways good they at least caught it in time. Good for you taking care of yourself as you do!

 

[Cate]

Thinking of you, Rob xo

 

[alligatorob]

Not dead yet, but still in hospital… su
Surgery went well, I think

 

[alligatorob]

Not my best day, but for one with surgery it could have been a lot worse. And I ate reasonably well given the circumstances. I was told I probably could not eat solid food due to throat pain. It was easy, too easy...

Surgical and early recovery things went a lot better than I expected. I have pain, but not in the same class as the knee pain, not even close. I am a lot more flexible and able to tolerate the pain than the doctor told me to expect. I can do all kinds of things I was told not to expect to be able to do, for example I was told that I probably could not sit more than a few minutes the first day without lots of pain, same thing for standing and walking. I find less pain in siting, standing, and walking than in bed. When I first woke up I had a lot of pain, the physical therapist asked if I thought I could sit up, and I wasn't sure. When I tried the pain immediately dropped, and dropped even more when I stood up. She asked if I could walk and then we walked unassisted, just a leash for safety to the end of the hall. Then I climbed up and down the stairs. Not pain free, but not too bad. Better than laying down. Now I am beginning to worry that my ability to do these things might put the bone grafts at risk. For a lot of people the pain keeps them from trying to over do it...

The doctor did both a metal plate and the bone grafts for fusion. As a result of that, and ease of being able to use my neck, I got no collar. You can see the incision, went in from the front left and reached across to the right nerves for work. Not sure where the plate ended up. With the bandage the incision doesn't look like much.

Not looking my best, but not too bad. Cate note the lines on my bifocals.

Just took my first painkiller, in anticipation of having trouble sleeping with laying down pain. Posting before it takes effect.

The gave me an interesting device, a lung exerciser. Doctor tells me I need to inhale as hard as I can 10 times and hour for a few days to manage the effect of the anastatic. Seems kind of odd, I have no trouble pegging the thing. Not sure how much of it my lungs need, but I will try to keep it up.

Thinking of you this morning Rob.

Thinking of you, Rob xo

Thanks Ladies, and those who said the same yesterday. Your well wishes seem to have worked!

maybe waking soon to finally get that cup of coffee!

I did wake up but getting the coffee was hard. I was in a hospital owned by the Mormon Church and they don't allow coffee. However a good nurse took pity on me and found some contraband coffee, it helped!

I had a friend who had to have those shots in his eye--always sounds terrifying to me.

It was to me too, but after getting it on a terrifying scale its dropped from a 10 to maybe a 7 or 8...

Some of these calories are a real SWAG... not that it matter much today.