Being chased out of the water by an alien:
Digging on the bike:
Still digging:
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Found Some Pics
..of myself at the Got the Nerve Triathlon website. They're watermarked, but still...
Being chased out of the water by an alien:
Digging on the bike:
Still digging:
Being chased out of the water by an alien:
Digging on the bike:
Still digging:
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Hodgepodge...
Kind of a little bit of everything, just to get caught up.
Men's Summit
I had the privelege of speaking at the Men's Summit for my church. It was an amazing gathering of men; there's something about how God works through the hearts of men, and I gained a great deal of strength and perspective from the experience.
Strength, because I was reminded of how a true Band of brothers works. I think we become stronger when we join together. I liken it to the Iroquois League. They banded together to become stronger, a novel concept at the time, and became one of the most powerful groups of Native Americans. They used the arrow as a symbol, as I recall, of their strength. A single arrow was easily broken, but a group of arrows, banded together, was unbreakable, even by the strongest of warriors.
I also gained a perspective, that I am part of something larger. My part is not big, or particularly important, but the role I play as a light of Christ's love is part of the larger play of many people's lives, and in many ways it is that which is important. My friend John has a quote that says, "There is no light at the end of the tunnel. You carry the light with you." All I can do is love people, but if I do it well, real change might actually occur in the world...or perhaps only in my small part of it...which is okay, too.
Daisy
Daisy continues to get better, but only by the smallest of increments. She doesn't pee in the house when we are home, and she doesn't wake up 3 or 4 times per night, two blessings for which I am hugely grateful. That being said, she is still out if a lot of the time, still wandering aimlessly, and she still has trouble keeping it together when we are gone. hang in there, little pup...
Physical Therapy
I started physical therapy for my leg and back last week. It makes a big difference. It is tough to do some of the exercises, but others are easy. I will write more about this in this week, showcasing my incredible (LOL) range of motion and strength. HEY! It could happen!
Men's Summit
I had the privelege of speaking at the Men's Summit for my church. It was an amazing gathering of men; there's something about how God works through the hearts of men, and I gained a great deal of strength and perspective from the experience.
Strength, because I was reminded of how a true Band of brothers works. I think we become stronger when we join together. I liken it to the Iroquois League. They banded together to become stronger, a novel concept at the time, and became one of the most powerful groups of Native Americans. They used the arrow as a symbol, as I recall, of their strength. A single arrow was easily broken, but a group of arrows, banded together, was unbreakable, even by the strongest of warriors.
I also gained a perspective, that I am part of something larger. My part is not big, or particularly important, but the role I play as a light of Christ's love is part of the larger play of many people's lives, and in many ways it is that which is important. My friend John has a quote that says, "There is no light at the end of the tunnel. You carry the light with you." All I can do is love people, but if I do it well, real change might actually occur in the world...or perhaps only in my small part of it...which is okay, too.
Daisy
Daisy continues to get better, but only by the smallest of increments. She doesn't pee in the house when we are home, and she doesn't wake up 3 or 4 times per night, two blessings for which I am hugely grateful. That being said, she is still out if a lot of the time, still wandering aimlessly, and she still has trouble keeping it together when we are gone. hang in there, little pup...
Physical Therapy
I started physical therapy for my leg and back last week. It makes a big difference. It is tough to do some of the exercises, but others are easy. I will write more about this in this week, showcasing my incredible (LOL) range of motion and strength. HEY! It could happen!
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Release the HOUND!
All week, we were pretty sure Daisy was done. We took her to the vets on Wednesday, and were confident she had Cushing's Disease. On Thursday, they ran the tests and confirmed that it was, indeed, Cushing's Disease. There are two kinds, one pretty much making it a done deal, and the other, we believed, was a pretty expensive and involved treatment regimen. In talking with the vet, he asked to run another test to determine what kind she had, and we agreed. On Friday they ran the tests and asked us to come in at 6.30, when the results would be back.
Daisy is really Mrs. Fish's dog, and of course my daughter loves her because she's a kid and kids love dogs. It's part of God's design for their DNA. So I'm trying to make sure they're okay, and realizing that we're pretty much going to put Daisy to sleep. I'm not doing well with this at all.
We get to the vet and they give us the bill for Daisy. Mrs. Fish is a little miffed, but I recall writing a check after Josie died and I much prefer the up-front method. Just me. They take us back to the office, and after what seems an eternity, the vet comes in. He explains that Daisy has Cushing's, but she can get medication that will probably alleviate her symptoms. My wife and I were bracing for an $11 pill given daily--simple math makes the decision as to what to do easy at that point. But, the vet explains that she will only need 1/4 of the pill....3 times a week. There is quite a difference between $240 a month and $33 a month.
It sank in with Mrs. Fish and Little Fish what the vet was saying. There is a good chance she will return to ful functioning. She'll probably get her mind back. The first thing to change is that she'll stop peeing in the house. We could have our doggie back, in as little as a week or two.
My wife cried. My daughter cried. I explained to Little Fish that I guess God just wasn't ready to use Daisy in Heaven, and she just cried some more and said it was good. She said it was her first time crying happy tears. I hadn't thought about it, but she's right.
Daisy is home now, sleeping on her little bed.
Daisy is really Mrs. Fish's dog, and of course my daughter loves her because she's a kid and kids love dogs. It's part of God's design for their DNA. So I'm trying to make sure they're okay, and realizing that we're pretty much going to put Daisy to sleep. I'm not doing well with this at all.
We get to the vet and they give us the bill for Daisy. Mrs. Fish is a little miffed, but I recall writing a check after Josie died and I much prefer the up-front method. Just me. They take us back to the office, and after what seems an eternity, the vet comes in. He explains that Daisy has Cushing's, but she can get medication that will probably alleviate her symptoms. My wife and I were bracing for an $11 pill given daily--simple math makes the decision as to what to do easy at that point. But, the vet explains that she will only need 1/4 of the pill....3 times a week. There is quite a difference between $240 a month and $33 a month.
It sank in with Mrs. Fish and Little Fish what the vet was saying. There is a good chance she will return to ful functioning. She'll probably get her mind back. The first thing to change is that she'll stop peeing in the house. We could have our doggie back, in as little as a week or two.
My wife cried. My daughter cried. I explained to Little Fish that I guess God just wasn't ready to use Daisy in Heaven, and she just cried some more and said it was good. She said it was her first time crying happy tears. I hadn't thought about it, but she's right.
Daisy is home now, sleeping on her little bed.
Monday, January 15, 2007
My Generation's Sinatra
It looks like the rest of the world shares my fascination with all things David. Witness THIS REVIEW section of his album Looking for the Best, which contains 1,030 reviews of the smash album, with appropriate commentary/homage to the genius that is David Hasselhoff.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Little Dog Lost
My dog Daisy has had ongoing health problems for the past two months, notably bladder control, wandering, being disoriented and general tiredness all the time. We've taken her to the vets multiple times, but they continue to be baffled. We've been able to say what it isn't, ruling out diabetes, cancer, and probably renal failure, but have not been able to say what it is.
Last Tuesday was my daughter's 9th birthday (Little Fish!) and we had some of the girls in the neighborhood over to celebrate. While they were coming in, Daisy was inadvertantly let out. Part of her general malaise has been this tendency to wander endlessly, doing a circuit through wahtever room we happen to be in. I noticed, after some time, that she was not underfoot. I immediately looked around, then asked Mrs. Fish if she had seen Daisy: Negative.
The search began, and we looked in the house, then the outside area of the house, then the neighborhood. Several of our neighbors came over and helped us look (we are blessed to live in that kind of neighborhood, the kind in which many of us grew up, the kind I was convinced, at one point, no longer existed) for Daisy. One of my neighbors, Miss B., wandered up to the ballfield, about a quarter mile away from the house...and there was Daisy!!!
She had wandered into a t-ball field and could not figure out how to get out. Miss B. scooped her up and called us--I drove up and she plopped her in the front seat of my car. It was a good thing she was found, because the temperature was below freezing that night, with snow, and I am certain that, had Miss B. not found her, Daisy would not have made it through the night. Sighs of relief were, and are still, heard through the Fish-house.
Now, if only we can figure out what is wrong with Little Daisy...
Double Docs
Caution: Graphic Medical Descriptions
I went to the doctors this week. Two of them. I am still feeling stiff and am in pain from getting hit by the pickup truck. I've had radiating pain across my lower back, scar tissue building up in the forearm area where I landed on the rocks, and most pressingly, a pain down the outside of my left leg. I wanted to make sure that nothing was missed or that things were on track for healing so i scheduled an appointment with an osteopath.
Dr. Z. is on eof those older, talkative, has-a-story-for-every-situation type of guys. He was also a rider in his youth, covering 300+ miles on trips with his buddies over long weekends...yeesh! He said the first two items were okay, but that the reason my thigh was hurting is because when I landed, i bruised a major nerve running down that side. I told him it still hurt, and he said I could expect it to do so for some time.
"How much time?"
"Six months...longer. I've seen some of these take over a year-and-a-half to heal fully. If it gets worse, call me and we'll snip it. It will go numb, but at least you'll be out of pain."
It doesn't hurt bad enough for that, so I'll just keep on going. Carp.
I also had to get a pair of x-rays while I was there, just to make sure no fractures were missed in the original x-rays. The nurse informed me I would probably have to take my pants off, but she could give me a gown if I wanted. I told her my brief history, and said, "I've been poked, prodded, stuck, disrobed, marked and sliced. I think I'll be okay with this, too." She laughed and we took the x-rays: Normal.
Doctor II...
I was also having problems related to the testicular removal surgery (radical left orchiectomy, for those keeping track), most notably blood in my semen. I called Dr. Wenger, the guy who performed the surgery, and left a message with his nurse.
I was a little worried (blood does NOT belong there!) so I was glad when they called back and said it was most likely an infection. Apparently, these things are not uncommon, and the SOP is to give horsepills (500mg of Cipro 2x per day) for a week to clear it up...oh, and no ejaculations for a month.
"WHAT!!??!!!?"
Yup. Actually, it was funny because the woman giving me the news was obviously in a crowded room, and she was trying to keep her voice down as she told me the news. For a second, I considered playing deaf, and saying, "I'm sorry what? What? Um, can you speak up--I'm having trouble hearing you." Maybe next time.
I went to the doctors this week. Two of them. I am still feeling stiff and am in pain from getting hit by the pickup truck. I've had radiating pain across my lower back, scar tissue building up in the forearm area where I landed on the rocks, and most pressingly, a pain down the outside of my left leg. I wanted to make sure that nothing was missed or that things were on track for healing so i scheduled an appointment with an osteopath.
Dr. Z. is on eof those older, talkative, has-a-story-for-every-situation type of guys. He was also a rider in his youth, covering 300+ miles on trips with his buddies over long weekends...yeesh! He said the first two items were okay, but that the reason my thigh was hurting is because when I landed, i bruised a major nerve running down that side. I told him it still hurt, and he said I could expect it to do so for some time.
"How much time?"
"Six months...longer. I've seen some of these take over a year-and-a-half to heal fully. If it gets worse, call me and we'll snip it. It will go numb, but at least you'll be out of pain."
It doesn't hurt bad enough for that, so I'll just keep on going. Carp.
I also had to get a pair of x-rays while I was there, just to make sure no fractures were missed in the original x-rays. The nurse informed me I would probably have to take my pants off, but she could give me a gown if I wanted. I told her my brief history, and said, "I've been poked, prodded, stuck, disrobed, marked and sliced. I think I'll be okay with this, too." She laughed and we took the x-rays: Normal.
Doctor II...
I was also having problems related to the testicular removal surgery (radical left orchiectomy, for those keeping track), most notably blood in my semen. I called Dr. Wenger, the guy who performed the surgery, and left a message with his nurse.
I was a little worried (blood does NOT belong there!) so I was glad when they called back and said it was most likely an infection. Apparently, these things are not uncommon, and the SOP is to give horsepills (500mg of Cipro 2x per day) for a week to clear it up...oh, and no ejaculations for a month.
"WHAT!!??!!!?"
Yup. Actually, it was funny because the woman giving me the news was obviously in a crowded room, and she was trying to keep her voice down as she told me the news. For a second, I considered playing deaf, and saying, "I'm sorry what? What? Um, can you speak up--I'm having trouble hearing you." Maybe next time.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
My Day in Court: Preliminary Hearing
I showed up at court and saw the officer who was first on the scene pulling up at the same time, and he walked in ahead of me. I entered the building and announced myself at the front desk area, and felt the people in the waiting area tense up. I realized that one of them was probably the defendant and the rest were his family. The officer came out from a back room right away and sequestered me in a different area. We talked for a little bit, and he told me what would happen. "Also," he said, "he has hired his own attorney. The attorney may grill you. It's nothing personal, just that he's paid to try to make you look bad."
Great.
The courtroom was set up by dyslexics. The judge enters from the right side, so the witness chair is set up on the left. This means that the prosecution sits on that side (the officer informed me they always sit on the same side as the witness chair...learn something every day), not the traditional right side, like you see in all of those television crime dramas.
"The prosecution would like to call FishrCutB8/Rob." It is very weird hearing your name called in conjunction with a court case. My daughter takes drama classes (like she NEEDS them) and the one thing they ALWAYS stress is the three Bs: Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Understood. It was my mantra while I was up on the stand, and it brought great calm.
The officer asked me to describe the events of that day, and I told how I was riding along (should have inserted the cliche: "minding my own business...") when I felt a force hit me from behind and lift me up off my bicycle. As I was in the air, I heard a voice in my head say, "Get Safe", so as I hit the pavement on my left side, I sprang off with my right foot and landed in the grass on the side of the road. He asked about my experience on a bike (4 years) number of miles ridden per year (500-800+) was I wearing a helmet (YES!), and the like. He also presented evidence of my injuries (nice photos...eek!) and the truck that ran me over ("Is this the truck that struck you?"). Then he rested and it was the attorney's turn.
He asked a lot of questions, but the central ones were:
Q: Did I notice the driver driving eratically?
A: No.
Q: What direction was I facing when I landed?
A: Toward the direction of traffic.
Q: Did the truck squeal tires when leaving?
A: No.
Q: How far were you from the truck when you landed and saw it stop?
A: About 30 feet.
Q: Shouldn't you have been in the other side of the road?
A: No. There are two reasons for this. First, by traveling with traffic, if you get hit, it efectively dampens the impact because you are traveling in the same direction. A 15 mph bike hit by a 40 mph truck has an effective impact of 25 mph. Conversely, in a head on collision, a 15 mph bike hit by a 40 mph truck has an effective impact of 55 mph. Second, Pennsylvania state law dictates I travel with traffic, as far to the right as possible, which is where I was when I was struck.
Q: Are there grates on the road there?
A: Yes, off to the side of the road.
Q: How did you proceed around them?
A: I didn't. I went past them. By ducking in and out of obstacles on the side of the road, you make yourself erratic, and it's this lack of predictability that gets cyclists hurt when they cut back out in front of cars.
Q: Is it safe to say there was a lot of glare from the setting sun that day.
A: Yes
Then the officer on the scene gave his testimony. He described coming up to me, lying on the ground, bleeding and in pain. I was already on the back board and neck brace at that point. He got my description of the truck. Also, he recovered a cap from the hub of the truck, which would later be used to identify the year, make and model. Then, he was cross-examined. The critical questions were:
Q: Did the defendant turn himself in?
A: Yes.
Q: Was he cooperative?
A: Yes.
Q: What was his demeanor?
A: He was very upset, and even cried at one point. (Interesting. Not to pound my own chest, but I got run over by a truck and didn't cry.)
Q: Is it likely you would never have caught him if he hadn't turned himself in?
A: I can't say, because we had a stakeout on the road and he travels it every day.
Q: Did you read him Miranda?
A: No.
There were also questions about the timeline, and the fact that I was hit, the press release went out, and the defendant turned himself in after reading about it. His mom followed with her testimony, and said her son had not been drinking or doing drugs prior to driving that day.
Finally they gave closing arguments. The defense attorney went first, stating that there was a lot of glare on the road that caused the accident. Also, the defendant thought he hit something on the side of the road. There was no report of him driving erratically. The defendant was not drinking, which is, according to him, the primary reason to file charges of this sort. And, because of my apparent state of mind, I may not have accurately seen the defendant's truck come to a complete stop, then take off at a high rate of speed. He finished with the defendant having the accident, going home, reading about it, checking and seeing damage to his truck, putting two and two together and turning himself in. He asked that, because of all this, the charges against his client be dropped.
The officer gave the closing argument for the state, saying that his failure to stop and render aid was the central issue. Also, there is a clear difference between hitting a squirrel or a grate and hitting a human being, and that a reasonable person would know the difference. He concluded with the defendant turning himself in for fear of geting nailed.
I was sitting in the back and realized SOMETHING HAD BEEN MISSED! In a court, you don't speak unless spoken to, and I wanted to scream, but I was struck mute (not easy for an Irishman, I assure you, especially when we have something to say). I wanted to scream "YOU FORGOT TO ADDRESS MY STATE OF MIND!" Ironically, screaming that in a courtroom would have addressed that very issue...
Because this was a preliminary hearing, it was up to the judge to weigh all of the evidence and testimony and decide if they should move to trial. He started off saying that there was a serious injury that resulted from the actions of the defendant. Furthermore, the defendant's failure to stop and render aid, especially given the obvious difference between striking a person and striking a grate were, in his mind, critical. Last, he stated that my "state of mind" was obviously sound enough to look at a truck, identify it from 30 feet away, remember it all, then give a thorough description of the vehicle to the police when they did show up. (THANK YOU VERY MUCH!).
The Crappy
On my way over to the courthouse, I passed a cyclist who was struck by a car. I'm not sure what happened or how bad it was, but there was an ambulance on the scene.
The Cool
The Assistant District Attorney, who is responsible for prosecuting the case for the court is a cyclist who rides up to 2K per year.
The Funny
I told my daughter I was going to court, and she asked, "Can I come?"
"If you'd like." (She ended up stayinghome with a friend--they had no school that day.)
"Is there going to be a big audience, like in Judge Judy?"
"Probably not, honey."
Great.
The courtroom was set up by dyslexics. The judge enters from the right side, so the witness chair is set up on the left. This means that the prosecution sits on that side (the officer informed me they always sit on the same side as the witness chair...learn something every day), not the traditional right side, like you see in all of those television crime dramas.
"The prosecution would like to call FishrCutB8/Rob." It is very weird hearing your name called in conjunction with a court case. My daughter takes drama classes (like she NEEDS them) and the one thing they ALWAYS stress is the three Bs: Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Understood. It was my mantra while I was up on the stand, and it brought great calm.
The officer asked me to describe the events of that day, and I told how I was riding along (should have inserted the cliche: "minding my own business...") when I felt a force hit me from behind and lift me up off my bicycle. As I was in the air, I heard a voice in my head say, "Get Safe", so as I hit the pavement on my left side, I sprang off with my right foot and landed in the grass on the side of the road. He asked about my experience on a bike (4 years) number of miles ridden per year (500-800+) was I wearing a helmet (YES!), and the like. He also presented evidence of my injuries (nice photos...eek!) and the truck that ran me over ("Is this the truck that struck you?"). Then he rested and it was the attorney's turn.
He asked a lot of questions, but the central ones were:
Q: Did I notice the driver driving eratically?
A: No.
Q: What direction was I facing when I landed?
A: Toward the direction of traffic.
Q: Did the truck squeal tires when leaving?
A: No.
Q: How far were you from the truck when you landed and saw it stop?
A: About 30 feet.
Q: Shouldn't you have been in the other side of the road?
A: No. There are two reasons for this. First, by traveling with traffic, if you get hit, it efectively dampens the impact because you are traveling in the same direction. A 15 mph bike hit by a 40 mph truck has an effective impact of 25 mph. Conversely, in a head on collision, a 15 mph bike hit by a 40 mph truck has an effective impact of 55 mph. Second, Pennsylvania state law dictates I travel with traffic, as far to the right as possible, which is where I was when I was struck.
Q: Are there grates on the road there?
A: Yes, off to the side of the road.
Q: How did you proceed around them?
A: I didn't. I went past them. By ducking in and out of obstacles on the side of the road, you make yourself erratic, and it's this lack of predictability that gets cyclists hurt when they cut back out in front of cars.
Q: Is it safe to say there was a lot of glare from the setting sun that day.
A: Yes
Then the officer on the scene gave his testimony. He described coming up to me, lying on the ground, bleeding and in pain. I was already on the back board and neck brace at that point. He got my description of the truck. Also, he recovered a cap from the hub of the truck, which would later be used to identify the year, make and model. Then, he was cross-examined. The critical questions were:
Q: Did the defendant turn himself in?
A: Yes.
Q: Was he cooperative?
A: Yes.
Q: What was his demeanor?
A: He was very upset, and even cried at one point. (Interesting. Not to pound my own chest, but I got run over by a truck and didn't cry.)
Q: Is it likely you would never have caught him if he hadn't turned himself in?
A: I can't say, because we had a stakeout on the road and he travels it every day.
Q: Did you read him Miranda?
A: No.
There were also questions about the timeline, and the fact that I was hit, the press release went out, and the defendant turned himself in after reading about it. His mom followed with her testimony, and said her son had not been drinking or doing drugs prior to driving that day.
Finally they gave closing arguments. The defense attorney went first, stating that there was a lot of glare on the road that caused the accident. Also, the defendant thought he hit something on the side of the road. There was no report of him driving erratically. The defendant was not drinking, which is, according to him, the primary reason to file charges of this sort. And, because of my apparent state of mind, I may not have accurately seen the defendant's truck come to a complete stop, then take off at a high rate of speed. He finished with the defendant having the accident, going home, reading about it, checking and seeing damage to his truck, putting two and two together and turning himself in. He asked that, because of all this, the charges against his client be dropped.
The officer gave the closing argument for the state, saying that his failure to stop and render aid was the central issue. Also, there is a clear difference between hitting a squirrel or a grate and hitting a human being, and that a reasonable person would know the difference. He concluded with the defendant turning himself in for fear of geting nailed.
I was sitting in the back and realized SOMETHING HAD BEEN MISSED! In a court, you don't speak unless spoken to, and I wanted to scream, but I was struck mute (not easy for an Irishman, I assure you, especially when we have something to say). I wanted to scream "YOU FORGOT TO ADDRESS MY STATE OF MIND!" Ironically, screaming that in a courtroom would have addressed that very issue...
Because this was a preliminary hearing, it was up to the judge to weigh all of the evidence and testimony and decide if they should move to trial. He started off saying that there was a serious injury that resulted from the actions of the defendant. Furthermore, the defendant's failure to stop and render aid, especially given the obvious difference between striking a person and striking a grate were, in his mind, critical. Last, he stated that my "state of mind" was obviously sound enough to look at a truck, identify it from 30 feet away, remember it all, then give a thorough description of the vehicle to the police when they did show up. (THANK YOU VERY MUCH!).
The Crappy
On my way over to the courthouse, I passed a cyclist who was struck by a car. I'm not sure what happened or how bad it was, but there was an ambulance on the scene.
The Cool
The Assistant District Attorney, who is responsible for prosecuting the case for the court is a cyclist who rides up to 2K per year.
The Funny
I told my daughter I was going to court, and she asked, "Can I come?"
"If you'd like." (She ended up stayinghome with a friend--they had no school that day.)
"Is there going to be a big audience, like in Judge Judy?"
"Probably not, honey."
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
My Day in Court...
...is today. I got my subpoena and have to go before 'Da Judge and tell what happened when the guy ran me over on my bike. I was pretty nervous last night, but I feel better about things now. Still, it will be weird facing the guy that did the damage.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Time
I have been putting in some serious time with the family, this holiday. Absolutely the best, especially loving up my daughter. I have painted all of the furniture for her bedroom, and my wife helped her organize a boatload of stuff and purge the extraneous. It will be nice for her to be able to start the New Year with a New Room...pics to follow.
Also, my friend Tink took a bunch of pics of my birthday party, which I'll be posting soon..may have to put electrical tape over some of the eyes, though! I'll blog the experience when I can tell the story with pictures...Hope everyone is having a beautiful Christmas and is set for a safe and happy New Year.
Also, my friend Tink took a bunch of pics of my birthday party, which I'll be posting soon..may have to put electrical tape over some of the eyes, though! I'll blog the experience when I can tell the story with pictures...Hope everyone is having a beautiful Christmas and is set for a safe and happy New Year.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Mango 5.0
I woke up and it was cold. I knew it the second I was awake. My body kept telling me to stay in bed. I gazed across the bed, bleary eyed, at the clock: 5:26. You have to be kidding? Do you know how cold it is going to be out there? Yes.
I sat up in bed. Not even the dog was going to get up with me at this hour. I went in to the bathroom and drank two cups of water and grabbed my gear from the closet. My new hat and reflective jacket were waiting to be used--my wife's Merry Christmas to me. She insisted on the Mango color (yes, it's REALLY called Mango), because it was brighter, and less likely to get me run over.
"I love that woman," I thought.
The bitter-angry-part of my body that still wanted to be in bed replied, "If it weren't for her, we'd still be sleeping like smart people everywhere."
I went downstairs, made the coffee and headed out the door. Turns out I was right--it was cold...only, not as cold as I thought. I found my stride quickly. I started up the hill at the half-mile mark and was feeling pretty warm. At a little past the one mile mark, I had to take the hat off. At that point I was feeling really good and decided to make it a longer run than I initially planned. I made the right out toward the high school.
It started to snow. I put the hat back on, but Iw as still feeling pretty good, nice and warm. I got to the turnaround. It was suddenly thrust upon me why I was doing so well. The first 70% of my run had been done with a tailwind. There was a 15 mph wind in my face...with gusts of about 30 mph.
"There's only one way home," I said.
"Dumbass," said Mr. Bitter.
I turned for home, then made the longer turn that would make this a 5 mile run, just to shut mr. Bitter up. He did. I climbed the last challenging hill and knew I was cruising for home. I said a prayer of thanks, running through the snow, that I was still strong enough to do this.
I went to the store and made breakfast. I'm looking at the clock now. It's 8.30. THAT is a FULL morning.
I sat up in bed. Not even the dog was going to get up with me at this hour. I went in to the bathroom and drank two cups of water and grabbed my gear from the closet. My new hat and reflective jacket were waiting to be used--my wife's Merry Christmas to me. She insisted on the Mango color (yes, it's REALLY called Mango), because it was brighter, and less likely to get me run over.
"I love that woman," I thought.
The bitter-angry-part of my body that still wanted to be in bed replied, "If it weren't for her, we'd still be sleeping like smart people everywhere."
I went downstairs, made the coffee and headed out the door. Turns out I was right--it was cold...only, not as cold as I thought. I found my stride quickly. I started up the hill at the half-mile mark and was feeling pretty warm. At a little past the one mile mark, I had to take the hat off. At that point I was feeling really good and decided to make it a longer run than I initially planned. I made the right out toward the high school.
It started to snow. I put the hat back on, but Iw as still feeling pretty good, nice and warm. I got to the turnaround. It was suddenly thrust upon me why I was doing so well. The first 70% of my run had been done with a tailwind. There was a 15 mph wind in my face...with gusts of about 30 mph.
"There's only one way home," I said.
"Dumbass," said Mr. Bitter.
I turned for home, then made the longer turn that would make this a 5 mile run, just to shut mr. Bitter up. He did. I climbed the last challenging hill and knew I was cruising for home. I said a prayer of thanks, running through the snow, that I was still strong enough to do this.
I went to the store and made breakfast. I'm looking at the clock now. It's 8.30. THAT is a FULL morning.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Take a Ride....
I thought THIS VIDEO was a beautiful ride. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did...
ANd while you're out taking a spin, take a ride with DEXTER BENJAMIN. It's a great picture of the human spirit and living life by your own terms. I say, "Well done."
ANd while you're out taking a spin, take a ride with DEXTER BENJAMIN. It's a great picture of the human spirit and living life by your own terms. I say, "Well done."
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
More from the Nature Hike...
A couple more pics from my hike with my daughter...In her tree once again
The Center also has a beaver dam display, where kids can crawl around and see what it's like to live as a winter beaver.
The Center also has a beaver dam display, where kids can crawl around and see what it's like to live as a winter beaver.
Wildwood Nature Center
I took my daughter to Wildwood Nature Center and went on a hike. Snapped a couple pics of the adventure, and I'm also including some from our trek this summer (the ones where she is in short sleeves. She was amazed to learn we hiked TWO WHOLE MILES(!) on this hike. We also saw squirrels, titmouse, wood ducks, Candian geese, finches, and woodpeckers. In the swampier parts, we saw tracks from deer, racoons, and what I suspect was a bear (it was way too big to be anything else).
Summer...
Me and my hiking partner:
She loves to climb this tree:
Winter...
Her picture of the woodpecker:
Summer...
Me and my hiking partner:
She loves to climb this tree:
Winter...
Her picture of the woodpecker:
Anticlimactic...thank God
I went ot my FIRST monthly checkup with my radiation oncologist, Dr. Kottapally. Everything checked out just fine, and it was really almost a formality. He'll continue to monitor me, and he wants me to go back for a complete blood count (CBC), which will also be part of the monitoring process.
The only caveat he gave me--DON'T SKIP OR MISS APPOINTMENTS! "That is how we get ourselves into trouble," he said, sagely. (It's funny, as I type this, and the other things he says, I always hear his voice. It's very much the stereotypical English of the Indian subcontinent, and I always hear the very proper English grammar and style behind it). "You should be cancer free for the rest of your days, but if it comes back, it will be dealt with more aggressively. We simply must know as early as possible." That almost certainly means chemotherapy, and attacking it with maximum harshness and discipline.
So, I will coninue to visit Dr. Kottapally, as well as my urologist, Dr. Wenger, and they'll work in concert with me. Hopefully the future appointments will be as easy as this one.
The only caveat he gave me--DON'T SKIP OR MISS APPOINTMENTS! "That is how we get ourselves into trouble," he said, sagely. (It's funny, as I type this, and the other things he says, I always hear his voice. It's very much the stereotypical English of the Indian subcontinent, and I always hear the very proper English grammar and style behind it). "You should be cancer free for the rest of your days, but if it comes back, it will be dealt with more aggressively. We simply must know as early as possible." That almost certainly means chemotherapy, and attacking it with maximum harshness and discipline.
So, I will coninue to visit Dr. Kottapally, as well as my urologist, Dr. Wenger, and they'll work in concert with me. Hopefully the future appointments will be as easy as this one.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Still Running
I went for my longest run in a loooooooong time, with regard to both duration and distance. I covered 5.3 miles in 1 hour and 1 minute, according to my official timepiece (the clock on the wall). I realy would like to get a heart rate monitor and watch.
It was chilly this morning, but the wind wasn't blowing and it actually wasn't bad. I wore my PI AmFib gloves and they were way too warm. My hands were sweating at the end of the first mile, so I just took them off and carried them after that. I thought it was going to be more of a hassle than it was. I wore the t-shirt, I slept in (cotton is NOT a good choice for this kind of run. It holds all of your sweat, and holds it close to the body. It wasn't bad on the run, but the cool-down was a little chilly) and two long sleeved workout shirts. On top of that, I threw on my shell (a rough term for the wind-breaker-like jacket I wear that neither breaks the wind nor provides a shell; God bless my wife: this is my Christmas gift this year) on top of that.
I also wore my fleece headband instead of a hat...maybe next time I'll wear the wicking one. Overall, the temperature of The Running Fish was just about right. I'm still getting used to regulating this, so it's like a minor miracle when I get it right.
It's really cool to be building a base, and I want to start experimenting with some interval and speed work. I also added some stretches at the end of the run and then went for a walk with my daughter and my dog as I cooled down.
We watched the steam rising off my body as we walked...
It was chilly this morning, but the wind wasn't blowing and it actually wasn't bad. I wore my PI AmFib gloves and they were way too warm. My hands were sweating at the end of the first mile, so I just took them off and carried them after that. I thought it was going to be more of a hassle than it was. I wore the t-shirt, I slept in (cotton is NOT a good choice for this kind of run. It holds all of your sweat, and holds it close to the body. It wasn't bad on the run, but the cool-down was a little chilly) and two long sleeved workout shirts. On top of that, I threw on my shell (a rough term for the wind-breaker-like jacket I wear that neither breaks the wind nor provides a shell; God bless my wife: this is my Christmas gift this year) on top of that.
I also wore my fleece headband instead of a hat...maybe next time I'll wear the wicking one. Overall, the temperature of The Running Fish was just about right. I'm still getting used to regulating this, so it's like a minor miracle when I get it right.
It's really cool to be building a base, and I want to start experimenting with some interval and speed work. I also added some stretches at the end of the run and then went for a walk with my daughter and my dog as I cooled down.
We watched the steam rising off my body as we walked...
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Thoughts and Prayers for a Friend
I know a lot of you have enjoyed Michael's blog in the past. I read it today and could not believe what I saw. He tried to save a young man who was shot in a gang-related act of violence. My thoughts and prayers go out to him, and to the family and friends of the young man. Details are still unfolding, but you can READ ABOUT IT HERE.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Thanksgiving
Spent a lot of really good time with the family, and, clearly, not that much in front of the computer. To my friends in the cyber world, my apologies. Suffice it to say I'm convinced my priorities were spot on.
Highlights
That being said, there is really not a whole lot to report. I went visited the in-laws for the holiday. I was expecting to have blog meat of epic proportions with that single visit, yet it was pleasant, down-to-Earth and thoroughly enjoyable. Not much you can say about a holiday where everything is fine.
We also got the lights up around the house and have started preparing for my 40th birthday. We had some friends over to practice our cocktails on. The party is going to be a martini Rat-Pack style affair with close friends and family.
I played golf. It's about 60 degrees, which is unheard of in Pennsylvania in November. Even more unheard of is me shooting a 103, since I've only played 1 or 2 times a year for the past 3 years. I had my fair share of bad shots (two bunker-to-bunker shots-UGH!) but I also had some great shots. And, I was hitting my ancient 3-wood about 220 and straight...sweetness.
Highlights
That being said, there is really not a whole lot to report. I went visited the in-laws for the holiday. I was expecting to have blog meat of epic proportions with that single visit, yet it was pleasant, down-to-Earth and thoroughly enjoyable. Not much you can say about a holiday where everything is fine.
We also got the lights up around the house and have started preparing for my 40th birthday. We had some friends over to practice our cocktails on. The party is going to be a martini Rat-Pack style affair with close friends and family.
I played golf. It's about 60 degrees, which is unheard of in Pennsylvania in November. Even more unheard of is me shooting a 103, since I've only played 1 or 2 times a year for the past 3 years. I had my fair share of bad shots (two bunker-to-bunker shots-UGH!) but I also had some great shots. And, I was hitting my ancient 3-wood about 220 and straight...sweetness.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Running Again
I got out first thing this morning and went for a run a little over 4 miles. It wasn't the shuffling run I've grown accustomed to, either. It was a run in the real sense of the word, and I felt I could have easily put more miles under my belt. Reason showed up and told me to stop at that point...
Still, it was long enough as a reasonable starting point, and I'm feeling well enough to realize I'm getting better.
Still, it was long enough as a reasonable starting point, and I'm feeling well enough to realize I'm getting better.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Dash for Drew race Report
Prelude
My friend Ken arrived at my house at about 7 am dressed in his NY Yankees t-shirt. I briefly considered how rude it would be if I didn't let him in, but since he got up at 5.30 (yeesh!) to get here... We drove to Greencastle-Antrim, which is about an hour away. We got to the high school where the event was being held at about 8:05 am, which is roughly when registration was supposed begin. It was a beautiful drive down, the weather was amazing (mid-50s, sunny, bright...a great day for a race!)
When I e-mailed my friend Randy (the event organizer) the day before about his projections, he had about 450 people pre-registered and was expecting another 50-100. I'm no expert, but 500 people for a two miler in it's first year seemed like an awful lot of people, so I was really excited and happy for him. It turned out that they had given away the extra 100 packets by the time we got there (Randy apologized[!] and said, "I'll try to get you a t-shirt." I got to quote Lance and replied, "It's okay. It's not about the t-shirt.") 8:05 am. 550 people. I looked back and people were still streaming into the lot. AWESOME!
The event was extremely well organized ; I'd expect nothing less from Randy, honestly. Plenty of voluteers were around to register people, there was virtually no waiting in line (I hate that) and everyone seemed to be on the same page and know what was going on. They had maps of the course, which Ken and I looked at and were assured it would be easy to follow, with volunteers at all turns. I'll spare you the suspense: it was, and there were. We went outside, did a couple warm-ups and waited for the start.
The Race
Ken and I were at the very front inside when the race started. We agreed to run our own paces, because he's in better shape than I, and has been running more regularly. My goals were to 1) finish and 2) do it in less than 20 minutes. The horn blared and we were off! One kid REALLY took off, and he looked strong. I ran to get out of the mix and it seperated nicely. People were very respectful and there was no jostling or bouncing. Nice. I went out a little faster than I had anticipated, but I kind of had to because I was at the front of the pack. Ken was right with me.
We ran around three-quarters of the track and then out the gate and onto a cross-country-style course. It was a little wet, a little slippery, but I was careful. Ken had begun to separate, and I let him go and began to run my race. The only tough part about that was letting a Yankees fan get the better of me. Because of my initial position, I was in a position to get passed, but not to pass a lot of people. I didn't realize this or have the ability to reflect on it during the race, but it was a little disheartening to have people passing me, without much opportunity to pass others. It was just a matter of perspective, but I did not have the benefit of that perspective. It's one of the things I learned from this race, and I think it will make me stronger for my next race. We ran into the woods...
I didn't know where the halfway point was, relative to where I was on the course, and after a while my mind started asking the question, "Where exactly is the halfway point, Fish?" I wasn't hurting, exactly, but I I felt I was pushing pretty hard and wanted to guage my effort and pace myself. This was harder to do because I was used to running on pavement, and the completely unknown factor of the course offered no clues. I began to question a little bit more, when I came to an opening in the woods and there was a girl reading off times--the one mile mark! She read off the times: 7:57, 7:58, 7:59...I ran the first mile in LESS THAN EIGHT MINUTES!
I knew, based on where I was physically, I would take longer on the second mile. But I resolved to leave everything out there. I could see the turn toward the stadium track area, which would mark the conclusion of the race. We were to run around the outside of the fence, then into the stadium, onto the track and to the finish. I was starting to hurt when I got to the fence. Then I saw Randy, and he yelled, "Let's go Rob! YOU CAN DO IT!" Talk about an emotional lift; it meant the world to me. I started pushing a little more, and picked a guy I wanted to catch and pass (a younger guy, probably late teens early twenties).
We came to the entrance to the stadium and entered onto the track. He was still about ten yards ahead of me, and I had about 300 yards to catch him. I began picking it up again and was two steps behind him when I felt someone coming around my right shoulder. We went three wide on the final turn, 100 yards to go, and I knew what was going to happen next. My sprinting instincts kicked in and the adrenaline rush was on. I left them both.
More importantly, I completed my first event as a cancer survivor. And, I did it in the name of my friend's son, Drew Michael Taylor.
Final time: 16:39
Postlude
Ken and I went to change so we could play a round of golf after the race. In the locker room, there was posted an opportunity for students to come out to train for the Dash for Drew, to get in shape, and to run a race. I thought it was totally cool, and just the kind of thing Randy would do.
My friend Ken arrived at my house at about 7 am dressed in his NY Yankees t-shirt. I briefly considered how rude it would be if I didn't let him in, but since he got up at 5.30 (yeesh!) to get here... We drove to Greencastle-Antrim, which is about an hour away. We got to the high school where the event was being held at about 8:05 am, which is roughly when registration was supposed begin. It was a beautiful drive down, the weather was amazing (mid-50s, sunny, bright...a great day for a race!)
When I e-mailed my friend Randy (the event organizer) the day before about his projections, he had about 450 people pre-registered and was expecting another 50-100. I'm no expert, but 500 people for a two miler in it's first year seemed like an awful lot of people, so I was really excited and happy for him. It turned out that they had given away the extra 100 packets by the time we got there (Randy apologized[!] and said, "I'll try to get you a t-shirt." I got to quote Lance and replied, "It's okay. It's not about the t-shirt.") 8:05 am. 550 people. I looked back and people were still streaming into the lot. AWESOME!
The event was extremely well organized ; I'd expect nothing less from Randy, honestly. Plenty of voluteers were around to register people, there was virtually no waiting in line (I hate that) and everyone seemed to be on the same page and know what was going on. They had maps of the course, which Ken and I looked at and were assured it would be easy to follow, with volunteers at all turns. I'll spare you the suspense: it was, and there were. We went outside, did a couple warm-ups and waited for the start.
The Race
Ken and I were at the very front inside when the race started. We agreed to run our own paces, because he's in better shape than I, and has been running more regularly. My goals were to 1) finish and 2) do it in less than 20 minutes. The horn blared and we were off! One kid REALLY took off, and he looked strong. I ran to get out of the mix and it seperated nicely. People were very respectful and there was no jostling or bouncing. Nice. I went out a little faster than I had anticipated, but I kind of had to because I was at the front of the pack. Ken was right with me.
We ran around three-quarters of the track and then out the gate and onto a cross-country-style course. It was a little wet, a little slippery, but I was careful. Ken had begun to separate, and I let him go and began to run my race. The only tough part about that was letting a Yankees fan get the better of me. Because of my initial position, I was in a position to get passed, but not to pass a lot of people. I didn't realize this or have the ability to reflect on it during the race, but it was a little disheartening to have people passing me, without much opportunity to pass others. It was just a matter of perspective, but I did not have the benefit of that perspective. It's one of the things I learned from this race, and I think it will make me stronger for my next race. We ran into the woods...
I didn't know where the halfway point was, relative to where I was on the course, and after a while my mind started asking the question, "Where exactly is the halfway point, Fish?" I wasn't hurting, exactly, but I I felt I was pushing pretty hard and wanted to guage my effort and pace myself. This was harder to do because I was used to running on pavement, and the completely unknown factor of the course offered no clues. I began to question a little bit more, when I came to an opening in the woods and there was a girl reading off times--the one mile mark! She read off the times: 7:57, 7:58, 7:59...I ran the first mile in LESS THAN EIGHT MINUTES!
I knew, based on where I was physically, I would take longer on the second mile. But I resolved to leave everything out there. I could see the turn toward the stadium track area, which would mark the conclusion of the race. We were to run around the outside of the fence, then into the stadium, onto the track and to the finish. I was starting to hurt when I got to the fence. Then I saw Randy, and he yelled, "Let's go Rob! YOU CAN DO IT!" Talk about an emotional lift; it meant the world to me. I started pushing a little more, and picked a guy I wanted to catch and pass (a younger guy, probably late teens early twenties).
We came to the entrance to the stadium and entered onto the track. He was still about ten yards ahead of me, and I had about 300 yards to catch him. I began picking it up again and was two steps behind him when I felt someone coming around my right shoulder. We went three wide on the final turn, 100 yards to go, and I knew what was going to happen next. My sprinting instincts kicked in and the adrenaline rush was on. I left them both.
More importantly, I completed my first event as a cancer survivor. And, I did it in the name of my friend's son, Drew Michael Taylor.
Final time: 16:39
Postlude
Ken and I went to change so we could play a round of golf after the race. In the locker room, there was posted an opportunity for students to come out to train for the Dash for Drew, to get in shape, and to run a race. I thought it was totally cool, and just the kind of thing Randy would do.
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