Been a while between posts - I have had a challenging time of late, and no time to reflect on what is going on. Well time for reflecting, but no time to get it all down, in my head let alone on paper or pixels as the case may be.
Okay anyone can see I haven't posted the promised workouts, I will amend that soon. I haven't seen a lot of riding and so haven't posted that. My bike situation as ever continues to evolve. My weight has remained almost static - minor miracle. I am feeling every bit of my age. So what gives?
I have been slack on the workouts and the recent cold weather hasn't helped. But my health was recently challenged from within. The value of the weight loss and healthy living was called into question on Good Friday evening. After a nice day at the beach I returned home, and on taking pee, produced cola outta my willie. Not one to panic, I took note and waited till the next day surmising it was something to do with being dehydrated. Ummm no. Brown urine is not good. Brown urine with red/black clots firing against the rim is worse. After the kids got their eggs, on Easter Sunday arvo I was off to get my eggs and all checked.
The off shoot ( no pun intended), of this visit was a battery of tests and mental excursions to some very dark places while all the tests were going on and the results were coming back. The negativity aided by my sponsor Dr Google, whose counsel while convenient can be wildly inaccurate and appeal strongly to your personal insecurities. My insecurity lies in families cancerous history.
The sort of dark place I'm talking about are ones that I believe only these type of worries can take you. Here are two of the thoughts that came to my mind:
I took my eldest daughter to her first real movie, after which I was walking back to the car fighting back tears as I rather dramatically asked myself, Is the last time I get to do this, will this be on one of the last memories Leela has of me?
Later we were mucking about with my phones camera, Leela has just sort of got the hang of it. She was taking photos of me, and her and the family etc, the whole time while smiling I was thinking; Will these be the photos that they keep of before Dad got sick, etc
I Told you they were DARK. I REALLY THOUGHT I MAY BE OUT OF TIME
I certainly drew close to God at this time, praying like I hadn't for years.Every time it got 'dark' visualising the doctor sitting behind the desk and giving me the good news.
Well, the news was good. Nothing found. Which is good that is was nothing, but bad that there was no answer as to why for 10 days I was peeing blood. This is apparently the outcome of more than 60% of such episodes and investigations.
These included, 2 blood tests, sampling of 3 pees over 2 days, 2 other urine tests, ultrasound of an ultraful bladder ( My wife warned me bout the need to go), and culminating in a cystoscope (camera thru the eye, rather than the usual thru the eye of the camera), and some dye imaging.
All this in about 2 weeks. My private health insurance has helped the money a bit, financially it's a rip off, but I console myself that this would have taken months in the public system.
It was all a bit of diversion from my plans, but taught me that my family is more precious to me than I realised.
Your health is what holds not just you but your family and hopes and dreams together, and as such your health really is your wealth.
My work plans have been challenged in a good way too. As a result of a job application in November last year, I was interviewed for and offered a job in Lismore. They flew me up there, after a phone interview and I had a look around and it looked so good. The idea was to live in Lennox Head or similar. But after much deep discussion, and bean counting it just didn't add up.
It was a dream.
Move to the country .Live near the beach. Be in a warmer place. Reduce the mortgage.
The reality
The job paid 10k less than I get now, for a while. Rents were equal to Sydney. Meaning we would face the same challenges, and be away from our families, friends and the support and camaraderie they offer. Even though we live some distance from most of them. We still get together regularly, the kids would miss their grandparents and vice verse.
In my heart I knew it was a diversion.
In the absence of a plan something always comes up. Not always a good thing.
The biggest negative was that the biking is better in and around Sydney.(ha ha) (but seriously it is I did my research)
So we have resolved to change our lives in Sydney. Plan more outings and holidays. Save and work toward moving back to the Northern Beaches ( and our families), and give more time out to each other.
Guess what! This takes more planning and sacrifice - in the budget and for each other
Thanks for visiting
Here's a quick workout - if the moves don't make sense google them you slack bastards
bodyweight circuit
skip - 3 mins
burpies 20(incorporate explosive push ups)
skip 2 mins
jump squats 20
skip 2 mins
mountain climbers 30 each leg or 2 minutes if you like
push ups -close grip
Bridge 2 x 1 min
crunches
skip 2 mins
push ups reverse hands - eg fingers pointing to your feet.
finish - stretch - maybe another bridge session
Bikes and stuff next time
