i left the block

Today I bit the bullet and left the comfort of my block. I have finally reached square one. It's about time.

I went up my hill without stoppin ... well at least till I got to the top, and then headed out Sioux to Clewell. I went down Clewell so I could see what they were doing at the gross shopping center. It was schedule for demo but at the 11th hour someone bought it. The Colombian restaurant and bodega are still there as well as the laundromat. It does not look near as sketchy as before but they have trouble keeping tenants. Nobody shops there. You do your wash and get Colombian food and go home. Plus they are no longer renting part of their parking lot out to the sports bar on the corner. How will they generate income?

This is Friedmans gas station. Growing up it was a Texaco with the man in uniform that washed your windshield and checked your oil. Those days are long gone. ABout 10 years ago they went independent. Last year they closed up shop after about 89 years. The neighborhood skuttlebutt says it will be a convenience store. There's a Wawa a half mile away and a half a dozen bodegas. Do we really need a convenience store? Since the gas pumps weren't pull out I'm guessing they will sell gas. And probably Vaping stuff, canceer sticks, and CBD stuff. You'll probably also be able to buy empty calories.

I continued down Broadway to Lynn. I was regretting my decision about going so far. But I realized I was at about 45%. Might as well do it. I needed someone to talk to so I'd stop thinking about it. My sister answered the phone quickly, even though I just talked to her Thursday.

I reached Delaware and headed back toward home. Delaware is a very slight hill and my sister noticed my breathing changed. I assured her I was fine. At Clewell I went down the hill, crossed Broadway and came home Itaska. By doing that I avoided the first block of my hill.

I did it. Now I just need to do it again tomorrow. That will make Dr. H very happy.

I had to go back to October to find my stats box. Sheeze.

Miles/Steps:     1.325 miles. Yes, I mapped it.
Weather:           58, sunny

s l o w p r o g r e s s

 

Above is where I always park at school.  It’s across the street and up a hill. Not a big hill. This, after all, was  farmland sixty years ago. I believe the term is rolling hills. Over the last few months I have gotten very lazy and parking close. Mostly illegally. In November it was once or twice a week. In January it was everyday. It could have been Everest. 

My surgery was February 12. For two weeks afterward I felt like a Mack truck hit me. And then it went away. But I still had no stamina. I was lightheaded a lot. I was regretting having the surgery.  My appointment with the cardiologist was Tuesday, this week. I kept telling myself if I could make it to this Tuesday, everything would be fine.

Early last week I ran out of the big blue blood pressure pill. I went to have it refilled. (I was told never to skip a dose.) The pharmacist looked it up in the computer and told me the the prescription was withdrawn. He couldn’t fill it. Alrighty. You would have thought they’d tell me that. The next day I felt better. A couple days after that I felt almost normal. And the light headedness went away. Was the source of all my after surgery issues the big blue pill? Or is it a coinky-dink?

This week we returned to school from Spring Break. I decided that it was time for new beginnings. No more cheating the system by parking close and praying I didn’t get a ticket or towed. I had to stop. And it’s now light out so I had no excuses.

I was able to do it. Walked all the way to my building, ran around during class and walked back up. I was getting almost 6K steps in. Not great, but still better than before. I did not cheat at all this week. My cheating days are over.

Now how to get rid of the water I’m carrying around. I’ve seen my ankles maybe ten times since surgery. All my shoes are streetched out. Some days I can barely get them on my feet.

The cardiologist was pleased with my BP and didn’t even take a EKG.  We talked about the water retention. Since I don’t use salt she thinks I’m eating things with a lot of hidden salt. Since I hate my cankles, I will be more diligent. And of course she wants me to have a sleep study—hell no—and lose 10% of my body weight. I’ve been trying for over a decade to be 199 pounds. I go down and then I go up … higher. I did lose 5 pounds, but honestly that was water. I peed like hell the day before. They were only slightly swollen when I went there.

Every Monday Pat and I have been doing Milly. Wednesday, during Spring Break, I did the crazy Alaskan guys workout. I also went to yoga today. I also walk very short distance yesterday getting Sharon healthy again. She can now walk to the corner.

There is volkssport walk is next weekend in Perkasie. I’m going to ask how hilly it is. I know I can’t do 5K, but maybe I can do 2 or 3? Gotta get ready for Canada.

For some reason I went in my gym bag and couldn’t find my Volkssport book. I was having a anxiety attack.  They were mostly full and almost ready to turn in.  But more importantly the special programs for the states and Pennsylvnia counties were probably half done. That’s a lot of walks to redo. I looked a while and then I gave up. Five minutes later I found it.

About two weeks ago this came in the mail from Tail on the Trail. It was a nice surprise, but for someone like me who doesn’t care about medals, it’s a waste. I didn’t bother doing the winter challenge this year.

That’s it. Slow and steady wins the race.