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Tag Archives: Health

Now Normal Chronicles or: Saviour of the Universe

27 Wednesday Jan 2021

Posted by TGBII in Video

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Tags

Flash Gordon, Health, health and wellness, Music, Queen, Video, Walking

Salutations™!!

Today is the 40th anniversary of the US release of the soundtrack to Flash Gordon from Queen. Now, I understand the film was probably crap to some of you, but to me, I fell in love with it because I am a fantasy/sci fi fan. I dig it. Plus, I love Queen so… this is a great version!

And, I walked almost 3000 steps today. Again, not 6000 that my watch says I should be doing, but a start. That’s three days in a row. And it’s strong walking for that bit. It takes me around 13 minutes or so. And, while I had to steer around some blocks, I think I ate well today, too. Good for me!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“He’s for every one of us. Stand for every one of us. He saves with a mighty hand. Every man, every woman. Every child, it’s the mighty flash.” – “Flash’s Theme” (May)

The Verdict Is In or: Well-Balanced

26 Tuesday Jan 2021

Posted by TGBII in Food, Life as We Know It

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Tags

Health, health and wellness, healthy eating, Kristen Norton, Life, Well Balanced Nutrition

Salutations™!!

So, I had my meeting with my friend Kristen Norton today. Kristen, as I told you yesterday, is with Well Balanced Nutrition and from my health things that I either am reading too much into, not enough into, or just because I need to, I think we have a plan that I can live with! Below is what we came up with for me, and remember this is just for me, what I can do (mentally/work-related) and what I’m willing to take up. Here we go:

©Kristen/Well Balanced Nutrition

1. Include veggies with my meals 3-4 times a week. Doable. As I’ve grown older, I have found a love, or at least a tolerance, for things I wouldn’t eat as a kid, even into young adulthood.

2. Minimize poor quality carbs (white bread, white rice, french fries, crackers, pizza crust, etc) when possible. Again, doable. I don’t care if I have white bread (I can get other buns for my burgers), fries, crackers, etc. The pizza crust will be harder. But, it’s up to me to adapt. I won’t do cauliflower crusts and stuff like that. I don’t want imitation food, even when made from other food.

3. Choose a cupped handful (or 2) of fiber-rich carbohydrates like potatoes w/ skin, beans, corn, peas, or whole grains. Now we’re talking. I like potatoes with skin. We had baked potatoes last week, twice, and I eat it all, skins and everything. Another long ramp to where I started, I now like beans. I will find beans. I never thought I’d say that. I like corn and peas and I love whole grain things.

4. Start small cause you’ll eat it all. On the Hunger Scale: aim to stop eating when you still feel a bit neutral 5-6, so you end up at a 6-7. I’m not going to share what all the numbers mean because that’s Kristen’s thing. But, let’s just say that I stop before I’m miserable. I have to allow my body to adjust to just eating. I can’t do much about how fast I eat, but I can stop and let my brain catch up with my stomach. In the past, it’s always been “all I see” and not “all I need.” Just because it’s in front of me, just because I paid for it, doesn’t mean I have to eat all of it. If possible, I will get a to go container, although that’s a whole other phobia I have to work on internally.  

5. Consider at least a 12-hour fast overnight and see if you can stretch it to 13, 14 then 15… Going gradual can ensure you don’t get so hungry you want to overeat for your first meal. I am pretty okay with this one. I mean, some nights, according to my work load/schedule, I may not get to eat until 8p. That’s not great because your metabolism slows down once the sun goes down. But, sometimes it can’t be helped. So, if I don’t get to eat until 8p, then I don’t eat until after 8a. That’s okay, though, I don’t usually eat before 1030a or so, so at 12 hours, that’s easy. I am not a big midnight snack person, other than peanut butter. I will eat that, so I have to train not to have that spoonful at midnight. That’s okay, though. I can do it.

That’s my “plan.” Kristen is amazing and had a lot of questions and listened to my excuses and reasons why I can’t. Which, not that I think about it, I didn’t have a lot of reasons as to “can’t.” I had more why I “hadn’ts” if that’s a word. I am totally into being here and doing what I can to make it better. I am into addition, not subtraction. It’s not what I have to do without, it’s about what I can add. She was awesome walking me through that. She wasn’t scary. She didn’t take my favorite things away. She tried to steer me to better choices. So far, I’m okay with all of that. Thank you, Kristen!

If you’d like your own consultation with Kristen, or just want to know more about what she and her company, Well Balanced Nutrition are about, visit this page. Tell her that The Podfather sent you!

Oh, and I walked good bit today. I walked over to my mother’s house which is about a ¼ mile and then back, so ½ mile. Then, I walked in my circular driveway until I was well over 2000 steps. I ended up around 4700 or so for the day. I was proud of it. I have to work my way up.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Even if you do understand nutrition, knowing what to eat is only part of the equation.”
– Well Balanced Nutrition

A New Development? or: Is It?

25 Monday Jan 2021

Posted by TGBII in Food, Life as We Know It

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Tags

Diet, Exercise, Food, Health, Kristen Norton, Well Balanced Nutrition

Salutations™!!

I haven’t ever made any bones about the fact that I’m slightly overweight. I’ll pause while you all laugh your tails off. I can totally take the “slightly” off that. I am overweight. Not only that, I’m obese. Morbidly so. I’m 6″-6’1″ or so and at about 315 lbs. I say about because I haven’t weighed myself in the last bit because… why, really?

©US PRIG

Last week, I had my blood work done for my semi-yearly doctor’s appointment. I got my results back almost immediately. I looked through the results and everything looked mostly good but I noticed my glucose levels were above 99. Anything above 99 is in the range of “pre diabetes.” That kind of scared me. I will tell you, I sit at 105 on the levels. It’s still low on the range but also, still over 99. Now, the caveat here, I haven’t talked with my doctor, yet. I have an appointment on Thursday afternoon.

I have not been diagnosed as pre-diabetic. I know that I am not a doctor and me reading these results is dangerous for self-diagnosis. There are probably other factors that come into play. But, I also know that where I sit, overall, it won’t hurt to fix some of these things regardless of the outcome or contingency of diagnosis.

I can’t afford, neither in my job nor in mental capacity, to go on a restrictive diet. What I need is direction and support. So, I have an appointment tomorrow with my very own licensed nutritionist and wellness coach, Kristen Norton with Well Balanced Nutrition. I’m hoping she can work me through my fears about eating healthy and get me moving in the right direction.

This past Saturday, the BCPF and I walked a lap around our compound. This morning, I walked it by myself. I walked it briskly and other than making sure I wasn’t going to pass out, I didn’t really stop until I completed that lap. That lap equals about a half-mile. It was rough but it’s a start. Again, I’m ~315 and more than that to start with would be silly anyway.

So, I’ll let you know what Kristen and I talk about when that happens and I’ll keep you informed on my progress. But, I want to be here and this isn’t a “resolution.” This has to be a choice. I have to convince myself that this is my idea and I’m not being forced into it. Wish me luck, and I apologize up front for the “health” updates.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“A healthy outside starts from the inside.” – Robert Urich

MISS FIT BOSS or: She What Kicks Butt!

05 Thursday Mar 2020

Posted by TGBII in Blogging, Food, Life as We Know It

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Tags

Allan Younger, Elizabeth Hronek, Health, Heart, Life, Life as It is, Miss Fit Boss, The BCPF, The Less Desirables, Wellness

Salutations™!!

I don’t do a lot of exercising although I really, really need to. Heck, we all need to. Last year, we had one of our rounds of Allan Younger’s Cast of the Charismatic Creative Club, or whatever I decide to call the “Launch Challenge” finalists when Allan brings them in from the Small Business Center to be on The Less Desirables. In one of those sessions, I met an amazing woman.

Liz Hronek

©Liz Hronek, Miss Fit Boss

Her name is Elizabeth Hronek, I may have talked about her on here before. Her business is Miss Fit Boss and she’s not just another “fitness guru” or yoga instructor or nutritionist and all that mess. Not that I’m discounting any of those fine folks; many are my friends. They do good and important work. I love them all and will do anything I can for them.

I can almost wager that none of them went from around 300 pounds to around 150, has been featured on several news channels/talk shows for that and graced the cover of People™ Magazine or other publications because of it. Liz has.

When Liz was on TLD she was telling her story and I was feeling the weight, not only my over 300lbs arse, but, the health, mental and wellness aspect that comes with being a large person. When she and I were talking, the rest of the room blurred like the vignette filter for photos, no one else existed at that moment as she and I stared into each other’s eyes.

Now, don’t think this is some romantic thing, that’s not what I mean. There was just a connection. A spark. A moving feeling. She “touched” me in the heart and mind. I told The BCPF about that and she was intrigued because I have no self-motivating and self-determinating gumption to do anything physical. I hate working out and I hate exercise and I hate anything where my adrenaline gets going. That sounds like I’m lazy, and yes, I am, but that’s not necessarily the reason for my sloth-like tendencies. The BCPF was intrigued because it at least sparked some kind of intrigue in me.

But, Liz and I talked. We talked about her journey. We talked about my woes, not only the weight but the motivation and, again, gumption. She and I talked via telephone a few days later to get a better grasp of my “situation.” She has been on me ever since, but while I’m always glad to get her, “how’s it going?” texts, I generally pass it off as, okay, there’s the check-in. I think that’s an exaggeration. I do “mean” to do something but today, she asked for her update and I said, “my walking is still down, healthier options are up (we have been eating better stuff at home and West End Poke and Yamas and good, cleaner food has been eaten all around), my awareness of what I’m eating is up. That’s a plus.”

Her reaction? “That’s what up!! How can I support you?”  That’s what I love about Liz, she wants to support her “people.” That’s how I look at my “people.” I want to support them any way I can. My response was, “just keep on me.”

From there we went into a conversation about me wanting to do stretches. I am so stiff, that even washing my body in the shower is difficult, even in the warm water. We talked about a schedule for that and, of course, I found excuses and reasons why I can’t do that, knowing if I really want to do it, I can. Then I said, “I am alone in the studio, I’m thinking now would be a good start.” Her: “Ok, what time are you going to do it?” Me: “Maybe right now.” Her: “Maybe?” Me: “Yeah, I’m fighting with myself. Plus, I don’t know what to do. Find some beginners’ stretches on YouTube?”

That was at least a start, right? Then she sent a graphic of “RESET STRETCH” with some low-impact but effective stretches that also included some sitting, which I do really well. I did all of those twice. And that felt good. I asked what she had for hips and legs and she sent another graphic with some leg stuff.

All-in-all, I did those for about 20 minutes, in both sets and rotation. I broke a sweat, which is good and ridiculous at the same time. I was winded, too.

In the studio, I put on some meditation music over the studio monitors and kept the main room dark. The only light was natural light from the studio and the light from my phone. I felt good. She asked what time I was going to do it tomorrow and that I needed to set an alarm on my phone. I should get up earlier and do it first thing, get moving. The BCPF agreed to get me up between her bike and yoga times for me to do that.

I went to New Sichuan and had dinner. Good food, peppers, pork and soup. I came home and instead of going straight for the couch, I decided to file away the “listened-to” stack of records that had gotten to a stack about 12 records deep. I was bending over and kneeling to put the records away. I sent Liz a text telling her of my accomplishment, minute as it may be, it was a big step to me, and I felt good. She sent back, “Yes!!! Now start a success journal and write it in there to remind you.”

I don’t know if I’m going to do that, but since I am not afraid of blogging, perhaps I’ll roll out an old favorite that I’ve ignored for a while and let that be my “journal?” I don’t know, we’ll see. But, if nothing else, this is a start.

All that said, I want to point out that she does this for a living and she is darn good at what she does. She’s motivational, sweet, and somewhat scary. She cares. Find out more by following her on social media as missfitboss, Elizabeth Hronek or by visiting her website.

She is not paying me to pump her up. I am giving this unsolicited endorsement because I believe in her as she believes in me. Liz, I cannot thank you enough. Here’s to more motivation.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“If you’re having a challenge I promise you, you’re not alone!” – Liz Hronek, Miss Fit Boss

A Happily Recurring Theme or: Seventh Second

18 Thursday Apr 2019

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

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Tags

3B, Costa Rica, Dr. Bret Borchelt, Europe, Family, Health, Heart Surgery, Honeymoon, Jon Lowder, Life, Paul Jones III, The BCPF, The Beer Dads, Zipper Club

Salutations™!!

Note: I liked what I wrote about this day last year so I just copied it and reposted. It’s hard to write this story without repeating myself so, why fight it? I want to bring attention to the fact that I’m still here to annoy you, Dear Reader. I am happy to be able to say that (that I’m still here).

It was  six seven years ago today that I received my “zipper.” Being at the hospital before the sun came up, getting shaved from neck to (literally) toe, seeing my family, having my (then) fiance – The BCPF – standing holding my hand and trying to keep a happy face, having my parents pray over me as I get wheeled through some ominous doors, being moved onto a mostly comfortable operating table and telling stupid jokes to the operating staff before I just blacked out counting back from 100. That’s how I remember it.

I groggily stirred with a breathing tube snaked through my gullet whilst hearing a nurse, whose name I believe was Sandy, talk to me and me nodding that I understood whatever it was she was saying to me. The BCPF came in to see me, touching me, stroking my hair (I still had a little bit). I’m not sure of the timeline, I was still very doped up on morphine at the time. Maybe some time passed, maybe it didn’t, but Ma Mère came into the recovery room and in a moment we will all talk about until we’re no longer here, she patted me on the left shoulder and said, “see, you really do have a heart.” At this point, I pointed to “Sandy” and made a motion to bring me a writing utensil and something to write upon. In my continued, and glorious haze, I scribbled to my mother the following:

Leave the comedy to me!

I remember everyone laughing. My job was done, I went through another phase of “blacked out.” They had collapsed my lungs in order to get to my arteries and heart and whatever else they were doing with me and, as a lifelong asthmatic, my lungs and I have a long history of arguing. They weren’t wanting to cooperate and inflate so I could breathe on my own. So, recovery took a little longer than it should have. Then they wheeled me up to my own private room. I had to get up and sit in a chair. I asked for my phone and that’s when this selfie was taken:

Tim After Surgery

My son came in to see me, as did my family. I had put them all through a lot. They were tired, nervous, but happy that I was sitting there making stupid faces at them, I was alive. I had survived. Hand me my heart-shaped pillow and let me cough. There was no laying down for a while, that’s for sure. When I sat back, I could feel my chest shifting. After all, they did saw me in half. I didn’t lay down for about four weeks, actually. But, over time my strength came back and I was able to maneuver around like a real person.

On the way to that, though, I had people watching over me like a hawk. The BCPF made sure that someone was “on duty” with me the whole time, from my sister to my mother, her to her mother. Someone was always here. It got to where I had to fake needing to go to the bathroom just to go sit on the toilet lid and be by myself for a few minutes. I had some great friends bring me and my chaperones food. I can’t tell Chris and Ashley, Doug and Molly and Jerry and Jennifer how much I appreciate them doing that.

After this, though, The BCPF and I decided that we’re going to live. LIVE! And, that’s what we’ve done. We’ve been to Europe twice, the second a wedding/honeymoon expedition. So glad I got to see Notre Dame before this week happened. We accompanied friends to Costa Rica. We went to Walt Disney World with my family. We have time with each other. We enjoy just about everything we do. We collect records, we eat really delicious food, we hang out with really terrific friends, we just love our lives.

I have to really thank The BCPF for everything, because if it
weren’t for her, making sure I take my meds regularly, eating right, doing what little exercise I’ll do, going to my doc appts, and just living the heck out of IMAG0150me, I wouldn’t be here today to write this. She didn’t sleep much that first week. When she did it was in my hospital bed. My boy is also a huge part of my life. He’s almost 16 17 so he’s testing my ticker a good bit, but I love that boy to no end. They together are truly my everything. To my family, thank you all for your support and being here for me. To my friends, you’re all my bedrocks. You’re the foundation that I build on. To The Beer Dads, Jon and Paul, thank you guys for traversing this weird ride with The BCPF and me in our quest for World Domination. To everyone. I love you. Just… I love you. To Dr. Bret Borchelt. Thank you for “fixing” me.

I was 41 when this happened. I’m 46 47 now. I have to at least make it to 82 for me to be satisfied with it. I have to say, in all sincerity, I would never want to go through this again. However, in the grand scheme of things, it was all worth it and really, for me, wasn’t all that terrible. I think my family and friends had it worse than I in this ordeal. I got taken care of, waited on and yes had to endure some pain, but it wasn’t too awful. I’m just glad we have hit the “magic number” (no not three in this case) of six seven. That’s when the docs stop looking so closely at the procedure. I’m still here and other than being ridiculously fat, I feel great. So, all is well on this side of the world. I hope all of you have as wonderful a time as I do. Happy sixth seventh second birthday to me.

Until tomorrow, still kickin’…
Scorp out!

—
“Open-heart surgery is now part of a typical life experience for many people. Folks talk casually about ‘having a stent put in,’ as if they had their tires rotated.” – Roger Ebert

Hanging In There or: Much Better Than Expected

09 Friday Nov 2018

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

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Tags

doctors, Health, Life, Life as It is

Salutations™!!

I told you on Wednesday that I figured my doctor’s visit would end up being bad. Well… I was wrong. When I went there yesterday, I had lost 6 lbs since my appointment six months ago and my blood pressure was 124/80 which is the lowest I ever remember seeing it. Wow… okay, well what about the levels?Depositphotos_132925148_l-2015-1100x734

Well, everything other than my triglycerides was normal and even those were just slightly over standard. The LDL was at 100 and the standard range they say is 99 or less. So, that’s not too bad, either. The doctor told me that being slightly over isn’t significant enough to warrant worry. That I should keep up my meds, what I’m eating but be mindful of the carb intake. Also, if I must have a cheeseburger, park in the farthest space away so I at least get some exercise.

All-in-all, I feel that it was a very good visit to the doc. So, I’m going to go enjoy stuff and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

Until then…
Scorp out!

—
“It is a scientific fact that your body will not absorb cholesterol if you take it from another person’s plate.” – Dave Barry

A Unique Piggyback or: Sixth Second On

18 Wednesday Apr 2018

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

3B, Costa Rica, Dr. Bret Borchelt, Europe, Family, Health, Heart Surgery, Honeymoon, Jon Lowder, Life, Paul Jones III, The BCPF, The Beer Dads, Zipper Club

Salutations™!!

Note: I liked what I wrote about this day last year so I just copied it and reposted. It’s hard to write this story without repeating myself so, why fight it? I want to bring attention to the fact that I’m still here to annoy you, Dear Reader. I am happy to be able to say that (that I’m still here).

It was five six years ago today that I received my “zipper.” Being at the hospital before the sun came up, getting shaved from neck to (literally) toe, seeing my family, having my (then) fiance – The BCPF – standing holding my hand and trying to keep a happy face, having my parents pray over me as I get wheeled through some ominous doors, being moved onto a mostly comfortable operating table and telling stupid jokes to the operating staff before I just blacked out counting back from 100. That’s how I remember it.

I groggily stirred with a breathing tube snaked through my gullet whilst hearing a nurse, whose name I believe was Sandy, talk to me and me nodding that I understood whatever it was she was saying to me. The BCPF came in to see me, touching me, stroking my hair (I still had a little bit). I’m not sure of the timeline, I was still very doped up on morphine at the time. Maybe some time passed, maybe it didn’t, but Ma Mère came into the recovery room and in a moment we will all talk about until we’re no longer here, she patted me on the left shoulder and said, “see, you really do have a heart.” At this point I pointed to “Sandy” and made a motion to bring me a writing utensil and something to write upon. In my continued, and glorious haze, I scribbled to my mother the following:

Leave the comedy to me!

I remember everyone laughing. My job was done, I went through another phase of “blacked out.” They had collapsed my lungs in order to get to my arteries and heart and whatever else they were doing with me and, as a lifelong asthmatic, my lungs and me have a long history of arguing. They weren’t wanting to cooperate and inflate so I could breathe on my own. So, recovery took a little longer than it should have. Then they wheeled me up to my own private room. I had to get up and sit in a chair. I asked for my phone and that’s when this selfie was taken:

Tim After Surgery

My son came in to see me, as did my family. I had put them all through a lot. They were tired, nervous, but happy that I was sitting there making stupid faces at them, I was alive. I had survived. Hand me my heart-shaped pillow and let me cough. There was no laying down for a while, that’s for sure. When I sat back, I could feel my chest shifting. After all, they did saw me in half. I didn’t lay down for about four weeks, actually. But, over time my strength came back and I was able to maneuver around like a real person.

On the way to that, though, I had people watching over me like a hawk. The BCPF made sure that someone was “on duty” with me the whole time, from my sister to my mother, her to her mother. Someone was always here. It got to where I had to fake needing to go to the bathroom just to go sit on the toilet lid and be by myself for a few minutes. I had some great friends bring me and my chaperones food. I can’t tell Chris and Ashley, Doug and Molly and Jerry and Jennifer how much I appreciate them doing that.

After this, though, The BCPF and I decided that we’re going to live. LIVE! And, that’s what we’ve done. We’ve been to Europe twice, the second a wedding/honeymoon expedition. We accompanied friends to Costa Rica. We went to Walt Disney World with my family. We have time with each other. We enjoy just about everything we do. We collect records, we eat really delicious food, we hang out with really terrific friends, we just love our lives.

I have to really thank The BCPF for everything, because if it
weren’t for her, making sure I take my meds regularly, eating right, doing what little exercise I’ll do, going to my doc appts, and just living the heck out of IMAG0150me, I wouldn’t be here today to write this. She didn’t sleep much that first week. When she did it was in my hospital bed. My boy is also a huge part of my life. He’s almost 15 16 so he’s testing my ticker a good bit, but I love that boy to no end. They together are truly my everything. To my family, thank you all for your support and being here for me. To my friends, you’re all my bedrocks. You’re the foundation that I build on. To The Beer Dads, Jon and Paul, thank you guys for traversing this weird ride with The BCPF and me in our quest for World Domination. To everyone. I love you. Just… I love you. To Dr. Bret Borchelt. Thank you for “fixing” me.

I was 41 when this happened. I’m 46 47 now. I have to at least make it to 82 for me to be satisfied with it. I have to say, in all sincerity, I would never want to go through this again. However, in the grand scheme of things, it was all worth it and really, for me, wasn’t all that terrible. I think my family and friends had it worse than I in this ordeal. I got taken care of, waited on and yes had to endure some pain, but it wasn’t too awful. I’m just glad we have hit the “magic number” (no not three in this case) of five six. That’s when the docs stop looking so closely at the procedure. I’m still here and other than being ridiculously fat, I feel great. So, all is well on this side of the world. I hope all of you have as wonderful a time as I do. Happy fifth sixth second birthday to me.

I talked to The BCPF this morning (2018) and inquired about her writing a post one year to recount the experience from her perspective. She said that would take time and she doesn’t have time right now, but one day. I may get her to do it and save it for when I need it. You can hear me talk more about it on The Less Desirables tonight.

Until tomorrow, still kickin’…
Scorp out!

—
“Open-heart surgery is now part of a typical life experience for many people. Folks talk casually about ‘having a stent put in,’ as if they had their tires rotated.” – Roger Ebert

Drained or: Contact Lows

09 Monday Apr 2018

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Health, Life, Life as It is, tired, WrestleMania, WWE

Salutations™!!

I am dragging today. I don’t know why. I’m lethargic and tired. I even nodded off for a few minutes in the studio. I thought I slept okay. I felt like I did. Leopard_Resting_on_Tree_600

I know WrestleMania was last night. And, yeah, I know its cheesy but I’ve been a ‘Rasslin” ran all my life and that hasn’t changed. This is not a post about that, but I will say it started off right and just dwindled over time. I’m going to say it, seven hours of wrestling is too much. I can sit and watch WWE Network for hours but when it’s all current/keeping-up-with stuff, that’s hard. Seven hours, I tell ya. The pre-game started at 5pm and the show proper at 7pm and went until midnight (well later because I had paused it a couple of times). Too much, WWE, remember that.

On top of just being tired, for the first time in four months, I slept with my contacts in. Mine are made to withstand that every once in a while but my eyes have grown accustomed to resting at night. I also think that not having them in allows me to rest better, as well. That is probably a big contributor to this. I don’t know how I forgot to take them out. It is a nightly routine. I guess I was mentally fatigued from watching the choreographed combative ballet that I enjoy so much.

So, I’ve been listening to Queensryche in the studio trying to wake myself up. I’m kind of glad we didn’t record Fan Interference today because I may have very well fallen asleep on TC. No worries, though, I’m okay. I have Apartment 5B to do in a bit (have I told you about that? That’s another story) and a late lunch with my good pal, Tim. That will wake me up.

Then I’ll go home and watch more WWE until I fall out (and take my contacts out). I hope you have a great day…

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Resting for me is fitness training.” – Jenson Button

Double Piggyback or: Pass (on) the Salt

30 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by TGBII in Food

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Food, Foodie, Health, healthy eating, Life, low sodium, sodium, sodium substitute, The Man Who Ate the Town, Triad City Beat, WSNC, WSNC Foodie

Salutations™!!Beeman-e1522344426227

So, I, or more specifically, The Man Who Ate the Town me, wrote an article for Triad City Beat and I wrote a post about that on the food blog. Now, I’m letting you know about because I know not all of you follow my food blog (which you should). So, read that HERE and you can follow the link to TCB from there.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Once an eater of fast food three times a day, seven days a week, I radically changed my diet.” – me

Fifth Second Birthday or: The Things We’ve Done

18 Tuesday Apr 2017

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

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3B, Costa Rica, Dr. Bret Borchelt, Europe, Family, Health, Heart Surgery, Honeymoon, Jon Lowder, Life, Paul Jones III, The BCPF, The Beer Dads, Zipper Club

Salutations™!!

It was five years ago today that I received my “zipper.” Being at the hospital before the sun came up, getting shaved from neck to (literally) toe, seeing my family, having my (then) fiance – The BCPF – standing holding my hand and trying to keep a happy face, having my parents pray over me as I get wheeled through some ominous doors, being moved onto a mostly comfortable operating table and telling stupid jokes to the operating staff before I just blacked out counting back from 100. That’s how I remember it.

I groggily stirred with a breathing tube snaked through my gullet whilst hearing a nurse, whose name I believe was Sandy, talk to me and me nodding that I understood whatever it was she was saying to me. The BCPF came in to see me, touching me, stroking my hair (I still had a little bit). I’m not sure of the timeline, I was still very doped up on morphine at the time. Maybe some time passed, maybe it didn’t, but Ma Mère came into the recovery room and in a moment we will all talk about until we’re no longer here, she patted me on the left shoulder and said, “see, you really do have a heart.” At this point I pointed to “Sandy” and made a motion to bring me a writing utensil and something to write upon. In my continued, and glorious haze, I scribbled to my mother the following:

Leave the comedy to me!

I remember everyone laughing. My job was done, I went through another phase of “blacked out.” They had collapsed my lungs in order to get to my arteries and heart and whatever else they were doing with me and, as a lifelong asthmatic, my lungs and me have a long history of arguing. They weren’t wanting to cooperate and inflate so I could breathe on my own. So, recovery took a little longer than it should have. Then they wheeled me up to my own private room. I had to get up and sit in a chair. I asked for my phone and that’s when this selfie was taken:

Tim After Surgery

My son came in to see me, as did my family. I had put them all through a lot. They were tired, nervous, but happy that I was sitting there making stupid faces at them, I was alive. I had survived. Hand me my heart-shaped pillow and let me cough. There was no laying down for a while, that’s for sure. When I sat back, I could feel my chest shifting. After all, they did saw me in half. I didn’t lay down for about four weeks, actually. But, over time my strength came back and I was able to maneuver around like a real person.

On the way to that, though, I had people watching over me like a hawk. The BCPF made sure that someone was “on duty” with me the whole time, from my sister to my mother, her to her mother. Someone was always here. It got to where I had to fake needing to go to the bathroom just to go sit on the toilet lid and be by myself for a few minutes. I had some great friends bring me and my chaperones food. I can’t tell Chris and Ashley, Doug and Molly and Jerry and Jennifer how much I appreciate them doing that.

After this, though, The BCPF and I decided that we’re going to live. LIVE! And, that’s what we’ve done. We’ve been to Europe twice, the second a wedding/honeymoon expedition. We accompanied friends to Costa Rica. We went to Walt Disney World with my family. We have time with each other. We enjoy just about everything we do. We collect records, we eat really delicious food, we hang out with really terrific friends, we just love our lives.

I have to really thank The BCPF for everything, because if it
weren’t for her, making sure I take my meds regularly, eating right, doing what little exercise I’ll do, going to my doc appts, and just living the heck out of IMAG0150me, I wouldn’t be here today to write this. She didn’t sleep much that first week, when she did it was in my hospital bed. My boy is also a huge part of my life. He’s almost 15 so he’s testing my ticker a good bit, but I love that boy to no end. They together are truly my everything. To my family, thank you all for your support and being here for me. To my friends, you’re all my bedrocks. You’re my foundation that I build on. To The Beer Dads, Jon and Paul, thank you guys for traversing this weird ride with The BCPF and me in our quest for World Domination. To everyone. I love you. Just… I love you. To Dr. Bret Borchelt. Thank you for “fixing” me.

I was 41 when this happened. I’m 46 now. I have to at least make it to 82 for me to be satisfied with it. I have to say, in all sincerity, I would never want to go through this again. However, in the grand scheme of things, it was all worth it and really, for me, wasn’t all that terrible. I think my family and friends had it worse than I in this ordeal. I got taken care of, waited on and yes had to endure some pain, but it wasn’t too awful. I’m just glad we have hit the “magic number” (no not three in this case) of five. That’s when the docs stop looking so closely at the procedure. I’m still here and other than being ridiculously fat, I feel great. So, all is well on this side of the world. I hope all of you have as wonderful a time as I do. Happy fifth second birthday to me.

Until tomorrow, still kickin’…
Scorp out!

—
“Open-heart surgery is now part of a typical life experience for many people. Folks talk casually about ‘having a stent put in,’ as if they had their tires rotated.” – Roger Ebert

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