Now on to more pressing issues... I successfully went vegan for a total of 60 day. It was the longest 60 days of my life. Next time I decide to do something like that, please just waterboard me for 60 days, it will be easier. First of all, the plan to go vegan was to protect the environment from cattle flatulence, isn't that right AOC? Well, going from a mostly meat diet to strictly vegetables and quinoa will have you producing more gas than any cow is capable of producing on their best day. It also occurs when switching back to meat, but in that case is well worth it. For the record, I did not experience any of the health benefits espoused by Vegans, and with one exception, I hated each and every meal. I am happy to report I am 100% Vegan Free!
I know it looks like me, but it is Jay Cutler (Former Quarterback for the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears) in my shirt.
On to some more serious stuff... I had my shoulder surgery December 20th. The surgery went well. I had a full tear of one tendon, partial tear of another and last but not least my bicep tendon was torn where it connects to the shoulder. Two weeks into my recovery I was not feeling great. Julie would drag me outside for a walk and I would have to quit after a quarter mile. This is certainly not me or indicative of my other shoulder surgery 4 years ago. Shortly after that I woke up through the middle of the night and thought "I am not getting enough air when I breath through my nose" so I switched to my mouth. It did not make much difference. I became a little tense but eventually fell back asleep. Later that morning I had the same thing happen. This time I had a full blown anxiety attack with it, my first and hopefully my last. I asked Julie to drive me to the hospital so they could sedate me. It is funny that I wasn't worried about what was wrong, but very much wanted to be sedated. Off to the ER. Long story short, I had blood clots in my left leg from the surgery that moved into my lungs. The good news is that they were stopped there, I was released after 24 hours and I am on blood thinners for 90 days. You know you are getting old when you are taking the drugs advertised on Fox News... One more thing about that. I am much better and walking 40+ miles per week. I have my 9 week check up next week and hope to be released for running. Yay!
Now for even more serious stuff. Sorry.....
Julie's dad Paul aka Petey was diagnosed with Esophageal cancer. He found it early and it does not appear to have spread. He recently finished Chemo and Radiation therapy. He did great through all of this. It did slow down his work outs, but it also slowed down his eating so he slimmed down quite a bit, but not too much. Once his esophagus has healed, he will undergo surgery to remove the cancer. This is not insignificant surgery. They remove most of the esophagus and then pull up the stomach to take its place. Eating is a challenge for some time so they install a feeding tube until he is capable of swallowing. The recovery from this surgery is not easy but if you know Paul, he is tough and stubborn. He will not let it get him down. I am still planning on our June hike across the Grand Canyon with Paul and others. (You hear that Paul?!) We are accepting all prayers for Paul and his healing, so don't hold back. On a bright note, I am excited for his feeding tube as it can be hard to get rid of used motor oil. Paul has graciously agreed to give it a try. It is all about protecting the environment after all.
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| Petey on one of our hikes. What a stud! 💖 |
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| Snow Canyon State Park (3 miles from our house in St. George) |
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| Swaner Preserve Park City (1/4 mile from Park City Home) P.S. 3 miles to the slopes |
Dave and Julie
