Staying the Course -- 12-05-2016

[Superbob]

Hello, folks. Hope all's going well. Welcome to December and the start of a new Staying the Course week.

I have been avidly watching football bowl games for nearly 3/4 of a century, but now DW and I are thinking of going to one -- Tennessee versus Nebraska in the Music City Bowl in Nashville. As I may have mentioned a time or two, I am a Tennessee Volunteers fan from way back in my childhood. This will be the final collegiate game for Tennessee QB Josh Dobbs, one of my all-time favorites. We are not as spry as we once were, but want to do this at least once in our lifetimes. My problem is that there is so much of Nashville, and my knowledge of it is so small. Trying to figure where to stay to be convenient for gameday as well as attractions, particularly country music. So I'm looking for help.

Will have to find a good dog person or reliable boarding place for Ellie for a few days. She has so latched on to me, because I am the guy who rescued her from shelter just a year ago, that it is going to be hard.

Elle Belle and I are keeping up the walking, and I am adding in the workout room aerobics gradually as well. Maybe walking all around Music City will be additional exercise.

Well, again, best to all and I look forward to hearing from y'all.

Go Vols!

Cheers,

Superbob

Oh yes, congrats to Clemson for going to national playoff as No. 2 ranked, and also to South Carolina Gamecocks for making a bowl game as well....

 

[epstns]

Football? My experience in football is limited to having once worked for the company that made all of the NFL game balls (along with pro basketballs, baseballs, etc.). I learned all about the manufacturing processes and design parameters for the balls, but never how to use them. I guess that parallels my childhood. I was one of the brainy geeks who only played sports because we all "had to." I really didn't get into any sort of athletic activity until Army basic training - and then it was only to ensure my own survival!

Anyway, SB, it sounds like that trip will be a trip of a lifetime for you and your DW, and as that, I hope it fulfills and exceeds your dreams. Doing that sort of thing has always been very important to me, so I understand your excitement. I don't know Nashville, though, so I can't be much help. I often do preliminary research on the TripAdvisor website. They have reviews of hotels, activities, attractions and for some cities, they even have discussion forums where some of your questions may have already been answered. I have no affiliation with TripAdvisor, other than my occasional use of the site.

I'm still here. We are getting back to "normal" (what's that?) after the kids went back east after the holiday. I have somewhat reduced my exercise intensity of late, due to lingering side effects of some non-heart-related medical treatment, but I am beginning to feel some return to normalcy and hope to be back at it soon. I have, however, joined the "sore shoulder brigade." I shoveled our 120-foot long driveway on Sunday evening, and the snow was about 5-7 inches of really heavy, wet snow. I felt a muscle "bark" when I lifted a particularly large shovel full of snow, and since then my left pectoral muscle along with its partner on the back of the shoulder (trapezius?) are both very sore. It kept me up most of Sunday night, and so far only large doses of ibuprofen seem to help. Hopefully it will resolve over a few days and save me another trip to another doctor. I've seen far too many of those folks lately.

Hope everyone is doing well. It is now Tuesday, and I guess that's a good thing. Think of it this way. . . If it wasn't for Mondays, Tuesdays would really suck.

 

[jwinter]

Superbob, what a good post to read! Hope you have a great time!
I just got home from having an eplural effusion(think that is what they called it) and then a window done. One was fluid buildup around heart and other around lungs. The course I am on now says they want me to do pretty much nothing. I am doing daily pt exercises outlined before I left hospital but they are limited. My INR is still not good so trips every other day to coumadin clinic. I am getting stronger and my spirit is good so I count that as good on my "staying the course"
Let us know how your trip goes.

 

[epstns]

jwinter - Don't lose the faith. You are about on course for this soon after surgery. (Even having some post-op complications. I had my share of those, too.) Recovery starts slowly for some of us, but it does begin to pick up speed as you move along. Sort of like watching a freight train starting up. I wasn't even cleared to start cardiac rehab until I was 12 weeks post-op, but I caught up with everyone else really quickly after that.

I always tried to do what they told me to do. . . and just a little bit more. That kept me improving. Might work for you. Just take small steps and listen to your body. Don't over-do it.

 

[Superbob]

Going to echo Steve's words of wisdom -- it does take time, jwinter. Limited exercise is in order while your body is healing. Walking is good within the limits your doctor gives you. I think it was at least 3 to 4 months before I was cleared for cardiac rehab, but boy did I progress after that! Had fun too, believe it or not. We had a congenial group of patients and rehab nurses. (That was in Northern Virginia, just outside DC.)

Thanx for the good words, folks, about our dream trip to the college bowl game. We have our game tickets, bargain airfare on Southwest, and an efficiency apartment not far from site. Now, I need to find suitable care for Ellie dawg (and my son's Dasher dawg as well). Plan coming together (hope to visit the Grand Ol' Opry while there, too) -- just hope we don't have a snowstorm in Nashville the final days of 2016!

 

[jwinter]

Whew.............I have rehab contacting me and am no where near ready yet. I am doing two sets a day of sitting and standing leg exercises, upper arm radius exercises and pacing around the house as it is below zero here now and not ready for outside.....yet. 9 winters in Arizona out cruising the desert on ATV and the highways on our Harley have spoiled me but will learn to be a hearty Montanan..........for this is what I do to stay the course .