Early Monday

[nathanm]

girls I know are confused about the oven and why it doesn't keep their wine cold.

Rich girls who don't have yet have one of these?

[Townsend]

Rich girls who don't have yet have one of these?

No freaking way.  How cool is that?

[nathanm]

☆彡

[Townsend]

[patric]

We arent still on the colonoscopy thread, are we?

[guido911]

Probably due for a status update....

[Ed W]

Probably due for a status update....

Is that directed at me?  'Cause I can tell you about the progress so far.

[guido911]

Is that directed at me?  'Cause I can tell you about the progress so far.

Yes. Just curious how things are going.

[Ed W]

Yes. Just curious how things are going.

The urologist removed the catheter last week and good riddance to that!  It was a tether forcing me to sleep on my back or one side.  I'd stopped the pain pills over that weekend.  Mary said I was grumpy all the time and I'll blame the pills for that.  I felt like I'd just climbed out of bed all day long.  I was a bit stiff so bending over or getting up from a chair was a slow process, but there was very little pain.  One other side effect of pain pills involves constipation, and that's something to avoid with lower abdominal surgery.   

I'm regaining bladder control, though I don't like to be far from a bathroom.  Part of my bladder was removed in order to reroute the urethra.  That caused cramps at first, and it's given me new appreciation for what Mary went through when she was pregnant and said her's was the size of a walnut.

I'm not supposed to pick up anything heavier than 5 pounds yet.  I helped with grocery shopping yesterday, hauling some bags in from the car.  (I'm allowed to drive again.)  But I didn't attempt to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk.  It weighs 8 pounds.  Shhhh.

I've been walking every day, sometimes twice a day.  And I don't know if this is real or not, but I'm suspecting there's some kind of cold-induced full bladder syndrome, 'cause when I'm out in the park with the dog, I get the urge!  I have Christmas shopping to finish too, and that involves more walking.  It will help build my endurance, and the other big plus is that there is always a mens room nearby. 

I have another urologist appointment next week, and late in the week I'll have to clear AA medical in order to return to work on the 24th.  I have to work one full shift, and then I can take vacation until the 2nd. 

Co-workers are telling me that half a dozen computers are sitting on my shelf, so there's lots to do when I get back.  I'm staying busy - or as busy as I want to be, as I told you previously - and I've written a couple of pieces on prostate cancer as well as the usual tech stuff.  The cancer pieces are meant to encourage men to get regular PSA tests.  It was key in the early detection of mine.

If anyone has a specific question, I'll be happy to answer it.   

[Ed W]

One last thing.

I returned to work yesterday after enduring a Kafkaesque session with our medical department and the attendance office last week, but I won't go into that in order to keep my blood pressure within limits.

Sure enough, there were 7 computers waiting for me.  All of them need modifications, and at 10-12 hours per unit, that's 2 weeks of work.  I'm on vacation now, and I won't be back until next Wednesday.  Chances are a few more computers will be enroute.

It was a tiring day.  I didn't realize how much I moved around at work, getting up and down and walking around the shop.  It was far more than I normally do here at home, so by noon I was feeling it.  I did mods in the afternoon, sitting at the soldering bench without moving.  It was a relief.

The urologist gave me a full release to duty, meaning I'm free to do whatever exercise I can tolerate.  I'm permitted to pick up anything I can manage.  That was put to the test last night when Mary fell outside.  She wasn't hurt, but I had to lift her and it was all I could do to get he back on her feet.  There wasn't any pain, though I was definitely light-headed from the effort. 

My main form of exercise is walking, so I'm going to extend the walks a bit.  Duchess the Wonder Dog will like that.  And, as Duchess seems to have copious amounts of gas this morning, I expect we'll be out for a walk soon.

[sauerkraut]

Some new reports are saying that the PSA numbers may not mean much. I was always told anything over 1.5 is high and anything higher than a 2.5 it should be checked into.  I heard that for old people with prostate cancer it's best not to even do anything about it and take a "wait & see atitude" with it. It's hard to know what it what.