Waging wars against my body

Went to the Orthopaedic surgeon for my chronic intensity neck which has gotten worse over the years,triple billfolded in the wash this past Spring. I have been working my *^@#&$^*@ ass off getting the knees back after the surgeries and was afraid to go for my neck for months. It is a war I have with myself body mechanic blowouts to lymph wackyos, sure screw me some more!
The doctor walked in the room and said, "I hope you don't mind me looking at you but your smile looks just like my younger sister, you really resemble her." I was afraid to tell him he looked like my cousin who is a Podiatrist right down to the nose. Blood who knows, I don't want to know.
I had an Xray and the damage was confirmed. He could see what was wrong right away without ordering an MRI. I have severe Disc Degeneration Disease with prolapse on C2,C3,C4. I need to have an Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion.



I am not ready to have a fused dick neck! I'll have to deal with the neurological problems & pain for a while longer. Wage war with myself - drugs, alchohol & exercise like a "Wild Woman". We discussed - I will wait until I am in intolerable pain because I will lose ROM and this creeps me out. He rattled off a list of sports and things I should not do anymore - I drifted into a foggy tunnel and did not hear about a minute of what he was saying for fear of taking away my escape from body wars. YES, I CAN STILL DO BIKING & FENCING! I think this is because he rides bike himself & had the operation when he was 42. If you take away biking, I think it would be quite catastrophic to my life. This is my escape from pains in my body and things in life. He said when I decide, then he will order an MRI to see what additional problems may be going on besides the initial one above.. My exercise & activities have paid off for me. I do not have to go to physical therapy, because I have strength which is what is preventing muscle loss from this condition and he could tell. He thanked me for working out and maintaining an active lifestyle rather than the sedentary lifestyle of most patients, as we went out the door.

An emotional arousal not acted upon during the day to quell the arousal becomes a dream - Joe Griffin

Since I have not been able to fit in outdoor rides for the longest period of time since last winter. I think I am having withdrawal. Usually my dreams are really wacky and off the wall weird, but I have been riding a bike every day this week in my night time lala land. The one this morning I was climbing up a stoney rock trail and thought I was going to have to walk but I hammered and went up with ease. I gotta get out & ride ride ride and not just spin inside!

I guess this falls under one psychologists interpretation of dreams.

The expectation fulfilment theory of dreams - Joe Griffin, Psychologist

Griffin's expectation fulfilment theory of dreams states that:

1. Dreams are metaphorical translations of waking expectations.
2. Expectations which cause emotional arousal that is not acted upon during the day to quell the arousal, become dreams during sleep.
3. Dreaming deactivates that emotional arousal by completing the expectation pattern metaphorically, freeing the brain to respond afresh to each new day.

Eagles Mere Road Trip

Kelsi, Al & I went up to Eagles Mere to get away from the house. It was too cold to paint in the morning. We had to do a drive-by of my stepfather's cottage and hike around Eagles Mere Lake. This was my old hang out in the summertime years ago. Today I was really into the boat houses around the Lake & not the huge beautiful cottage mansions.












One time, many years ago, I was sled riding down an icey curvy EM road that parallels the famous Tobbogan Slide. I had to maneuver in order to avoid hitting the dock post before going out on the ice covered EM Lake. Well one time, I was out of control and I hit the dock post with my neck. Of course, I ended up in Geisinger Medical Centerfor a week. Oh well, that is probably why I am the way I am. I really hate sled riding.

Erie Anxiety takeover

Kelsi & I saw Mercyhurst $30,000 & Edinboro $10,000 Universities. Nothing about state owned universities (such as Edinboro, Indiana, Mansfield, Bloomsburg) but they give me the hebageebbees willie spookies, complete with all kinds of walks of lifeand little atmosphere or maybe I am getting more selective in my life. Mercyhurst was beautiful and 85% of the students live on campus all 4 yrs, the classes are small with trimesters and the Archaelogy Dept has a world known Anthropology Professor,the Art classes appear good. This is her first choice also...or was it the Jacobean furniture?

We also got to Presque Isle in time for the sunset.




Interstate 80 gave me anxiey and a couple of times I thought I was going to weird out, especially when Kelsi would take a pic of a huge drop off. I don't remember all those curves through the canyon abysses to China and one lane construction zones that if you got of the road, one would hit the guardrail and go down off into Never Never Land. I was sore the next day from grabbing my steering wheel on Rts 80, 79 & 90. Ahhh I am home!

Crap I am having pic upload problem errrr. Also while I was away, Zachary snuck out on his bike. When we went to the doctor I tattled on Zachary and he said KEEP OFF it for at least 3 more weeks! He is healing well but the break is still visible. I also spoke with Dr Dominick briefly. I got to the exam room and I had my zipper down while in the lobby with about 20 people.

Erie Bound in PA

Kelsi & I leave today for a 5hr trip to Erie because we have college visits with Mercyhurst & Edinboro University on Monday. Brrr at least there is no snow in the forecast, but I will feel the Lake Erie effect in the air. This is my old stomping grounds in which I had carefree wildness in my college days.

Yesterday, my nephew Ethan & son Zachary, went JR hunting and as I was leaving to go for a bike ride, their prizes caught me off guard.



Here is the fox that I almost hit, as it jumped in front of me one night. Another day I saw him in the field and made a weird noise. The fox stopped & looked at me like he never heard that sound in his lifetime. Now his lifetime is over and is road kill.



Yesterday K & I rode (22 miles rt) to the OctoberFest in Mifflinburg & met TwistedUterus there for some food eats. Beware wearing pantyhose under lycra shorts...this goes for the same reason that you do not wear underwear I didn't take any pics there.....

Spinning Sadomasochism

This week the gym started offering Spinning classes. I took my first class Monday at 6 AM & my 2nd class was Thursday eve (3 people cancelled). Spinning is a high-energy, indoor stationary cycling based group fitness program where the instructor takes you on a 'virtual' outdoor road race and a finish line. I am already signed up for two classes next week. This couldn't have come at a more appropriate time because of the sundown coming so early. I sure hope it tones & gives me endurance especially while doing the standing flats at a 80-110 rpm, which is like running and I am struggling and struggling because I swear it is a hill. I normally do not get out of the saddle in the real world because I am afraid of putting pressure on the knees but I am going to do this. I felt like I was going to fall off with either my elbows or knees giving out. I think I have too high of a resistance so I will lower it next week. I ordered a Polar F11 Heart Rate Monitor because we will be training at our proper heart rate zones and not blow up or out!