Abnormal readings set the Tone for My Cardiologist Visit on Thursday

 This morning I awoke with the intention of walking around my home block with Melissa . but after getting two unusually high blood pressure readings, we instead decided to cool it with the intense physical activity. My nurse Jennifer visited and we had a good conversation.  I have a mid-morning appointment tomorrow with my cardiologist, but I suppose the main focus will be my recent high blood pressure spikes. I hope he has some good solutions to get me relief with this problem.  Later on today, I did some milder rock-running exercise while watching baseball on TV.  So right now I'm closing out today's blog article, preparing to go back to the bedroom to try to get a decent night's sleep.  And then it will be onward to the cardiologist again...

Exercise and Baseball Following Medical Tests

 After having some of my medical concerns addressed yesterday at Shands Hospital, today I was more into exercise, doing a single home block walk/run... and then i earned more than 10K steps while rock-running as I watched TV, mostly baseball, on our MLB channel.  My favorite specificgame this evening?  MIlwaukee'e 8-3 home field victory against their struggling National League rival San Francisco, as "Front RowAmy, the Brewers' top fan, meticulously watched, cheered and kept score for this interesting game's duration.Well, it's time now to go to the back of our house for some overnight climate-controlled rest and relaxation. Good night, Y'all... , and calm down, Peewee Daisy...

Alleviating Clotting Concerns Reason for Return Visit to Shands for Tests

 Late afternoon today Melissa came back to me, woke me up from my nap, and declared she was driving me to Shands Hospital toundergo an ultrasound and a ct-scan to rule out the risk o blood clots appearingas side effects of some of my brain cancer treatments.  Later in the evening I would be building up exercise steps while watching baseball on our MLB channel.  Later on I recall getting a reasonably good night's sleep.   A couple of good friends met us at the UF Health Neuromedicine building on Archer Road to consult with my neurooncologist, Dr. Serendipity Rinonos, and her nurse practitioner.Although the additional tests took place in a hectic setting and I felt  little roughhandled by thet ech who efficiently and competently performed the ultrasound, the result seemed reassuring to me.  Life for me happens one day at a time and I intend to live it that way.And I stand grateful to God and Melissa for looking after me...

HeadacheThroughout Day, No Early Rising Planned

 It's now early evening here in gainesville, Florida, which went through a very uncomfortably hot stretch in the low nineties.  My exercising wasrestricted to rock-running in the living room, amassing~4,500 steps. Now the baseball channel is showing the tail end of a tied  gamethat is going to extra innings...I don'r care who wins, as usual.  I putout some K-Cup flavored decaf coffee to brew a pot...now I"m sipping from a small Mario Brothers mug.  I have been  sufffering from headaches for most of today and still feel their effects, moderate in intensity but not going away. I'm still speculating on last October and the worsening of my headaches back then, which I think may have intensified due i major part to the rapid growth of cancerous brain tumors that the surgeon generally removedo n October 24th, more than 95% of them according to his own account.  I don't want these tumors to return, and i really want the neext MRI's I undeergo to reveal that my tumor growth has stalled out, at least for the next few months.  Waste removal and recycling are scheduled for pickup in my neighborhood tomorrow.  I don't have plans to get up hours before sunrise...a good night's sleep would be in order.  Well, i can adjust the air and rest on the living room couch for a while before heading back to stir up Peewee Daisy.  Y'all have a good night tonight...

More Morning Sleeep Plans and Wishes with Melissa's Appointment Ahead

 I  woke up early this morning, at 4:30.  The A.C. seems to be on overdrive, and some more home exercise is in order for me today, as Melissa has some important medical diagnostic activity scheduled ahead.  I think a little remedying for a headacheshould work for me, and today's weather should provide some dry outside surfaces on which to walk, run, or sit and observe with the company of Pewee Daisy,our Big Baby. yesterday evening was a bit frustrating with me lying on the living room couchwaitin for time to pass to enable me to sleep in the chilled air through a significant amount of a night's sleep.  Looks like i'll soon be returning to the back where our little dog can start barking, growlingm shaking...and talking. I may be spending spending some good time tomorrounder the blanket sleeping and resting, hoping an praying that Melissa' appointment goes well and that her procedure goes off well, with a good and promisin diagnosis.  So it's now back to bed, and may you all enjoy a good, healthful amount of quality rest...

On Eve of Tomorrow's Medical Appointment

 I have a medical appointment for tomorrow morning at the UF Health neuromedicine building, right next to SW Archer Road, to see a nurse practitioner relating to the brain cancer trials I am passing through.  Sickness is something that I have, but I don't intend to be governed in my life by denial.  "Tell me something good" is something I feel I have the right, if not my duty, to bring up in conversation during our consultation.  The crucial question I feel that I'm left with regarding this horrible brain cancer situation is what do I do if and/or when the shoe drops about my condition and future prospects.  Feeling some hope and optimism about the future...knowing that I'm not going to physically live o this Earth forever(no one else will, either)...is something that I want to have coming out of tomorrow's appointment.  Well, my body resists but I still have hope.  There are still some baseball games on TV this evening, and before it turns pitch black outside I just might (or might not) do some slow AF running back and forth for a couple of minutes in the back yard.  And...I'm looking forward this evening to some good rest before I go back and get Peewee Daisy to bark and talk at me. Rest well, everyone...

Checking Out Library Audiobooks, Exercise, TV, News

 This morning I avoided getting up super-early, and ended up getting a pretty reasonable night's sleep.  During the course of the day, I did some 32 minutes' worth of running-in-place...add to this that I walked a couple of inner-perimeter backyard laps.  Now it's around 7:45 and darkening into the evening time.  My intention is to throw on a light "Mister Rogers style of sweater and sit around on the front or back porch.  Baseball is on the TV schedule and I'm looking forward to enjoying some of it.  Tomorrow morning they're holding another Depot Parkrun 5K.  I'd like for Melissa to drive me down there, and it sure would be cool if I were to manage completing the entire four-lap 5k course,without any attempt to be fast.  I've also been trying to check out on Libby an audiobook version of D.S. MacHale's fantasy nove Pendragon1: The Merchant of Death.  So far I haven't been successful with this clearly-flawed app, and that book remains unloaded.  I do have a couple of old Hardy Boys adventure books ready to read, along with the original Foundation novel from that classic old Isaac Asimov series.  I think tomorrow morning during the 'race' I'll try listening in to a story.  Well, tonight I'll be tuning in to our MLB Channel to watch a couple of live contests...their presentation has been very good so far since the 2026 regular season began late last month.  I'm tired of all the war news and how our politicians and media hounds are trying to manipulate my emotions while offering little-to-nothing of value.  So, I wish you and yours a great day if you're "down under' and a wonderful, blessed weekend...

After Parkrun Experrence, I See Need for More Discipline & Consistency in Training

After a poor night's sleep, I got up around five this morning and went, with Melissa driving, down to Depot Park just a few blocks south of dowtown Gainseville to attempt their weekly Parkrun 5k.  Today it was warmer, in the sixties. The "race"...they try to say it isn't a competition...has quite a few people running and walking in it.  The very first Parkrun I ran,in January 2019, had me finishing at 30:00, a speed barrier I wouldn't break until 2023. Yet, with the exception of my summer 2021 open heart surgery and slow recovery until late October, I could easily maintain a light running pace without feeling exhausted.  That was true until early this year...now the simple act of jogging seems a bit too challenging to me.  As a matter of fact, the prospect of performing one and only one lap through the park seems pretty daunting, with me eliminating quickly any notion of going any further.  The people there this morning were very nice and friendly and, when i finished, Melissa praised me for my  effforts and enouraged me heartily.  As for my future with fitness walking and jogging, any progress  I make in it will need to come gradually, and I should be patient and disciplined. Later I exercised at home and walked slowly around the back yard while the resistance burden dragged me down. I can barely cover two inner-perimeter laps before needing to stop.  I felt a sense of regression at the park today, but I know that consistency is the best way to go... 

Medical Consultation Set for This Morning

 As my medical treatment for glioblastoma brain cancer enters another week, I find myself with an oncologist appointment early this morningin the Archer Road Neuroscience Building, coupled with a request for a lab blood draw...if it's a no-show, I expect a nurse practitioner appearance instead.  The oncologist should at least be present to discuss her interpretation of my recent MRI. Other than the visits, draws, scans and medications, my fight for recovery is mostly a matter of complying with doctors' orders and not letting things get out of hand.  I have been keeping up with running in place, also doing a few difficult inner perimeter walking laps in the back yard.  The time is now approaching four thirty in the morning, and I finally got up and ran in place for eight minutes.  I don't expect ecstatic proclamations out there from any physician, but should get through today's consultation without too much frustration, patiently sitting back through all of the technical overdrive.  Melissa is such an incredible blessing with her driving and expertise and concern about treatments and tests. Let's see, how about a little more rest this morning, after I get little Peewee all happily agitated when I go back there? I thought I would hold back on brewing any coffee until later on in the morning...

Early Rising, Exercising, Cut back the Spending

 During the major college football championship playoffs a couple of months ago, I adopted the posture that it was  okay if "my" team won...and okay if they lost.  This is the identical position I've taken regarding basketball, particularly men's basketball.  The Florida Gators, seeded #1 in their region, had folks in their corner confidently predicting double-digit wins for their tampa contest against #9 Iowa.  But the Hawkeyes managed a last-second unguarded three-pointer to surpass and beat Florifa 73-72, causing star starting center Rueben Chinleyu to bitterly cry over the heartbreaking, season-ending loss.  Well, better luck next year.  If today were 3/25/71, I'd still be getting myself up early to prepare for my long grind of a Nova High School 9th grade day. As for right now, I have all of today ahead of me, including more exercise, reading and studying.  I'll be rerturning to the back bedroom with some A.C. and our sweet pea Daisy as the new day slowly dawns on us.  I don't see any scheduled excursions for us anytime soon.  I'd also like to take it light and easy with the expenditures, too.No need to get carried away with laying out the dough unnecessarily. There is nothing pressing down on us to unnecessarily spend a lot of our saved money on "stuff" when I for one don't see the value in going down that road. I'm not looking to struggle against anyone determined to spend down our reserves of cash. I'm old, but i'm not at all in a big hurry to become poor, all for the very foolish sake of "stuff"...I'd like to believe that somewhere along the lines of my 69 years of age I've outgrown the need to be lectured about money by someone else like my father with important ideas on the subject that may diverge a bit from mine.  The last thing in the world I want is to be dragged down into poverty because I'm supposed to want something (and if I don't there's something wrong with me).  I'm still looking forward to doing well with my cancer treatment and recovery.  I think that's the area I should be focusing on...I think I'll stash away the petty greed: relaxing and taking it easy with my loved ones is a good thing...

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This was a "good" early morning for me,  Let me do a few little things and enjoy life for a while. and enjoy the down time as well. Nothing wrong with some contentment and gratitude, too,...

Got Up Early on This, a Parkrun Saturday Morning

 Early this morning I didn't feel like getting out of bed, considering the loud degree of snoring going on around me.  There's a Parkrun 5K scheduled to start at 7:30, and it's predicted to be 43-44 degrees of coldness (and darkness) out there among the crowd of noisy shadows.  It's now a quarter to five and I just brewed some coffee. When I do finally  get up (around 5:45), I'll be needing to get my clothes in order so that I don't freeze in the cold.  The plan is to complete the park's 4-lap course, and I'd like to walk through it and get a scanned and posted finishing time at the end. Well, it's back to bed for a while.  See ya later. Now I'm writing this later, and I did one strong walking lap.  The above photo is of me and park volunteer walker E.J., very supportive and enthusiastic.  I looked like a poor geezer soul struggling to make it down the hallway to the bathroom, but I did manage to maintain my balance.  Maybe next week a little more progress. Who knows, I'd like to cover the course!

Early Morning Waking and Activity a New Habit System

 It looks like a new habit has begun with me.  Over the past 3-4 days I have only slept two or three hours during the late evening, with me waking up around midnight and struggling to "nap" until after two in the morning, which I think is an appropriate time for early rising.  Just a half hour ago I got up, went to the bathroom, brewed a pot of coffee and did ten minutes of light running in place.  Tonight I'm going to try going to bed a bit earlier.  Maybe the Parkrun 5K will work out for Saturday morning, maybe it won't.  Shifting topics, I've pretty much had it with Trump and the Republicans about voter eligibility and their repeatedly shifting efforts to roll back voter rights by requiring cumbersome documentation to 'prove' citizenship.  The way I see it, if everyone who was eligible went out to vote on election day, then my one vote would only be one drop in a vast ocean of ballots...and my one filled ballot has NEVER decided an election.  I'm just tired of my 34-count convicted felon of a president going overboard sucking up to his master Netanyahu's agenda...the latter wants to prolong his own war by invading Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, with the USA providing military insurance and backup.  I'm hovering around 181 pounds, using temperance to avoid excessive consumption of sweets while adhering to my living room exercise routine.  I've been up and at it, being awake and active from 3 to 5 each morning.  That's a praise report for sure;  I'm changing habits by adopting a new system of consistent behaviors. Astronomical spring is set to start on this date, and, with a nod to Morgan Freeman, I'd like to enjoy "getting busy" living through it.  If I happen to begin changing a habit today, I want to make it short and sweet and written down and incorporated into an established system...

Sunday Morning Exercise, Writing, Dog, Sleep, Coffee, TV

 I think I have lost some interest in the ongoing PGA tournament, that is, the Players Championship being held at Ponte Vedra in northern Florida near Jacksonville.  The course is specially designed as a major water trap, especially on the 17th hole.  In 2025 too many players shot the ball into the water, including J.J. Spaun, who couldn't keep up with defending champion Rory McIlroy during the sudden death playoff when he ran afoul of #17.  Now I'm tired of hearing the endless commentary, where analysts who, as golfers, couldn't remotely compare to the pros with their inferior play, go into a stage of advanced nitpicking over the current players' shots.  It gets really irksome when they go off on one of the actual tourney leaders, someone who has already demonstrated a competitive edge with some of these challenging holes.  I know that the forecast is for rain and storms today, so it will be interesting to see how rainfall and wind might affect the level of play.  The time is approaching 5:30 this early Sunday morning, and it won't be long before I return to bed with the AC on and Peewee in a hightened state of alert, ready to "play games" with me with her barking and WOOO WOOO WOOOO WOOO WOOO.  Well, I guess I'll be watching a good amount of television today and doing exercise, including walking that encompasses our back yard with multiple inner perimeter laps.  And my projected minimal level of fantasy fiction reading...

Showed Up at Depot Parkrun, Walked a Lap

 Last night my sleep quality was relatively poor, and I woke up early today...and tired.  After exercising in the living room a few minutes, I waited until after six when Melissa woke up.  She drove us down to Depot Park, a few blocks south of downtown Gainesville.  The temperature was comfortably cool in the upper fifties this morning when the 5k race started at 7:30.  I was prepared to walk it smoother than before, although my speed was slower and I resisted going into a light jog at any point.  The last time I tried this it was a difficult trudge, so I feel I did much better this week.  My goal for future Parkrun ventures should be to walk enough to get a completed effort and get it posted online.  Now it's mid-afternoon and we're waiting for our Publix home delivery...I still have some more exercise, reading and study to come.  Speaking of sleep, I'm looking forward to more rest and relaxation today.  I'm tired of the news, especially that of this war against Iran.  Our friend Ethel stopped by and prayed with us a little earlier...bless her!  In pro golf, The Players Championship Tournament is now in its 3rd round today, and I'm enjoying following it on TV.  Tonight will be the Oscars on TV, with Conan O'Brien doing the presiding. There will be no resetting the clock ahead tonight, since we're already into Daylight Savings Time. Well, it's the birthday for no one I personally know, just NBA star Stephen Curry (at 38).  God bless you all... 

Here Comes Yet Another Saturday Morning

It's close to 5:30 AM on this Saturday morning, without me getting much sleep at all.  I brewed the coffee and ran in place for six minutes...and here I am sitting in front of the Chromebook.  i don't know how the Depot Parkrun will go today, but the time is progressing toward the alarm going off.  The TV with its noise irritated me last night, and I'm looking forward to making an earnest effort at covering the course.  There should be time afterward for me to go back and sleep some, and the day looks to be loaded with time.  Anyway, happy March 14th...

Sleepy, but Got Up and About Early Anyway

 This morning I was only partially sleeping, hoping that when I finally awoke it would be later...a little past three.  Still, I felt in little shape to get up, although I did and promptly brewed some coffee.  I ran in place for ten minutes, dutifully writing the time down in my spiral notebook.  The temperature in the house is leaning to the cold side, and before long my plan is to reset it for 'cool' and return to bed and my barking, excited Daisy. It now being Tuesday morning the 10th of March, I foresee no new Rob Dial podcast for today...maybe Huberman or Rohn will produce another episode.  My hope with fitness is to cover the backyard with walking more efficiently.  I'd like to be able to write that I read more pages in the vicious, frustrating Khan fantasy book...not looking forward to enjoying it, though, with the anger of its main characters resembling that of the TV series Grey's Anatomy.  Just thank you for this day you provided me, Lord, and may I live it out more responsibly and graciously.  Let's celebrate a small victory...I got up and stayed up! Maybe later on I'll get Melissa to help me start up (and move) the white Camry.  May I avoid getting myself caught up in digging for dopamine, and allow boredom to grow my good habits and character.  It's not quite four yet, and I still remember the times 55 years ago when I had decided to arise before dawn in order to begin my school day in a wise, positive manner.  In a way, this is one of those kinds of days...

Good Early Morning at Home So Far

 It's now a little past five in the morning, I'm up, and my FitBit has so far given me a little over three hours of sleep credit.  Ran in place for 7 minutes, brewed coffee, and ate a couple of toaster strudels. unless we find ourselves going out today, I'm gonna be a homebody.  The news of this ongoing missile war is disconcerting and I'm tired of reaching news channels that dwell on it.  My hunger level is almost non-existent, so unless whether we go through a Dunkin' drive-through comes up from another in conversation, i'm planning to play it all cool.  Now back to my exercise and rest.  Oh, and Happy Rebecca Anniversary Day and Casimir Pulaski Day. So will I try taking out the white Camry for aa short neighborhood spin today? We'll see...

56 Miles

 It sadly looks now as if I'm going to be deprived of being able to freely type out my opinions here for future blog articles.  My blogsite has built-in features that deliberately restrict my data entries, often preventing me from using capital letters.  I think back to being at the USPS plant in 1998 with arrogant, dismissive bullying supervisors waiting in ambush to impede my efforts and actively sabotaging me, running me down in the process either around others or behind my back, no matter what I do or say.   And so I will wake up and arise a little later this morning.  I can still study using my coiled notebook...maybe that's where I am going with this narrative.  And fill in today's coming vast time stretch with home exercise while working on keeping an upbeat attitude...

Cancer Treatment Prospects After Radiation Rounds

 Today was one of those days that for me have been split up into appointments, mainly medical, in which I underwent a few minutes of radiation therapy to hopefully target and zap any glioma blastoma malignancy holding fort there.  Tomorrow should be the final time for my six-week prescribed radiation rounds.  Then I get to ring the bell.  I don't think for a moment that, with this, I will have thoroughly eradicated this extremely aggressive and dangerous pathogen, known to shorten life spans down to as few as a few weeks.  So I'll be entering the year 2026 with a great feeling of uncertainty, doubt and mistrust: do the oncologists there assigned to my case really know what they are doing, and do they practice their ptofessions proactiively to aggressively combat my afflictions?  I guess I'll just have to see about that.  In spite of the gloomy doomsday prognosis laid out before me after brain surgery, I have continued with my cardiovascular exercise, on the rug in our living room.  This evening I covered 5.1 virtual miles while watching a virtual ideo on YouTube of the 2022 NYC Marathon.  Now it's up to me to get myself comfortable on the couch and see whether I get some decent sleep tonight...

Merry Christmas from Me with a Minimal Appetite

 Merry Christmas, everyone! Today we greeted this holiday and visited our good friends, who live on the western outskirts of Gainesville. The food was wonderful and so was the company.  I had a very small appetite and filled up quickly, wanting to take a nap on their couch.  We went back home and I rested, skipping the exercise routine I had planned.  Later on I watchd, while resting, a couple of NBA games and some Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime channel.  Well, time to get a decent night's sleep. Happy holidays...