Introduction & Early Stages

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August 2006

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Well, it's August.

Or as we say around the office, the “shank of the summer”. It’s a long month – but a topical month…if not for August, what would we talk about during the month of August? It’s so hot and sticky in New York this week I want to die…and I simply can’t imagine what it’s like to work outdoors and spend a lot of time in this heat.

We retreat to the air conditioning like it’s a safe-haven from the blistering heat…which, in reality, it is. We take it for granted because sooner or later – and it happens to all of us – an air conditioner breaks. Maybe it’s in the car, bedroom, office, or in the case of last night, my favorite pizza place.

But I figured “I’m young”…so many generations before me lived without air conditioning – I for sure can last the time it takes to eat two slices in a pizzeria that registered 86 degrees on my trustworthy cell-phone thermometer (great conversation piece). And like an idiot, I sat there baking in the heat, sweating, and wondering how I came to such a terrible decision.

The best part about August though is that eventually it comes to an end. September rolls into town and before you know it you’re digging deep in the closet for a sweater or you’re opening a window and letting in some fresh, autumn air.

I’ve always been afraid of “weather”…this month proving no exception. Now back to my bottle of water; it’s time to give the ole kidneys a workout.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

I’ve been studying all week for a blood test. And I feel like an idiot because of it. Two weeks ago I visited the cardiologist for a routine checkup of my anything-but-routine heart condition and I was reminded that I needed to check my cholesterol levels. Now I’m no stranger to blood tests: I’ve been getting them every 6-8 weeks for over 10 years. Heck I could even do it myself…though I don’t advise anyone try it. The problem with this one is that it requires fasting the day-of, and it measures my LDL and HDL. So I have a double problem on my hands.

First, I never remember to fast in the morning. My routine is pretty set: wake up, shower, drink some juice, little coffee, part of a muffin, piece of fruit. Sometimes I’ll change things up and toss in a yogurt for sport. It’s usually midway through the coffee that I remember I needed to fast, and at that point a whole day needs to elapse. Shoot.

The second problem is the time leading up to the day of the blood test. Gone are the hamburgers, the pizza, the grilled cheeses, the onion rings, and all of the other things I make the poor decision to eat. But hey, I go to the gym so sometimes you need to cheat a little bit. Unfortunately, when you need to keep your cholesterol at a certain level you need to watch what you eat. So in the last few days it’s been nothing but salads and fiber: the hungry-man’s diet.

The third problem, and arguably the most difficult obstacle to overcome, is my mother’s constant reminders to get my blood done. Twice I’ve tried lying to her and telling her I got it done already. Both times she has caught me lying and vowed the wrath only a mother can bring to her son if he doesn’t comply.

So you better believe that at 8 o’clock tomorrow morning I will be parked in the waiting room of Quest Diagnostic. Time now for some last-minute cramming!

Monday, August 28, 2006

This morning something very weird happened to me. I woke up, but I didn’t move. It was as though my brain woke up before my body did. I laid in bed, silently, completely still – without moving a single muscle for a good five minutes. I was still comfortable from sleeping, but my mind was racing with the thoughts of my day. I was too comfortable to move even a finger or a toe. But more importantly, for the first time in years and years…nothing hurt.

That’s right. Nothing hurt.

The last few days have been rough – with the weather, a sinus infection, stress, etc. – and I’ve been having a tough time getting around. And there I was, face down in bed, spread out, completely comfortable. It was so startling I didn’t want to move. I didn’t want to move because I didn’t want to forget what being that comfortable felt like. It saddened me to think that it used to be like this all the time – and for a lot of people it always is – but for me it only lasted 5 minutes.

And then I got on with my day. All of the usual things, with all of the usual aches and pains. It’s what I know best.