Diary of a Small Planet II: The Omen

[gregl515]

I figure that if I keep plugging away something good will come out of it.

[gregl515]

Lot of nerve pain last night. I only got about 3 hours sleep. I walked but was dizzy at the end so no weight workout today.

[Bill2380]

Greg, I haven't read any logs in a while, just too damn busy, and now I show up here and read about you and Ali. It sounds like you have little choice but to let her do as she wants. Maybe time away will help. On the positive side you seem to have made good progress with your workouts and diet. Keep that up, it's important. As for your work, I'd think that there have be some opportunities available. The State Capital isn't too far away and they love vets and certainly have no aversion to hiring people with a disability. That's my tough love for today. Call me if I can help.

[gregl515]

That's not tough love! I review fed and state ads for PA and MD regularly and I have sent out applications and resumes. I sent two out for jobs with the Dept of the Army today and I am looking for Naval Dept jobs as well. It takes time because feds and state hire on their time tables not mine.

[gregl515]

Walked around development today. Course was .9 mi at 23 minutes.

[LisaS]

just wanted to stop by and offer an encouraging word - keep up the good work! I'm sure that you'll find the right opportunity - hope your nephew is doing well -

[Mahler]

Even when you're down, you seem to manage to do something good for yourself, like the walk. Keep that attitude, Greg. That, more than anything else, is going to get you through this.

[gregl515]

Two laps today. Course I took measured 1.8 mi. Took about 40 minutes. It was very humid and I was breathing very heavily.

I don't really have control of Ali or anything else. The only thing I control is me. I can curl up and avoid things or move forward. I want to do that with Ali, but if she wants something different, I can only control my reaction to it.

[gregl515]

Three trips around the development. It was 2.7 miles and took about an hour. It is up and down hills. I especially need to get good at going downhill and uphill is great exercise for me.

Was in the middle of filling out an online job application and the site crashed so I'll probably need to start over again. The site seems to tick off my Stopzilla.

[gregl515]

2.7 mile walk up and down hill in 24 minutes.

[LisaS]

if there are no typos in that last post - you were really motoring - that's almost 7 mph

[gregl515]

Sorry, I had a brain freeze. It took me an hour. It takes me about that amount of time to do one lap around the development and I did three.
Measured this course in my car.

[LisaS]

well - that is more in line with what you have been reporting as far as speed - but the increase in distance is outstanding. good work.

[gregl515]

I did my walk earlier because of predicted rain storms, but they haven't come. I walked down my drive to get mail and kept on walking. I went 3 laps for 2.7 miles again. It took over an hour 1:04. I didn't sleep well last night so maybe this will get me tired enough and I will releave enough stress to get good sleep.

It amazes me that, instead of being steady, my progress builds in multiples. My strength training is slow and steady, but core work and stamina don't move forever and then jump dramatically. Just a few weeks ago, it was a big deal to go up and down the driveway. Slowly I got to 1/2 mile, then .8 mile, then .9 mile. I suddenly jumped to 1.8 or 1.9 and then suddenly 2.7 mi! Now today I go 5.4 miles. Admittedly it took two trips but I am stoked!

I don't get many strokes here. I did call my PT and she was excited for me. She said Ali must be proud of me. What could I say? I just went past it.

[gregl515]

Yesterday I did the following:

Squat 45 lb plate x 20
25 lb plate x 10

Lat Pulls 2 x 10 x 80

BB Bench Press 2 x 10 x 110

Step Ups BW x 10 x 2

DB Military Press 31.3 x 10 x 2

Swiss Ball Crunch 2 x 15

Walking 1.8 mi in 51 minutes.

I was burned out on the walking from the previous day. I stopped because my gait fell apart.

Today I have some pain in my right side over the rib area.

[cjgatti]

Greg,

Great work man. I ran across this article this past week and immediately thought of you. Putting the controversy of the article aside, it just shows what you could accomplish. Keep up the awesome work.

Gatti

[gregl515]

I saw an earlier article about him. The person who designed his legs is also a sprinter and he beat the designer in races after getting the new legs. They are right about the energy return. I have a dynamic foot but it only returns about 40% or less. The sprinter's legs return twice that but are nowhere near as efficient as real legs. On top of that, real legs are transmitting info to your brain. Prostheses can't do that. What happens is the your remaining nerves transmit false information to your brain which can be hazardous.

Today I walked 2.7 miles. It took me about 1 hr and ten minutes. I really broke down at the end.

[gobbla]

You seem a little more relaxed about some of the excitement that's going on. Progress is good. I'm proud of you, for what that's worth.