LIVING WITH MCL

I ws going for a 1000 miles this month, but after yesterday's PV ride, which in my opinion is the toughest club ride (60 miles and 3000 feet of climbing), I decided 965 miles (about 1550 km) was plenty. If you haven't guessed by now that I was talking about how many miles I've ridden my bike this month, then you obviously have never read my blog before, since that subject typically makes up the greatest proportion of my posts. So today is a day of rest, but rather than just sit around the house doing absolutely nothing, which is never a good thing , I'm heading out to hit some golf balls at the range. I might even play a round if I'm feeling up to it. I haven't done that in a long time, and I'll ride of course.

There's nothing like a high intensity workout (for me it's a bike ride) to get that horrible feeling out of your body [and mind], after drinking a little too much wine, at a friends house, the night before. [I really need to do more of that, as having dinner and wine with friends is a great cure all to help you forget all the issues confronting you on a daily basis.  I just have to do a better job of controlling how much I drink.] Anywaze, I didn't get a very good nights sleep, and I certainly wasn't in any mood to go riding this morning. Heck, I didn't even want to get out of bed, it felt so good just lying there, but I knew I just had to, or I would feel a lot worse later in the day. So reluctantly I got myself out of bed, and went down stairs to have my tea and hopefully some breakfast.  Of course that was a lot easier said than done, as I plopped myself down in front of the TV (I didn't even bother turning it on), with my cup of tea close by. It felt so good

Does it really mean what it sounds like, or is it just a euphemism for "it's all about me, and to hell with everyone else?" Today, the senate failed to muster enough votes to overturn a planned 10.6% reduction in medicare reimbursements to healthcare providers , forcing doctors to accept even fewer medicare patients , and ultimately leaving many sick and elderly without access to healthcare. Of the 48 republicans in the senate, only 7 voted with the democrats in favor of the bill .  John McCain didn't bother voting.  I'm sure he was more concerned for the welfare of the people of Iraq, and the war, than the poor, sick and elderly citizens of America. The bill was opposed by many senate Republicans, and President Bush , because it would partially offset the cost of the bill by cutting some bonus payments to private Medicare Advantage plans In other words it would cut subsidies to the health insurance industry. And as if that wasn't enough, President Bush is pro

Just received the results from my latest blood work today, and while all my counts were stable, i.e. lymphocytes at 100 thou/cumm, hemoglobin 12 g/dl, and platelets 207 thou/mcl, at the bottom of the report was 1% metamyelocytes Now while most of the information I have been able to glean off the internet, as to the significance of the metamyelocytes, doesn't appear worrisome, and one test does not a trend make, I never like to see new things on the report. Fortunately I was able to quickly contact someone who is very knowledgeable in this area, and she indicated the increase in metamyelocytes could have resulted from the relatively intense bike ride I did this morning, as stress can cause a "spilling over" of myelocytes into the blood. Couple this with my MCL, which can also cause an increase in metamyelocytes, I'm hit with a double whammy! Oh well, such is life, living with MCL. I just hope she's correct. One thing for sure, the next time I have my blood checke

I don't know what it is. I can find fault in almost anything. Even staying at a 5 star resort [FOR FREE] doesn't cut it. As some of you already know, especially if you've read my previous post , Edie and I decided to celebrate my 60th birthday, by staying at the St. Regis Monarch Beach hotel, in Dana Point this weekend. While the hotel grounds were spectacular, the room extremely comfortable (I slept till 7 AM both mornings), dinner at Stonehill Tavern was outstanding, service throughout the hotel was equally outstanding, and the masssages were to die for, was it all worth the price? Well, for the most part it was, but I did have some issues. If I had to pay the full room rate ($565 for the cheapest rate + tax), the answer would be a definite no, but since the room was free (I used my Starwood rewards points), I have to give it a qualified yes. Qualified, because the view from the room was less than desired (see my previous post ), and everything just seemed way over pric

per night, for the room we're staying in this weekend at the St Regis Monarch Beach hotel, in Dana Point, to celebrate my 60th birthday, I would be a little pissed.  The view of the of the adjacent cafe, partially block by a big palm tree just doesn't cut it. But since the room is free (I used my Starwood Rewards points), I really can't complain a whole lot. Other than that, and the fact there is no in room coffee maker, and the scale doesn't work (which may actually be a good thing), the hotel easily meets my expectations.  The hotel grounds and view of the ocean are truly beautiful, the service has been outstanding, and the rooms are very comfortable.  I actually slept till almost 7 AM this morning, which is virtually unheard of. Oh and dinner last night at Stonehill Tavern was outstanding as well.  It was a little expensive, but with a $115 bottle of wine, and $10 for two small glasses of club soda, what do you expect.  And besides, it's my birthday. So now we&#

Living in California, I can't help but be amazed at the direction the debate over the US energy crisis is taking. Hey America! WAKE UP!!! Have we learned nothing from the past? Is what occurred 8 years ago, completely forgotten now? Are we doomed to repeat the same mistakes again. For me, the debate surrounding the reasons for high energy prices in the US, including blaming environmentalists for blocking off shore drilling, and drilling in environmentally sensitive areas, sounds all too reminiscent of the debate waged during the California energy crisis, of 2000 and 2001 . And what did we learn from that mess? We learned the crisis had nothing to do with a lack of electrical generating capacity, as many tried to make us believe, but rather was a deliberate manipulation of the energy market, by speculators and energy producers, principally Enron and Reliant energy. [NOTE: While there is no evidence to date, supporting the theory of market manipulation by the big oil companies or ot

The more I want to sit around the house, and do absolutely nothing. The more I think about my MCL.  The more I worry about every little creak, lump, bump or other oddity I feel in my body, and worst of all, the sorrier I begin to feel for myself. Monday is typically my rest day, but I usually do manage to get out of the house and do something, what ever it might be.  I might go shopping, hit some golf balls at the range, or I might even go to the gym. But yesterday I didn't do any of that.  I got up around 5 AM, posted to my blog, and after having a bowl of cereal, I plopped myself down in my lounge chair in front of the TV, watching the business channel, while I waited for the US Open play off to begin between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate.   I had every intention of going to hit some golf balls after the match, but by the time it ended, there was another show on TV I wanted to see, so I just kept watching.   By then of course it was too late to do anything.  Edie would be home so

While I am by no means a recognized wine expert, in the ranks of Robert Parker , Alan Meadows , etc. I have always considered myself more of an authority than most, in discerning good wines from mediocre ones.   Now while there are a few who may disagree with that characterization, and even I will admit there is a lot of subjectiveness in wine tasting, and not everyone has the same palate, or likes and dislikes, distinguishing the difference between good wines and just down right nasty wines i.e. vinegary, sour, devoid of fruit etc. should be a simple task for anyone. But it still amazes me, just how some people can drink a glass of wine, that has left such a foul taste in my mouth, I have to spit it out, and actually rave about how much they liked it. And yesterday was a perfect example. At least once a year, one of our wine drinking friends in Santa Monica, who has more money than he knows what to do with, and obviously more wine than any one person [or even two] could drink in sever

So much so, I actually went to work this morning, despite the fact my co-workers told me I didn't need to, and in addition to the fact I have to come in tomorrow for an expected, but forgotten about customer visit. I was thinking I would tie up some loose ends, and then be able to devote all my attentions to the customer tomorrow. I didn't plan on riding this morning (opting instead to race this evening), so I wouldn't miss out on anything by going to work.   Of course, I should have listened to my co-workers, as there was barely enough work to keep me busy for 30 minutes, and not bothered making that commute.  I could have easily waited until tomorrow, and completed everything while the customer was on a tour of the plant. Fortunately traffic was unusually light, even though I left a half hour later than usual (5:30 AM instead of 5 AM), plus I managed to get a few necessary things accomplished, which I had been putting off for quite a while, and I was still able to leave a

Browsing through the Mantle Cell Lymphoma message board today, something I still do on a mostly daily basis, I was directed to this article in Newsweek magazine , by Jonathan Alter , an award winning columnist, frequent TV analyst, and a Mantle Cell Lymphoma survivor. In the article, Alter talks about the relationship between Ted Kennedy, and his bout with cancer, and that of Hamilton Jordan , who recently died of cancer, and the goings on in congress today.   It's a short article and worth reading, but of particular note, was something Hamilton Jordan said to Jonathan Alter, that I think really puts the whole cancer funding, and health care issues in perspective. ...we [the United States] spend more in six months in Iraq ($54 billion) than we've spent in 30 years on the National Cancer Institute, which funds most cancer research. Today, only two in 10 grant proposals from qualified researchers are funded by the NCI, which means that plenty of possible cures die for lack

I've decided to eliminate my short update column.  I not sure anyone even knows they're here, and besides, I seem to have lost interest in doing them. Instead, I have decided to resurrect My [mostly] Daily Journal blog, where I will post things about whatever, or I don't think appropriate to this blog. If you're interested there is a link to My Daily Journal above, or you can just click here

I'm supposed to go for a bike ride with Edgar this morning, but I just don't think I'm up for it.   I've already put in 180 miles this month, of which 130 miles have been at a pretty high intensity, and after yesterdays performance, on the speed workout, I just don't think I'm up for riding with Edgar, who always pushes me to perform at a high level.   I probably shouldn't have ridden yesterday, since I wasn't feeling much better, but the sun was out early [which seems to be a rare occurrence as of late], and I didn't want to miss out on that. I believe it was  Dirty Harry  who said, "a man has to know his limitations", and I think it's time I admitted I've reached mine. Hopefully I'm just feeling my age, which a good days rest should cure, and it's not something more sinister. I'm not due for another blood test for two more weeks, and I'm not interested in getting any bad news, any too soon.  Anywaze, I'd better

My problem is I lived and worked when times were really good, and I mean REALLY GOOD! I can remember Cameron Iron Works (now Cooper Cameron) flying me 1st class for a job interview to Houston, TX, back in the 70's. I can even remember flying 1st class on business trips, after I was hired. I can remember going for happy hour buffets, after work, where you could get all the cold boiled shrimp and raw oysters you could stuff down your throat for less than $8 [and I always got my monies worth], and all the oil patch parties, where the alcohol, lobster, oysters and craw fish were literally over flowing. And when you took out a customer for dinner, it was only at the top restaurants in town, and money was never an object. Those were extravagant times, but they were great times. And even after all that ended [in Texas that is], with the collapse of "big oil" in the early 80's, I managed to get out [just in the nick of time], to still enjoy the boom going on in the Californ

Reliable sources have told me, most people don't experience any problems, i.e. fatigue, until their hemoglobin drops below 10 grams per deciliter (g/dl), and based on personal experience, I would have to agree.   With my hemoglobin hovering around 12 g/dl, I function normally the vast majority of the time. Even when I'm riding my bike, I don't normally feel my low hemoglobin is such a detriment. But after todays ride, I'm not so sure. I just could not get that burning sensation in my legs to go away today. I was not experiencing any problems during the first half of the ride, and even though I did manage a max heart rate of 158 beats per minute (bpm), climbing the two hills on the ride, I could not get my heart rate much above 140 bpm the remainder of the ride, and I suspect my heart was not re-oxygenating my blood fast enough.  Now while there may be some other possible explanations for the inability of my legs to recover adequately, like the fact I did a hard ride the