My World/Weekend

Life has been anything but boring these days. Plenty going on, some good, some not so good. My brother unfortunately had to go back to the hospital. My sister wrote an excellent (long) blog about the situation as it unfolded Wednesday. You can read it here at: http://mupialpha.blogspot.com/ the good news is, I saw him twice this weekends and his spirit is good. He's just pretty much hanging out at the hospital. They want to keep an eye on his leg and give him IV antibiotics. His leg, while still being fully wrapped, looked smaller like the swelling was going down. He was also practicing laying flat which can be quite painful after his earlier procedure. He was having pain in his lower back that was probably due to him sleeping in a recliner instead of flat on his back. So the short period of pain should pay off in the long run as he works to get back to "normal" life.

This weekend was incredible!!! I spent the entire weekend with Molly and we had a great time!

Friday we went to visit my brother at the Cleveland Clinic.

Saturday I ran the 4th leg (5K) which was uphill. I was still really happy with my time 27:27, I hadn't had a consistent training schedule but was still able to get out a few times a week. Molly dropped me off at the start and then found her way around the race course to the finish to cheer me on and pick me up, she's the best!!! :) After that I needed a hot shower and a nap. I think I earned it! lol Later in the evening I went back out to visit my brother while Molly ran home to Y-town to grab a few things she forgot.

Sunday Molly and I went on a zip line tour through the Hocking Hills Canopy! Check out the web site: http://www.hockinghillscanopytours.com/ Everyone there was incredibly nice! We rode 11 zip lines (some as long as 575ft. with speeds 30+ mph :)), crossed 3 suspension bridges and repelled down a 30 ft. high platform! I did my best to scare Molly whenever possibly but she was on to me. I would recommend this trip to anyone, well worth the drive down there!!! Here are some pics:

Molly and I in front of suspension bridge 2

Molly coming in for a landing

Me, coming in for a landing

4 Days Late! Darn it!!!

A diabetic friend named Molly (check out her blog: http://curemoll.com/ ) recently celebrated her 15th diabetic anniversary on September 8th. That got me thinking about when my anniversary is so I looked it up at my parents house yesterday and discovered I was 4 days late! Darn it! 09/14/1993 I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. However, I did have an incredible weekend with my girlfriend Molly, not the same Molly as noted above, we went for a hike out at Brandywine Falls. So I guess maybe my subconscious knew the day.

The only thing that's been going on longer than my diabetes at this point is my sisters school career. lol Good luck on you paper Kim! :)

But that's a long time without any complications and few incidences from the diabetes. I'll show my collection of meters in a later blog but I still have my original onetouch meter that do the old 30 second count down and all. They have changed drastically and all the changes have been made for two reasons: 1. To improve the accuracy and convenience of controlling diabetes, 2. to improve the quality of life for all diabetics. Can't beat that!

Well, I guess, happy belated anniversary to myself! I hope everyone out there in blog world is doing great!!!

P.S. My brother is home from the hospital and doing well. Recovery is a process but he is moving right along!!! :)

Update

Hi everyone, I wanted to give a quick update on my brother: HE'S COMING HOME THIS WEEKEND!!! He has progressed far enough, quick enough that he does not have to go to in-patient rehab. He gets to sleep in his own bed and play XBOX live (very important lol). Also, if he is feeling up to it, a week and a half shouldn't put him too far behind in his online classes he was taking at the college. He was hoping this semester wouldn't be a wash. Thanks to everyone for sending you positive thoughts, positive energy and prayers my brothers way!!! :)

GO BUCKS!!!

GO BROWNS!!! Only bitches wave little yellow towels!

GO KEVIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Updates!

Update on my brother:

I went to see Kevin Saturday and Sunday at the Cleveland Clinic. He is getting better by the minute! He sat up for 10 min. in a chair on Sat. and for 45 min. on Sun.! Which is quite the feat if you saw all the shit they have in wrapped up in and on him and hanging off of him. I'm not sure if I could get around with all that shit on myself. His spirits are as good as they can be for being stuck in a hospital in bed for 23.25 hours a day. I'll get a picture of him once he gets home to give and update. His scar is pretty bad ass too! Maybe he'll let me post that as well! I asked, he didn't get to keep the bone. I thought he could get it bronzed of something.

As far as surgery, Kevin had the upper half of his femur removed and a titanium rod now takes the place of his femur, he's part bullet proof!!! They had to insert a metal fitting into his hip to receive the top of the rod. Some muscle and other tissue was removed from Kev's leg around the area where the mass was but most of the major muscles were able to be saved. That's where the painful part is, it's one thing to replace the hip but to restructure and attach all of the muscles leads to a lot of soreness and bruising. He won't be able to run or jump anymore but he can still power walk and swim. He loves to swim!

That's all for now but I'll keep everyone posted on his recovery! Thank you all for your thoughts and well wishes!

Today is the day!

Kevin's surgery is today! Wish him luck!!!!

A pic of him and I at the Air Show this past weekend!!!

Here's the deal....

Sorry it's been a little crazy lately with my brother's surgery coming up and summer ending.

Here's the list:
1. Insulin Pump - It's been freaking awesome and almost a month already! I even got my first bill for the tiny thing. Who would have thought it could be so expensive. Roughly $888 per square inch, that's the wannabe engineer coming out! lol Numbers have been great, still trying to dial in counting carb grams instead of ratios. Also alcohol has proven to be difficult sending my blood sugar high and then dropping like Kellen Winslow in the end zone. I'll get used to it though, I've also had great luck so far integrating my exercise routine with the pump. No crazy lows, yet!

2. Brother - Please keep him in your prayers. My brother is 19, he'll be 20 next month! His big surgery is on Sept. 3. They will remove the mass of cancer from his right leg which means removing 4-5 inches of his right femur and replacing with donor bone as well as removing muscle on top of that. He will have a direct morphine drip during his surgery and for a few days after. From there he will have to learn how to walk again using different muscles in his right leg. He may need a cane for awhile or at least have a bit of a limp but I think he will be back to normal sooner than later hopefully! He will finish up with a few more months of chemo and then hopefully be cancer free! :) I try to tell him this will only affect him as much as he lets it. I know he will work hard to get back up and again show that cancer can't mess with this mo-fo!!! Check out his blog at: http://mycancerexperience.blogspot.com/ he must have learned his updating skills from his big bro, we are blog slackers together! Thank you to everyone who keeps asking about him and for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers. This is just a minor set back because he is a strong willed guy.

3. Running - How the hell did I get involved in this? I will be running a 5K leg of the Akron Marathon. I've been out running a few times but need to get out more. I have no problem ripping off three miles, even if it kills me. It's only three miles! Nobody has volunteered but if you are interested in running with me...well...don't mind me trying to keep up with you is more like it. Let me know!

That's all for now. If my brother can't or doesn't want to keep up on his blog after surgery, check back here. I'll keep you informed of how his recovery is going.

Check back soon!

OK, it's been awhile. Check back later, I will write up a new post during lunch today. Discussion points: insulin pump, brother, exercise and other randomness!