I began an exercise routine in mid-March. The stress in my life was far outweighing the activity I was getting. My cholesterol was a little funky and I was limited in the activities I wanted and had to do. I couldn’t bend and stoop and stuff, all necessary when you have cats and a disabled wife.

Renee Cansdale McAfee suggested the YMCA and so I joined. I try to work out three times a week. I’ve been good and only missed one or two times.

My goals are simple, work on my cardio and then on my flexibility. I go over right after I get up and feed the cats. I try to put in fifteen minutes and am beginning to stretch it to 20. It’s mostly treadmill, and I’m cruising along at ¾ of a mile in fifteen minutes.

I have been adding some height to the last few sessions and I can feel the difference in the muscles being used. I’m setting the elevation at 3 or 4 and quitting the elevation when I gain 100 feet in elevation. Pulse rate isn’t doing too bad. 120 beats per minute most of the time and 130 at my hardest level of workout.

I’ve tried the elliptical a few times but it is a killer right now. I can manage about 3 minutes at the base settings before the legs become wobbly. I tried this machine because I have noticed that I tend to “clump” along when I walk on the treadmill. And I have noticed a difference in my left and right leg working, with the right doing lots more. So, my walking mechanics are kinda odd.

I spend some effort to try to walk standing up straight and such. I still seem to sway side to side unless I walk with the backs of my hands touching the sidebars. That kills the arm workout so I’d rather not do that.

Anyway… the elderly are very much in evidence. Thankfully I seem to be working at a higher rate than most of them, though not all. The gym often has exercise classes for those who can only sit or barely stand, and I know the pool has some exercise workouts going, too.

Since this YMCA is in a wealthy “burb”, I also see a few moms. The Y offers programs for the toddlers at the time I’m there, so I think the moms drop off the kids and go do some work.

My plan is to continue to push the treadmill work to 20 minutes, with or without elevation. If that is just too boring by mid-June, I’ll change to 15 minutes on the treadmill and 5 on an elliptical. Sometime over the summer, if I have the cash, I’m going to look in to a Yoga class and perhaps a self-defense class. I want to learn to swim but I have a lot of work to do to build up my legs for that.

Cholesterol did show improvement in the most recent blood work.

In late November 2005, I was hospitalized for an infected appendix. While the imaging was said to be certain, the surgeon decided not to operate. I caught c-dif in the hospital and eventually went home to the next four years.

Off an on I have had pain the the right lower quadrant (lrq) of my abdomen. Tests and scans revealed a number of things, some mutually exclusive, but no solution. The GI doc continued to suggest a colonoscopy. I continued to suggest he go first.

Friday, November 27, after I got home from a second feast at my sister’s, I began to fell the same old symptoms. Bloating and lrq pain. By now, the medical consensus was Crohn’s Disease so I just figured I got into some gluten at her house and went to bed.

Hardly got out of bed that Saturday. Very much a struggle to find a position where I was in no pain.

Sunday was little better. Walking doubled over. No other signs of infection, no fever, no diarrhea.

Monday, got the diarrhea and called my PMD. Dr. Cutie was not available and suggested Urgent Care or the E/D. Since I was headed for the E/D in any event, I picked door number 2.

Irondequoit Ambulance took me across the city to Parkridge/Unity Health. We’ve begun using them as they seem to be cleaner and more patient engaged than the other hospitals.

This was no exception. Two giggling nurses admitted me and got me prepped for imaging. The E/R doc got me pain and nausea meds right away. A polite refusal of rectally introduced medium contrast was allowed and zoom. I was scanned.

And I had a bouncing baby appendix. Saw a surgical PA, the surgeon, and off to be prepped. The anesthesia doc listened to me and gave me something with amnesia properties. If I got sick from the anesthetic, I don’t remember it. That’s the way I like it.

Woke up in the ICU on Tuesday. Felt lousy all day but could eat. Meds worked great. Decided I needed another night, and I very much did. Too unsteady on my feet and very confused.

The staff generously and genially answered all my wife’s questions since she is confined by her health to the house without a great deal of prep.

Wednesday am was the ticket. Ate a surprisingly large breakfast. Ready to go home. Watch surgeon pull an 8 inch drain from my abdomen. Think 8 inches of garden hose stuck in you. Very odd feeling inside and just a brief bit of pain when it came out.

It was laproscopic surgery. 3 holes, no waiting. Holes still smart like the dickens, especially the largest on my left side. Movement is restricted slightly.

I have zero energy. Enough to get up an pee, and eat and go back to bed. Fortunately, that seems to suit the cats who join me in all three pursuits.

Nothing but praise for the people at Parkridge/Unity Health. Quick and efficient diagnosis and provision of definitive care. Concern for patient comfort and loads of good humor and smiles. American medicine at its best.

From arrival at emergency department to definitive diagnosis: 11 am to 3:45 pm.

From diagnosis to surgical intervention: 3:45 pm to 7 pm.

about 1700 yesterday. More tomorrow.

Don’t miss my television interview on the Time Warner local new channel, YNN. I was asked to counterpoint the county medical society president.

Is the Vaccine Production Process Broken?