With a bit of hope...

We may have found the problem behind all the health issues that have plagued me these past years.

On Friday the 11th, I had an EGD (Esophagogastroduodenoscopy) at Dekalb Medical. It showed that I have a Hiatal Hernia big enough to cause problems other than GERD (acid reflux) but not large enough to require surgery ( whew).
There's a lot of stuff inside the chest in that area that can be affected by this condition. One of them is the Vagus nerve (one of the longest in the body) which picks up readings from all over the body and sends the signal back to the brain. The brain, in turn, sends out commands telling various parts of the body what to do or how to react. With this type of hernia, it can press on that nerve and "short circut " things-so to speak. The brain can't figure out what's going on and sends the "fight or flight" signal to the rest of the body. Everything goes into high gear (even if you are lying down.) and throws everything out of whack. Heart rate and blood pressure go up, breathing can become difficult, and stress signals go through the roof. To sum it up, your engine is racing but the transmission is not in gear.

After all of this happens, you are left feeling exhausted (fatigue), dizzy, and heartburn like you've never imagined. This what has been going on with me for the past 3 years or so.

Now, I have to take blame for some- well a lot- of this. Smoking is one of the big things that irratates the stomach. This will be a tough habit to quit. Pasta, most breads, and even liquor were easy to give up. But having smoked for 35 years, it is so ingrained in my daily life, change will be difficult. Diet is another adjustment that will help control flare ups which means giving up some favorites (the demons in disguise) that irritate.  Stress at work will also have to be addressed and regulated.

Now that I know the cause of this, I will take steps to correct it. Difficult- YES. Impossible- NO.

I hope this has been informative and enlightening. I know it opened my eyes.

Some Fun Things To Ponder

*UNANSWERED QUESTIONS*

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea...
 Does that mean that one enjoys it?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

There are three religious truths:
Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.  Protestants do not recognize the Pope as the Leader of the Christian Faith.  Baptists do not recognize each other in the liquor store or at Hooters

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
If people from Poland are called Poles, then why aren't people from Holland called Holes?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*

Why do croutons come in airtight packages?
Aren't they just stale bread to begin with?

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*

*Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist, but a person who drives a race car is not called a racist?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Why isn't the number 11 pronounced onety-one?

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, then doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call it Fed UP?

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Do Lipton Tea employees take coffee breaks?

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

What hair color do they put on the driver's licenses of bald men?
 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older; then it dawned on me, they're cramming for their final exam .
 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I thought about how mothers feed their babies with tiny little spoons
and forks, so I wondered what do Chinese mothers use. Toothpicks?

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Why do they put pictures of criminals up in the Post Office?
What are we supposed to do, write to them?  Why don't they just put their pictures on the postage stamps so the mailmen can look for them while they deliver the mail?

 *~*~! *~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*

If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?
 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 *You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 *Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would be if it didn't zigzag?
 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

 *If a cow snorted when it laughed would milk come out of her nose?

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 Whatever happened to Preparations A through G?

AND FINALLY....

As income tax time approaches, did you ever notice that when you put the two words 'The' and 'IRS' together it spells 'THEIRS'?

Enjoy a laugh every day!

Eye test

I

Well, its been awhile...

Been sometime since I posted. Things are different around here without Sacha but I'm getting used to it- kinda quite though.

I've finally started eating better and it's amazing how much money you save when you don't buy all the junk that you usually do. I'm talking no pasta, white bread, cheese, pizza prepared sauces, soda, sugar, candy, cured meats or cold cuts, and a whole lot of other stuff. My mantra is "if you can't pronounce the ingredients- don't eat it!". Just read the labels on some of the stuff in your cupboard- you'll be shocked! The best part of all of this is the weight loss. I've dropped 12 pounds without even trying. It just shows what all the chemical crap that's in our food can do to us.

On a lighter note, I've finally replaced my comforter set. Sacha always loved sleeping on my bed. I, however, was never allowed to share it with her. I always washed them regularly but never replaced because her claws would catch and snag here and there. So here it is- ooooooooooo aahhhhhhh (I need to replace the art- it's old too)

That's about it from Atlanta. Exciting huh?

Sacha C. Maus 1995-2009

Sacha Maus concluded her role as friend and companion on July 18, 2009.

In the beginning, life was difficult for Sacha. Her original owners didn't realize that the cute, wrinkled puppy would grow as large as she did. She was confined to an 8 X 10 screened porch for 4.5 years which made her shy and distrustful of people.
At the time of her rescue, she was bald, thin and frightened. With good food, lots of love and treats, she became a princess that greeted everyone she met with a sniff and a nudge.
She would stand greet whenever you entered the room even though toward the end her arthritis slowed her standing. But she always made it up to say "Hey- good to see you".

Sacha will be missed.

When you won't admit it...

You improvise ! It seems they make the print so small these days- damn it! I know there will come a time to admit it and get glasses. But not just yet! Such is life...

What do you do when the freezer doesn't freeze?

You could call the repairman and wait or (being me) you take it apart and figure out what's wrong. Thanks to the Internet for it charts and blueprints, I was able to get this mess cleared up. Now I have a new problem- it's too cold. Such is life...

MKP1 Conference Atlanta 2009

It's always nice to have visitors. You get to see parts of the city you rarely visit.
Great discussions and ideas for future endeavors flowed freely.

A good time was had by all.

UPDATE Painting

Sometimes, no matter how much you plan, you come up short. 1 gallon just didn't make it- damn it!

Thankfully, there are now 8 oz tintable tubs of paint available and I was able to finish.

Such is the challenge of life. It doesn't always turn out as planned yet things seem to work their way out.

Painting- Did I bit off more than I could chew?

You always have to wonder when you start a project "am I ready for this?" In preparation for the MKP1 Atlanta Conference the second weekend in May, I decided it was time to paint. Well, I'm into it knee deep. Fill, sand, prime. Fill, sand, prime. I'm finally laying on some paint and it looks great. The only problem is that now everything else looks... blah. It looks as though I'll be scrambling to make the deadline to freshen the place up. But what the heck, it needed it.

The best thing about flat screen TV's is...

people get rid of their old ones! A co-worker gave me his 5 year old 25" Sony with stereo to boot!
I feel very 90's today. This replaces a 19" that I've had for 15 years. So, maybe in another 15 I'll step up to a plasma! LOL!

Sometime you dodge the bullet...

A big storm blew through this morning while I was at work. The blue truck was parked where I usually am. My other neighbor wasn't so lucky.
Sometimes you dodge the bullet...

Spring in the air

With the spring comes the pollen showers. Yes, pollen showers. At times it can be thick enough to see clouds of it waifing through the air. Nothing can escape the invasion. One would think that after 20 years in Atlanta, I would be accustomed to this annual event- but I'm not. This year is somewhat more difficult. Since my turbinate reduction in December, I've become much more sensitive to allergic triggers which has become a bit challenging. However, with the help of Sudafed and Lidex I'm able to endure the season with relative comfort.

Life- what an ever changing adventure!

SNOW !!!

It's so rare that we get snow in Atlanta that I had to share some pics. I unknowingly did the typical Atlanta snow prep without even realizing it - Head to Kroger and stock up of course!

I normally hit the store early on Sundays - stocked shelves and no customers. It was raining when I left home with my umbrella in hand. This morning it was unusually busy with the bread and milk displays wiped clean. It didn't dawn on me until I was at the check out and saw all these people with carts loaded down that I realized my faux pas. So I looked the crazy and burst out laughing at what I had done. It began snowing as I pulled into the drive and has continued for the last couple of hours.



What will tomorrow bring?



http://s684.photobucket.com/albums/vv207/graugorama/Snow/

A Scary Afternoon- A Learning Lesson

You never know what life will throw your way. Last week after feeding the kid, I walked up to CVS (had a craving for candy). Although it was a cool day, we had a fairly warm week and the daffodils were pushing up and beginning to bloom. I decided to take my camera with and snap a few pics to share. I was only going to be gone 15 minutes so I left the space heater on- what could happen?



As I started home I wondered who would have their fireplace going at 2pm? About a block from the apartment the smell became stronger and there was smoke. I picked up the pace and turning the corner into the complex I saw wall of smoke. Panic never before felt shook me. To my relief, it was not in my complex but one street over. I shut of the space heater and hightailed it around the block. I arrived just as AFD pulled up and began their work. Within 20 minutes the house was pretty much gone and the fire department was rolling up their hoses.



The cause is still unknown but I will never leave the apartment with the space heater running again- not even 1 minute!



Lesson learned.





(pics below)
http://s684.photobucket.com/albums/vv207/graugorama/?action=view&current=2b7f6b4c.pbw

Another cold day... What to do?

Why re-enamel the crest caps on The Contessa's wheel covers of course! The real challenge was finding the paint. Very few stores carry Testor paints yet I was able to procure those needed. The hardest part was using a tooth pick and a needle to apply the paint. They came out rather nice if I do say so my self (insert Greg smile). Now to seal them with laquer and put them back on the car.

Pray for warmer weather!

The weather did not cooperate this week-

The best laid plans of mice and men...

Well, I took the week off just to relax and give The Contessa a bath. 4 days of on/off rain and mist and 3 COLD days knocked that idea out. So I did the next best thing- polish the wheel covers! There are 44 pieces total and it takes about an hour to disassemble/polish/reassemble. This filled 2 afternoons.

Sacha is fading a bit more. Her alzheimer's is getting worse. She'll just stand there sometimes and stare into space for 5 or 10 minutes- then she comes back. I don't think she'll make it through the

summer. But, at 14 she's led a pretty pampered life

and when its time to go I think she'd given everything

she could.

Watch for another update soon!

The Contessa turns 83!

Yes it's true! The Contessa has turned over 83,000 miles. When I got her 8 years ago, she had 72500. I can't believe I've driven her that much (yeah right- that's only about 1300 yearly). It's not that I don't like driving her, it's just miles are money.

I bought her for $2500 from the original owner. Over 8 years, I've put maybe 2k into her. As she sits, she's worth about $6000. So- I don't run her on long trips- for that I rent. Besides, if I can't find what I need within 5 miles, either I don't need it or I'll order it online and have it delivered. Sounds weird but it works. I save a lot of money because it make me rethink my purchases.

I'm taking next week off just to relax. The weather should be mild (50's-60's) so she will get a full bath inside and out during that time. One of the best things I have is the Bissell Little Green Clean Machine with the Turbo Brush with heat. I thought my car was clean until I saw what this little puppy pulled out. It restores the "new car smell" without all the fumes. It's also great around the house. Get one and see what it pull out of you furniture. I'm starting to sound like an infomercial...

Such is the life in Atlanta

An uncomplicated life is peaceful.

The price you pay when its really cold in Atlanta!

This past weekend we experienced some of the coldest weather in years- 12 degrees! Always being the car conscious one, I made sure the Contessa's oil, antifreeze, and battery water were in good shape (she's 26 years old) to withstand the fridgid days. Always the trooper, she popped right off on the first try each day and quickly warmed up.

My shock came Sunday morning while leaving for the grocery store. I began to pull out of the drive when I saw them. Two huge stress cracks in a once perfect dash. After a few choice words I realized that if was the worst that happened during this cold spell, I felt quite relieved.

Such is the price you pay when its really cold in Atlanta!

Welcome to The Graug Blog

On the advice of Venus in Minneapolis, I've created this as a better venue than Maus Droppings.
I hope all will enjoy and revel in the marvels of Atlanta!