End of February Update

Tracking my progress on my 2016 Resolutions. Here we are two months (60 days) in and I'm am still ahead of pace. 

For my 2016 bike miles, I've reached 337 miles in the first 60 days of 2016. That's 6.5 miles ahead of the pace needed to reach my goal.

For my reading goals, I am at 4.5 books. Here is my list so far:

1. Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand

2. Heart by Dick Chaney

3. The Real McCoy by Hal McCoy

4. Mercy in the City by Kerry Weber

5. And God Said Play Ball by (in progress)

I also read The Yogi Book. I'm not counting this toward my goal as it is mostly a collection of his sayings with a brief explanation of them. However, I must admit, I did take my time in soaking in the wisdom of many of his statements. Many of them were just "oops" statements though and reminded me of some of our Conversations from Casa de McEntee.

In terms of my health and my situation of waiting, not much has changed. February was in some ways a difficult month. I found myself busier than usual, and honestly a bit frustrated and exhausted from this. I made two trips to Cleveland for various appointments. Those trips seem longer and longer each time. The good news is, I don't have to return until May. The bad news is, either my controller for my LVAD or some batteries continue to malfunction. I had gone six days without disconnect alerts, but they returned on Leap Day. This is disappointing as I had been asked to try using a shoulder bag instead of the lap belt I wore for a year and a half. I have not enjoyed the transition, but am getting used to it. Now that the disconnect alarms are returning, I fear I will have to go back to Cleveland to figure out the next step. Thus my 3-month vacation will be cut short.

I am continuing to volunteer and also to help my Dad with our genealogy. Although I enjoy these things, it requires lots of driving. So I suppose all of these good things together have caused me to become a bit frustrated at times. I have to remind myself, that I still have congestive heart failure and sometimes I need to give myself a day or two just to recharge my batteries. Fortunately I have been able to do that in the last couple of weeks.

End of January update.

Last year, I sort of shied away from making resolutions because of the fact I was waiting for a heart transplant.  It's not as if I intended to sit on my butt all day and wait for the call.  I didn't do that (most of the time anyway).  I have tried to remain determined to live my life to the fullest extent I am able given my limitations.  My wife Amy is good ally to keep gently (mostly) nudging me forward.

So, since 2015 came and went without a new heart for me, I decided there really is no reason to avoid making plans or setting goals.  Lord knows, I've not come through on numerous resolutions in the past.  However, I didn't want to set vague goals, or cliche goals.  I wanted them to be concrete.  If I've learned anything from my jobs over the years, when you go to your evaluation, make sure the goals you set are measurable.

So, I set two concrete, measurable goals for the year 2016.  First, I intend to pedal 2016 miles on a bike.  Most of these miles will be on our recumbent bike at home, but any bike will do.  Second, I will read 16 books in this calendar year.  I mentioned these goals in my last post, so consider this a monthly report on how I am doing.

Through January 1, I had completed 169 miles on the bike which puts me on pace for about 1995 miles.  Slightly off the pace, but not too bad.  On the book side, I have completed Seabiscuit, Heart and am currently close to finishing The Real McCoy, so I am fairly well ahead of the pace on that one.  It helps that with the recumbent bike, I am easily able to read while I ride.  Killing two birds with one stone is nice.

In addition to these goals, I am keeping myself busy in other ways.  My Dad asked me to help him with his genealogy project and so I have been going down to his house weekly to work with him for a few hours on that.  This has involved scanning and labeling old family photos, some that are well over a hundred years old.  As he said, "I'll be dead and you kids won't know who in the hell these people are."  The other big project is tracing our family's lineage to St. Marianne Cope.  There is some connection between our family and hers, but thus far, we have been unable to find it.  It appears it resides in the 1600's or there abouts.

I have also been continuing to volunteer with local organ and tissue donation centers.  Currently, I have done office work and speaking to people at various events at a booth.  I hope to perhaps add speaking to school groups down the road.

Amy and her sister Emily are entering several 5k and 10k races in the coming year.  Some of those will be for organ transplant awareness.  I intend to participate in some of those in particular.  Since i have been out of Atrial Fibrillation, I feel as though I am certainly capable of walking some of these.

As always, thank you for all your prayer and support.  Please continue your prayers for us and my future donor.