Sunday around 4:30pm

I just got done doing some editing to my main website and posted another personal story today for a Patrick Gethin. You can read his story in a couple of places, it's here on my main website, http://www.aorticdissection.com/Personal%20Stories/Patrick%20Gethin.htm or you can read it on my Forum site, http://www.aorticdissection.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=901 I am so thankful to be able to post stories to it hopefully encourages others to feel strong and stay positive about life.

Speaking of life, we went to church this morning and it was packed! All the new years resolutions to get to know Jesus-all good! Anyway, the story was about Solomon the king and about starting over with a Tabula Rasa. One definition I found on the web was, Commonly attributed to John Locke, the concept of the mind as a tabula rasa, a ”blank slate” as a description of the human mind before it receives the imprint of experience, is deeply rooted in scribal culture.

What is interesting is that we use a fresh new year to start essentially all over again from various points in our lives. It's the same thing that Jesus Christ does with our SINS each day is he wipes them away with his blood that was shed on the cross for us.

It's back to work tomorrow and I am looking forward to what lies ahead in 2010. I am anxious to try and see how successful I can do in the PNW for my tennis this year. I am setting a goal of finishing in the top 5. I KNOW I can do it. I am also determined to get my weight down to 200lbs or under from 213. I am printing out my chart to write down my daily weigh ins to keep track.

Have a great first week of 2010!

Brian

Happy New Year-Saturday January 2nd, 2010

Wow... What a fast year! So much happened that last year. Today, we took downt the Christmas Tree and the Boy Scouts came and picked up the tree for $5.00 bucks. We put away all the Christmas gadgets and are not ready to start decorating for Valentines Day!

This was me at my mother in law's house on Christmas morning. My son Owen could not put down his new IPOD Touch.

My wife is out with her friends tonight celebrating her birthday that was on 12/23 and they've just finally got enough time to do it.

I just stumbled across and interesting article, Is Your EMS Prepared? and it's a very interesting article about what a EMS tech has to try and figure out what the root causes of a person's chest pains are.

My kids and I are going to watch a movie now!

Take care,

Brian

New Years Eve 12/31/09 Not feeling too well!

I played tennis yesterday evening and hurt my back again. I had my doctor friend (Dr. Steve) get me some painkillers and I took one percoset (sp) and I almost threw up 4 times. I just can not handle that "hard core" pain pill-I just get sick every single time. However, my Aleve wasn't doing anything. So, it's just basic Advil for me!

I know Olivia really loved her boots and she also got a new cell phone and the IPOD touch, plus more goodies... I would say a very nice Christmas for her!

Owen scored well too! He got a new cell phone (his first one) as well as an IPOD Touch and some Itunes cards and video games.

That's my daughter and son, with our new dog Tilly! She's a Golden Doodle and a fun pet to have! We love her so much as I do my kids and I am so blessed to have them all! We had a great Christmas this year too! We usually spend Christmas Eve at my folks and open our family gifts at home on Christmas Day, then head over to my wife's mom's to open more presents with her sister and their family. My son and daughter at Christmas time!

Have a happy New Year... Me and my bro at my parents.

Our Christmas card!

Me and my beautiful wife Kathleen at Christmas with the folks.

Happy Wednesday December 30th, 2009

I am taking this week off and just hanging out with the family this week. Granted, I am still kind of checking my email and trying to lend a hand where needed, but I am just hanging out at home. As crazy as it sounds, still got up on Tuesday at 0445am and will get up again tomorrow at that outrageous hour to be able to play tennis at 5:30am.

The USTA season is creeping up on and I have to have 8 players by January 10th, 2010 for us to have our 4.5 team again. I am also going to be playing in my first tennis tourney of the year in Kirkland, WA from Jan 21-24th. I am hoping to make it to the finals or win that thing in the men's 45 age limit division. I then plan on playing in the tournament the following weekend in Olympia, WA for the Mike Anderson Memorial tourney. I had actually played him about 10 years ago, and he's since passed away due to cancer.

Another goal for 2010 is to get my weight down to under 200lbs. I am stuck at 213-215 and can't seem to get it lower. It doesn't help being on the 20mgs of Lexapro and 200mgs of Toporol XL. These are two of the worst drugs for having an effect on weight gain and sexual feelings-I will leave it at that.

My website, http://www.aorticdissection.com and http://www.aorticdissection.com/Forums are doing well and I am hoping that they are helping others live with the aortic dissection disease. I have over 200 stories now on my site, http://aorticdissection.com/Personal%20Stories1.htm and feel that I am blessed being able to try and give something back to help others. It's easy to get bogged down in all the negative readying, but... you have to have HOPE/FAITH and BELIEF that this all happened for a reason that YOUR life is in GOD's hands and that everything is part of the plan for you.

My kids now are expressing an interest in tennis and I am going to have to actually get them a racket so they can learn. In the past, they didn't want daddy trying to teach them. However, my daughter wants to try out for the high school team and I hope that we can get her to a level that she can at least try out. I know I can teach her and my son to be great players, like me! :)

Have a great day! Be thankful for everything!
Brian

Well, I finally decided to get a scooter. I got a screaming deal on it. I am waiting for it to be shipped from Chicago. I will probably get it in the early spring time as it's not scooter weather around here. I searched and searched and finally knew deep down that if I didn't get anything other than a Vespa, I would always be wishing I had one. I also didn't want to get the scooters that you could ride on the highway either.

Work is going well and I am super busy. I really like work there! Great people to work with! I am learning a ton as well. I played tennis this morning and picked up my Lexapro prescription. I ended up not being able to cut it back to my doctor's recommendations. I am still at the 20mg daily and this stuff ain't cheap! Even with my insurance, it was $70.00 for a monthly dosage.

It's my brother and wife's birthday celebration dinner this evening. My parents take us out to the Palisades restaurant and we always have a great dinner and time. I can't wait for Christmas!

I ended up getting some different home surround sound speakers, my son claims that he didn't like my present ones I got off Ebay. They are www.fluance.com and were $199.00. They are apparently pretty decide, but I found another brand, Energy and waiting to the them. They are considerably smaller.

I am price shopping my present Verizon Wireless and home FIOS/Internet/Phone services. I told the gal at Verizon Fios I was going to leave and since Comcast is offering some pretty good deals, she said to call back on Monday to see if they will match it. If I didn't have to pay for the HG box and the 2 other boxes, that would save me almost $40.00 a month!

Have a great day!

Brian

Not So Fast-Lexapro not that easy to get off of

I thought I could do it.. I had gone from 20 mgs a day to 15 mgs a day for about the last 7 days. Wow... I can NOT believe that 5 mgs would make that big of a difference. It started about 2 days ago, I have been so edgy and angry about anything... That's not me-I could not figure out why I was feeling like this. Then, I realized that my personality was getting angry and I was simply not happy and in a bad mood.

I took my meds today and then actually ended up taking an additional 10 mg pill bringing me to 25 mgs today. I feel 1000% better! Go figure! I just don't think the timing is right now to try and get off this drug during the Christmas season. It's stressful enough!

I went to the club today to try and chill out and took at hot sauna for 20 minutes and it's relaxing. I just hate being short-tempered and my kids and wife don't like that side of me either. Nor do I like it either. So, after taking the additional medication, I am feeling much happier and less stressed out.

Have a great day!

Oh yah... watched Kevin at the Champions center today on TV, great message about wearing the "armor" of GOD.

Saturday Morning... Kind of Chilly out there

I just got back from playing my usual Saturday 0700am doubles and I am waiting for a lady to come by at 10:00am to pick up my Keurig coffee maker. It turns out that my wife wants some of her counter space back. So, we have to get rid of one machine and she has hers and I have mine. I had bought the Keurig for my early Tues/Thursday 5:30am tennis. I wasn't quite awake for my usual 3 shots when I made my Cappuccino with my La Piccola machine. This is a great machine!

I am still wishing I could somehow get a small scooter, but with Christmas around the corner, it's a tough sell around here. But... it's fun to be looking around. I really need to try and find one that I can NOT ride on the highway as it's just too dangerous and granted it's appealing, I had to sell my last 2 bikes because my family didn't want me riding on the highway.

Our dog Tilly is really growing into a big dog. She's a Golden Doodle and likes to chew on everything-including the carpet where out old cat left off tearing up. I need hardwood floors now!!!!

I have been really liking my new "surround sound" set up. Wow.. you should check out Fluance.com and see for yourself, a $199.00 package is great. And, check out HSU Research as well for the sub. I got the STF-2 sub woofer.

I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for what GOD has given me, my family, friend, job and being able to play tennis. I am so grate full.

I think we are going to watch a football game today and it's about a 2 hour road trip... So, I need to get ready for the day.