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