Cabin Fever

I'm getting the cabin fever real hard the last couple weeks.  I love Maine, just not in the winter because I'm not a winter sports guy.  I love looking at the snow, but I don't ski, snowshoe, or snowmobile, as a kid I played pond hockey and went ice fishing.  Maybe as an adult I need to get back into ice fishing.

I'm very much looking forward to when we can be back outside, playing basketball, sitting in the sun, having a fire, going on hikes, swimming, fishing!  I'm very motivated to get outside this year to go on some fun hikes for both exercise and adventure.  

I think my restlessness the last couple weeks is because my leg has had to be elevated with a compression wrap so that really limits what I can do.  Add that with the pandemic and Covid making it so there are no movies, concerts, or wrestling to go to it really makes for a long winter.  Sure I can sit on my couch and watch hours and hours of content, but I'm getting tired of doing that.   I know several people that will be shocked to read that. 

Honestly it's even sucking my motivation away from doing things that I am typically quite passionate about.  I'd say I need a mental break, but I don't even know if that will fix me!  I've had this wonderful opportunity presented to me and I am jumping all over it, but even that feels overwhelming and if going to distract me from other projects I'm working on, that I'm lacking motivation over.

This post has gotten rambling and lacking structure.  I should wrap it up.

Until next time! 

More on my Leg

I ended up going to see the Doctor on Thursday because my leg seemed to be getting worse and it was painful and after my infection after my vasectomy I don't take chances.  Turns out I have Superficial Thrombophlebitis in my right leg as a result of the vein removal.  What's that you ask, great question! 

Healthline says: 

"Superficial thrombophlebitis is an inflammatory condition of the veins due to a blood clot just below the surface of the skin. It usually occurs in the legs, but it can occasionally occur in the arms and neck. Anyone can develop superficial thrombophlebitis, but females are affected more than males."

You can read their whole entry at this link: What Is Superficial Thrombophelbitis

I don't have this in my whole leg but my upper leg where the vein was the largest and most rope like taking up a lot of space.  I can't take an over the counter non-steroid based anti-inflammatory because of my gastric sleeve surgery I had in February 2020.  I called my bariatric surgeon's office on Thursday and left a message with the nurse but they didn't call me back.  Otherwise I'm going to wear a compression wrap while I'm awake and apply heat backs.  The swelling has lessened and it's not as painful as it was.  

I have a follow up on February 1st and then hopefully we'll schedule the vein removal on my left leg right after that.

Until Next Time!

Right Leg Surgery

On Thursday January 7th I had surgery on my right leg to remove varicose veins that I have had for years.  My doctor, and the vascular surgeon, agreed that my varicose veins were caused by my weight and now that I've lost close to 100 pounds it's time to do something about them.  

I had my initial appointment back at the beginning of December where the vascular surgeon was impressed with how good the varicose veins in both my legs were.  As he stated, good as in bad, they were real bad.  The right leg was worse that my left, however, they both caused me pain and discomfort and they itch.  Also on my right leg it goes right over my right knee making it very difficult for me to kneel down on my right knee.

On Christmas Eve I had an ultrasound on both of my legs and the ultrasound tech was also very impressed with just how bad my veins were.  Apparently people come in with varicose veins that are just cosmetic in nature and they feel it's a waste of resources for people that actual have an issue.

I got to the hospital just after 6 am and was by home by 1 pm.  The doctor made on large incision at the top of my leg to tie off the vein and then made 15 smaller incisions down my leg to remove the offending veins.  The smaller incisions are larger than I thought they would be and I'll be interested in what scarring I have.   I came home with a compression wrap from my foot to my upper thigh, I was able to remove it after 24 hours and even with the swelling and bruising my leg looks much better. 

I'm be going  back to work tomorrow, Monday, and it's going to be a long but doable day.  I probably could have work from home part of the day Friday but decided to just elevate my leg and relax.  I'll have surgery on my left leg probably early February.

The only downside is I can't work out for a week or so after surgery until my leg is healed and I was in such a pattern of working out that I don't want to fall off that wagon.

Until Next Time!

December Movies

 Like October I'm going to include all Holiday specials watched in this list as well.

You should read the Wikipedia page on A Christmas Carol so you can read how the original story went compared to the various adaptations of the film. 

A Christmas Carol (2019) - runtime 168 mins A co-production of the BBC and FX and starring Guy Pearce as Ebenezer Scrooge this is a much darker and expanded version of the story.  In this version Ebenezer is depicted as having OCD counting everything.  With the ghost of Christmas Past we get more backstory of Scrooge being molested as a child, more into the history of Scrooge and Marley and their early business.  He also shows Scrooge what his life could have been with Elizabeth, children he could have had.  The Cratchits only have two children Belinda and Tiny Tim of course.  The Ghost of Christmas present is his sister who died, she takes him to the Cratchit house she also takes him to a church service for the families of those lost in a mine that collapsed that Scrooge & Marley owned.  The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come take Scrooge to that year the day after Christmas with the accidental death of Tiny Tim, he also show Scrooge his own death.  Scrooge gets his Christmas day redemption.  

I've watched this version last year and this year and I felt now as I felt then that it is top heavy with a great deal of story told in the beginning and the ending rushed.  I would have liked to see the end of this story expanded as well.  

All The Creatures Were Stirring - Shudder Exclusive anthology horror flick.  I really enjoyed it! 

Better Watch Out - Shudder Exclusive, starts out your typical babysitter movie where someone is harassing her but takes a VERY unexpected twist!

Ernest Saves Christmas - I saw this in the theaters back in the day, you know what I mean?

The Grinch - I enjoy this animated feature, it was much, much better than the Jim Carrey flick. 

Rocky II, III, V & VI - It was a great Saturday!  I had watched Rocky last weekend with Kate and wanted to watch more of the series.  I decided to skip part IV because it's the one I've seen and remember the best.  

Ava

Run

Happiest Seasons

The Holiday

Four Christmases

Office Christmas Party

I'm Your Woman

The Thing (2011)

White Christmas

Scrooged

Birds of Prey

Jujitsu  - So terrible, so very very terrible

Home Alone 2

Midnight Sky

A Christmas Story

It's A Wonderful Life

Miracle on 34th St

Soul

Wonder Woman 1984

You Cannot Kill David Arquette

The Wrestler: QT Marshall Story

Ospreay

Nail in the Coffin: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro

Christmas Specials Watched

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
Frosty the Snowman
Minions Holiday Special
Prep & Landing
Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas
Mickey's Twice Upon A Christmas
Charlie Brown's Christmas
Garfield's Christmas Special
Lego Star Wars Holiday Special
Portland Ballet Victorian Nutcracker
Jack Frost
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Mickey's Christmas Carol

Until Next Time!