What did you do today? 2019 version.

[pacificlou]

Back in May 2018 I was diagnosed with stage 1B pancreatic cancer, I elected to have the Whipple surgery that really took the wind from my sails, I completed chemo treatments about a month ago 15 sessions and had a ct/scan done on Monday of this week first time since surgery. My Oncologist called this AM and informed me that no cancer was detected and all internal organs were negative with exception of some spots and nodes that were benign no cancer has spread and they may have been there prior to cancer on the pancreas.
My wife and I were relieved after 9 months of ups and down physically and emotionally, I live everyday knowing I have been gifted and blessed and get to enjoy life a little longer, I don't fear death but sure glad I had a caring and loving caretaker everyday (my wife).

[NW-Bound]

Congrats.

What are you going to do to celebrate? A trip, a new toy, or blowing some dough on something?

[Jerry1]

Today it was warm enough to inch into some outdoor work. Pulled an extension cord out to the shed and ran a charge cycle on the riding mower battery. Didn’t seem to take long so it probably wasn’t too run down - good. Ran the whole house generator and checked the fluids and ran the battery charger on that too. So, batteries both seemed to do well over the winter. Cleaned up in the garage a bit and called to good. Oh, I set the timer that controls some outdoor lighting ahead one hour and adjusted it for the change in sunrise sunset cycles. I need to get an astronomical timer that adjusts for the change in daylight throughout the year. Basically tinkered. Felt good.

[MRG]

Went to the gym and did a treadmill 5k. I changed my breathing technique and my heartrate really went down. I was shocked.

I've been doing the exercises DW has been doing for biofeedback and it has made a difference for both of us. So far much has been to do with proper breathing and some exercises to reinforce the technique. It's pretty interesting, the therapist told us we can comfortably breathe at 5-6 breathes per minute instead of 18-20 as most people do. She's right.

My blood pressure has dropped dramatically! I was running 130 something over 80 something for months. Today it's been 110 over 70ish. It's been dropping since I started doing this stuff.

DW still has a headache part of the day but it has diminished from extreme pain 24x7 to a few hours a day and manageable pain. She's still limited on what she can do, it's a process to get well.

[NW-Bound]

Spent nearly the whole day brazing aluminum flats and terminals to make bus bars.

The spec on the brazing rods says 750F (400C), and one would not think it was that hard to get the work pieces up to that temperature using a propane torch with MAPP gas. The bars were just too big and thick.

In the end, I got the job done. It does not look pretty, but the joints are for electrical connections, not mechanical structural strength so it should be OK.

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 ... Wax the generator (yeah, that's weird, I'll grant you, but it looks nice) which took about 45 minutes...

Gosh, the shine of that generator hurts my eyes, even from a photo.

If you spent 45 min on a generator, how many days would you do your car?

[Hermit]

I got stuck in a snow drift this morning. Some folks are coming in from Nebraska next weekend and asked me to plow to their place. I usually don't plow that road because it is very rough. I broke my plow last week so I tried to drive to their lot to see if it was passable. It wasn't. I got back out with some snow shoveling and have set up an appointment to get some welding done on the plow on Monday morning so I should get that drift plowed in the afternoon.

[Ronstar]

Another day, another hike. It’s great to start the day doing things that I want to do, and then try to reserve time at the end of the day to do the things that I need to but don’t want to do.

So I’ve developed a plan for the summer. Last year, I spent too much time doing home projects and yard work and didn’t get to do as much fun stuff as I wanted. So this year, I’m only going to a allow a maximum of 4 hours a day for home projects. And only at the end of the day after all fun things are done. 6-10 am will be for biking/hiking/kayaking. 10am-2pm will be workshop time for woodworking projects. 2-6 pm will be for yard/ house work - unless either of the first two time slots get extended.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound If you spent 45 min on a generator, how many days would you do your car?

When I was doing the car and pickup truck I would spend two or three days on each. Now with joint pain becoming more of an issue I guess I'm going to have to fold and take them to a detailing place. But I know they won't do it right.

[Music Lover]

My first attempt at no knead bread. GF loved it. I used regular flour but will be looking to make rye or multi-grain next time if that's possible. I also might try using ceramic onion soup bowls for mini loaves:

bread.jpg

[MRG]

Took DW to the neurology office. She hasn't done well on Topamax and wanted off of it. The biofeedback has been the best thing yet, better than hydrocodone![emoji1]

The biofeedback therapist has her filling out a headache chart with any headache meds or therapy. DW gave the neurologist a copy and he was impressed by the changes. She's had several mostly pain free days in a row and continues to drop off pain medications. It takes a while to scale up and down from topamax but she's starting. I know she's really missing our Mexican place and a margarita.

[doneat54]

Finished the restoration of the speedometer from a 1956 VW singlecab truck I bought out in CA last fall. Well well beaten, this truck is very original and I am "painting nothing", just going over it 100% mechanically. I have committed it's use for a festival on May 4th.

[misshathaway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Music Lover My first attempt at no knead bread. GF loved it. I used regular flour but will be looking to make rye or multi-grain next time if that's possible. I also might try using ceramic onion soup bowls for mini loaves: Attachment 30984

That looks gorgeous and I don't even eat bread.

[TromboneAl]

Another long fishing day (I'm in the middle of the photo--Lena was walking nearby and took the photo):



Five hours without a bite, and then three fish in 10 minutes. Fish are weird.

And I think I realized why fishing makes me tired even when I don't paddle far: I make thousands of casts which are like throwing baseballs.

[pacergal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRG Took DW to the neurology office. She hasn't done well on Topamax and wanted off of it. The biofeedback has been the best thing yet, better than hydrocodone![emoji1] The biofeedback therapist has her filling out a headache chart with any headache meds or therapy. DW gave the neurologist a copy and he was impressed by the changes. She's had several mostly pain free days in a row and continues to drop off pain medications. It takes a while to scale up and down from topamax but she's starting. I know she's really missing our Mexican place and a margarita.

Glad your wife is feeling better. This has been a long road for both of you.

[pacergal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pacificlou Back in May 2018 I was diagnosed with stage 1B pancreatic cancer, I elected to have the Whipple surgery that really took the wind from my sails, I completed chemo treatments about a month ago 15 sessions and had a ct/scan done on Monday of this week first time since surgery. My Oncologist called this AM and informed me that no cancer was detected and all internal organs were negative with exception of some spots and nodes that were benign no cancer has spread and they may have been there prior to cancer on the pancreas. My wife and I were relieved after 9 months of ups and down physically and emotionally, I live everyday knowing I have been gifted and blessed and get to enjoy life a little longer, I don't fear death but sure glad I had a caring and loving caretaker everyday (my wife).

Congratulations. Continued well wishes to you.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by doneat54 Finished the restoration of the speedometer from a 1956 VW singlecab truck I bought out in CA last fall. Well well beaten, this truck is very original and I am "painting nothing", just going over it 100% mechanically. I have committed it's use for a festival on May 4th.

Nice VW truck! I've had a few and restored a 1971 Beetle two years ago.

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pacergal Glad your wife is feeling better. This has been a long road for both of you.

Thank you. It's been an experience for both of us. I'm hoping for a pony hiding in this pile of pony poop. The biofeedback has been beneficial for pain and perhaps will help her anxiety.

We woke up to another 4 inches of snow, later rain turned it to snow cones. Can't see much today as it is foggy, raining all around us. Attempted to make homemade gummy bears. While tasting fantastic the presentation is bad. I'll have to eat my mistake.[emoji12]

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover Today I did my usual weekly prowl of Habitat ReStore and found two new in box DC-DC converters that are used to power 12 volt accessories in emergency / off road vehicles that have a higher voltage operating system, Upshot is I got them for $16 each and on eBay they sell for about $150, so I am going to just resell them.......

Sold the first one for $125, so with Ebay and PayPal fees and small profit on shipping cost, cleared about $100, tax free. Cheap thrills.

[Hermit]

I went skiing today. The conditions were great! They are due a big snow tomorrow with a big one here on Thursday.