First Blog Update for 2017

My last blog for 2016 ended with me returning home from my wet camping holiday.  While away I got very tired which I put down to my AF.

I was able to return to cycling in early November.  My first club ride was a disaster.  After 6Km I had to stop and rest.  I actually laid down in a school bus stop while the rest of the group went on and picked me up on their way back.  I did only 12Km and was exhausted.

During the week I made a couple of cycling shopping trips with difficulty.  My normal shopping trip is between 18 and 23Km and I normally fill a couple of large panniers with light  shopping.  It was too much.

My next two club rides were not fun which made me realize that something had to be done about it so I went to see my GP.  He checked my heart and general health.  I had recovered fully from my Prostate surgery and that wasn't the cause.  The 3/4 months brake from cycling would have reduced my fitness but not have caused the absolute fatigue I was feeling. I was having difficulty delivering MOW.

The only difference from before my surgery was that my Cardiologist had increased my AF medication just before my camping trip.  I was taking 100mg of Flecimide twice a day.  My GP was fairly certain that this was causing the problem and suggested I return to 50mg twice a day. In just a few days I was back to the state I detailed in the previous blog - not perfect but functioning and enjoying life with some limitations caused by the AF.

This is what I look like when going shopping

There was more good news in December when my PSA test results were very low <1.00 and my Urologist  said that Fred was dormant and I could go for another 6 months before my next test.

Louis and I spent Christmas with Joan and Bill but their little Dog, Scampi, was not present as he had died a few weeks earlier.  They had visited the RSPCA and other Dog Rescue Kennels and were told that they are too old to have another dog,  they are both about 80.  They were offered elderly dogs, 12 years and older, but Bill really wanted a dog he could take on long walks.

We had a good Christmas Day and a Boxing Day barbecue. 

Since  the New Year I have been able to  get back to cycling, delivering MOW,  walking Louis and looking after myself with out any problems as long as I stay within the limitations set by AF

In late January I joined a Camper Trailer group get together at Canungra near the Gold Coast.  It was a pleasant few days just lazing around and chatting with the other campers.  It was, however, hot and humid,  35 - 38C and 90%.  We were near a creek with a swimming hole and we would walk down there to cool off.

Where we were camping.

The grass was rather long for me to set up.

so it was mowed short by another camper

the swimming hole

the track from the campsite - the campers had whipper snipped the track for ease  of access

it was very steep and overgrown

my little set up - note the mowed track to the swimming hole

I could not resist posting this cooking photo - the Canungra butcher said this was an average Scotch Filler Steak - that's an eight inch fry pan!

The camp was from 26 to 30 Jan  and I had a couple of days to fill in before I was committed to deliver MOW so I stayed at my favourite camp ground in Esk for two nights.

Esk was really hot - 40C  and I spent a lot of time sitting and chatting with other campers around the swimming pool.   No cooking here, I went to the local pub and ate in preconditioned comfort.

Camping at Esk

I drove back to Tewantin on Thursday,  delivered MOW on Friday, put my bicycle in the boot of my car, and drove with my CT to Noosa North Shore to camp and ride with my cycling club.  It was a fun weekend but still very hot.

I picked Louis up from kennels on Tuesday morning.


Finally an example of house maintenance in Tewantin.

During a Termite inspection this damage was found in the garage.

They had got in from under the back patio slab

There is more by the window

Much more

Right down to the ground.

This where they got in

 

 

 

 

 

My local builder tricked down all the damage and repaired it

The house was completely treated with termite killer at a cost of $3,000 and the repairs cost $2,000.  Note I have always had regular inspections and preventative treatments but some obviously got in!


We have now had more than 30 days with temperatures reaching above 30C!