I am not depressed, but this article caught my interests, some here are my thoughts

Manet

In my reading sections there was an interesting article on Is Suicide Painless? Quoted is the original article where the author says it is peaceful and OK, then the author gives His response.
Is Suicide Painless?

Will Meecham, MD, MA at Guideposts to Happiness

A picture tells a thousand words, maybe more.
Death has millions of possibilities in regard to pain and it only a guess as to what the person is suffering. I think we have the idea that we can make death clinical and clean. But any measurement will include heighten anxiety. For sure we can wear down and exhausted slip into eternity. But we can only view this from the outside at best.

I get it I am older, some days the skies are gray,
I still went for a swim, lets find good reasons to
carry on

It was been my experience to witness a suicide attempt or success about 10 times. It was never neat of clean. People who were successful with it, it was bloody and frightening to the victim. Several were unsuccessful, painful, and long regretted. One fella jumped from five stories and lived. He lost the use of half of his body, was reduced to life in a wheelchair, lost an eye. He spent months in painful rehab but resolved a will to live.
Depression convinces us of a peaceful romantic end, but it is never that. Some like Hemingway die for others to clean up and painfully deal with. What ever course is chosen painless is not an option.
I have read a book recently by Billy Graham on aging. It was a good read. His health has since become more frail. He still finds good moments with his children. I am sure he looks forward to heaven and reunion with his wife, but he stills embraces life God has for him. Life has good and bad, but loving God and others will protect us from depressions, lies and distortions. Keep walking
 

take a deep beathe and take it in...

Something I didn't see this morning, Meteor  

 My pedometer is motivating me. I have been able to reach my goal of 10,000 steps a day this week. Over 6,000 steps a day at work.
Sleep has returned and the exercise I know plays a part.


Older people doing incredible things with exercise

The Chicago tribune reported an encouraging article, Exercising into Old Age, where older people are training to do some pretty incredible things. It seems endurance sports can be done well by older people. My own goal of returning to the tennis courts will depend on my conditioning training and weight loss. I am not there yet, but I working on it. I don't care about the wins and losses because I am working on playing without falling. A loss of point doesn't matter.

My photo theme today focuses on some wonderful things around us. There is a lot things that pick up our spirits of the web and lift us up to walk and observe and enjoy the art of discovery.



World wide web - Thanks Anne Cassidy, cool picture

As I write I am listening to classical music to study by. Turns the library I am at into a very nice setting. I could walk to this music, except I enjoy the sounds on the trail. But it is great to blog by.

A big thanks to friends who sent me some encouraging notes. In return let me encourage you to enjoy your walk and the day. We have had sunny wonderful days with clear blue skies. In a few minutes I may go for a walk or sit and enjoy the evening off my deck. Read, talk, or just take in the moment it is all good. Keep walking

 http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sc-health-0918-fitness-older-achieve-20130918,0,7301031,full.story

walking in Love

Of the 61 confirmed dead, many were Nigerians.

One of the things I want to do on my "bucket list" is to return to Africa. To go on another walk, visiting villiages and talking with people, enjoying their company would be my kind of Safari. To have another time to teach, support medical services, share the "good news" both being a possible blessing and being blessed by others, that is something to take heart in.
In Liberia I walked many trails and walking you see things different. I used to sit in villiges and listen to others tell their stories. We would laugh, cry, think, even have a palava (discuss some disagreement) work things out. Walking with my students I got to see another part of them where I was the student and they were teaching me about their jungle and life. many a times they would tell me of a snake, or danger nearby that I was unaware of. We played a lot of football, (what we call soccer) rain or shine.
At night I would listen to the music from surrounding areas as I saw the southern hemisphere. I saw life and death there, but every day I was doing something to help others. What I did went unnoticed and should because it involved little things. A school, clinic, church where we fed kids, helped those who were sick, shared the gospel all without forse or violence to people who are real and very human.
Spiritual abuse and killing in the name of God stands out by way of contrast. Where is the love? Where is the care? Where is giving in particular to those who are different? Killing the innocent takes no courage, it is evil and reveals the evil of a religion gone wrong. It isn't the words, it is the actions which show the truth. Keep walking

Let's not run from religious bullies

I am angry at the Islamic cowards who attacked innocents at a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya. A beautiful place in the world long marked by peace and kindness. It is one of those places you would want to see to see the heart of Africa. When I lived in the jungles of Liberia I had wanted to go there. 

Good people were killed there, two doctors who solely what'd to help thousands in Africa regardless of creed or color. 

People were asked if they were Muslim and if not they were killed. Churches attacked as were synagogues. Clearly this is religious terrorism and not some random act of violence. What does our government do? Verbally attack Israel our ally and fail to point out the religious nature of this ever growing terrorism. Of the 1 billion estimated Muslims in the world we know 100,000 million of them are openly militant in intentions to spread the peace of Allah through violence. They also exert a powerful influence of remaking 900,000,000. There acts of violence has redden the soil of Africa in our lifetime and we do little to identify it and seek to do something about it. Why? It is Africa, no one cares. And at the heart of it we are scared of what the Jihadist would do if we confronted them.

Chamberlain was scared of the Nazi's, at the end of our own reconstruction period we were afraid of the white night and the same fear grips us to not name this senseless violence for what it is, jihadism from a significant Muslim support. 

I have walked the hills of Liberia and at the time very few Muslims. Today there are large numbers of Muslims in Liberia and they have brought the sword to that land and have killed the infidels. When will see Islam renounce these actions and set up a record for love and care for those who differ? Actions, policies, not words are needed. Problem jihadism is closer to many main line Muslims. 

Obama says we have a safer world, but look to the actions and not words and let us not be fooled. I would like to walk in Nairobi. Keep walking.

Night owl?

Nearing 31,000 visitors to the walk with the fat man blog. Thanks for stopping by. The past few days I have been hit with the inability to settle down and sleep. I am not in pain, but insomnia caused by racing thoughts makes it hard to sleep. For a few days I will up my medication under Dr.'s advise and see if it helps. I will also review information and strategies that may be helpful. Brains are fascinating  and a wee unpredictable. I don't feel anxious or thoughts of negative feelings of stopping breathing like I have had or related panic disorder. No depressive thinking, but being wide wake at 4 in the morning is no good either. Looking forward to a better night.
Sleep is a wonderful thing. Keep walking

Little things add up

 I missed Kendall's game today. I owe her one.

Little things, add up in this game of health. Game has limits for a metaphor. A friend of mine has a small scratch, ends up with a serious bacteria infection. On the positive side little things like a pedometer, change in eating habits, healing to walk again all become part of a encouraging results. With out a doubt for me a pedometer encourages more steps. I don't want to end the day with less than 5000 steps. In class where I cn help kids by verbal or non verbal means the pedometer motivates me to get up and walk over to the kid and help them. My CP makes it hard to stand but walk no problem. Teens like the personal care. Teachers if you like to walk around your room as you teach, get a pedometer, you will be surprised how many steps. Eating to not feed the fat and eating to burn the fat is encouraging. I am already seeing results. My tendons around my knees have healed to the point where walking is comfortable. It is taking awhile but my ability to walk stairs and recover of breathing normal has improved. Walking 8-10 flights a day is paying off. Little things, things not to exiting make the difference.
On my walk today it had the feel of fall in the air. Our garden is giving big time. Unbelievable taste from our melons. Keep walking

Have you ever worked out at Henry's gym? You can smell the sweat

Working out in my basement can only make sense if you are old school. My home is roughly a 133 years old, the basement is limestone, plaster, cement floors, dusty rafters. There is nothing about it to fel like a health club.  My equipment is around my furnace and water heater.
On hot days like today it is a place to sweat. I begin with a weight routine little modified since I was a kid working out for football and wrestling. Then I move to my total gym where I do ab and leg workouts and end doing chin-ups. My body is loose and sweaty. I have been working out to celtic jigs. Now I am in the mood for a work out with a heavy bag and box three rounds to my iphone timer. I imagine Hawk and Spencer as they work out in Henry's gym from the Robert Parker novels. Hitting the bag convinces me I don't want to fight anymore, but I like the old bag. I go up to a carpeted area where I do some body exercises, like sit-ups, push-ups squats, crunches, lunges and heel raises. About this time Barb hands me a towel and doesn't want anything to do with me until I shower.
I walk up a flight of stairs and sort of feel pretty good, the ole boy can still do it.  Keep walking

Learn from Big Ben chimes

I have been battling a bug of some kind the last few weeks. Sick for a few days then better, than sick again. In mind of that my blog will be brief as I need to rest, but a few words to encourage those who maybe battling health. Sometimes walking means getting a good night sleep. Sleep boosts the immune system when we get 7-8 hours a night. Getting well has it's own time table. My own little troubles remind me to take it a day at a time.
In reading the Daily Bread the other morning they illustrated the lyrics of the the chimes of Big Ben for our trust in The Lord in time of trouble.
If you have a clock with chimes you have heard it many times but not know the lyrics.
All through this hour,
Lord, be our guide;
And by Thy power,
No foot shall slide.
Walking a difficult trail right now, put your faith in the One who loves you and is with you even in the shadow of death. Keep walking

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to be honest when you visit your doctor?

Scott who is walking to retirement in Alaska
Wow that is a catch!
But we should not tell fish stories to our doctors.

Telling the doctor the truth when you go for a check-up is hard to do. There is a real temptation to hold back information or hide secrets we don’t want to tell. Yesterday Dr. Oz had a very good program on this topic that I believe you can find at http://www.doctoroz.com/

Dr. Oz brought up the idea of think of your Dr. as a coach who partner’s up with you to improve your health. I first heard of this idea from a Christian, Dr. Walt Larimore who shared we are a quarterback playing the game of life, taking the best options we can to win the game of health. Dr. Walt’s web site is http://www.drwalt.com/about/

The idea is we take an active role in our health and we make decisions about our

Rich, Jake would have liked the catch

health and not leave our involvement to others. A doctor cannot make the lifestyle decisions for our health, we have to. But a doctor can share his or her knowledge and can help us through the often complicated path we have to work through to achieve a better health. But to do this the Doctor like Sherlock Holmes needs correct information. The right information can help your doctor give you the best information you need to act on.

One area my doctor wants me to improve on is a healthy triglyceride number. Dr. Cooper first made me aware of this number. It has taken a while to sink in. I can say anything I want, but I cannot hide this number. Blood work is not about what I do a few days before an appointment but actually reveals what has been going on for several months. Knowing my medications, weight, blood sugar helps my doctor advice me on this. He can tell if I am eating more calories than I use, if I have too much fat stored around my waist and so on. I cannot lie because he can see the truth of it. Triglycerides play a factor in heart disease and like our good and bad cholesterol; blood sugar is good to know. Three things he wants me to do about it are eating fewer carbohydrates, exercise, and lose weight. Becoming a little more aware of triglycerides or fat in the blood helps me come to terms with a better plan of action.

We may lie about smoking, alcohol, symptoms of diabetes, cancer, or heart disease but covering the symptoms only hinders the possibility of life saving care. My dad did this with his doctor and it played a role in his early death of a heart attack. I am sure that he was afraid but that fear did not help him get the care he needed.

It is hard to hide my fat numbers as I write a Fat Man Walking. But with each check up I do well to get a list of questions, tell the doctor what going on, and then the real hard part follow is through. This summer I am clearer on what I have to do so I will let you know my progress. Thinking thin I am willing to turn off the fat maker and turn on the fat burner. Keep walking

Good report on health

Good news from my check up. My numbers in blood work are good and I am losing weight. When you hear good news it encourages me to continue. Thinking thin will continue to be one of my goals this year. Lunch I have made some changes. I have a couple of ounces of protein, fish, chicken, nuts or soy, fresh veggies, fruit and yogurt. Dinner I have made cuts in carbs. because in the last 6 years I have changed the weigh I eat, these changes are not so big of a deal.
Walking and fitness have gotten better now I am back to work. I use the stairs more. Another change I will make is to settle into a normal sleep time to get 6 to 8 hours a night. Sleeping without getting up is now possible with the treatment of Psych meds to address my anxiety disorder from PTS. Strategies I have learned in therapy have helped me cut down time spent in over drive. Getting the right amount of sleep helps burn calories and less time to eat late at night.
The garden has produced alot of veggies for the whole family. Barb and I feel blessed with that. When I get home I will do a workout off the deck. I have enjoyed reading as the sun sets. I listen to the garden water falls and with this time of year the temperature seems perfect at that time. Barb and I will take in dinner off the deck and I have clean-up, perfect. Keep walking   

Being the perfect grandfather

RtO

One of things we give an effort to improve our health is to. Maximize our time with our grand kids. Very glad they have parents, but kids need grandparents. That layer of love and support that makes the children who they really are. Here they learn how to sort out our weird world with a sense of humor. Tthe is strength in seeing things over time and having perspective. Grand parents are open to showing  weaknesses and have the big picture of the child's welfare in view. Most are experts at building self esteem and maybe they are the first ones the grand kids learn to lend a hand. A huge step in becoming who they are. 

When a baby sees 4 signicant adults looking at them cheering them on is there any thing more affirming. So far I haven't changed a dipper. I have mastered this great skill from Bill Cosby of immediately being a dummy about such things. Very glad mom and dad are doing a good job. It makes being a grandparent so much fulfilling. Keep walking