The last few days and some good old hard work

Well my 51st bday came and went yesterday. I spent it, for the most part laying a hard wood floor in the kitchen, my best buddy and his wife came over at about 6:30 and saved me from finishing last night by taking the three of us and the two of them out to a nice dinner at the Red Lobster, a chain seafood eating establishment. A great time was had by all!

The weight loss had been stalled for the last few weeks but the last week of working in the kitchen in which I had pulled two more electric lines in from the panel, carpentry in which I rebuilt a section of the ceiling, moved two electric boxes, re-insulated the attic, new drywall, patching, texturing and painting of the ceiling, installing to ceiling fans and lights, scraped and burned the old lenolium (sp) floor up, two coats of concrete waterproofer, put down the felt pad and moisture barrier and installed 3/4 of the bamboo floor, which needs to be finished on Saturday. This all needs to be done by Saturday as Sunday I am going to my parents home to stay the day before the surgery (they are in the same town as the surgery is to take place) On Sept 3rd the contractors will be out to rebuild the old cabinets with new facing, doors, drawers, pullouts and new kick boards so everything must be done before surgery as I will not be in any condition to do this work after the surgery and before they come. All this work had the effect of dropping another 5# from my old boddy, 3# of which was in the last two days! I am now down to 205.5 from a high of 368, so that is a total loss so far of 162.5!! I can't even remember what life was like at my highest weight, not that I care to ever return there! Life is totally different! MUCH BETTER!

Monday will be the beginning of another chapter in my life, the left kidney and the tumor on it will be coming out. That will be the start of a painful recovery process. Many others have gone down this road and have come out just fine so I expect to do the same!

I expect to be away from the internet for a while during the first part of the recovery so if you don't hear from me after about 2 weeks or so, I have gone to my maker and will be enjoying a much better afterlife!

Cal, Well I assume telling you to relax and take it easy before the surgery is just not possible. Of course losing 162.5# makes all that work a lot easier.  Best of luck with the kidney removal. I hope thats all they will find. Try to keep the work loaddown to a simmer on the recovery priod. Herb