Still without the "All Clear"

The "all clear" is a bit of a guarded statement.

I can stop taking warfarin tablets now, after seeing the specialist yesterday.

Not exactly sure what that means healthwise, as that was my undoing a couple of months ago, when I was advised to stop taking Warfarin, and had a month or so on blood pressure tablets.

Subsequently the blood clots returned, and I was back on Warfarin again.

So, I will be walking slowly and carrying a big stick.

Not sure that is the correct expression for the current circumstances, but it'll do for the moment.

Another full body scan in early May will be done, and I think that's a precautionary measure, like a lot of the doctor's advice, and tests so far.

It's (the scan) is supposed to take several hours, including the scan, the injection of dyestuff into the body through the leg veins, and the recovery period afterwards.

Again at Capital Pathology, a short hop step and jump away from the previous scans and ultrasound tests . They charge like a wounded bull, so I will have to get a Medicare refund to "have sufficient funds to live."

That's putting a bit of a twist on the real situation, but the medicare refund will have to come in the form of a cheque.

Anyway, there's no sitting down on the job yet, so daily walks are the order of the day, glad that there is little rain on the horizon, but that has to end soon.

Always glad to have some positive progress.

Until next post.

Medical Update

Today it was over to Capital Imaging, where a DVT scan, wascarried out on both legs to be followed by an MRI scan.

Had to fast for 4 hours previously to the MRI scan, so to make the fasting easier, I didn't have anything to eat or drink from 8 pm, the previous evening until after the scan this morning was completed, and we'd returned home after 10 am.

The DVT scan was scheduled for 8:30 am, so had to find a parking spot at the Capital Imaging near the John James Hospital.

The DVT scan was supposed to take 30 minutes, but took more than 80 minutes.

Then, the supervisor was called in to check the results of the scan, another 10/15 minutes.

That was followed by an MRI scan which was supposed to take a further 20 minutes, but was something of the order of 40 minutes.

Have to return this afternoon, to pick up the pictures/images to take to the doctor next week.

However to kill two birds with the one stone, so the saying goes, paid a visit to the pathology lab to get some blood test done with a report to be sent to the doctor (specialist), for when we visit him in 10 days time. Our appointment is for early in the morning, so with a bit of good management, being first appointment for the day, we may not have to wait too long.

For some obscure reason, the Doctor specified which lab we should attend for this blood test, and our usual testing facility, didn't want to do it.

In years past, when I was regularly receiving dental work, I made appointments, and one appointment time went more than one hour late, so they waived my fee for that day's dental treatment.

Ever since, I have tried to get an early appointment, to avoid having to wait too long.

However, the waiting sometimes cannot be avoided.

Until Next Time.

Six Foot Track 2009 and Winner's Report from Cool Running Website

Congratulations to the ACT Run Group and other ACT runners who completed this event.


Anthony Scott 3:39:55
David Osmond 3:40:16
David Hosking 3:47:17
Martin Fryer 3:47:44
Vanessa Haverd 3:58:00
Rob Walter 3:59:56
Trevor Jacobs 4:00:47
Jackie Fairweather 4:02:39
Simon Fairweather 4:12:06
Peter Johnson 4:12:50
Fleur Flannery 4:13:37
James Minto 4:17:03
Andy Hogg 4:19:29
Narelle Patrick 4:32:33
Graham Atkins 4:44:41
Simon Krantzke 4:50:41
Elizabeth Bennett 4:51:33
Kerrie Bremner 4:52:46
Patrick Kluth 4:53:55
Carol Baird 5:02:07
Pam Muston 5:09:33
Steve Appleby 5:10:09
Mick Corlis 5:21:47
Elle Knight 5:22:05
Matthew Hole 5:23:57
Roger Pilkington 5:26:18
Cathy Newman 5:28:29
John Kennedy 6:06:26
Cathy Montalto 6:08:14
Ewen Thompson 6:23:51
Nick Mesher 6:38:03
Diana Schneider 6:45:33

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Victory in 6 Foot Track!
3 Hours 15mins 25 secondsWell the time above tells the result, and I must say it did shock me a bit as well. Woke at 5am for breakfast, then back into bed until 6:15am then left for race at 6:30am with my support crew, Dr N. Johnson and Professor Peter- great company and great humor was enjoyed on way to race. Slowly walked to the race start up the raod to Explorers tree where I got a stitch and was passed by many.As I stood in the starting area, I went over the race plan, and the long runs logged in preparation - surely no one else had been through what I had in the last 3 months. The starters gun cracked and we took off down Nellie's Glen, one runner took off (M.R) and was out of sight by the time the road leveled out, oh well, just run your own race I thought. Was joined by another member of the Blue Mountains Marathon Clinic and Warrimoo resident, Andrew Lee - who graciously gave way on the singles track down to river. Hit the river in 62 mins, 53 mins for KOM to Pluviometre (1hr 55mins accumulated), 1hr 19mins to finish (3h15m25s accumulated). Passed the haire (M.R) at bottom of Mini Mini saddle and then ran my own race from there. 13.8kms/ hr overall pace.One of the best things was carrying a 600ml Mt Franklin water bottle the entire way and filling it up at every 2nd water station (courtesy of the RFS) and sticking to one gel every 30mins (set on watchs timer). 3 cups of water, 1 cup of High 5 at every station.When I got to pluvi i estimated I would be at least 3-5 mins up, and then concentrated on drinking and running within my self. 99% of it was strength-endurance, aerobic running, with the water bottle in the hand making me concentrate on a sustainable 'training style' pace. Thanks to the Dr Johnson (and his Beijing University counterparts) for the scientifically based advice to drink 600-700ml per hour, and for following the instructions on the back of the Endura Gels sachets. Advice based on simple guidelines, but usually not followed.The finish was, emotional, I love winning and didn't start counting my chickens until I was running down to Caves House. At 13ks to go I thought I can runn 13ks hard no matter what happens. With 7.1ks to go (road crossing) I worked out that if I ran at least 4min/ ks I'd be finished in 3hrs 15mins? - what the? surely my tired mind had miscalculated something.... any way hammered to the finish on adrenalin and finished with a big jump over the line. I stood there in the finish area just soaking it up and comprehending what i just did - 8 mins off the record, C'mon!!! Hung out with Margaret and Mr Trotter at finish (local friends) and then was met by my support crew. Anyway, need to look at new challenges now.......
Posted by sleeptrain at 5:18 PM

A Wild Elk

The Canberra Times had this sentence about running, that I thought I should share.


Her fluid running style on interschool athletics days instantly brought to mind a wild elk sprinting through an Afrikan landscape.

Refer Relax insert at page 5.

"Until next time.

Can readers compose an expressive sentence to describe a male running style?

Daycare 2008

Ari had his photo taken at the Daycare centre last year.

I guess like all of us, he scrubs and polishes well.

Festival of The Forests Fun Run

Sunday 15 March 2009.

I have previously e-mailed the details for this run, starts at 8:00 am.

Details are available from the ACT Cross Country Club Websits.

Organisers would prefer early online entry to ensure enough supplies are available. Entrance to the course is through the main entrance of the Arboretum, off Lady Denman Drive via the Tuggeranong Parkway underpass - leave cars at designated parking areas and take shuttle bus - or ride to the site as there will be areas to secure bikes.
Undulating Course - three tracks, 2km, 5km, 10km. Water will be available around the courses. The registration tent is on the Events Terrace and will have secure place for belongings.

The Cringe Effect

When a person is out the front of an audience, and they make the sign of inverted commas, and say Quote/Unquote, then I cringe.

I don't know why, it just is abhorent to me, although, to the the person who does it, it must seem personally inoccuous (if that is the correct spelling?)

I was reminded of this last night when George Negus said the words - quote/unquote, without making the sign with his fingers.

This is probably the only expression, that I remember, that has this cringe effect on me.


Until Next time.

Ford Telstar now sold.

The Ford Telstar that I drove for over 20 years, has now been sold.

The new owner indicates that it will probably only be driven around Canberra, and he is based in the Woden area. So if you notice it being driven by someone other then myself, don't panic yourself into making a phone call to report the sighting.

Just think to yourself, I've seen Friar driving that car, and ask the new owner how it's going.

It had over 200,ooo km on the meter, when the engine was replaced with a completely reconditioned setup, and has over 300,000 on the meter now.

It was obviously well built, but was helped along by being regularly serviced.

When leaded petrol was phased out, I switched to using unleaded fuel with the addition of an additive when filling up the tank.

I have many fond memories of the trips made by using the car, and it was a wrench to sell it ans see it being driven away by the new owner.

Stephen King - Just After Midnight

A Paperback by Stephen King.

First story is The Gingerbread Girl, who took up running and then had numerous incidents.

Later story about a cat, which half was one colour, half another colour. He wrote an opener, and then invited readers to write a closing story.

Paperback version now in bookshops, Angus and Robertson didn't have a copy so I got mine from QBE bookstore at Woden.

Next book on the platter is "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson"

Not sure which book I will get afterwards.

Until Next Time.

The Big Clean Up

Over the past few days, we have been clearing out some unwanted furniture, bits and pieces, and the old lawnmower. Still going, but nowadays we ring The Lawnmower franchise, "Jim's "- Richard is our local guy, when we want the grass cut and he comes within the next few days, and carts the clippings away when finished.

Anyway for rubbish and unwanted goods removal, contact "The Wright Way", which is Owner operated.

And quick to respond, we contaced them initially over the weekend, and today, Tuesday it's all been taken away.

I can recommend them since I am a satisfied customer.

Until Next Time..

Man of action Simon Overland

Man of action Simon Overland to take up fight
Geoff Wilkinson
March 03, 2009 12:00am
ANYONE who thinks police can win a war against drugs is crazy, Victoria's new police chief Simon Overland said.
"We're never going to eradicate it, and I think to pretend otherwise is just silly," Mr Overland told the Herald Sun.
"It's not about a war, it's actually about appropriate controls and how we genuinely put in place policies that lead to the least harm to people using illicit drugs and least harm to the community."
Mr Overland said drugs would continue to be a major priority for the force under his leadership, which begins officially today.
"I'm not saying there's not more for us to do. There is and it's an enormous challenge," he said. But the drug that concerned him most was alcohol.
"Alcohol is a factor in public safety, it's a factor in the road toll, it's a factor in family violence and sexual assaults," he said. "I think we need as a community to come to a position that says being drunk in public is not OK.
"I'm not a wowser. I understand people want to drink and have a good time and that's OK. But if drinking becomes a problem for the individual or the community, that's not OK."
Chief Commissioner Overland, 46, said the biggest challenges facing the force included public safety, the road toll and tough economic times.
"We know that in hard times the crime rate tends to go up, and it could also lead to increases in family violence and sexual assaults," he said.
Mr Overland, who has two degrees, has been identified as a high-flyer since he was Australian Federal Police recruit of the year in 1984.
Raised in Canberra, the former keen footballer and cricketer now describes himself as "a boring middle-aged man who likes surfing".
Mr Overland has a five-year contract. He was told he had the chief commissioner's job late last Friday.
He is an advocate of what he describes as "soft power" - the use of influence and persuasion rather than force.
"The hard-soft debate that goes on is an exercise in futility in my view," he said.
"The better question is what's the most appropriate response. It's about using both, and knowing when to use both and using them appropriately."
He said violent street protests like the G20 demonstration would be policed differently under his leadership.
"For that hard core that were committed to causing trouble, we should have dealt with them in the strongest possible terms within the law, and that's absolutely what I would try to do," he said.
There was a growing disparity between rights and responsibilities and "a tendency to want to make the government or the police responsible for everything".
"We have a responsibility, and I don't walk away from that, but the rest of the community, and individuals, have a responsibility as well."
Mr Overland said he was worried about people becoming desensitised to violence and said some computer games and media played a role.
"Some of the computer games are incredibly violent and broader representations of violence in the media can be problematic," he said. "I think that's why we see some of the behaviour on the streets."
Mr Overland is known as a private person, but says he and his wife Barbara know he will now be more public property.
"I'm not a celebrity, I'm a cop, but we understand the public side of the role," he said.
Mr Overland said his philosophy and approach would be very similar to his predecessor Christine Nixon's, but his style would be different.
"I'm obviously not Christine, I'm a very different person but I'm committed to the same of things, like being open and accessible, working with the community and supporting our staff," he said.

Until Next Time

Franciscan Friars

http://www.franciscans.org.au/

There was a story on the TV news this last Saturday about wanting more friars.

But I Googled today, and could not find the story.

So I posted this URL instead. It's outdated of course.

So when I find the current story, I'll post the reference.

http://www.capuchinfriars.org.au/news/PDF/Capuchin-News-15Feb03.pdf