December 30, 2014 Tuesday Afternoon

The past week has gone from happy to uncomfortable.

Christmas this year was very good.  We went to Tony's brother's house (the brother that walks Rose) for Christmas Eve.  It was a little different having it at his home due to the divorce.  The wife, or should I say, ex wife was not at the Balistreri Christmas on Christmas Eve.  We got to his house around 6 PM and got home around 9 PM.  Had a very relaxed and nice evening.  Tony's sister drove up with her three kids from Illinois so it added to the fun.  They did not make the drive the past couple Christmas's.  Spent the rest of the night watching TV with the dogs until about midnight and then went to bed.  We did not buy anything for each other this year and to be honest I think it made for a happier Dave not expecting Tony to buy a gift.  I just said don't bother and it was much less stress for both of us.  We have everything we need. 

Christmas Day at 10:30 AM Tony's brother Tom came to our house so we could take the dogs to the dog park eight blocks north of our house, in between our house and Tony's shop.  This is the same dog park Tom takes Rose to daily and after all the talk at Christmas about how much fun Rose has there, we made a date.  I walked Casper, Tony walked Bo, and Tom walked Rose.  I was very impressed how Rose listened to Tom and how he made her wait at each intersection for him to say it was OK to cross the street.  Casper was skittish at first, but handle the walk due to Tony and Rose being along.  Got to the dog park and my heart was pounding.  This is out of my comfort zone.  Got into the block big park, one square block that is a field, and let the dogs run.  I was in tears.  You can see video of them at Rose and Casper on Facebook.  Casper ran like the wind.  Bo had so much fun with all the tennis balls, and Rose followed Tom all around the park.  There were about six other dogs at the park and at times I had to make Casper not play so rough.  It made for a best Christmas ever moment to be honest.  Walked them home after circling the park twice.  After a bit we left for my parents house, dog free, for the afternoon.  Had a nice Christmas with my family.  Did find out my mom is having serious back surgery the end of January.  Left around 4 PM for home and got home by 5 PM.  Spent the night watching a little TV and off to sleep after a round of lovin. 

Tony took Friday off and like the day prior Tom showed up at 10:30 AM and we again took all three dogs to the dog park.  The dogs again had so much fun.  Casper did pull his leg out of the socket once and I had to massage it back in place.  I have to be careful he does not play to rough due to his bones not being totally normal for a dog his weight and size due to being starved to death for his first two years.  He never had a chance to grow and now six months with us he is almost twice the weight and size.  Got home shortly before noon and then went to have lunch with the guys.  Took a short nap in the afternoon after lunch and spent the night watching movies.

Saturday was much the same as the prior day again.  Tom came at 10:30 AM and we again walked the dogs.  The weather in Milwaukee since Christmas has been around 40 degrees.  Very warm for this time of year.  Not going to last and very cold as I type this today.  Went out for lunch and after getting home spent the rest of the day with the dogs watching TV and movies.

Sunday we were going to spend the day in the house until Tom called around noon asking if we wanted to walk the dogs.  He loves Rose.   Figured it was the one thing we would do and soon we were walking the dogs again to the dog park.  Picked up some ham and rolls at a neighborhood deli and lottery tickets at the corner grocery on the way home.  Spent the rest of the day watching TV and movies with the dogs.

Since Christmas my left under arm has been having pain or feels inflamed.  By Monday it was to a point where it was time to call the doctor.  Was surprised I got a 9:30 AM appointment and showered and went to the doctor.  It feel like my glands or lymph nodes under or around my left armpit are swollen.  It is not painful as it is uncomfortable and causes numbness and pain in my arm and fingers.  Like I have said in the past, I know my body since finding out I was HIV.  I take note of everything.  Doctor felt me up and could not feel a growth.  Sent me down for an X-ray.  X-ray did not show anything so I have no other choice than to wait it out and see where it goes.  Figure it could be from the 10 pounds I have gained since Thanksgiving and maybe a fat tumor is pushing against a nerve, I decided it was time anyway for a serious diet and start working out.  The blood test results from the week prior told the story also.  My cholesterol levels are very high.  Dangerously high.  Higher than they even were last time.  So I do have to loose weight, lay off the candy, eat better and work out.  I am at 193 lbs that day and I need to get back down to 175 lbs.   I feel best at that weight.   My knees, back and now my armpit are feeling the weight.  Lets hope it is that.  I do go to my HIV doctor the second week of January and if there is still pain I will address with him since my doctor did talk to him also.  My doctor thinks it might be my shingles coming back.  Yah, wtf?   I found out 1 in 3 get shingles again.  Time will tell and I am waiting for the rash if it is.  I just feel like something is not right with my body, time will tell if I am right.  I had this same feeling when I pressed for an HIV test six years ago.  Yes, been six years this next month.

Today I spent most of the day setting up the basement to work out.  I have a tread mill, weight system and bike to get me loosing this weight and getting back in shape and I am going to do it.  I seriously have never used them and they are just siting unused in the basement.  Worked out dancing and stretching for a half hour.  Walked for a while on the tread mill and really felt good.  Worked out for over an hour to music, slowly, not over doing the first work out.  Still have the underarm pain but working out is the best 'coffee' one can do to make the body feel good.  So, I started my new work out system and even put a weight board to monitor my weight as I begin this journey to healthiness. 

Over the past week we have watched many movies.  We have watched Pride (very good), Dolphin Tale 2, The Interview (was just OK), Gone Girl (didn't understand the ending, but was very good), The Dark Place, Beneath, Devil's Due, and As Above, So Below.  The last few were horror movies and OK.  Best of the bunch was Pride and Gone Girl.

I hope to post a top five of my favorites in music, TV, movies and such in the next few days.

Happy New Year to anyone who follows my blog.  I hope we all have a safe, healthy and happy 2015.  Thank you for another year of memories.