Monday, February 03, 2003

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Monday, February 03, 2003

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Yesterday was a breakthrough day for me because my wife and I went to downtown Seattle to see a dog show. It was held at the Seahawks Stadium Exhibition Center and this was the first time that I had been downtown to see an event in several years. It was the very first time that I had ever been down to see both SAFECO field and the new Seahawks stadium up close. As I approached the stadium I remembered looking down at it last January (2002) from Harborview hospital as it was still being built. I remembered thinking as I sat in a wheelchair waiting to be admitted, how wonderful it would be to actually be healthy enough to attend an event there. It was a great feeling to not only have the freedom to drive to this event. But to know that I have enough stamina to walk to it and once inside enjoy the many different competitions and vender booths. I had a very good time and took a lot of interest in the agility event. I would love to train Quake to be able to compete in that event. It seems a little far-fetched right now. But, so did the thought of being able to attend an event such as this one, a year ago. That has become a new goal of mine and I think both Quake and I have a lot of potential for the agility event.

Also, this past weekend I was able to entertain friends. It's nice to be able to just blow an entire afternoon playing video games with my buddies on the XBOX. Rich Lines, Randy Ellwanger, and I, love playing skins with the Tiger Woods PGA Tour game. We enjoy each other's company and love to compete. It fills a void that has been missing in my life for several years, especially since retiring from softball.

I have been a lot more social lately with trips over to Randy's house on Super Bowl Sunday and such, and it makes me very happy to be able to enjoy things like a normal person again. My life is turning a big corner right now.

I am going through a bit of a rough stretch right now with my eating plan. I have cut back on my portion sizes in this new year, by measuring everything, I have also been a lot more active and my exercise routine has been increasing. The combination of things has increased my appetite and it has been hard to stay within my daily allowances of fat and sodium. I think that my body is craving more food since it is burning more fat. It's a viscous circle but I know I can combat it. I have also been experiencing more knee (right) pain and I am starting to get worried that the problem is getting worse. Also my left foot feels like it has been absorbing too much stress and is constantly throbbing and feels kind of like a stress fracture. This whole thing is really turning into a battle, but I will deal with it and come out on top. I am going to get this done and all I can say to my metabolism and myself is, BRING IT ON!

All the extra exposure to the public has me feeling self conscious, especially in huge crowds like the one at the dog show. I get a lot of looks and stairs and it makes me feel like a freak. But knowing what I have been through and how strongly I want to succeed helps me fight through it. I am proud to be this far along and know that even better days are ahead for me in this life. So, look out world, Hughdini is going to blow you away, and I don't think most of you are going to believe it when you see it happen right before your eyes. Because I am going to reach my ultimate goal it will happen!


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