Training Log Archive: Swampfox

Breathing so far feels better today, and I set a new PR with my friend the spirometer of about 3250 ml. Which makes me wonder what volume would have been normal for me pre-accident.

2 walks today, the first in the early afternoon, thinking I better get out then as possible rain/t-storms was in the forecast.

The second walk was longer, something over 1 1/2 hrs, and part of the walk included a swing over to the hospital so I could sign up to see my medical records. And, now, back home, having just looked over several reports, I have learned something new: I had been told on my initial visit to the ER after the bike crash that I had 3 broken ribs. That's almost nothing--ha!--because it turns out the actual toll was 6 ribs, all on the left side. That goes a long way to explaining why inward bending, left sided jumping jacks have been hurting so good.

Strangely, there seemed to be an awful lot of bees flying around today. Could there be any chance that was linked to yesterday's crash on I-80 of a truck bearing millions and millions of bees? Nah, surely not.

C • Keep your eye out for a cluster 1

Breathing didn't feel as good today, but it's very difficult to know whether it's perception or reality. Walked for about 1 1/2 hours on what was a very pleasant day, with a high of 71F--the warmest day of 2016 so far.

I spent some time reading more about PEs (pulmonary embolisms) which on;y reinforced my sense that the area is fraught with unknowns in terms of how long it takes to clear away clots or even if they will ever be completely cleared away, and in terms of the possibility of recurrence. My original thinking--without knowing hardly anything about the subject--was that since the clots in my arm were undoubtedly the result of trauma from the bike crash that once my body had cleared them away that I would be over and done with it all. But from what I read, it appears that's not necessarily the case, though the odds do seem to favor that outcome. Another thing that seems clear is that different doctors might likely treat identical PE cases very differently.

C • Clots 11

Warmest day of the year so far--67F. And walking around outside, it actually *did* feel warm. I walked today in two pieces, for a total time of somewhere between 1 1/2 and 2 hours. Quite nice.

The day's big (ha!) achievement was shaving entirely with my left hand for the first time since the crash. I was able to do a passable job with my right hand, but it always took much longer and I was less sure in the movements.

Today marked 4 full weeks since I crashed. It's gone by quickly so far. The daily headaches I had been having most of this time have disappeared, which is good. Now if I could just get my mojo back!

C • mojo? 2

Most stellar spring day we've had so far this spring. Temps nearly reached 60F, and nearly all of the snow in the valley melted, leaving higher ground white rims to the east (Laramie Range) and south and west (Snowy Mountains), while the higher mountains to the south in the Rocky Mountain National Park stand out like 100% white snowy sentinels.

I took advantage of the conditions by taking three walks and gathering a small amount of aluminum to be recycled into Ford F-150s, which are apparently selling like gangbusters.

I also took a drive out along the Happy Jack highway, where even the open prairie was still 99% buried in snow. It looked to be melting fast, however, and I would guess much bare ground will emerge tomorrow.

Some signs of small--ha! very small--progress: last night I used my left hand/arm for the first time since crashing to cut celery. And this morning I used my left hand/arm for the first time since the crash to use a fork to eat with, so say goodby to the right hand/arm for those things.

And I guess that's the way it's going to be. Just gradually picking things back up day by day things I can do again with my left arm that I would normally use my left arm to do.

C • left handedness 6

Hmmmm, came in under the G this morning, well under, in fact, which I took as a sign from the gods that I was meant to breakfast on waffles this morning, which I did. They say a well disciplined kitchen is one that is always waffle ready, and I can only agree.

Took two walks in the afternoon, planted tomato seeds in between, and road the trainer for a whopping 15 minutes after dinner. I think my deep breathing is still being rib limited, but then there are those embolisms, too. Are they gone yet? If they're not, then how will I know? There remain some mysteries to this healing process. But it is fun sometimes to reflect on my new status as Titanium Man!

If the polls are to be trusted, it looks like Cruz is going to crash and burn tomorrow. And it makes me wonder what in the world they could have been thinking in Cruz World Headquarters last week as they were strategizing Indiana. They could have gone after Trump in the one area where he is clearly weak and vulnerable, which is his teensy hands. But instead they choose to bring on Carly Fiorina as ther winning move???? Man. Highly paid consultants must have been involved on that one.

I have no idea how widely it is being reported in the national news, or to what extent the average person would take note of it were they to come across the pertinent news item, but Wyoming is slumping hard now, and surely in recession. About 5000 jobs have been lost year over year in the oil&gas sector alone, and all the major coal companies operating in the state have declared bankruptcy in the past few months with substantial numbers of miners being laid off. Current sales revenues and sales tax receipts are off by about 20%--if I recall the numbers recently reported correctly. So Wyoming's economy, perpetually swinging from boom to bust with the commodity cycles, is now big time bust. A scant two years ago, it was booming, with many drilling rigs actively operating in regions of the Niobrara Shale. Unemployment figures were a tad above 2%--full employment, in other words--and only one or two other states (North Dakota, I think) could boast lower unemployment numbers.

On Friday, Wyoming's largest gas producer--Ultra Petroleum--filed for bankruptcy, which I believe makes it the 5th publicly traded oil&gas firm to have failed in 2016 (could be I've missed one or more MLPs operating in the sector.) Ultra Petroleum failed for the exact same reason basically which all the other failing firms in the sector have been brought down by: over optimism/confidence when prices were higher, leading to too aggressive use of debt to acquire more lease acreage in the rush to expand that virtually the entire sector participated in; not too many operators were looking down, or worried about the possibility of markedly lower prices, as starkly evidenced by their hedging activity. You made more money if you didn't hedge, so why bother? Now of course they all wish they had done a lot more bothering.

Ultra Petroleum won't be last to fail unless prices move sharply higher from here quickly--which seems unlikely. Still, no doubt many industry executives have their fingers crossed and are perhaps spending more of their Sundays in church saying their prayers. When you're down to prayers, well, it is a sign of the times, to quote from one recently departed (Prince.)

Coal will quite possibly or even likely will never come back to what it was even a few years ago. Wyoming coal is cost advantaged and low sulfur as well, so it could be that it could end up doing relatively well as higher cost (primarily eastern) mines close down one by one. And a colder winter would help matters considerable, as would higher natural gas prices--which will surely move higher some day. In the meantime, Wyoming's top lawmakers are going through all the classic steps as this downturn hits hard: anger, blame, denial, refusal to accept the new reality, etc. Their ideology requires them them to rail against the EPA and the "Obama war on coal" while rejecting any notion that the world is changing and that sooner or later global warming is going to mean stricter and not looser limits on carbon emissions, which will strike no place harder than the coal industry. Unless some more cost effective carbon capture technology can be developed--no easy feat, else it would have already been accomplished by now--Wyoming is facing a tough transition away from much state revenues from coal based mineral extraction royalties, a transition that could last for many years.

Tourism is and will be this year one of the few bright spots. Last year visitation to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons set a new record, and with subsequent sequential monthly growth in national employment and continued low gas prices, it seems reasonable to think that new records will be set this year. Hopefully so, because the state will need every extra dollar it can get as it weathers the current energy driven bust. Folks who show up for the Rocky Mountain O' Festival will be doing their part, and will be extra welcome this year!

C • Renewables? 6

Had planned to hop on the trainer again today and aim for 15 minutes, but when the sun defied the forecast and popped out in the morning, I changed plans and headed outdoors to walk instead--first a walk of about 45 minutes in the morning, and then a longer walk for nearly 2 hours in the afternoon.

In between, Graham Baird was kind enough to swing by and say hello after skiing at Happy Jack. It was fun to see him though at first I didn't recognize him (he has grown something of a beard, the better to do course setting by, I should guess). We looked at some maps of his area for the O' Fest and talked some diverse geology related themes. It was good to see him.

On another snowy, wintry April day, I am "attending" the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting for the first time, from the convenience of home, thanks to live streaming by Yahoo! Finance (also for the first time.) A fun way to spend the day.

C • Berkshire Hathaway 1

As noted, another snowy day with light snow falling continuously from start to finish. Little accumulation in town except where new snow was falling on old, but I can imagine up top this week has meant some significant increase in the snow pack. Ironic to think that has April started out with this weather, most likely I would not have been out on my bike on the 7th...I would have been skiing instead!

Today was the day I got "back in the saddle" and I went downstairs for a massive 11 minute ride on the bike trainer. It was obvious from that that my breathing/lungs still have a long way to go before I am recovered. But you have to start somewhere, and today was that start. I also took a chilly walk through the neighborhood in the early evening with snow blowing in my face. One day winter will be no longer coming, but going!