Saturday, April 28, 2018

Personal Update (Spoiler Alert: Pancreatitis Sucks)

Some of you (Ok maybe nobody!) may have noticed a lack activity on this blog over the past few months.  It's not due to a declining interest in the hobby.

2018 is turning our to be a less than ideal health year for our family and now it's my turn to contribute to the "medical drama".  It seems that I have developed a severe case of pancreatitus, which is rather painful when it flairs up.  I'll spare you the tawdry details but its a serious condition that will require some future surgery and 6-8 weeks of recovery time.  The recovery time scares me the most as I don't do well being bored and my lovely yet fierce wife has made vassals out of my business partners (Quislings, the lot of them) to effectively ban me from the firm for the duration of my recovery.  It's obvious they are WAY more afraid of Mary Beth than me, which I can't really dispute.

The extent of the surgeries is still being determined but my intent is to get them over and done with as soon as possible.  I knew marrying a surgeon would come in handy and that's coming through in spades hear!

Once past the "slicing and dicing" there are some much needed lifestyle changes in terms of diet and exercise that need to be made.  I will try to document them here both to force me to be open with success and failures and maybe help any other 50''ish gamer dealing with similar issues (I promise not to be too moralizing....).  Right now I'm on a clear liquid diet, with the occasional cup of no-fat yogurt.  No whining hear because the "being alive thing" was not a completely guaranteed outcome last week.  The end goal is to transition to a permanent low-fat / low-carb diet and I want to see if I can make that fun and not a chore.

One of the silver linings here is my little "drama" has jumped started my weight loss program as I'm down 15 pounds in 10 days.  Not the most healthy of paces but a good start and one not to be wasted. Those of you who've met me in person would all agree that I could stand to loose a "few" more pounds and now's a great time to do so.  I need to set a viable weight goal with my doc's and then will track that progress.

Humans are very odd creatures - we can clearly understand the need to do something (eat better, loose weight and exercise) but never really act on it until something really bad happens and forces us out of our slumber - we just have to touch that stove top to see if it's hot.  In my case, the stove top was pancreatitis, which after experiencing has shot to number one on my list of things not-to-do again.   Lets see if the faint corking popping sound all of you heard 10 days ago really was me pulling my head out my ass - health wise.

One last comment, I often make fun of my wife and she is both an accomplished surgeon and uncompromising professionally.  She is also kind and loving and the rock of my life.  I'm still amazed she hasn't wisened-up and realized she can do better than me.  Perhaps there is truly no accounting for taste in love.  Never-the-less, I am am beyond fortunate to have her in my life.

Enough of this swarmy, Hallmark card stuff.  Today's a big day as my menu expands to now include a 1/2 cup of no-fat cottage cheese.

Jealous aren't you?



23 comments:

tradgardmastare said...

Take care.
Alan

Gary said...

Please give better. Your blog has been fun to read for years. I wish you a speedy and easy surgery. AS for me I'm approaching 70 to only be looking at a knee replacement actually both knee. Old injuries in serving in the fine jungles of Vietnam 50 yrs ago has caught up to me. Again best wishes and very speedy recovery to goo health.

BigLee said...


Bloomin' ek! You don't do things by half measures do you! Sorry to hear this news, especially as we have shared a few good meals in the past (and thoroughly enjoyable experiences they were too). Needless to say I wish you a very speedy recovery. I would also like to extend my sincere best wishes to the rest of your family who are no doubt very worried about you.

Paul´s Bods said...

I Hope all goes well and all the best.

Ray Rousell said...

Damn Miles, sorry to hear the frightening news. I think we could all probably take a little advice from our post.

john de terre neuve said...

Good luck, Miles. I am just one year out from my health scare that involved major and somewhat risky surgery and I am 100% now.

You will be good!

DeanM said...

Sorry to hear of your condition, Miles, but you sound like you're taking the bull by the horns and adapting your lifestyle (diet) for the best. Congrats on the great start (15 pounds in 1 week!). Take it easy and wishing you well on your surgery and speedy recovery!

Peter Douglas said...

Take care Miles, that sounds rough. Look after yourself, enjoy your cottage cheese and listen to your wife! Getting old sucks but I believe that it on the whole beats the heck out of the alternatives.

Once you are able to eat more than cottage cheese, as someone with dietary challenges (celiac with cholesterol issues and a milk allergic wife) my advice is get involved in the research, recipe planning and preparation. You're more likely to get something you like and less likely to fall off the wagon. Plus it sounds like you'll have some time on your hands.

Best wishes and look after yourself
Peter

Ian said...

You get better mate, though I do love a bit of cottage cheese ;-)

Ian

Steve Williams said...

Good luck, Miles! I hope everything goes smoothly.

Millsy said...

Get well soon mate. I expect loads of mind-blowing statistical analysis of your weight-loss and recovery program. With charts.

quindia said...

All the best, Miles.. get in touch if there's anything I can do..

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

I can only echo what the others have said, but with the additional proviso, "get well soon as the sailing season is almost upon us"!

Matt Crump said...

A challenge without a doubt one more reason and prompt for us all to improve our life styles 🙂

Paul O'G said...

Mate - glad hear that things are improved on last week and that there is a good road ahead for you.

Tony said...

Sorry to hear the news and I wish you all the best.

Tony

David Sullivan said...

Wow. Pancreatitis is a tough row to hoe. I'm glad to hear that things are improving and I hope the flare-up subsides soon and you can be back to a normal life and diet.

Ivor Evans said...

All the best for a speedy recovery Miles!

JamieM said...

Certainly doesn't sound like much fun - all the best with the surgery and recovery and the new exciting lifestyle changes!

ljr70 said...

Hang in there Miles. I will say my prayers for your recovery! If you need anything just holler. I don't think we are too far from each other!

Curt said...

Sorry to hear of your health issues Miles. Get well and try to enjoy your road to recovery. As you say, it is times like these where the love and support of family and friends mean so much. Besides, who else would do the stats-an-charts for the Painting Challenge!? ;)

jmilesr said...

Thanks for all the very kind comments.
I'm doing a good bit better and am now 24 lbs lighter!

Onwards and Upwards!

TamsinP said...

Sorry to hear about this Miles - not sure how I missed this post 2 weeks ago.

Wishing you a speedy recovery and I hope that the switch to a low fat, low carb diet isn't too excruciating.

As for your good lady wife, she's definitely a keeper :)