Changing Focus

As many of you have noticed, I have been on hiatus.  Well, what better day to get back in the groove than Thanksgiving.  Nothing gets me excited like stuffing myself to the gills and wallowing in misery the rest of the day.  Of course, that was in years past.  The days of gorging myself and living in gluttony have come to a screeching halt.  As you will notice, the focus of my blog is going to shift slightly.  I am still going to comment on the goings on in the world of sports (I have missed so much in the last six weeks that has been worthy of discussion) but I will also be discussing recent developments in my life and with the holidays upon us I will have some holiday-themed items as well.

As for the days of gorging myself and wallowing in my own gut-busting misery, there is a reason they have ended and I wish it were just because I had finally decided to whip my tail into shape.  The real reason for this lifestyle change is a negative doctor report.  Suffice it to say I have never felt so miserable in my life as I did when I left the doctor's office on the days of October  10 and 18.  By the time it was all over, I had to deal with certain facts that I was not ready to deal with.  I have been diagnosed as a diabetic with high cholesterol and a messed up thyroid.  Not great news but better than the initial thought that I had heart problems according to an EKG that I failed with flying colors.  (Thankfully, after a stress test, we discovered that the ticker was just fine).  My newly discovered ailments left me feeling out of sorts and struggling to grapple with my own mortality.  I was glad that I was not as bad off as originally thought but I still had major issues to face and daunting obstacles ahead. 

It was at this moment that I decided to turn things over to a higher power and pray for my health to improve but more importantly to find the resolve to face the challenges that lay before me.  I have been guilty in the past of not putting God first in my life and only turning to him in times of desperate need.  Well, this was a time of desperation and my daily life was going to have to undergo a major overhaul so what better time to rededicate my spiritual life as well. 

On this day of thanks, I am very thankful for my health and that I was able to discover these problems before they became too serious.  I am proud to say that in the 43 days since I initially went to the doctor, I have now lost 30 pounds.  I hope to be able to lose another 20 before going back to the doctor in January.  I am also pleased to say that after eating my (paltry but satisfying meal, complete with pumpkin pie), my blood sugar checked in at a cool 98, well within the parameters that the diabetic specialist laid out for me.  Today was a great success in my book.

This ordeal, while difficult, has been a great life lesson for me.  I have played with fire for too long when it comes to my eating habits and now it is time to pay the piper.  I know where the responsibility lays for what has happened and I am well prepared to do whatever it takes to take care of myself so that I can be there for my wife and kids.  And when things get tough, I know that I have a Savior that can lighten my load; and for that I am truly thankful.

So, for those of you who look forward to my sports posts, I am not finished opining on the day-to-day of the ball and stick games, but I hope you will stick around to read about other happenings also.  I really enjoy writing and various topics and I appreciate each and everyone who take time out of your days to read about what I see through my four eyes.  God bless you all and take care of yourself at this most wonderful time of the year.