With the system of self-catheterisation that I have, it feels like I am always battling some sort of infection. Last week it wasn't much fun - I will spare you the details. I managed to get to the doctor on Friday. He has sent me for blood tests, gave me anti-biotics (I hate having to take them) and was also worried about a mysterious lump under my arm. Today I had a nasty needle into it three or four times for a biopsy.
Exercise...
I have been trying to get exercising again. Two weeks ago I went for a bike ride, another day that week I rowed madly and spun on my stationary bike. Last Sunday I ran/walked 10k, and went for a fast paced walk on Wednesday. ... and on Saturday... with an infection.. I climbed.
A couple of years ago I had a discussion at a Church leaders' meeting. I was trying, in vain, to gain the support of the leaders to introduce a program. One elder in particular was strongly against the move, arguing very vociferously against me. I was looking for compromise and suggested we could give it a go and if it got too difficult we could simply decide to give it up. He glared at me and all but yelled,"You have never given anything up in your life, David! You would never give it up!" He was wrong, I have given things up. But he was right, I am a stubborn old coot and will persist with things long after others fall by the way. That is what I found out with my exercise on Saturday.
I climbed my mountain. Except the road to the starting point of my usual track is still blocked by a slip that happened months ago. I had to walk from Sawyers Bay, up a track called "Grahams Bush Track", then walk across a road and do my normal "Organ Pipe Track." My guide book says Grahams Bush Track should take one and a half hours up and you climb a height of 350 metres. You actually climb more like 400 metres because there are a couple of creek valleys where you climb, then descend into the creek, only to climb again, and descend into the next creek. The Organ pipe track says one to one and a half hours to the top of the mountain, and you climb 300 metres. .. a total of 650 - 700 metres with some pretty rough terrain. I set out with my infection making me feel less than energetic. I completed Grahams Bush in just over an hour, reaching the road with my lungs bursting and my legs aching. My wife had suggested that I should just do that... but I wanted to be on top of my mountain again, it seemed ages since I had been up there. The organ pipe track begins with a steep stair way and path. I thought about not doing it, but my stubborn streak kicked in and I pushed on, completing the trek to the top in 55 minutes. I sat, ate some fruit, had a drink and headed down. It was really hard on my legs stepping over rocks going down. When I got back to my van I had walked for three and three quarter hours, climbing in excess of 650 metres. I REALLY loved my soak in the spa that night. It is not good to exercise too vigorously with an infection, but my stubbornness would not let me give up. On Sunday I went for a jog/walk with my running friend. She is keen that we do a 10k fun run early in March. She was probably frustrated with me. My feet ached, my lungs never got going and my knees ached, so our run turned into a fastish walk. ... But I enjoyed my climb! I love the bush, the birds and the physical challenge, but I probably would have been better to have dawdled up half the distance.... It was when I was soaking in the spa, sore from the waist down, that I remembered my Church leader's words, "You have never given up anything...!"
Preaching?
I had an email from a Baptist parson (a liberal guy) asking if I could lead a service on February 23rd. I am not sure how to answer. I am enjoying the break. I have known retired ministers who seem to ache for some opportunity to preach somewhere, but I have not felt that need. At the moment I feel like I would be happy not to preach again. .. but then I know this guy's predicament.. it is hard to find a stand in. Wait and see.
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