Tuesday afternoon saw me successfully attempt my first "Face Plant" manoeuvre, complete with much pain and blood, and in the following days a bruised and battered body.
While walking down the gravel driveway at the new house I had stumbled slightly on the loose stones and rather than just fall over like most people would have, I decided to run forwards and let my legs catch up to my falling body.
Unfortunately my legs didn't move quick enough and all I succeeded in doing was hitting the ground face first at running speed. I failed to get my hands out in time, they somehow ended up being ground into the gravel while pinned to my chest. The impact was huge, it felt like I'd been hit in the face with a length of timber. I picked my self up, and dusted myself down. Blood pouring from my face, I was convinced I'd done some serious damage.
Luckily I just suffered a couple of shallow grazes to my face and some sort of bruised muscle in my chest. I thought I must be getting old! I've never had a fall like that before. I mentioned it to the doctor today during my monthly hospital visit and he said it would have been caused by the steroids weakening my muscles. I'll go with that explanation ;)
The appointment with the doctor went well, I had a chest X-ray beforehand and he was pleased with the result. My lungs now look completely normal. I'd figured as much as I haven't coughed in over a month now and I haven't had asthma in weeks.
I told him that I'd been playing around with my prednisone, splitting the daily dose in two. Taking 20mg in the morning and 10mg after dinner. This seems to help with the back pain I sometimes get in the early hours of the morning as their effect wears off. He said that he had no problem with me doing this, even though strictly speaking, steroids should be taken in the morning. Dosage drops from 30mg a day to 25mg as from tomorrow and then next month it will be 20mg. Tapering off over the next 12 months.
My weight is now up to 76kg but it seems to be all sitting on my stomach. 76kg is still light so I need to build some more muscle. I'm glad it's up 7kg on where I was early December, but it's still a gain of 1kg a week and it needs to be reined in or I will be 130kg by year end!
The house is rocketing along now. Sarah has been working on the decorating side of things. I've been working on the water etc, the tank was filled tonight thanks to Jeff Ward and his firetruck.
Over the next week we will have the storm water completed and the waste water system connected ready for the house to have it's showers and toilets connected after the paintings all done.
The deck should be underway next week too. We move in on Feb14th ready or not!
This weekend See's me competing at the Port Road sprint at a totally social level in cars borrowed from Murray O'Neil. I'll share a drive in his "rally-rides" car with Piran Pigneguy and then maybe later go and have a play in the yellow beast that Murray will be competing in.
My car is still gathering dust at the panel-beaters due to my commitments work-wise and up at the new house. There's no way it will be ready for the Mount Vic Hillclimb in March, my favorite event of the year. But I'm not too worried. This year is all about change, our new house to enjoy. The new workshop to play and work in. My new found health to embrace... the motorsport can take a back seat to that any day.
..Ron
