Another Rut

I apologize for my inactivity but this past week can be best described as interesting. I started the second week of my new job at a new business. I was hired as a sign sales man but have started to improve their online identity as well as help on service calls when needed. I've already found some clients as well as started networking with a business intent, my career direction seems to have taken a 180*.

My health has also been affected by my new routine. I find myself able to fall asleep easier, but I have also been finding myself more exhausted throughout the day. I'm seeing my doctor next Wednesday since there has been no update to my ENT recommendation and the last physician I saw dismissed my high iron levels outright. I hope next week will hold some answers.

Until I am out of this rut I will have to postpone the start of my vlog, but I will try to post a video on my channel each week.

Regrouping

I have to apologise for my inactivity, again. This past weekend was a hectic blur of music, dance and partying and this week was the start of a new and promising employment. On Monday, my rest day between Folk Fest and my new job, I was inspired by YouTuber Skallagrim as well as our own Sihing Chervenka to start producing videos.

Jian Test Cutting

This is just the start of the many ideas I have for content, the most important of these is the start of a vlog. Last night I started writing about my weekend but was starting to find myself on the fourth paragraph only two days into my extended weekend. If I have not started my vlog by Monday I hope my team mates will hold me accountable.

I have so many things that I want to update everyone on, but all my plans are still not fully solidified yet. When they are I will have much to share.

My Wakeup Call

This past weekend I got the wakeup call that I needed, the annual Silent River boot camp. When I first woke up at 5am on Saturday I felt terrible, my head was foggy and my body ached. I didn't think I had it in me to even leave my bed and had came to the conclusion to just give up. I don't know what motivated me but with only a few minutes to get ready I set out to the Keephills Community Hall to begin my day.

Each seminar had it's purpose, and as I went though the hours of work leading to the fitness test I found myself in a better mental state. However once the fitness test started it felt like my world was falling apart. I was so angry at myself for not performing at my best, regardless of what shape my health has been in. I just felt like I should give up on everything. But I couldn't give up, because letting myself doubt take control would only let my friends, my family, down.

After completing the 2km run that marked the end of the boot camp, I felt my self doubt vanish. In it's place I found an urge to improve myself and a desire take all the lessons I had learned that day and put them into my daily training. Although I am not where I need to be for my black belt grading, I feel that I have gained the tools necessary to succeed.

In my last blog I reached out for help and am thankful for the advice I was given. I want to reach out again because the only way my health will improve is if I make changes to my healthcare. The doctors I have seen at my family clinic have been trying to patch me with medications that have little to no effect. I am currently waiting for my recommendation to an ENT specialist but I have my doubts about taking this route. Any recommendations on this matter would be greatly appreciated.   

What is Happening?

On Wednesday I felt like myself again, waking and eating in the morning and having consistent energy levels throughout the day. However yesterday my condition slip again and it has continued into today. My joints and lower back ache, my mind feels fuzzy and incoherent and I feel as if my energy stores and depleted. Also when I walked my dog yesterday I had an intense pain in the upper abdomen that was making me wince. My mind keeps going back to my last doctors visit, where I was told my iron levels were high but that fact wasn't looked into. I keep staring at webpages about hemochromatosis and my symptoms seem to fit.

Today I came to the conclusion that my best course of action would be to acquire my test results and go to a night clinic in hopes of getting answers, not more questions. Because of these events I am unsure about my ability to participate in the annual bootcamp tomorrow. It's very hard for me to write this but I am at a point where I am actual scared of my condition.

I'm about to head to Edmonton to pick up my results and will be updating this post as I get new information.

UPDATE: After driving to central Edmonton to pick the results and driving back, I opened the envelope I was given to only find the results for the urine sample. I needed the results from the blood samples to execute my plan and now find myself with no other options until next week. Since my condition is so volatile I won't know if I'm well enough for bootcamp until the morning of. I will be at class tonight and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Training at Home

One of my personal requirements is to create what could consider a proper training space for me. I think the best discussion I made was putting this space in my bedroom. In the morning I can literally roll out of bed and start pumping out reps first thing in the morning. I can also put my YouTube subscriptions or other media on my laptop and watch while I get my numbers in. The only problem I've had is having a large enough space to practice my forms.

I used to train in my backyard but a few weeks ago a colony of wasps built a nest under our deck. The nest was situated at our back door, leaving my dog unable to relieve himself unless he was taken for a walk. After many nights of removing a few screws than running from the swarm, we were left with two stripped screws only allowing one side to be lifted. With my mom armed with a garden hose and myself with a blowtorch, we finally destroyed the nest. Tomorrow I will be checking for any new nest, but also will start playing catch up on my form reps.

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More Answers, Questions, and Waiting

I have to start by apologizing for missing my last two blog days. On Thursday I met with a new doctor to discuss the results from my latest blood test as well as get a second opinion on what could be wrong with me. The results came back normal except for high levels of iron. I did some "research" (google) and found out that the body only absorbs 10% of dietary iron but a hereditary disease called Haemochromatosis can increase absorption by a factor of three. Next chance I have to see my doctor I will bring it up. I was also given a recommendation to an ENT specialist, but before I get the appointment I need to first take a hearing test. It seems that the closer I get to figuring out what's wrong with me, I have to wait and wait before taking the next step.

Friday ended on a good note. Although I felt tired and hungry after two hours of class I was convinced to stay for sanshou since the class was practically empty. I know to have a successful year in the I Ho Chuan I must log 1000 rounds of sparring, but with how my health is affecting my balance and stamina I have been missing out instead of training smartly.

Over the weekend the ideas for my first "real" YouTube video have started to work out. If everything goes to plan I'll be uploading my first videos next week.

Last Minute

I didn't think of a topic to journal about, hopefully I will have something tomorrow.

http://flavors.me/lairdchris