Just Do It All

I made a point of getting to the gym earlier just so I could access the Precor elliptical #1. I'm glad I did since later the gawky fellow who spends more than an hour painfully trudging showed up later and was on machine #4, right beside Wind Breaker on #3. I don't think it matters to him which machine he's using, so better for me to arrive early and use the one machine that accommodates my needs. I actually almost made it to 2.8 today. And I did feel sufficiently warmed up afterward. 

I hit the Stretch Cage twice, ostensibly for pull-ups. Although I did think about hanging from one arm the second go-round. But that felt so difficult that I wound just doing a bunch of quick pull-up reps. I also did 15 minutes on the Stair Master. It's Friday and very pleasant outside. The gym isn't very crowded. I'm game to push some weights so I find a flat bench, grab the 30 lb solid BB, and a pair of DBs. 

It starts to get crowded. I notice a loose bolt under the bench, but none appear to be missing from that piece of equipment. (I'll bring it to the front desk later cuz I'm pretty sure something is going to shake loose at an inopportune time.) Again, the first set of Rip Skulls/Skull Crushers makes my left elbow click and twinge. But the next three sets are fine. Must be that need for warm-ups. I'm always much better after a decent warm-up. 

And while I'm okay with DB Lateral Raises, the Seated Alt DB Curls makes my arms tired. I was worried when I enter the Aerobics Room that all this arm stuff would make me fall on my face when I did push-ups. So I was surprised when I could knock those out with no issues. I got a mild tingle in my right foot while doing Dead Bugs, and again during Bird Dog planks. Otherwise, everything felt okay, and I am not at all tempted to stretch more or add anything new. I'm still taken 400 mg of ibuprofen when I get up in the morning, but otherwise my sciatica appears to be appeased and mostly dormant. I'd like to keep it that way. 

Tomorrow I get to take a desk lamp with questionable wiring to the Repair Cafe, a group of retired folks who provide repair services for free every few months. So much better than trashing a perfectly serviceable item that just needs a bit of know-how. Sunday, my friend and I have tickets to see Temple Grandin speak. I read her books some years ago, and recently watched the Clare Danes movie. Yes, I have eclectic interests. 

Next week I have an appointment to have another Visual Field test to see if my glaucoma has progressed. It's much worse in my right eye. My left eye feels stable, but I can see what I don't see in my right eye. It's very disturbing. And the weirdly dry scaly skin surrounding my eyes signals to me that I'm still having an allergic reaction to one of my meds, probably the last one added... I wonder what other medications I can try cuz I'm going to avoid having an Ahmed shunt implanted as long as possible. It's likely that my body will create too much scar tissue to make it an effective solution to the eye fluid pressure problem...  

24 April 2026 12:52-3:25

Sunny Friday but…

Just do everything

Precor elliptical #1 (12:53)

Program 3

Time: 30 + 5 (5438)

Distance: 2.79

Cal: 307

Precor HR: 154, 115-200

Fitbit: (52-143)

HGPU 18

Matrix StairMaster (R) (1:45-2:00)

Manual timer 13 + 2:32

Speed 5 (49-45) / 2 (36) / 1 (29)

Steps 697

Floors 43

Cal: 105

Hr 108

Attempt 1 arm hang / unsuccessful

HGPU 15

Skull Crushers/RipSkulls (2:15-2:48)

30 lbs x 24 reps x 4

S/s with

DB Laterals w/u 10 lbs x 15 reps

15 x 15 x 3

S/s wit

DB Alt Curls w/u 10 lbs x 12 ea

15 x 12 x 3

Was not bothered at all by sciatica!

20 Piriformis/Hip flex (2:57)

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (tingly foot)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2 (mild tingling)

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga