New Year's Resolution

It's pretty easy - I've found that resolving to do things like lose weight seem to be a losing proposition for me. I used to drink quite a bit of diet pop, mostly Diet Pepsi. It used to be no big deal, but in the past couple years it has apparently affected me more than I realized.

Furosemide - generic Lasix. I'm supposed to take it in the mornings. However, it and driving don't mix. When the drug hit's it's stride, I can go every five minutes. This does not work well while driving. OK, so why don't I take it in the evening?

It can last over five hours. Let's say my day is done at 6pm. I ingest my dose. It hits in an hour or so. I can't sleep until after eleven or twelve. I get up at four or five. This, too, does not work.

So, by the end of the week, my toes looked like sausages and my feet and ankles were swollen. Enough to feel uncomfortably tight in my shoes. Clothes didn't fit well. My hands were puffy. For some reason, more on my right side than the left. Can we say COPD? I'd feel pressure on my chest - big time. I'd double down on my doses on weekends - two in the morning and maybe even another during the afternoon. Which meant my weekends are spent doing just what it sounds like, and lots of it. Not much else got done. Sometimes two days wasn't enough and I'd have to take off some work to get drained down.

Perhaps it was the sodium in the pop causing me to retain water? I decided to switch to tea so I'd still get my fix of caffeine over the Christmas break. I was gonna be at Sis's place, where tea is the primary beverage.

I can now report that I've been able to see the large veins in my hands all week.  My feet look bony as in the past - even the right one. Even my ankles are smaller. The pressure in my chest - greatly reduced.

And just as an aside - I always feel pressure in my chest, so don't be telling me to get help immediately if not before. I also have frequent chest pain. You wanna know why? Get your brisket chopped in two and pasted back together. Even after it all healed, it still hurts. My cardiologist admitted that would affect me for the rest of my life - it was normal. Especially if I do something strenuous. I drive a specialized flatbed rig. I deal with boomers, chains, strap ratchets and a cheater bar every day. Massaging my scar helps.

But there is no sense in retaining all that water. I feel better already. This resolution is gonna be easy.