Week 45: August 11-17th, 2024

NUMBERS OF THE WEEK

Steps: 4601*

The number is low and not reflective of my true step count

* I forgot to wear my watch one day and another day it died midday because I didn’t charge it before I went to work

I really need to make sure that I am wearing my fully charged watch each day. That will be my goal for next week

Weight: Down 1.9

On track with my goals

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK:

Donating Blood

This year when I began to develop my Bucket List-I knew that donating blood was going to make that list. My friend and mentor, Patti Melanson, a nurse leader and visionary who started the Mobile Outreach Street Health Team (MOSH), died of Multiple Myeloma at the end of 2018. To honor her memory I wanted to donate my universal donor ‘O Negative blood’.

The only problem is, despite multiple attempts, I have never successfully been able to donate. I first tried when I was 18 years old during a FROSH Blood Drive and fainted. In subsequent attempts, staff couldn’t find a vein or my hemaglobin was too low. When I started working with MOSH last summer, I knew I wanted to try donating again. With my friend and colleague in tow, we made an appointment-and I got rejected because my HgB was too low. It was 118 and needs to be at least 125. She was able to donate, but I had to wait 84 days to try again.

I waited the 3 months and I was rejected again, but my HgB was improved to 122. So I started to eat more red meat and went back 3 months later . . . and I was rejected again . . . but my HgB was 124 and they repeated it and it was 123. So I began to take a multivitamin, and increased dietary sources of iron, as well as cooked more frequently on my cast iron pan. I made an appointment with my Primary Care Provider, and got bloodwork done. My HgB was still low 118, but I was not iron deficient. He said I just historically have a low normal HgB and that I would likely not be able to donate.

Not to be deterred, I set up another appointment and did all the tips/tricks Canadian Blood Services recommends. My HgB was 127 and I was so pumped (pun intended) that I was able to donate a full pint of blood for the first time!!

If you want to learn more about donating blood go to: Blood.ca

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

The 1975: Being Funny in a Foreign Language

Matt Healy is the frontman of this British Band that has been together for years. I am not familiar with their music and really only heard of them when Healy began dating Taylor Swift in the months before she was more seriously connected to Travis Kelce.

He’s hot in the brooding rockstar kind of way. And he plays the part . . . there are videos of him wasted and kissing fans he brings up on stage. Honestly, I had no expectations of their music, and so I wasn’t disappointed. I listened to the whole album so you don’t have to. There is a high degree of musicality and it is very well produced. However, there is too much going on and at the end of the day, none of the songs were worthy of a second listen. To me it sounds like ‘Bubblegum Pop’

BOOK OF THE WEEK

Stephen King: The Shining

I’m on a roll with Stephen King, they are just so easy to read in the summertime. The Shining is his third novel, published in 1977 and was obviously a huge commercial success. Famed director, Stanley Kubrik directed a movie version in 1980 starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. This version was ‘based’ on King’s novel, but he was not happy with the movie version. Nonetheless, it was hugely popular and considered to be one of the best horror films of all times. I have never seen it, but I am fifth in line to borrow the DVD from the library.

The main character is Jack Torrence, a recovering alcoholic who loses his job as a teacher at a prestigious Vermont prep school because he lost his temper with a student. Anger and booze were issues that plagued him at home as well, having previously fractured his son Danny’s arm in an intoxicated rage. Something his wife Wendy had forgiven but not forgotten.

He takes a job as a winter caretaker for an isolated luxury hotel, The Overlook, deep in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. As they begin this adventure as family, it is evident that Danny has special psychic powers-called ‘The Shining’ by the gregarious cook Halloran. These visions he experiences are terrifying and confusing, and difficult for a 5-year-old to piece together. As the weeks progress, and winter settles in-cutting them off from the outside world, the secrets of the Overlook’s past take over their lives. What unfolds is a haunting possession of the whole family by the hotel. Jack Torrence especially fallen to the intense power that lies within the hotel rooms. Only through his strengthening shining powers, is Danny able to summon the help they need to escape.