My birthday was Sunday the 12th, if you recall.
      Monday the 13th was supposed to be a day for Mark and I to both have off, to spend some real time together. To reconnect and enjoy.
      And we did alright… we reconnected with the cardiac wing at Holy Spirit and enjoyed their hospitality for the whole afternoon, the night, and most of the next day.
      So, here’s the deal. Mark is fine. He had some unfamiliar twinges/pain and rather than just wait and end up with a problem (like last time) – we went to the ER to be on the safe side. They admitted him, mostly for observation. They kept him overnight. They performed some blood work, did EKGs and echo-cardiograms, poked and prodded and, in the end, let us go.
      There was no new heart attack, no thrombosis, no significant new blockage. But, since he had not been taking his medication with 100% compliance… well… anyway, suffice it to say, they adjusted some meds and put the fear of God into us. They also found that his heart function, which was critically low immediately after his M.I., but had improved to about 85%-90% of normal function, was actually improved further (can we say, miracle?) to about 95% of normal.
      We have had our fun. Our stupid days. Our lazy weekends. Now its time to change that all around. Work it out right. Get healthy, get fit(ter) and live a long, happy, silly life of rolling dice, fetch with the puppy, and loving up on each other.
      To do that, we took all the research in healthy eating that I have been doing since our first attempt at the 4 Hour Body a few years ago, and translated it into a menu we can work with, an exercise plan we can grow into, and a devotion to changing our lifestyle so that we don’t go through this again with him, or at all with me.
      Sugar, gone. Wheat, grains, et cetera, gone.
      In? Whole foods. Organic (preferably grass-fed when we can get it) meats. Tons of veg and healthy fats. On Saturday, we’ve decided that a small indulgence is okay – but then Sunday morning, back on the bandwagon just like before.
      The goal is for both of us to lose at least twenty pounds by his birthday. That should be a cake-walk (haha) for us. His goal is to get back to about 180 – though ultimately, in a perfect world, he’d like to be about 165. Mine is to start by getting back to 199, then 150, and after that… find a comfortable, fit place to stay healthy and love myself.
      Also, to look cute in my Sailor Neptune mod-twist cosplay outfit.
      Tee-hee!

Note: Image is “Hearts In Love” by nellart, from SXC.hu