Today almost exactly 3 months after surgery I returned to the gym, January 25, 2011. The workout was brief, 20 minutes or so but the feeling was one of jubilation. How good it felt to be back. The workout consisted of 8 minutes walking on the treadmill, followed by regular sets on the AB press, back press, chest press and the dicators or whatever they are called, those neat leg things. The lymphedema continues to be very angry and the best thing I can do is walk and work it out. I am very fortunate at this stage to be able to do this stuff and I am extremely grateful.
While my college writing certainly helps me write my journal, much of my job experiences are now irrelevant and in many ways represent lost arts and a lost way of life. Oh I can remember valve clearances for IR and Worthington compressor valves, or standard clearances for cast iron vs aluminum pistons, or crosshead clearances, lubrication, bearing failure analysis, estimating time required to retube a condenser or to r and r a machine and so forth. By 2000 my first 27 years in the compressor business were concentrated on machinery that is no longer made or in service anywhere. In relearning my business I became more the peddler than consultant, more fireman than project manager and more dollar oriented. It has been a struggle yet I hold on in part because it is what I know, in part for the sales of service I can complete that helps others make a good living, in part for commitment to employer and in part because I am lazy and fearful of change. So I hang on and fight the fight every day. Yet tonight as I go through some of my old library and reference material I am throwing away a knowledge base that I have that is of no use anymore. An odd feeling knowing that so much that you knew that was held in such high regard and valued so greatly then is irrelevant and of no use or value to anyone now. On a grander scale the demise of the piston engine will come, and the human knowledge and skill base that built, operated and serviced that engine will be irrelevant. So then with each generation huge blocks of knowledge die with the holders and it don’t matter to nobody.
On the other hand some things are learned and remain relevant beyond ones life. Some are right and some are wrong but in the string of human existence they are passed on. For generations my knowledge base was relevant, I just came in on the end of an era.
For thousands of years we have had Ten Commandments, new knowledge once that remained relevant, so much so my Word spell check capitalizes the name. Skill set knowledge is passed on and remains something that matters. Bricklayers lay bricks the same way generation after generation. There will likely always be bricks to lay. Welders weld the same way generation to generation, but some day welding will be a lost art and technology and those that hold that knowledge at the end will pass on with it never to be passed on. No wonder we cannot figure out how they built the pyramids. The sum of human experience is not passed through generations, only a small fraction of it makes the cut. Hopefully someday those with cancer like myself and those who treat it, manufacture stuff for it and make a living off of it will find themselves the last ones that hold that knowledge base.
Now 3 days after chemo and I am back on even keel. I am experiencing the pain of neuropathy in my feet, particularly the balls and toes of my feet, which ache and are sore to the touch. An occasional pain pill is doing the trick of keeping this problem from slowing me down much. I had a very productive work day today and feeling ready to launch tomorrow. Inger is unhappy with my left leg and has me wearing the compression stocking every day. I am having some difficulty with the open toe rolling up on my foot creating a tourniquet around my manly arch and causing me great discomfort. I think part of it is the stockings are aging, but despite the lace I will likely ask for closed toe when I replace to eliminate the problem.
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