Day 14 - Halfway

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History
...Spring 2009 
After going through the first rehab so began my new life taking shape. I retired at 50%, and it also solved the discussions I had with my insurance company. The period after diagnosis using either the brain or the body. It was hard to remember things. It was also difficult to have several balls in the air. While I would manage both work, family, health care, insurance, utilities, and rehabilitation, rest and exercise. Obviously, it will not be good result anywhere. Also add that MS not only get the door knocking. The door was kicked in.

Now I've changed the door. The new door, no bastard kick can open it. I open myself.
 
Las Vegas 

Sense or not. Me and my wife went to Las Vegas without the kids, with a few friends. It was my first time there. It was great to get forget about everyday life at home and just relax with good friends. 

At this time, I needed to rest a lot. I took the opportunity to sleep a few hours in the afternoon while the others were sunbathing or shopping. It was too hot for me outside. I tried to avoid alcohol as best we could. I felt the circumstances quite well. The biggest problem was to walk everywhere. The legs did not obey to the end. Then I sit down for a while. 

A lovely experience. I enjoyed Vegas. The pulse and pace, yet subdued with attitude. All kinds of people, old, young, rich, poor. Of cause, common among everyone were, worshiping the Gaming Devil. I will not put me over the mass, even I had a piece of the gaming. Unlike many in Vegas, I do not play out everything I have and own. Sums up my casino and poker games over time, I probably broke even. That's good enough for me. I play not so much to win, but for the atmosphere and the challenge.

Blackjack at Mandalay Bay
One of the evenings we had decided to play. We stood at the Mandalay Bay casino. It's about 150 gaming tables at the casino, in addition to thousands of slot machines of all kinds. I stood at a bar in the middle of the subdued inferno and tried to decide on which table games I would choose. There is a display on each table, replacing rank, 5-10-50-100 dollars random. The display shows the minimum bet for the game. If I sit down at the table when it is $ 5, it goes for me as long as I remain at the table, as minimum bet. 

At a blackjack table some distance away could hear laughter and cries. I looked at the display, it shows $ 100, no, it swaps to $ 5. I hurried on my wobbly legs and threw a $ 100 bill in a box. I told the dealer that I wanted to have small chips. I got 10 green and 5 red back. Let the game begin. 

At the table sat two Americans who were around forty. They laughed and were surrounded by beautiful waitresses who lit cigars and filled Bourbon in their glasses. The dealer was a woman in her fifties who laughed and pulled jokes all the time. Behind her stood two large dark guys with earpieces. 

After a few hands the guys got their eyes on me. I had been lucky for a while, and my stock of chips had increased respectfully. I had all together many green and red chips, and also two yellow 100 dollar chips. By this time I had also received Bourbon and cigar from the girls. 

I can not remember the boys' names, the called me "Sweed". They had just sold an oil rig in Texas, and had too made plenty of money. They were in their third day ... There were many funny stories with a lot of laughs. Suddenly, I had only three green chips left. Then exclaims one of the oil-drillers in the middle of a laugh "Hey Sweed, you can not sit here without chip". He shovels over some stacks of black chips to me. I look at those, and in the middle I could read $ 1000. Of courtesy, I played, and lost them all. 

When I had that much money on the table, the cute waitresses give even more attention on keeping my cigar on fire, and glass of Bourbon filled to the brim.

No, Vegas is probably not for me, It's too funny.
To be continued...

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Today at the Rehab

Sunday

Halfway. I had a small celebration for my self this morning. I took the fruit and vegetables from the breakfast buffet. A big load. I could feel the power from the tomatoes and kiwis flood out in my body.

Earlier this morning I made a big mistake. I forgot to take my Fampyra. My legs were like spaghetti during the day. I was moving around like a drunk. I tried before to jump over a doze, so I should have understand earlier why the legs did not respond. 

Before the water aerobics I use to swim under water the length of the pool. They told me it´s 17 meters. Today I manage the half distance. Of cause I was a little worried, and Dagmara my trainer asked me what is happening. After the pool we went up to the gym for cross-training. Same there. Legs did not respond. I tried the cables, same again, no support from the legs.

The last session of the day was massage. When I lie on the massage table, I found out of what I had forgotten today, Fampyra. It's good, then I know why.

It must never happen again.

My wife is visiting :)

Tomorrow my wife will join my training for a couple days. It will be nice to show her what I am doing here during four weeks. 

I had promised her the same diet as I have. At the same time I will show her the gym and the other healthy equipment that is to be found here. :)

Johan Nicole and Bernadeta

I just received an e-mail from my friend Johan. We meet here at Columna Medica a couple days ago. We had some fun discussions in the locker room and at the dinner. Johan did unfortunate have to leave in haste today. I didn´t have time to say goodbye. We keep in touch Johan.
  
Now I can feel my legs again. Goodbye Sunday and welcome Monday.