Dust is Settling...

Hello Everyone,

Sorry for no posts for a while, I've been going non-stop since early last week and just now getting a little breather.

I know I never mentioned this but I was able to continue on the trial after getting my platelets to go up 12,000 points in one day! I'm not going to swear by this yet but this is the second time I've eaten a bunch of pineapple before a blood test and had my platelets go up so dramatically. I mean, never before have they gone up so much in one day. You know that for sure I'm going to be eating at least a pound of pineapple before every future blood draw (except the days where I have to fast for scans).

So the holidays were great, had a nice mellow new year and think I did my birthday up pretty well. It all started at the last Lions game where my buddy and I got some cheap seats and snuck into club level. They convincingly beat the Vikings for their fourth straight victory to end up the season. With a couple of breaks here and there and if we were able to have our #1 quarterback available to the whole season, I think the Detroit Lions would have made the playoffs, that's right, the f'n playoffs! I am going to stick my neck out and say that next year, even if Stafford doesn't come back, we are still going to make the playoffs and maybe make some noise. I just watched Green Bay beat Philadelphia and we just beat Green Bay and gave Philadelphia a great game. I also watched the Jets win and remember we should have beat them too... The Bears who are also in the playoffs should have lost to us twice! Let's just say I'm really excited for next year and I haven't been able to say that since Barry Sanders played for us.

My actual birthday was really nice. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures to post yet though... I met all of my family at this restaurant called Tin Fish in Macomb Twp. I've never semi planned my own birthday party before but wanted my family who has been so supportive of me through my hard times around. I truly didn't think I was going to make it to 40 when I was going through my toughest times and it seemed like a big deal. I requested to my Mom to spread around that I didn't want any gifts but my family doesn't roll like that! All I can say is that to all of you who put something in your card, I am forever grateful and plan to use the money to take a vacation to Hawaii or somewhere exotic! It'll most likely be Hawaii as now I have two people to visit, cuz Jeff on Oahu and buddy Mike on the big Island (as of a few days ago).

So the next morning I had to pull myself together and pack and catch a 10:30 flight. Because it was a flight, there had to be a near tragedy but I'll save this story for another time because it would take an entire blog to explain what happened...

Glad to say that I did make it to Delray however and it couldn't be nicer! I'm entertaining a buddy and it's always nice when you have guests and the weather cooperates.


Made a trip down to South Beach Miami where everything in colorful, even the life guard shacks on the beach!


Lotsa Flavah in South Beach :)


Everybody is so festive (tasteful body painting show at Clevelander Hotel)


Lots of interesting characters everywhere (quite a contrast to the above pic!)


Had lunch at the Clevelander Hotel and watched a little football.


An ants view from the beach!


This week is my week to start putting my ducks back in a row and plan for 2011 (the best that I can).

Looking forward to hopefully a great year!

Cheers :o)

Chris