Uno Chicago Grill does nutrition right
Kudos to the team at Uno Chicago Grill for adding EXCEPTIONAL nutrition information to their website. I've looked at a lot of restaurant websites this week and Uno is awesome! Because of the depth of info at Uno online, I'll be having my first meal outside the house at Uno!
UPDATE: Not that it surprises me, but it appears that Health Magazine Names Uno Chicago Grill America's Healthiest Chain Restaurant.
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May 9, 2008 2 Comments
links for 2008-05-08
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May 8, 2008 No Comments
A better Safari with must-have add-ons
Regardless of your particular browser preference, there's no denying that Safari has some great built-in functionality vis-a-vis the core OS X apps. I've always wanted to like Safari, but I never really have. Instead, my browser of choice has always been Camino, with an occasional Firefox window now & then.
In an effort to increase Safari's usability for me, here are a few plugins I've recently adopted.
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May 7, 2008 No Comments
My wife loves me 7% less
In the last 10 days, my weight has gone down roughly 7%, or fifteen pounds. Nurse Merrin gets all the credit, as my new diet and exercise plan is really starting to take hold. It's becoming easier & easier every day.
I don't have a set "goal" just yet (although I have one in mind), but I think the doctor will give me my magic number later this month.
Just think, in a few months, I'll be 80-85% the man I once was. 
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May 7, 2008 1 Comment
links for 2008-05-07
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May 7, 2008 No Comments
Beer: It's what's for dinner
It was kind of refreshing to see this "heart health" tip:
3. Have a beer once a day. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that men who drank one beer a day for one month lowered their cholesterol levels, increased their blood levels of heart-healthy antioxidants, and reduced their levels of fibrinogen, a protein that contributes to blood clots. Of course, red wine might be even better. Choose either beer or wine–not both.
Of course, my doctor said much the same thing - up to two drinks per day.
BEER: It's what's for dinner.
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May 6, 2008 No Comments
links for 2008-05-06
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May 6, 2008 No Comments
Lifestyle changes??
I've talked about several of the lifestyle changes ahead of me (diet, exercise, new meds, etc), but I've been remiss in mentioning one of the most confusing crossroads approaching quickly.
In preparation for my cardiac catheterization, the nurses shaved my upper thigh & groin area with clippers. But… since it wasn't exactly certain which leg the the doctors would use, they shaved both.
Eight days later, everything is starting to… grow back. I suspect it will only be another day or two before it starts to itch. Decision time is upon us, it would seem.
Thomas Paine was right - These ARE the times that try men's souls.
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May 5, 2008 4 Comments
links for 2008-05-05
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May 5, 2008 No Comments
Day 7
Today is my fourth day home since my heart attack seven days ago. I want to thank all of you for your comments, tweets, and emails. They're great pick-me-ups and have really helped me cope with everything I've been through in the last week.
I feel much better and much more comfortable. I am slowly adapting to allowing Nurse Merrin to do things for me, as I cannot lift anything heavier than 5lbs and cannot bend over for a few more days. We're starting to get into some pretty good routines and that is particularly important for me (as I tend to do better with a routine).
When I first came home, I was very nervous that something else was going to happen or that I would have another heart attack, even though it is almost impossible given the amount of medication that I am on. The only analogy I can think of is — you know how you listen to every single sound your car makes the day you get it back from the mechanic after a breakdown? Yeah, that. I was acutely aware of every muscle twinge, every ache, and every breath. If I sat wrong and my leg fell asleep… ACK! But… I am feeling less anxiety as each day passes and I am slowly begin to trust my body again.
We're continuing to tweak our menus and Merrin found a great Mac app to help monitor what we're eating. We were already eating well for dinner, but I can tell a difference now that Merrin is controlling my breakfast & lunch rather than having free reign. Not only do I feel better, but I can already tell that I am going to take the weight off pretty easily.
I am walking at least twice a day for about 15 minutes. For us, that means about three laps around the block — roughly 0.75 miles — twice daily. I'm also looking forward to walking in the pool for some additional exercise and a break from the routine. But the walking is something that we can do together, and that makes all the difference.
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May 4, 2008 3 Comments
To the Florida Hospital Staff
In a great internet coincidence, my blog post ("The Day I Almost Died") has been passed via email to the staff of the Florida Hospital, including several members of the Cath Lab team that saved my life on Sunday, April 27, 2008. Since I didn't have a chance to thank them personally, I'm hoping that this post will make its way to the Florida Hospital team as well.
[Read more →]
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May 2, 2008 1 Comment
The day I almost died
I have avoided getting too personal in most of my blog posts, but - as you have probably heard by now - I had a heart attack on Sunday, April 27, 2008. Since that day, I've heard from several of you that my experience has prompted you to take a closer look at your lives or for those in your life. With that in mind, I'd like to share with you my best recollection of the day I almost died.
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May 1, 2008 43 Comments
Hooray For Good News!!!!
It's Merrin again. I wanted to let everybody know that Kevin was discharged from the hospital today around 5:30, which was a day ahead of schedule. He's doing absolutely wonderfully, and the doctors are thrilled with how fast he's recovering. He spent a good part of today charming every nurse on the floor, and campaigning hard to get out of there early. He's on some new medication that will help his stent grow in, but other than that, he's almost back to "normal" (which, let's face it, for him is anything but 
). He's still plenty tired, but as long as he stays on his best behavior, I'll let him have his laptop back for a little while at a time starting tomorrow.
Believe me, Kevin DOES plan on getting back to everybody who has sent emails and kind words, but it's gonna take him a little bit (mostly because I'm the laptop nazi). We are both so appreciative of all of the emails, comments, and support we've gotten this week, and we are incredibly humbled by everyone's love and prayers. Thank you doesn't even begin to cover it.
As I said before, we'll be sure to keep you updated, either here, or over at my place.
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April 30, 2008 1 Comment
Dude. Wait, What?
Hi there, it's Merrin, stepping in for Kevin. I'm sure many of you have heard that Kevin is in the hospital recovering from a teensy-weensy little tiny heart attack (which, by the way, is akin to being a little bit pregnant….either you are our you aren't). He had a stent put in to open up the blockage, and he's recovering right on schedule. He's doing just fine tonight (in fact, he's getting some much-needed sleep), and he'll be moved out of the ICU in the morning. Now, before you get all crazazy with the "Dude. Wait. What's", please know that I have taken away his laptop and his cell phone—at least until he's discharged late this week. However, please feel free to send him some love either in the comments or via email—-I AM letting him Twitter occasionally and check his email a couple of times a day.
I'll keep you updated either here or over at my blog.
{rant} Oh, and the biggest message we can get out there right now is this: HAVE AN EKG. If you have a family history of heart disease, demand one. Kevin doesn't drink (frequently OR excessively), he's never smoked, and he's never done a drug in his life. This is genetics, pure and simple. If you, or your spouse, is on cholesterol or triglyceride medication, and you haven't had an EKG, GET ONE. If Kevin had had the test done–even a couple of months ago–this could have been avoided. Have a physical. Be brutally honest with your physician. And DEMAND the care you deserve. Kevin got really, really lucky. And we're grateful for that, but we'll never take it for granted. {/rant}
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April 28, 2008 8 Comments
If you're in need of a free Blackberry phones
For those of you who are looking for a Blackberry phone
So… if you're in need of a Blackberry Pearl
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April 27, 2008 No Comments