Last Week In Chris: 6.21.26
A Sort Of Homecoming
Starting life over
Bowled over
Week one. My first few days back at home were pretty uneventful. Dad did almost everything — he cleaned the litter boxes, ran the vacuum, did the dishes, etc. He also repaired my sink's disposal, fixed a wonky doorknob, came up with a novel way to secure my busted dryer door, and “Parker-proofed” a few things around the house.
It was nice to have companionship during uncertain times, and especially to be cared for. I don't get that a lot, at least not in these ways. Typically, the only “Acts of Service” I experience are the ones I do for myself.
Dad and I did go out to eat a few times. Stiles Switch, Eldorado Cafe, 24 Diner, and Kerbey Lane. The old haunts. In no single instance did I order my “usual.” I passed over the fatty brisket, the gooey cheese enchiladas, the fried chicken-topped waffles, and the full stack of specialty pancakes. Instead, I selected the healthiest options I could find. I've already gotten into the habit of uploading menu pics to ChatGPT and asking for guidance based on my post-heart attack parameters. Pictured above is me eating an AI-approved chicken shawarma bowl at The Kebab Shop.
When I'm home, mealtime has become pretty pedestrian. A banana for breakfast, an apple with some peanut butter for lunch, a couple of handfuls of nuts as a snack, etc. I just picked up my groceries for the upcoming week and have added Greek yogurt, turkey-and-avocado roll-ups, and petite NY Strips with broccoli to my daily meals. I just wanted some easy meals this week, so minimal cooking and quick assembly guided my HEB shopping.
Until I can get paired with the Cardiac Rehab program's nutritionist, I'm trying to eat like I did when I was dieting a decade ago. Through changing how I eat — along with Ozempic and some light exercise — I'm hoping to drop 20 pounds by September. I'm then going to try to drop another 20 by the holidays.
People have been asking how I feel, and the answer has been a pretty surprising, “Alright.” Out of the 24 hours in a day, I've only been feeling off for about 30 minutes. From what I've read, some discomfort is normal in the first week or two after stents. All my clients were protesting my return to work, but it's not like I can take a medical leave of absence. If I don't work, I can't pay my bills. Unless people want to hand me free money, working is my only option. I have been taking naps, though, and pretty much took Friday off.
A return to routine. On the one-week anniversary of my heart attack, I went to Alamo Drafthouse to see the movie I had planned to see the night I was admitted to the hospital. “Disclosure Day” was about 80% meh and 20% awesome. The ending redeemed a lot of its faults, but I still left the theater underwhelmed. That's disappointing, given that Spielberg is involved.
The next morning, I went to Martha's Big Booth “networking” breakfast at Jim's Restaurant. One of our regular servers, Jinger, asked if she could hug me. The day after that, I went to my Writer's Group. About 80% of the regulars were there. In both instances, it was comforting to be around familiar faces. I'm now much more appreciative of what I have vs. dwelling on what I don't.
This coming week will be more of the same for me: Big Booth and Writer's Group, plus the Hong Kong action flick “The Furious” and “Supergirl.” I also have a haircut on Thursday morning and my Book Club on Sunday afternoon. I'm lucky to have things to look forward to.