Poker, Poker, & More Poker!

Well, I meant to write this after the last time I played cards for a long weekend, but the site was down and I never got back around to it.
So....I'm finally getting around to it.

We went to Shakopee a couple of weekends ago to relax and get a few hours in at the poker table and hopefully make a few bucks...   Didn't quite work out that way!

The first night I played things started out bad right away and never got any better....and I lost my limit for the night.  I played good disciplined poker in my estimation but the cards simply weren't going my way.  Sometimes that's the way it goes for a night...   Sometimes it goes that way for a week....  and it can go that way for a month and even a year.  That's why it's so important to have a bankroll that can handle the ups and downs.

Over the course of the next 2 days, things didn't go any better and by the end of the 3rd day I was stuck about $5000 for the weekend.  I was still happy about the way I'd been playing but realized it was especially important to really be disciplined if I was going to play again....

I'll try to explain to you how this can happen.  One of the days I was playing 30-60 hold-em because it was simply an outstanding game.  I sat and watched the game for awhile and saw it for myself.  It also was confirmed to me by a couple of players in the game that I have a lot of respect for.  There was one exceptionally loose player in the game who had a ton of chips and would more than likely lose all or most of them before the night was over.

I won a huge pot the very first hand I played and proceeded to win a few more over the course of the first hour or so.  I found myself $1800 winner and new there was a good possibility of a real good night.  I didn't come there to play for one hour....so I decided to keep playing and go for a really big score. 

The loose/wild player in the game had about $8000 or $9000 in front of him.  He had gotten exceptionally hot and started winning almost every pot he was in.  He ended up beating me in a few big hands and before you know it I was no longer a winner in the game. 

I decided to tighten up a bit and wait for him to "cool" off a bit and start dumping off chips.  Well, it simply didn't happen....  He just stayed hot and 4 hours later, I found myself about a $2000 loser.  After taking a beating the first couple of nights, I thought it probably would be best if I just called it a night and try again the next day....   So.... I ended up having about a $4000 swing in that game alone.

The next day, I talked to a guy who ended up playing in the game until 7:00 AM who told me that the loose player eventually left and cashed out for $2700 so he did end up dumping about $10000 but unfortunately I wasn't there for my share.  :)

The last day that I had to play I really didn't even feel much like playing after being treated like the ugly step-child the last 3 days, but I knew in my heart & mind that I was playing good cards, but had just been unlucky.

That 4th day started out just like the first 3.  I was playing 15-30 and lost the first couple of pots and found myself stuck $500 before you know it.
In my defense, the first big pot I had 3 jacks and was beat by a straight on the river.  The other big pot, I started with 2 aces and flopped 1 so I had a huge hand.  I ended up getting beat by a flush.  I just quietly mucked my big hands and didn't say a word.  I told myself to just buckle down and keep playing good cards....which I did....

I bought another $500 worth of chips and continued to play good cards.  I played for about 5 hours or so and managed to get $1200 winner.  I now told myself that no matter what, I needed to book a win just for my morale if nothing else.....but I also wanted to give myself an opportunity for a big win, so I kept playing.  I ended up losing a couple of small pots and winning a couple of small pots...and then I was dealt another pair of aces.  I raised 'er up and started to build a big pot.  To make a long story short, the aces ended up getting beat and I was a little over $1000 winner.

I decided to quit for the night, even though it was early....
I had finally booked a win and that was important.  I went back to the room and Christine & I drove around trying to find a good place to eat....

Financially it was a bad weekend, but over-all I felt pretty darn good about it.  I had been beaten up and kept playing good cards....making good judgement calls.... and just being unlucky.   You just can't do anything about that, except keep playing good.  If you have a few bad days like that and start playing bad, a bad weekend financially can turn into a horrible weekend (or week or month) financially.  I had perseverence and ended up ending the week with a decent win...
Overall, the bankroll took a hit, but I was OK with that.....

That brings us to this week...   I had my appt at Mayo clinic in Rochester this morning and that went exceptionally well.  There were no changes to my exam that was done 2 years ago, so the Dr is quite confident that there is no cancer and not even any need to do biopsies, etc....  That was great news!

After going to Mayo, I find myself in Shakopee for another weekend of cards.  I am intent on playing great this weekend and hoping for better results.  I planned on playing today/tonight, but after taking a nap, I'm still pretty tired, so I think I'm just going to get well-rested and start tomorrow.

Once again..... I will keep you posted....

Whatever Happened to Aging Gracefully?

Went in to refill my prescriptions this past week and was told that there wasn't a refill, so I'd have to make an appointment with the Dr to get a new prescription.

So.... I call the Doc & she writes a prescription for 2 weeks to get me by, until I can get lab work done to make sure everything's looking OK.  I currently take medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  I stop at the clinic to get some blood work done and at the same time I figure I can pick up my prescriptions in Pipestone.

Well, the next day, the fun starts.
I get a call from my Dr.'s nurse who starts going over "numbers" with me.
I'm a little familiar with what some of these "numbers" should be, due to the fact that I'm a volunteer EMT and have had emergency medicine training.
The nurse starts by telling me that my blood sugar is high and they want to test me for diabetes.  I ask her what the number was, and she tells me.... and it's a little higher than optimal, but nothing to make me get super concerned.
However, I have to get tested for diabetes later this month....and in the meantime I'll be monitoring my blood sugar.

She then asks me if I have been back to Mayo Clinic for a prostrate exam follow-up that was done in June, 2009.  At the time, I had an abnormal exam locally which included an enlarged prostate gland, as well as a couple of possible 'nodules' or areas that were a little harder than what would be considered normal.
This could be due to me having a prostate gland that is just a little bit more firm than what you'd see on most men.
I was referred to Mayo where they did another exam and basically confirmed the original diagnosis.
At the time, the Dr at Mayo recommended biopsies along with a couple of other procedures that seemed a little bit more invasive than I was geared up for.
We did discuss the options and decided to keep an eye on things and get it re-checked in 6 months...and hold off on any other procedures.
Well, 2 years later, I guess it's time to re-check it.
So... I tell the nurse that it's on my "list of things to do" and will get an appointment scheduled.
She affirms that the Dr. really does want me to get this done....  I assure her that I will.

I've made an appointment that is app 2 weeks from now.
I'm not looking forward to this at all!  I just got a feelin' in my gut that they're going to want to go ahead and do the biopsies and other procedures this time....   (and the exam itself isn't something that gets me excited)

She then goes on to tell me that "numbers" associated with my liver are higher than optimal and they are going to change my cholesterol medication to see if they can get on top of that.

Moving on to the next "number".....she tells me that my kidneys don't seem to be working quite the way they should....or at least "that's what the number's indicate".  :)

About this time.... I simply say to her, "Why the heck are all the "numbers" too high?" to which she replies, "that's what we want to find out".

Now, I'm not overly concerned about all of this.... but it's not exactly what I'd call, 'aging gracefully'.

All of the numbers that are high, (except the ones I'm already on medication for) are not exceedingly high, but just slightly over what is optimal.
I do however know and understand that this could be a sign of some underlying problem, so I'll do what I can to figure things out...including obeying Dr.'s orders, doing lab work, changing diet if needed, and exercising more....etc...etc....
None of that is a real big deal to me....

I am a poker player and am blessed with the ability to be pretty discerning.
I could tell that the nurse is concerned enough about things that I shouldn't just ignore it.

That being said, my outlook on life might not be typical.
I lived life in the fast lane when I was younger.  From a young age, I smoked, I drank....  occasionally smoked and ingested things that are considerably harder on your body than cigarettes....   I would throw caution to the wind, when it came to doing 'fun' stuff like trying to break land speed records, etc...  :)
When I was younger, I told myself and others that if I lived to be over 40 years old, it would be a small miracle in and of itself.  I figured that if I did make it to 40, anything over and above that would be considered a 'freeroll'.  I'd be living on borrowed time....
Well, I've made it to 45....and now...I'm thinkin' I'll probably make it considerably higher than that number....  (However if not...I wouldn't have anything to complain about)

My wife & I have been extremely blessed throughout our life.
We enjoy life itself, we enjoy close family on both sides...and we enjoy an extremely close relationship with our kids and grandkids....We enjoy the freedom that we have to travel and do fun things all the time...
Life is good for us....and I'm sure it'll be good for us well into the future...

I'll keep you posted on my "numbers"....but in the meantime, Christine & I are going to enjoy a very nice, very long, very relaxing weekend together in Shakopee, MN......(starting tomorrow) playing cards, playing bingo, and just kickin' back.....