My old trunk lives on in film

We've been getting rid of some old stuff on craigslist lately, mainly old furniture as a result of redoing our office. Among these items was my old trunk. My sisters had similar "foot locker" style trunks they used in college, so when it came time for me to start college, my parents found me one at a garage sale. We painted it black, filled it with stuff, and I hauled it out to Wisconsin for college career. As a central part of my dorm, it served me well as junk drawer, foot rest, coffee table, step stool, extra desk space, kitchen table, the list goes on...

In the years since college it remained mostly unused except for holding the occasional odd item I needed that was stashed away in there. So when we were looking to clear out some things from the house, we decided to post it up for sale on Craigslist. Similar trunks were going for $20 to $30, so we posted mine for $25. About a week later I was contacted by someone interested in the trunk and we set up a time on a Saturday afternoon.

He was very interested in the trunk and had asked a lot of specific questions about it on the phone earlier in the day. The man that arrived showed up with his dog, excited and barking. After putting the dog back in the truck, he then tells me they are shooting a world war 2 movie and they need an authentic foot locker. The producers had managed to borrow one from a member of the MN Red Bulls unit to shoot some trailer footage, but the owner wouldn't let them paint over some of the Red Bulls insignias and the like, so they needed one of their own on a limited budget. He was very happy about the handles on my trunk. Apparently he had looked at several trunks that day and most had broken or missing handles. This was important because he said there was an important scene where a young boy was supposed to pick up and carry the trunk by the handles. By this time I was pretty impressed with the story and was happy I apparently had the "perfect" trunk. All it needed was some repainting for their movie. He gave me the cash and started going on that his producers would want to know what he spent the money on, and how he would need to write up a bill of sale for the must-have $25 Craigslist trunk. He was thrilled with my tough old trunk and hauled it away.

After leaving, I wrote back to him by email and asked if he could tell me more about the production. The movie is called "Souvenirs". As I read about the movie and read some articles about the production everything made sense that my buyer had told me earlier. The movie is the fictional story of a Minnesota boy who finds his grandpa's old army foot locker full of "souvenirs" of the war, which gets his grandpa to open up about his experience. The grandson then grows up to fight in Iraq. While some of the press I read made it out to be a relatively low budget film, they still managed to bring in a notable actor James Cromwell due in part to his son (also in the movie) living in MN himself, and they'll be able to get some authentic army drills and equipment on film due to some cooperation with the local armed forces.

Since selling the trunk I've been keeping an eye on the production, and have started noticing stories about the movie showing up on local news. While obviously I have little to do with the movie, as a community theatre actor & singer I think it's really cool to have played even a small part in a serious film. I wish them good luck with the production and hope to see it when it's released, if for no other reason than to see my trusty old college trunk. Filming starts soon.

Links:
Official Souvenirs Website
Souvenirs Facebook page

The new home office takes shape

Several weeks ago, Beth and I were discussing what I could do in the future to keep up my exercising habit as was recommended by my doctors. I loved getting out for long walks, but that meant Beth would have to stay home with Nathan until I returned if he was in bed. Bad weather (especially winter) would hinder my ability to go out for walks. I don't want to take on the monthly expense of a gym membership, and even if I did that would take more time for each session due to travel time, prep time, etc. I had wanted to try a treadmill at home, but we couldn't think of a good place to keep one, and didn't want to take up space in the common areas of the house. I knew I liked the treadmill from using them at cardiac rehab, and I like mentally disconnecting while I listen to my favorite podcasts or an engrossing audio book.

This led us to come up with a new plan for the house. Beth's office downstairs was a room she found she didn't like to use. It was secluded in a corner of the basement, was usually cooler than most of the house, and generally inconvenient, especially if she needed to run upstairs if Nathan started making noise through the baby monitor. The room downstairs can't be a bedroom due to the lack of a window, and would work better as an exercise room anyway. My office upstairs would have room for two people if we could clear out some items.

We started going through our things, cleaning and organizing, and ended up selling my old desk and an old bookshelf on Craigslist. We also sold my old storage trunk on Craigslist which I have an interesting story about, but that's for another post. Once we sell off Beth's old desk I think we'll have offset most of the cost of the new office.

On Monday we headed down to IKEA with Beth's dad to help us haul stuff home while her mom watched Nathan. We had made up a plan for the office and picked up almost everything that day (we had to go back for some items that weren't in stock on Monday). Of course, we had to partake in the Swedish meatballs with lingonberries for lunch at the IKEA restaurant before we left. We picked out a series of VIKA AMON tabletops and VIKA ANNEFORS table legs with storage that would come together in the form of a large T-shaped desk for the two of us. I also picked up a SIGNUM cable organizer to mount under each desk to keep all the cords tidy and up off the floor. We also came home with a new wall clock, desk lamp, and a few other small accessories. Now that everything has come together we absolutely love the new space. We have more workspace than before and the room feels bigger to boot!

We figure the room will stay an office for a long time. This room was part of an addition to the house, and it doesn't have ductwork for air conditioning; just baseboard electric heat. The best way to keep things comfortable is to keep the door open and the ceiling fan running. Plus the vaulted ceiling means there is no attic space above to insulate from the outside temperature. Overall, it works well enough as an office, but we wouldn't want Nathan or other future children to live in a bedroom with this relatively poor climate control.

Now the downstairs (former office) room is our next project. Beth has moved out of the room, and now we just need to sell off her old desk and get rid of some more items. Once it's cleared out we can look for a deal on a low-cost new/refurbished/used treadmill and set up a little exercise space. The cool temperature downstairs should lend itself well to working up a sweat. Having the ability to exercise my heart and body year-round at home will be great. I'll be able to keep up a relatively consistent habit, and be more available as a husband and father. I want to keep my heart healthy and I don't want to become the person who has a treadmill that never gets used. Granted I have more of a reason than most to use it. At least for now I'm able to get my exercise walking outside, and assembling and moving furniture!

Fourth of July 2010 - Boating & Cherry Wine

The family enjoyed a fun Fourth of July this year on Mom & Dad's boat. The day started out rainy and windy as we made the 90 minute drive down to Red Wing, but the weather slowly turned around as we floated in the marina eating our lunch below deck.

Nathan enjoyed his first boat ride, much of which was spent sleeping thanks to the dark bedroom and slow rocking of the waves. He slept almost 2 hours for his afternoon nap. Once awake, Grandpa let him help steer the boat. He had a blast!



After we returned to the marina mid-afternoon, Dad and I went out to pick some cherries from some trees on public land not far from there. Dad had been there already to pick some for making wine and had also started picking some for me. By the time we got there, most had been picked already, but we were able to scrounge up maybe another pound, giving me about 10 lbs total, enough for at least 3 gallons (15 bottles) of wine.

We headed home at Nathan's bedtime so he could sleep on the car ride. This happened to be his last ride in the car seat since he's big enough now for the upright car seats. After putting Nathan to bed we enjoyed a relaxed evening, and I stayed up late to start processing my cherries for wine. The new batch is now fermenting away in the basement. Can't wait to try it!

Happy Father's Day 2010

Sunday marked my first official Father's Day, whereas last year Nathan was still in-utero. While it was bit hectic, it was a very fun day!

We started the day meeting up with Beth's family for a delicious brunch at The Sunshine Factory. We filled up on good food, and all came back to our house for gifts and play time. The kids had fun playing with Nathan's toys, and Owen especially enjoyed riding inside Grandpa Doug's new rolling cooler!

Mid-day we had a little break from all the action and took some time to relax while Nathan had a good nap. Then we packed up the car with baby supplies, Dad's card, our Taco Salad and some new Onion Bread I baked to share.

Mom & Dad's house was very busy but fun. We had all our families, my grandparents, and Mom's sister. Everyone brought some food to share and meat to grill for dinner. Dad took on the job of managing all the grilling, and did a good job. Since we had all 6 grandkids together in one place, Mom & Dad took advantage and set up a photo. All the kids sat really well, and we had fun trying to get them to smile and/or look toward all the cameras! The pictures turned out great and will be fun to look back on in the years to come. Dad needed a new weed trimmer, so me and Mom and my sisters all went in on it together. To throw him off, we all gave him potted weeds with our cards before giving him the trimmer. I can't take credit for the idea, but it was fun to be a part of the joke. Dad was really confused after opening three pots of weeds! We had fun visiting with everyone, including Nathan who got to be held by just about everybody.

The past 7 months of being Nathan's Dad have been a joy, and I'm proud of being able to celebrate Father's Day as one of the Dads. Happy Father's Day!

Twin Cities Heart Walk 2010

I've been planning on walking in the Twin Cities Heart Walk as a milestone in my recovery. Saturday morning I put on my zipper shirt and headed out to Target Field bright and early at 8am, and enjoyed exploring the stadium and all the booths and displays. I had my picture taken with the North Memorial team at 8:30, and met up with my parents at about 9am and gave them the tour. We had fun walking around Target Field, getting some free stuff, and taking in the whole event. We took a brief trip to the upper deck to see our season ticket seats and enjoy the view. I got a free massage for my sore neck at a massage & chiropractic rehab clinic booth, got some freebie toys for Nathan, a free pedometer, and enjoyed some free fruit and granola bars from a tent out on the Twins Plaza.

Most importantly, I got a free hat. Now I'm not much of a hat person, but it's what the hat meant. They only gave them to heart disease survivors. I just told the girl running the giveaway table I had heart surgery 2 months ago. Thankfully she believed me so I didn't have to show off my incision scar! Speaking of heart disease survivors... they had a nice "survivors area" set up with tables to sit at and get off your feet and out of the crowd. The area was roped off and they had free coffee and food for the survivors as well. What I found ironic and quite funny was the selection of food made available to the heart survivors there... just donuts and pastries. Glazed, fruit and cream filled, high fat and high sugar. Not exactly heart-healthy, but a nice gesture. While I was tempted, I passed and got a free banana outside. Now I just have to work on resisting food temptations like this more often.

Beth and I are fans of the NBC show The Biggest Loser, and O'Neal (the Minneapolis contestant from the most recent season of the show) made an appearance at the Heart Walk. Beth and I really liked O'Neal and his daughter Sunshine on the show regardless of them being from Minneapolis. I figured Beth would get a kick out of this so I said hello to him, told him my wife and I were big fans, and were proud of him and his daughter (who lost 124 lbs and 99 lbs respectively). He was very kind and appreciative during our brief exchange. I had my mom take my picture with him, and he proceeded to give both of us hugs, which I thought was nice. After we walked on, it dawned on me he probably thought mom was my wife, since I mentioned that my wife and I were big fans, and Beth hadn't arrived yet. We all got a good laugh when I shared my realization with Mom, Dad, and Beth later while we were walking.

Nathan woke up from his morning nap at just the right time so Beth could make it out for the start of the walk at 11am. Before we hit the street I changed into my North Memorial team shirt I had picked up earlier in the morning. Thousands of walkers poured out into the street, and filled the streets around the stadium. The rain was very light, and we didn't need our umbrellas for most of the walk. The first mile ran right through downtown, which was fun, and looped back to Target Field where people had the option to stop or keep going for the full 3-mile walk. Beth and Nathan stopped after the first 1-mile leg so she could go home and feed him.

Mom and Dad and I walked the remaining two miles, and eventually met up with one of my cardiac rehab nurses who walked with us for about the last mile. Once we got back to Target Field, Mom & Dad hopped back on the light rail to go home, I hung around a little while, and then headed home myself. Overall it was a great experience and we all had a good time. Two months ago I could hardly walk a block without burning chest pain. I've since had open heart surgery, narrowly avoided a heart attack, and now completed a 3-mile walk with no difficulty. Needless to say it feels great to be able to do the walk, and to be where I am today. I'm looking forward to getting back to a normal routine.

Nathan's First Twins Game - Happy Mother's Day 2010

Happy Mother's Day! It's been almost a month now since my heart surgery and I'm feeling rather well besides the occasional neck/back/incision pain. Things seem to be healing up well and today we got to go out and do something fun as a family.

This morning started off nicely. We lounged around in cozy clothes and I made pancakes for Beth for Mother's day. She got a card from me that showed a husband lying back in a recliner thanking his wife for taking care of him. Oddly appropriate right now I thought. I drew on the card and added a spirometer and a heart pillow. Nathan gave Beth a new 'I Love Mommy' bib, wrapped in one of his blankets, since he can't use scissors to cut wrapping paper of course.

This afternoon we packed up the diaper bag, a backpack of other supplies and the umbrella stroller and headed for Target Field to celebrate Mother's Day with the Twins and the Orioles. This was Nathan's first Twins game and my first game since surgery. I had no trouble walking and just took it easy with lifting the backpack. For some reason wearing the backpack made my back a little sore, but otherwise I did alright. It was great to be out. Kudos to Beth for doing all the heavy lifting (Nathan) since I could not.

He did better than we expected playing in Mom's lap, drinking a bottle, and even sleeping for almost an hour during the game. Around the 8th inning he was awake and starting to get fussy. We were impressed by how long he made it, and didn't mind leaving a little early and beating the crowd a little bit. It also helped that the Twins were ahead 6 to nothing. We made it back to the car and listened to the last few at-bats on the radio on the drive home. Now we're all tuckered out and will spend the rest of the evening taking it easy at home.

Happy Mother's Day!

Open Heart Surgery and Me

Wow, where do I begin? I'm sitting here in my recliner a mere week after open heart surgery, starting down the road to recovery, and trying to pull together the events of the last couple weeks here for posterity.

I had first noticed some chest pain and discomfort when I went walking for any extended period of time... out for a walk on my lunch break, walking into church carrying Nathan in his carseat, and walking around the neighborhood while Beth pushed Nathan in his stroller. I felt pressure at the base of my neck, which tended to radiate out over my collarbones and sometimes up into the back of my head. At first I thought it was some strange new muscle pain since I had just started being active once the weather warmed up outside. After a few days though it didn't take much to bring on the pain. Just walking from my car into my desk at work brought on a mild headache. The final straw was on a Tuesday trip to WalMart on my lunch break. I barely made it into the store before feeling chest pain and barely made it back to my car to sit down and call the doctor. I took the afternoon off work, went home, and had Beth bring me to the clinic for a mid-afternoon appointment.

Despite my young age (29) and lack of normal heart disease risk factors, my doctor took it seriously (which I'm told doesn't always happen). He ordered an EKG, a chest x-ray, and some blood work. All of these tests came up normal, so a stress echocardiogram (stress test) was ordered. We called the hospital and set it up for the following afternoon.

I went into work Wednesday morning and felt pretty good overall since much of my time there is spent sitting down with my body at rest. My boss was very understanding and helpful having dealt with his wife's heart issues in the past. We brought one of my coworkers up to speed on my big projects so they could move forward while I was out yet another afternoon. Little did I know I wouldn't be back for quite awhile.

The stress test was pretty straight forward. Record some ultrasound video of my heart at rest, walk on a treadmill until I hit 162 beats per minute, and record more video of my heart beating at that point. Getting to that point was a painful process, but I could appreciate the usefulness of the test... being able to re-create the problem for the medical staff who would be investigating. Like I had experienced before, chest pain set in fairly soon and got worse the longer I went. I kept telling the technicians about what I was feeling, pain level, etc. It was really tough. Once we hit the target heart rate I got back on the exam table and they took more video of my heart. After a few minutes of rest I was back to normal again. At that point I had my own cardiologist.

The cardiologist came in and described what they saw in the test. They could see in the video that some portions of my heart valves weren't opening and closing properly. This is usually caused by a blockage in one of the arteries of the heart. In my case, they were 90% certain there was a blockage in the Left Anterior Descending Artery. Needless to say Beth and I were shocked to be hearing this, and yet took some comfort knowing what was causing me so much pain and what could be done about it. The plan was to go in on Friday for an angiogram (test to locate the blockage) and possible angioplasty (implanting a stent).

After Friday's angiogram the terms "incredibly rare" and "incredibly lucky" were thrown around a lot. The blockage I had was not normal. It was called a Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection, meaning that the inner lining of the artery had torn and blocked the flow. This is very rare and there isn't any specific cause. Had the blockage happened only a quarter-inch "upstream" it would have most likely given me a heart attack and/or killed me. Because of the location of the blockage, a stent was not recommended. I would need open heart surgery to perform a bypass using an artery in my chest to bring blood flow below the blockage. The surgery would be a bigger ordeal and would require a longer recovery but in the long run would be better for me than dealing with the issues associated with stents. I stayed in the hospital Friday and Saturday waiting for my surgery on Sunday. My family set up my CaringBridge site to spread the news and keep everyone informed on how I was doing.

Thanks to my mother in law, our son was being taken care of, and I got to spend much of my time with my wife which made all the difference. She was my partner and friend throughout my hospital stay, and my second set of eyes and ears since I wasn't always able to focus on what was going on. Saturday night and Sunday morning were busy with surgical preparations. The last thing I remember before surgery was being wheeled down to an anesthesiology prep area with my family.

My first memory post-surgery was a half-conscious haze with a breathing tube in my throat. I was listening to my family talk to me and managed to talk back by writing messages in the air with my hands. I spent the rest of Sunday and part of Monday in the Intensive Care Unit, and moved up into my room on the 4th floor. Somehow I managed to get the best view of the downtown skyline from the corner room. Recovery in the hospital was rough, but it was the best place for me to be. Having Beth there much of the days really helped. My nurses and nurse assistants were very good to me, helping me when I needed it, and keeping an eye on my vitals. Sleep was ok, but never great. They also taught me some basic exercises I could start doing until I got my strength back. Progressively I got my various lines removed, and finally had my drainage tubes removed from my chest on Wednesday morning.

Thursday I got to go home from the hospital. A volunteer brought me down in a wheelchair while Beth brought the car around. It was a beautiful day and good day to go home. Each day since has been difficult in it's own way, and great in it's own way. Each day gets a little better. My muscle soreness has been getting better, my breathing has gotten better, sleep has improved, etc. My chest incision has been looking better, as have my drainage tube incisions. The recovery process has its own regimen to it. Right now I need to make sure I take all my medication, do my exercises, and take three 10-minute quarter-mile walks each day. As time goes on I'll e taking longer walks but right now that is about as much as I can handle. Everything happens slowly and I tire easily, but I can feel that getting better. Next week I start regular outpatient rehabilitation 3 days a week at the hospital.

It's going to be strange being home for 2 months without being able to lift or move anything over 10 pounds, but in the end, besides having a healed breastbone I think I'll come out of this a much stronger person.