Fitness for Life

How does one measure the slipping of one's quality of life from day to day? How does one discover the infinitesimal downward spiral of failing health? At what point does one realize that they no longer posses the vitality of their youth? Aging -it is inevitable. So quietly it sneaks upon us. Unbounding energy ebbs and flows in the days of our youth, but as youth's follies are replaced by the wisdom of years, vigor becomes illusive. I am no longer a youth, but nor am I old man. I am at an intersection of life that is considered the peak of a man's marketable value. The vigor of youth still resides in my bones, while the promise of a successful career is just beginning to come into fruition. Yet the means by which we earn our daily bread has tilted the balance. What was once earned by the sweat of our brow has been supplanted by the ease of a modern society. The struggle of living is no longer in obtaining food, but managing social and life stressors.

Maintaining a healthy balance thus is the challenge in the modern man's affairs. To be successful in one endeavor it seems he must neglected another. This has always been my challenge. My success in academics has always come at the costs of physical health -maintaining a regular exercise routine, sleep, and even healthy eating. Failure to achieve success in the facets of my life has always resulted in a social withdraw. Yet balance is so important. Without balance one can only expect to maintain success within any particular aspect of life for a limited thread of time.

At the onset of medical school I was determined to maintain balance -to eat healthy, to maintain a regular sleep schedule, to exercise daily, and to attend to my social and personal needs. Possibly the first week I maintained balance, thereafter, well.. its medical school. As I embark on a new semester I will attempt for balance once again. Come Christmas break we will see how much success I meet in my endeavor. It will be difficult to eat as I would like, due to the limited resources I am under in both time and availability to a proper grocery store. In regards to sleep, other than the normal nightly insomnia, I get enough sleep. Sleep is too important in my ability to function properly, so I don't often let that one slide as I did in my youth. In regards to exercise I feel I've developed a good routine. The challenge will be in sticking to it. Monday and Wednesdays are dedicated to strength training. Tuesdays I will have the pleasure of running along the beach. Thursday is pylometrics, which is an exercise born of the devil. It requires a lot of jumping around. It gets your heart rate up and your legs will feel like Jello for a good three to five days after, at least initially. I take Fridays to cool off by swimming in the ocean. Although I'm not very good at it, and I swallow a lot of salt-water. At present I am focusing on breathing technique so I don't drown myself. Then Saturday is yoga. Yoga -oh my! I sweat more with yoga than running. So many people look upon yoga with a queer eye, as well did I, until trying it. Yoga is more than a bunch of contorted body poses and oms. It enhances flexibility while also enhances strenghth. If you want to improve your game, what ever that may be, then you will do yoga. Finally, Sunday is a day of rest.

It's vital take care of the body, for in caring for the physical you allow the body to take care of the mind. And as a medical student I need a clear mind. If I can attend to the needs of my schooling and physical well being, then my social and personal needs should naturally fall into place, as they tend to be most vulnerable to unhealthy levels of stress, but innately in the absence of stress they abound.

Monday begins a new semester with new challenges. I'm crossing my fingers that I'm up to it.

Cabrits

Fort Shirley at the Cabrits 

The walls of these buildings are between two to four feet thick, made to withstand cannon shot.

Portsmouth was a key port in the defense of Dominica. 

The fort is currently being renovated. 

The road leading up to the fort. 

Northwest

The view from my meandering today. Looking to the Northwest. (I'm always looking that way with a long feeing.) The white building in the center are on campus. 

And this is the view looking in the easterly direction. 

The Neighborhood

Today is my last day in the neighborhood. I will be moving a little closer to campus tomorrow. I like the area well enough, but it is a little bit of a walk. (Twenty-five minutes really isn't that much, but time is so precious.) Before I leave the area I thought it would be nice to take a stroll along the streets and capture a few shots of the area. Brief as it was, this is what I called home.

Homes next to the soccer field. 

It was this tree that I took a mango from for my first breakfast in Dominica 

There is no freeway in Dominica. Travel between the cities is by this single, very windy road around the island. The coast line jets in and out. If you're a little sensitive to motion sickness, it's recommended to take some anti-nausia medication before you get in the taxi at the airport.

Fishing boats taking a day off.

The first specimen of the wild life of Dominica. This particular species runs wildly about the streets and can be heard at all hours of the day and night.

Some eggs are sold  -some hatch. 

A common site. A cow (or usually a goat) is tied to a tree along the road side.

This wild creature was playfully bounding away.

You can't see it in this frame, but mama is lying peacefully to the left, and the twin is standing on some cinderblock to the right. 

Curious. Where does that trail lead to? An adventure for another day.

The roads I walk daily.

Kids playing soccer in the street.

View down my street.

Home, for one more day. I was often seen sitting on the balcony wall on the days that I studied at home.

Peekaboo

You may be asking yourself, "Exactly why is he taking a picture of himself in the mirror?"

Peekaboo! I see you!
(I promise, I returned him to the wild yesternight, but he returned. And he isn't cute, he's ferocious. Rawr:) 

Barking Dogs

My "dogs" are barking. I hate the phrase, and I curse the name of the person who taught it to me so many years ago (though I don't remember their name, or even their face for that matter). Without fail, when ever I work a long shift, and my feet hurt, I think of my barking dogs. And today they are barking, after 14 hours on them, with little reprieve. The support for the particular shoe that I choose to wear today aren't very good, but at least I was sensible enough to wear shoes for my EMS shift today, instead of the usual flip flops. I think it's only the third time I've worn shoes since I've arrived to the island. My first shift of the semester was uneventful. The second I received a call at midnight to attend to a student who passed out (from intoxication) and as a result needed stitches. My third shift I responded to a broken hand. And today, my fourth shift, I'm returning home at 5 AM after a day of responding to sports injuries, scratches, and to finish off (assuming I don't received any further calls between now and when I hand over the phone in the morning) a combination of vomiting, diarrhea, and sever dehydration. I'm not complaining, just illustrating the real life experience that I'm receiving above and beyond your typical medical student. The young lady tonight was very thankful for the care she received under our watch.

I haven't yet hit my study goals today, so it is back to studying for me (a for the barking dogs, a hot tub of water).

Day Fifty-Four

The river bridge that cross every afternoon. 

I wish you could see the images of my day that I am not able to capture. The photo above really isn't interesting in any particular way. Yet as inartistically as the scene is, there is something to be said for it. Had I shot the scene, some weeks ago it would have show a man bathing along its banks. I've mentioned this before. I see the gentleman often enough, probably 4 or 5 times a week in passing. He hangs around the "Shacks" and the dining tables outside the grocery store. Some days I see him without shoes, some days with. His clothing is nearly aways torn, but not soiled. I wonder if he notices to what degree I observe him. I was discussing his situation with the taxi driver who takes me home nearly every night. He has many children, though none are believed to live here. He took an accident to his face some years ago, disfiguring his lip. It is not exactly known why he chooses to live on the streets. Speculation might say that loss has driven him. I will admit, it's a thought experiment that I've given much thought to: To live homeless, having nothing, having no one. How would I survive? I have spend many hours over the years contemplating the answers to these questions, and more. The scene I would have you see today would be of the gentleman sifting through the rubbish bin out side the grocery, hoping to find his dinner. I just had mine. I feel immense compassion when I look upon his life.