Life in Circles - 7 years MIA

First Week back at Kung Fu - April 2024

2017 was pretty good for me, working casual at the University, casual work at markets on the weekend. Training heaps at Kung Fu, building props etc, but then I decided to bite the bullet and start a business. The wrong way, with no financial support. 

Working 100 hours a week (not exaggerating) and barely making enough to eat, I could no longer afford to keep training, nor did I have to time to do so. It was 100% business and nothing else. It was running fine for a while but soon became unsustainable due to factors outside of my control. Still working huge hours and making no money, drinking cheap wine to ease the pain from working so much. Never the less, this soon lead to burn out. The business failed, we lost everything, our rental house was up for sale so we had to move. All of this happened within a few weeks. Hashtag stressful. 

The New Tiny House

We were lucky to find a tiny rental house on a large property not far from our current place. We wanted to keep our daughter in the same school so this was ideal. Affordable rent and we were just talking about living more self sustainable anyhow, so this suited perfectly.

Coal Pilot Plant at Core Resources 2018

I managed to get a new job plant operating in a coal pilot plant. I wasn't too keen on mining but we needed income. This wasn't too bad actually. I learnt a lot about Hydrometallurgy and started taking on more responsibility. The project was only supposed to run for 3 months however ended up running for an additional 9 months or so. While that was finishing up the Maintenance tech resigned and mentioned that I should apply to replace him. Which I did. Taking over all maintenance in the facility and helped run the warehouse operations as well. 

Home Made Forge

While working in the mining industry I learnt more about how metal is extracted and smelted. This led to an interest in forging and I eventually built a forge and started experimenting with metal work. I forged my own belt buckles, and built traditional style iron hinges. This then led to an interest in sword play, I mentioned in a previous blog that I wanted to make my own Armour and swords and learn how to use them, so I then joined Collegium in Armis (CIA), A Historical European Martial Art (HEMA) or "Historical fencing" school and started to learn 14th Century German Long Sword. My Wife expressed an interest and also joined. We now have his and her custom Federation longswords and a huge amount of kit to go with it. I also did start to make armour and made a couple of custom practice Montante's for mates. This was a great time, training on weekends and attended a few Historical events and charity fund raisers.

Forged Belt Buckle 

After a couple of years though, I grew bored of the current job. My Wife decided to go back to Uni and study another Degree and I also started an Electrical Engineering degree. This was probably not the smartest idea as we didn't have a huge income. I was working part time in retail and studying part time.

Bike with Beer

Then after more car breakdowns and not having the money to repair them I started riding a bike everywhere and used funds meant for Car Rego on an ebike kit to make it easier to travel long distances. I would travel to Uni and work by bike which did save a lot of money. Its been almost 3 years without a car in the family and we still don't have one as of the time of this post.

Maths

Struggling with the enormous amount of maths in engineering and a lack of funds, I noticed a job going at the University again. Almost the same job I had in 2017 but full time. After a short discussion with the family we decided to go for it. Studying was going to be hard but was determined to do this in my lunch breaks and after work. Yeah right are you serious? It only took 2 months before I decided to give up on the Engineering degree. I honestly don't know how ANYONE can study and work full time, or study at all without support from your parents or other half. 

Test and Tagging lighting Fixtures at work

So here we are in 2024, working back at the Uni, Riding a bike everywhere with no car, Wife has finished her Degree, Daughter is Home schooled, We haven't trained at the HEMA school since the car broke down so we haven't been training in anything. I've packed the weight back on to 99kg, drinking wine with dinner every night and generally just 'Life'. But is that really 'Life'

March 2024. Monday morning. I head to work with hardly any sleep as usual. Routine as usual, coffee, office, emails etc. 

Then my heart shit its self

180pbm for no reason. Palpitations the doctor called it. I honestly thought I was dying which triggered a full panic attack. Like the Anxiety I've experienced in the past but so much worse. My supervisor called the ambulance and now its not the usual Monday morning, sitting in a hospital bed with a ton of cables attached to me, blood tests and now waiting. 8 hours. I've been in hospital a bit recently. Broken wrists from one bike accident and Hit by a car in another so its not unfamiliar. 

Finally saw the doctor and blood tests look normal except abnormal Liver and kidney function. Not 'you are going to die' kind of level but enough to get a warning about drinking too much Red Wine and coffee. 

A week later I follow up with my doctor and get a mountain of referrals. More blood tests, 24 hour Halter ECG, Heart imaging etc. and told to not drink any Alcohol or caffeine at all until we get all the results back. 

I told the doctor I used to be super fit, Kung Fu pushing my heart to max heart rate for extended periods and generally healthy life style. Since I'm not allowed to drink alcohol and Caffeine I've been sleeping better, which means I feel better during the day, which Led to taking walks and getting more exercise.

Then I had this crazy Idea, I can go back to Kung Fu training. I mean I feel pretty good, lost a few kilo and I recon I can handle training again. And it is year of the Dragon and I'm a Dragon (1976), so its perfect. 

6 weeks later the tests are complete and results are back., I'm fine. perfectly healthy. Since I spent 6 weeks working towards getting my health back on track, my blood tests levels have all gone back to were they are expected to be. The Doctor said I am in the low 2% change of having a heart attack in the next 10 years and "Just keep doing what you are doing".

Back at Kung Fu Week 2

Since that day in March, (almost 3 months) I've lost 10kg, sleeping better, not drinking any alcohol, or caffeine, only caffeine free herbal teas, and back focusing on Kung Fu for the past 4 weeks. My daughter has even joined so we both spend all day Saturday training in Shaolin Kung Fu and Lion Dance at Shaolin Kung Fu Guan Brisbane. It's almost feels like nothing has changed.

Once again life comes back around in a full circle. I'm back to where I was in 2017, but I'm by far not the same person.

I forgot I had this blog, only stumbling upon it recently and deciding to start it up again. A lot has happened over the past few years so I intend on filling in the blanks and posting all of the stories as back dated content in chronological order. Plus we have a lot of projects on the go so I'll keep it up to date here in the future.