Fall fell, but it’s trying hard to disguise it. Yesterday, although for the most part cloudy, really was a nice day. The high temperature actually got into the eighties and that made for a pretty darn nice day. It was humid and that took away just a wee bit of the niceness.
The warmth will continue today, but we’ll just have to wait to see how high in the seventies it gets.
For the last two days I’ve been writing about yesterday’s scheduled trip to the cardiologist. I hope you never know how great it is to hear that doctor say that all is well. That hope comes from not wishing you to have to go through heart disease.
I don’t think I ever touched the ground getting home yesterday and the wait for Gator Wife to come home at noon to share the results was one of the longest waits I’ve had. First thing that happened was the assistant taking my blood pressure and heart beat. The BP was outstanding and the heart beat was exactly as my ICD (implanted combination defibrillator and pacemaker) was programmed to maintain. “It’s working perfectly,” she said.
Then it was the doctor’s turn. My heart pump function had been working at the 30% level which was the cause for the ICD. That was about 8 months ago. Today the pump is just a smidgeon below the normal level. He then said the most beautiful words I’ve heard in quite a while. “That means you’ve significantly increased your longevity.”
We had a discussion about my twice weekly exercise sessions. Look how well you’ve done and a lot of it has to do with that exercise, he pointed out. Then he added, much to my chagrin, “I’d like you to increase riding that bike to four times a week.” Ever since my challenges began with that crushed hip in 2000, I’ve been completely cooperative with my doctors and know full well they are working in my behalf.
Nine years later, it’s paying off and I won’t resist the added two days of stationary bike riding. The doc told me he knew I’d do it because I’ve done everything he’s asked of me. I’ll hate every minute, but it looks like an additional two days of some exercise is in my immediate future. It won’t be at the senior fitness place so the rest of my routine will continue to be only twice weekly.
Thanks for bearing with me as I share this new excitement. Now the first part of my season of poking and prodding is behind me. And I do have a few weeks before I face the second part.
Now, let’s see. What shall I bring up today? I did read something today on one of the forums I visit. A poster was lamenting that the electorate listens only to 30-second sound bites and makes voting decisions based on them. Those sound bites are continuing to tell only one small portion of the total story of any issue, whether it be health care reform, gay marriage, tax reform, or any other issue.
The real truth of the items we’re asked to accept lies in the bowels of those proposals and legislation, and it is incumbent on all of us to dig much deeper than those highly prejudicial sound bites. When we educate ourselves and learn truths about legislation and proposed legislation, we will then be able to return our government to “We, the people.”
GiM
2 comments:
We will shout out our CONGRATULATIONS to you for that great health report. I guess that the doctor really does know best, and you have proved that to everyone reading your text.
Keep up the good work,
Mrs. FF
Thank you, Mrs. FF. I had started the full bike schedule as I returned from the ICD absence at the fitness place last January. I didn't think it was doing anything except getting me worn out, but it coupled with the ICD has brought me to 5 percentage points of normal heart function. I won't resist the additional riding and, although not yet doing it, I've begun the process of making arrangements. I appreciate your following this ordeal.
GiM
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