Staying the Course -- 10--16--2017

[Superbob]

Busy, busy day -- have a deadline to meet. Yes even at my advanced age, I run into those. Have a follow-up at my cardio's Wednesday on the echo, so have that to look forward to. Will take a little time to help DW make beef stew this afternoon 'cause son is coming over and it's one of his favorites and he's "down" about various things. Aren't we all from time to time, but figure Big Mama stew will help his mood improve.

Wondering if I'm going to continue my exercise class, so much going on. But maybe I just miss our instructor who is away til end of month to help her hubby through back surgery. But if I have this hand surgery, not sure I can benefit for a while just doing dumbbells, stretch bands, and not to mention planks one-handed. We'll see. The substitute teacher is good for 20-somethings but not trained to do senior class. Doesn't even stop for water breaks (though I take them on my own)....

Thunderstorms supposed to be headed in this afternoon bringing a spell of cooler weather, 70-degree days/50-degree nights -- near about perfect in my book. Bring it on.

Stay the Course!

Cheers,

Superbob

 

[epstns]

Hang in there, SB! I hear you on those deadlines. I have a desk full of them, even though I'm trying to plan my way into retirement in less than 6 months. Somehow I'm not sure how that is going to work, but I still have hopes of pulling it off.

I hope that Big Mama stew helps your son. I know that in our house, comfort foods do help for a lot of problems, and often the ability to sit around a table and talk about what bothers us adds to its effect. It isn't easy when we have big issues to work through, but I am sure having mom and dad there to lend their support is priceless. Heck, even at my age (just a bit younger than yourself) there are times when I wish I had one of my or my wife's parents to talk with.

We're starting to get our early fall weather here, too, but I'd rather have yours, SB. We are now having daily highs in the low 60's and overnight lows in the lower 40's. That in itself isn't bad, but it is just the reminder that soon it will begin to get even colder. Winter is the only season I don't really like. . .

I'm not sure how they would bandage your hand after surgery for your trigger-finger, but if they don't immobilize the whole hand and wrist, why wouldn't you be able to plank? The way I was taught (right or wrong) is to rest my weight on my forearms, with fists clenched. I don't think it matters much how I hold my hands versus core tension. Or would they just advise against these activities just to be sure you don't injure anything accidentally?

Soon the weather will tell us it is time for hearty stews and soups. I love them, but don't love that weather. . .

Stayin' the Course!

 

[honeybunny]

Hope you don't get too stressed out meeting those deadlines, SB.

Steve, cooler weather here in Houston, too. Was in the 40s before the sun came up. Amazing how much more energy I have when the weather cools.

No news good or bad to report. I'll take it. Have a great week everyone!

 

[Paleowoman]

We had a most interesting weather phenomenon yesterday. Hurricane Ophelia passed by over northern Ireland yesterday, and although we were not affected by the winds in the London area, during the afternoon the sun became very red and the light changed similar to when we’ve had a near eclipse or a kind of dusk. It was very strange. I guessed the sun's colour and the light had changed due to sand from the Sahara being caught up high in the atmosphere by the hurricane. The press are reporting it with lots of photos. Today it happened again for just about an hour at midday. It is so warm too, not like the usual weather we get this time of year.

Will be thinking of you Superbob tomorrow at the cardio appointment.

 

[epstns]

Anne - If you get tired of that warm weather, just send it along to me. I get the feeling that soon I will be wishing for it. 42F this morning.

 

[Superbob]

You are correct about the planking technique, Steve. Usually done on forearms with fists closed, not necessarily clenched. Probably could do those, but would need to find out for sure from post-op instruction, which will include some form of PT going forward. Pretty sure, though, that using surgical hand for weights and stretch bands would have to be off-limits for maybe a month or so.

First, have to see today if cardio will clear me to have the procedure done. Appreciate your observations -- and have enjoyed all the observations this week from our merry band of course-stayers.

Cheers....

 

[Superbob]

Well, got my echo results, and they are basically okay. The replacement valve/root is working well. Ejection fraction 60-65% -- normal. Aortic root 4.2 -- actually down slightly from 4.3 a year ago. The one concern is left atrium -- severely dilated (as it was a year ago) but up from 5.8 cm in 2016 to 6.18 cm now...That's a concern. Apparently not a doggone thing I can do about it --- continued growth puts me at risk for a-fib, and then whatever meds or other recourses might be necessary. Left atrial enlargement still pretty much a mystery to me.

Anyway, overall pretty good report, and I assume I am cleared for the hand surgery. Cardio never actually said so but I assume the okay now goes to the orthopedist.

 

[Paleowoman]

Good to hear that your echo is "basically okay". I don't know anything about left atrial dilation - presumably it's not related to your replacement valve, and your cardio is keeeping an eye on it.

Hope you can get your trigger finger sorted now !

 

[epstns]

Sounds better than you expected, SB. I think (don't have my echo report handy) that I've had mild hypertrophy since before my surgery. Probably still do. Mine seems to be stable, though.

If you do go into afib, I think you will know. They have both medical and surgical treatments for that condition now, so you don't have to live with it. I had afib for a while after my valve replacement, and they gave me amioderone for a few months. That held it down until I healed past it. My cardio said that if I needed medication long term, he would switch me to multaq - which has fewer long-term side effects.

Hang in there. Like so many folks in our age range, we all may die from something else before our known issues get us.

 

[Superbob]

Thanks, Steve. Well, I got to thinking about my left atrium a lot more than I usually do, so today I rummaged through some old medical papers and found numbers for an echo I had done in 2006, year after my heart surgery, The diameter was 5.9 and the notation was "left atrial enlargement." Nothing about "severely," So now it's 6.18 in the latest echo, and the notation is "severely enlarged." Seems to me that's not a huge increase over almost 12 years and some of it could even be measurement error. I do appreciate my cardio, the echo tech, and the whole office -- feel they are monitoring me closely, and that's good. But I am unconvinced this is a big deal. Remember being told by assorted docs over many decades that it's reasonable for my heart to be larger than normal because, well, I am a XXL guy. Anyway, will tell cardio about my discovery in the old files.

 

[Superbob]

My Facebook post this morning:

My favorite event of the year: Completed the survivors' portion of the Heart Walk today at North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex. Met a lot of amazing people who have overcome heart or stroke difficulties and are staying the course. A very good day.

Staying the course!