Staying the Course -- 07-12-2016

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Superbob

Steely Resolve!
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2005
Messages
8,481
Location
Coastal Carolina
Hello all. Had trouble getting on here for a good while; guessing the system was down.

Anyway. I am kicking off another STC week. Enjoyed the comments last week.

Very hot and humid here, with occasional giant thunderstorms brewing up. The word for this phenomenon is: July.

Personally, I will welcome autumn -- but we have the summer course to get through first.

Will add some more as we go along -- it's late at night, and this is just a quick starter.

Cheers,

Superbob
 
Morning SB. I'm scribing for a safety study this month so I've not been here much. And not much to report on my weight issues. But I'm hanging in there. Thanks for keeping this forum going strong!
 
I'm around for just a bit, as I mentioned in my other thread. I'll be getting the pacemaker lead done soon, so I may be around more, or maybe less, for a few days.

On the weight management front -- all the "fasting" required for some of the tests I've needed in the past few weeks have taken me down to my summer target weight. That's the "good" news. The bad side of the story is that it probably won't last, once I get back to eating normally. It may be a double-whammy if my activity level is curtailed by much.

Oh, well. Life IS. As I've sometimes said, quality of life doesn't matter in the absence of life.

See y'all when I get back.

Staying the Course.
 
Steve, all best with that pacemaker procedure. As I said in other forum, sounds like you and your team are both well prepared -- we look forward to hearing from you -- best wishes for smooth recovery.

Honeybunny, always good to hear from you, too -- hope the safety study goes well....
 
I've been doing pretty well on the weight loss front. I've lost 21 pounds in the last few weeks by doing the Atkins diet. It's been having an effect on my INR though with all of the salads and weight loss. I'm trying to figure out what the best dosage is (with my cardiologist's nurse) to keep me in range. I expect to keep the program going until I reach a goal of dropping 50. I have been exercising during this time but it's only been cardio. I hope to keep the weight loss going strong by adding in some strength training too. It's been over 90 nearly every day here, so it's prevented my son and I from doing too much for too long outdoors. Staying the course!

Tom
 
I don't envy you SB. The heat (and humidity) in your part of the US is not fun. We in Western PA have been having some warm days - in the high 80's F, but it has been dry. In fact, we need rain, or should I say the garden and grass wants rain. I'm OK with sun and party cloudy. With our evenings cooling down to the high 50's - low 60's F, I wouldn't trade weather with you.

I'm finding I'm at some kind of threshold in my weight department. I'm stuck just over 180 lbs. My goal is to drop another 5 lbs, but I have been unable to get under 180 for the past two weeks. I know I need to get more active but find I get tried too easily after a few hours of grass cutting, outside work or walking. I mark that up to my stenosis and my age. Also,my extra incomes requires me to be sit at a desk which does nothing for loosing weight. But, we will stay the course and keep at it. Determination does wonders.
 
sounds like you're staying the course admirably Fred. I know well about those weight plateaus. You mention stenosis -- same battle here, but I find that the more I can keep moving and shed a few pounds along the way, the more mobile I am -- though it is still a struggle at times. It's hard for us to have perfectly healthy, low-cal meals all the time, though, because my wife has health problems and I am a lousy cook. So we do eat-out or take-out more than is good for you.
 
Breaking News! ---- Check out Heart Talk forum -- re "sitting here and eating a turkey sandwich." Steve, stalwart Stay-the-Course guy, is already posting after his pacemaker retooling....excellent news! Sending him good vibes for smooth recovery....
 
Fred, being within 5 of your goal is great! It's tough having fatigue in the picture. Hope the last few pounds turn loose soon.

Wishing Steve smooth sailing!



My new cardiologist said I'm doing things right. That was encouraging, re: my weight loss in the last year and maintaining it, and exercising. He said to keep heart rate under 120 for now. I've been bumping higher than that, so I need to dial back intensity a smidge. Can do.
 
Hi, everyone!

Well, post-op day 2 has been better than day 1. As I noted in another thread, more of the swelling has gone down, more bruising is becoming evident (including what may be a real trophy-winner on my left inner forearm, where they inserted one of the instrument catheters), and the pain has been manageable with extra strength Tylenol. The only new surprise is what I believe is a yeast infection from the Vancomycin I was given IV while in the hospital. That has started in a very uncomfortable area (like the last time I had heart surgery), and so far I am only treating it with over-the-counter anti-fungal meds. Last time it took weeks to subside, but I'm hopeful it will not last as long this time as I've had less (I think) of the Vanco and I caught the infection earlier.

So, I too am Staying the Course. I'll see next week what lasting effect this all may have on my weight, but I'm not really expecting any real impact. I dropped a few pounds during pre-op testing, due to test schedules that caused me to miss a number of meals, so that won't last.
 
Sounds like the kinds of dings, and bruises, and even infections you can get from going through heart surgery -- but hope all will resolve soon, Steve. Great to have an update, and hoping the sailing is smooth from now on.
 
Steve, glad to hear your second day has gone better and hope everything is on the upswing now. Yikes to the fungal stuff! I had a persistent fungal groin infection last summer and truly it's a miserable event. I hope the yeast is eradicated very quickly for you.
 
I'm now in day 5 post-op, and still making progress. Weight was down 1.5 lbs this morning versus yesterday. I must have forgotten a meal or something. . . I know it won't stay down there.

I see my EP doc on Wednesday morning for 1-week post-op check and release back to life. I don't expect any surprises, the way things have been going.
 
Steve, that's all very good news!

I cheated on exercise yesterday. Wasn't feeling great. Late in the evening I walked all the aisles in a nearby grocery, is all. Must return to exercise plan today.
 
I'm still sitting here in my air-conditioned home, hoping that it will cool down enough before it gets too late to walk this evening. I did about 2.5 miles this morning, but I am chomping at the bit to add another mile or two - just to get tired enough to sleep tonight.
 
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