normofthenorth
Well-known member
Bump, in case somebody missed it who's got some wisdom to share about PACs, etc.
Norm's Story so far, starting with recovery
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normofthenorth
Well-known member
The PACs and the super-slow super-loud HR went away a month or so ago, after only maybe 3 weeks or so. Good riddance, I say!
Played some volleyball (indoor beach) today, first time in 2 years! A hoot! The last game was 2-on-2 with three solid (20-something) players, and I wasn't voted off the island! (Afterwards, one of the ~25-year-old women on the other team couldn't stop mentioning how "quick" and "fast" I was! She never said "despite all the grey hair", but I know she was thinking it! ;-) )
Lots of stiff joints now, but all good.
I still have only about half of a 1-leg heel raise on the left side (and I'm probably stuck there forever), but it never held me back or caused me any worry while I was playing. I suspect it'll be a somewhat bigger deal when I play court volleyball. In beach ball, I usually can't jump high enough to spike downward (without "rolling" the ball) anyway, but on the court I do. . . or I did, anyway!
My other "tricky" 66-year-old joints didn't hold me back, either -- a knee, both shoulders, spine/neck. And they all feel stiff and sore now, the way I'd expect them to after a 2-hour marathon after 2 years off. I was rusty and still out of shape for competitive volleyball, but I already knew that.
I did wonder if I was getting my heart-rate above the range my cardiac-rehab folks are comfy with (or even higher than I've gone post-op in a stress-echo cardiogram -- 143 and 150, respectively), especially during that (tie-breaker!!) 2-on-2 game! But my huffing and puffing and "feeling like I'm going to die from exhaustion" were all pretty normal-feeling, too (for me), and I've suffered no ill effects afterwards.
I wasn't planning to play 2-on-2 -- it's a really brutal game, even when I'm at the top of my form -- but there were unusually few players at the drop-in today, and that was the only way I was going to get a game after the first ~90 minutes or so. I'm glad I did and had a blast, but I think I'll keep it a smidge more sedate than that for a while.
Played some volleyball (indoor beach) today, first time in 2 years! A hoot! The last game was 2-on-2 with three solid (20-something) players, and I wasn't voted off the island! (Afterwards, one of the ~25-year-old women on the other team couldn't stop mentioning how "quick" and "fast" I was! She never said "despite all the grey hair", but I know she was thinking it! ;-) )
Lots of stiff joints now, but all good.
I still have only about half of a 1-leg heel raise on the left side (and I'm probably stuck there forever), but it never held me back or caused me any worry while I was playing. I suspect it'll be a somewhat bigger deal when I play court volleyball. In beach ball, I usually can't jump high enough to spike downward (without "rolling" the ball) anyway, but on the court I do. . . or I did, anyway!
My other "tricky" 66-year-old joints didn't hold me back, either -- a knee, both shoulders, spine/neck. And they all feel stiff and sore now, the way I'd expect them to after a 2-hour marathon after 2 years off. I was rusty and still out of shape for competitive volleyball, but I already knew that.
I did wonder if I was getting my heart-rate above the range my cardiac-rehab folks are comfy with (or even higher than I've gone post-op in a stress-echo cardiogram -- 143 and 150, respectively), especially during that (tie-breaker!!) 2-on-2 game! But my huffing and puffing and "feeling like I'm going to die from exhaustion" were all pretty normal-feeling, too (for me), and I've suffered no ill effects afterwards.
I wasn't planning to play 2-on-2 -- it's a really brutal game, even when I'm at the top of my form -- but there were unusually few players at the drop-in today, and that was the only way I was going to get a game after the first ~90 minutes or so. I'm glad I did and had a blast, but I think I'll keep it a smidge more sedate than that for a while.
normofthenorth
Well-known member
Survived another session of beach volleyball (but no 2-on-2, just 4s), and an evening of court volleyball tonight (5-on-5). All good stuff, and great to be back!
Here's a cardio report I recently posted at achillesblog.com:
Last Tuesday, I went in for another stress cardiogram (at my cardio rehab center), at my request. The previous one quit at 150 bpm pulse rate, though I felt fine to go farther and the EKG looked fine then, too. I wanted to know if I could really “push” — like, say, 2-on-2 beach volleyball! ;-) — and still be OK, 11 months after the heart surgery.
After some discussion among the test-admission nurse, the attending cardiologist, and the two stress-EKG technicians (The nurse initially indicated they might stop the test at “140 or 150″, which I told her would be a waste of time.), they decided to go for a relatively short but very intense test.
They do their tests (at least with me) on a fancy bike, with ~12 electrodes and a hose in my mouth to measure my CO2.
The results were about what I expected/hoped for:
10 minutes starting @150KPM/Min, Resting HR 59 BPM, Peak HR 156 BPM (=101% of age pred max), Resting BP 120/60 mmHG, Peak BP 190/85 mmHg. [I think the tech told me he got me up to 1500KPM/Min at the end. I was pushing against hard resistance.]
Peak VO2 36.1 ml/kg/min or 10.3 METs (147% of age pred norms)
**That’s my fave reading, of COURSE!**
No arrhythmia except one isolated Premature Ventricular Contrraction in recovery (=~0 — YAY!).
All else normal, improved, above norms, etc., etc.
When I showed this to my Cardio Rehab nurse the next day, she was still withholding judgment until she’d seen the detailed report. So my target HR on HER exercise bike is still 143 at the end of my cycling “sprints”. Mind you, after 45 minutes of that, I’m dripping sweat and I feel like I’ve had a good workout, so I’m not sure I need much more (at 66 y.o., don’t forget!).
Here's a cardio report I recently posted at achillesblog.com:
Last Tuesday, I went in for another stress cardiogram (at my cardio rehab center), at my request. The previous one quit at 150 bpm pulse rate, though I felt fine to go farther and the EKG looked fine then, too. I wanted to know if I could really “push” — like, say, 2-on-2 beach volleyball! ;-) — and still be OK, 11 months after the heart surgery.
After some discussion among the test-admission nurse, the attending cardiologist, and the two stress-EKG technicians (The nurse initially indicated they might stop the test at “140 or 150″, which I told her would be a waste of time.), they decided to go for a relatively short but very intense test.
They do their tests (at least with me) on a fancy bike, with ~12 electrodes and a hose in my mouth to measure my CO2.
The results were about what I expected/hoped for:
10 minutes starting @150KPM/Min, Resting HR 59 BPM, Peak HR 156 BPM (=101% of age pred max), Resting BP 120/60 mmHG, Peak BP 190/85 mmHg. [I think the tech told me he got me up to 1500KPM/Min at the end. I was pushing against hard resistance.]
Peak VO2 36.1 ml/kg/min or 10.3 METs (147% of age pred norms)
**That’s my fave reading, of COURSE!**
No arrhythmia except one isolated Premature Ventricular Contrraction in recovery (=~0 — YAY!).
All else normal, improved, above norms, etc., etc.
When I showed this to my Cardio Rehab nurse the next day, she was still withholding judgment until she’d seen the detailed report. So my target HR on HER exercise bike is still 143 at the end of my cycling “sprints”. Mind you, after 45 minutes of that, I’m dripping sweat and I feel like I’ve had a good workout, so I’m not sure I need much more (at 66 y.o., don’t forget!).
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normofthenorth
Well-known member
Just got the "exit schedule" for my Cardio Rehab program. My class is graduating at the end of the month. For us Wednesday afternoon folks, that's Nov. 30, the day before my first "Valveversary"! I normally would have finished sooner, but I started a bit late, then I extended maybe a month or two when I switched from Tuesdays to Wednesdays.
Funny thing is that a month or two ago, I was about ready to quit, but recently I've been appreciating it more, and I think I'll miss it. Partly because Danielle my supervisor has been very helpful, and partly because she's switched me from the weekly 3 miles of walk/jog to 45 minutes of exercycle "wind sprints" on a bike that reads the output of my ($20!) "BIOS" heart-monitor chest-strap. So I "cruise" on the bike to warmup and push to get up to 120-something, then sprint (higher RPM and higher resistance) for ~a minute, until my HR gets up to ~140, then cruise again 'til I'm down into the 120s, then sprint then cruise. . . rinse and repeat for 45 minutes, then cool down, do a smidge of resistance exercise, and hit the showers. (I'm still trying not to exceed 143 max, which is usually a few seconds AFTER the end of a sprint -- "overshoot".)
It is a remarkable CV workout, simultaneously controlled and pretty grueling. By the time I'm through, I'm soaked, and I'm groaning and gasping during (and just after) the last few sprints. It actually feels like a more strenuous/productive CV workout than even playing 2-on-2 beach volleyball, because it's so "tailor-made" to my CV response. My peak output at 2-on-2 may be even higher, but the lulls in-between are probably longer and deeper, too. Mind you, I don't need to listen to a podcast during 2-on-2 volleyball to keep from getting bored! ;-)
I have several exercise gizmos at home, but not an exercise bike -- even less an exercise bike that can tell me how long I've gone and how far, my RPMs, AND my HR! Maybe between the Total Gym 1000 and the Skier's Edge I could get a similar workout. . . (I don't think I want to bring ANOTHER exercise gizmo into this house!)
Funny thing is that a month or two ago, I was about ready to quit, but recently I've been appreciating it more, and I think I'll miss it. Partly because Danielle my supervisor has been very helpful, and partly because she's switched me from the weekly 3 miles of walk/jog to 45 minutes of exercycle "wind sprints" on a bike that reads the output of my ($20!) "BIOS" heart-monitor chest-strap. So I "cruise" on the bike to warmup and push to get up to 120-something, then sprint (higher RPM and higher resistance) for ~a minute, until my HR gets up to ~140, then cruise again 'til I'm down into the 120s, then sprint then cruise. . . rinse and repeat for 45 minutes, then cool down, do a smidge of resistance exercise, and hit the showers. (I'm still trying not to exceed 143 max, which is usually a few seconds AFTER the end of a sprint -- "overshoot".)
It is a remarkable CV workout, simultaneously controlled and pretty grueling. By the time I'm through, I'm soaked, and I'm groaning and gasping during (and just after) the last few sprints. It actually feels like a more strenuous/productive CV workout than even playing 2-on-2 beach volleyball, because it's so "tailor-made" to my CV response. My peak output at 2-on-2 may be even higher, but the lulls in-between are probably longer and deeper, too. Mind you, I don't need to listen to a podcast during 2-on-2 volleyball to keep from getting bored! ;-)
I have several exercise gizmos at home, but not an exercise bike -- even less an exercise bike that can tell me how long I've gone and how far, my RPMs, AND my HR! Maybe between the Total Gym 1000 and the Skier's Edge I could get a similar workout. . . (I don't think I want to bring ANOTHER exercise gizmo into this house!)
normofthenorth
Well-known member
I actually missed my last Cardio Rehab class! My wife needed the car, and it was lousy bicycling weather, so I just skipped it, and now it's over, except for the annual(?) checkups and such.
I played 2.5 hours of "hard" beach volleyball last night, including two 2-on-2 games (won 1, lost 1), and I probably brought more than 50% of the total age to the foursome.
Just passed my first "valviversary" a week-and-a-half ago, and I'm feeling fairly fully recovered, no complaints. Hope it lasts -- ALL of it, too, not just the valve!
Haven't really found a sub for the warm-season bicycling or the weekly cardio workout on the stationary bike, other than 2x/week competitive volleyball. I may break out the Total Gym, or the Iron Horse (quasi-rowing machine), or the Skier's Edge. . . I'm not actually short of exercise equipment in the house. . .
My wife needed the car, and it was lousy bicycling weather, so I just skipped it, and now it's over, except for the annual(?) checkups and such.I played 2.5 hours of "hard" beach volleyball last night, including two 2-on-2 games (won 1, lost 1), and I probably brought more than 50% of the total age to the foursome.
Just passed my first "valviversary" a week-and-a-half ago, and I'm feeling fairly fully recovered, no complaints. Hope it lasts -- ALL of it, too, not just the valve!
Haven't really found a sub for the warm-season bicycling or the weekly cardio workout on the stationary bike, other than 2x/week competitive volleyball. I may break out the Total Gym, or the Iron Horse (quasi-rowing machine), or the Skier's Edge. . . I'm not actually short of exercise equipment in the house. . .
sarahsunshine
Well-known member
I just read up on your (recent) recovery. Thanks for keeping this thread updated. It gives me hope for physical stamina of the human race!
TheGymGuy
Well-known member
This is a very helpful thread. Thanks so much for keeping it going and posting such great details.
normofthenorth
Well-known member
Thanks for the thanks, both of you. Of all the way I've ever helped anybody, posting little updates on my recovery is probably the easiest!
I was "trained" at AchillesBlog.com for the year before my AVR. (I'm normofthenorth there, too.) On that site, most people have their own little blogs, and they keep updating them for months. If they have questions or problems, they're all usually discussed, and commented on, right there. It's not the dominant format here, but I found it helpful, so I've carved out a little island of continuity here. . .
I was "trained" at AchillesBlog.com for the year before my AVR. (I'm normofthenorth there, too.) On that site, most people have their own little blogs, and they keep updating them for months. If they have questions or problems, they're all usually discussed, and commented on, right there. It's not the dominant format here, but I found it helpful, so I've carved out a little island of continuity here. . .
normofthenorth
Well-known member
My third Whistler (BC, Canada) ski week since AVR, and the first one that feels "back to normal".
Skiing ungroomed steeps-and-deeps, left the HR monitor in the condo all week. Two ski-release tumbles so far, mostly high-energy high-speed skiing on the groomed runs, and high-energy not-so-high-speed skiing on the UNgroomed runs. Over 20,000' daily vertical, at least on the groomed. We've gotten 2' of fresh snow this week, so the skiing is work, esp on the ungroomed. I ski 'til I'm whipped (CV/SOB and/or noodles-for-legs), rest a minute or two then do some more, just like when I was only 63! Great to be back. My thighs hurt!
Skiing ungroomed steeps-and-deeps, left the HR monitor in the condo all week. Two ski-release tumbles so far, mostly high-energy high-speed skiing on the groomed runs, and high-energy not-so-high-speed skiing on the UNgroomed runs. Over 20,000' daily vertical, at least on the groomed. We've gotten 2' of fresh snow this week, so the skiing is work, esp on the ungroomed. I ski 'til I'm whipped (CV/SOB and/or noodles-for-legs), rest a minute or two then do some more, just like when I was only 63! Great to be back. My thighs hurt!
Great to be back. My thighs hurt!
I have no idea what all that "ski language" means...but I'm glad you had fun. Personally, I just came in from walking nine holes of golf. Todays temp is about 59F...unusual for Feb., but much appreciated. Goes to show that there is life after OHS.....for youngsters like me and you. It's great to still be looking down at the grass....or snow. Have a good day.
sarahsunshine
Well-known member
WOW! Sounds great! And I do understand the ski language!!!! We're in Edmonton!
Keep up the work!
Keep up the work!
normofthenorth
Well-known member
Back to 2x/wk volleyball now, both flat out. 1.5h court on Tues (4s, 5s, or 6s), ~3h indoor beach on Sat (2s, 3s, & 4s).
I just discovered that two of my new 20-something beach-ball buddies/teammates are actually 17 yrs old! Yikes! Wish I'd been that serious about volleyball at that age -- I'd have way better fundamental skills now...
I just discovered that two of my new 20-something beach-ball buddies/teammates are actually 17 yrs old! Yikes! Wish I'd been that serious about volleyball at that age -- I'd have way better fundamental skills now...
normofthenorth
Well-known member
It's been a while since I've updated this "blog", mostly because there hasn't been much exciting news. I did get a blood infection (1 or 2 months ago, from a UTI) that made me nervous about BE, which I posted about elsewhere on this site.
My cold-weather competitive volleyball obsession gave way to my warm-weather competitive dinghy (sailboat) racing obsession last Spring, though I'm now phasing back into the volleyball -- so far, all of it indoor beach ball, twice a week. The sailboat racing went very well (first-place skipper in my club, unlike the previous two years), as did the bicycling to and from the lakeshore. The volleyball is pretty good, but some nights (including tonight), my ball-handling skills leave something to be desired -- not especially CV-related. Two of my 40-ish former teammates have set up a 4-on-4 league team with me on it, and we're doing pretty well in the "Competitive" division (should be called "Competitive C"!) of a place here called North Beach Volleyball.
The first session we had playing together was at a drop-in, and we were all rusty. We played almost 2.5 hours, mostly 4-on-4 ball on deep sand, and one of the 40-year-old's legs turned to noodles about the same time as mine. (The third guy had been playing some squash, so his legs lasted longer.)
I also had a cardiologist's checkup this past week, preceded by a stress-echo cardiogram then a separate cardiogram (politics!). I only lasted about 8 minutes on the treadmill before hitting my target heart-rate, while I went 9.5 or so minutes a couple of years ago. Maybe I sabotaged my test this time by chit-chatting with the technicians while treadmilling? My effective Aortic area remains wimpy at around 1.3 or 1.5 cm2, pressure drop 25mm Hg, IIRC. Nobody knows why. My cardiologist doesn't care much (as much as I do) about the starting area/pressure, saying that what matters is where it goes, not where it came from.
Around Dec. 1 -- 1-year anniversary of finishing Cardio Rehab and 2-year anniversary of the AVR -- I'm supposed to return to the Cardio Rehab place for another stress test on the bicycle with the CO2 tube in my mouth. I won't be chit-chatting for THAT one!
So it's all good -- unless you're nervous about the fact that I'm not getting more jollies out of reading and golf and such in my 68th year! Instead, my high points include hanging out the side of a 15' sailboat all summer, and playing competitive volleyball and skiing all winter! I know I can't keep this up forever, but I couldn't keep up reading and golf and such forever either. . .
My cold-weather competitive volleyball obsession gave way to my warm-weather competitive dinghy (sailboat) racing obsession last Spring, though I'm now phasing back into the volleyball -- so far, all of it indoor beach ball, twice a week. The sailboat racing went very well (first-place skipper in my club, unlike the previous two years), as did the bicycling to and from the lakeshore. The volleyball is pretty good, but some nights (including tonight), my ball-handling skills leave something to be desired -- not especially CV-related. Two of my 40-ish former teammates have set up a 4-on-4 league team with me on it, and we're doing pretty well in the "Competitive" division (should be called "Competitive C"!) of a place here called North Beach Volleyball.
The first session we had playing together was at a drop-in, and we were all rusty. We played almost 2.5 hours, mostly 4-on-4 ball on deep sand, and one of the 40-year-old's legs turned to noodles about the same time as mine.
(The third guy had been playing some squash, so his legs lasted longer.)I also had a cardiologist's checkup this past week, preceded by a stress-echo cardiogram then a separate cardiogram (politics!). I only lasted about 8 minutes on the treadmill before hitting my target heart-rate, while I went 9.5 or so minutes a couple of years ago. Maybe I sabotaged my test this time by chit-chatting with the technicians while treadmilling? My effective Aortic area remains wimpy at around 1.3 or 1.5 cm2, pressure drop 25mm Hg, IIRC. Nobody knows why. My cardiologist doesn't care much (as much as I do) about the starting area/pressure, saying that what matters is where it goes, not where it came from.
Around Dec. 1 -- 1-year anniversary of finishing Cardio Rehab and 2-year anniversary of the AVR -- I'm supposed to return to the Cardio Rehab place for another stress test on the bicycle with the CO2 tube in my mouth. I won't be chit-chatting for THAT one!
So it's all good -- unless you're nervous about the fact that I'm not getting more jollies out of reading and golf and such in my 68th year! Instead, my high points include hanging out the side of a 15' sailboat all summer, and playing competitive volleyball and skiing all winter! I know I can't keep this up forever, but I couldn't keep up reading and golf and such forever either. . .
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normofthenorth
Well-known member
And I passed my 2-year valviversary a month ago. Still with the hyper-competitive volleyball twice a week (though more like 1x/week during these holidays). So far, I'm way more concerned about my "trick" right knee than my heart valve. In fact, with my somewhat erratic ball-handling skills, I get by more with hustle and extra effort -- even compared with my 20-something and 30-something teammates -- than learned skills or native ability!
This past Saturday night, after playing indoor beach volleyball for 2.5 hours, my 21-year-old(!) 2-on-2 partner announced that he'd have to quit because his right shoulder was killing him. I joked about trading him in on a younger player, but I ended up hitting the showers then myself. (And my knee is grateful that I didn't keep playing!)
I had planned to return to Toronto Rehab (Hospital?) around Dec. 1 (the 1-year anniversary of my graduation from Rehab) for another aggressive cardiac stress test, on the resistance bicycle with the "breathing tube". I was busy, and let it slip. I'm still busy, but I may still schedule one. I have had a post-AVR treadmill stress test at my cardiologist's, with OK results, probably detailed above, but I'd expect to do better at Toronto Rehab. (For one thing, I was chit-chatting during the treadmill test, but there's no way I can do THAT with the big gas-analysis mouthpiece in my face, on the bike! )
I'd love to better my previous "147% of age pred norms" in VO2 capacity, but it's not really a top priority in my life.
I think it's worth noting that I achieved that 147% of age pred norms with an effective Aortic Area that's pretty wimpy -- especially for a new 27mm valve.
So it's still all good -- though I know I can't keep this up forever.
This past Saturday night, after playing indoor beach volleyball for 2.5 hours, my 21-year-old(!) 2-on-2 partner announced that he'd have to quit because his right shoulder was killing him. I joked about trading him in on a younger player, but I ended up hitting the showers then myself. (And my knee is grateful that I didn't keep playing!)
I had planned to return to Toronto Rehab (Hospital?) around Dec. 1 (the 1-year anniversary of my graduation from Rehab) for another aggressive cardiac stress test, on the resistance bicycle with the "breathing tube". I was busy, and let it slip. I'm still busy, but I may still schedule one. I have had a post-AVR treadmill stress test at my cardiologist's, with OK results, probably detailed above, but I'd expect to do better at Toronto Rehab. (For one thing, I was chit-chatting during the treadmill test, but there's no way I can do THAT with the big gas-analysis mouthpiece in my face, on the bike!
)I'd love to better my previous "147% of age pred norms" in VO2 capacity, but it's not really a top priority in my life.
I think it's worth noting that I achieved that 147% of age pred norms with an effective Aortic Area that's pretty wimpy -- especially for a new 27mm valve.
So it's still all good -- though I know I can't keep this up forever.
TheGymGuy
Well-known member
Norm, thanks again for keeping this post going. I learned from you and keep an exercise thread active in the exercise forum as well. I remember how much your thread and many others helped me to prep and know that things will work out great after OHS. Keep up the good job playing volleyball, staying active, and kicking youngster butts. Also, a happy 2nd valvaversary.
SimonB100
Member
Best of luck from the UK - following your recovery and wishing you well.
normofthenorth
Well-known member
First: I'm guessing that several of you noticed that there's a new cartoon film that swiped my long-time handle "Norm of the North"!! I'm getting WAY too many notifications from Twitter when people get confused and mention normofthenorth (me) when they either mean #NormOfTheNorth or @NormOfNorth (both the cartoon bear). Seems to me they could have made me an offer, but no...
Second: Almost THREE YEARS after my last update on this long "story", I thought I'd bring you (whoever's still around who's read any of this!) up to date!
I've mostly been alive and well and active and getting a year older each year (70 now!). And still behaving like somebody much younger. Racing the small sailboats went super well in the summers of 2013 and 2014, and pretty well this past summer -- though a young sprout in our club has recently blossomed into a much better racing skipper than I've EVER been, and almost surely the best in the 50-year history of our sailing club, so I won't be catching HIM soon!
Bicycling is great when the weather (road surface) permits. I've had just barely enough harmless arrhythmias to convince my cardiologists to order more tests, so I've had two nuclear (Tc-99m) scans as well as Holters and ekgs with and w/o stress and w/ and w/o echo. Nothing detected. I STILL haven't made it back to my cardio rehab clinic to get another one of those cycling stress-echo tests, though I'd like to. On the treadmill, I haven't been close to 10 minutes, more like 8 or maybe 8.5, I forget. And I don't remember what HR they've used as a limit. Cool that my earlier results are in this blog thread above, since I'm pretty sure I haven't saved them anywhere else!
And then there's volleyball! First the good news: (1) I'm still playing, aggressively, and with the youngsters, though not quite as frequently as reported above. (1x/wk max, since a few of my midweek league team got too good for me and traded me for stronger players! Not much about age or CV fitness, just VB skills.) (2) My "trick" right knee has TOTALLY responded to routine stretching of my (naturally tight) right quad and (surgically tight) right calf, initially under the direction of a PT.
Now the not-so-good news: (1) After the worst of THREE bicycling crashes in summer 2014 slammed me down hard onto my right shoulder, I skipped almost all of my winter 2014-15 Indoor Beach Volleyball season. I only got out ONCE! :-( The good news then is that my shoulder did not bother me a bit during a marathon of aggressive indoor beach, but it wasn't super happy the next few days, so I didn't return. But it is finally mostly recovered now, ~18 months (and several PT sessions) after that crash.
(2) In most or all of the THREE times I've played aggressive indoor beach ball this winter, I've noticed -- WHILE playing AND afterwards -- that I've got a tight knot in my left calf muscle. Seems like a mild muscle tear. So I've backed off for maybe a month (more?), and I think it's finally back to normal. But we'll see if I have the nerve to play in the short time before my upcoming Whistler ski week!
So, the bottom line is that I'm doing well, and what's holding me back is NOT heart-valve-related!
Second: Almost THREE YEARS after my last update on this long "story", I thought I'd bring you (whoever's still around who's read any of this!) up to date!
I've mostly been alive and well and active and getting a year older each year (70 now!). And still behaving like somebody much younger. Racing the small sailboats went super well in the summers of 2013 and 2014, and pretty well this past summer -- though a young sprout in our club has recently blossomed into a much better racing skipper than I've EVER been, and almost surely the best in the 50-year history of our sailing club, so I won't be catching HIM soon!
Bicycling is great when the weather (road surface) permits. I've had just barely enough harmless arrhythmias to convince my cardiologists to order more tests, so I've had two nuclear (Tc-99m) scans as well as Holters and ekgs with and w/o stress and w/ and w/o echo. Nothing detected. I STILL haven't made it back to my cardio rehab clinic to get another one of those cycling stress-echo tests, though I'd like to. On the treadmill, I haven't been close to 10 minutes, more like 8 or maybe 8.5, I forget. And I don't remember what HR they've used as a limit. Cool that my earlier results are in this blog thread above, since I'm pretty sure I haven't saved them anywhere else!
And then there's volleyball! First the good news: (1) I'm still playing, aggressively, and with the youngsters, though not quite as frequently as reported above. (1x/wk max, since a few of my midweek league team got too good for me and traded me for stronger players! Not much about age or CV fitness, just VB skills.) (2) My "trick" right knee has TOTALLY responded to routine stretching of my (naturally tight) right quad and (surgically tight) right calf, initially under the direction of a PT.
Now the not-so-good news: (1) After the worst of THREE bicycling crashes in summer 2014 slammed me down hard onto my right shoulder, I skipped almost all of my winter 2014-15 Indoor Beach Volleyball season. I only got out ONCE! :-( The good news then is that my shoulder did not bother me a bit during a marathon of aggressive indoor beach, but it wasn't super happy the next few days, so I didn't return. But it is finally mostly recovered now, ~18 months (and several PT sessions) after that crash.
(2) In most or all of the THREE times I've played aggressive indoor beach ball this winter, I've noticed -- WHILE playing AND afterwards -- that I've got a tight knot in my left calf muscle. Seems like a mild muscle tear. So I've backed off for maybe a month (more?), and I think it's finally back to normal. But we'll see if I have the nerve to play in the short time before my upcoming Whistler ski week!
So, the bottom line is that I'm doing well, and what's holding me back is NOT heart-valve-related!
Jkm7
Well-known member
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Jkm7
Well-known member
Nice of you to drop by, Norm.
Good to hear from you.
I don't come here very often anymore either though I did for years..
Good to hear from you.
I don't come here very often anymore either though I did for years..
Hi, Norm! It sounds like you're doing a good job of dealing with the stuff that life tosses your way, while still continuing to live the heck out of it. I applaud you! I'm still keeping up with my gym routines and trying to act younger than my own 68 years, and it is fun to watch the younger guys reactions to us geezers who just don't give up.
Stay with it, Norm!
Stay with it, Norm!
