Staying the Course -- 01-23-2017

[Superbob]

Welcome one and all to a new Staying the Course Week! I believe I am indulging in fewer munchies and more from the fruit/veggie aisle, but don't put me under surveillance to check out my claim. : ) Have been occasionally throwing in a second dawg walk of the day with our temperatures still on the mild side.

I have a sinus problem that may involve a minor infection -- so having an artificial heart valve plus being diabetic, I am going to get it checked out. There is a danger of small infections becoming major ones if not delivered a knockout punch. So as much as I hate to dash to doctors for things that may be trivial, think I will scoot over to our neighborhood urgent care to get a doc to look at what's going on (or not)....

Really enjoyed my 10-year-old grandson's first basketball game of the winter league season. He was terrific -- swishing shots, pulling down rebounds, leading full-court fast breaks. Such energy -- I stand (or sit) in awe!

Well, I will keep the week's opener short (a change from my usual verbosity) and wish you all a safe, healthy, happy, productive week. I shall return!

Cheers,

Superbob

 

[honeybunny]

Hey SB. Better safe than sorry on the sinus infection.

I'm happy to report that I've dropped a couple of pounds since my last post. I weigh at the same time every day and my scale has matched the weight recorded on doctor scales at appointments, so I'm confident the loss is correct. It's not tremendous but at least I am headed in the right direction.

 

[Duffey]

Haven't weighed yet, but I will tomorrow. DH had his heart cath today so I spent the day at the hospital. He has two blockages--85 to 90%-but they are in a minor artery. The coronary artery is 60% occluded, but apparently the diameter of the artery is so large that the blockage is relatively minor by comparison. He's been started on a very low dose statin to prevent more blockage and told to lose weight and take his meds. So, we've just ordered a Mediterranean Diet cookbook. I hate fish, but it looks like I might have to learn to love it.
Superbob, hope you feel better soon. Honeybunny, congrats on losing the weight. Stay the course!

 

[Superbob]

Oh goodness, Duffey, glad your DH evidently will be able to forgo surgery via meds, diet, good nutrition. Hope it goes well for him -- and for you with the increase of fish in the diet. (Maybe you will find particular seafood choices that you do like? I am lucky in that regard -- I love most kinds of fish, and I live in the right place to have it i abundance. My son goes deep-sea fishing and often brings us sea bass -- very tasty. Not crazy about salmon but we have it often; it's abundant and easy to broil and good as all get-out for you.) Anyway, hope the changes go well.

Honeybunny, definitely congrats on the weight loss!

I did go to doc for strange irritation/swelling/pain in one nostril and doc said I did right thing b/c little infections untreated can spread and become big problems. So I have some strong antibiotics and ointment to use. I should be fine.

Watched my grandson's basketball practice last night -- his 8-to-10 year-old team is coached so very well by my son/his dad. Once again, marveling at that energy. Much fun.

Cheers all....

 

[jwinter]

Good Morning all and it is good to read the positives. Diets, exercise and going to the docs seem to be a big part of our lives and rightly so. Good going everyone and I vote no on the more fish. Not my favorite.

I see the cardiologist the end of this week and surgeon next week so hope to start some more exercise. My INR has gotten in line and remained therapeutic for two weeks in a row so will go to Coumadin Clinic in two weeks. If all reports are good and I finish up most of my taxes I plan to help load up and head to the Arizona sun for a couple months. Not holding my breath but hopeful. I have told all the docs I had this surgery to LIVE and these doctor visits are not my idea of a social life. ha ha

Have a great week

 

[epstns]

I'll have to agree with you, jwinter. Last week I had various doctors' appointments on 4 of the 5 weekdays! Fortunately for me, all were good reports, and I can now go back to quarterly visits with the specialists. I have to find a new internist, though, as ours left the practice group.

It sounds like folks are getting serious about their goals this year. That is a good thing. Even if we only attain part of our goals, it is better than not trying at all. I'm really waiting for some nice weather to get back outdoors to walk, but the last few years it hasn't really gotten nice until late May. Until then, I'm stuck with the elliptical machine at the gym and occasional walks if the weather lets up. This past weekend, I was able to get out both Saturday and Sunday - one day for 2 miles, the other for 3. That felt good, and I'll watch for another chance to get out.

SB - good call on getting the sinus issue addressed. I used to get those often, but (knocks on wood) since I've started getting the "elderly" version of the flu vaccine the past few years, I've had very little trouble. Keep an eye on that one, though.

 

[honeybunny]

@Duffy, will your DH need stents or other intervention down the road? I had a arterial bypass during my OHS due to a 70% blockage discovered during my heart cath. The Mediterranean Diet was what my cardio recommended to me. Let me know how that goes. If you have an HEB in your neck of the woods, they sell prepackaged fresh salmon meals that are more than enough for me. 22 minutes at 450 in the oven. Hubby could prepare something like that easily enough while you indulge in something else. They cost $6-10, depending on the meal.

 

[Duffey]

I don't know what HEB stands for, Honeybunny, but you've piqued my interest. It sounds like a good compromise, food prep wise, for the future. DH has a follow up in a few weeks so we'll hear what the cardiologist's thoughts are about the possibility of future intervention. As for me, I'm down two pounds, and the loss is probably attributable to no snack foods this week. I am trying to be a good example. At least for healthy eating.

 

[honeybunny]

HEB is the name of a grocery store chain. My understanding is that they are similar to, or aligned with, Whole Foods. They stock traditional grocery items at good prices and also offer a large line of fresh and organic items. I like the portion size, price ease of preparation, and freshness. They have other pre-made, 1-2 serving meals, but the salmon is the healthiest choice IMO. I'll buy several and freeze them.

 

[Superbob]

Looks like a great concept in grocery service, but it appears from a check online that H-E-B stores are located only in Texas and part of Mexico. Maybe we need to petition them to expand. : )

 

[dornole]

Glad hear people are hanging in there and 2 lbs is awesome HoneyB!

I am waiting to weigh till the end of this Challenge I am in, but I feel so much calmer and happier on this eating and exercise plan that I am already very pleased.

 

[FredW]

Hi SB and others, Last weekend we had an unusual 60 degree day here in Western PA for January and I was invited to join a friend on a small hike. We hiked up a trail in the 'hills' of a national forest and I was surprised as to how out of breath I got. We hiked almost five miles. I was OK on the flat and downhill sections, but up hill required a fair amount of exertion, stopping often to catch my breath and allow my heart rate to get down. When I got home I looked at the trail and saw how much elevation gain we did and was not too surprised why it was so hard for me. (You can see the trail here: http://www.pahikes.com/trails/laure.../123-exploring-the-charles-lewis-natural-area). It was about 2000 ft of elevation gain over the first two miles. My treadmill and gym workouts may have helped some to prepare for this, but it was still hard work.

Now, what I don't know is: what is normal for a guy who is 73 years old and six months out of OHS? I'm trying to train to get strong enough to hike with my son in the mountains. Some of you may remember he hikes 14,000 ft mountains in CO for a hobby. I had to abort my plan to join him on the CT (Colorado Trail) last summer when my cardiologist demanded I have surgery the day of a normal checkup in June. Now, my son and I are talking about doing a thru hike this summer either out west or in VT. However, I must admit, I'm not sure my body can do long hikes or ones that involve major elevation gain. My knees, heart, and desire for warm showers, good food, scotch, and sleeping with my wife may keep me for doing a lengthy thru hike. But as they say: we are not getting any younger.

So, for the old ones who have been through OHS, is it unreasonable for me dream and plan of doing these types of hikes? Or shall I just go to the gym regularly so I can live longer and go to the gym more often?

 

[Duffey]

Fred, maybe you can post your question in the Active Lifestyle Forum and get more thoughts and replies to your question. Have you mentioned it to your cardiologist? You seem to be making excellent progress so I wouldn't be surprised if you could complete the hike with your son.
Honeybunny, unfortunately neither HEB or a Whole Foods is nearby. Can you let me know the brand name so I could do a search for nearby locations that might stock it? Hubby bought tilapia today, but I have no clue as to how to prepare it. He's looking through a cook book now. We always ate freshwater fish that we caught on vacation in WI, but they were always coated in cornmeal and pan fried. I think pan frying would defeat the purpose of his eating the fish. Anyway, if anyone has any good recipes or ideas, please share them.
The dog is on week three of recovery, so he can be walked for fifteen minutes 3-4 times a day. I have walked him as scheduled. I prefer walking in the cold weather, but I hate the smoke from the nearby house chimneys. It's always something!
I was down another two pounds this morning. I think I can attribute the weight loss to increased exercise, better eating, and an initial weight gain that was mostly due to water retention. Nevertheless, I'll take it!

 

[honeybunny]

Duffey, the meals are prepare and packaged in the store so I can't provide you with a brand name. You can try buying fresh salmon, dividing it into small portions and freezing them. If you par boil veggies like broccoli you can bake them same time as the salmon, ~ 22 minutes at 450F. (I'll double check those numbers) I have an electric oven that cooks hot so I need only about 18 minutes before the salmon gets crisp around the edges. I tend to overlook fish because it never looks done to my eye after the suggested cooking time and I end up drying it out.

Fred, I agree that a check with your cardio on the hiking issue would alleviate your questions. Also, keep increasing your treadmill incline to mimic the hike. I was once told that inclining is better than increasing speed. Personally, I'd stay home with my SO, scotch (or in my case, wine) and hot showers but I am a wimp !

 

[epstns]

Duffey - I don't think you can hurt tilapia! It is a very mild fish and can be prepared on a grill, broiled, or even baked. I don't have any great ideas about seasoning, as I am no chef, but when my wife broils tilapia with some mango salsa it is delicious. The tilapia is too mild by itself, but the salsa gives it taste and a bit of zip. I've even found a restaurant near my office that stocks tilapia and will prepare an open-faced grilled tilapia sandwich for me. Yum!

Fred - I can't help much about the hiking. My case is different than yours because I have not only the valve and bypass, but also a pacemaker as well. I ran/jogged up until the week before my surgery, but after that and the 24 weeks of complications, recovery and rehab, I couldn't run any more. Firstly, my knees won't take the pounding. Also, it is difficult to get my pacemaker to mimic natural pacing closely enough for me to get my heart rate up high enough to run without it thinking I'm going into afib and dropping to its asynchronous rate of 90 BPM. I would suggest a deep discussion with your cardio. It may be too soon to tackle the altitude, distance and extended effort of a major through hike. A couple of summers age we went mountain biking in St. Maartin and I found myself almost passing out because I had plenty of muscle to power up a steep hill but my pacemaker dropped back and wouldn't let my heart beat fast enough to properly oxygenate my blood. Up to that point I had been keeping up with the 20-something year olds on the event, but I had to swallow my pride and walk the bike the last few yards up the hill. I finished the rest of the ride, though.

 

[Duffey]

Now I understand what you're talking about, Honeybunny! Sam's also prepares and packages some food items, but I've never looked for any of their fish products. I will the next time that we go there.
Steve, thanks for the info about preparing tilapia. I will look for a recipe that says to broil it and top with mango salsa or something similar. You say it is a mild fish. How does it compare to salmon in terms of "fishiness"? Do you have any thoughts about cod or halibut? Last night's tilapia purchase was totally random. We really are clueless!

 

[MartinF]

First post to Staying The Course.
Fred, I just turned 60 and the last 2 years I've done hikes with my wife for our anniversary. Two years ago we hiked Mt. Whitney from 8500 to 10000 feet. Next day another hike about 9300 to 11000 feet. Both about 5 miles. Last day about 8 miles around 9000 feet with no big climbs. All was fine. Last year we tried a multi-day hike, same place as day two the year before (Bishop CA). Carried a 45 lb pack up to 11000 feet and had some breathing issues. We spent one night at 10800 feet but came down the next day. Don't know if it's conditioning or what but I think I need to hike more often with a backpack to get in shape.

Sounds like you did good on the hike. Don't know your history but if you're active and cardiologist says you're good to go I would keep on hiking and get in shape. You might need to discover your limitations.

Duffey, out here in California we have Costco. They sell frozen fish "steaks" that are perfect size for a meal. My wife likes Salmon and I like white fish so she gets both kinds. Easy to grill with seasonings.

Hope everyone is having a great week. Running/walking 5 miles down by the ocean tomorrow. Lots of rain this past week but should be nice for the weekend.

Martin

 

[Duffey]

Glad to see you posting here, Martin. Your exercise regime sounds lovely especially when compared to my own cold, dreary walks sidestepping rain or snow flurries. No Costco stores nearby, but I do have a better idea of what I should shop for. Apparently tilapia is not it! I just googled the fish and the results say that DH might as well eat a cheeseburger or bacon due to its high amega 6 properties. Oh well. Live and learn.

 

[neil]

hi guys, just had a small hip op which involved clear out and steroid inject, went well but bit sore atm, my question is its the first time am aware that I had ketamine and boy did I not like it, took ages to go under and when I did I thought I was dying, then when I woke up I couldn't move not even open my eyes, was confused had muscle twitching and bp was through the roof, has anybody else had this? or did I just have a bad trip, had lots of ops but never had this,

 

[Superbob]

Must say, I have really enjoyed the discussions on a variety of matters this week, and have learned from them. For instance, we belong to Costco but I didn't know about the varieties of frozen fish -- will check that out. We eat a lot of fresh fish from the market or off my son's deep-sea outings, but sometimes frozen is very convenient.

Martin glad to see your first post here -- welcome!

Fred, my take would be that if you get medical clearance for those long hikes with nature, go for it! Because of my back (spinal stenosis) more than my heart, It's improbable that I'd be able to undertake something that extensive, but I draw inspiration from others' adventures. Completing our three-mile Heart Walk last October was an achievement for me. Anyway, keep us posted on your hiking.

Neil, as far as your unpleasant op experience, all I can offer if that when my wife came out of a shoulder surgery, she was having visions of "Chinese warriors" being after her, and she was protesting them very loudly. Very disconcerting. I gather the stuff that knocks us out can trigger weird reactions sometimes. Perhaps others here will have something more specific to offer. Glad you are through with that op now and continuing to do well, I hope.

Duffey, I don't understand the tilapia being unhealthier than a cheeseburger. I thought the omega content was suppose to be heart-healthy. Maybe I need to google it too. Don't really consume that much tilapia anyway 'cause, as Steve notes, it is bland-tasting. (We like flounder a lot.) Anyway, also receptive to new knowledge and understanding along the course to be stayed!....

P.S. Well, I found this article, along with some from folks who say they would never eat tilapia. I'd say, tilapia in moderation -- but if you're not crazy about its taste, there are plenty of other fish in the sea!

http://www.livestrong.com/article/377292-is-tilapia-fish-healthy/