48 Hours & 7½ Miles

Tuesday and Wednesday were not good days.

I saw the cardiologist Tuesday morning and actually felt a bit rough whilst I was talking things over with her. I told her and she expressed concern, but as I was not having any chest pains didn’t seem too worried, suggesting I might just have a fever or something.

So I drive back home – via the pharmacy to collect some swapped out medications she had prescribed – and went about the rest of what I figured would be just another normal day.

It ended up far from normal.

In the afternoon my earlier symptoms were suddenly accompanied by chest pain and (what I can only describe as) ‘flutterings’. I called my wife immediately and luckily she was able to walk away from work, so I (somewhat stupidly in retrospect) drove our car into downtown, collected her from her office and she took over the wheel and then drove me straight to ER at St E in Fort Thomas.

They looked after me well, eventually admitting me into their transitional care unit, where later in the day I talked things over with my cardiologist who quickly organised a battery of tests to try and find out what was wrong.

Long story short – but after several armfuls of blood, a ‘nuclear stress test’ (where I was injected with heavy mercury… or something?), various x-rays and scans etc – my heart was given a completely clean bill of health.

The good news is my heart is fine. And I don’t have any hidden blood clots, DVT or embolisms. (Yes, all that was checked too). The only thing that was obviously awry was that my resting heart rate runs a little high, despite the beta blocker I have been taking since last February.

Another possible excuse for my weekend issues might (and I mean a very vague “might”) be something called a haital hernia, a medical problem which is known to ‘mimic’ certain heart attack symptoms such as I was experiencing. I’m planning to get that checked out somewhen soon after I see how I fare on the new meds.

Early indicators of that are, disappointingly, not good. Whilst, by rights, I should have woke up this morning full of vim and vigour after my hospital news, I instead got up feeling awful (again) which only got worse after I took my “a.m.” drugs.

Plans for my morning were written off whilst all the crappy feelings (very) slowly diminished.

The afternoon was a lot more positive. It’s been another (strangely) beautiful day here in the Tri-State. Very uncommon weather for February. I decided to go out for a short walk and make the most of it.

Well, my short walk turned into half of a half-marathon! I found a certain spring in my step after a couple of miles and decided – on a whim – to face ‘adversity’ head on and really push myself to do a ‘distance’. My heart felt fine, my breathing nowhere near as laboured as it was doing the treadmill part of the stress test yesterday.

7.55 miles via both sides of the river and including the International Freedom Park, always a favourite route.

I was my way of saying “screw you health issues” and I felt huge accomplishment when I eventually got back home for a very welcomed hot shower and a late lunch.

2012 Distance:- 30.21 + 1.56 + 7.55 = 39.32 miles

Monday Blues

Sadly I suffered a second evening of discomfort and actually dressed ready to be taken to the hospital, so convinced was I that there was something seriously awry.

However, after several hours of feeling anxious and drenched in sweat from yet another hot flush I called the ‘Nurse Line’ our medical insurers offer and talked my symptoms through with what seemed like a trained caring professional.

She advised me against going to the hospital as my combined issues did not not seem to add up to any kind of ‘heart emergency’. She suggested both it and the prior day’s event may have simply been akin to ‘panic attacks’, nevertheless recommending that I see my cardiologist a.s.a.p to be certain.

As I had an appointment already scheduled for tomorrow I took that advice and option, thanking her for calming me down a little. I eventually mellowed enough to (surprisingly) enjoy a very good night’s sleep.

The wife got home early this afternoon and we took advantage of the nice weather to have a quick brisk stroll round the neighbourhood. It was only 1.56 miles but, like yesterday, I feel tons better for it.

Fingers crossed I don’t experience a hat-trick of bad nights later!

2012 Distance:- 30.21 + 1.56 = 31.77 miles

A little bit of sun day

After what was an awful night for me – discomfort and anxiety that came close to returning me to hospital – I woke up quite a miserable soul this morning.

I had to try and shake off some of the ‘funk’, almost wishing to do something to punch this bad feeling square in the face.

I wrapped up warmly – including a fabby new thermal undershirt, a Christmas gift from the wife – and headed out into a crisp, dry, but sunny Sunday afternoon.

I walked further than I perhaps imagined I would, managing 3.81 miles in the process.

It did make me feel a little better. I do miss the daily walking regime – maybe my body misses it a lot too?

2012 Distance:- 25.48 + 1.00 + 3.81 = 30.21 miles

Sheeesh!

To the gym again this morning, for:-

- The mini-weights circuit in full.
- 100 reps on the ab crunch and leg press, 30 on all the rest.
- 20 minutes (4 miles) on the recumbent bike

I would have done more but apparently it was “National Be a Douchebag at the Gym Day” and I was unaware. Sooooo many people – mainly guys, but one girl too – being absolute arseholes to both me and other respectful people working out. I’m not going to get into detail just exhale a collective *sigh* accompanied by a “where do these utter ignorant wankers come from?” thought.

2012 Distance:- 25.48 + 1.00 = 26.48 miles

Tuesday with More A…

Once my digestive system had finished talking its all-too-regular morning ‘dialogue’, I made it to the gym again today..

Quite the successful work-out too..

• 20 minutes (4 miles) one on of Urban Active’s new recumbent bikes, which ‘kick my arse’ a lot harder than the older models
• The entire mini-weights circuit x30 reps per machine, except the ab crunch x80 and the leg press x100. Yes, 100!
• 10 laps – 1 mile – on the walking circuit

Not bad at all, considering.

However, I am painfully aware that it has taken me some 24 days to achieve the walking distance I was doing in a week during my 2011 heydays! *sigh*

2012 Distance:- 25.48 + 1.00 = 26.48 miles

Crunchy

Put the flags out – I made it to the gym this morning.

I’m still not enjoying it that much, but I’m aware I need to do something if my more beloved walking is otherwise off the table as an option.

All the recumbent bikes were in use so I thought I’d try out their newer elliptical and walk/spread machines. Sorry to report that they both beat me after just five minutes on each, the walk/spread machine proving to be a weird contraption which seems to throw your hips all the place and puts strains on muscles I’m not sure I need to strain?!

I did improve my output on the weights circuit a little though. I did 30 reps per machine on 8 pieces of the equipment, but on two others I very much upped the ante.

On the Leg  Press I pushed out 80 reps, whilst on the Ab Crunch I popped out 100!

There is a certain method to this madness. I am painfully aware that my mid-section is expanding again – the result of a) not getting enough exercise and b) comfort eating too much food.

Eagle-eyed readers will have noted that I haven’t weighed myself in several weeks/months… there IS a reason for that… namely that I don’t want to depress myself even more! I KNOW I’m heavier.

2012 Distance:- 25.48 miles

Too Cold

It was gym life, but not as we know it.

Yes, I returned to the gym this morning. My first visit in 2012.

It was fraught.

Temperatures have dropped to below freezing, accompanied by some strong cold winds. I think my body got FAR too cold walking from the car to the gym’s doors, then rebelled when I started to work out.

I couldn’t do anything without levels of certain discomfort. The complete mini-weights circuit plus 5 miles on the recumbent bike sounds like a successful morning, but believe me when I say every movement came with pain I could have certainly done without. Needless to say I abandoned the notion of also doing my favoured swimming pool exploits.

I had worried that the heart meds (especially the blood thinners and beta blockers) I am on would make me feel uncomfortably cold this winter. It looks like I was right to worry?!

>edited to add 3.13 miles for Sunday 1/14<

2012 Distance:- 15.03 + 5.12 + 2.20 + 3.13 = 25.48 miles

Rain, Sleet, Snow

Monday’s burst of enthusiasm was, sadly, short-lived, my all-too-familiar digestive issues preventing me from taking advantage of what continued to be good weather Tuesday and yesterday.

Today, of course, the weather turned colder and more ‘winter’-like, rain, sleet and snow now all moving into the Tri-State. It should – and could – have stopped me from going out but I decided to brave the drizzle and walk to the levee complex for a movie this morning (pre-midday screenings are just 6 bucks!). This gave me a useful 2.20 mile distance round-trip.

Not a lot, but better than nowt.

2012 Distance:- 15.03 + 5.12 + 2.20 = 22.35 miles

Unexpected…

Well, to my shock and surprise – my nice shock and surprise – I managed to chalk up a none-too-shabby 15+ miles in the first week of 2012!

With the weather remaining nice, sunny and mild – against ALL expectations – again today, I got ‘out there’ once again, walking into downtown to meet the missus at work and then walk back home with her.

Another 5+ miles under my belt. I shouldn’t but I could get used to this!

2012 Distance:- 15.03 + 5.12 = 20.15 miles

At last….

At last… a ‘proper’ walk in 2012!!

Today’s combination of mild weather and me feeling closer to 100% rather than less than 50% as I have done resulted in a walk to meet my wife downtown for lunch and a stroll back via Covington’s riverfront.

A very credible almost 6 miles for the day!

Yessssssssss!

>edited to add 2.23 miles for Friday 1/6<
>edited to add 1.77 miles for Saturday 1/7<
>edited to add 2.66 miles for Sunday 1/8<

2012 Mileage = 2.43 + 5.94 + 2.23 + 1.77
+ 2.66 = 15.03 miles