10 years later!

Wow, that just flew by! I am still alive and kicking! I really lost track of this blog because the email to which it was associated has been long lost.

I think it is so cool people have found my post on the Voldyne 5000 helpful and entertaining.

So many things have happened since the last update.

• My wife survived breast cancer. That scared me more than my heart surgery.
• My son graduated from The University of Texas and now lives in Los Angeles.
• My department was closed in 2011. I was able to get another position.
• In typical "My Life Is Charmed" fashion, I now have the greatest job of my career.
• In perhaps my greatest achievement, I "ran" the CASA Superhero 5K in a unicorn costume!

Some things haven't changed.

• I let my weight get away from me a few years ago. I got up to 240! I am now back in the 195-200 range most of the time. 185 is still the goal. Weight is a continuing struggle.
• The scar is still there though not nearly as gruesome as it once was.
• Still live in and love Austin, Texas.

Maybe I'll update again in 10 years.

I guess one's digital footprint really is persistent!

Marc

Stuck on the last few pounds....

The good news is I am the lightest I have been during my son's life. I have never been below 200 lbs since Rocket was born. The bad news is I seem to be stuck around 194-196 lbs. My goal is 185 lbs. I need to re-dedicate myself to the goal. Increase my exercise again and cut more fat and carb out of my diet. I'm running 45-60% protein and 20% or less fat as it is. I guess I have to hit the weights harder than I have been. I have to be careful not to overdo it because my breastbone gets very sore along the saw line if I do too much.

Been Ages but I'm doing much better...

Zoinks! I haven't posted in ages. I guess the point is really moot now. I feel great. I've lost about 25 pounds since October. The only problem I've experienced is low blood pressure when I stand up. The cardiologist still has me on a beta-blocker to help my heart learn to pump with less force. Due to the weight loss, my dose was too high. Doing much better now that he dropped me to one dose a day rather than two.

I'm still walking just about every day. When it is cold and rainy, I take a pass and sleep for an extra hour. I'm doing about 1 hour a day at about 3.5 mph. I just put on an audiobook and hit the road. Currently, I'm listening to Have Space Suit - Will Travel by Robert Heinlein.

12-14 Update

Well, this has become a once in a blue moon sort of thing. Haven't updated in a white again.

Rocket and I went to see Kiss with Buckcherry on Dec 4th. Great show. Maybe the best I've ever seen Kiss.

Still working on getting back into shape. I'm down 18 pounds now since starting in late October. I'm just over halfway there! I'm getting up at 5:30 every morning and walking 45-60 minutes before I start getting ready for work. I'm also trying to push a higher percentage of my caloric intake to protein. I'm averaging around 35-55% of my calories from protein. I made it through Thanksgiving without gaining any weight back. Hopefully I can make it through Winter Break the same way. Not drinking alcohol has made it easier but I haven't have a drink since last January so there's more to it than that.

I'm looking forward to the time off. I bought a drum kit a few months back. I can't play it worth a darn but my friend Eloy can. Hopefully, there will be much music and mirth during the holidays. Playing guitar standing up burns about 200 calories per hour. Drums are closer to 300. I figure it will be a great way to workout. :p

11-07-09

Last night Rocket and I went to see ACDC. It was an excellent show!

Last night was the first concert, or live music performance for that matter, since my surgery.
I will post some pictures when I have time.

Over the past month I have been working at getting back into shape.
Up every morning at 6 and out walking by 6:15.
Walking evenings.
Jogging a bit.
A bit of work with weights.
Watching my what I eat.

In the last month, I have lost 10 pounds and I feel really good.

10-07-09 update - Still alive!

Haven't updated in forever. I went to see the cardiologist on September 25. Due to several weird occurrences, this was the first time I had seen him since my surgery.

My cardiologist walked in greeted and said, "How are you feeling?" I told him I feel great since the surgery -- no shortness of breath, no palpitations, no burning lungs when I walk up stairs or run. He said, "You gave me a lot of gray hairs." Evidently, my situation was worse than I knew at the time. If I had not had my surgery, I could have had a sudden cardiac event and died -- at just about any time! I knew my mitral valve was sticking to my septal obstruction and closing poorly. What I did not know was that it was basically not closing from time to time. My left ventricle was working, maybe, half as effectively as it should. After my examination, Dr. M gave me the all clear. I can exercise (more than just walking) again!

Since the surgery and recovery, I feel much better. I can exercise again. My heart can take it. I just have to get my muscles back. After about 7 months of reduced activity, my muscle tone has been lost quite a bit. I can walk or, even, jog fine as far as my heart is concerned. My muscles tell another story. Trying to get back into an exercise routine has been fraught with soreness and pulled muscles. I have to get the weight off that I gained since the diagnosis and surgery (about 10 lbs) plus the weight I was trying to lose in the first place (another 10 lbs). Since getting the clear, I've lost a couple lbs but their is much work to do. Luckily, the weather is turning cooler.

8-28-09 update (evening)

BP 116/79 Pulse 78
Weight 215.2 lbs

Chest still itches from time to time but the overall soreness is less noticeable. Maybe I am so used to it that I don't notice it unless it gets past a certain threshold. Anyway, I haven't noticed much discomfort during the day. I have continued to experience muscle stiffness in the mornings but that, too, appears to be improving.

Been really busy at work this week. Lots of walking. Lots of stairs. I have been feeling pretty good the whole time. No shortness of breath. No difficulty on stairs. Next week should be a similar workload.

8-25-09 update

BP 116/80 Pulse 88
Weight 214.4 lbs

The itching under my incision is still around. More of an annoyance than a real problem.

Yesterday was the D-Day. I spent the most of the day at Anderson. I was on my feet for at least five straight hours. I felt fine during and afterward. My chest was sore last night but it was the pectoral muscles rather than the actual incision area that was sore.

Everyone who sees me says, "Your color looks good." What the heck were they expecting? I was going to be white as a sheet? It's not like I my had blood drained out. I had my heart fixed. I think I'll start telling them, "Yeah, I asked for vermillion but this color was all they had."

8-20-09 update

BP 119/80 Pulse 84
Weight 212.0 lbs

I have been back to work since Monday (8-17). Other than being really tired at the end of the day and having sore feet and ankles, things have gone well. I am still required to avoid heavy lifting but I can still be productive. I walked quite a bit yesterday at work and it felt good. Stairs no longer give me the feeling of impending doom. They are not a problem.

I am able to sleep, at least for spans, on my side which helps. I don't like sleeping on my back. I get sore on my side but it is not a hard pain. It is more like a stiffness in my chest muscles. My sleep is better than before the surgery but not very sound. If I get awakened at night, I have a difficult time getting back to sleep.

8-15-09 update

BP 134/82 Pulse 72 (BP seems high today. Ate too much Indian food last night. Salt, maybe?)
Weight 214.9 lbs

Today was a pretty good day. My breastbone under the incision still itches and probably will for a while. I was able to lay on my side this early this morning without any discomfort. I actually fell asleep for a while like that. I even started dreaming. When I woke, I had only been out 20-30 minutes. For me to go to deep sleep that fast is remarkable.

Walked a short while outside at around 10 am. It was already getting hot so I came in after only 30 minutes. I walked 30 minutes in the evening on our old raggedy treadmill. At some point we should get a new one but since money doesn't fall from the sky on my lawn, I'll have to plan for that purchase. :-)

8-13-09 update

BP 130/89 Pulse 92
Weight 213.8 lbs

My incision, I guess I'll have to call it a scar now, is looking pretty good. It is almost fully healed on the surface. Underneath, there is still soreness and itching but it seems to be improving.

I got out and walked yesterday. I felt pretty good afterwards. I got really tired around 6 pm but, after dinner, I was much better. I had to troubleshoot a networking issue in the house last night. Turns out it was a dying router. Luckily, I had another around to swap out. It was a different brand so it required a different setup. I know, I'm a geek.

Slept well last night. I feel pretty good this morning. The tightness in my breastbone this morning is not as bad as it has been before. Perhaps, I'm making progress on that front.

8-11-09 update

BP 128/85 Pulse 84
Weight 214.5 lbs

My chest is still sore inside. Coughing and sneezing still hurt but not like I'm going to burst open. The itching under my incision has gotten a bit worse but not too bad. Rubbing helps a little. Scratching does no good.

Attempting to go into work last week was a mistake. What I though was going well at work came around to bite me this weekend. I felt the worst I have in weeks. Back pain, chest soreness -- the works. I probably should have waited for the all clear from my cardiologist. I am seeing Dr. Mingea today. Five weeks may have been a little ambitious of a return to work in the office. I continue to do conference calls and emails from home.

Since Friday, I haven't been out for a walk. I need to get out. The combination of not feeling well and the extreme heat have discouraged me. I will try to get out at night but I find I am getting tired early again. The lack of exercise is probably adding to my lack of energy. I will force myself out tonight. Maybe I'll go some place air conditioned to walk. That's what the other "old people" do. :P

I'm trying not to get discouraged but I am really ready for this to all be behind me.

8-5-09 update

BP 110/86 Pulse 95
Weight 213.0 lbs

My chest is still sore inside. Coughing, sneezing and laughing all hurt but not as badly as before. The incision is healed with the exception of that same area at the bottom. It is healing but is not complete yet. The area around and, maybe, under the incision itch from time to time but nothing too bothersome.

I started back into work this week. For the most part it has worked out. I do get very tired and sore by the end of the day. It may be a little soon to try to come back full time. I see Dr. Mingea Monday. I will see what he has to say. Working from home over the last few weeks allowed me to rest when I needed it. Being in the office doesn't offer that flexibility. The demands stay fairly constant. It should get easier. I just do not want to set back my recovery by over-doing it.

I am only taking pain meds for breakthrough pain now. I may take only 1 or 2 Norcos a day. For the most part, the pain is dull and, maybe, rates a 1-3. In the evening, it does seem to spike a bit. More of an annoyance than a real problem.

The great sleep I was getting before appears to have been a result of the medications. I am still sleeping better than before the surgery but not straight through. It may also be that there is more on my mind with the return to work. Oh well, it was fantastic while it lasted.

8-2-09 update

BP 123/78 Pulse 90
Weight 216.5 lbs

I went for about a 45 minute walk today. I didn't walk the last few days because the heat was nuts, even late into the evening. One glance at my weight and you can tell I haven't been exercising! I'm going to have to get up early to walk, I guess.

I am only occassionally taking pain meds now. Usually over 7 hours between. I don't know if the pain is subsiding much or I am more tolerant of it but I have been able to reduce the amount I take.

I need to get work time in because I will run out of sick days if I need them later. Work is mostly desk-based this time of year do I should be good. I'm going to start easing in next week.

7-29-09 update

BP 116/79 Pulse 92
Weight 214.5 lbs

Saw Dr. Oswalt yesterday. He cleared me for driving (woo hoo!). He kept me on restricted lifting but gave me a schedule for increasing weight. I am trying to take my pain meds only when needed. That has translated into waiting longer between doses. I think I have built a little tolerance for the pain. A 3-4 is annoying. A 5 is tolerable. A 6 makes me start thinking about taking something. Hopefully, I will soon be taking only the occassional ibuprofen for pain.

I am hoping to start easing into work at the office late this week or next. I have been working from home (emails, phone meetings, etc) but because I have not been cleared to drive, I have been unable to be in the office. The doctor didn't specificly clear me for return to work but, as long as I avoid lifting and such, it should be fine.

Taking medications for pain:
Hydrocodone/APAP 5mg/325mg 1 tab when needed for pain

7-28-09 update

BP 112/74 Pulse 88
Weight 215.4 lbs

The incision is healing nicely. I just have a bit of a teardrop at the bottom of the incision that hasn't fully healed yet. The breastbone is still an source of much discomfort. Laughing, sneezing, coughing and hiccuping make me hurt. I slept through a dose today by about 3 hours and woke with a very heavy chest and quite a bit of pain when I got out of bed. It was not earth shattering pain but it hurt. On a scale of 1 to 10, it was probably a 5. Not bad compared to a month ago.

Taking medications for pain:
Hydrocodone/APAP 5mg/325mg 1 tab every 4 hrs

Once again, the extreme outside heat kept me indoors yesterday. I did not get out for a walk. Today I see Dr. Oswalt. Hopefully, he will clear me to drive and return at least part of my regular activities.

Have a great day.

7-26-09 update

No update yesterday. I went for a long walk instead.

BP 107/72 Pulse 89
Weight 213.8 lbs

The incision is healing nicely. I just have a bit of a teardrop at the bottom of the incision that hasn't fully healed yet. The breastbone is still an source of much discomfort. Laughing, sneezing, coughing, -- all of them make me hurt pretty severely. I stopped taking ibuprofen. Unfortunately, that means my arthritis in my hands has returned a little but that's okay. It's not like it is a new thing. I've had trouble with my thumbs for a while.

Taking medications for pain:
Hydrocodone/APAP 5mg/325mg 1 tab every 4 hrs
Ibuprophen 200mg every 4-6 hrs discontinued

I took a long walk yesterday and did not need to breathe through my mouth at all. That's a big thing for me. I didn't realize I had such a problem because it has been the same my entire life. I think back to the first time I got glasses. I remember that I was amazed by all the detail of the leaves on the trees. I had no idea that you were supposed to be able to see all that. I also had no idea that you are supposed to be able to exert yourself without your lungs burning. I thought everyone got short of breath and the really good athletes were just able to work through it. I never thought to complain about it to a doctor.

My body didn't come with a manual or maybe it was misplaced at the hospital. All I got was a piece of paper that some baby stepped on. They didn't even given me a clean one. What a gip.

7-24-09 morning update

BP 109/67 Pulse 95
Weight 213.0 lbs

The incision seems fine. The bottom 1/2 inch of the incision still has a scab. The rest of the incision is scab free although there will be a doozy of a scar.

Taking medications for pain:
Hydrocodone/APAP 5mg/325mg 1 tab every 4 hrs except when experiencing increased pain
Ibuprophen 200mg every 4-6 hrs discontinued - last dose 7-23 at 9 am - I am concerned about taking Ibuprophen over such an extended period. I am waiting for clarification from the doctor's office.

Painwise, there is still some, especially when I sleep through a dose or forget a dose. I guess the fact that I can sleep through a dose or lose track of time and take one late is a sign that my pain is getting better. My neck has started bothering me but I think that has more to do with sleeping on my back (haven't done that for years) than the surgery itself.

I see Dr. Oswalt on Tuesday (7-26). I hope he clears me for driving. I've also got to get back to full work sometime.

7-23-09 morning update

BP 113/68 Pulse 78
Weight 214.6 lbs

The incision is doing great. Under the incision is starting to inch a bit. I have read that this is normal. Bad thing about it -- you can't scratch under the skin! Putting pressure on it with my heart pillow helps.

Taking medications for pain:
Hydrocodone/APAP 5mg/325mg 1 tab every 4 hrs except when experiencing increased pain
Ibuprophen 200mg every 4-6 hrs

I was such a bum yesterday. I did housework stuff but I did not go for a walk. It wasn't incredibly hot yesterday but it did feel more humid. My weight is holding steady at around 214, which is still 5 lbs heavier than before my surgery and about 30 lbs more than I would like to weight. I can not workout with weights but I definitely need to get more walking in. I haven't been eating excessively. I just haven't been very active during my recovery.

7-22-09 morning update

BP 117/69 Pulse 83
Weight 214.4 lbs

The incision is healing fine. I still feel some pain and stiffness under the incision but it continues to improve. One strange thing I have noticed is that, in the morning, my incision almost seems vertically tight. It is as if I need to stretch it in order to be able to stand up straight.

Taking medications for pain:
Hydrocodone/APAP 5mg/325mg 1 tab every 4 hrs except when experiencing increased pain
Ibuprophen 200mg every 4-6 hrs

Yesterday was a good day. I experience very little break through pain. The pain meds are managing the discomfort just fine. I experimented with trying to skip a pain dose. I am still not ready for that. After about an hour, I can feel it especially if I sneeze or cough.

Walked for about 30-45 minutes yesterday. I am trying to get more active. I've been doing dishes, some laundry (in small batches), feeding the dogs and some light house cleaning. I have to be careful about over doing it. I don't want to undo any recovery I've accomplished so far.

Sleeping kicks serious butt. Waking up rested is such a new thing for me. I can't believe it. No grogginess, no grumpiness (well no more than my normal baseline grump) and no need to hit the coffee right away to wake up.

Have a great day.