Update: Full Duty!
We are officially just over 5 months post open heart surgery. Sorry it's been a bit since my last update. Let me tell you, though, no news is good news! We've just been busy livin' life.
Last update I was just getting ready to start back to "light duty" at work. Turns out "the office" was a great experience. I say 'was' because I just finished up my first couple of shifts back on line...full duty. I'm officially back on the truck with my crew!
Fortunately, things don't change much and coming back was just like riding a bike (as soon as I remembered all my various passwords and codes and such). I quickly realized that all of the same nursing homes, trailer parks, and regular customers are still going strong. Other refreshing things were that all of the same jokes and predictable firehouse banter are unchanged. I even got to see a little fire first day back.
Office duty went well and I really appreciate the experience. I got to take part in some very important projects that have only made me better. That being said, there is no doubt I'm back where I belong. And...I'm back about a month sooner than originally planned!
I feel incredibly blessed to be healthier than ever and back doing what I love. I didn't get here on my own. My family has been unbelievable. Amber is an absolute bad ass. She handles everything with such grace and I'm amazed on the daily how dedicated one person can be to her family and those around her. The girls have also been rocks. And the dogs-well they're just glad to get their running human back.
Cardiac rehab has also been an integral component of my recovery. It started slow but ended up giving me the confidence to push hard. I highly recommend everyone take part in one of these programs if faced with any kind of cardiac event. I may have started with the 3 lb dumbbells but was in full gear with a weighted vest doing all my exercises and sweating buckets by the end of the 36 session program. And yes, there were some skeptical looks from my 70 year old rehab buddies and maybe some nervous rehab nurses wondering how to get all the gear off if I went down.
Since rehab, normal life has ensued for the most part. There have been tennis matches, soccer games, swim meets, plays, and school performances. There has been a Vegas road trip to watch Mackenzie's soccer team; oh and do normal Vegas things like Jay Z concerts, liver gymnastics, and staying up past 10 pm. I also ran my first race since "the event". A 4 mile Turkey Trot. Wasn't as fast or long as my old self but still managed 8 minute miles. Being temporarily off the 24 hour shift schedule has allowed me to be at a lot of the girls events and soak up some amazing family time. Also got to test the heart repair with another Cubs playoff run.
Many people have asked if I feel better since getting the valve fixed. Other than chest soreness (crazy how that happens after your sternum is sawed and spread open and wired shut), the definitive answer is yes, I feel really good! However, it's hard to know if I feel this way because my broke down heart valve has been made more efficient, or because I'm focusing so much on health with better habits. I'm eating healthier, hydrating more responsibly 😋, and exercising more at a high intensity. I've also had the luxury of sleeping in my own bed during this period and not at the fire house with one eye open. It's probably a combination of all these things. It really has been a good reminder for me that physical health and mental/cognitive health go hand in hand and we have a lot of control in this area.
This whole experience has gone better than I ever could have expected. I seriously wouldn't change it. The support has been overwhelming. Modern medicine is amazing. This situation even 30 years ago would have been handled dramatically different and I may not have been able to return to doing the things I love.
I've thought a lot about perspective in recent months. Our situation was really so minor and temporary compared to what many people endure. I've been given the opportunity to focus almost solely on my health, knowing I have a lot of control over the outcome. Not every family has this kind of control. I have a fantastic support system of family and friends, including a great employer and coworkers. We also have decent health insurance. Not everyone is dealt these cards. It hasn't always been rainbows and butterfly's, but the obstacles really have led to greater strength in the end and I'm better for it. We don't always have a lot of choice in what we are dealt, but I do feel strongly that we can choose how we react and respond to these things. I'm better for it.
Moving forward, I plan to keep this blog active. With that said, it will likely go a different direction as we move in to the next phase of recovery, which I see as, living life. I'm thinking along the lines of writing about whatever I'm in to at the time. This could be anything from the joys of parenting teen aged girls to book/podcast reviews. I tend to be that person that dabbles in many different flavors or trends. Some call it ADHD or think I'm just unable to sit still. I like to think of myself as a "researcher". I might write about my experience with certain health and workout trends, like, what happened when I did intermittent fasting, or tried to run 1000 miles in a year, or thought 5 finger toe shoes were going to change the world. Maybe even explore a single fun question at a time, Tim Ferriss "Tribe of Mentors" style (check him out, he's great). I'm thinking much shorter but more frequent posts. I've had a little extra time on my hands to explore and "research" over the last few months. Of course, if there are any heart health changes I will be sure and update here, as well.
I doubt if I'll share future posts via Facebook as I don't want to be "that guy" constantly on your feed. Not to mention, my love/hate relationship with social media, especially Facebook, may be something I write about so would hate to be called a hypocrite. We'll see...
So, if you wish to get updates or follow along please hit the SUBSCRIBE button on the top of the page or feel free to drop in every so often. I would love to have you around and to make it interactive! Hopefully I can even talk Amber in to jumping on board for her perspective, at least to make fun of me and my love of non fiction self development books. Thanks so much to each and every one of you for your amazing support and for following along on this journey!
Last update I was just getting ready to start back to "light duty" at work. Turns out "the office" was a great experience. I say 'was' because I just finished up my first couple of shifts back on line...full duty. I'm officially back on the truck with my crew!Fortunately, things don't change much and coming back was just like riding a bike (as soon as I remembered all my various passwords and codes and such). I quickly realized that all of the same nursing homes, trailer parks, and regular customers are still going strong. Other refreshing things were that all of the same jokes and predictable firehouse banter are unchanged. I even got to see a little fire first day back.
Office duty went well and I really appreciate the experience. I got to take part in some very important projects that have only made me better. That being said, there is no doubt I'm back where I belong. And...I'm back about a month sooner than originally planned!
I feel incredibly blessed to be healthier than ever and back doing what I love. I didn't get here on my own. My family has been unbelievable. Amber is an absolute bad ass. She handles everything with such grace and I'm amazed on the daily how dedicated one person can be to her family and those around her. The girls have also been rocks. And the dogs-well they're just glad to get their running human back.Cardiac rehab has also been an integral component of my recovery. It started slow but ended up giving me the confidence to push hard. I highly recommend everyone take part in one of these programs if faced with any kind of cardiac event. I may have started with the 3 lb dumbbells but was in full gear with a weighted vest doing all my exercises and sweating buckets by the end of the 36 session program. And yes, there were some skeptical looks from my 70 year old rehab buddies and maybe some nervous rehab nurses wondering how to get all the gear off if I went down.
Since rehab, normal life has ensued for the most part. There have been tennis matches, soccer games, swim meets, plays, and school performances. There has been a Vegas road trip to watch Mackenzie's soccer team; oh and do normal Vegas things like Jay Z concerts, liver gymnastics, and staying up past 10 pm. I also ran my first race since "the event". A 4 mile Turkey Trot. Wasn't as fast or long as my old self but still managed 8 minute miles. Being temporarily off the 24 hour shift schedule has allowed me to be at a lot of the girls events and soak up some amazing family time. Also got to test the heart repair with another Cubs playoff run.
Many people have asked if I feel better since getting the valve fixed. Other than chest soreness (crazy how that happens after your sternum is sawed and spread open and wired shut), the definitive answer is yes, I feel really good! However, it's hard to know if I feel this way because my broke down heart valve has been made more efficient, or because I'm focusing so much on health with better habits. I'm eating healthier, hydrating more responsibly 😋, and exercising more at a high intensity. I've also had the luxury of sleeping in my own bed during this period and not at the fire house with one eye open. It's probably a combination of all these things. It really has been a good reminder for me that physical health and mental/cognitive health go hand in hand and we have a lot of control in this area.
This whole experience has gone better than I ever could have expected. I seriously wouldn't change it. The support has been overwhelming. Modern medicine is amazing. This situation even 30 years ago would have been handled dramatically different and I may not have been able to return to doing the things I love.
I've thought a lot about perspective in recent months. Our situation was really so minor and temporary compared to what many people endure. I've been given the opportunity to focus almost solely on my health, knowing I have a lot of control over the outcome. Not every family has this kind of control. I have a fantastic support system of family and friends, including a great employer and coworkers. We also have decent health insurance. Not everyone is dealt these cards. It hasn't always been rainbows and butterfly's, but the obstacles really have led to greater strength in the end and I'm better for it. We don't always have a lot of choice in what we are dealt, but I do feel strongly that we can choose how we react and respond to these things. I'm better for it.
Moving forward, I plan to keep this blog active. With that said, it will likely go a different direction as we move in to the next phase of recovery, which I see as, living life. I'm thinking along the lines of writing about whatever I'm in to at the time. This could be anything from the joys of parenting teen aged girls to book/podcast reviews. I tend to be that person that dabbles in many different flavors or trends. Some call it ADHD or think I'm just unable to sit still. I like to think of myself as a "researcher". I might write about my experience with certain health and workout trends, like, what happened when I did intermittent fasting, or tried to run 1000 miles in a year, or thought 5 finger toe shoes were going to change the world. Maybe even explore a single fun question at a time, Tim Ferriss "Tribe of Mentors" style (check him out, he's great). I'm thinking much shorter but more frequent posts. I've had a little extra time on my hands to explore and "research" over the last few months. Of course, if there are any heart health changes I will be sure and update here, as well.
I doubt if I'll share future posts via Facebook as I don't want to be "that guy" constantly on your feed. Not to mention, my love/hate relationship with social media, especially Facebook, may be something I write about so would hate to be called a hypocrite. We'll see...
So, if you wish to get updates or follow along please hit the SUBSCRIBE button on the top of the page or feel free to drop in every so often. I would love to have you around and to make it interactive! Hopefully I can even talk Amber in to jumping on board for her perspective, at least to make fun of me and my love of non fiction self development books. Thanks so much to each and every one of you for your amazing support and for following along on this journey!
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