Celebrated Birthday in Typical Fashion - 5 Months after Surgery!

This time of the year, the normal pattern of school, track practice, and big weekend track meets, is the normal way I celebrate birthday week.  This year was no exception, the only difference was my new birthday of December 13th - open heart surgery!  So, the 5 month anniversary was also this week! 

At the 5 month date, my recovery is headed in the right direction.  The healing process & strength are coming back.  I took a personal day Friday & spent the morning with the chainsaw cutting up tree limbs & carrying the limbs to my wood stack.  This activity went well, the only thing I noticed was some lack of strength & cardio conditioning - that should get better.

After my tree fun, I prepared for the Lancaster-Lebanon Track meet at our track.  That usually means making sure the pole vault area is reading to go.  More physical activity!  Then preparing for the competition & the "fun stress" of competition!  The girls pole vault was Fridat night and the young ladies were awesome - Kaya 2nd at 10'6, Dani 5th at 10', and Heather with a double PR at 9'!  The three young ladies had an outstanding day & the day ended on a great note!

Today, the boys go!  A 7 AM breakfast with the coaches, 10 AM boys pole vault, & a chance for the boys & girls team to win their fourth title in a row!

So, after 5 months, golfing, chain sawing, mowing grass, coaching, & back to school!

Made it to Birthday #58!

Time to celebrate!  And time to give thanks!

Tomorrow, May 12th, is birthday number 58!  And thanks to a lot of people, their expertise, their hard work, and their prayers, birthday #58 is here!

Thanks to the experts!  My family doctors at Mountville Family Practice!  Their quick referral, to Dr. Smith, Regional Hospital & the great staff, onto Lancaster General, Dr. Burlingame, the awesome nurses at LGH, the cardiac rehab staff, & then to the Heart Group doctors!  We are LUCKY to have the care we have in Lancaster County!

Friends & family!  From school, to neighbors, to relatives - sister Ginny(the nurse), brother Jon(who flew up from Florida), Cousin George(who is my medical role model), Cousin Oscar(his weekly phone calls), two awesome sons, and a wife that was incredible!!! 

A great church!  Prayers that were felt each day.  Communion at the hospital and at home!  Meals that were great(and healthy!).  And a pastor that not only is a great pastor, but a devoted friend!

And thank God!  My faith was tested, but His presence was Felt!

21 Weeks After Open Heart ByPass Surgery

Monday will be 21 weeks after surgery.  This weekend I cut my grass again(push mower, carried the pole vault pole bag, carried in the groceries from the car, and did another set of "real" push-ups!  The only "bump" is the PVC's, and I just deal with the extra heart beats.  When I exercise, I just slow down and get the heart rate below 95 & they seem to go away.

My next round of doctor appointments are in June after the last day of school - June 14th.  At that time I will have more blood work, wear a 24 hour halter, and meet with my cardiologist.  The meds that I am still taking are:
Heart Meds:
1 - 81 mg aspirin daily
1 - 40 mg tablet of lipitor daily
1 - 5 mg tablet of Amlodipine daily
1 - 75 mg tablet of Plavix daily
1 - 100 mg tablet of Metoprolol daily
Other Meds
1 - 20 mg tablet of Aciphex
1 - 10 mg tablet of Singulair