First Day: Cardiac Rehab

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 - This morning, I completed my first day of cardiac rehabilitation. For now, I am scheduled for one hour Wednesdays and Fridays for one month. I may add Mondays and may add an additional month.

PHOTO: Here I am at home after rehab. I wore my "I'd rather be copy editing." T-shirt to today's session.

While today's workout produced a little sweat, sore legs and arms, and moderate shortness of breath, it wasn't all that difficult. I am starting very slowly. Those old guys in the rehab facility left me in the dust with their workouts. I am 61 years old, so I am already deriving inspiration from their strength and perseverance.

I am still quite weak from my quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery on March 9, 2022, and because I haven't worked out in a gym since 1985. My blood pressure is still running low, so that may be contributing to my weakness, as well as my low iron and low hemoglobin levels, diabetes, and asthma/COPD.

Also, I may have a bit of residual weakness from my kidney failure and six weeks of daily dialysis in early 2021, but probably not. Maybe my three of four surgeries on my left foot (removal of bone fragments due to osteomyelitis and removal of a tumor growing within a diabetic ulcer), congestive heart failure with severe edema in both legs, thoracentesis (650 milliliters/22 ounces of fluid was drained from around my right lung), two bouts of pneumonia, covid infection, dangerously low hemoglobin levels, and a white blood cell count near zero due to intravenous antibiotics, all last year, adds to my overall weakness. I also had a recent heart attack, but I didn't know it due to diabetes. This series of medical issues started with dehydration and dangerously low potassium levels in December 2020. I hope my heart surgery last month is the end of my medical "fun."

I am neither complaining nor seeking sympathy, but perhaps I am bragging a bit (and am quite happy) because I am still alive. I am getting stronger with each passing day. I must be wary to not use my recent medical history as an excuse for not getting stronger. That was then. This is now. It's time to throw self-pity into the garbage can and move forward.

I thank my wonderful wife, my terrific mother, and my many doctors, nurses, and physical therapists. I also thank my friends and my family members for their prayers and support, and, ofcourse, God.