Thursday, February 27, 2020
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Like the Weather
I have a small amount of momentum going with biking this year, but I also have new rules as far as what type of weather is suitable for riding. By that I mean, I'm 49 years old, I've acclimated to the heat of the south, so I am not riding in weather under 50 degrees.
The upside of this is that I am back in the routine of asking myself almost every day "is it nice enough to ride?" That is a step in the right direction even though it is tough during the winter when the answer is almost always "no."
Physically I'll never get back to previous "performance" levels. But mentally I'm beating the excuses that kept me from riding in 2019. I guess I am having "marginal gains" as Team INEOS (formerly team Sky) would put it.
Wednesday of next week I am getting a Heart Catheterization procedure. This is, from what I am told, a fairly routine procedure that allows the doctors to examine more closely what is happening with my heart by inserting a tube through an artery in my arm or leg, and injecting a special dye that will allow them to see blood flow blockages in real time. I have been told that if they detect blockages that are bad enough, they will install stents to open those blockages.
My first question was, "will it give me more energy?"
The answers I've gotten so far say no. These answers were from both the actual doctor that will be performing the work, and from a few people I know who have one or more stents in their heart having been through the same procedure. The way it will work from what I understand, is that my heart may work more efficiently after the procedure, which could extend my lifespan. In other words, with my congestive heart failure, my heart is only moving 60% of the capacity of blood it is supposed to. If I have stents installed, it most likely will still only move that percentage, but will work a little less hard doing it.
I am writing this based only on what I have been told, my next step is a deep dive into information about the procedure and its affects.
In other news, I retaped my road bike bars with white tape. Stupid tape had no adhesive. Oain in the neck.
The upside of this is that I am back in the routine of asking myself almost every day "is it nice enough to ride?" That is a step in the right direction even though it is tough during the winter when the answer is almost always "no."
Physically I'll never get back to previous "performance" levels. But mentally I'm beating the excuses that kept me from riding in 2019. I guess I am having "marginal gains" as Team INEOS (formerly team Sky) would put it.
Wednesday of next week I am getting a Heart Catheterization procedure. This is, from what I am told, a fairly routine procedure that allows the doctors to examine more closely what is happening with my heart by inserting a tube through an artery in my arm or leg, and injecting a special dye that will allow them to see blood flow blockages in real time. I have been told that if they detect blockages that are bad enough, they will install stents to open those blockages.
My first question was, "will it give me more energy?"
The answers I've gotten so far say no. These answers were from both the actual doctor that will be performing the work, and from a few people I know who have one or more stents in their heart having been through the same procedure. The way it will work from what I understand, is that my heart may work more efficiently after the procedure, which could extend my lifespan. In other words, with my congestive heart failure, my heart is only moving 60% of the capacity of blood it is supposed to. If I have stents installed, it most likely will still only move that percentage, but will work a little less hard doing it.
I am writing this based only on what I have been told, my next step is a deep dive into information about the procedure and its affects.
In other news, I retaped my road bike bars with white tape. Stupid tape had no adhesive. Oain in the neck.
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