Heart Attack to 10K (part 4.6) - Sub 29, attack of the AKI and 1 year old!
PART 4.6 - SUB 29!, ATTACK OF THE AKI & 1 YEAR OLD!
(Phase VI - sustaining a healthy life-style)
"Nothings going to happen unless you make it happen."
I kick-off this blog still on a high from my two sub 30 parkruns from the previous blog [see part 4.5] .... I was on a roll and living the dream!
But it was summer so we took a much needed a break and I enjoyed few days away from it all with the Mrs down in Looe on the south Cornish coast, this was always going to disrupt my training schedule but I did manage to at least get out for a daily early morning walk along the coast path to help keep up my average step count and make up for those fried breakfast's, eating out and a couple or more local ales. This was intended as a quiet get away but everywhere we visited I kept bumping into people who wanted to talk 'football', much the my wife's annoyance, but this was not really surprising as the Wanderers were playing in Plymouth that week and I wasn't the only Chairboy making the most of a few days in Cornwall. I think she became a little suspicious when stopping at a large warehouse type shop en-route to our bed & breakfast and a shop assistant girl came running up to me, it turns at she was a Plymouth Argyle fan and spotted my Wycombe shirt and wanted to know if I was down for the match the following night, the match ended as a 1-1 draw and I met up with her again to exchange our contrasting view points of the match on our departure a few days later, these Plymouth fans do have a strange ideas of the game and the only thing we could agree on was that crossing the Tamar bridge after the match was an absolute nightmare that night.
I have noticed on previous occasions when I miss a week or two from parkrun I can never quite re-capture the form I was on before the break and so it was with my first run back where I finished in a slightly disappointing 31:30. However, this was just the start of an excellent mini run of results which would see my time fall each week with finishes of 29:37, 28:48, 28:18 and 28:04, the last 3 all being new PB's and I was now just 16 seconds away from achieving my SMART challenge of finishing 10 minutes faster than my maiden run by its anniversary [see part 4.5] with still 3 weeks to go, if I'm being totally honest I hadn't really expected to get near this.
I had really hit a little purple patch with the next run finishing in 28:37 before things started to go a bit pear-shape.
On the 10th October I visited Wycombe hospital for my anti-coagulation appointment [see part 4.5], this wasn't as conclusive as I had been hoping. It seems there was a bit of a conflict between the surgeon who carried out my fistula operation [see part 4.5] and reported the runs of AF (atrial fibrillation) and the cardiologist who was saying the 24 hour holter monitor hadn't shown any abnormality so wasn't convinced there was a problem and needed more evidence. This left the anti-coagulation clinic in middle and basically asking my opinion. As I was still experiencing palpitations/fluttering and it seemed pretty clear to me that there had been a problem during the surgery, I was in favour of anti-coagulation to reduce the risk of a stroke. I had half expected to be given Warfarin but was instead prescribed a new drug by the name of Rivaroxaban which is considered safer and more effective in patients with AF. Besides its anti-coagulation properties it is also a blood thinner so I had to stop taking aspirin immediately to prevent the higher risk of bleeding.
With just two runs left to hit my SMART challenge, I completed the next run in 29:27, more than a minute slower than the previous week. Just a couple of weeks earlier I had been just 16 seconds away from my target but now had increased that by 90 seconds, I was feeling a bit frustrated and needed to get back on track for my final attempt next week!
Around this time I was starting to hit a bit of a slump, my weight loss had become static since the summer break and I was starting to find motivation a little harder. I found myself giving in to temptation a little too easy and having the odd extra chocolate, cake or beer where I've resisted before and also the drive to keep up the intensity of exercise was getting that bit harder.
I occasionally receive some discontent within the family as to my methods which can also have a negative impact on my drive and determination. I can understand their concern, that I might be over-working myself and the worry that this could put a strain on my heart, but I try to explain that doing nothing is not really an option and after 2 cardiac warnings the next might not be quite so forgiving. I never push myself beyond what I am capable and will always ease back or take breaks or at the very least use my GTN spray if I start to feel any discomfort and besides, walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, yoga, strength training and aerobic exercises are all recommended for people with heart problems plus I have the full backing from my GP and cardiologist both who seem keen particularly on parkrun.
I just needed to refocus on my goal and remind myself of my aims and looking back through this journal to where I first realised that my heart attack came just 3.5 years after my first angioplasty and stent [see part 1] certainly helped, that short time frame hit me hard, even frightened me, and I didn't want a repeat in another 3.5 years - I was now half way through that period and I think that had started to play on my mind as well.
Between those two cardiac events I lived in the semi-ignorance that the problem had been fixed, I would go for the occasional long walk but really did little else other than a bit of gardening or housework and had only made token changes to my diet, which slipped as time went by and I'm sure I was slowly putting on weight. This was never enough and carrying the same way now would almost certainly lead to another heart attack at some point. That is when I resolved to make permanent lifestyle changes, to improve my diet, health and fitness. It seemed to me there were two stark choices, either sit back, take the meds and let nature take its course or get out there and try to do something about it.
What came across during the cardiac rehabilitation [see part 3] and again at FFIT [see part 4.1] was the importance of exercise together with a balanced healthy diet, the exercise should be regular and not just some hit or miss affair as I had been doing - I would rather do a daily routine of short bursts of exercise rather than the very occasional long session. With a desk job my walking during weekdays was very minimal and I think I have done my best to address this. I find it far easier to control my exercise and eating during the work day where the day tends to be more structured and routine, I have set times for walking and only eat what I bring in avoiding any treats left out by work colleagues, this is supported by a weekly dose of higher exertion with parkrun and FFIT Xtra with the idea of not just increasing my fitness but losing some weight as well thereby further reducing the risk of future heart problems.
Friday afternoon at 3:15 p.m. on 19th Oct I'm sat at my desk at work starting to plan the final assault of my anniversary parkrun SMART challenge the next day when I start to get a bit of stomach ache. It gets a little worse driving home where I have to rush indoors and have my first bout of diarrhoea, I then drive the wife to her cleaning job at a local school where I again have to rush to the toilet emptying what remains in my stomach from both ends in quite violent motions, after about 15 minutes of this we decide to get home as quickly as possible where the same continues but with traces of blood as well, by now I'm getting all light headed and dizzy as well as feeling cold. At this point I decided enough's enough and called 111, fairly quickly there's an ambulance outside our house again to get the neighbours speculating.
After a series of tests and questions I'm attached up to drip and I asked 'what do you think it is' to which the paramedic replies 'possibly your appendix', 'that's unlikely' I say, I had it out when I was 11!
Together with my wife, we are taken in the ambulance, and I've never felt so cold, to Stoke Mandeville hospital where I'm admitted into the A&E and parked on a trolley bed in the corridor. While waiting to be seen, I suddenly come over very peculiar and had to sit up or throw up, immediately I break out in a sweat from head to toe and really don't recall too much after that. I don't think I passed out but my wife tells I went as white as my FFIT shirt and my lips turned blue. Next thing I remember is I'm in Resuscitation with drips and monitors attached to me. My blood pressure dropped to a low of 61/35 and they became concerned about my low heart rate so temporarily stopped all medication, all I could think about was 'could I still make the parkrun?'
I was kept in Resus on drip overnight to monitor my blood pressure and heart rate before being moved to a private ward the next morning, just as every-one would be lining up on the start line ready for the parkrun briefing. Unknown to me I got my first 'call-out' for my anniversary run but sadly it went unheard as I was 15 miles away laying in a hospital bed, still hoping to make it to football in the afternoon.
The diagnoses was Gastroenteritis with Acute kidney injury (AKI) and I was treated for hypotension and severe dehydration, it amazed me the speed in which this took hold going from looking forward to parkrun to feeling I was at death's door in a matter of hours. I was kept in until late Sunday afternoon as it needed that bit longer for my kidney function to return to normal which meant I missed a real cracker of a game down at Adams Park as Wycombe came from 0-2 down to beat Scunthorpe 3-2 with Craig Mackail-Smith scoring with practically the last kick with a fantastic piece of individual ingenuity - never mind, as has become a tradition with these hospital visits I had my copy of 'Small Town Dreams*' to keep me company.
* 'Small Town Dreams' – I’m going have to stop plugging this book, still no commission!!
Stoke Mandeville wanted to stop the Bisoprolol (beta blocker) in the light of bradycardia (low pulse) but I knew my GP had been keen for me to remain on at least a low dose, so I kept taking it until reviewing this with a locum doctor at my GP surgery, he agreed with the hospital so I stop taking it and although seeing a rise in my pulse to the low 50's, I was experiencing some palpitations and an occasional erratic heart rate. Discussing this with my regular doctor, he said they were braver than him and he would have kept me on a beta blocker and would write to my Cardiologist at Harefield for his opinion.
I'm in two minds, on one hand it's nice not to keep suffering cold hands and having a slightly better pulse but on the flip side I keep getting this fluttering and just sometimes a raised heart rate when I wouldn't expect it while I'm resting, but I am on the anti-coagulation now so should be protected against the risks of a stroke. Even so, on these occasions my wife says I turn pale and it can give me a disturbed night's sleep.
On a happier theme on 28th October 2018 this blog celebrated its first birthday!
In that time I have written a further 7 chapters (8 including this one) using some 21,338 words in 198 paragraphs covering everything from my heart attack to fairly recent events. Up to its anniversary the blog had received 6,168 page views with 4,405 coming from the UK, 510 from Ireland, 370 from USA, 257 from Russia with Ukraine, Germany, Indonesia, Poland, Spain and France also making the top 10 countries.
Over the past year I seemed to have picked up one or two blog fans and received many complimentary comments (see my testimonials). Most pleasing though have been those from recent heart patients saying how much the blog has helped to inspire and give them resolution in their own recovery, this in turn has given me a renewed determination to carry on.
I hope that in some small way I may have persuaded others to consider their own health & fitness needs and possibly even got a few to join the FFIT programme or parkrun.
I have never really considered myself a writer and continuously tweaking the content as I'm never happy with it, but what I hope comes across is a positive and determined attitude to overcome any problems I have faced and in sharing 'my story' has given me a new confidence in myself.
A feature throughout my recovery has been looking for and hitting small milestones and setting myself targets and challenges. I ticked off another those milestones and on the 8th November 2018 I completed 4,054,933 steps, beating my first year (365 days since I started counting at my cardiac rehab heart assessment) by 8,441 with still another 127 days to complete year 2 - and despite a couple of hospital stays I'm still on target for my SMART goal of 5,000,000 steps in year 2.
Since my stay in hospital I haven't quite matched the same dizzy heights on parkrun but at least I have been consistent with the next 6 runs all finishing within 63 seconds of each other ranging from 29:04 to 30:07, I now have 48 parkruns under my belt including today so looking to earn my '50 shirt' before the 29th December (would make an excellent Christmas present) when it will also be the 2nd anniversary of my heart attack. I'm still wary of running in freezing conditions [see part 4.3] so have volunteered for the 'tail walker' on 3 of the Saturdays during January, this way I can still be involved and keep up the step count.
Next week I re-visit Harefield hospital again for my next cardiology outpatient clinic where I hope to resolve the Bisoprolol question and with luck this will time I might be discharged.
Further ahead I have started to consider my next SMART challenge where I hope to attempt my first 10km run and raise loads more money for Hearts & Souls. I'm looking at next spring and attracted to the 'Ridge Off Roader 10k' on 19th May, this is a challenging course with much of it across fields and at least 3 'killer' hills. If I go ahead with this I will approach it exactly as I did my first parkrun, I know I can walk it (I already have in 1 hour 58 minutes) so just throw in some jogging on the more level ground and I'm sure I could do it in under 1.5 hours. The hills are conveniently spaced to break up the course and these I would have to walk but the main problem could be mud, hopefully by May the conditions should be OK. The main reason I'm drawn to this particular run is that the start and finish are EXACTLY where I had my heart attack in Bledlow Ridge so it would feel like sticking two fingers up at all that happened that fateful day! [see part 1].
(Phase VI - sustaining a healthy life-style)
"Nothings going to happen unless you make it happen."
I kick-off this blog still on a high from my two sub 30 parkruns from the previous blog [see part 4.5] .... I was on a roll and living the dream!
 |
| Welcome Blue Peter |
I have noticed on previous occasions when I miss a week or two from parkrun I can never quite re-capture the form I was on before the break and so it was with my first run back where I finished in a slightly disappointing 31:30. However, this was just the start of an excellent mini run of results which would see my time fall each week with finishes of 29:37, 28:48, 28:18 and 28:04, the last 3 all being new PB's and I was now just 16 seconds away from achieving my SMART challenge of finishing 10 minutes faster than my maiden run by its anniversary [see part 4.5] with still 3 weeks to go, if I'm being totally honest I hadn't really expected to get near this.
On the 10th October I visited Wycombe hospital for my anti-coagulation appointment [see part 4.5], this wasn't as conclusive as I had been hoping. It seems there was a bit of a conflict between the surgeon who carried out my fistula operation [see part 4.5] and reported the runs of AF (atrial fibrillation) and the cardiologist who was saying the 24 hour holter monitor hadn't shown any abnormality so wasn't convinced there was a problem and needed more evidence. This left the anti-coagulation clinic in middle and basically asking my opinion. As I was still experiencing palpitations/fluttering and it seemed pretty clear to me that there had been a problem during the surgery, I was in favour of anti-coagulation to reduce the risk of a stroke. I had half expected to be given Warfarin but was instead prescribed a new drug by the name of Rivaroxaban which is considered safer and more effective in patients with AF. Besides its anti-coagulation properties it is also a blood thinner so I had to stop taking aspirin immediately to prevent the higher risk of bleeding.
With just two runs left to hit my SMART challenge, I completed the next run in 29:27, more than a minute slower than the previous week. Just a couple of weeks earlier I had been just 16 seconds away from my target but now had increased that by 90 seconds, I was feeling a bit frustrated and needed to get back on track for my final attempt next week!
I occasionally receive some discontent within the family as to my methods which can also have a negative impact on my drive and determination. I can understand their concern, that I might be over-working myself and the worry that this could put a strain on my heart, but I try to explain that doing nothing is not really an option and after 2 cardiac warnings the next might not be quite so forgiving. I never push myself beyond what I am capable and will always ease back or take breaks or at the very least use my GTN spray if I start to feel any discomfort and besides, walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, yoga, strength training and aerobic exercises are all recommended for people with heart problems plus I have the full backing from my GP and cardiologist both who seem keen particularly on parkrun.
I just needed to refocus on my goal and remind myself of my aims and looking back through this journal to where I first realised that my heart attack came just 3.5 years after my first angioplasty and stent [see part 1] certainly helped, that short time frame hit me hard, even frightened me, and I didn't want a repeat in another 3.5 years - I was now half way through that period and I think that had started to play on my mind as well.
Between those two cardiac events I lived in the semi-ignorance that the problem had been fixed, I would go for the occasional long walk but really did little else other than a bit of gardening or housework and had only made token changes to my diet, which slipped as time went by and I'm sure I was slowly putting on weight. This was never enough and carrying the same way now would almost certainly lead to another heart attack at some point. That is when I resolved to make permanent lifestyle changes, to improve my diet, health and fitness. It seemed to me there were two stark choices, either sit back, take the meds and let nature take its course or get out there and try to do something about it.
What came across during the cardiac rehabilitation [see part 3] and again at FFIT [see part 4.1] was the importance of exercise together with a balanced healthy diet, the exercise should be regular and not just some hit or miss affair as I had been doing - I would rather do a daily routine of short bursts of exercise rather than the very occasional long session. With a desk job my walking during weekdays was very minimal and I think I have done my best to address this. I find it far easier to control my exercise and eating during the work day where the day tends to be more structured and routine, I have set times for walking and only eat what I bring in avoiding any treats left out by work colleagues, this is supported by a weekly dose of higher exertion with parkrun and FFIT Xtra with the idea of not just increasing my fitness but losing some weight as well thereby further reducing the risk of future heart problems.
Friday afternoon at 3:15 p.m. on 19th Oct I'm sat at my desk at work starting to plan the final assault of my anniversary parkrun SMART challenge the next day when I start to get a bit of stomach ache. It gets a little worse driving home where I have to rush indoors and have my first bout of diarrhoea, I then drive the wife to her cleaning job at a local school where I again have to rush to the toilet emptying what remains in my stomach from both ends in quite violent motions, after about 15 minutes of this we decide to get home as quickly as possible where the same continues but with traces of blood as well, by now I'm getting all light headed and dizzy as well as feeling cold. At this point I decided enough's enough and called 111, fairly quickly there's an ambulance outside our house again to get the neighbours speculating.
After a series of tests and questions I'm attached up to drip and I asked 'what do you think it is' to which the paramedic replies 'possibly your appendix', 'that's unlikely' I say, I had it out when I was 11!
 |
| Standard hospital read |
I was kept in Resus on drip overnight to monitor my blood pressure and heart rate before being moved to a private ward the next morning, just as every-one would be lining up on the start line ready for the parkrun briefing. Unknown to me I got my first 'call-out' for my anniversary run but sadly it went unheard as I was 15 miles away laying in a hospital bed, still hoping to make it to football in the afternoon.
* 'Small Town Dreams' – I’m going have to stop plugging this book, still no commission!!
Stoke Mandeville wanted to stop the Bisoprolol (beta blocker) in the light of bradycardia (low pulse) but I knew my GP had been keen for me to remain on at least a low dose, so I kept taking it until reviewing this with a locum doctor at my GP surgery, he agreed with the hospital so I stop taking it and although seeing a rise in my pulse to the low 50's, I was experiencing some palpitations and an occasional erratic heart rate. Discussing this with my regular doctor, he said they were braver than him and he would have kept me on a beta blocker and would write to my Cardiologist at Harefield for his opinion.
I'm in two minds, on one hand it's nice not to keep suffering cold hands and having a slightly better pulse but on the flip side I keep getting this fluttering and just sometimes a raised heart rate when I wouldn't expect it while I'm resting, but I am on the anti-coagulation now so should be protected against the risks of a stroke. Even so, on these occasions my wife says I turn pale and it can give me a disturbed night's sleep.
On a happier theme on 28th October 2018 this blog celebrated its first birthday!
In that time I have written a further 7 chapters (8 including this one) using some 21,338 words in 198 paragraphs covering everything from my heart attack to fairly recent events. Up to its anniversary the blog had received 6,168 page views with 4,405 coming from the UK, 510 from Ireland, 370 from USA, 257 from Russia with Ukraine, Germany, Indonesia, Poland, Spain and France also making the top 10 countries.
Over the past year I seemed to have picked up one or two blog fans and received many complimentary comments (see my testimonials). Most pleasing though have been those from recent heart patients saying how much the blog has helped to inspire and give them resolution in their own recovery, this in turn has given me a renewed determination to carry on.
I hope that in some small way I may have persuaded others to consider their own health & fitness needs and possibly even got a few to join the FFIT programme or parkrun.
I have never really considered myself a writer and continuously tweaking the content as I'm never happy with it, but what I hope comes across is a positive and determined attitude to overcome any problems I have faced and in sharing 'my story' has given me a new confidence in myself.
A feature throughout my recovery has been looking for and hitting small milestones and setting myself targets and challenges. I ticked off another those milestones and on the 8th November 2018 I completed 4,054,933 steps, beating my first year (365 days since I started counting at my cardiac rehab heart assessment) by 8,441 with still another 127 days to complete year 2 - and despite a couple of hospital stays I'm still on target for my SMART goal of 5,000,000 steps in year 2.
Since my stay in hospital I haven't quite matched the same dizzy heights on parkrun but at least I have been consistent with the next 6 runs all finishing within 63 seconds of each other ranging from 29:04 to 30:07, I now have 48 parkruns under my belt including today so looking to earn my '50 shirt' before the 29th December (would make an excellent Christmas present) when it will also be the 2nd anniversary of my heart attack. I'm still wary of running in freezing conditions [see part 4.3] so have volunteered for the 'tail walker' on 3 of the Saturdays during January, this way I can still be involved and keep up the step count.
Next week I re-visit Harefield hospital again for my next cardiology outpatient clinic where I hope to resolve the Bisoprolol question and with luck this will time I might be discharged.
Further ahead I have started to consider my next SMART challenge where I hope to attempt my first 10km run and raise loads more money for Hearts & Souls. I'm looking at next spring and attracted to the 'Ridge Off Roader 10k' on 19th May, this is a challenging course with much of it across fields and at least 3 'killer' hills. If I go ahead with this I will approach it exactly as I did my first parkrun, I know I can walk it (I already have in 1 hour 58 minutes) so just throw in some jogging on the more level ground and I'm sure I could do it in under 1.5 hours. The hills are conveniently spaced to break up the course and these I would have to walk but the main problem could be mud, hopefully by May the conditions should be OK. The main reason I'm drawn to this particular run is that the start and finish are EXACTLY where I had my heart attack in Bledlow Ridge so it would feel like sticking two fingers up at all that happened that fateful day! [see part 1].
Thank-you
for reading and I would love to hear your thoughts on any subject I
have covered, please leave your comments below or email me at peterjemmett@aol.com
Previous:
Part 1 - That fateful day. (Phase I - heart attack) click here
Part 2 - Back home & drama at White Hart Lane. (Phase II - home recovery) click here
Part 3 - They tried to make me go to rehab, I said yes, yes, yes please. (Phase III - cardiac rehabilitation) click here
Part 4.1 - Getting FFITer and Harefield & Heartbreak hill revisited (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.2 - Walking for heart & soul & finding parkrun (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.3 - End of year 1 round-up and assessment (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.4 - Falling heart rate: fitter or hibernation? (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.5 - Pain in the bum, going senile and sub 30! (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Next:
Part 4.7 - Pushing the boundaries (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.8 - Bling, bling, bling, two 10K's and a 5K. (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.9 - 3 Years On, Ragged Radnage and Pete's bolus journey (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.10 - Coping with COVID-19 and what they say (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.11 - Living in the lock-down (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.12 - Plus and minus 3.5 years; heart attack to half marathon! (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.13 - Is it worth the risk? (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.14 - Mixed bag through Covid (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.15 - Getting back in the groove (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.16 - Reintegrating back into society (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.17 - Get that crazy rhythm (the low down on AFib) (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.18 - The 5 year itch, time to cut the CRAP! (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.19 - The last word (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.20 - Persisting with parkrun (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.21 - Stuck in reverse (recap of 2022) (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.22 - Starting all over again 6 years on (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.23 - God bless the NHS (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
Part 4.24 - What I can, when I can (Phase IV - sustaining a healthy life-style) click here
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