Interesting thing about having a heart attack... It puts things in order again. For example, I probably needed a wake-up call to get back in shape. I always considered myself strong and capable of doing anything I put my mind to. But for the last few years, mostly since I had the eye problem, I have found myself struggling with doing stuff, especially stuff that required both thought and effort. I just couldn't focus long enough to do some things. I didn't even realize it was happening until one day I was going to use my router to shape a piece of wood. For the life of me I couldn't figure out how to set up the router to do it. It actually became frustrating because the harder I tried the worse I got at it. No I wasn't soaked in rum'n cokes either...
Anyway, on another occasion I needed to move something fairly heavy. Five years ago I wouldn't have given it a second thought but this time I thought I would die before I got it moved. It was like I had no strength to go along with no energy and no imagination as to how to make it easier. When I finished I was short of breath and totally wasted as for the rest of the day.
The above, along with many other examples, turned out to be the blockage problem. Now that it's fixed and I'm in rehab doing exercises I can actually see and feel the results. I think more clearly and I'm motivated to do more stuff. I can build things and I know how to use my tools. I can even move heavy objects although it still isn't easy. I just try to move them "smarter."
My only problem now is what I lovingly refer to as my Mad Max Disease. It's actually a sciatica problem but I jokingly tell everyone I contracted it via the Internet from my Egghead friend Mad Max who had the problem just before me. He's over his but I'm still a victim. If you have never had it, you're lucky. If you have had it then you know exactly what I'm going through. It's not a pretty sight. To make matters worse, the relief I desperately seek is just a $20,000 needle away, but which is off limits to me as long as I am taking Plavix, one of the many heart drugs. However, I was told that I can schedule the needle anytime after April 18th, which is three months after the initial heart attack.
April 18th is perfect because I will feel good enough to walk the streets of Washington DC on my birthday in May. Meanwhile, I have been prescribed some pain medication to help deal with it while going through the increasingly difficult rehab exercises.
So now you know my physical and mental state as of today, April, 14th, 2007.
Maybe now I can get some stuff done around here.
