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There isn't always good news to post on the blog and life really isn't all smiles and cheers. Last week, my oldest brother fell ill and was taken to the hospital. He will be 80 soon and looks the vision of health. Slender, handsome, and works on a farm as a volunteer, and until last year, when he wintered in Naples with his now-deceased wife, worked at an Audobon birding center (Corkscrew). A person I consider very active.
He was hospitalized for two nights. They inserted two stents and there is one more that is pending. Two of the arteries had a 90% blockage and the third, 70%. I don't know what he did or didn't do in terms of check-ups and if he had actual cardio visits. He's home now and obviously feeling better.
Out of a family of 12, my dad died of a heart attack at 85, my brother last year at age 68, three other siblings with bypass surgeries, and now my oldest brother. I'm not sure what to think. I have my annual cardio check-up between the end of November through January. My stress test is always excellent along with chest x-rays and bloodwork. I also do an additional blood workup in between checkups. Maybe it's time for a nuclear stress test or an MRI.
I doubt I will escape this but will be looking into ways to reduce and prolong it as much as I can.
I do almost everything right.
1) Early to bed early to rise with an hour nap every day.
2) Take mega doses of vitamin C (12,000 mg) daily along with what the cardiologist recommends which is Vit D and Q10.
3) I go to the gym Monday through Friday, 50 minutes of weight training and 30 minutes of cardio which is a stress test practice I started a year ago. Before that, I used to run 10K every morning before work.
4) In addition, Saturday and Sunday I walk 10K each day.
5) When the cool weather comes (pretty soon), I do the 10K walk every evening as well.
6) Diet is pretty good. My bad saturated fat is cheese. I stopped all other dairy three years ago. We have a steak once a month at the most.
7) For fruit, I only eat berries; black, blue and straw in a shake with almond milk and flaxseed.
What else should I be doing? Well, we'll find out.
On a happier note, we did some garden additions this week. The back patio wall was bare and looked crappy.
Hope you canker up that good healthy lifestyle, seems to me not matter what we do we all come to the end but like to keep further awey. My family haas a history of cancer on both sides, not surprised it found me as well.
ReplyDeleteOh, it's going to get me. I just want to keep it at bay until I'm at least 90. ;) Like I told you, the mind is a hard one to control. Hang in there, we make the best of what we have! I hope we get to meet up someday!
DeleteYou're obviously doing everything you can. Both my grandfathers died of heart attacks in their mid 60's. My dad was 81 when he passed of heart problems, but my Mom is still going strong at 84. Hopefully I have some of my mother's genetics as well.. her mom made it to 98!
ReplyDeleteThe other important thing besides exercise and diet is enjoyment. You have to love living life. I think it's a combination of all three things. But... we are all going to die. I just want to be active until the end.
Yep, the end will come. Good thing is, I think we're pretty good at enjoying life. "Live a balanced life - learn some and drink some and draw some and paint some and sing and dance and play and work everyday some."
DeleteI think we're pretty good at enjoying life.
DeleteAgreed!
Yep, just live life and enjoy. I have diabetes, heart disease, and cancer that runs in the family. I've pretty much accepted the fact I may end up with one or the other. I'm 75 and so far so good. Still camping and hiking like nobody's business. Be like Tioga George who enjoyed his life style to the end. Take care but enjoy also.
ReplyDelete