22 LONG YEARS battling Heart Failure and malignant Hypertension. Now digging ditches?
Over two decades ago, I could barely get out of bed. If I tried the slightest physical effort, such as screwing in a screw with a screwdriver, I would have chest pains and breathing problems for up to three long days and nights. I was basically a dead man walking.
I was going through all of our personal papers and finances so my wife would not struggle too much after I passed away. I was frequently stressed out, depressed and overcome with darkness.
All my Cardiologists said that Heart Failure is a progressive disease. It almost always gets progressively worse. Since I also had permanent Atrial Fibrillation, the prognosis was particularly bleak.
I was sure that I would NOT reach 65 years of age.
Now at closer to 70, I have been digging post holes and pouring 50 pound bags of fast setting concrete, and lifting all kinds of heavy 4x4" posts and doing strenuous physical and demanding work with power tools.
So...... How did I do it? Did I discover some complex secrets that only I know or can understand? Did I discover steps towards recovering from Heart Failure and Chronically High Blood Pressure that are very difficult to take and impossible for most people to implement into their own recovery regimen? Am I believing in steps that are so rare or unique that Cardiologists don't know them?
Judge for yourself.
I discovered four basic, simple steps that anyone can follow. Recovering from Heart Failure is so easy that I am astounded and confused as to why Cardiologists worldwide don't "force" their patients to adhere to them!
The four essential steps, in the order of importance are:
Being on a healthy diet.
Finding out, and avoiding environmental and lifestyle irritants that cause over-activation of the Immune System and the NeuroHormonal System.
Taking the most effective heart medications on the most effective schedule.
Exercise, exercise, exercise!
I put in a half of day of strenuous work today. Right now I am fatigued, with some moderate breathing problems. I am very tired, and could not possibly do another shovel full of dirt and rocks. My wife gets after me and asks me why I don't hire some big strong, energetic neighborhood kid to dig the holes for me. (She worries too much). I respond, What!? And pass up this great opportunity to dig the holes myself! I look at those stupid 30" deep, 10" round holes, filled with concrete and water and my face beams with pride and thankfulness. It's probably only a thing that a fellow man would understand.
I am not going back out there today and do any more work. My wife would have a fit, so I will consider doing any more physically demanding labor as too much of a good thing.
Re: 22 LONG YEARS battling Heart Failure and malignant Hypertension. Now digging ditc
Mr. Fizzickle,
Thanks for the positive feedback!
I have been following your posts for a long time. I find your experiences with heart disease quite spectacular. Correct me if I am wrong, but you've had heart failure since 1993. You are close to 80, if I am not mistaken. You currently have an ejection fraction somewhere between 20% and 25%. You had a massive heart attack 35 years ago, afterwards spending the next seven years with constant chest pains. You've had six bypasses. Yet....... you are not only still alive you live a reasonably normal life!
I started out with Diastolic Heart Failure; Chronic Malignant High Blood Pressure and Atrial Fibrillation about 22 years ago. Since then I've seen thickening of my Septum and Left Ventricle Wall, and some problems with all four heart valves.
I have to live my life around my Heart Failure. I have a very restricted diet. I must carefully watch the number of calories in each meal, and cumulatively for the entire day. I have found numerous triggers, or irritants, that either cause nasty heart rhythm problems, or higher blood pressure. Buts..... it's all good! I too am still alive and kicking! By walking this "Heart Failure" tight rope and living in my virtual bubble, I am living, what I consider, to be a good quality of life; and have seen my health improve significantly over the past few years as a result of having very healthy and consistent Blood Pressure averages around 118/70.
But..... I still have to live a very, VERY restricted lifestyle. You have been through much more traumatic and life threatening heart disease and have done amazingly well.
To what do you attribute to your amazing success with your Heart Disease and Heart Failure?
At any rate, congratulations to your significant victory over Heart Disease; and I hope to be able to continue to follow your story for many more years to come!
Re: 22 LONG YEARS battling Heart Failure and malignant Hypertension. Now digging ditc
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fizzickle
... I'm amazed that you are able to set fence posts with the problems you describe.
So am I! I didn't especially enjoy doing it, but I certainly enjoyed being able to do it.
I dug one post hole per day. I only labored as much as I could until having problems with breathing and weakness. I know not to push things too far.
Are there irritants, or triggers, that get your heart beating poorly? I've found many MANY triggers. One of my worst triggers is Cigarette Smoke, even on someone's clothing or breath hours after they have smoked. It causes an Asthmatic reaction, which also results in a weak, fast heartbeat, which lasts for upwards to two days. I've really really got to avoid cigarette smoke and smokers.
But....... I'm sure that you know as well as I do, when our hearts are beating well we can do more. When our hearts are misbehaving, we are limited in what we can do. At least mine has improved significantly from what it used to be like. 20 years ago, I could barely get out of bed. The slightest physical exertion would result in breathing problems, weakness and chest pains that would last for days!
(She worries too much). I respond, What!? And pass up this great opportunity to dig the holes myself! 
I look at those stupid 30" deep, 10" round holes, filled with concrete and water and my face beams with pride and thankfulness. It's probably only a thing that a fellow man would understand.
you live a reasonably normal life!
By walking this "Heart Failure" tight rope and living in my virtual bubble, I am living, what I consider, to be a good quality of life; and have seen my health improve significantly over the past few years as a result of having very healthy and consistent Blood Pressure averages around 118/70.
