Cardiologist Appointment -- woohoo!

185 days since my surgery (6 months)

I had my second "3 month" check in with my cardiologist. He gave me an A+ and said I don't have to come back until next January. My echocardiogram showed sustained EF around 54% so everything is going great (it was 35% back in December, and 55% is the bottom of 'normal.)

"Keep doing what you're doing!" he said.  I told him about an incident I had at an after-work event when I felt a little light-headed and had to sit down. I also told him that my blood pressure readings have been in the 90-100 over 60s. So he discontinued one of my medications (spirinolactone.) 

I am still checking my blood pressure a couple times a week, and my watch checks my heart rate regularly. All things are looking good!

I'll get another echocardiogram in January before my next visit with him. Echocardiograms are very painless, so I have no issue there. 

6 month check in

183 days since my surgery (6 months)

Well it has been 6 months since I had my surgery. I wondered back then what I would be like 6 months later. I would say I am doing pretty darn well!

Virtual rehab is going great -- and I am actually doing yoga and able to get up and down off the floor pretty easily. Kinda easily. Knee still a little iffy, but that is not heart related.

I'm proud of myself that I am still going strong, but I feel like I need to do even better. Right now I am trying to eat 20 different fruits and vegetables a week.  It is harder than you think.

So far this week: blueberries, cucumbers, carrots, clementines, onion, edamame. 

14 more to go.

How's the home rehab going? Pretty good..

166 days since my surgery (5.5 months)

I really wish I had gotten this virtual rehab program a couple of months after surgery - it's pretty good. I am realizing how bad my balance is when I try some of the exercises, and I am working on that. There is a range of workouts I can choose from — including strength training, cardio, yoga, meditation and more. 

I am also trying to map out some weekly goals for myself and stick with it. Which is hard because I regularly use work as an excuse to be lax. (At least I am becoming more self-aware!) 

Today I am watching a video called "Staying Motivated with Lifestyle Change" and the doctor in the video just said this:

"If you are persistent, you will get it. If you are consistent, you will keep it."

This hit home with me, and since today is Sunday I am thinking ahead and trying to plan my week, set some goals and stick with them. She recommends scheduling workouts so you PLAN to fit them into your day, versus wait and see if you do them or not. 

She also recommended we have a "Promise of 3 Things" we PROMISE to do every day so that even when the day is not going well, or we have a curveball in our day, we can still get 3 things done.  

The intention is for the 3 things to be easy and doable -- like having an extra vegetable, going for a 10 minute walk, lifting hand weights - anything you KNOW you can do every day. 

So  today I am going to determine my 'Promise of 3 Things' and see how that goes for me.