June 23: At Judy’s for my rehab.

June 22: Not a lot to report today. And I’m giving you that preamble because with this blog, I’m really trying NOT to make it some inane reportage of my daily life where I need to keep you abreast of every stupid little move I make. I really just want to keep this thing centered on my rehab. 

Had I finished American Dirt and never had a health issue, this blog would have been finished 3 weeks ago! I just don’t believe in droning on and on about my everyday life in a silly blog. But, with the issue I’m currently dealing with - open heart surgery & the rehab process - I’m kind of hoping that what I’m sharing with you, well, I hope that somewhere along the line this will help others who will, or have walked in my shoes. 

So anyway, there are going to be days here where I just don’t have a lot to report with respect to my rehab. Today is one such day. Got in another 2 hour/7 mile hike. Felt good again, and my pace was right where it was yesterday. Actually feels like my heart is gradually adapting to the quicker pace because I don’t feel it beating as much and I don’t feel my breathing cadence anywhere near as much as I used to a couple of weeks ago when going up some of the steeper pitches on the bike & hike trail. Wondering if my docs will see some left ventricular hypertrophy on my echo test this coming Tuesday. On second thought though, I’m guessing that just that little bump in intensity will NOT be enough to actually create a size increase in my left ventricle. 

Now I was pretty knackered after that walk today, likely because of two 2-hour walks two days in a row. My whole body was sore in a good way. Really feel it in my shoulders, lats and low back. It’s the kind of “sore” I’ve gotten on 4 and 5 hour hikes, so I’m guessing I’m still feeling the effects of surgery if I’m tired and sore on a hike that’s half of what I’d been used to doing. No worries though as I’m seeing progress each day. 

The rest of the day I just worked. Counting the days down to my stress test on Tuesday and my first visit with my Exercise Physiologist. Hoping I get to up the volume and intensity in all aspect of my life - lifting, cycling, driving, etc., etc.