Just under 9 months ago, I had a heart attack

[dsc]

it was, thankfully mild, but it took time to recover. I was back teaching in about a week but frankly by 4th period each day I was wiped. I was hard pressed to do anything once I left the building. I stopped packing for my move and didn't resume doing so until May. Eight plus months out, I am feeling much better. I still get tired but I can do stuff after work and despite having no plan period I can make it through the day with energy to spare.

Now, I still have to watch what I do. I can't break up fights (blood thinners) but frankly wasn't much on that before. I can't lift stuff for long amounts of time without taking breaks. But again, that is a vast improvement. In March, I had to move a bunch of calculators to the other side of campus and despite having a cart I had to take a break both there and back. I say all this to put Fetterman's performance in perspective.

I didn't watch the entire debate but from the clips he had some pretty good moments and some not so good ones. His answer on fracking was the worst thing I saw from him. But for the most part he did express, even if slowly and haltingly, complete thoughts and mostly complete sentences. He is clearly in recovery from his stroke. I just watched his interview on Joy Reid and he was very good on that. It will take time.

My coworkers were legitimately concerned about me in Feb and March. Truth be told, some days I was concerned about me. I have never been all that great physically. In the aftermath of the heart attack it was a whole new level on my worst days. Frankly, I am sure Fetterman had some really, really bad days in May and June. Probably more than half his days were bad in those months. Now he likely is seeing more good days that bad. But some of the days are likely bad. It is exhausting to both read and listen to follow conversations. But he is getting better. He will be OK.

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for sharing dsc

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

Glad you're better!

[Haggard Celine]

3. He's getting better all the time.

I think more Pennsylvanians will trust the guy recovering from a stroke rather than Dr. Evil.

[markodochartaigh]

14. Better a candidate

who wants to help the average worker and has an impediment than a candidate who wants to screw the average worker and is ready to go full speed ahead.

[Deuxcents]

4. Good to hear you are recovering nicely

Like Fetterman, ya got knocked down but got back up. Take good care of yourself

[Tetrachloride]

5. Be careful on cinnamon thru the holidays

I believe there is some overlap of cinnamon and blood thinners.

Ask a pharmacist.

[dsc]

25. I am on brillinta which comes with no food restrictions

[Tetrachloride]

26. that's great to know. i appreciate it

blood clot issue in my family as well

[brer cat]

6. Thanks for the post, dsc.

I'm glad you are feeling better.

[blm]

7. Glad to hear your recovery has been steady, dsc.

[underpants]

8. Great post.

Glad you are doing well.

[MiHale]

9. About 10 years ago...

I had a little stroke (TIA), my wife caught it, whatever. With all the tests and stuff they said I had heart attacks, I didn’t know. After we got together and talked with the doctors what I described to them they said “Oh yeah, that was one!”. Well I had 5 or 6 of those episodes. Beside the point.

I got fixed and 10 or so years later as a 70 yo. I garden a kinda big one 60x20 feet. My wife and I kayak and hike in the non-winter months, snowshoe and create trails in the forest behind us for x-country skiers with some of our neighbors in the snow times.

We workout every other day on elliptical for cardio and bowflex for muscle development.

Really all I wanted to get across is the great times are ahead it may take tons of work but life is good!

Didn’t want to get into much detail it bores people but if you want to talk about anything related pm me.

[Karadeniz]

10. Thanks... Great message!

[malaise]

11. Be gentle with youself

Exercise and heal well.

[iluvtennis]

12. KnR. Thanks for sharing your back to health journey.

[NewHendoLib]

13. sorry to hear of your health troubles - glad you are better.

I recall we got to meet at a Triangle area meet up some years ago.

[gademocrat7]

15. Glad you are recovering.

Take care.

[Joinfortmill]

16. Fetterman is an upstanding dude. Strong and vulnerable. Hope he wins.

[calimary]

17. Good stuff! Very happy to hear this, dsc!

So glad you’re doing better!

That’s gonna give us all a psychological lift!

[Historic NY]

18. I just came out of the cardio lab yesterday

I went in Tues and spent a little over 2hs on the table, really no pain, I was able to see when the controller moved the camera to my direction. I separated my shoulder back and torn all the ligaments in June and in Sept I had cardio workup because I have a low heart rate, the initial surgery was cancelled, and we had to have it done in hospital. During the course my cardiologist compare d one from 2015 went I had a triple A done, she noticed a difference and brought in the young Doc from the lab. Probably if I didn't get hurt I would never have known that twice once with the Triple A and this was discovered because of other unrelated injuries. I feel pretty good, except for having a sore wrist from the lab and a should that will begin therapy to get the donor ligaments working with the original. I am hoping that December things should be fairly normal.

[Gore1FL]

19. I am need of stents, myself. So far I have avoided an infarction.

Unfortunately, with stress, anger control issues, and an out-of-control cholesterol-producing liver, I figure I know my most-likely end.

[albacore]

20. I applaud your comeback. Give it time. More time.

I have valve replacement and a pacemaker installed about 4 years ago. It took months to get over. Pace yourself for a while.
My wife and I bike about 200 miles a month now.
In another 8 months you'll be SO much better.

PS I'm a big guy, but when I was teaching, I always let the fighters tire themselves out a bit before I intervened. Half the time, they were both out of gas after about 10 seconds, and were only too glad to let me gently separate them.

[Liberal In Texas]

21. I hope your docs have steered you to a cardiac rehab program.

Very helpful in getting back to normal. I haven't had a heart attack, but I had bypass surgery a few years ago. The rehab gets you back into the swing of getting regular exercise and getting some continued input about diet and monitoring your BP, weight etc.

[dsc]

24. Sadly none allow me to do the rehab and work

given the hours. I am just doing walking etc on my own.

[electric_blue68]

22. Glad you're doing better! I think one of my uncles had one in his 50s got better an lived till 92+?

[hamsterjill]

23. Glad you are improving.

What scares me about Fetterman is that I don’t think many voters are as enlightened as we are here on DU as to health and healing, and I fear many will just look at him and his obvious issues, and look no further only to vote for the only other alternative.

That’s incredibly sad to me, but I fear it is a reality.