Bradley's Posts

Hello everyone! Time for another update from me—it's been a while. This morning, I had my six-year appointment with my cardiologist. Nothing out of the ordinary. We chatted about my kids and their sports careers. At the end of the visit, it was just, "See you in a year..." He did ease up on my workout restrictions a bit, just telling me, "Don't be squatting 500 lbs..." (which I don't). I told him I focus on high reps. I also mentioned that I recently surprised myself by doing five pull-ups—I wasn't sure I could do even one! Considering I weigh 225 lbs, that's a lot of weight to pull up. I also told him I spend time on the treadmill, though I'm slow—about 1.8 miles in 26—27 minutes. I asked if jogging two miles was a realistic goal, and he said it was—I just need to put in more work. He mentioned that he's 43 and in good shape, but even for him, running two eight-minute miles earlier in the day was tough. It made him wonder if it was worth pushing that hard. Good luck to everyone that has or had a recent surgery! Keep your head up and keep fighting to get better and stay healthy!! Brad

I had my 5-year checkup last week, and time really does fly. The doctor assured me that he thought I was in good health and everything looked and sounded fine. I don't remember the details of my previous update or when it took place. However, back in March, I underwent a colonoscopy, and thankfully, the results were all clear. Transitioning off coumadin and bridging with lovenox was a bit nerve-wracking, and I was hesitant about it. Surprisingly, everything went smoothly, even though I realized I had done it incorrectly. Fortunately, I was clean, avoiding any potential complications. Upon waking up, my wife mentioned that I attempted to hug the doctor when he shared the good news about no cancer or polyps. For over 15 months, I struggled with plantar fasciitis, which limited my ability to run, walk, or jog. Everyday activities around the house became painful, and as someone who dislikes sitting around, it was challenging. Thankfully, my wife gifted me something for Christmas that significantly alleviated the condition, and I believe it's now about 90% gone. I recently resumed running, jogging, and walking on a treadmill a couple of weeks ago. Today marks the third consecutive day of getting cardio, and while I'm not breaking any speed records, I'm gradually getting faster. My current pace is around 14 minutes per mile. My goal is to jog continuously for 15 minutes. In addition to cardio, I also incorporate weight lifting into my fitness routine. Although my doctor was initially against it, this year he acknowledged that weightlifting and being more active were better than being sedentary. On the family front, my son is actively involved in high school baseball, playing on the JV team as a sophomore. Meanwhile, my daughter is participating in soccer and currently running track. Their games and events are set to start in a couple of weeks, and I'm eagerly looking forward to watching them compete. Additionally, my daughter plays softball for her school (fall sport in Georgia). Watching my kids compete is truly my favorite thing to do. Be well everyone!

Hi Everyone, It has been a year so it is time for me to check-in. Yesterday (Aug 28) was my 5 year mark for getting that zipper installed on my chest. My scar is still red and inflamed. It also itches. I have tried a few things there and none work. I think it will be that way forever. Things are going well for the most part. I am lifting weights but I still need more cardio. However, cardio is somewhat hard as I can't job / run due to having plantar-fasciitis. Hopefully that will go away soon. I did have a bout of PVCs recently. I am guessing I had too much caffeine. I am still drinking my normal coffee dose and they have not returned. I had my first ever colonoscopy in the spring. Talk about FUN! It was all clear (no cancer and no polyps). That was a solid addition to the peace of mind. Keep working and fighting everyone.