Prepare for Aging and You’ll Still Be Running
It’s always good to be with friends at a road race. Left to right, Greg, Deb and FitOldDog.
Never too old?
Second place in our age group, 75-79.
People ask me why I do these things. My answer is simple. It keeps me young, I spend time with others of all ages, and why not? Oh Yes! And it keeps me out of assisted living.
It was a great race, well attended.
Deb went by me about half a mile from the end. By then, I was limping with a pulled left calf, and the old right calf was locking up. But, the strategy worked. Except I overdid it for that left calf.
Rehab? Yep!
Only swim and walk and bike, until that left calf is fixed. Will have to feel completely repaired for two days before I start running again. That’s fine. Lots of work to do in the pool.
It does feel good to be back in the game.
Swimming steady, at about two miles.
Bike, carefully picking up the distance.
Running to fix my claudication.
Life is good, if you don’t give up.
Wishing you happy trails,
kev
Some of us can, some of us can’t, but it doesn’t stop us from admiring those that do.
Hi PJ, I often think about that when I post my successes, as opposed to my struggles. It was pretty painful doing that race, but running is helping the claudication. I just hope that when my real struggles arrive that I’ll be equally optimistic. I often wonder how I’d deal with infirmity, blindness, deafness and the like. I just keep Jean-Dominique Bauby in mind, knowing that I may need his inspiration one day. But for now, maybe I’ll just come off my bike, and that’ll be that. Kindest regards, kev
WOW! I just admire those who despite the health challenges continue stretching their risk to safety standards. I’m 72 and have been a sport person all my live by playing basketball in college, scuba diving, free diver spear fishing, masters ball player until 68. Now 2 months ago I had a AAA. This changed my life 180 degrees!! The procedure just negatively impacted my WHOLE system as I got anemia my TSH went to the roof, same with my sugar, but I’m alive!! Thanks God!! However, slowly, after one month of the AAA, I started doing stationary bicycle, started swimming, took a 5lbs dumbbell and I’m feeling better now 2 months after the procedure. My big Q is: Could I be able to scuba dive – at least at one (1) atmosphere (33ft)?? I look in the Internet & there is no info. I did free diver about a month ago at 12′ deep to proof if I could do it and things were well. I have not try scuba yet, maybe once i have 3 months at a low depth – 15-20′. Please advise if any of the AAA members have any comments or info on my Q of scuba diving. Thanks!!
Hi JA, great question.
Takes me back to 2010 (https://youtu.be/km8L4v3rwg0). I’ve thought about this kind of thing a lot, thus the blog post on benefit/risk (https://athletewithstent.com/sport-benefit-risk/). I’ve also thought about the effects of water pressure a little, as I attempt to continue Ironman training (https://athletewithstent.com/intra-abdominal-pressure-anti-shock-garments-and-exercises-abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-and-arterial-blood-pressure-regulation/). I suspect that you’re safer down there than up here. I loved SCUBA when I did it, years ago.
If you have a graft, the problems are probably minimal.
If you have a stent, more thought is needed. I dislocated mine twice (bike wreck in Vegas and ?).
Just remember my favorite mantra: “A life without risk is no life at all.” You’re doing this already. Good job!
That doesn’t mean being reckless, it just means being thoughtful.
Try the AAA Awareness site, with the same question, then the AD site, and go from there. You’ll probably get little help from MDs, but it might be worth asking Larry (http://www.athletesheart.org/) or post the question on the Angioplasty.org patient forum.
Stay below your bubbles,
kev
Hi, Kev!
Now I’m confused…what is the difference between a stent and graft. I thought physicians & people use any of those names, but they are the same. I have to consult my CV Surgeon to confirm what was “installed” in my AAA.
As my professional background is from the Pharmaceutical Industry, once received the diagnosis, I started looking in the Internet a lot of info about AAA, clinical studies, survival rates, sizes, types of stents/graphs and their manufactures, etc, etc. I need to make a decision amd I would like to take the best one as is my life we are talking about. Correct?
Thus, one Q I asked the CV DR was was what the stent/graph he is using in last AAA procedures: Zenith or Medtronic? Data shows that is a ,ore than $2 billion market and it looks that these 2 companies are the leaders. Well, the Dr showed both of then to me and his comment was that the Zenith one should be the best for me due to my sport background. I saw & felt that this one was more flexible that the other…and that what I have “installed”. If it is a stent or graph I’ll need to clarify that with my physician on my next visit. If you have more info on this, please advise the difference. Thanks!!
Hi JA (I think my comments got mixed up, but here’s my answer).
A aortic stent graft (we tend to abbreviate to stent) is made of metal and plastic. It’s inserted into your aorta via your femoral or external iliac artery, in your thigh. Not very risky, but not such a good job as an aortic replacement graft (we tend to abbreviate to graft). I’ve had a Cook Zenith graft for eight years, and damaged it twice. Each time needing serious endovascular repair surgery. Here’s the deployment video link for what I’ve got: https://youtu.be/9OWIh3zyfek
An aortic replacement graft is made of Dacron or some other material (Gortex?). It replaces a section of your aorta (they may not even suggest it, but I would ask). This requires much more dangerous open abdominal surgery, which comes with some risks. For men, one risk is permanent impotence if they cut the pudendal nerve (pretty sure it’s the pudendal). I wasn’t interested in this idea, and said so, thus I have a stent graft, not an aortic replacement graft.
I actually met the three ladies who built my stent, when invited to talk about my experiences to staff of Cook Medical, a few years ago. That was interesting.
This is the situation:
– The Blue Pill: Easy, relatively safe, no risk of impotence or serious abdominal complications – ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM STENT GRAFT
– The Red Pill: Better result, especially for athletics, see link below, but risk of impotence, and some have chronic abdominal issues afterwards – ABDOMINAL AORTIC REPLACEMENT GRAFT
Choose wisely (PS I only know the Cook Medical Zenith type, I call him Rupert).
Graft versus stent blog post!
https://athletewithstent.com/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-half-ironman-graft-versus-stent-graft-won/
Hi JA,
I just posted your question and my response on our AAA Awareness site. Hopefully this will generate some useful ideas and information.
Kev
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2283898552/
Hi JA, I got this response on the AAA site. kev Oh! Yes! I started another FaceBook page a while ago. AAA Awareness kind of deals with people in crisis, though not entirely. The other page I made, Living With An Aortic Aneurysm, is about living with the thing. I different focus, I think. Here’s the link to that one, and the comment from Jack on AAA Awareness:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/576574729149516/
Jack Washburn I dove for years (20+ recreational) and have had a CABG and an open AAA repair both. Although I haven’t dove since I had these surgeries, I can’t think of any reason why it would be contraindicated. Of course the meds I am on now (e.g. beta blocker) could be an issue. I would definitely suggest consulting with a dive physician as well as your personal MD though before going back down.
And here’s what Papo had to say:
Papo Mendez Thanjs Guys for advise & leads to get more “reliable” info. BTW, my diving body had a 3 heart by pass about a yr ago. He went scuba diving less than 33′ a couple months ago experimenting how it feels. He informed me that he was bit scared, but nothing change on his vital signs…we are planning going back together once I have 3 months post op. Let’s see what happens…