AAA Screening For All Men Over 65 (What About Women?): Well Done NHS – What Is Happening In The US of A?

Hi folks, I just read this on the British (or is it English? This turned out to be an important distinction when I lived in Scotland!) Aortic Dissection Support Group site: "In the UK, the NHS (National Health Service) have acted with great responsibility to set up a NATIONAL SCREENING program for all men in the UK 65 and over. The phased roll-out of the programme nationally began in 2009 with an anticipation ... Read more

How Do We Motivate The Unmotivated, Which Means Ourselves From Time To Time

Hi folks! Motivation! Now there is an interesting subject. I was perusing the LiveStrong website, and I came across an interesting article on this subject by Dania Sacks March. Up until recently, I considered motivation to be just a matter of using a carrot or a stick to get you going. For instance, carrot-wise I am motivated to train by all the good stuff that goes with it. Stick-wise I am motivated to train, in ... Read more

What Is Balance All About?

Hi folks, I thought I would write briefly about a subject that has interested me for years, balance, a concept that can be applied to many things. For instance, a balanced life should include a healthy collection of components, which reminds me of a useful meditation in this regard, that goes as follows: 'An acquaintance of yours has just died and at the funeral/wake/party to celebrate their life (or lack ... Read more

My AAA-Stent FDA Adverse Event (Correctable Hypertension) Report, And The Role Of High Technology In My Life Recently

Hi folks, Well! It was a busy week for me. I sent an adverse event report to the FDA for my AAA stent-induced hypertension and received a nice polite reply, which told me that if you want to use the FDA MedWatch Online Voluntary Reporting Form (3500) effectively, send data - which I did. In fact, here is their reply, just click on the image to see it more clearly, and use the back arrow on your browser to return ... Read more

It Would Appear That Rigid AAA-Stent Grafts Can Induce Life-Threatening Hypertension Which Is Correctable

  Hi folks, This is a follow-up to previous posts on my stent-induced hypertension, as new data have come in - another case. This is a potentially critical aspect of AAA-stent graft placement, which can be life saving, but a BP of 220/120 could also be life threatening. In my case, the hypertension was corrected by a combination of an ACE inhibitor (10 mg Lisinopril) and exercise. Several cardiologists ... Read more

Our Heart’s Desire Is Often Right In Front Of Us, But We Insist On Looking The Other Way!

Hi folks! Well, it is another lovely day in the Chez Ollie on Planet Earth. One thing I love to do is read, especially with my Nook. Hundreds of books in one little book - still don't believe it! Right now I am reading several books in parallel as usual, and one that is quite interesting and odd is entitled Multiple Streams of Income by Robert G. Allen, and there is even an associated website. There is also a lot ... Read more

Great First Book, Great First Marathon, Great First Open Heart Surgery – Book Review: ‘Barefoot in November’

Hi folks! A very fit Benjamin Carey, father of two and one on the way, at the ripe old age of 37, was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm in 2009. This aneurysm was not quite so big as mine at the time of diagnosis (men will compete about anything!), but it was in a much more difficult place to treat, the ascending aorta close to the heart. Interestingly, in spite of our 30 year age difference, in many respects his ... Read more

Fate Taps Gently On The Door: Self-Awareness Can Save Your Life (It Did Mine!).

  Hi folks! It is important to remember that fate sometimes taps gently on the door of our consciousness. It can be fatal not to listen. This is certainly true of many aging conditions, including aneurysms. So! For older athletes, who better to turn to for advice than the more mature athlete? For instance, Martin Duff wrote as follows in a recent article in Athletics Weekly, entitled 'Life in the Old Dog ... Read more

Disclaimer: As a veterinarian, I do not provide medical advice for human animals. If you undertake or modify an exercise program, consult your medical advisors before doing so. Undertaking activities pursued by the author does not mean that he endorses your undertaking such activities, which is clearly your decision and responsibility. Be careful and sensible, please.