Good Going

I found a nice resource for information on fitness and other types of tests.  Top End Sports is where I have found some good information on an upcoming stress test that has been requested.  I feel good, although I have lost a stroke or two.  My endurance seems to be coming around.  I was in the pool for over 45 minutes today. I moved over to the comp pool around 0700

500 free

400 free test set
6:52

400 swim
last 100@1:48 with HR 110+

Looking at HR monitors

Don't forget yesterday.

Walk Hermosa to Manhattan and back
60 minutes
HR 70
Not so useful.

Y in afternoon
1600
20 minutes light weight
10 minute treadmill
up to 100+
trying to elevate

Quick

Santa Monica Swim Center

long course

30 minutes

accurate 110 bpm w/ no pauses for recovery status

1 hour easy walk to and from farmers market.

Go somewhere.

Guilt tripping.  I could have been better.  Too much round food.  Thought all athletic activity would trump lax eating habits.  Although never been notified of any issues of cholesterol or triglycerides.

Stopped puffing cigars.

Record Data Daily

In addition, I will be reporting recent cardiac data, including target heart rate, max rate during exercise, notations on resting rate and recovery.

Today's swim workout was 30 minutes straight freestyle. HR seems near 100 bpm
Additional 25 minute walk at noon.

No additional input today.

Watching for heartburn tonight.  I had it 3 nights in a row.

Behaving Like An Elite Athlete

Everything seems good this morning.  I had some pressure on my right side.  I had pressure last night.  I certainly think it is gas.  I must monitor my food intake in the evening. 

500 warm up

500 swim
7:48
missed hr count

500 kick on back with fins

See article on 20 habits of elite swimmers at SwimSwam.

Practice Is Over

Nice to Hear

I sent a thank you email to the San Diego FD last week expressing my thanks to them for the great job in assisting me to the hospital.  I received a very nice email response from the Chief today.  He is happy to hear from me and accepted my thanks on behalf of his department.  He also is going to forward my email to the crews that responded to my incident. 

I have been fielding several emails of warm wishes and good thoughts from my fellow retirees.  Chief Buscher had Evan Minard forward my emails to them.  Thank you all. 

I emailed the cardiologist, Dr. Leibowitz, about some supervision for my rehabilitation.  He got right back to me this morning.  He is happy to hear that I am rolling along, but reminded me not to push it too much.  He also said that the Kaiser cardiac rehabilitation program does not take into account a highly trained athlete like me.  It is for regular patients.  I am kind of on my own until further notice. 

I emailed the Cleveland Clinic today asking them for suggestions.

I started swimming on Monday.

I continue to walk at least 30 minutes during each session.

I have been to the Y 2 times.
Light dumbbells, light bench.
DOMS

I want to start running on the treadmill at the Y.

Check In

I am just getting over a cold.  I stopped swimming for two weeks.  This was the plan before the MI.  I gave the elbows a couple of weeks to get better.  The right epicondyle is still problematic.  The problem is minor in relation to the issue during short course season into LC.  That was not right. 

I went to the YMCA and did a 20 minute light weight session on Saturday.  I went to the Beach on Sunday and spent some time there.  I sand jogged from MB pier to Marine Ave tower.  I was out there for an hour.  I walked about a mile in Santa Monica.  Where did the Sunday farmer market go? 

To the pool.  20 minute swim.

500 swim
backstroke/ez
kick with fins

Notes:
 Right foot p.n. bothering me more than anything.
 DOMS from Y workout
 Getting over cold.
 HR drops irregularly during recovery phase of interval/set.  This has been noted for several years. 

This is not going to be too bad,.

A New Approach to Rehabilition

The Return to Work Lab.
Athletic Identity and Rehabilitation 
Catheterization Performed Here.
Angioplasty-DES
Scripps La Jolla was named this year by U.S. News & World Report one America’s Best Hospitals for cardiac care. In addition to performing a wide-range of cardiothoracic surgical procedures, the hospital boasts a cardiac treatment center, a full range of electrophysiology services, and is home to the one of the busiest catheterization labs in Southern California. Scripps La Jolla was also one of the first sites in the nation to utilize the new drug-eluting stent and has performed more than 450 procedures since the life-saving device received approval from the FDA in April.

Situational Awareness, cont

I was all inspired to hammer out a few more thoughts which leads me to awareness of the situation.  I notified some important people in the past days.  It was great to hear from them so soon, expressing thanks and thoughts. 
I notified the Battalion Chief, my friend in the San Rafael Fire Department.  I have been retired from the fire service for over three years.  I was an EMT during my fire career.  Recent training included advanced training using the new 12 lead heart monitors recently acquired and approved for field use.  This is probably industry standard now.  Our recent training also focused on another different but equally important subject. 
Much of the recent time and money consumed by our training included a whole new chapter in emergency services.  In the 80's, it was hazardous materials and environmental awareness.  In the 90's, the fire service focused on personal protection and safety in our industry.  In the time following the events of 9/11, so much focus has been on preparing for terrorism.  The fire service, being a uniformed organization, was a focus of attention.  We trained for various elements of action.  The fire service can be visioned as a military force, especially at large incidents.  The Incident Command system of managing emergencies parallels military command systems.  Integrated into our fuller understanding of the IC system, a huge emphasis on situational awareness became a very important factor in emergency mitigation.  Lack of situational awareness can lead to unwanted consequences. 

My New Squeeze

Dreamy.

Situational Awareness

I am sure the armed forces emphasize situational awareness.  It is a key component to common sense and emergency action.  As I progressed in my career as a firefighter/emt in a municipal fire department in California, situational awareness became an integral part of the methodology of mitigating situations calling for emergency actions.  It is paramount that we need to be cognizant of our surroundings, of the events occurring before, during and even after the situation, and whatever other factors are contributing to the events. There are excellent educational opportunities to explain situational awareness.  I am fortunate that I had the ability to become aware of the problems I was encountering.  I recognized the fact that I had the proper tools nearby, meaning the ambulance at the medical tent, and I implemented proper emergency procedures.

Chest pain was the most obvious symptom I experienced.  I also experienced a classic symptom of denial.  I also experienced an overall feeling of crappiness.  The reason for denial was the fact that I have experienced epigastric pressure that sometimes mimics chest pain.  It is pain in the chest, and it is also known as heartburn.  No, I thought about that possibility for a minute and decided I had no reason for gas pressure.  I ate breakfast at least 3 hours prior to the swim.  I did not swallow any ocean water either.
I did not originally want to go to the hospital, either.  It would spoil the rest of my day in La Jolla. 
Then it hit me.  I was having chest pain and I was in denial.  I dragged my sorry carcass to the on scene ambulance and sat down on the floor in back, next to one of the personnel.  He asked me if I was okay.  No sir, I am having chest pain.  I climbed on to the gurney in the ambulance.

Initial CF in the ambulance. (not an acronym, but a mnemonic)

Too many hands stirring the pot.

I still had the awareness of the situation.

I requested O2.

They offered me nitro spray.

I also requested morphine.

Thank you.

I was transferred to a SDFD Paramedic unit.

Code 3 to the Cath Lab. 

I don't think I had a chance to say 'hi' to the ER personnel.

Next issue.  Fun times in The Cardiac Catheter Laboratory at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla California.

More

Boring.

I want to go back to logging my workouts.  On the internet...what an Idea..it will become an internet/log, i/log, no probably infringing or something, a web/log, blog.  Or something.

I have written sidebars, and opinions on subjects as safety, technology, and other swim bubbles.  This bubble is special, maybe the additional information in the log of the past ? seasons of workouts will tell some of the story why I am writing today.

Yes, I actually wrote my workouts as I could remember them from day to day, since I rejoined the distance running scene in 1977.  I am sure I have several volumes in storage from the decades.

Same with tri's
I did the very 1st Bud Light Series in San Jose in 1982/?3.  I had a very narrow brush with a really bad bike crash.
I finished strong at the 1992 Santa Cruz Sentinel Tri.  I hope I have a token of that last effort.

Swimming since then.

1 or 2 volumes of handwritten workouts from the mid 90's. I think

Follow along.

STEMI

Acrynoms have special meaning.  As swimmers, we all know RIMO, SDK, and so many more.
Some special groups, especially people known to be close to things cardiac and emergent, know this one well.  To the point, it is the beginning stage of an very specific acute myocardial infarction(MI).  Heart Attack!  Technology and practice by emergency personnel, from the informed citizen, in this case me, introduction into the local Emergency Medical Service(EMS) system, assembling the "team" at the receiving end, in this case the cardiac catheter labratory/operating room team associated with Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla California and all the rest of the scenario page by page from the text book and manuals.  I am writing this now.

Thank you.

I had the wonderful opportunity to personally thank many who personally participated in saving my life.  Thank you all.
Jose, the on scene medic who first asked me a question, thanks buddy, you are a leader.
 
Dr. Cavendish.  Big ups to you and your team.  Seriously, thank you.  The real best feeling ever was that stent opening up and I really could feel my heart getting better.  What a wonderful sensation.  Remember, I asked if the stent was in place, that I could feel relief?  Mumbled something like it.
Why did I keep tickling you?  I remember you slapping my hand away once or twice.  Do all your patients do that? 

Hospital people, nurses, techs, etc.  Thank you very much.  Pretty cool, huh.  I'm kind of an anomoly.

Yes, and thank you past Emergency Medical Technician(EMT) instructors.  I finally saved someone's life with smart, common sense, everyday emergency attention. 
The life I helped save was my own.

More to follow.