On April 18, 2007 (last year)I posted the following;
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On Sunday April 1, at age 58, I suffered a heart attack. (Ironically, I went diving that Saturday. Did the first dive, didn't feel well, and skipped the second).
Long story short, I now have stents in my left anterior descending and proximal right coronary artery and went through an ablation for supraventricular tachycardia.
While I've been told that this dive season is scrubbed (I keep telling my wife that I'm going to dive next month, but stay within a hundred feet. She doesn't see the humor, I'm afraid), I was wondering if through proper exercise (I was in pretty good shape to begin with), successful recovery, and favorable stress tests if I might be able to dive again next year?
Much thanks.
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First of all, many thanks to the Forum members who responded not only with words of encouragement, but also with sound medical advice and counsel.
I followed that advice (to the letter), as well as the course set for me by my medical professionals.
Thankfully, I had already quit smoking a few years back, but over this past year I've lost 20 pounds, changed my diet, completed cardio rehab, joined a gym, worked out every day (well, most days), taken my meds religiously, and generally tried to reshape my life.
I would never say that a heart attack is a good thing, but in my case it did help me turn my life around.
Earlier this month I asked my doctor if I could dive again.
Before clearing me for diving he put me through the ringer, insisting on near perfect test results including the now famous (for me) 13 METS standard.
On Easter morning (how fitting?) I was back in the South Florida waters on the Starfish Enterprise diving the Captain Tony wreck and Tumbled Rocks reef.
They were the best dives of my life.
Tomorrow makes one year since last year's April Fools surprise and I'm scheduled back in the water on April 12.
It's good to be back.
***************************
On Sunday April 1, at age 58, I suffered a heart attack. (Ironically, I went diving that Saturday. Did the first dive, didn't feel well, and skipped the second).
Long story short, I now have stents in my left anterior descending and proximal right coronary artery and went through an ablation for supraventricular tachycardia.
While I've been told that this dive season is scrubbed (I keep telling my wife that I'm going to dive next month, but stay within a hundred feet. She doesn't see the humor, I'm afraid), I was wondering if through proper exercise (I was in pretty good shape to begin with), successful recovery, and favorable stress tests if I might be able to dive again next year?
Much thanks.
****************************
First of all, many thanks to the Forum members who responded not only with words of encouragement, but also with sound medical advice and counsel.
I followed that advice (to the letter), as well as the course set for me by my medical professionals.
Thankfully, I had already quit smoking a few years back, but over this past year I've lost 20 pounds, changed my diet, completed cardio rehab, joined a gym, worked out every day (well, most days), taken my meds religiously, and generally tried to reshape my life.
I would never say that a heart attack is a good thing, but in my case it did help me turn my life around.
Earlier this month I asked my doctor if I could dive again.
Before clearing me for diving he put me through the ringer, insisting on near perfect test results including the now famous (for me) 13 METS standard.
On Easter morning (how fitting?) I was back in the South Florida waters on the Starfish Enterprise diving the Captain Tony wreck and Tumbled Rocks reef.
They were the best dives of my life.
Tomorrow makes one year since last year's April Fools surprise and I'm scheduled back in the water on April 12.
It's good to be back.
