My New Year's Wishes for You
Edith Cook
Miss Edith
(Dr. Edith Cook)
Published January 1, 2025. Editor’s Headline:” Working out, Staying Healthy.”
Note to my Readers: My domestic partner and I returned from a Texas graduation ceremony with a case of the stomach flu, which affected me worse than him. I have often felt nauseous during and after a meal and am only now finding my way back to normal.
Upon completing my “minimally invasive” heart surgery last November, my cardiac team signed me up for “outpatient cardiac rehab” at the Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic in Laramie, although they gave me three weeks to allow my hear to recover.
This rehab has the goals of 1) determining the extent that the surgery addressed the problem at hand, and 2) establishing a regimen of regular exercise combined with healthful eating habits.
“You have been allotted 36 sessions,” said Dustin, my advisor. “Ideally, you’ll be coming in three times a week for one-hour sessions each time.”
When I mentioned that a roundtrip takes my partner and me three hours or more, he readily agreed to two sessions weekly, with the proviso that we’d stay home in inclement weather.
“The goal is for you to exercise at home every day, for as much as you can,” Dustin added helpfully. An upbeat counselor, who found good things to say every time I exerted myself, Dustin established himself as a friendly force—though still a force. I can hardly argue with his prompts; during the frustrating months before changing cardiologists, I had gained about twelve pounds—which I need to get rid of.
My partner, Ronald Garver, sat through the first session with me. Tall and lanky, he has no problem with overeating; however, he is pre-diabetic and, like yours truly, needs to limit sweet treats.
That first rehab session devoted a good portion to “healthful eating” advice. Dustin reminded me that diabetes and obesity are on the rise in the US, and he reiterated their adverse effects. He recommended the Mediterranean Diet which, he said, is not a diet so much as a health-hardy lifestyle, one that emphasizes plant-based proteins over meat, particularly red meat. Fresh fruit, lots of veggies, both raw and cooked, and whole-grain breads are a must, he reminded us.
One of the exercises he had me do required me to “Rate My Plate.” I wrote down what and how much I ate at every meal, and how I might improve my intake. For example, both Ron and I love to nibble on the crisp skin of a roasted chicken, but on rating my plate, I promised to do away with the habit.
That first session took almost two hours, because Dustin wanted to give me a preview of what I’d be asked to do. For thirty seconds he timed me on how often I could get up and sit down with arms outstretched in front of me. Later, he timed me for six minutes of brisk walking (“no running,” he warned) to determine how many feet I could cover. All during exercise time I wore three sensors placed strategically on my chest that were connected to a monitor hanging around my neck. The monitor also conveyed to a computer my heart rate and other vitals to make sure my heart would not be hurt in the exercise process. This is how I would exercise every time I attended, Dustin informed me. He complimented me repeatedly on my efforts, which reconciled me somewhat with having to work out as hard as I could. Dustin wanted to see my “systolic pressure” to reach a certain point, “systolic” referring to the force exerted when the heart contracts and pumps blood throughout the body. It is the upper number in a blood pressure reading, typically expressed in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), Dustin explained.
My second visit began with several laps on a “track” laid out around the perimeter of the spacious exercise room, where other people besides myself worked out. Then came ten minutes of rigorous walk on a treadmill, for which Dustin encouraged me to add an incline.
The treadmill was followed by ten minutes of a calisthenics workout that included weights, modified push-ups (starting in a “plank” position against my chair), and efforts to touch the toes of my outstretched leg—first one, then the other.
Eventually I was back on the treadmill for another ten minutes, followed by a stationary bike ride. During each of these efforts, Dustin checked my blood pressure, oxygen level, and pulse, which reminded me, I was a patient despite the rigorous effort put forth.
Three months or more is a long time to undergo the regimen, and once the winter weather starts in earnest, we’ll have to suspend our trips to Laramie. Still, I’m heartened that my cardiac team did not simply dismiss me, once their work was done. I, too, want to be well to the best of my ability, and Dustin’s encouragement, I note, goes a long way to help me stay on track. I am cautiously optimistic that all will be well with my eighty-pluss body.
Geri Doherty
Miss Edith
www.edithcook.com
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