The fair was a blast! It's always a good time, but working with my friends makes it that much more fun. We spent a lot of time talking to people and baking in the heat that was pretty intense for the whole 12 days. Lots of noise and bad food and I loved every minute of it.

Before that I had to give a "Proffesional Development Workshop" at a conference in Buffalo. That wasn't as much fun as the fair, but it was a good experience for me. I am way out of my comfort zone doing that kind of thing, and I feel out of place. Everyone said it went really well so I guess I shouldn't be so worried about it.

The trip to Vegas is a month away, but that is something to look forward to. I always like to go out there, even if I do get really tired and it is a working trip. Usually by the time the week is over I am glad to get back home again. I spend a lot of time talking to people and that I like, my voice tends to give out after about 3 days though.

Wow! Two years since I've posted!

Time flies doesn't it? I just thought I would stop in and try to see if I could find anything to write about. I want to attempt to work on the blog thing again, but I'm not sure how much I will be able to come up with. I'll give it a shot, maybe not every day but when I think I have something to say.

I'm looking forward to getting away for a while, it's not really a vacation since I will be working, but it's not my usual job so it will be a welcome change.

Hearts and Flowers

One year!

It's really hard to believe, but it's been one year today since the surgery and I couldn't feel better. Actually, except for a little one day glitch that took me to the emergency room for a short time with a strange heartbeat I haven't been sick even one day!

Time really does fly.

I will keep updating here when I have something to say, but it's not something I'm real good at. I have lots to say, but I find it uncomfortable to put my feelings out there most of the time. I am grateful for my time here, and when I am better able to express some of the things that are making me uneasy I'll be back to jot them down.

Until then, Thank's to all my friends and family for the support. Without I wouldn't be as healthy as I am today, and I say I appreciate it is an understatement at best..

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Perfect!

I'm back from the echo, and all is perfect! The heartrate is now 80-85, right where it should be. Sometimes when a valve is repaired the heart gets "lazy" and stops working as hard as it should. Mine is working spot on..

I'm glad it's over, it's not been fun, but it has been interesting. I hope I don't have to go through anything like it again, but I was lucky. I hope that if any of you find yourself in this position you have the good fortune to have great friends and family like mine. The love they showed for me was the best medicine I could have asked for.

Until next time.....
Bill

Updated, Uplifted, Up!

Well, Here we are in July. I can now report that I am fully recovered. No pain, MUCH more energy than I had before this whole mess started, and I feel qualified to preach that you should have a physical..Even if you are sure you don't need one. You see, I didn't know I had any problem and had I not gone to my Doc for a check up (because I was 50 remember and that's what you are supposed to do at that age), I might be gone now. I have no doubt that I would have done my normal activity that I do in the summer, teaching motorcycling, running around with Cassidy, ect. At some point my heart would have crapped out. I'm very lucky indeed.

I have to go back for an echocardiogram this month, but I am sure it's gonna look fine. The heart rate is still around 100 beats a minute, but I feel great! I'm probably 20 years younger in the energy department, and even my thought process is clearer. I might even be able to convince the Dr that I don't need to take any more medicine, but that's probably hoping for a lot. I give him a hard time, but he likes it.

So again, I will urge you to GET A PHYSICAL! It can't hurt and just might save your life.

Back to Work!

I decided to stop the whiny posts and wait until I came back to work to tell you how it all turned out. I am so glad to be back! I'm still weak but getting stronger every day. The Doc didn't want me to come back yet, but I convinced him that I had people that would lift stuff for me and that I promised that I would be a good boy.

I wish I knew a way to put this cool little DVD up so you could see it. The surgeon was a really great guy and he made me this 2 minute DVD of my surgery. It's a little creepy to see the inside of your own chest and know that you are looking at your heart not beating. It's kind of surreal, but very interesting. It put the whole thing in perspective and I understand a lot more about what was done. I'm pretty visual so it helped to see it.

The stitches are mostly healed, I still don't have any feeling in the area around the incision, but he tells me it will come back in time. They are a little concerned that the heart rate is still around 120 beats a minute at rest, but that is supposed to go back to normal at some point too. I'm not gonna post for a while so that I can give an accurate report on how I'm doing once everything goes back to normal....Later.