Rick's Fitness/Health Goals

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Just a quick update.  The cardiac rehab/workout sessions are still continuing, until the end of the year anyway.  After that my insurance probably won't pickup the cost, so I may just try to go it on my own. 

I'm sure your physical therapist can recommend a good place to continue and give you an outline for a one year plan.  Considering the benefits, a gym/health club membership is cheap. It's a habit, and although a good one and hard to get into, at least you know it. 

What health insurance covers that, it's amazing .  Ours barely covers anything, w/ co-pays almost the price of the service.

Be sure to inquire if your health insurance will reimburse part of your membership fee.  I get $150 a year towards mine -- not a fortune, but every bit helps.

[Razor X]

What health insurance covers that, it's amazing .  Ours barely covers anything, w/ co-pays almost the price of the service.

Independence Blue Cross.

[Timmay]

Rick is dreaming of Twinkies, bon bons and gum drops.....
For all you who dont know....Rick, Warhawk and I are going into a health challenge ....with Warhawk and I starting after the first of the year...we needed to give Rick a head start! LOL

[SLYinKC]

Rick is dreaming of Twinkies, bon bons and gum drops.....
For all you who dont know....Rick, Warhawk and I are going into a health challenge ....with Warhawk and I starting after the first of the year...we needed to give Rick a head start! LOL

We'll see who needs the head start... Go ahead and give the guy with the bad heart a bad time, but come January......Just keep eatin those Ding Dongs and Ho-Ho's......

[Razor X]

Rick is dreaming of Twinkies, bon bons and gum drops.....
For all you who dont know....Rick, Warhawk and I are going into a health challenge ....with Warhawk and I starting after the first of the year...we needed to give Rick a head start! LOL

We'll see who needs the head start... Go ahead and give the guy with the bad heart a bad time, but come January......Just keep eatin those Ding Dongs and Ho-Ho's......

OK, we're going to need to come up with a new name for the Ho-Ho's, guys.  Obviously, we can't continue to call them that.  Might offend somebody.   

[SLYinKC]

We'll see who needs the head start... Go ahead and give the guy with the bad heart a bad time, but come January......Just keep eatin those Ding Dongs and Ho-Ho's......

OK, we're going to need to come up with a new name for the Ho-Ho's, guys.  Obviously, we can't continue to call them that.  Might offend somebody.  

It's getting pretty bad when we're worrying about offending a snack cake. 

[Razor X]

It's getting pretty bad when we're worrying about offending a snack cake. 

The same people who want Santa to stop saying "Ho-ho-ho" will probably be all over this.  I'm surprised that they aren't already.

[Timmay]

I get offended when you refer the other cakes to Ding Dongs...i mean come on...those things dont even measure up!

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Rick is dreaming of Twinkies, bon bons and gum drops.....
For all you who dont know....Rick, Warhawk and I are going into a health challenge ....with Warhawk and I starting after the first of the year...we needed to give Rick a head start! LOL

A contest where everyone starts a "head"!  Only on SBG!

[Razor X]

I get offended when you refer the other cakes to Ding Dongs...i mean come on...those things dont even measure up!

You're just partial to Ding Dongs because they are your namesake.   

[SLYinKC]

Cardiac Rehab continues this week, as usual.  As I mentioned earlier, I will probably end my sessions after the end of the year due to my insurance not covering the costs.

Until last week, I have been the youngest in my sessions.  Most of the others are in their 50's and early 60's.  Last week a new guy joined my group.  I noticed that he looked like he was around my age.  After talking with him, I found out that he was actually 3 years younger than me and that he had actually had a heart attack.  The thing that struck me the most about him, is that by just looking at him, he appeared to be in alot better physical condition than I am.  Also, after talking with him, I found out that he was also an accountant and had low cholesterol and did not have high blood pressure, same as me.  Just a note to all you other guys with heart disease in your genetics, make sure that you monitor what you body is doing and pay attention to any warning signs.  This is one disease that doesn't necessarily strike those who appear to be the most high risk.

[Razor X]

Just a note to all you other guys with heart disease in your genetics, make sure that you monitor what you body is doing and pay attention to any warning signs.  This is one disease that doesn't necessarily strike those who appear to be the most high risk.

Scary.  But if you don't have high blood pressure or high cholesterol and you're feeling OK, how would you know if you're about to have a problem until it actually happens?  I'm guessing that in cases like this nothing would show up on a routine checkup?

[SLYinKC]

Scary.  But if you don't have high blood pressure or high cholesterol and you're feeling OK, how would you know if you're about to have a problem until it actually happens?  I'm guessing that in cases like this nothing would show up on a routine checkup?

It can be kinda scary.  I think this is what has bothered me the most about this whole ordeal.  The warning signs don't necessarily jump out at you.  Looking back, I now know that at the first sign of any chest pain, I should have seen the doctor.  I was lucky.  I'm not sure what kind of warning signs others have had.  They are not always given alot of advance notice.

Also, if you have a family history of heart disease, I would strongly recommend getting one of the "Cardio-Scans" that look for plaque build-up in you arteries.  It is not always covered by insurance, but from what I hear, it is well worth the price.  Usually only a couple hundred dollars.   Not much for a little peace of mind.

[Razor X]

What kind of routine are they going to advise you to do on your own?  Are they at least going to tell you what your maximum level of intensity should be?

[SLYinKC]

What kind of routine are they going to advise you to do on your own?  Are they at least going to tell you what your maximum level of intensity should be?

By the end of the year, I will have been through 12 sessions.  They feel that at that point you at least have a sense of what exercise should feel like and what it feels like to be over-exerted.   They are still yelling at me telling me to slow down my pace.  I have really been trying to control it and I don't feel over-exerted.  The elypical just seems to get my heart rate up very quickly and that is when it seems to happen.  But the good thing is that it recovers very quickly after I quit the exercise.  They also mentioned that they are going to let my doc know how quickly my heart rate accelerates.  One of the nurses mentioned that I might need a "Beta-blocker".  I'm not quite sure what kind of drug that is and I'm not anxious to find out.  And I do feel like I'm more "In-tune" with what my body is doing.  I just tend to push the limits, sometimes.