Originally Posted by
Piratebike
Thanks guys. It's not really about what I can't do on the bike as it is about what I can't do at all. I get to thinking about being too far away from medical help! I mean what if I have another heart attack. What if I push myself too far? What is that feeling in my chest? Is that my heart again? My left arm hurts today? Is that my heart? Can I go fishing on the river today? What if something happens? Can I go off into the wilderness for a week? What if my heart gives out? All that stuff keeps me from doing things I used to do. I don't feel alive anymore. I never thought about "what ifs" before. I was young, immortal, nothing was going to happen, didn't even consider anything happening. I was a young lion, afraid of nothing. Now I feel like an old lion, defeated, thrown from the pride, nothing to live for. No longer leader. Heck some days I don't even feel like I can follow.
If you have a health insurance plan & haven't already done so, go consult your cardiologist or the hospital that did the surgery to see if they can recommend a rehabilitation program. The rehab programs will group you with others in the same boat and with a nurse and physical therapist present,l run you through a warm up, (3) 10 minute work outs and a cool down period, all done while wearing monitoring equipment. What it'll do for you is get you comfortable with understanding how hard you can push yourself. It also helps you understand that you are not alone in the quest to recover from a heart attack. Best of luck.