Originally Posted by
Machoman121
I did get a bit depressed upon hearing the info - no one loves cycling as much as I do. I guess i was looking for some solace and encouragement to carry on. After all we're cycling ultimately because we think it's good for us.
I also bought the book - haywire heart.
But don't discount the facts and information that is out there now - it's no urban myth - I have a story myself - i was told about a friend of an uncle who runs marathons and one morning having completed a morning run just slumped on the desk and passed away. Funny thing is 2 nights before this my uncle (who is a doctor) had dinner with him and even commented how healthy he looked !
You really cant see nor feel the damage until it's too late.....
I'm scared.
But so what???
As someone else mentioned, none of us is going to make it out of here alive. We've all got to go someway, somehow.
However, we've got choices. We can choose to be couch potatoes ... and die. We can choose to cycle ... and die. We can choose to live in fear ... and die. We can choose to live life ... and die.
It's up to you.
Now let me tell you a story ...
When I was 4 years old, I developed Rheumatic Fever and the lingering side effect was two damaged valves.
When I was young, I was told that I shouldn't do anything ... I should take it easy. I was kept out of gym classes right from when I started school until I was a teen ... I'm not sure whose idea that was, but it meant that I didn't develop the usual sports skills that most kids pick up. (However, for some reason, my parents let me walk and cycle). Finally in my teen years, I was allowed to do more ... but as I recall there was some reluctance ... Drs etc. weren't sure. I was also put on penicillin until I was 18 and was told that my immune system was really weak and that I should not ever get strep throat or I would die. So I was kept out of school a lot.
As I got older, I was told that I was too fragile to do much of anything. I was told I shouldn't plan to attend university or anything ... it would all be too much for me.
When I became an adult, the choice was mine. I could essentially do nothing ... take it easy, protect myself. Or I could do what I wanted to do. I could get education and get into bodybuilding and then cycling. I opted to live my life and do what I wanted to do.
I have regular heart checks, and during the early part of one check, they noticed "something". My GP got all worried and told me to do as little as possible until she got back to me. Take the bus to work (rather than cycling), come home after work and nap, etc. I think I did that for a few days ... and then figured I couldn't live like that so I kept doing what I normally did: cycling to and from work, cycling after work, etc. A couple months went by and I didn't hear from her, another month or so ... and I finally contacted the clinic. They'd gone through an office move and had lost my file, then my Dr retired so no one knew anything about my situation. Great!
But meanwhile, I had gone for one more heart test .... an ultrasound. The cardiac specialist himself did the test, and brought in a group of students to see ... because I had these two damaged valves, I was a good teaching specimen.
During that ultrasound, the students asked questions, the cardiac specialist explained, and I heard it all.
Turns out, yes, I've got two damaged valves, but because of the exercise I had been doing ... all that cycling ... my heart was stronger than "usual" for my age and size and was compensating for the backwash of the valves. He was actually impressed, and told me (and all the students) that I should continue cycling. In fact, I should continue cycling (and exercising) for as long as I could.
Right around that time, I got into long distance cycling ... Randonneuring. Audax.
I have done and continue to do a whole lot of cycling.
I've been for more tests, including an angiogram just a few years ago, and things are OK ... except for those two damaged valves. Sometimes they tell me that I may need a valve replacement at some point ... always they tell me to keep exercising, keep on cycling my long, long distances.
Since I was 4 years old, I knew that something was wrong with my heart. Since 2009, when I developed DVT (as Rowan mentions above) I discovered I have a genetic predisposition to developing blood clots and I have a tendency toward a high homocysteine level which could lead to heart failure. So yes, there are moments when it scares me a little
(had another one of those moments just recently ... and I'll be going to the cardiac clinic for more test shortly) ......... but I've made it to 50 so far, there are things I can do to reduce the risk, and I'm fitter and stronger than many 50 year olds. But best of all ... I've done a lot, I continue to do a lot, and I enjoy life!
And there's no way I'm about to give up cycling!!