Kudos from my Cardiologist

 Hey!! I’m feeling pumped! I’ve got my cardiologist’s praise.

I went in for a follow up on my trans esophageal echocardiogram today, and the doctor came in smiling. He told me my heart valves are perfectly fine and my coronary arteries are splendid! He told me I am in better health than 99% of my peers, and asked me to what did I attribute that.

I told him I think it’s culture. I was born and raised in California, where most people walk, run, climb mountains, surf and swim, and some of us ride bicycles. I moved here, and everybody thinks I’m nuts because I still ride a bicycle, even though it’s been sixty years since I graduated from high school.

He asked where in California, and I told him in Merced, in the Central Valley. He explained that he and his wife went to Santa Monica to visit friends last year, and even took a boat over to Santa Catalina island.

I told him that twenty years ago my wife and I took a side trip from a national square dance festival at Anaheim, and went to Santa Catalina island, and right there on the dock we rented a bicycle built for two. We rode that bike all over the island on every paved road they have at Avalon.

( There were only three then).

He laughed out loud. 

He explained that he is retiring soon and will be looking for activities to keep him young, too.

He asked if I am up on my vaccinations, and I assured him I got mine in January and February. The side effect of those were what we had agreed was probably myocarditis, a rare condition for the Pfizer shots. But I haven’t had any trouble in a couple of months.

My guess is that years of dealing with an autoimmune disease probably ties into that somehow.

He cautioned me that he will probably call me when a booster shot becomes available soon. I asked, “Delta variant?” He said no, the latest mutant is the Lambda variant, and it’s worse than the Delta. It comes from South America, and the president of Brazil, Mr. Bolsonaro, who poo-pooed the Covid virus is in the hospital with an oxygen mask keeping him breathing as we speak.

I promised to keep in touch, even though I am cleared from any more cardiologist visits for the present.

Yep, I’m pumped! It’s been a great day. 

I went for a ride on my mountain bike to celebrate and got about a mile away from the house and the front tire blew out with a pop. So I got one mile of biking and one mile of walking back pushing the bike. 

Still feel great!