Jeff Breece - Traveling Can Be Stressful When You Have Heart Disease.
Jeff Breece is a heart attack survivor turned runner who blogs at JeffBreece.com. Mark your calendars for June 28 at 1:00 pm CDT. @American_Heart will be hosting a Twitter chat on traveling after a heart disease or stroke diagnosis. Follow #HeartChat and share your experiences!
I was lucky to be asked by one of my Portland friends to be his best man at his July wedding in 2015. Somewhere between him asking and April I had my first heart attack. While I missed the rehearsal dinner to an overnight stay in ER, on a false alarm, I made it to one of the most beautiful celebrations that two people can share with others.
April and May were dedicated to cardiac rehab where I learned all that I could about this new reality. I started running in June which seemed to help me come to peace with things. It was the trip to ER, the night before the wedding, that taught me a little about cardiac anxiety. I had a lot to learn but I was not about to let fear stand in the way of what was to follow.
Upon release I was able to go home, change my airline tickets, scrape off the EKG pad glue (losing more chest hair in the process ouch!), shower, pack and prepare for the trip ahead. To deal with the potential return of anxiety I kept four baby aspirin with me at all times. I had also bought a Road Id bracelet with my medical and emergency contact info inscribed on it. I had not learned breathing exercises or meditation yet but now I use those tools constantly to cope with anxiety when it faces me from time to time.
Having made a personal choice to embrace a plant based lifestyle post heart attack the diet part was not difficult. Healthy eating in a place like Portland is not a challenge as they have an impressive number of vegetarian and vegan options represented by an army of great restaurants. But were I back in Dallas Texas I'd have no problem there either by going to the store and picking up greens, prepared low sodium beans and easily prepared vegetables or doing a bowl of whole grains with milk and a chopped banana for breakfast either.
I don't consider myself brave but I embarked on three journeys in Portland with my buddy. We climbed both Saddle Mountain and Mt Hood together. Both were more strenuous efforts than I had attempted in a very long time I felt safer knowing I had my backup aspirin and was following the Dr's protocol. I figured if something was going to happen it was going to happen.
Of course it was a mistake while we swam across part of the Columbia River where I nearly drowned… but it was not due to heart disease, it was because I was not a great swimmer and the fact that I severely underestimated the strength of the current. A bystander fished me out of the river Close call or not, it made the adventure all the more full... and not about heart disease.
All of these kinds of experiences make up our lives outside of our conditions. My advice would be to have a talk with yourself about where your values and sense of comfort lie. Get the advice of your Dr. Make an informed decision. Take extra medicine, an emergency set of aspirin, identification so EMT staff can serve you faster, a cell phone and go live your life. Take the trip and make some good memories.
I was lucky to be asked by one of my Portland friends to be his best man at his July wedding in 2015. Somewhere between him asking and April I had my first heart attack. While I missed the rehearsal dinner to an overnight stay in ER, on a false alarm, I made it to one of the most beautiful celebrations that two people can share with others.
April and May were dedicated to cardiac rehab where I learned all that I could about this new reality. I started running in June which seemed to help me come to peace with things. It was the trip to ER, the night before the wedding, that taught me a little about cardiac anxiety. I had a lot to learn but I was not about to let fear stand in the way of what was to follow.
Upon release I was able to go home, change my airline tickets, scrape off the EKG pad glue (losing more chest hair in the process ouch!), shower, pack and prepare for the trip ahead. To deal with the potential return of anxiety I kept four baby aspirin with me at all times. I had also bought a Road Id bracelet with my medical and emergency contact info inscribed on it. I had not learned breathing exercises or meditation yet but now I use those tools constantly to cope with anxiety when it faces me from time to time.
Having made a personal choice to embrace a plant based lifestyle post heart attack the diet part was not difficult. Healthy eating in a place like Portland is not a challenge as they have an impressive number of vegetarian and vegan options represented by an army of great restaurants. But were I back in Dallas Texas I'd have no problem there either by going to the store and picking up greens, prepared low sodium beans and easily prepared vegetables or doing a bowl of whole grains with milk and a chopped banana for breakfast either.
I don't consider myself brave but I embarked on three journeys in Portland with my buddy. We climbed both Saddle Mountain and Mt Hood together. Both were more strenuous efforts than I had attempted in a very long time I felt safer knowing I had my backup aspirin and was following the Dr's protocol. I figured if something was going to happen it was going to happen. Of course it was a mistake while we swam across part of the Columbia River where I nearly drowned… but it was not due to heart disease, it was because I was not a great swimmer and the fact that I severely underestimated the strength of the current. A bystander fished me out of the river Close call or not, it made the adventure all the more full... and not about heart disease.
All of these kinds of experiences make up our lives outside of our conditions. My advice would be to have a talk with yourself about where your values and sense of comfort lie. Get the advice of your Dr. Make an informed decision. Take extra medicine, an emergency set of aspirin, identification so EMT staff can serve you faster, a cell phone and go live your life. Take the trip and make some good memories.
