This blog started on a whim, with the thought that maybe something I had experienced in my life could help someone else, let them share my experience and hopefully prepare them in some way…. It has wandered and wandered in countless directions since then, leaning far more on my frustrations during the pandemic than I would have liked, but I write what I write and I have to stick with it even if my opinions or ideas change afterwards. But above all, I have strived for transparency and honesty in what I write. It’s often an unkind – or perhaps unflattering – look at myself, but to paraphrase the old quote: the blog doesn’t lie. Even with my health, I have been completely transparent and forthcoming, because there are people who have not experienced prostate problems or other health problems and knowledge is power. That thought is especially true today, dear reader.
You know what they say about not asking a question if you really don’t want to know the answer? Well, I have been faithful in following my health and my doctor’s recommendations. Yesterday I had a CT scan of my heart arteries. This test is used to determine the amount of plaque in the heart arteries and is intended to help understand the risks for people with high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol (I have both). The score ranges from 0-1000, with zero meaning no plaque and 1,000 being ready to drop dead. I scored 548 – so that’s pretty bad. This is one time when I would rather not be in the group above 50%!
So while it’s not good, it’s not the worst possible news; the worst news would have been: dying of a massive heart attack during the scan – or on the way – or perhaps while reading the report… perhaps I find the latter the funniest and most ironic! Nevertheless, not the news I wanted – or expected – to hear. I honestly expected a fantastic result, such as perhaps a barely noticeable amount of plaque.
I’m really struggling to understand the result. I clearly understand the technical side of it, what I struggle with is believing it. I feel so damn healthy – I walked 11.3 miles the day before this test and had no trouble at all; in fact, I ran during parts of it. No arm pain, no chest pain, no shortness of breath. I am in disbelief; Denial might be a better word, I think.
So what now? Dear reader, I have no idea. I think I’ll wait until my doctor reads the report and then advises me. I think I need a cardiologist to determine how real and immediate the danger really is. I have already emailed her and told her that I am now – finally – going to use statins for my cholesterol. (Too little, too late?) I will NOT stop walking and maybe even start running again, assuming my knee will tolerate it. Before the test, I promised my wife that I wouldn’t change my diet. But now that I see the result, I honestly think I have to do it – reluctantly, unwillingly and painfully – and probably in small steps… and knowing me, probably not too successfully. But I’ll try.
Of course, stubborn to the end, I just went into the woods, split half a log, and then hauled two wheelbarrow loads to my front woodpiles. Guess what? I didn’t die!! No pain, no discomfort, no heart attack. So there, cardio artery scan – take that! (Humour always helps….) But I’m slowly turning this whole thing over in my head, processing it, but still not accepting it. The damage my life has done to my blood vessels cannot be undone. But there is a way to minimize that damage and eliminate future damage, and that is the path I must take immediately. The more I look into this, the more likely it is that my years (decades) of smoking are probably the culprit here. Apparently smoking is like putting up a ‘welcome’ sign for arterial plaque. Glad I stopped – almost 11 years ago now.
Ironically, I just heard from my doctor; she made me feel better about it all; that despite excellent cardiovascular fitness I still have hardening of the arteries. She is going to ask her colleagues whether she should have me take a nuclear stress test. In the meantime, I’m taking low dose baby aspirin and statin. Sigh. 2024 will certainly be an interesting year, just not the way I envisioned it. But it’s only 1/12e over, so let’s think carefully about the next 11 months! Stay healthy, dear reader! And if you smoke, do yourself a favor and try to quit or at least cut down.
