April 2018 – rehab!

brunch at Chez Francois

On April 1st, we had a birthday brunch for Sharon at Chez Francois in her home town of Vermilion.

April 4th I went back to rehab at Fairview Hospital: went well! 30 minutes on recumbent bike and 6 minutes on ergometer.

On Thursday I went to Severance Hall, and on the 6th rehab.  I do rehab on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10 pm.

On Saturday the 8th, Allen came over, and we made major progress in the shop.

before
after

Allen and I got Mini up on the jack, and the prelim work complete.

up on quick jacks

We went to supper at Pier W with Allen and Sarah.

 

March 2018: major progress!

 

Updated shower bar

 

 

 

view from my hosp room (metro parks Rocky River reservation)

I had a haircut with the very lovely Kim on the first, and then on the second, I went to Fairview Hospital for my cardio version procedure.

I checked in to have it done, but the cardiologist said I had too much fluid and put me in the hospital.  I weighed 212 when I was checked in.

The procedure was performed on 5 Mar – a success!

I was kept in until 8 Mar, and weighted 186 when discharged, but I was very weak.

I worked on my strength at home, and continued to do Yoga with katie,  Russian with Daniil, and went to doc appointments with my GP and urologist.

Home health arrived, and was of little help they wanted me to use a walker, which I would not.

Sharon had bought us a new wireless router – a Norton Core – and I got it working.

Feb 2018: AFIB!

parts for mini

On 7 Feb 2018, I planned to start cardio rehab at the center at Fairview hospital, but I was in afib – irregular heartbeat.  (This is not an uncommon side affect with my surgery).  They kept me overnight for two nights.

I wore a monitor on the 14th for 24 hours, on on my appointment with my cardiologist on the 22nd., he told me I had been in afib all 24 hours.  We had an appointment with a specialist that day, and he scheduled a procedure on 2 Mar – a cardio version – to shock my heart into sinus (regular) rythym.  Some parts for our Mini arrived from New Zealand.

 

January 2018: Rest and Recovery

lunar eclipse

On 2 January 2018 I had a follow up appointment downtown post my open heart surgery- went well.

I read and watched TV – all the games.

For exercise I walked at home, increasing time.

On Tuesday the 9th, I resumed yoga with katie.

Katie

29 Jan was an appointment with my cardiologist – went well.

December 2017

those were the days my friends…

On Monday 18 Dec – after a number of appointments – I had open heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic to replace my aortic valve.

CVICU 18-22 Dec

stepdown 22-26 Dec

home 26-31 Dec

Gradual growth in strength and abilities

 

 

Recovering…

Nov 22-24 2017

icon

On the 22nd, I went to Heinens to pick up our fresh turkey. We prepped for our house cleaners, and ate lunch out.

I studied and trained.

Thursday – Thanksgiving – Valerie arrived, we watched football on TV, and cooked and ate dinner

On the Friday, I studied, and had a Russian lesson with Daniil at Troubador.

We ate supper at Spice with Valerie, and went to the concert at Severance Hall.

 

Nov 16-21 2017

Katie takes the stage!

On the Thursday 16 Nov 2017, Sharon was out of town, and I did the shop towels and rags at the local coin laundry.  N.B.: cost 8 quarters = $2.00 per load.

On the next day – Friday – I studied, and had a Russian lesson with Daniil.  Our contractor Paul came over to plan some work.  Sharon got back around 5.

Saturday was a light day, with blogging and reading.

On Sunday the 19, I studied, blogged, and had a lesson with Daniil at Starbucks, in Avon.

With Daniil at Starbucks, Avon.

 

Monday, we lunched at Bob Evans, shopped for food at Heinen’s, and refueled at Cosco.

Tuesday, the lovely katie showed up for yoga.  After her session, Sharon took Babe to our vet.

Babe

 

 

November 1-15 2017

those were the days my friends…

On Wednesday 1 Nov, we took our 2015 Mini Cooper S Roadster in for minor service.

top down!

On the 2nd, I had an echo cardiogram, and felt good.  I got more exercise equipment at Target.

On the fourth, we saw the movie LBJ – loved!

organization

On the 5th, Allen came and we moved Mini into winter position. (see http://www.our1960Mini.com)

Mini in garage

The 7th was election day: we voted,and I worked after the election.

Wednesday I went to an event for one of our commissioners – Matt Lundy.

The weekend meant Russian lessons at Troubadour with Daniil.

After the lesson

On the 13th I made progress on my Russian blog: http://www.chasrussianblog.com

On the 14th I did yoga, a home workout, and physical therapy.

Y O G A

On Wednesday the 15th, I the appointment made with a cardiologist 20 days before.  He reviewed my test results, and scheduled a cath in preparation for a valve replacement, in December.

cardiac rehab, I expect

 

 

 

 

 

Oct 10-31 2017

Cleveland

Dance lessons, haircuts,  gym, yoga, Russian learning, and normal  activities in the early part of the month.

family dinner – Sapphro

Paul Sedar and I repainted the garage floor.

garage floor

On the 14th and 15th, Sharon and I participated in the annual LocoBrits Fall Colors tour.

touring in the fall in Northeast Ohio
lunch at malabar farms restaurant

We had an interior vapor barrier installed in our basement.

new wall treatment in utility room

For yoga, superstar Katie comes to our house.

Katie!

On the 20th, Sharon, Babe, and I took a tour in our 1960 Mini.

Babe in back seat!

On the 25th I had a nice visit with the dentist, and on the 26th to my PCP.  He had me take am EKG, a blood test, a chest x-ray, and then scheduled an echo cardiogram. On his advice, I stopped going to train at the gym.

We got rubber bands for me to train at home.

On Sunday the 29, Sharon and I went to the annual Sherrod Brown Spaghetti dinner.

Concerts resume at Severance…

 

October ends with Halloween.

Oct 1-8 2016

Our yoga teacher Katie in Las Vegas for the country music fest: they came back before the slaughter…

Sunday 1 Oct  Russian lesson

Mon 2 Oct gym, dance lesson

We got a plant – in memory of my late twin brother Richard.

Potentilla ‘Goldfinger’
name is Auric

Tue 3 meeting, yoga – with Katie

The Yogi!

The meeting was for Democratic city chairs (I subed for our chair).

dems plotting

Our contractor Paul Sedar came over to repaint our garage floor.  We moved everything to the North Side.  He cleaned with Muriadic acid.

before painting

I was under the weather, but we made progress in the garage and the shop.  In the evening we went to a concert at Severance.

painted

On Friday, the crew from Ohio Basement systems came and started putting the new covering on the utility room and shop walls.

before – in shop
nearly done here.
before of above

I felt much better today!

Indians overcame a 8-3 deficit to win in walk-off 9-8.

On Saturday and Sunday, I studied Russian and had two lessons.