The Reason Lashbear Disappeared

[lashbear]

Inspired by the comments about overweight folks on the Riding Crop thread, I thought that now was a good time to tell you all why I disappeared for so long.

On the 15th of May this year, I had a Heart Attack at work (or as they said, an Acute Myocardial Infarction).

I love that word. Infarction. It sounds rude.

My Right Coronary Artery was completely blocked, and I thought I was having really bad heartburn - it felt like hot coals under my chest. luckily the first aid officer at work recognised the other symptoms (grey colour, sweating etc) and called the ambulance.

I had symptoms for a couple days beforehand - everytime I had to walk uphill etc I would get this "Heartburn" but rest would usually fix it.

At the hospital they diagnosed me, and sent me by ambulance to the Royal North Shore hospital in North Sydney, where they put a long (5-6 foot) catheter into my groin and guided it to my heart, where they performed a balloon angioplasty to open the blockage and then inserted a Stent (a little wire cage to hold the artery open in future). I was recuperated, and sent home.

After a 6 week period without work, and no sick leave left (*Ouch* can you spell "Rent Deficiency") I returned to work.

My doctor has told me that I need to go to the gym, and they have put me on a weight-loss and cardio rehab programme whereby I go to the gym 4-5 times a week, alternating cardio and weights, and (surprise, surprise) I am actually losing weight.

I have given up Corn Dogs.

I'm not exercising because I am unhappy with my weight, or anyone elses perception of me - but rather that, if I don't lose weight, I am going to die. Pure and simple. Lose weight or die of another (possibly fatal this time) heart attack.

The only reason that I didn't die from the first one was that I had given up smoking in 2000 - If I had still been a smoker, then *Poof* Game Over.

I just wanted to let you all know, because I care a real lot about my "Disney Family" and reading the threads about weight issues, then Ally losing her beloved Sweet-Pea made me realise that I don't want to lose any of my dear friends, much as you all might have lost me, had fate had not been as kind.

Therefore, after my Russian-Roulette-Like encounter with Mortality, I would like to offer the following plea from the bottom of my heart:

[Preachy Mode]Please, try to be as kind to your body as you can, try to move more each day, watch what you eat (especially Saturated Fat & Cholesterol), and quit those smokes !! I have lost 2.5 Kilos (about 5 1/2 pounds) of body fat since starting at the gym in October. My clothes are loose and I'm feeling so much better. (And the Gym has become really Fun - I look forward to it now)[/Preachy Mode]

I give the above advice with all the love I have - Cherish your friends on this and other boards, because you never know how long you really have with them.

....Now the next thread to start is the "Healthy Eating" thread.

Love to all of you,
Robert.