Back on August 11th, the day before I was scheduled for my heart surgery to get the ICD for my ARVD (there are a LOT of initials in the heart world), I awoke from a dead sleep to a rate of 110 bpm. Dr. B had told me that if my heart rate got to 120, I would go into Sudden Cardiac Death. Waking up to that heart rate was a little.... terrifying. Of course, we know how this all turned out and I am here.
Why 132? What is so significant about that number? As I have been working towards my goal of marathon training I have had to learn to walk for long periods of time, then slowly add in jogging, so not to push my heart too hard. Yes, I have been given the "all-clear" to do what I want, but one thing I was told is to listen to my body. I still do not have all my strength back, although it has been just over 6 months. "It could take a year," is what Dr. B told me. Each time I go out to run (it really is jogging but apparently that counts as running) I listen to my heart and if she tells me I can run a little further, I do. On Tuesday this week, I reached a new milestone of TWO miles! Of course I walked part of that, but I am now up to two miles! At the end of that run, my heart rate was.... can you guess?..... 132 bpm!! Guess what? I felt GREAT! I may have been out of breath, jello legged, and walking by the end, but I was ALIVE!
Little by little everyday, I am finding more strength. I still have to rest sometimes and that is OK! The important thing is I keep trying... I keep working towards my goal. I hit a new milestone on the scale today. Positive changes are happening! Great things are happening! I can do this, because God makes the impossible.... possible!
My name is Jenny McKinney. I am ALIVE and I really don't want chocolate today.... not yet. ;)
