Made it thus far!

Day 42 (six weeks)

In the literature the hospitals gave me upon discharge, the six week mark appears to be a turning point in heart attack recovery and most prior activities can be resumed; within reason of course. Climbing the stairways of the CN Tower can wait for another time...probably never. Some procrastination is good!

In some ways I feel as if nothing ever happened. Cardiac arrest came without pain and without recognizable warning; I never had time to suffer, worry about my health and be afraid of the future. Everything was over within two hours of walking into the hospital, transfer to a second hospital and angioplasty surgery. I fully came to my senses in a cardiac care ward. The following day I was up out of bed and felt okay except sore from the CPR that was done.

Reality is that my heart attack did occur and a few lifestyle changes came into immediate effect. In some ways I feel as if my life has been placed on hold because most of my favourite and not-so-favourite activities have all been suspended until some indefinite date in the future. The future is not guaranteed anyway; we just live is if it is.

I can no longer eat most of my favourite foods and I am learning to eat foods I never wanted to look at before. Maybe this is part of the reason I have lost weight without really trying. To be honest, I would still like to have a bacon sandwich or corned beef hash on Saturday mornings. That's not going to happen with Kie carefully watching over me. 

If I have only one word to say in looking back over these last 42 days, then that word is gratitude. More specifically, gratitude to God for giving me this second chance in life. The cold hard fact is that July 07, 2013, came very, very close to being the date of my obituary.

My advice: enjoy life...because we really have no idea when the end will come.

Aug 17, 2012. The Oddblock Station Agent with favourite walking stick heading home from train watching.

We did see a train too and Kie recorded some scenes. I'm adding one photo I like and limiting it to one for this posting.

An OOCL 40FT Hi-cube container stacked on top of 2 x 20FT containers in a double-stack rail car.

The Oddblock Station Agent

Update October 21, 2013

The seasons and weather have both changed since the above photo was taken. 

First time using the lathe since my heart attack - practicing with a discarded cut-off. All turned out well today.

A scrap of elm from Maine finished in linseed oil.