Don Custer

Don the lifestyle changes are inevitable regardless of the disease. Diabetes brings similar. Really glad to see you adapting so well. And, you still get to have some good stuff as a reward for all the rest!

Get better, stronger, and focus on staying alive man!

See ya somewhere, trails or a meet and greet. Very happy you made it thru.
 
Thoughts & Prayers to ya Don..haven't been on NC4x4 in a coon's age..but Glad you are doing Better..!!
 
UPDATE: Went to see Cardiac PA this afternoon. She checked me over, took me off two pills and told me I was free to do whatever, but to keep in mind that I did have a heart attack and govern myself accordingly. I am carrying a little bottle of nitroglycerin pills in my watch pocket just in case. I am scheduled to start rehab next Thursday.

Thanks to all for the thoughts & prayers! :beer:
 
That's good news Don! Take it easy and do what the doc tells ya. Hope to see ya soon.
 
Granny said:
UPDATE: Went to see Cardiac PA this afternoon. She checked me over, took me off two pills and told me I was free to do whatever, but to keep in mind that I did have a heart attack and govern myself accordingly. I am carrying a little bottle of nitroglycerin pills in my watch pocket just in case. I am scheduled to start rehab next Thursday.

Thanks to all for the thoughts & prayers! :beer:
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When you said you were carrying a little bottle I pictured something else there for a sec...

Glad your on the mend!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
^^^ Ha Ha... If I had been on my toes I would have just left it at that... "little bottle"! :lol:

I went to orientation for rehab on Thursday, and I start on Apr 17th; Tues & Thurs for 3 months. So far, I am having no problems whatsoever. I am adjusting well to a new diet and actually beginning to lose some weight. I feel better than I have for quite a while. Darlene and I have been walking the 1.1 mi track at a nearby park and I seem to doing fine with it. The rehab folks said they would hook me up to a heart monitor when I first start and that should give me a pretty good idea what my limits are. I am getting a lot of encouragement and support from a lot of people and it is sincerely appreciated! Than you all! :beer::beer::beer:

I will update this from time to time... hope to see some of you in the near future!
 
I see it's been a while since I updated this. Things are going well so far. I'm doing rehab on Tues & Thur, and walking a little over 3 miles on Mon, Wed, Fri. Learning what-to & what-not-to eat has been the biggest challenge for me/us, but that is now actually starting to get comfortable. Fortunately for me, I happen to like fish, chicken and vegetables. My weight is down roughly 20 lbs and my britches are getting baggy. I have several Doc's appointments in the upcoming weeks. Hopefully, their reports will be favorable. I have more energy than I have had for a long, long time, and the three-mile walks are getting easier each day. The staff at the rehab center in Concord is great, and the equipment there is top notch. I don't want to sound stupid enough to say I'm glad I had a heart attack, but the outcome has been nothing but positive so far. Second chances are real!
 
So glad you're mending well Don! Keep up the good work! Hope to see you soon.
 
Another update... probably the last one... unless something unexpected happens. On July 6th, I went back to the cardiologist for an echo. The news was great! My heart had made a 13% improvement. The general consensus is that it should continue to improve over time providing I behave myself by exercising and eating right.

On July 12th, I finished my rehab (graduated) and will continue following an exercise plan. My plan, which my trainers have fully approved, is that I will continue my 3-mile walks (one hour) on Mon-Wed-Fri. On Tue-Thu I will workout with weights and various machines (one hour) to tone up and build muscle. Sat-Sun are to be days of rest with no deliberate exercise.

I have gotten pretty well used to eating right. That was the hardest thing to learn, and change. I now know how to shop and read nutrition labels, and doing that has become pretty much a habit. If a label is not within specs, the food goes back on the shelf. It's really just that simple. Salt was a hard one for me to say goodbye to, but I have gotten to the point where I no longer want it. The same goes for a number of other things, including sweet tea.

I have lost well over 30 lbs, and my other half is also losing weight. She walks and exercises with me and eats mostly what I eat. To say the least, it's been an interesting journey. I'm not on Facebook, but my wife is regularly relaying "well-wishes" and "thinking-about-you" from various people. I am grateful for all the support I have received during this whole ordeal. The same goes for all the support I have received from my CTB and NC4X4 families. Thank you, and I look forward to seeing y'all from time to time! :beer::beer::beer:
 
J.C. said:
Great news, Don! I too found that changing my eating habits, especially salt usage, has made a big difference in my health numbers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, etc. Keep on your program, live long and enjoy!
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Yes sir! As you told me a while back... shootin' for 92... then plan ahead! :D Appreciate ya J.C.! :)
 
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