Some Rather Large Improvements

     I tried to write about my most recent hospital stay, September 20 - 23, 2016, but I was doing more rambling than actually stating what it was I started out to say... Yes, I am aware that I can't tell a story straight through without a bunch of diversions, that's why I named my blog RamblingWithSteve (Duh.)... but whenever I catch myself going "away," I stop, save whatever I've written, and keep it as a Draft.  I've posted a number of things, over the years, but my library of Drafts has a lot more...

     Why, you might ask?  Any number of reasons, but mostly because I've gone too personal, or I just can't find any relevance in what I've written.  I keep them because they contain something (a reference, turn of phrase, etc.) that I might want to return to someday.  The same as I've kept a Word copy of a manuscript I've worked on for a bunch of years... I wrote it, and hopefully someday, someone will actually read what I've written...

     See, rambling already... I mentioned some large improvements, and since my hospital stay, I've been making a bunch.  I'm getting stronger every day.  My physical therapist asked how I would rate my physical condition, and I told her, "Not dead... Yet"... My heart rate is still high (low 90's sitting, low 100's standing), but I did seven and a half minutes on a "HiStep" machine (a stepper, except you're seated).  I was at 94 when I first started, I took a reading on the HiStep sensors, to check how close they were to the "finger trap" pulse-ox device, and they were very close.  I proceeded to take HR readings every minute, at the request of my physical therapist.  I started easy, a steady 55 - 65 steps per minute, and had readings of 98, 98, 97, 96, 97, and 98 through the first six minutes.  I tried pumping it up a little, and did 90 -95 steps per minute for the last minute and a half, pulse went to 104, but backed off to 94 as we watched it for a minute or two... at one point, during some flexibility measurements, my HR went down to 92 (but I was seated)... as soon as I stood up, it went to 104, but backed off to an even 100 really quickly... after some walking/stepping drills, it went back to the mid 90's...

     If you consider that a few weeks ago I was pumping 148, laying on a gurney in the Emergency Department (no more ER, and I have trouble saying I was in ED, think about it...), that I stayed in the 110's through most of my stay, and that I've been tracking in the 100 - 115 area, while at rest, it seems that the little things I have been doing are bringing my heart rate back down... I used to track upper 70's before, so I have some work ahead of me.

     Fortunately, my Primary Care doctor (Dr. John Vogel) had no problems writing a referral for physical conditioning, and in a week, or so, I'll be back at the therapist, working on improving upon, "Not dead... Yet"...