Seabrook Half Marathon, Seabrooke, TX, April 5, 2020

Number 76
Who Would Have Thought? (this title will make since in a minute)


Today I WALKED my 76th half marathon! The Seabrooke, TX Half organizers cancelled the March race due to the virus but they allowed us to run virtually, as long as we could verify our times & distance by sending in the data recorded on a Garmin or Apple watch. We had until Easter Sunday to complete our race. I fast-walked the “race” at Memorial Park in Houston. I have NEVER, EVER planned on walking a half marathon. For me, it just never has been an option to consider....... until today. To find out why, read below and as Paul Harvey use to say, “Now here is the rest of the story.”

The latter part of February, I applied for some additional life insurance which required blood tests. One of the tests, identified that a hormone, BNP was being released by my heart as a natural response to heart failure. I sought the advice of my PCP who referred me to a Cardiologist. The Cardiologist confirmed the diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure through an EKG and an Ultrasound. You can imagine my surprise and reaction (laced with a couple of cuss words, I am embarrassed to say). He put me on medication and I was scheduled for a nuclear stress test.

Last week, Holly and I met with the Cardiologist after I had gone through all the tests. My left ventricle’s Ejection Fraction is 24% whereas most people operate at 55%. He also found a conduction delay or Premature Ventricular Contraction issue which he said can be dangerous. The combined data along with looking at a man who is “not overweight, a half marathoner and all around perfect physical specimen” (I added that last part) he added, “This does not make sense. We need to do an angiogram. I suspect a blockage or that you may have had a mild heart attack at some point.” More cuss words entered my head but were not released by my larynx. 
 
So..... next steps are: 1. Take the medication (Entresto), 2. Stop running (which is equivalent to medieval torture for this guy) 3. Be re-examined in 30 days by way of another EKG and ultrasound, 4. WAIT...... yes, WAIT to schedule the heart catheterization/angiogram once we get past this COVID-19 crap and they allow elective procedures again at the hospital. This last item’s delay is based on the fact that I have NO observable symptoms, thus it is an elective procedure. Hmmmm. Maybe I will start to complain that my heart is fluttering every time I look at my wife! That could be the Golden Ticket.....

Three positive side notes: 1. Because we have caught this early, my Doctor thinks we may be able to reverse this. That is his goal. I like that goal.......A LOT! So does my wife and family! 2. Due to being in pretty good physical shape, my body apparently has compensated for this malady and allowed me to function and do what I do with no observable issues. I ascribe that to the hand and grace of God! 3. The fact that I applied for that life insurance and thus received information about my body that I did not know about and had no symptoms.

Next half marathon? I don’t know. Frankly, I do not want to walk one again. I am going to be fine and RUN #77 someday. Until then......