"Normal" life

Well, I'm trying to get back into a more "normal" flow of things.

I began "Cardiac Rehab" last Wednesday, which is a monitored exercise program. Apparently I still have some tachycardia going, which is where my heart rate jumps WAY up for 5-10 beats then comes right back down. The rehab folks were going to send the recording of my heart to my cardiologist for review.

I also started back to work last Wednesday. I'm only allowed half-days for the first week, so I have 2 more half-days to go. I kinda like the half-days!

I sang with the Praise Team this morning (even though I did not get there in time for rehearsal). It was good to get back to that also.

Tomorrow I change 2 medications - I go to the 81mg dose of aspirin (as a blood thinner), and my beta blocker switches from Coreg to Atenolol. Y'know, I'd REALLY prefer if "they" KNEW what causes heart disease. It seems to me that no one actually KNOWS. I dislike taking medications for symptoms, without actually KNOWing (much less TREATing) the actual problem, the actual cause. For instance, I'm taking Lipitor for cholesterol (in the biggest dose they make!), but my cholesterol number is about 180, which is in the "normal" range. Why is it, if the same blood flows through EVERY artery (and vein) in my body, that it only seems to cause a problem in the coronary arteries? This is illogical to me. Oh, well - I guess I can howl at the moon from time to time...

At this point I just have to live with the possibility that this kind of thing (my heart attack) could recur at ANY time. And hope in the meantime that I do not have issues with my medications.

STOCK MARKET NOTES - I am getting concerned again about this market. I do not believe that the "correction" completed its cycle. We are just 1 week away from the low of the correction, and we've already recovered MORE than half of the correction! I really don't think that qualifies. I do not think that down is over. I do not think (especially based on how the market behaved on Friday) that it is a healthy market yet. I believe the Fed rate action has created a "false market." We are back to where bad news is ignored - and there was PLENTY of bad news on Friday, and NONE of it mattered. I truly hope we do not have to have a crash or mini-crash in order to get healthy. The next 2 months will tell the tale.

Disappointed in the Fed

I REALLY would have preferred that the Fed leave interest rates alone. I truly feel that the market needed to "consolidate" a bit at the lower level before rebounding. I have to wonder if the Fed caved to the pressure from the talking heads on TV.

I really believe that the free market lost when the Fed stepped in so quickly. Honestly, most of the mortgage mess is due to UTTER STUPIDITY in lending. The folks that did that SHOULD be punished by the market. Not to mention that we were SO overdue for a 10% correction, so this was part of the market getting healthy.

Oh, well. What's done is done. We'll still trade no matter what. If the down had been "uglier" the up would have been better too. Now I wonder if the "getting healthy" process will be complete. This is not a natural market bottom. At the same time, given that this was a sudden change in policy from the Fed, I have to wonder if the credit issues are larger than anyone really thinks.

Yup, market is going down!

It waited longer than it should have, but the stock market is GOING DOWN! I believe it will continue (not in a straight line) for the next several weeks.

It needs to do this to be "healthy" - healthy markets go up and down, but up overall. This one has gone up and up and up and up and up except for one time in late February. This correction was overdue. I'm glad it is happening. I hope you all are not hurt too much by it. You may be able to move your 401k to a money market account to wait for the down to end... then get back into the "normal" funds when down is over.

If we hadn't gotten this significant down, October would have been VERY dicey. Thank goodness we did not have to go through that!

A good report!

Natalie and I met with my cardiologist this morning. (I'm still not used to the phrase "my cardiologist.") Everything is looking very good. There is very little damage remaining to my heart muscle. Just one area near the top that isn't squeezing like it should be, but he expects that to continue to improve and for my heart to eventually reach near 100% function. I should have zero long-term implications from this event. I WILL be on meds for the rest of my life - an aspirin a day, and cholesterol medication. The rest will go away over time.

For the medically savvy - my stent is NOT a drug-eluting stent, just a cobalt-chromium uncoated stent. He said he did this procedure "by the book" so that's all good! Since the stent is non-coated, I will be taking Plavix for only a year or so. I will soon be switching my beta blocker from Coreg to Atenolol. Lisinopril will continue for some time.

I am so thankful to be so well cared for - medically and otherwise!