Speech Therapy is Helping

A variety of exercises is making my speech clearer and less exhausting; the globus sensation is almost gone. This is nice because I will be speaking at the Gun Rights Policy Conference in Dallas in late September. I have been polishing my PowerPoint and rehearsing endlessly until it is so easy that I do not get nervous and try speeding my way through.

Reasons to Risk Death by Surgery

When Dr. Farivar sat down with my wife and I in August, 2023 to discuss a double bypass and the risks herein contained, it was a daunting list of things that might go wrong.  At the end I said I would rather die than continue living with so many limitations caused by cardiac insufficiency. 

One of the reasons was being limited to walking 1000 feet. I suppose if I was one of those retirees who does not cover 1000 feet between refrigerator; car, and TV remote, this might be tolerable  

Another is cold air.  I just came in from looking at the Orion Nebula.   It is still an awesome sight through Big Bertha.  One Thanksgiving several years ago, going out in freezing weather led to me calling 911 at 2:00 AM because of left arm pain.  It was nothing critical but calling 911 before waking my wife got me in trouble.  There is an unwritten rule (hence why it was unknown to me) that you should never wake up to paramedics in the living room.

It is really cold out there but even dressed in a dress shirt, khakis, parka,  and hiking boots was okay.  It was not really pleasant; more like bracing.  You appreciate both gloves and why you would prefer being able to make adjustments without them.

One little frustration which is I think this the first time I have noticed enough to take note of it: mirror collimation really needs one bright flashlight .

The first step in collimation a Newtonian mirror is putting the laser collimator in the eyepiece tube and making sure the beam hits the center of the mirror.   This almost never happens right at the start.   You turn the collimation screws on the diagonal mirror holder until the beam hits either the red dot of nail polish or more ideally a round notebook paper reinforcing circle at the center of the mirror.  But the laser is almost always red and seeing if you are at near the center in low light is really hard.  A bright white flashlight does wonders.

Three Days Above 11,000 Steps

Our Church's Community Garden

We have about 1/4 acre next to the parking lot where we grow tomatoes, squash, some fruit, and anything else that requires little maintenence for distribution to those in need (in some cases, in our church).  

The time came for fall maintenence: pulling all the dead vines in preparation for spring planting.  I assumed that these elderly ladies in their 80s would be a bit overstretched by this.  While gal was regretting not bringing oxygen, some of them are active farmers, used to lifting hay bales and herding cattle.

Anyway, many hands makes light work.  We were done in an hour.   The wheelbarrow muscles will tell me about it tomorrow!

I Think HFCS Fear is Unfounded

I do not have any problem with encouraging Coca-Cola to change to sugar.  I sometimes get Mexican Coke which uses cane sugar and it tastes the same to me.  Like the companies removing dyes voluntarily, this is how to make things better: persuasion, not threats.

If, Like Me, You Were Dealt a Bad Genetic Hand For Heart Disease

This 7/2/25 UPI article discusses a new study that concludes statins are underprescribed:

"More than 39,000 deaths, nearly 100,000 non-fatal heart attacks and up to 65,000 strokes in the U.S. could be prevented if people eligible for statins and other cholesterol-lowering drugs were taking them, researchers reported Monday in the Journal of General Internal Medicine....

"Along with warding off heart attacks and strokes, properly prescribed statins also could prevent every year nearly 88,000 heart bypass surgeries and procedures to reopen blocked or clogged arteries, researchers estimated."

I am glad I had the double bypass but if you can avoid it, it is better.

I Went to the Gym Today for the First Time Since Double Bypass

I obviouslywas in no condition to do so immediately before or after.  It will be nice to resume that.

Is there a "right" to a gym?

The Joys of Old (or Fraud?) (Fraud!)

Dental appointment today.  The dentist said periodontal disease has reached the deep cleaning stage, where they numb one side of your mouth while they dig deep below the gum line to remove plaque.   I did not sign up for dental coverage this year and I wish I had: $1200.

Bad, but both of my parents were wearing dentures much younger than I am.  My mother was completely toothless by 50 and my father only had some lower teeth left. 

And three 20th century fillings need replacement. 

I now suspect insurance fraud and unethical behavior.  My previous dentist saw no periodontal disease last May. I hear from readers about similar suspicious claims from a new dentist. 

I have a second opinion dental appointment scheduled for Monday.   If he confirms what my previous dentist said, I will be informing my insurer of probable insurance fraud and the dentist licensing board of unethical behavior.

This is more than just $1200.  It is also unnecessary infliction of pain.

Second opinion today: no peridontal disease.  No reason for root scaling and planing.  Next steps: contact insurance company as this is insurance fraud reporting something as needed when it is not with three month cleanings thereafter; contact dental licensing agency here to try and get his license revoked.  

Putting someone through this agony because of greed is unethical.  If you cannot trust medical professionals, you are in a world of trouble: people are easily spooked by fear from a man in a white coat.

Recovery

I walked to church today. About 1.8 miles which is not much,  but compared to a few months ago,  that is good.   It was also in the high 30s 

Are Eggs A Heart Disease Risk?

I found this amazing explanation at 6/24/11 NPR.  When inflation started to drive ip prices in the 1960s, President Johnson responded to each increase in commodity price with a slightly different solution instead of asking the obvious question:

"When egg prices rose in the spring of 1966 and Agriculture Secretary Orville Freeman told him that not much could be done, Johnson had the Surgeon General issue alerts as to the hazards of cholesterol in eggs."

4/16/24 Harvard Medical School:

"For most people, an egg a day does not increase your risk of a heart attack, a stroke, or any other type of cardiovascular disease."

I Finally See the Cash Price for That Surgery

$253,008.77.  This is about what I would expect it to be.

My share (6 days in the hospital) is $295 * 6.

$

What Did That Surgery Cost?

 I was told that I would pay $300/day for the first five days in the hospital.  My insurer received about $30,000 in bills at their heavily discounted rate.  My share so far seems to be $0.  I did not even get billed for the $300/day hospital charges.  I can see that a bill was submitted to Blue Cross but I guess because they were in-network no part for me to pay.

Recovery Progress

 I have a Eoropean trip schedule for April, so getting recovered enough to walk from Gibraltar to North Cape (okay maybe just around European cities) is important.  Cardiac rehab told me that treadmilling at home the distance and speed I am doing with them every other day is okay.  So Saturdays are that day.  It felt okay.

Surgery Bills Coming In

Or at least EOBs from Blue Cross.  The surgeon and at least some of the auxiliary services (radiologist reading chest X-rays) billed less than $10,000.  Contracted amount is a bit less.  There are still hospital bills to arrive.  Still wsy less than I expected. 

Tragedy

 I ned to buy pants with a smaller waist.  Probably a smaller belt as well.

Not Enough Sunlight

I have been battling some depression.   I thought it was just a result of a couple weeks of substantial pain, now subsiding to only occasional pain.  But cabin fever may also be the absence of sunlight.   I spent an hour two on the front porch today (made more tolerable by a cool wind), and I feel better.

I also finished my presentation about NFA34 Congressional testimony and how it impacts post-Bruen interpretation of the Second Amendment and machine gun law for the October 18th Symposium at the University of Wyoming Law School.

I Am Coming Unglued

The SuperGlue they used to close me up is now starting to peel off from the skin which has adequately healed to prevent leakage.

First Cardiac Rehab Session

Twenty minutes at 2 mph on treadmill.  Twenty minutes on stepper machine.  Quick recovery to resting heart rate.  BP 136/66 afterwards.  This is looking good.

I Wonder What Other Adjectives Get Used

I requested the surgeon's report on what he did, sort of like wanting a written statement of what the mechanic did under the hood. "The patient was expertly intubated..."  I am going to assume he was complimenting the skill of the anesthesiologist.   Keep in mind that a report like this is unlikely to ever see the light of day outside a civil suit.  

Cardiac rehab has me starting tomorrow.  The exercise physiologist said that being ready this soon after surgery is a little unusual.   Thanks to all of you who were praying for my recovery. 

No Pain This Morning

I slept through the night.  I woke up with no pain.  I feel some tightness across the chest but with the sternum vigorously regrowing, I am not at all surprised.