Two Reasons to celebrate - had to share!!

[wildhawk]

I completed my first 50k ride and aced my cardio-stress test this week!! As some of you know, I was diagnosed with a 99.9% blockage in one of the main arteries leading to my heart last August and underwent stent surgery to repair it. I had to make some pretty drastic lifestyle changes. Long story short, I have lost over 55 pounds and began cycling again two months ago. My “dreadmill” walking was making me nuts - I am an outdoor enthusiast and nature photographer, so cycling fit the bill for my daily exercise. DH and I are training for the MS150 next May, so we signed up for some local rides to fit into our training. We just completed our first 50k on the Withlacoochee State Trail - a rails to trails annual ride. We would have ridden further but we got a late start, but it was enormous fun!!! We had nice, cool, overcast weather and the trail was gorgeous - 12 foot wide with plenty of room for cyclists to pass. We enjoyed seeing all those bikes!! We also stopped to rescue a chilled red rat snake who decided to warm up in the middle of the trail and saw lots of wildflowers and butterflies. We met so many other great people, learned alot about cycling and enjoyed the trail so much that we are planning on going back for a metric century and then a full century in the next couple of months. I had my yearly followup cardio stress test today and I aced it!! My doctor was very pleased with my progress and heart function. She said the cycling was definately paying off! Yay! So, I just wanted to share my joy and a few pics of the ride! Pics are taken at our first SAG stop, up at the north end trailhead and us with our trusty steeds along the trail.

[sbctwin]

Congratulations, Wildhawk...Great pics:D, Great ride:D, Great test results:D.

[lph]

great pics, wildhawk, you two look really happy and pleased with the day :)

[Tuckervill]

Congratulations on not only the ride, but on taking control of your health! Keep going, girlfriend!

Karen

[kermit]

Awesome news, I told you you would smoke that ride. Keep it up and when you come to Miami look me up.

[Aggie_Ama]

Way to go Hawk! The pictures are great and the ride sounds neat but the health report is outstanding! Glad you had fun and are making great progress on your journey. :D

[roadie gal]

Yay, yay, yay! Congrats!!

[arielmoon]

Congrats!! Great pics too!

I didnt know you did that ride. I swear one time we are going to have to do the same ride! Not sure I will be able to that MS ride- there is one in Orlando in May that is waay closer to me.

[Grog]

Congrats! Way to go! I'm very happy for you. Reading your post was a nice way to start the day.

[SadieKate]

Absolutely superb news!

[OakLeaf]

Yay!! :)

[Smilie]

Awesome job! Thanks for sharing your story and pics, keep up the good work!

[Iris616]

Great job on the ride, taking control of your health, and your weight loss! You look very happy in the pics!

[Misandal]

Wildhawk, that's wonderful! :D What good news! You're having fun and - bonus! - it's good for you! I'm so glad you enjoyed your first 50k and I look forward to hearing about the adventures you will no doubt be experiencing in the near future.

Good for you!!!
Missy

[wackyjacky1]

A thousand hoorays for you! Really, really, stupendously awesome news. Take a bow! http://foolstown.com/sm/bis.gif

[TrekTheKaty]

:D Isn't it fun to be healthy?! So happy you found a way to do both--Congrats!

[Ana]

Congratulations on your achievement and progress to a healthier lifestyle! :D

Wishing you many happy rides!

[sundial]

FANTASTIC!!! I'm so proud of you for taking charge of your health! http://img2.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/sign/sign0200.gif (http://www.mysmiley.net/free-love-smileys.php) And as a bonus, I think you'll get the best photo ops from the bike. :D

[Mr. Bloom]

outstanding!

[vinbek]

How fantastic that you discovered the blockage and had it corrected - and a year later - look at you! This has made my day. I was on a ride in the Napa Valley in August and a friend of mine was on a tandem with her husband. Long story short, we came upon an ambulance - and it was my friend's husband. He had a heart attack on the road. Lucky for him, a cardiac surgeon was riding behind them and also a nurse - they revived him with CPR after 25 - 35 minutes of working. A helicopter was brought in and he had 2 more heart attacks before reaching the hospital. He had major blockage and wasn't aware of it. He was released from the hospital 4 days later and was walking the neighborhood within a weeks time. So hooray for medical advancement and good luck with your continued progress. Bekki

[redrhodie]

That's so cool! Good for you!

[Jiffer]

Awesome stuff, Wildhawk! Congratulations on the 50k and even bigger congratulations on the better health. :D

[wildhawk]

How fantastic that you discovered the blockage and had it corrected - and a year later - look at you! This has made my day. I was on a ride in the Napa Valley in August and a friend of mine was on a tandem with her husband. Long story short, we came upon an ambulance - and it was my friend's husband. He had a heart attack on the road. Lucky for him, a cardiac surgeon was riding behind them and also a nurse - they revived him with CPR after 25 - 35 minutes of working. A helicopter was brought in and he had 2 more heart attacks before reaching the hospital. He had major blockage and wasn't aware of it. He was released from the hospital 4 days later and was walking the neighborhood within a weeks time. So hooray for medical advancement and good luck with your continued progress. Bekki
Thanks everyone for the cheers and sharing my joy!
Vinbek: he was very fortunate to have a surgeon right there! With my blockage I did not have any symptoms. Women generally do not show symptoms until after menopause, which I haven’t gone through yet. I woke with a case of benign positional vertigo which scared the daylights out of me and when I saw my primary care doctor she ran an EKG and it showed a tiny little blip. She said it was probably nothing but that she wanted me seen by a cardiac doctor to be sure. When I did my stress test last year I failed miserably - they did a cardiac cath that revealed the blockage and then 3 weeks later I had the stents done. If I had not had that case of unrelated vertigo, I would have been like your friend. And I am extremely thankful that my doctor is so thorough!! Now I can’t wait to get back out on the trail tomorrow and start training again!! Thanks again everyone!!

[PamNY]

Great news. I love hearing about your success -- you are inspiring, and I will think about you when I'm slogging through hill practice.

Pam

[chicago]

congrats!!:D

<We met so many other great people, learned alot about cycling and enjoyed the trail so much that we are planning on going back for a metric century and then a full century in the next couple of months.>

yep... that's what happens... next year you'll be doing a tour every weekend. cycling and clying peeps rock:D

[Gidiup]

It's so good to hear actual stories of how living a healthy lifestyle really works.
I'm sure you have inspired others. Great job!!