16 Feet to 16 Miles - Part 2

When I got out of the hospital a few days after the attack, my son brought me home and then we went to Trader Joe's to buy food and start me on my journey to a new, healthy lifestyle.

At Trader Joe's, I had to stop after 16 feet just walking across the parking lot. While shopping, I had to stop after 16 feet and lean against the freezer case. You get the idea.

But today, the number 16 means something different.
Last Friday, I power walked 16 miles in about 4 hours.

It didn't just happen. I started slowly though I was determined to push myself hard. I paid close attention on every walk and every moment in rehab...listening to and learning from my body. I tried to find my physical and emotional limits along the way starting from a 3 minute stroll on the treadmill.

Over time, I've now biked miles with my son, hiked in Yosemite, climbed hills in a cemetery to push my cardio workout further and to condition my legs for stamina. I moved on to climbing 600 stairs every morning while starting on longer walks...1 mile, 3 miles, 5 miles, then 8 miles to the beach and back and around the neighbor hood.

And then, I thought I'd try and walk 14 miles to celebrate Father's Day. And then, last Friday...my first attempt at power walking 16 miles.

16 feet to 16 miles in 10 months.

Toss in losing 95 pounds and I'm off to a good start. Of course, I'm not done. I have 75 more pounds to lose and I want to keep my power walking regimen going strong. Yea, I battle daily with plateaus on the weight loss but none of it measures up to the amazing little girl, Mia, and her battle against her acute myloid leukemia.

16 Feet to 16 Miles - Part 1

After a serious heart attack (my one doc called it "massive") on September 5, 2007, I committed to starting from scratch. I won't bore you with all the introspective reflections I've tossed through my head and heart since then. There have been plenty of awakenings.

The silent killer grabbed me in the middle of the night, knocked me to the bathroom floor and the damn elephant decided to sit on my chest for a long while. My wife and daughter fought by my side with my daughter saving my life by yelling at me to keep my eyes open and stay alive.

I said my goodbyes to them and to my son, apologized for my failings while the paramedics worked on me and hauled me to the ER. Yea, I moaned and groaned. The pain was intense.

A freelance angel named Dr. Juma Bharadia inserted a stent and sent me on my way cautioning me to stay away from cheese. The guy knows his stuff. At the time, he thought the other two substantial blockages could be managed with diet, meds and exercise. Nope.

So, a few weeks later, I drove myself back to the ER for an encore appearance. Going back in, I told Dr. JB to do whatever he had to do to accomplish my one goal...not having to wait for the other shoe to drop...for the next big one. Fix ANY blockages NOW! He inserted two more stents into the two arteries which had gone from 50% blocked to damn near 100% in such short order that he said he'd never seen anything like it. Those aren't the words you want to hear from your heart doc.

Yea, I owe him my life. And, the guy interrupted his family vacation in Santa Barbara 2 hours away to come and bestow life giving gifts numbers 2 and 3.

I am deeply repentent for putting my family through this trauma. Sure, facing death and trying to figure out how to say so long to your loved ones isn't easy, but, I deeply regret putting my family in that predicament on my account. I have apologized at every opportunity and will always remember the pain, suffering and fear I have caused them because of my stupid past lifestyle...bad eating habits, zero exercise and a head-in-the-sand approach to my health care. Throw in bad heart genes and I deserve what I got.

But I also got chance number 2. And so, to honor my family and to make them proud and to try and do a little bit to redeem my stupid self in their eyes, I move on to 16 Feet to 16 Miles - Part 2.

Mia Juliette - 2006 - Before her stem cell transplant

Mia Juliette, originally uploaded by Julie Cotton.

See my original post about Mia below.

Mia, age seven, in the hospital with acute myloid leukemia, asleep with her toy cat. Her eyebrows and eyelashes later fell out. Photo by Grammy Bonnie, January 8, 2006. Mia said today, May 30, "We were pretending the cat was real."

Mia Update - After - "Birthday" 2008

mia brings in her cake, originally uploaded by Julie Cotton.

This May 8, 2008 photo shows how far Mia has progressed in her battle
against her cancer. She is now in remission and is moving on with her life...family, friends, good food, school mates and surrounded by those who love her and have been by her side during her personal war.

Congratulations to Mia! She is a brave and beautiful little girl who inspires all those with whom she comes in contact.