Cardiologist likes cyclists

geoffnelder

My day has been unusual. Spent it at the Cardiac Catheter lab in Chester. I've been getting a chest pain when cycling uphill or against an unrelenting wind. I told the doc I reckon its thoracic cartilage stretching. She said it might be but 98% of chest pains for folk my age is heart. The cardiac consultant said he likes doing cyclists - low heartbeat like mine meant he didn't waste his budget on relaxant drugs. Huh. I could leave my specs and hearing aids in so as to hear when to watch the show on three large screens and when to breathe out again. He found a couple of narrowed arteries and will consider stents in the autumn but yeay, I can go to the writers retreat I've booked in the Canaries next month, boo I'm not to hire a bike to charge up the volcanoes.

If I wasn't a cyclist and didn't charge up hills to get the chest pain, I would probably never have known I had atheroma... until it became fatal. Another good reason to cycle.

Anaesthetic is wearing off now...

keef66

At least you know there's something they can fix.

Missing out on the volcanoes may be a blessing in disguise; our last company conference was in Tenerife and for the activity day I chose mountain biking around Mt Teide. Came a cropper while riding like a teenager; the abrasive nature of the volcanic rock meant I left a lot of skin and a trail of blood behind. Got some cool scars as a souvenir though!

geoffnelder

Sorry to hear about your fall on Mount Teidi. I suppose everyone on bikeradar will have left some skin and blood on various roads around the planet! I cycled up a volcano in Methana, Greece two years ago in temperatures over 34 C and the back tyre burst sending me to the tarmac, leaving a patch of skin there. Going back in September by which time I am hoping I can do a little gentle cycling.