Author Archives: Paul Squire

About Paul Squire

At approximately 00.30 on 16th June 2013 I awoke with a severe tightening in my chest. I was having a Heart Attack. I was 42 years old, happily married with two beautiful daughters. It was a shock! I guess you could have described me as "a heart attack waiting to happen". Isn’t the benefit of hindsight a wonderful thing! Since the Heart Attack a lot has changed!

The “E”s

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At Cardiac Rehabilitation, we were taught that many of the key factors that impact the workload on a Heart with an “E”… Exercise, Environment, Emotion, Eating… (I’m sure there were others, but I can’t remember them… please feel free to chip in!).

Many of the “E”s are impacted by travel to foreign lands… strange place, unusual climate, different food, etc. As a result, I think going on a family holiday is a big step in the Cardiac Rehab journey.

A holiday obviously offers an opportunity for some Rest and Relaxation, away from the hassle of day to day life at home / work. For me, it provides a chance to diversify my exercise routine and build on the base I’ve laid down. However, I think it offers something more important. I think it offers the opportunity to embed the change that we’ve been through over the past few months. I say “we”, this definitely applies for me, but in a small way I think it’ll apply for Louise and the girls too.

The whole, “living with Heart Disease” thing was somewhat sprung on us. We didn’t have any time to prepare. One day we were “normal”, the next we were not. In some way, leaving home as a “Survivor”, being away for a couple of weeks, and then returning a “Survivor” makes it more official, normal. A little bit like moving house… you need a break of routine to really make it feel like home.

The Magic Kingdom… not sure my Heart could have taken the fireworks and the emotion of the whole thing!

Our holiday plans over the summer were severely impacted by my Heart Attack. The plan had been to visit Florida and enjoy some of the theme parks we have all heard so much about… you could call it a “once in a lifetime” trip… but when you’ve got growing children, they all are aren’t they!

We decided that a long haul flight, the heat and humidity, the thrills and spills of rollercoasters, driving in a strange place, and the good old American cuisine probably wouldn’t be the best recuperation-aid five weeks after my Heart Attack. So we spent the summer at home, making the best of what Scotland has to offer.

As it turned out, it had quite a lot to offer. We enjoyed one of the best summers for many years, I certainly can’t remember a better one since I’ve been living in Sunny Scotland (and I’ve been there for over 17 year).

The main pool and hotel complex. Always strangely deserted.

To compensate, we decided to book a “special” trip over the October School Holiday (Now!). The girls get two weeks off, so it’s enough time to get away… and really get away! We are in Rhodes enjoying a healthy holiday of sun, relaxation and exercise (in that order).

The “E”s have played quite a major factor so far:

The Environment is much warmer than back at home. The average temperature so far has been in the high 20 degree Celsius range. It’s felt hot! Perfect for lazing around and doing nothing very much!

The Environment impacts everything. It takes time for your body to acclimatise. Quite how and when it’ll make a noticeable difference is unknown, until it does! So, in the short term at least, this provides a need for a certain level of caution.

The lounging pool. Beautiful, but treacherously chilly!

We have access to several Outdoor Pools and the Mediterranean Sea (I’m sure it used to be an Ocean when I was growing up!). Both can best be described “refreshing”. Again, perfect for a cool down if you’ve been lazing around in the sun, but they’re a little too bracing for my liking. I’ve never particularly enjoyed swimming in cold water, but I suspect a fast immersion in any of these could be the last thing I do! Definitely to be avoided!

There are guided Mountain Bike rides twice a day. Definitely for me! The temperature plays a key factors in these too, as well as the terrain over which we ride (I know this doesn’t start with an “E”!). Being on the competitive end of competitive, the key thing for me is to ride at my own pace, to not worry about what everyone else is doing, and to listen to my body (and my heart rate monitor!). My body has definitely reacted differently. I guess I have to learn my limits again given the new conditions.

Dad’s pool… before the kids have woken up at least!

Given I can’t swim in the outside pools, the Indoor Pool has become “Dad’s Pool”. Unfortunately there are some other guests that might also lay claim to it, so I have to pick my times carefully! It’s not big, probably 10m in length, but it’s enough for me to practice my breathing. If it really were mine I’d keep the temperature a few degrees cooler, and get some fresh air circulating in the room. It is as close to a sauna as I’m willing to get right now! Hopefully it’ll serve its purpose.

We’re in a great place to chill out, relax and enjoy a break. There is a lot to do. I just need to make sure I don’t overdo it!

Your life in their hands

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Some jobs are more important than others. In some roles, the occupants are expected to keep up with continual innovation. They are often presented with new concepts, need to learn new words to describe bleeding-edge ideas and stay abreast of technological developments. If they snooze, they lose. The consequences are almost unthinkable.

I came face to face with some such professionals this morning.

We place important parts of our lives in their hands on a regular basis. We rely on their discipline and professionalism to prepare precise combinations of chemical ingredients to meet our exacting requirements. The result of their work plays a critical role in the day to day well-being of so many people. One mistake can have disastrous consequences, wreaking chaos on our carefully planned lives.

Yes, the role of Barista is a critical one!

Precision is everything!

I have to admit that I’ve struggled to stay up to date with developments on the coffee front. Before my Heart Attack I used to enjoy a Black Americano, or the occasional Skinny Latte (if I needed some extra sustenance), but that’s as far as my not-so adventurous coffee tastes took me. I’ve subsequently been off the caffeine, and as a result, the attraction of Coffee Shops has diminished considerably.

I do enjoy the taste of coffee, and my penchant for a sprinkling of Brown Sugar makes for a warm, comforting, occasional sweet treat, but the other benefits are a thing of the past. I think my body is still fooled into the idea of receiving a caffeine “hit” when I drink coffee but disappointingly it never arrives. It has become more of a comforting bedtime drink for me now rather than the shot in the arm, pick me up it used to reliably be. It used to get my day started, and get it back on track when I started to flag. I think coffee may actually have negative implications nowadays, with the net effect of making me more rather than less tired.

Having had an early start this morning (early morning airport check-in), we headed for a coffee to perk us up. Perhaps it was because we were at an airport, but the array of exotic coffee orders from the eclectic clientele seemed even wider than usual. I have to admit, I have no idea what pumpkin has to do with coffee, and I thought I had always been drinking “wet” coffee, I had no idea that I would need specifically request it! I’m still coming to terms with the various syrups on offer. It’s amazing what you can get nowadays!

Adventurously, I ordered my new “usual”, a Decaf Americano.

I have to be careful not to stand up too fast!

Shortly afterwards, I had a dizzy spell. This happens to me on a fairly regular basis. It’s one of the side effects of the medication I’m on – low blood pressure reduces the strain on my heart, but also means I need to be careful not to stand up too fast. The dizzy spell I had this morning was the worst one I’ve had for a long while. I was trying to focus on the Departure Board, but just felt myself wobbling. Hopefully no one was looking or saw me rocking backwards and forwards. Fortunately I managed to stay upright. Falling over would have been embarrassing to say the least!

Having recovered, I started to wonder why I was feeling particularly dizzy today… Was it the early morning? The result of a broken nights sleep? Or perhaps something I’d eaten.

What would the impact of a slug of caffeine be after so long without it? Had the Barista unintentionally spiked my coffee by confusing my order?

Given I recovered fairly quickly, I suspect it was entirely my fault. The event has, however, made me realise what an important role the various people that work in Restaurants, Cafes, Coffee Shops and Bars have in our lives. They have my utmost respect… but I will be watching to make sure my Virgin Mary doesn’t become a bit more Bloody than I’m expecting while I’m away!

Man versus Brownie

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You may be disappointed to hear that this isn’t an epic tale of one man’s battle to resist the temptation of a tasty chocolate treat; an exhibition of self-discipline and restraint to resist the lure of the sweet, warm cake, deliciously gooey in the middle with just a hint of nuttiness… It’s not that exciting I’m afraid. No, this evening I had my first swimming lesson.

Tasty… but not on the menu today.

I didn’t really know what to expect. Having signed up several weeks ago, all had gone quiet. I assumed I was on a list, participating in a local authority lottery… my number would probably never come up! Well, last week it did. I received an SMS message. 8 pm on Wednesday. My exercise horizons were about to be broadened.

Bovril… or Chicken Soup?

I learned to swim as a child. We used to have regular family trips to the (not so) local pool, splash around for a while before getting changed and having a cup of Bovril and a Bag of Crisps from the vending machine.

I have been able to look after myself in and around water for as long as I can remember, but I would never describe myself as a swimmer. Exercise in my youth was almost entirely gained on solid ground.

More recent attempts to swim for fitness have consisted of rather inefficient thrashing around with the occasional, slightly panic-stricken gasping for breath. So, I decided that if I am to include swimming in my new exercise regime, I should do it properly and have some lessons. Hopefully this will get me to the point where I have the technique and confidence to make it a beneficial, and perhaps even enjoyable, pursuit.

Cute… but best avoided!

So this evening I arrived at the local pool feeling a little self-conscious and a little more nervous. These feelings were exacerbated by the pack of Brownies, lining up two by two, preparing to enter the pool. So much for my quiet, low key introduction back to water!

It was the first time I’m been in a pool since my Heart Attack, so even submerging myself for the first time was slightly nerve-racking. I had been warned to watch out for pressure changes… I might feel “strange”. Fortunately I felt fine, I was able to crack on with the “swimming” unencumbered.

All I had to do was steal the occasional breath and avoid bobbing Brownies (both easier said than done!). Heaven only knows what badge they were practicing for, but it all seemed rather chaotic. Avoiding them was more of a feature of the evening than I could have ever anticipated. As far as I’m aware, we all came away unscathed, but definitely more by luck than by judgement! I’d like to say that Man won… but let’s call it an honourable draw.

No Bovril or Crisps for me this evening. Just a nice cup of decaf tea. How times change!

Holiday preparations

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While I have always enjoyed holidays, I haven’t always looked forward to them as much as I perhaps should have. For some people, the planning, booking, anticipation and preparation are as much part of the holiday as the holiday itself. I am not one of those people.

For me, the thought of holidays used to feel like a hassle. An extra complication in my life that I could do without. The fact that the complication was self-inflected compounded the issue. The preparation required to be away from the office for a couple of weeks, and the subsequent “catching up” always felt like they added to an already hectic, often stressful situation.

Really not my idea of fun!

At work I often had lengthy periods of extensive travel. I would spend too much time at airports, on planes or alone, eating Club Sandwiches in hotel rooms. There were many elements of a holiday trip that were reminiscent of business trips. Worse, I was likely to be surrounded by holiday-makers and the inefficiencies of Charter flights and Packaged Tour Guides!

I used to deal with the negatives by ignoring the fact that I was going on holiday until the last possible moment. I would rely on last minute preparations and, in event of emergency, the Credit Card to dig me out of holes.

Really not my idea of fun!

To make things worse, I have never enjoyed packing / unpacking / re-packing – I used to get around this by living out of a suitcase. On occasion this would last for weeks after I had returned from holiday. My clothes returned to their proper homes as they are worn, washed and put away (not a quick cycle!).

When I was a kid, I used to hate missing school. As a result, there was more to being ill than the sickness… I hated it! I always used to feel like I was missing out on something. It felt like the day I missed would be the day when some critical, life-changing knowledge would be imparted. As a result I would be forever at a disadvantage. I guess it used to feel like missing work had similar implications, on some level I would forever pay for lost opportunities as a result of not showing up. After all, they do say that 90% of success is showing up!

As I say, I have always enjoyed holidays once they’ve (and we’ve) actually arrived. In particular, we’ve had some fantastic holidays over the past few years. We’ve created some really special family memories in some fantastic locations. They are really restorative to us all individually as well as a family. I’m relieved to say that I’ve never been quite so stubborn and narrow-minded as to think they weren’t a good thing.

My general feelings about holidays have softened considerably over time. Nowadays I look forward to getting away. To switching off and winding down. I’ve even been known to leave my work phone at home, introducing “emergency contact only”!

Our resort in Rhodes. It looks nice and quiet!

“Why”, I hear you saying, “is he rattling on about holidays?”. Well, on Friday we’re off to Rhodes (Greece) for a couple of weeks in the sun. It’s a substitute holiday for the Florida Trip we had to cancel because of my Heart Attack in the summer (the long haul flight, high temperatures, Amusement Parks and lifestyle really weren’t favourable for a new member of the Heart Attack Survivor’s Club!). We’re all looking forward to some sun, relaxation and healthy living. The 15 day forecast promises temperatures in the mid-20’s C.

Anyway, as I’m looking forward to the trip, my preparations started today with a trawl of potential reading material on Amazon. I’m quite excited about my choices – a variety of educational, trivial and thought provoking titles to keep me occupied.

Having got the “long lead” preparations out of the way, I guess I should start thinking about packing. I do however still have almost a week before we go… so that can wait for another day!

It was twenty years ago today…

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Twenty years ago today… I started out on the first steps in professional life.

Dressed in my new suit and shiny shoes, I made my way from Clapham to White City on the London Underground. I suspect I may have had some sort of briefcase with me, filled with joining instructions, forms and maps. I definitely had the wide eyed stare of someone who really had no idea what they were letting themselves in for.

The journey was traumatic. The timings uncertain. There was no way I could be late on my first day. I suspect I was early… very early. I think I also did the trip the previous day, just to be sure of where I was going.

I was keen, naïve, young, Impressionable and ambitious. My new life extended in front of me.

Jordan was the king in ’93!

It was a very memorable date for me, and not just because I started proper work:

A new group of graduates started at the company I worked for every couple of weeks. The initial assignment was 6 weeks training; 3 in London (home for me) and 3 in a training centre just outside Chicago. It was 6 weeks of burning the candle at both ends, of working hard and playing harder, of adrenalin and caffeine, alcohol and coffee, of team-work and competition. Exciting times!

Best of all, we got paid for it!!!

For the first few years, we became known by the date of our start group. We were brothers in arms, linked by the bonds forged over the first few weeks. People in the group immediately before us or after us might as well have worked for a different company. I was part of the 4th October 1993 Start Group.

The memories are vivid, but it seems such a long time ago.

Anyone who knows me won’t be surprised to hear that I don’t stay in touch with any of my Start Group colleagues. The regular get-togethers only lasted a few months for me. I found new friends, formed new bonds, took on new, bigger challenges.

I’d like to think I’ve recently come to the end of a cycle and started another. Where will this one lead?

I’d like a “Man Salad”

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I’ve found eating out tricky since I’ve been watching what I eat. I want to eat healthily. I want to eat a varied diet. I want to eat well. However, one of the big challenges is that despite this, I still have a man’s appetite.

Deep Fried Cheese & Chips. Tasty, but not the healthiest option!

My menu options are extremely limited in many of the places we go out to eat. I guess people offer what sells. For example, it’s surprisingly common to find deep fried cheese and chips as the (what I would expect to be “healthy”) vegetarian option!

I realise I’m overly strict on myself with my menu selections (some might argue I’m getting close to the point of obsession). I am definitely being more strict than I need to be (technically I can eat anything, just not loads of the wrong stuff). In my defence, I feel like I’m on a roll and I’d like to stick to it. It seems to be doing me good, so why change it?

Since the Heart Attack, I’ve generally favoured Sushi joints for socialising as I get a good selection of food that I know hasn’t got lots of hidden bad stuff in it. This does however result in tricky stand-off when I eat with someone who’s allergic to seafood! I have also discovered that teenage kids can only take so much fish! So going out starts to become an issue.

Not what I had in mind!

The menu restrictions often result in me ordering some sort of salad (dressing on the side). The good thing is that I like salad ingredients, some of them a lot. The bad thing is that my hunger is rarely fully satisfied. Why? Just because you order salad doesn’t mean you have the appetite of a tortoise.

I think the logic must go along the lines of:

People who order salads are watching what they eat …
People who watch what they eat want to lose weight…
People who want to lose weight need to eat less…
To help them eat less we’ll give them a smaller portion…
Therefore, people who order salads get smaller portions!!!

No!!! What I really want is a “Man Salad”.

Some places “get it” (see last night’s example below), most don’t.

That’s what I call a salad. Nicely loaded on a large plate.
Substantially more than a nibble!

How nice would it be for an order to go along the lines of:

Waiter / Waitress: “… and for you sir?”
Me: “I’d like a Salmon Salad please. Can you bring the dressing on the side.”
Waiter / Waitress: “Certainly sir. And, how hungry are you?”
Me: “Oh, I’m hungry.”
Waiter / Waitress: “Then we shall prepare you a proper salad sir. A man’s salad. Would you like a larger table?”

Not news, but I’m feeling good

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I’ve realised that I have a tendency to write about days when I’m not feeling great. Sorry! I guess it’s a way of sharing my thoughts… I am still very much in the “coming to terms” phase of being a Heart Attack Survivor. There are a lot of new things that go with it; medication, dietary control, regular exercise, anxieties (my own and other people’s) etc. etc. I guess illness is one of the more worrying!

Well, I’m pleased to report that for the past few days I’ve been feeling good! I feel like I’ve fully recovered from whatever was hanging over me. All signs of malaise and tiredness have gone. All is good with the world!

I guess one of the reasons feeling under the weather is newsworthy is that I’ve been feeling good most of the time since I left hospital. I recognise that’s a good thing… just not newsworthy.

I did a couple of good rides over the weekend. Having struggled during exercise generally last week, it was great to get back in the saddle and resume my training.

On Saturday we went over 25 miles for the first time. There’s a long way to get up to the distances I’ll need to cover during my Charity Ride, but it feels more doable now, particularly as my recovery is getting much faster as well.

***

This week sees my first business trip since the Heart Attack. In fact, I’m sitting in my hotel room as I speak, having successfully negotiated the tricky drive from Manchester to Lancaster. The drive was built up as a potentially treacherous route (people have been known to go missing for days attempting it), but it turned out to be fairly straightforward.

Travel has been a feature of my work life for as long as I can remember. This trip requires a short return flight and two nights away. Absolutely run of the mill under normal circumstances, but normal circumstances went out of the window a while ago! So it’ll be good to get it out of the way. Another “first” ticked off the list!

Not today’s destination I’m afraid…
maybe next time!

I’m also pleased to report that my Stents do not set the Security Alarms off at the Airport (at least not on this occasion!). Another relief! Happy days! 🙂

Things you learn at a Cardiology Conference

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My life has had a little more variety since my Heart Attack. I’ve met some interesting people, discovered healthy eating, caught the exercise bug, been educated in control and tried to introduce balance into my life.

This week, I had the honour of attending the North of Scotland Cardiology Conference. The conference was open to all Health Professionals in the Region. There were a number of sessions on prevention and treatment of Heart Conditions throughout the day.

I had been invited along to speak about my “Heart” experiences in a session entitled “A case that has influenced my practise”. I don’t think there was anything particularly special about my case however they were keen to introduce a patient’s view into the room to provide a different perspective on things.

I’ve spoken in front of groups of people lots of times over the years. While I wouldn’t say it’s something particularly enjoy, I don’t mind it. I was happy to “volunteer” when asked if I was interested in speaking at it, although the whole experience turned out to be a bit more nerve-racking than I had anticipated.

The overall Conference Title was “The Patient journey to 2020”, so I decided to speak about my personal life journey, the impact my Heart Attack has had on it, the important role the people in the room have played in it over the past few months, and how important I think it is to keep focusing to the future. While I recognise that it’s important to operate within your limits, I think it’s all too easy for people to become overly cautious and wrap themselves in cotton wool. Having survived a Heart Attack, it’s important that you still live!

I arrived a little early for my session (the last one of the day). I wanted to make sure I didn’t get caught in traffic. I also wanted to make sure I knew the format and what was expected of me.

The Fleming Auditorium looks bigger from the front!

Upon arrival at the Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre, I was slightly perturbed to discover that the Conference was taking place in the Main Auditorium, a room that seats over 400 people… what the hell had I volunteered for!!!

As it turned out, I arrived a little earlier than anticipated, so I made my way to the back of the Auditorium to listen to the penultimate session of the day entitled “A broken heart. Are women more vulnerable than men?”. (Fortunately the room was relatively sparsely populated… and I recognised a few friendly faces from the Cardiac Rehabilitation team)

There were three cases presented in my session:

One about a rather head-strong character with diabetes who gave the doctors the run-around for a couple of years before having a triple heart bypass (a happy ending);
The second about a 46 year old with two young daughters who had a malignant growth in one of his Heart Chambers and fought bravely before his body succumbed to the disease (a very sad ending); and
Me (a story about a journey that is yet to end).

So, what did I learn in my few minutes at the North of Scotland Cardiology Conference?

Women are more difficult than men
in relation to diagnosis and treatment of Heart Conditions at least, I’m sure this doesn’t apply in any other situations!
I really am very lucky
I knew this already, but it’s always good to be reminded!
I am still capable of standing and speaking to a relatively large audience without my Heart letting me down
I figured this was probably a good crowd to test this out in front of!
Listen to your doctor’s advice and follow her / his instructions
Thinking you know better is unlikely to positively influence the eventual outcomes
If you think you have a tough job and have to make difficult, important decisions, you have no idea!
I have so much respect for the Health Professionals who make life and death decisions as a matter of course, day in and day out. It must be so hard to live with the consequences when things don’t work out.

So, I did my little talk and left feeling good about myself but much smaller than I felt when I arrived. I think it did me good. Maybe next time I’ll see if I can attend for the full day!

Feeling small!

Candy Crushed

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I’d describe myself over the past few days as being “Candy Crushed”. After a hectic and highly enjoyable weekend I’ve been wiped out over the past couple of days. Not ill as such, but under the weather.

I went on the bike on Monday and really struggled. It may be partly due to the calibration of the Turbo Trainer, or a hangover from the weekend (figurative only!), but I could only manage a short session, and much lighter than I’ve been doing. (I’m sure you’ll all be glad that I listened to my body and have been taking it easy!)

It turns out that people at work have been feeling similar. Not ill but worn out. Some of their symptoms match how I tend to feel on a day to day basis – a little light headed and slightly out of it (Welcome to my world!). They’ve also experienced a sore throat and other symptoms which I won’t go into. So I’ve maybe got off lightly!

It’s the first time I’ve felt ill since I was ill, so it’s all been a bit strange. The immediate reaction is to worry that everything’s heart related… Had I made a mistake with my medication? Surely I hadn’t overdone it at the weekend! Is there something new wrong with me? etc. etc. Even if it’s not my heart, it must figure in the equation somewhere. I guess it’s all part of the rehabilitation process. Part of living.

Anyway, I’ve been taking it easy. I’ve had a few days rest from the bike and I’m starting to feel a bit stronger again.

In my downtime, Daughter No. 2 introduced me to Candy Crush for the first time. If you’ve not seen it, it’s a highly addictive electronic game (or Phone App), a little Solitaire on Steroids. The kind of game that I personally find hard to put down once I’ve picked it up. So, I’ve spent the past few evenings feeling a little sorry for myself, immersed in a fantasy land of exploding Candy (Sweets).

I’m sure I’m very late to the party, but it doesn’t look like I’m the only one… see “Candy Crush Is like Crack”.

I can’t wait until I can get back onto the bike properly and focus my energy on something a bit more constructive! Happy days!

Check Up #3 (FD +92)

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Over the years, I’ve come to realise that I’m not the best with a diary. I’ve historically had particular challenges with Birthdays (to be honest I’m hopeless), but I’m now finding it increasingly difficult to coordinate my day to day activities.

I guess it doesn’t help that I now have four different diaries to manage (technology has only taken me so far!), and that’s before I even consider my very busy social diary! I have had plenty of practice over the years and I’ve rarely forgotten things, but perhaps I’ve reached the point that I need to invest some additional time to get myself organised.

I’m not this organised!

I completely missed an appointment to catch up with an old colleague recently. It wasn’t a huge deal, but it slipped my mind until I received a slightly shirty email, too late for me to be able to do anything about it. I was extremely embarrassed. Must do better!

Anyway, this morning I sat outside the Doctor’s Surgery for 30 mins in the belief that I had an early morning appointment. When I booked it I was given a handy little card containing the details of my appointment, but heaven only knows what happened to that!

From memory, my appointment was 7.45, but the surgery doesn’t open until 8.00 (except for Fridays, so there was an outside chance that I had missed it altogether!).

Outside the Doctor’s Surgery. I predict a riot!

Eventually the Surgery started to wake up, lights spluttering to life. A slightly harassed looking Receptionist unlocked the doors to allow an unruly crowd that had gathered at the front door to gain entrance (actually it was just me and an elderly lady, but it was a bit chilly!).

Fortunately I did have an appointment, primarily to check how my drugs are working, but I also wanted to run the Euro City Cycle past the Doc too – I need to complete a Medical Form and get “Authorisation” from a Doctor.

The good news was that I continue to successfully stroll down the path of recovery. My blood pressure is fine. Everything appears to be progressing well. I’m now onto a “steady” regime of medication. I will need bloods checked to make sure my kidneys, etc. are still functioning OK, but it’s all good!

The bad news was that the Doctor, not unreasonably in retrospect, is not in a position to guarantee my fitness (Mental or Physical) to participate in the Charity Cycle. I was a bit disappointed during the initial discussion, but having thought about it it makes sense. I wouldn’t be willing to bet my Professional Reputation / Medical Practice on someone else’s actions either, particularly someone else like me!

Of course, it’s all down to insurance and lawsuits. The key is obviously the wording on the Medical Form itself. Hopefully the insurers will be sympathetic. Given the number of Heart Patients that participate in these events (it is organised by The BHF after all!), I’m hoping the Medical Form is appropriately worded so it doesn’t become a real issue. Fingers crossed!

Just another little challenge that I never thought I’d have to face!