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Jeff in W.C. wrote:

enigmaT120 wrote:That sucks. Runners aren't supposed to get heart attacks.

Tell that to Jim Fixx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Fixx

He's the one that all the sedentary people know about and use to justify their indolence.

enigmaT120 wrote:
He's the one that all the sedentary people know about and use to justify their indolence.

What he is is evidence that sometimes no amount of healthy behavior can defeat bad genes. Sometimes no amount of unhealthy behavior defeats good genes, and people often use those examples too to argue that smoking and drinking don't hurt you. Neither examples are the norm, but they certainly get a lot of attention.

Get well soon Mr. Ausherman.

Major Softie wrote:

enigmaT120 wrote:
He's the one that all the sedentary people know about and use to justify their indolence.

What he is is evidence that sometimes no amount of healthy behavior can defeat bad genes. Sometimes no amount of unhealthy behavior defeats good genes, and people often use those examples too to argue that smoking and drinking don't hurt you. Neither examples are the norm, but they certainly get a lot of attention.

Very true and I have thought about Jim Fixx many times. My understanding of his situation is that he actually had decent (or at least not really high) total cholesterol counts but that his HDL to total ratio was way out of whack and that probably contributed to the artery blockage which caused his heart attack. If he had known that and taken steps to correct it, perhaps he could have avoided the heart attack. In my own case, I had triple bypass surgery in 2000 before I ever had a heart attack. My ratios were not off-the-chart terrible and I was taking steps to correct them but it wasn't enough. During my annual physical, I mentioned to my doc that I was having a lot of "indigestion". Not quite. Next thing I knew I was in the hospital having some workarounds installed to help my lower anterior descending artery which had been found to be 90 percent blocked. The LADA is fondly known as the " widowmaker". I was like Jim Fixx in the sense that I was close to checking out and never knew it. Anyway, I counted my blessings, changed my ways, and I'm still here despite my genes. I was one of the lucky ones. Last year, I had my prolapsed mitral valve reconstructed by an artist of a heart surgeon. Preparatory to that, they did an angiogram to see how the bypasses were holding up and they were found to still be perfectly clear. My cardio genes apparently came from my dad. On the other extreme, my maternal grandmother lived to be 96 and probably never gave a thought to her diet via a vis cardio health. She was the oldest of nine and they all lived into their nineties.

CVA-42, one more story of a lucky person. I see Jim Fixx as one of the lucky ones. Massive heart attacks are underrated. Sure beats cancer or dementia.

Glad to see you back in action, sir. With two parents in a dementia unit, I'd have to agree with you.

Duane Ausherman wrote:CVA-42, one more story of a lucky person. I see Jim Fixx as one of the lucky ones. Massive heart attacks are underrated. Sure beats cancer or dementia.

After seeing what my Dad went through, I have to agree with you.

Duane Ausherman wrote:CVA-42, one more story of a lucky person. I see Jim Fixx as one of the lucky ones. Massive heart attacks are underrated. Sure beats cancer or dementia.

Yeah, except Jim was only fifty-two, Duane. A little too young. "Lucky" in one sense but unlucky in another. Ah, well - - "Deeds, not hours, measure life..."

CVA said, "Deeds, not hours, measure life..."

And that is exactly why I am not complaining. My life has far exceeded my expectations. Obviously I didn't dream enough when young.

Duane Ausherman wrote:CVA said, "Deeds, not hours, measure life..."

And that is exactly why I am not complaining. My life has far exceeded my expectations. Obviously I didn't dream enough when young.

This sounds too fatalistic for my tastes. Don't go silently into that goodnight etc, etc. Buck up - this ain't about you. This is about me and my ongoing need to know something that I could find if I googled it don't have to cause you tell me the answer and then tell me to look at your web site.