Marching my heart back on track!

After completing the mile walk on Monday I decided it was time to double my progress.  I finished feeling strong and ready to go further, yet knew my body didn't need to be pushed so hard right away. 

A fuzzy selfie as I headed into the second mile

As I awoke this morning I felt it was time for a second try at the treadmill! I was proud of the goals accomplished on Monday, but ready to set new records for myself.  I started on the treadmill and the first mile was done without interruption, although I felt tired by the end.  However, after a fifteen minute break I decided to come back and try for an additional half mile.  Once I got going it seemed so much more feasible and before I knew it, I was at .6 miles (which adding to the mile from before the break, meant I only had .4 miles before the 2 mile marker!) As I approached the half way mark I also began to increase my speed to 4 miles per hour (a strong power walk) and was able to sustain it for a good part of the walk.  

During the exercise my breathing, while increased a bit, was no where close to the level of panting I had before the surgery after just one mile!  Furthermore, I finally felt the effect of endorphins!  After finishing the second mile I knew I could go even further if I wished and felt energized and prepared for the day.  Another new experience was not feeling sick after the work out.  While it is true, my fitness level is not anywhere close to where it was before the surgery, the feeling of tiredness and nausea I had before hand did not show itself!

It is a relief to experience the change in my every day life from before the surgery to now.  I cannot emphasize enough how excited I am to notice the difference. While I am not fully healed, I can still tell that living my everyday life in the coming months and years is going to be SO much easier physically than before the surgery.  It is incredible to look back and realize how blind I was to the exhaustion and tiredness before.  I thought I was being melodramatic when climbing the stairs made me tired, but after climbing them in these past few weeks I have realized how un-normal those feelings really were. 

This is my update for the day!  I hope it is helpful to read my testimony on the incredible difference this surgery has made just by this four week point!  This surgery was a huge blessing and I am grateful to be blogging today to testify to the new lease on life I have received through this mitral valve fix.