I had a call with the cardiac nurse today to talk about how I was recovering.

It was quite a long call and she was very thorough – my sweet-tooth is a small problem from a heart perspective really: I am not overweight from a medical perspective, even if I might like to have less custard around my midriff.

She went through healthy eating, which I am good at (aside from the exception mentioned above).

She said that I could start exercising again now – but no more than thirty minutes “moderate” exercise; here moderate means that I could hold a conversation but I couldn’t sing (for example). I am sure the people in the gym would love me talking to myself to find out whether I was over-exerting myself!

She was quite firm about warm up and cool downs though: ten minutes to get my heart going and calm it down at the end. That means I need to plan on fifty minute sessions, rather than the thirty minute frantic sessions I was doing. I can also resume cycling and running – but sadly I won’t be able to run with the dog because she just goes bonkers!

I am delighted that I can exercise again, even if I am feel apprehensive of causing further problems.

She said that I really did need to dissolve my aspirin in water or ask the doctor for coated aspirin. I was taking all my morning medications in one go because … well, its easier, but I was being lazy. She explained that if I wasn’t dissolving it, then all that fizz was going on in my stomach and wasn’t good for my stomach lining.

Aspirin is one of the medications I am taking to reduce the clotting in my blood. The other is Ticagrelor. One unpleasant side effect of these medications is bruising and bleeding: my legs are black and blue and if I cut myself, you’d think I’d sliced an artery!

She also told me that I need to take the Omeprazole as soon as I wake up – it needs time to act before I take the other medications as its to protect my stomach from them.

I am not going to attend the rehab clinic until after any surgery that I have, but I can change my mind if I want to.

About an hour after the phone call, I had a letter emailed to me from her: I am discharged back to the GP from the cardiac rehab team! I hadn’t realised that’s what I’d agreed to, however the letter does say that I can refer myself back to them any time in the next twelve months.

So all is good!

Back to work full-time next week then – I have some exciting stuff coming up that will require more than a couple of hours a day. Still, I had only just got used to having so much time to myself! And no more afternoon naps!