Life is riddled with a procession of minor impediments

[Jim_Campbell]

Can you do anything to improve that percentage?

Apparently, he can feast on the blood of the living, but they frown on that sort of thing these days.

(FWIW, Shark, my dad had a heart attack of a considerable magnitude with a similar result on heart function. He stopped smoking and reduced (but not to zero) his alcohol intake, added daily gentle exercise — nothing more strenuous than a briskish daily walk — and lasted for many more years. No idea if any of that is helpful, but is offered on the off-chance that it is.)

[Hawkmumbler]

Can you do anything to improve that percentage?

Apparently, he can feast on the blood of the living, but they frown on that sort of thing these days.

As a comic book reader I always had Sharky pinned as more of an energy vampire.


In all seriousness Sharks, take on Jims advice, maybe see a cardio specialist as well, take it easy bud.

[shaolin_monkey]

Hang in there Sharky.  Good advice above from Jim re exercise, diet and alchohol - advice I'm going to have to take myself. As my dad told me when I hit 40, "It's all downhill from there."

He wasn't wrong - I've suffered kidney stones, an enlarged prostate, and had several surgeries to get shitloads of lumps taken out of my arms. 

Add to that my eyesight deteriorating at a rate of knots, my short term memory getting measurably more patchy, and today moved up to a stronger inhaler 'cos my asthma has gone through the roof this year, AND being told I need to lose weight/exercise more to get my high blood pressure down.

Plus the usual gripes - aches, pains, a back I can't trust to lift things any more blah blah blah blah.

Bloody human body.  It sucks. I just want a chrome number like Axel Pressbutton (especially the button!) and I'll be sorted.

[von Boom]

Take care Sharky. See the quacks and find out what you can do. The body is a tough thing and a few changes may improve things.

[The Legendary Shark]

Thanks, all.

I have quite a physical job, working outside, gardening, fixer-uppering and whatnot, so I'm getting plenty of fresh air and varied exercise. I'm definitely not as strong as I used to be but I'm stronger than I was six months ago. This 50% thing might well be old data - it's annoying, the things I forget to ask.

Of course, the doctors' solution is pharmaceuticals. Ramipril. Stops the heart swelling up as it tries to increase its capacity (you what?), it might melt your kidneys (you fucking what??) but don't worry, because if it does we have a tablet for that, too (oh for...).

I still can't believe I saved up to buy a bloody yearly prescription to this crap. I didn't use any of it last time, save for the aspirin and fish oil, and I felt better quicker. But then it happens again and this time I'm doing it their way (got to give the buggers a chance, right?) and it's taking forever. Is it because this was a more serious thing or because of all these drugs in my system? Maybe it's all in my mind. I have no idea.

Anyhoo, I'm aiming to be around for a lot longer, yet, whichever way I go. That said, I know the only certainty about my future is that it ends - the ultimate minor impediment. Might be another century from now, might be tomorrow. I don't want to die, I'm even a little afraid of it (in the same way that I'm a little afraid of the sea, that time when you come face to face with its Power; a sudden wave on the beach that lifts you off your feet or hanging onto something when your boat lurches like crazy), but one day it will be in front of me, like the first day at school, the first sexual encounter, the first parachute jump - that kind of fear. The kind of fear that tends to have exhilaration on the other side - but might not. So I'd like to put it off for as long as possible but, if I can't, say lavvie.  Because I'll be cacking myself, hoping that my parachute's going to open...