Interesting month just passed. I took two weeks off work with the intention of pushing on with completing a list of tasks I’d set myself around the house. Add a game of golf and get my annual health checkup. I’d accumulated a lot of leave, it was a way to get these tasks progressed so I could move onto the next stage of my plans on the home front.

AN OBSERVATION.

Before diving into my story – We all appear to go about our lives at a pace that obviously varies between individuals, some take a slow path and others not so slow. We don’t (or I didn’t) generally consider at what pace we operate, we just go about our lives at whatever our default pace is. Sort of oblivious to it, we just do it.

Let’s move on – So I’ve come through a long period of time without catching my breath at work, I’d had surgery on my wrist a month or so before and I’d paid a price for not allowing it a reasonable recovery period. Through choice, my weekends are physically demanding and whether I realised it or not, the noose was tightening. Over my two week break, I had dived straight into a set timeframe to charge forward with a list of tasks that would require a lot of effort to have any chance of successfully completing. Lets throw in a few early morning runs, a couple of swim sessions, a 6am tee off walking 18 holes of golf, hire and erect the scaffold for the hedge trimming, hang the solid core door, paint this and that, finish the tiling, cook something special each evening, clean up the yard, trips to the tip and on and on. No real downtime in sight so far. But hey I’m a machine!

DANGER AHEAD !!!!

So I’ve returned from an early run, our dear old dog is driving me crazy, she wants a stroll around the block. Off we go, I’m starting to feel light headed, I’m saying it’ll pass, but it’s not, I’m starting to stagger and feel I’m losing my balance, WTF ! I need to get to that wall ahead so I can balance myself before I’m planted face first in someone’s front garden! After leaning on the wall for a bit, thankfully, I gather my senses and head for home. I made it !

Did I just have a stroke? I’m not slurring words or feeling numb around my face. Was it my heart ? No it feels OK? What the hell just happened ?

Ironically I’m booked in for my annual check up. That starts a series of immediate tests – an ECG, blood tests, chest X-rays, scans of my carotid arteries, another blood test, a stress test – hooked up and running on a treadmill. And for good measure, my annual skin check while we’re at it and anything else that’s checked as a middle aged male.

I’m writing this some 3 weeks later and all the tests haven’t shown any contributing issues. Other than I’ve got 20 stitches in my back and shoulder from having two skin cancers removed.

So what happened ? At this stage it looks like I’d simply over done things, was probably dehydrated at the time and I ran out of fuel. I’m still swimming, golfing and will walk for a while rather than running. I am monitoring how I feel – a little bit paranoid I guess but no further episodes have occurred.

I’d let the noose tighten beyond an acceptable point without realising it.

Mitch, my son commented that he forgets I’m about to turn 59 years old. He says I’m just always doing something and rarely slow up. I think that was a compliment? But I’ve had a reality check, Ok, OK, I know, I know – I’m actually still a machine. But the machine isn’t a current model with a warranty anymore, don’t rev it as hard, it doesn’t spring back like it used to or I’d like to think it will. So now I’m keeping the noose loose !

I guess why I’m telling you this is through this experience, by pushing yourself constantly without having quality down time to replenish will not get you to the end game we all seek. You have to be mindful of the potential consequences. Feeling guilty over relaxing when you deserve to isn’t warranted or justified.

KEEP THE NOOSE LOOSE !!!!

Ps – While I’m on my rant – Don’t risk it, get your skin also checked regularly!

As always, with gratitude – Thanks for reading RD.

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