08/28/2024
On June 12th I set a lofty goal to reach the Two Million Meter Club by September 1, without the use of supplemental oxygen. That equates to 15,000 m per week, I was 170,000 m away from my goal. Well, I finished a few days early and averaged 20,000 m per week. My row yesterday intentionally left me with 4,999 m to reach my goal. Todays goal was to beat my previous 5,000 m ranking of 31:03.4 I missed it by 2/100ths at 31:03.6, but I am very happy!
This is a short version of a long story.
In 2013 I checked myself into the hospital because I didn't have enough breath to keep up walking beside someone. The lung specialist said that most people that arrive in my condition, don't leave. The pain of breathing from the arthritis of my spine for the previous 45 years had caused one diaphragm to quit working. After two weeks of tests, I was released and put on oxygen 24/7. I even needed it to sit and watch TV. The specialist said it would continue to get worse. I started taking the Peak Performance Pack. At the time my BP was 210/160 and the handful of meds I was taking was killing me (almost did!). I started feeling better immediately. It took 5 months for my BP to return to normal and get off all my meds. Each annual checkup showed better results. When my specialist retired in 2018 he told me he couldn't believe I had lasted that long. Two years later, my new specialist took me off oxygen, only to be used for strenuous activities, like rowing, and high altitudes like SLC Conventions.
Last month, I lost an old friend - the machine that filled my oxygen bottles is now gone. Thank you Peak Performance Pack!
Oh, and in 3 weeks I will be 7 years past my "best before date"