💡 Take Control of Your Health (Issue 97)

You must be proactive about your wellness

I recently discovered that I have an aortic aneurysm. If that doesn’t sound good, that’s because it isn’t. At age 54, John Ritter died of a misdiagnosed aortic dissection.

The unfortunate thing is they don’t know for sure what causes them. It could be genetic, due to trauma (e.g., past car accident), or even an infection (e.g., salmonella food poisoning, believe it or not).

To say that I’m surprised and upset is a bit of an understatement. I’ve been doing everything I can to avoid something like this. But, sometimes, random luck is bad luck (this only happens to 1 out of 10,000 men my age).

• I don’t smoke (never have).

• I’ve been working out at least 6 days/week (weightlifting, hiking, running, skiing) for the past 16 years.

• My health vitals are pretty darn good (e.g., low heart rate, low blood pressure).

• I eat healthy, home-cooked meals (we rarely eat out).

I was lucky that an unrelated coronary calcium scan found it (a 15-minute test I highly recommend). One of my friends suggested I get one since blocked arteries can be a silent killer.

• My Agatston score was 0.0, which means no evidence of coronary artery disease. Yea! 🎉

• But, they noticed my aorta is enlarged (i.e., I have a small aortic aneurysm). Boo. 🙁

It’s not big enough to warrant surgery yet. So, they said we’ll check it again in a year.

A year!

Well, you can imagine how stressful I found that statement. Especially since they didn’t explain what it was, how big it was, where it was located, what I should avoid, etc.

Nothing. Gotta love the American medical system!

It seems like I have a ticking time bomb in my chest now. So, I took matters into my own hands.

Here I am below, rigged up with a new Apple Watch Series 9 and OMRON Evolv Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor, testing various exercises in my tiny gym (my affiliate links). Note: you should always consult with your physician and cardiologist to understand what they recommend is safe for you to do. Staying active is important!

Unfortunately, my doctor told me nothing about my situation, what might be risky, what might be safe, how to exercise, etc. So, I joined a couple of Facebook groups to learn from survivors and thrivers who are still working out, both pre and post-surgery. I found some general guidelines about max heart rate and blood pressure.

The watch lets me track my heart rate and detect any irregular heartbeats 24/7. I find it helpful to know what exercises and movements cause my heartbeat to spike the most and take me past the maximum limit. The BP cuff lets me see which exercises tend to boost my blood pressure (e.g., deadlifts).

My point with all of this is to encourage you to be your own health advocate. We are often disappointed by how our medical system treats us. They brush aside our concerns, don’t answer our questions, and don’t seem to try very hard to help us navigate the journey of understanding, treatment, and recovery.

For example, I sent some questions to my care team last week but still haven’t heard back from them! I’ll have to keep pushing for a referral to a cardiologist—hopefully, one who understands how to help an athlete continue working out safely.

Don’t let a doctor brush aside any health concerns you have. Keep pressing until you get the answers, tests, or treatment you need.

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I’m Larry Cornett, a Freedom Coach who works with you to optimize your career, business, and life. My mission is to help you become a more "Invincible You" so you can live your life on your terms instead of being controlled by someone else's rules. I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.