Tag: cardiac cyclist

Day 6: Uchiko to Doteuchi

On By Sharron YaxleyIn Japan6 Comments

Overnight, I received an email from Takahito with the two photos he took outside his shop yesterday. Thankyou Takahito 😊❣️

Today was to be a mixed bag. The first half was rural countryside, the second half urbanisation. I prefer the first half, but urbanisation is something hard to avoid cycle touring.

We had purchased some items for breakfast and headed off around 730 am. Our accomodation had a laneway at the side, and this is where we packed our bikes.

A conga line of school children passed by us, nodding politely. They were all extraordinarily well behaved. A teacher stood at the end of the laneway marking them off her check sheet.

The children walked in groups of four or five. Often the one at the front carried a flag.

We rolled down the hill and started what was going to be a shorter ride of about 67 km. The challenge would be a long climb and the busy city of Matsuyama. It was a cool 11c.

We started a short 3 km climb first through a narrow wooded valley. We passed through small villages with just a few homes and vegetable gardens.

The road narrowed.

The views backdown the valley are always worth the climb.

We ended up on a major road, and road a mixture of footpaths and open road. This bridge caught our eye reminding me of a longer wooden bridge over the Rhine River, between Stein (Switzerland) and Bad Sackingen (Germany).

Our longest climb of this trip was about to start. 11.2 km in length, average gradient of 3.8%. Here is our climbing graph. So we would gain 500 metres in the one climb.

We just pootled up and stopped several times for photos, conserving energy. We climbed through multiple lush valleys, with rivers alongside.

Another lovely home with their crop gardens.

Climbing you often wonder what the view will be like at the top. Great view of just how hilly and green Shikoku is.

The descent was far shorter, but steeper than the climb. It was exhilarating. We both commented that we would not fancy climbing up our descent.

Very soon Matsuyama was upon us. The largest city on Shikoku with a population in excess of 500,000. It is the capital of the Ehime prefecture.

We stopped and started heaps with red lights and crossings, and the plants at this house were very spectacular.

Our route took us right through this elongated indoor shopping strip stretches for over one km. I had a quick glance over 50 metres!

I walked into this small Japanese bakery. I do love looking at the different foods that are made and sold in other countries.

Leaving the mall we continued towards Matsuyama Castle which was first constructed in the late 1500’s. A bit like the story with Wakayama Castle, it has had significant portions rebuilt after damage over the centuries including the bombing of Matsuyama during WWII.

Once there, we realised we could not even push our bikes into the grounds, plus it was impossible to get a view in total from below. So I have ‘borrowed’ this one from Google giving a birds eye view!

Leaving the busier part of Matsuyama we headed for the coast. As we rode along the coastline, there were numerous man made harbours.

We started to feel excitement because for the next three days we will be out on some of the islands, and at this stage, the weather is looking good.

We are staying about 10 km north of Matsuyama in a small village Doteuchi that faces the Seto Inland Sea.

Our accomodation is a unit on the second floor. It is immaculate and well appointed. The bathroom and separate toilet have glass walls!

This is the view off the deck. The island to the right is Kashima.

After showering, putting on a load of laundry, walking to the supermarket to buy fresh supplies for a home made dinner, we headed up the sea front to the ferry terminal.

If we had a few spare hours, this could be a nice half day trip.

Heading back to the unit, fish flying high.

A local house being reroofed. No harnesses required here!

What a magnificent sunset to end the day.

Thanks for reading as we continue our cycle tour of Shikoku.

Smile on 😊❣️

Day 2: Shishikui to Kōchi

On By Sharron YaxleyIn Japan9 Comments

Hardest mattress ever, with a pillow that actually felt like it had woodchips in it, I slept ok! Looking out the window, this lovely view greeted me.

I had to show you these. Each place we’ve stayed has had different attire for us to wear, so I tried this on for size, and it was surprisingly comfortable. I felt like I was off to theatre to operate!

Breakfast was at 7 am and we got dished up these 10 courses plus green tea, and awful airline style coffee. The food was great, but too much, and I over ate.

Other guests wore those operating theatre pj’s to breakfast!

Back to our room and some of breakfast did not stay with me. I felt really pretty shite with stomach cramps. But we pushed on and headed off for another day.

Our bikes were where we left them, in reception.

Heading along the coastline there were some lovely vistas.

At this beach, the surfers were out. I did not see much surfing as the waves are pretty flat. Maybe they just sit and chill and chat with their mates.

Yesterday we had around 3 km worth of tunnels to ride through. One of those tunnels was super scary with a 30 cm lip for cyclists. I got off and walked as there is no room for error and if you deviate slightly, your off the lip and into the traffic.

This was our first tunnel today, and you can see there is a walking/bike path that does narrow considerably, but was ok.

Today we had a tunnel that was 960 metres long, no verge. So we put our front lights on and we already had our rear radar flashing and road through as fast as we could. Cars overtook us and were very considerate.

Our bike computers work off GPS so when in tunnels it cannot connect, thereby not acknowledging the distance. Today we did around 2 km of tunnels, so 5 km in two days.

We turned right away from the coast to head inland. Looking at todays route, you can see why. We cut off the coastal tip saving many km in reaching our destination. However, Shikoku is hilly and the trade off was a climb.

It started off nice and friendly, but that did not last for long .

We had a decent climb to do. 5.7 km long, nearly 500 metres ascent, with pinches over 12 percent. I still felt sick as a dog. Here is the first climb graph.

I recall saying in my first blog I was at up to 90% pre open heart surgery. I am not! I found that climb difficult today. More difficult than before. I think it is more like….65-75%.

I stopped several times to decrease my heart rate, protecting those coronary grafts. My back was behaving today so that was a bonus, and my knee coped. I just spun it up in my granny gear.

The vegetation was dense forest with steep drop offs. The road was very narrow.

Here I am at the pass, thankful that I did it, given what happened to me 9 months ago. My body has been brutalised, I have had life saving surgery, but I have recovered enough to make it! I was quite emotional as I did think a lot during the climb about my cardiac journey and recovery. I know not many OHS patients get to do what I have achieved. I still hate climbing 🤣

So we spent 5 minutes or so at the pass recovering and looking around. There are a series of walks.

I found this old sign leaning against the loos. No idea what it says.

What goes up must go down. The joy of the descent. Silly me did not notice my bike computer had paused and missed 5 km of descent data at speed. Ho hum.

Here is an interesting scene on a hillside. Quite a significant infrastructure which we were thinking to prevent a landslide??

I mentioned earlier the road is narrow. We had pulled over to let the truck pass us, and boom a car was heading up.

We watched this unfold with interest. The driver of the white car did a marvellous job. He was literally only cm off the barrier. They took turns moving a few cm until they were clear.

Moving on, we continued following this river, all the way out to the ocean.

I particularly like these few snaps of the river.

We found a vending machine in this village so stopped for maybe 10 minutes. I was starting to feel normal again.

As we left the village, we encountered this reptile. Not our first this trip.

The snake is a Japanese rat snake and not venomous unlike the mamushi which is venomous and inflicts numerous deaths in Japan annually.

Yesterday Tony was within cm of running over a rat snake. The snake doubled back and there I was on Tony’s tail. I let out a shriek, as I had visions of running over the snake and it getting caught in my spokes or chain or higher, my legs. Nothing happened, the snake survived, as did I.

We stopped to look at this snake today and it did not move. We gave it a wide berth and again it did not react. I reckon two minutes later it would have as we passed a car heading into the village.

Japanese rat snake

Back on the coast we noted the refuge tower. There are lots of signs along the coast warning which areas are subject to tsunami inundation. The refuge tower points to the hills.

Found some toilets so stopped here. Nice view from the seat.

By 1.30 pm I felt I could eat, so we stopped at a Lawsons ( like a seven eleven), and grabbed a few items. The older lady who served me reached over and touched my chest scar and said ‘heart.’ I said yes, and she put on a sympathetic sad face. Very sweet of her.

Tony noted this brute of a car. I’m standing there as a reference point. It is a tiny car.

Views along the coast as we approached Kōchi.

By chance, following the Kōchi Cycling Road. Misnomer of a name, as a lot of the route we went in today was footpaths, barrier wall roads, residential laneways and so on.

The route had a detour due to civil construction works, and took us past a rest area. This sign was on the grass, well would be grass if mowed, but it is protected for bees and snakes!

This is an example of a barrier wall path we were on. Well made and quiet. Volcanic sand beach.

Castle like structure high on the hill.

Our accomodation has a small onsen. No bathroom. No shower. You use the onsen.

So off I go in my robe, to be confronted by 5 naked females…my first mistake was the robe needed to be left in the first room not the onsen room.

Second mistake was I brought my towel with me.

Third….I hopped into the very warm water with these women who had no inhibition vs me 🤣😳🙈

I felt like the elephant in the room! They were all so…petite…

Then a lady maybe my age but larger came in.

I sat in the water wondering how long they’d all stay….one by one they left until it was me and the other larger lady.

I got out to wash my hair (special area) and she got out and we started talking. She was Japanese and spoke a little English and told me she’d been to Esperance (WA) and had held a koala.

I got back to the room feeling somewhat….still prudish. but I had ventured further that Tony. He did not proceed past the first room.

Dinner was eaten here. We’d paid half board. A beautiful dinner with far too much food again.

We went for a short walk to the suspension bridge by the accomodation. Lovely views of the river.

Today we rode 103 km. I climbed a decent climb and survived. ❣️

Tonight we sleep tatami room. Beds on the floor.

I did not tidy up for the photo!

Rain is forecast tomorrow. 96% chance, 45% chance of thunderstorms. Hopefully we can work around the rain, otherwise we will just get wet. One way of washing without feeling like the elephant in the room 🤣🤣🤣

Thanks for reading. Smile on 😊❣️

Day 1: Wakayama to Shishikui

On By Sharron YaxleyIn Japan, Uncategorized10 Comments

We woke up super early today as we needed to board the 5.30 am ferry from Wakayama to Tokushima on the island of Shikoku.

Here is my side of the bed, and that is my bike. I do love my bike, but I’ve never slept quite that close to it before. 🤣

It was only a short 3.5 km ride to the ferry. I needed to buy bike tickets (I’d purchased ours online but the bikes I needed to do at the port).

We were directed to Lane 4, alongside the motorbikes and a semi trailer in Lane 5.

That’s me, waiting patiently. The little backpack has 3 bananas and a bun to share for breakfast.
The ferry at the end of the building.
Tony’s bike. The crew strapped it and placed wheel chocks.

The ferry is a decent size and the vehicle deck was about 3/4 full on the first crossing of the day. On board we sat in an area with tables and vending machines selling a huge range of drinks and snacks.

That is how our coffee came today, in a can. My caffeine connoisseur would be barista son in law Rory would be super unimpressed.

The sun was poking its head through as we left the port of Wakayama.

A few hours later we approached the island of Shikoku and the port of Tokushima. The crossing was very smooth with hardly a ripple.

Docked and we rolled off, following a criss cross of residential lanes to keep us off the main roads, but eventually they came. Hard to avoid in big cities.

We watched these young lads setting up for their baseball. Very flat and pristine pitches. Wonder how they keep the weeds out?

Flying into Osaka yesterday, we flew over Shikoku and was very curious about greyish looking wet areas. We now know what we were looking at.

In France it is wheat field after wheat field to support their habit of eating bread. In Japan, replace the wheat with rice fields. They are everywhere, jammed between homes, anywhere that is flat.

There is an intricate drainage system in place, with turtles galore. I did wonder how they keep the turtles out of the rice fields as I imagine the turtles would be a pest there.

The rice fields are just being planted out, and it is fascinating to watch. There are tractors that automatically plant the young crops.

Another thing that intrigues me are the number of cemeteries on hills. Shikoku is hilly so maybe there are not a lot of options given flat land seems to be taken by the rice fields.

For a period of time we followed this lovely river, the Naka.

Most villages have a shrine at their entrance.

Our bike computer told us we had 15 climbs today. There were a few three km climbs, but all were quite comfortable gradients.

Many were through heavily wooded areas above rivers, and the various shades of green were lovely.

We noticed a number of walkers doing the Shikoku Pilgrimage, where they walk (or cycle) to 88 temples. The standard walking route is 1200 km can take 30-60 days to complete. The white shirt, hat, staff is part of the standard attire.

Our route seemed to bypass food options so we were delighted to come across Noah’s Ark! Not sure of the name of this restaurant but I recognised it from a v-blog I watched by two Malaysian cyclists who stopped here.

After removing our shoes we were seated at a table that is low to the ground but has a generous footwell below it. Green tea appeared.

We ordered slightly different meals, as included some sashimi with mine. It was super delicious and all up very reasonably priced at 2900 yen ( about $35 aud).

I do find paying cash in foreign currency difficult without glasses to read the numbers….the magnifying glasses are on whilst I sort the yen out 🤣

My back was being quite tweaky after lunch so we stopped here so I could stretch it, surrounded by vending machines. They are every where .

We hit the coast around the Muroto Anankaigan National Park. Very picturesque.

These man made cement blocks are interesting, used to stop erosion. Reminded me of knuckles, the game that was played when I was younger…just a few years ago, but a giants version.😊

We are now in Shishikui, a coastal village. The washing is out drying, of course! A lovely view from our room. Dinner we lashed out at the Seven 11….I had a bag of salad and some pickled squid. Tony had a few nori rolls.

Breakfast is at 7 am. We will be there on the dot.

Today was a solid day of just over 100 km. It was about 50% footpaths of various construct and quality, 25% road, balance agricultural dirt and sealed tracks and residential lanes.

This is the longest day I’ve done on the bike since open heart surgery 9 months ago too. So thankful I have the opportunity to do these adventures. It will take my body a few days to adjust and adapt.

Trains, planes and….bikes

On By Sharron YaxleyIn Japan11 Comments

It has been a long two days, leaving Devonport 5 pm Monday, arriving in Japan 6.30 am Wednesday. We overnighted in Melbourne, had an early flight to Sydney with 90 minutes between landing and the international flight departing to Hong Kong.

We did see our bike bags in Sydney as we transferred by bus to the international terminal, by ours chance. We were pretty pleased as all that luggage had international connection tags.

We had an agonising 8 hour wait in Hong Kong leaving there at 2 am! We arrived in Osaka at 6.30 am this morning.

After showing our QR codes to immigration and customs, scanning our passports three times, finger printing and photos taken I join the queue to obtain a rail ticket.

It’s a long and slow queue and I’m tired. I get to the front to be told I’m in the wrong queue…..aaaagh. Fortunately no one was in the other queue a bit further up the way.

Two trains and we arrive in Wakayama at our hotel and it’s only 9 am, checkin is at 3 pm. For an extra 8800 yen (about 100 aud) we get to our room early (after eating tomorrows breakfast today, as they would not refund but would allow pre eating!)

Kensai airport is on the little island off Osaka (to the left of the O in Osaka on the map). We then travelled to Wakayama by train, and tomorrow Tokushima on the island of Shikoku by ferry.

We immediately hit the sack and slept for a bit over 2.5 hours feeling somewhat less tired than earlier.

Then it was down to business putting the bikes together. Tony does a great job and today had very little wriggle room.

Tony is wearing the pj’s issued by the hotel. Curiously I have noted people wandering around the hotel in them.

My job is to do the washing, cleaning what we wore on the plane, and hanging it up to dry. Hence why Tony is wearing the pjs.

You can see Wakayama Castle in the background.

Having noted Wakayama Castle from our window, once we were all sorted and showered, we headed off for a walk towards the castle.

We entered via this gate

Beautiful gardens surround the castle.

Our first animal sighted in Japan is….a turtle.

There is also a turtle basking in the sun on the small solo rock.

At the bridge entrance we were required to remove footwear.

The timber may look smooth, but in fact they are overlaid planks that hurt hurt feet longer than the plank width. So tip toeing easier.

The castle was built in the late 1500s as has been reconstructed a few times due to destruction. The last rebuild was more recent, with the castle razed during WWII.

Tony finds cats hidden away including this dozing feline.

We departed by the rear gate where equine activities used to take place.

We found our dinner at a supermarket in the railway station, adjacent to our hotel. Very yummy and reasonably priced. The sushi cost around $15 aud. The strawberries were sweet and succulent.

We also purchased some snacks to carry in the bikes. Needless to say, these are mine. Two of those packets Tony will have zero interest in. He has his own supply, the high sugar type.

I do love wandering around food shops in other countries to see what is on offer.

Years ago we acquired a reputation from our friend Helen, whom we met doing LeJog and then a French north to south ride. She told us she knew the Yaxleys had arrived (in Dover) by the windows.

We actually got into trouble at Cheddar (England) as the owner did not appreciate the ‘look’. 🤣

I often think of Helen and did today as we headed back to the hotel and saw this…..

Check the windows a few floors from the top
Close up

Tomorrow we are booked on the 5.30 am ferry. We need to be there just after 5 am and ride there, so we will be up early.

We are going to hand over our luggage being stored here for a fortnight, then hit the sack.

The adventure starts tomorrow, stay tuned. 😊❣️

Drawing strength – week 2

On By Sharron YaxleyIn Health8 Comments

I have been home a week now. Nice to be home and thankful for the support some neighbours have given Tony given I cannot cook and pretty useless with my arms not able to be weight bearing.

Soup, quiche and banana cake have been greatly appreciated as it take some pressure off Tony who has now had 4 weeks off work supporting me. Tony helps me dress, undress and put on the dvt socks and is doing all the housework and laundering etc.

My day starts off around 4.30 am ish as I wake in pain (broad chest pain from the sternotomy) and I plod out of bed to my recliner in the lounge and snuggle under blankets.

I am walking twice a day, strictly per the guidelines provided. Today was 2 x 13 minutes. I am being strict as I have been warned as to the consequences of getting ahead of yourself. There are no heroes here with rehab.

I have a morning and afternoon nap in my recliner. One of my morning tablets causes drowsiness and I’m hoping it’s not a long term one as it foggies my brain.

I have received beautiful flowers during the week including Pauline and Craig and Craig and Ellie.

23 work colleagues got together and provided a goodies basket including a plant, candle, chocolates, face creams, and other carefully chosen products. It was a lovely treat to arrive home to.

The biggest surprise came from an anonymous parcel with a card addressed to the mink. You can read the message below. Lisa is a fellow Aussie endurance rider and we’ve not met but I was very touched.

Day 11 I set up a Zwift support group for cardiac patients named Heartz. 30 or so members already and I am thinking more and more about the Tasmanian group Heals and how I would like to be an advocate for cardiac athletes. Not sure what that could look like but it follows a conversation with my surgeon.

Ash came to see me last Saturday and I want to leave you with two photos. Ash asked me if he could take a selfie with me. Of course!

He then sent me the photo to my mobile with the following words. I will forever treasure the photo and words, from the man who literally is the only one to have ever touched my heart. He stopped my heart for around an hour and he restarted it. I’m in awe and forever thankful for his surgical skills and human niceness.

I intend to frame the photo with the words, as a motivational reminder when I need it.

Start me up

On By Sharron YaxleyIn Health22 Comments

Short and sweet.

The motor turned over and the story continues.

Lots of wires and drainage tubes removed. Think I lose more today.

Zwifters… I’d rather eat a bucket of kale and do radio tower intervals. Bucket!

The zipper club not one I’d line up to join, but here I am.

The anaesthetist zwifts. The guy in charge of the heart lung bypass machine zwifts. Nurse Aaron has found me on strava. Great to have like minded people around. Katja ( the anaesthetist) wants to join me on Zwift for my very first ride. 😊

I was taken to theatre around 12 noon Friday, and the two anaesthetists knocked me out within minutes. No time to get overawed.

Next thing I’m vaguely conscious as they bring me out and being given instructions as I’m still intubated. That was not pleasant and they ask you to give thumbs up. I let it rain thumbs! Finally the tubes that had been doing my breathing are removed. Relief..

Once extubated they tell me it’s just after 8 am Saturday. Wow.

My chest feels like I’ve had a run in with a Mack truck.

My left arm where they harvested an artery. The other artery was mammary, so my chest.

Dr Ash did this drawing for me showing his handy work. He’s a life saver and I told him my next cycle tour I’m dedicating to him.

I’ve been out of bed on day one and two. Yesterday I did a little walk with a walker. I get dizzy and nauseous.

Not interested in food yet. No appetite and I poke around with my banana. Dr Ash wants me to eat two bananas, one avocado and coconut water to help my potassium levels.

The nursing and medical staff here in icu are brilliant and very caring.

Only issue today is that the assistant surgeon has tested positive for covid so now I’m in isolation from others. Results due back today.

I have X-rays taken a few times a day to check lungs. Bloods regularly. I do have a bit of a temperature and they are doing cultures. I am told I’m doing well although if I’m honest, I feel like shit.

Sleep is evading me. 10 minutes here and there. Painkillers are oral now and I take whatever is offered, plus something to sleep.

New exercise is this contraption. I can get two balls up.

They are hoping to release me from icu today and send me to the surgical ward.

Tony is heading home today for a few days. Visiting hours are limited to 30 min and we can face time instead.

Thanks for your love, support and encouragement . Tony and Joshua have received in excess of 600 messages, comments and likes.

Xxxx

Friday on my mind

On By Sharron YaxleyIn Health23 Comments
Beautiful bear and card Sienna, my granddaughter gave me. Granny bear is watching over me. I will treasure the bear forever.

I am now in hospital in Hobart, having been admitted early afternoon (Thursday)

I have had additional radiology tests. I had a chest X-ray and a carotid artery doppler. The sonographer asked what I was doing there as he said I was too young and the wrong build for coronary artery disease. ‘Genetics’ I said.

The good news is that he told me my carotid arteries are as good as the day I was born. Big relief.

The anaesthetist is a lovely lady, Dr B. The conversation started by her asking me questions about Zwift and she obviously knew a bit about me. I asked how she knew these things, and her response was very honest…”I googled you”. We both had a good laugh and I felt very relaxed with her.

She spelled out in considerable detail her role and the amount of cables and tubes I will have inserted or attached to my body. Mind boggling.

I will be taken to theatre one hour before surgery at around noon. It takes an hour to prepare me with all those cables and lines and anaesthetise me. The cardio thoracic surgeon walks in at 1 pm…ish.

Usa cycling friend Jeff sent me this today. He faces his own journey this week as well.

Dr Ash will work on harvesting my donor vessels first (mammary and arm currently planned), then he accesses my heart (cutting through the sternum and clamping it back), stops my heart (they use potassium), places me on the bypass machine to keep me alive, graft the new vessels, restart my heart (hopefully the warm blood does the trick, otherwise they have jumper leads), wire my sternum, stitch me up and send me to ICU.

Dr B loves her job, and she loves the cardiac team she works with. She reminded me that they do these surgeries nearly every day and it is bread and butter for them. Most traumatic day of my life is their bread and butter.

Then starts the recovery road and rehabilitation. Day 1 of Part 2 of the rest of my life. Mink 2.0.

My kiwi friend Andrew, skiing in Queenstown 14 weeks after his cardiac arrest and bypass. He was my motivation in pushing my tests. I’m playing it forward.

I am a lucky girl. They found it despite being asymptomatic. I know there will be challenges, good and bad days, but I have faith in my personal tenacity and resilience.

Finishing off with a beautiful message from my granddaughter, shared with her parents blessing. Enjoy 😊

The Shane Warne effect

On By Sharron YaxleyIn Health5 Comments

Shane (Warnie) was a legend in Australia – a true Aussie legend. A brilliant cricketer, strategic, incisive and sometimes controversial. I did not agree with all of his public statements or his lifestyle choices- but – that was his opinion – his truth – his perceptions – his life!

I grew up watching cricket. The television was often on during the summer holidays with predominantly Test matches in those days (late 70’s to early 80’s).

As a teenager I remember heading to the NTCA ground on my own and watching the English team play in Launceston. I got the autographs of greats such as Ian Botham, Derek Randall, Geoff Boycott, David Gower – a star studded team.

I would wake up around 3 am to watch the final session of Ashes when being played in England on a little black and white portable tv perched on a stool in my bedroom.

I had my small portable transistor radio tucked away in my blazer pocket during the final few hours of the Centenary Test in 1977 – in my English class. What a match and result. My cricketing heroes back then were Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson. I loved hearing the chant of the crowd when they bowled.

In 2005, I recall a trip I took with my then 14 year old son Luke to Melbourne. It was a mother/son trip. We were watching a one day match at Etihad stadium – Australia vs the World XI . Warnie was not playing, but he just happened to be within metres of where we were sitting, fiddling with his mobile phone.

There was a glass screen between where he was and where we were. An attractive female stood on our side of the screen with her mobile, making it look like she was texting (Warnie for the sake of the photo I presume). She had a friend standing maybe 5 metres back taking a photo of her, with Warnie in the backdrop also texting – hence suggesting that perhaps they were texting each other.

I felt really sorry for Warnie and viewed him in a different way thereafter – it was not that long after all the furor regarding his mobile phone and women. How easily perceptions can be distorted! Two totally different stories playing out – but ‘perceptions’ can vary depending upon whom is looking, with explicit and unconscious bias playing their part when one ultimately viewed the resulting photograph.

Tony told me of a story this week that was shared to him by Dave, a work colleague. It concerns a former member of the Victorian Labor Party – someone I have never heard of, Philip Dalidakis.

Following the sudden and untimely death of Warnie, he arranged to get a cardio check up, the result of which was an unclear scan, subsequently resulting in an angiogram.

During the angiogram it was revealed that he had a severely blocked artery that could have easily brought on a stroke or other catastrophic heart failure.

They found a 95% blocked artery – this guy had ZERO symptoms.

Quote: “I only got checked because of Warnie”.

Now I am certainly no Warnie – but I continue to be overwhelmed by the personal support and messages as I have shared my own, very personal and emotional journey. I’ve been hit for six – and right now I am scoring a few singles where I can.

I acknowledge that I have a profile higher than some others courtesy of Zwift and the 200,000 km I have ridden resulting in me being a Trek Ambassador. I have over 11,000 followers (Zwift, social media, strava etc – notwithstanding there would be numerous duplicates within that data).

I have always tried to use that following responsibly, and overwhelmingly, most agree that I do. I wear my heart of my sleeve for sure, and I know that a few have found my forthrightness and openness unpalatable and unacceptable. I am but human and have many quirks and foibles and scars. For that I apologise. The first two posts were highly emotionally charged given my highly distressed state at that time and in hindsight, if I was more stable, would have tackled them differently. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I will continue to use my profile to raise awareness of issues and right now to encourage you to get your checkups (heart health, mammograms, prostate, bowel, blood screenings and so on).

I am me. The sum of my life experiences. I am proud of me and what I have achieved.

A very sweet 8 year old girl made my day earlier this week. Evie is the grand daughter of a neighbour and is wise beyond her years. Her hand written note speaks volumes.

Stay yourself….wise words by Evie, aged 8
Yes that is a kale plant……what a conundrum, now I need to care for it. They do have a pretty flower I will admit. What a lovely drawing Evie did too.

Many readers of my blogs are also facebook friends, noting that is where most commentary happens following the release of a new blog. The chat following the last post re *ale was truly hilarious – 87 comments on that post when I last checked, and the best laughs I have had for a few weeks. Thanks for making me laugh!

I have had many people share with me their journeys, fears, genetic background and that they have already made/will be making those medical appointments. TICK!!

Thanks again for your support,

Hugs xxx

Shane changed for no one – be like Warnie! As Evie says – stay yourself!