Now that I know I’ve no blockages in my arteries, I felt confident enough to go for a plodding jog. I maintained a languid pace and never let my heart rate exceed 140. The average was 124. At no point did I push myself into labored breathing. Also, I didn’t feel “thickness” in my muscles. They felt relaxed and limber. In the past three years, I experienced, for lack of a better word, congestion of the muscles. It created a feeling of weight or resistance that bogged down my running.

Today, that wasn’t the case. I felt, again, for lack of a better word, release. There was no resistance in my steps or breathing. Let me stress – especially in my breathing. Even after the slowest of walks, my lungs would feel congested. Not today. Even my sinuses don’t feel as congested. Most important of all, there is no feeling of overwhelming exhaustion.

After the last three years of starting and restarting my exercise regime with disappointing results, I feel hopeful. I won’t make any wild claims of “halleluja! I’m cured!” but I am willing to say that I feel confident. I voiced hope things had changed in the past, but I didn’t feel hope. Today, I feel hopeful that things have changed.

I have just arrived home following my angiogram—no blockages to report. The procedure usually lasts about an hour. Mine took 20 minutes. They spent more time prepping than performing the procedure. Plus, I had to wait 90 minutes to ensure my artery clotted afterward to ensure I didn’t squirt blood everywhere. Personally, I thought they were being party poopers. What’s wrong with little blood spatters on the hospital walls? It fits with the Gestalt, don’t you think?

However, they did find a small buildup of fluid. So, while I don’t have to take any statins, aspirin, or nitro, I am prescribed Lisinopril. And I’ve been told to reduce my intake of fluids. No more than eight cups of water per day. That’s cool. Most beautiful of all, I am now expected to exercise. I had stopped exercising due to the fear of arterial blockage and the possibility of a heart attack. But that is no longer a fear, and I can resume exercise.

While arterial blockages have been ruled out, there is a need to learn about the cause of the conductive block reducing heart productivity. So, more appointments. Fortunately, reasonable levels of exercise, i.e., keeping my heart rate below 140 during workouts, are called for in combating fluid retention. Oh, and I guess taking Lisinopril should help me lose weight. All in all, a better outcome than I feared.