Back Where I Belong

I took the usual double class tonight, only this time Sa Bom Nim pulled me out of the Black Belt Prep class and had me join a small adult class in the next dojang. I think he did this because he was giving a trial lesson to a new student, a very nice thirty-ish lady whom I shall call Tammy. He probably thought she would be reassured by the presence of an older woman in a class full of men.

We practiced kicking for most of the class. After being out sick for ten days, I am a lot more sore than usual, but I was fairly pleased with my technique. Tammy showed herself to be a natural. Beginners often have trouble with the side kick, but she caught on right away.

At the end of class we did partner situps. She held my ankles and then I held hers while we panted through sixty good ones each. (Hers were better than mine.)

All through these exertions I kept thinking how happy I was to be back in class, especially since a few days ago I was expecting to be spending this night in the hospital, recuperating from a minimally-invasive procedure on my heart. Because I got sick, the surgery has been postponed until next month. But for tonight, I am free to follow my normal routine.

Tammy and I chatted after class, exchanging tidbits about our lives. She mentioned she she works with cardiac patients, so I felt comfortable telling her about what I had been thinking about during class. I explained that I have an extra electrical pathway in my heart that sometimes causes palpitations and rapid heartbeat, and my doctor is now able to fix it with a procedure called catheter ablation, similar to an angiogram. I am expected to be kept under observation in the hospital for twenty-four hours, and I should be able to resume normal activities within about ten days. Fortunately Tammy understood what I was talking about.

Tammy congratulated me for undertaking such a strenuous regimen, saying that many people who have heart conditions, congenital or otherwise, are afraid to do anything, let alone exercise. Yet working up a sweat is great therapy; I know my doctors were overjoyed with all my test results once I started training regularly. But I remember how timid I felt when I started. What I needed - more than strength, more than flexibility, more than endurance - was courage. Fortunately, I found it.

Note: On February 14 our school is holding an intramural tournament to benefit the American Heart Association. Why not make your Valentine's Day special by making a donation to aid cardiac research? Here's a link to the Donations page of the American Heart Association web site.