Therapy...

[Alistairr]

A few of you may remember a couple of weeks ago i posted saying i had a mate wanting to change his '89 Sealine 215, for a S24 or Regal Diesel..

Anyway that same mate had a heart attack late on Monday night,He is currently still in the coronary ward, But doctors say if all is well he should be home at the weekend. They say total rest is required, no driving for 6 weeks, and off work for 3 months.
Now here comes the question; Once he's allowed out do you think lounging around on his boat would be good therapy? And when the docs. say no driving, is that because of stress behind the wheel or incase he has another attack while driving? He also has a jetski that we use most weekends, so i guess that is out of the question for a long time!!!
If going to the boat would be good for him, would it be okay for me to take him out either on his boat or mine?

Thanks for any information, i do not know anything about these sort of things and hope there may be a few medical experts out there to advise me.


Cheers....

Alistair...



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[pheran]

Suggest he asks his doctor, who will be better informed on such matters than anyone on this (otherwise) learned forum. Unless Doctor Boomer is still around.

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[Alistairr]

Thanks for the reply, pheran. I was asking for my own bennefit, I just didn't want to blurt out suggesting thing if they wouldn't be any good for him.

Straw pole;
Question for Everyone;
Do you think going to your boat and lounging around is relaxing and good for you?????

Cheers

Alistair....



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[Tiger Rag]

My 2p worth, if you choose the weather carefully and plan only fairly gentle trips then quite definitely boating has got to be good for you.

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[Alistairr]

Thanks Russell, In general thats the sort of replies i'm looking for.
I don't want to jump in there and say lets go to the boats to relax, when his wife might want to mother him in the house.


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[studgies]

2 years ago my mum had several heart attacks while she was on holiday with my sister and I (she put it down to indigestion!!). Wehn we got back she had a triple bypass and valve replacement, she was not allowed to do anything for a few weeks till the staples in her chest set but after that we were encouraged to get her up and about doing low stress low exsersion activities. We took her out on the boat many times, got her hooked! She was not allowed to drive but that was because of the operation she had making her chest weak so changing gear etc was rules out, that said she ignored them and was driving within the month!

That all said she did have an op that cured her heart troubles so her situation is slightly different, but R&R on the boat can not be bad for you, just do not go out on a storm at 40 knots

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[longjohnsilver]

I guess one of the main considerations must be how long would it take to access medical help should he have another attack. Otherwise if it had happened to me I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing.

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[gtmoore]

I have a similar situation - my mum had a heart attack back in March although surgery wasn't required in her case. After 10 days in hospital and a week at home I asked the consultant if it would be OK for her to do a little sailing to which I was told that it would be fine. We took her out the following weekend and she felt great and I'm sure it took her mind off her problem for just a while.

We are talking a sail boat here at 4 knots not 40 and as you say it really would need the doctor in your friends case to give the go ahead, but I would think that anything that helps you to relax and think positively would be good.

<hr width=100% size=1>Gavin

 

[Pollyanna]

Suggest your friend checks with doctor for best advise.
My Dad (76) had a heart attack two years ago. Six months after the attack he towed his caravan to spain and stayed there over Winter. He came back looking fitter than ever.
I took him out on my boat for the first time two weeks ago. He helmed from Trent Falls down to South Ferriby at an average of 20 Knots and we still haven't been able to get the smile of his face. I can't think of anything more relaxing than pottering about on a boat, so give your friend our best regards and hope he's back on the water soon.


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[HowardB]

I've been off the site for a few days, so hadn't seen your posting 'til now. For driving a car, DVLA says no driving 'must cease for at least 4 weeks' We often interpret that as 6 weeks to be on the safe side, and keep insurance companies happy. I agree that boating in fine weather and gentle seas would be restful and theraputic overall, in condition that he is supernumary to the essential running of the boat- he can be a spectator if there are problems rather than HAVING to get involved physiaclly in any physical and dangerous situations. He would have to be a zero risk of MOB, cos the shock and cold would / could be bad news.
Lastly I agree that he shouldn't go too far from (a) his medication - everyone forgets to take this along at times and (b) civilisation- easy access to medical intervention if he does it again.
The whole worry with heart attacks is that the patient is at risk of irregular and possibly dangerous heart rhythms, (and also a further attack) in the next few hours, days, weeks- with the risk lessening over time. I would overall encourage him and you in this venture, but not before about 2-3 weeks after the initial infarct.
Enjoy it, I'm sure it's what he needs, and it should help boost his confidence too- something a heart attach has a knack of hitting hard.
Howard
(though I am a GP, I'd recommend that he take the last word of advice from his own medical advisors as I can only speak for general advice, not his specific case)


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[Alistairr]

Thanks everyone,
Howard, My (best) mate is doing okay, although mentally not so well, For he has been a diabetic all his life, and at only 37 has suffered a heart attack, He can't stop thinking about 'why so young' (in his words).


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[HowardB]

Poor guy- I expect that most of us on this forum are over that young age. Its not nice for him to be made so (painfully) aware of his own mortality- as something like this does to us all. The answer to 'why so young?' is unfortunately down to the diabetes, which is a sod, 'cos it adds to the medical aggro that he has already got to put up with. It's a bit of a wake up call for us all to keep fit, slim and active, and enjoy each day as it comes!
I hope he does well- and all the best with the boating therapy.

(PS thanks for the e-mail about the cabinets- SWMBO says we slum it with MFI flatpacks! I've a brother in Glasgow who could have transported them too!)
Howard

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