Cheating Death … Embracing Life!

Background, Year 7
Yesterday afternoon I ran two miles. I was scared silly before taking my run, but last Friday medical staff removed my medical restrictions. This was my first workout where I was outside, by myself and not wearing a heart monitor. The physical rehab staff want me to restart my normal active lifestyle. While two miles is not a long distance, it felt like a marathon to me. Yesterday’s run even had 130 feet of elevation climb (and fall) … the equivalent of running up an eleven story building.
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While that may not seem an impressive distance, for me the run was HUGE … a full marathon while fighting off fear. It was a bit less than two months ago I collapsed while trail running and cheated death. While I knew I had a genetically misshapen heart valve, no one realized that valve had recently deteriorated. Most folks with similar valve issues live their entire lives without any problems.
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The graphic shown at the bottom of this post is from my Garmin which I was wearing while running that fateful day. Apparently I lay on the ground for 30 minutes before my body and heart reset enough to allow me to hike to the trailhead (with assistance) to meet the ambulance. The new “Richard Hoeg” has a new heart valve and a pacemaker. My medical tests did not reveal any heart disease.
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Only today was I willing for the first time to look at my Garmin data. Yesterday’s data was much, much, much less eventful! I am not considered fully recovered yet from my open heart surgery, but the Rehab Staff say I am “knocking it out of the park” in terms of recovery. The nurses all say the fact that I was in excellent shape before my troubles is now helping me recover quicker.
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Still … weird to look at the map and timeline of when I cheated death. I intend to run again today. Thus, an update on my health status … I am doing very well and have even gained back 3 of the 16 pounds I lost over the past two months.
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I hope folks don’t mind the “non bird related post”. My recent journey has given me a much great appreciation for family, friends and nature.
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Click / press upon graphic if you wish to read details.

Normally I do not post photographs of myself, but for this post it seems appropriate. This image was taken two weeks ago at Thanksgiving dinner … only Molly and me given the Pandemic, but I had a HUGE amount for which to be thankful. I am also enjoying a glass of Chardonnay with my dinner … approved by my doctor!

Great Gray Owl Irruption???

Year 7
I spent quality time before church this morning with a Great Gray Owl. In fact, I left this owl while it was still actively hunting. Even in this Pandemic, I needed to get home in time for church! We do church live via the internet, and as much as it was extremely difficult to walk away from this owl when I knew more fun was in store (i.e. its continuing hunt), one must have priorities in life (serious comment).
One fyi … originally I was 50 yards from this bird, when it decided to fly over and land very near me … a special moment as I knew I was not disturbing the hunt. In fact, in the owl’s world I did not even exist.
I am not quite ready to call this winter an irruption in terms of Great Gray Owls but they are appearing throughout Northeastern Minnesota, not just at Sax-Zim Bog. I am also not sure if all the owls we are seeing are strictly “local birds” (i.e. good breeding season last Summer) or whether some of the GGO’s are also down from Canada.
On the hunt … a dark and gloomy day w/o any wind (perfect for owls)

Always important to get images that show the full environment

This Great Gray Owl was so cooperative, I could slowly move around to get different compositions (artistic presentation)

Another Sunset … Another Owl! Northern Hawk Owl

Year 7

Owls two days in a row a sunset means the northern owls are arriving in our area. After seeing my first Snowy of the season two nights ago, yesterday at sundown it was my first Northern Hawk Owl.

This morning my plan is to go look for Snowy Owls out on some early harbor ice. It was almost three years ago exactly, I found and rescued Sky the Snowy Owl.