My kind of guy! At age 92, Lew Hollander is a powerful inspiration to me, even though I can’t run a 5K (yet). Obviously, he’s an outlier. Lew has found a way to stay fit and exceptionally active at his age. He’s probably genetically gifted and certainly highly motivated – a mix that not everyone possesses. I certainly don’t!

Regardless, the motto stands: Never give up! Do what you can! Do what your situation allows. Challenge yourself mentally and physically, even if you’re sick.

Highly inspirational: Lew Hollander (92 years old). Secrets of health and longevity from one of the oldest triathletes! – According to this IRONMAN Facebook post, Lew is no longer the oldest Ironman finisher. His record has since been broken by Hiromu Inada, who finished the 2018 edition of Ironman Hawaii at the age of 85. Congratulations to both!

Things are a little trickier when PE and PHPulmonary Hypertension (PH) High pressure in the blood vessels leading from the heart to the lungs is called pulmonary hypertension. The arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart are affected by pulmonary hypertension. If untreated, the right side of the heart will weaken over time, eventually leading to heart failure and death. The WHO has defined five distinct groups of pulmonary hypertension, each with a different cause. CTEPH is a form of PH (WHO group 4). - References: mayoclinic.org and cdc.gov or the sub-variant CTEPHChronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension CTEPH is short for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, a rare form of high blood pressure in the lungs caused by blood clots or narrowed blood vessels. High blood pressure in the lungs is often also called pulmonary hypertension. are in your body. I’ve experienced this myself, first PE, then CTEPH. But there is always something you can do to stay mentally and physically active. Contact your doctor for advice and suggestions.

Here is what I do.

Despite being diagnosed with PE and later CTEPH, I have always tried to stay active, mainly by walking and strength training. Probably too much at times. In hindsight, perhaps my heart suffered unnecessarily. I didn’t know any better, and regular exercise made me feel good.

Please take my advice and consult your doctor before starting an exercise program!

Since my BPABalloon Pulmonary Angioplasty Balloon pulmonary angioplasty, or BPA for short, is a technique for widening narrowed or blocked blood vessels in the lungs of CTEPH patients. Small balloons attached to a catheter restore blood flow to areas of the lungs that do not receive blood due to the disease.  When successful, BPA eliminates or reduces shortness of breath, increases exercise tolerance and quality of life, and extends life expectancy. treatment in Japan, I’ve been rebuilding my strength and endurance. I exercise almost every day, this time strictly following my doctor’s instructions. I’d say that my fitness and heart have improved a lot, but this still needs to be confirmed by medical tests. – Check out my workouts on Strava.

Most likely due to my accident, and despite the recent BPA treatment, I still have severe limitations due to exercise-induced hypoxemia (low blood oxygen saturationBlood Oxygen Saturation (SpO2) The oxygen saturation (SpO2) of a person's blood is defined as a percentage of the maximum amount (100%) of oxygen it can transport. A healthy person's SpO2 percentage should be between 96% and 99%. - Source: What is oxygen saturation (SpO2)? What is the normal range for SpO2??. Retrieved 11 November 2022, from ihealthlabs.com). I’m consistently doing what I can within those limits, and who knows, maybe one day I’ll manage to finish that 5K run.

Thanks, Lew Hollander, for the inspiration! Never stop moving!