Thought since the post about Bill Barnfield’s heart problem was getting a bit lengthy it was time to start a new one for his sake in hopes of more Swaylockers getting the most miles out of Bill’s experience. The following is my reply…my letter to Bill and to all of you out there in the water:
Aloha Bill,
Attitude determines altitude, and it sounds as if the very most fulfilling and most active part of your life could actually still be ahead of you. Your story has obviously hit a cord here with many guys, and who knows whose life just might be saved as a result? To amplify on your story Bill, may the following story give you and possibly others the encouragement to realize what I mean here: (I’ll try hard to make it short, but want to get the story across).
I am now your neighbor over here on Maui, but I took 34 years off surfing to climb mountains. I rode my last wave in 1970 and moved to Colorado where mountaineering became my entire life. After climbing most of the 14,000+ ft. peaks in the US (there are 54 in Colorado) I summited two peaks in the Mt. Everest region of the Himalaya in Nepal at age 51 (over 20,000 ft.). I don’t state this to brag, as many have climbed more and taller peaks than I, but I share this only because four years prior to that expedition, I too found myself in the hospital having an angioplasty performed to correct a 95% blocked artery.
My situation was very similar to the one you described, as I too was extremely fit, trained six days per week, and was actively climbing, and spending nights in snow caves, etc., when I went in for a simple annual physical. The doc suggested a routine stress test. I remember laughing at him and stated that I took my own self-administered stress tests on a weekly basis on tall peaks. He persisted, stating that he pushed anyone over 45, especially those with a family history of heart conditions, to do a heart exam. I tried to argue my way out of it. My big ego wanted him to know just who he was dealing with. Man, was I about to be humbled! I gave in and he saved my life. Two minutes into the test he shut the treadmill down and I was off to the cardiologist to have a catheter run up my artery from my groin into my heart. Call it a fluke, coincidence, or whatever you will, but unknown to me, I had high cholesterol and plack in my arteries despite being fit. My artery suddenly and without warning had become instantly blocked. If not for that routiine physical I would have most likely died three days later attempting the peak planned for the following weekend.
I was sent home and told the odds of another similar incident. Statistically there was a one in three chance it could happen again within six months. They weren’t installing stints yet back then. My world had seemingly stopped. Never climb again? Never push the limits and rejoice in adventure ever again? Just sit back and concentrate on being old? After about two weeks of wo is me pitty, I said no. I did what you did and started making huge changes. I read Dr. Dean Ornish’s books, among others, changed my eating habits 180 degrees, and changed my attitude about life. At the risk of sounding like a Jesus freak, I began to let God take control and I rejoiced at every waking morning as if it were a giant gift. I started “enjoying the ride”.
My seven Himalayan expedition members never knew about my heart problem of four years earlier. Keeping that secret was extremely selfish of me due to the possible risk I imposed on the team who depended on each person for survival. However, if I had divulged such, I would not have been there. The climb took a month, but when I reached the summit of that peak I cried. It wasn’t that I had “conquered” another peak, but that I became overwhelmed in gratitude for the gift of life and the ability to overcome life’s stuff. I’ll throw in here that I had also had major leg and knee surgery 12 months earlier from a climb injury which required daily rehab for nearly that full year prior to the climb.
It sounds weird, but I am very thankful that my heart problem happened. It literally allowed me the opportunity to wake up to a new and improved life. I didn’t “need” climbing anymore after I came home from that trip nine years ago, so after a few girations, here I am after all these years, back in the water riding waves again. I’ve never had a single heart problem since (thirteen + years now). I surf or standup paddle six days a week at dawn and live a spoiled but thankful life.
Sooo, all this to say, thanks for sharing your story Bill, and may you surfers out there listen up and stay tuned in to your bodies with the same zeal you stay stoked for waves. I’m personally aware there are several of you guys that have come close to the brink, suffered, and have far more powerful stories than this one about overcoming obstacles, but I hope in some way this gives the encouragement intended.
Enjoy the ride!
Richard