RUNAWAY HEART & NON-RUNNING KNEES

In mid-February 2014; Jerry experienced several episodes of very high and uncontrollable heart rates that started while exercising but then lasted many hours after he came to a rest with a beer in hand.  One of those extended episodes required hospitalization to stabilize the heart and blood pressure.  The cardiologist has done a lot of tests including having Jerry wear a heart monitor for 21 days.  He stressed his heart during that time and the cardiologist found no unusual rhythms or rates.  He has cleared Jerry for unlimited exercise and time distance from the ER.  Since that sign-off Jerry again experienced several exercise induced tachycardia events where his heart exceeded 205 beats per minute while exercising with a level of effort requiring about 160 bpm.  Fortunately it also slowed to a normal rate as soon as Jerry stopped working so hard.   Jerry has now done three months of hard bicycle riding with a stable heart rate so maybe this problem is behind them.  

Jerry's knees are both failing rather quickly now.  He has had seven knee surgeries since 1963 and there is nothing left in either knee for them to repair.  He has known for the last 10 years that they both need replacement.  Jerry's current knee specialist says they are the worst natural knees he has seen in use by an active bicycle rider and hiker.  He understands why Jerry has put off the replacements for all this time but he is also becoming more aggressive about telling us that Jerry is just one bad step, fall off the bike, or knee bump on a rock from complete catastrophic knee failure and the need for an emergency replacement.

He is a navy orthopedic surgeon and works on lot's of knees that return to boats.  He is insistent that Jerry will not be able to live on a boat for at least three months after the bi-lateral knee replacement.   That does put a damper on our sailing plans.