Having managed to continue Ironman training with an abdominal aortic aneurysm stent graft, Dr. Morgan tackles a tougher challenge, triathlons with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This comes with a significant amount of pain and dysfunction. He tackled this in his usual scientific manner, or as Mark Watney in "The Martian" would put it, "Dr. Morgan has "scienced the sh*t out of it." As a veterinary pathologist, life-long athlete, and student of body movement, his training was ideal for tackling his challenging situation.
In 2015, Dr. Morgan was diagnosed with PAD based on symptoms and an Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) Pressure test. His vascular surgeon warned him that PAD is a progressive disease. Dr. Morgan was also advised against surgical intervention. It was recommended he undertake a walking program to encourage the growth of new blood vessels (collaterals) around his blocked popliteal arteries. As a result of his medical and athletic training, Dr. Morgan went way beyond walking, to develop this twelve-step approach to improving blood flow to his calves and feet.
The success of his seven years of research and training, to beat PAD, is demonstrated by his having recently qualified for the World Half Ironman Championships, to be held in Lahti, Finland, in August 2023. One race day Dr. Morgan will be 80 years old. "No spring chicken, but not dead yet," he likes to say, having gained one of only seventeen championship slots in a qualifying race, from a field of 3,000 triathletes, by winning his age group, 75-79.
This book is written in a clear style, with appropriate figures and "translation" of medical terminology. As Dr. Morgan says, "We pathologists like to use long words because it impresses people." He provides a clear road map for fighting PAD, once you leave your vascular surgeon's office or the operating room. This is work PAD sufferers can do to complement the remarkable efforts of their medical teams, who daily save the lives of patients from the ravages of vascular disease.
Dr. Morgan has lived with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) stent graft since 2010, and he continues to love Ironman training. PAD turned out to be an even tougher challenge than his aortic aneurysm, but one ideally suited to a veterinarian and Ironman-distance triathlete who loves to solve problems and to enjoy Ironman training for as long as possible. His book will take you step-by-step through his winning process, from widening your toes to finding the inspiration and support needed to overcome the despair that of accompanies the pain and disfunction of peripheral arterial and other vascular diseases.
"Not dead yet," indeed!
"Rock on, Dr. Morgan, and kick butt in Finland."
Sure did! Finished third in my age group, 80-84 in the World 70.3 Ironman Championships, with PAD!
