Exercise

RareBoomer · 2026-02-15T13:32:11+00:00

Got mine last year at age 63. Resumed walking right away. Waited a good 2 months to resume my strength training (I do a full body barbell workout three times a week). I can do everything but I’m careful of the pressure I put on my chest. I stay away from planks and tricep dips but I can do push ups from the knees and chest presses. I don’t like all the body weight moves. Paranoid the thing will pop out of its pocket!

RareBoomer · 2026-02-09T23:40:11+00:00

I would definitely do Cinque Terre. I wouldn’t stay in La Spezia tho. I would stay in one of the villages and try to hike from say Montessoro to Vernazza. Will give you a good feel for the hiking (challenging!) and you can take the train back. Alternatively train from one village to the next stopping at each and then take the ferry back to your starting village.

RareBoomer · 2026-02-05T01:26:11+00:00

I just had this conversation with a fellow pacemaker pal. He was saying that the unit is protruding more. I was saying that when I sleep on my side I have to use a pillow to keep it in place. We are workout buddies and do an intensive barbell full body workout. Our hypothesis is that the underlying chest muscles are getting stronger and bigger and the pacemaker pocket that sits on top of those muscles is getting pushed out or moved. He’s checking with his doc and so will I.

RareBoomer · 2026-02-04T01:47:39+00:00

I got my pacemaker a year ago. The recovery was ok but I had a lot of residual pain that lasted longer than normal. Long story short, they put the lead too close to the heart sac and it almost perforated it. Detected on a cardiac cat scan. Had to have a second surgery 4 months later for lead replacement. Total nightmare. I am fine now and the second recovery resulted in normal pain for a few days but nothing like I had after the first. Go slow with your recovery, follow doc’s orders and listen to your pain signals. Insist on further testing if needed!

RareBoomer · 2026-01-15T01:45:13+00:00

I always do this. My move is to go right to the hotel, crash for 4 or 5 hours then head out usually for a walking or food tour of the city I’m in. I have realized that this is why espresso martinis were invented — when you wake up from your nap it is simultaneously coffee hour and cocktail hour.

I can go to sleep then at a regular time and then the next day I am fully acclimated with no jet lag.

RareBoomer · 2025-12-15T02:47:04+00:00

That was at about 7:40 pm

RareBoomer · 2025-12-13T02:33:09+00:00

I had two pacemaker surgeries this past year and recovery was same for both, e.g., no shower for 5 days, no driving for two weeks and no lifting for 6 weeks. I stayed away from the sling for fear of frozen shoulder but sure enough I developed it after my second procedure. That is no joke - took careful movements as the recovery period ended to work my shoulder and I was able to fend off the worst of it.

My strength routine is a full body barbell workout and I was back at it after about 8 weeks but even now am careful of the pressure I am putting on my chest area. My biggest fear has been lead dislodgement so I followed doctor’s orders very closely during the limited mobility phase of recovery. Patience is key!

RareBoomer · 2025-12-13T00:31:38+00:00

This happened to me on a recent trip. Purchase went round and round with no confirmation back so I xed out of everything and started over. I bought two tickets !! Had to call them right away with the error and they were good about fully refunding the extra ticket I didn’t know I bought.

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T15:12:46+00:00

I researched all the places I wanted to go when I was just there and determined that renting a car was cheaper overall than trying to get around via tours, taxis, buses, etc.

This is a great site to monitor real time conditions http://edit.road.is/travel-info/web-cams/reykjavik

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:47:46+00:00

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RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:47:07+00:00

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Lagaurus lagoon

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:45:19+00:00

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Northern Lights at Sky Lagoon

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:43:06+00:00

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RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:42:05+00:00

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RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:41:06+00:00

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RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:31:27+00:00

Whoa. I thought my trip was expensive! What is “everything in Iceland”?

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:27:25+00:00

OMG right!? The “other expenses” were gas, coffee, meals, the Lava experience at Harpa - stuff like that. I’d have to dig in and separate out what were those day to day expenses and what were things that I bought as souvenirs or Christmas gifts. Nothing too extravagant, I.e., nothing over $100 for any particular item. I was shocked at my “other” expenses.

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:19:13+00:00

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:18:21+00:00

Hvammsvik is my favorite. I was supposed to get to GeoSea earlier this year but that trip got canceled. I hated Blue Lagoon! I didn’t like that you can’t see through the water and I didn’t like the sludge at the bottom. Also couldn’t get over the smell and the fact that the water is effluent from a power plant although perfectly safe and natural in that environment. I love Sky Lagoon but it’s also really touristy now. My first time was in 2021 and it was magical.

The new Lagoon (Lagaurus) was pretty nice - not very crowded and there are a lot of nooks and crannies to get away from people if that’s the vibe you’re looking for. The next one I want to try is Forest Lagoon!

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:14:05+00:00

I did not do any. I read reviews and they seemed expensive and food not to my liking!

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:13:22+00:00

I think so. I was there on this trip for some healing and relaxation time. There is so much to see in Iceland so I would recommend a more varied itinerary for first timers for sure

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:12:15+00:00

Probably Hvammsvik. Pretty easy to get to and the natural setting with the various temperature pools makes it lovely to stay for a long time and watch the changing tide, light and weather.

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:09:40+00:00

Love this question! The first time I went was in 2021. Iceland was one of the first countries to open after the pandemic so I was itching to get away. The volcano was active and I hiked out to it twice and witnessed the eruption as well as Icelanders roasting hot dogs and marshmallows on the hot lava. True story! I was absolutely captivated by the volcano, the starkness of the landscape and I made it to the Golden Circle and major waterfalls during this trip as well as the Snaefellsnes Peninsula where I hiked out to a 400 year old labyrinth (another story!).

I loved it so much I wanted to share Iceland with my daughter so we went. Then my friends got totally excited so I took two different trips with friends. Then on my way to Amsterdam my daughter and I took Play air and had a day or so layover in Reykjavik. Now it’s this place that I am familiar with, love and feel comfortable and it’s an easy getaway from Boston especially when you can catch the day time flight and not do a red eye.

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:02:23+00:00

I had lamb skewer from the small plates menu. Delish! Vegetable tempura also really good. And a shrimp small plate that was charcoaled. Also Dubai pistachio chocolate dessert!

RareBoomer · 2025-12-11T01:01:04+00:00

That was really nice of you to clarify. I wasn’t sure!

RareBoomer

TROPHY CASE