“Living with a pacemaker after 60”
The “Battery” in My Chest: Maintaining an Active Lifestyle After 60
We’ve all arrived in our sixties with a few stories to tell.
By this stage, it’s almost inevitable that life after 60 has thrown health challenges your way.
Some are down to lifestyle, some are the result of a long career, and some, like mine, are just down to the genetic lottery.
My main problem? My heart decided it wanted to stop whenever it felt like it.
I’ve been told many times by my wife and kids that I don’t actually have a heart, so perhaps the timing was just ironic.
I’ll skip the medical jargon; the short version is: I’ve had a pacemaker for six years.
A Change in Power: Living with a Pacemaker
My grandson, who was four at the time, called it my “battery.” And honestly? That’s exactly how I see it.
Apart from the first six weeks of being careful post-implant, I’ve had no real issues. I am grateful for it every single day.
However, it reminds me of my stepdaughter. She lives with a genetic bowel condition and a colostomy bag.
For someone with an active lifestyle and a serious travel addiction, it presents huge hurdles.
But she just shrugs it aside. It’s something she can’t change, so why get stressed?
The “Why” Behind the Business Fitness Rule
Last week, I talked about the 1-Hour Rule: Giving your body and business one protected hour, three times a week.
When people hear “fitness,” they often think of marathon runners or gym rats.
But when you’re thriving after 60 with a “battery” or a “bag,” fitness takes on a different meaning.
It’s not about punishment. It’s about maintenance.
Those 3 hours a week are how I ensure the rest of my “machinery” stays worthy of the pacemaker.
It’s the positive, “can-do” attitude that turns a medical device from a limitation into a tool for a second act.
Resistance Bands or Dumbbells? How I Use Both to Stay Strong After 60
Overcoming the “Warranty” Period: Your Second Act
We are all living on slightly different terms in our sixties.
But a health challenge doesn’t have to be the end of the road; it’s just a change in the operating manual for your active lifestyle.
I’d love to hear from you: What “repairs” or challenges have you had to overcome?
Sharing these stories isn’t about complaining, it’s about showing others that with the right mindset, you can stay strong, active, and very much in the game.
Looking Ahead: Escaping the Cold
The reason I’m so disciplined with these habits isn’t just about health for health’s sake. It’s about what that health allows us to do.
My wife and I are planning a trip to Thailand this December to escape the winter cold. To make that happen, to truly switch off and enjoy the heat, I need both my physical “battery” and my business engine to be in top shape.
Tomorrow, I’m going to share the second half of this equation:
The Business “Pacemaker.” I’ll be diving into how I’ve been “fixing the machinery” of this blog (JavaScript, LCP, and all the technical gremlins) to ensure the business can run smoothly while I’m on a beach in Thailand.
Keep an eye out for tomorrow’s post on how a few small habits today buy you the freedom of tomorrow.
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