Well, it’s been 15 months since my heart transplant. I’m still here. I’m still kicking. It’s been quite a journey so far.
So far, I have survived three phases of rehab, Covid-19, and the tough-guy mentality that has been part of me since birth. I started training and working again. It hasn’t been easy.
The grind of the physical journey has been trying. Going to rehab, then struggling to walk the rest of the day pretty much kills the day.
Luckily, there is no rejection, so we have been winding down the drugs I have to take daily.
The mental journey has gone fairly well also. My ego kept me motivated during rehab. That same ego has encouraged me to get back to work. My friends at BCforward, ETI, and Agile Meridian have provided support as I moved forward.
I’ve had my struggles. I continue to fight the urge to resort to bad habits. I am constantly fighting to not over-commit and bow to my workaholic tendencies.
I also have sought help in dealing with some of the mental residuals from the transplant. It’s not in my nature, but I am glad I did seek help.
What does the future hold? I don’t know. I do know that I am going to focus on what I love: my wife and my family. I can’t retire yet, so I have to do something.
What should I do? Something I really enjoy. I have always enjoyed teaching. In addition to providing agile and scrum training, I spent a couple of semesters teaching Agile concepts to college students at IUPUI. It didn’t pay much, but it was enjoyable.
I have been in technology since I was 18 years old. How do I combine the two loves? After giving a great deal of thought, I am going to pursue a mix of both. I want to focus on how technology can be applied to education.
If I can make a dent, then it can be my way of giving back.
Chris