身の破滅を防ぐ方法 HOW NOT TO RUIN YOUR HEALTH

身の破滅を防ぐ方法

１２月初旬、すんでのところで心臓手術をしなければならない羽目になった。ある病院の医者が「うちでは診れないから、名大病院に行って下さい。カテーテルの手術をしなければならない」と言ったからだ。

　その後、ホルター検査、エコー検査、アイソトープ検査の結果、心室頻脈という不整脈と診断された。幸い、手術しなくてもよく、薬で抑えられ、忘年会もスポーツも適度ならOKということで、安心した。

　不整脈の原因の一つにストレスがあり、思い当たる節があった。多分、１０月に行った地中海クルーズだ。

　クルーズは楽な船旅だが、団体旅行だから、どういう人がその団体にいるかで、旅の楽しさが決まる。なんと、今回の団体は私達夫婦ともう一組の夫婦（ご主人８０歳、奥さん７５歳）の合計４人だけだった。なんとも色気のないことよ。9日間の航海中毎日、昼飯と晩飯は同じテーブルでとらなければならない。寄港先での観光も添乗員について同じ行動をとる。楽しい夫婦ならともかく、この婆さんはおしゃべりで、爺さんは耳が遠く、面白くないのにへらへら笑う。第一日目から辟易した。

　さらに、この夫婦がまた頑強にできている。爺さんは癌で、一時は家の中を這いずっていたそうだ。婆さんは毎日のようにプールで１キロ泳いでいると言う。癌の治療後、夫婦で１時間歩くことが日課だという。

　ジェノバを観光しているとき、この夫婦の健脚ぶりに驚いた。坂道をどんどん歩いていく。私は普段歩いていないから、後からついて行くしかなかった。夜の８時ごろ、ホテルに帰るとき幹線道路の長いトンネルを歩かねばならなかった。車がビュンビュン脇を走り、排気ガスで充満した薄暗い坂道のトンネルを歩いたのだ。老夫婦と添乗員は元気良く、どんどん先を歩いて行く（ひどい添乗員）。私たち夫婦は後から、ハアハアして追いかけた。後から追いつこうとするのは心臓に悪い。心臓が苦しくなったけれども、８０歳の老人に負けてはおれない。何のこれきしと思い、必死に歩いても到底追いつけなかった。ハンケチで鼻を押さえながら、喘ぎ喘ぎ歩いた。苦しくて、苦しくて本当に心臓がどうにかなりそうだった。

　日本に帰ってから、自分も健脚家になろうと思い立ち、毎日４０分ぐらい歩き始めた。１１月で、寒いというのに急に歩き出したのだ。5日間ぐらい歩いたところで、体が変調をきたした。頭がくらくらっとする。立ちくらみのような感じになる。一瞬、目の前が暗くなり意識が遠のく。一日に数回立ちくらみがしだした。階段を上っている時や激しい運動をしている時ではなく、平坦な道を歩いている時なのにふらつくのだ。

　海外旅行から帰ったばかりは、緊張していて疲れが出なかったが、１２月に入って緊張がとれ、疲れが出たらしい。

　今思うに、８０歳の老人に負けられないという負けん気がいけなかった。普段やっていないことを急にやっても成果が上がるどころか、体調を崩すのだ。何事も人のペースに巻き込まれず、人真似をせず、自分のペースを守って黙々と生きてゆかなければいけないと思った。これが長生きのコツだ。

　今年も無事に年が越せることに感謝しつつ…。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　１２月３１日午後９時

 

　　　　　　HOW NOT TO RUIN YOUR HEALTH

I nearly underwent a cardiac operation in early December because a cardiovascular doctor said to me, “A heart irregularity was seen on your electrocardiogram. I’m sorry this hospital is not well equipped, so I recommend you to go to a large hospital such as Nagoya University Hospital or The Second Red Cross Hospital. Most probably you must undergo catheter-based therapy.”

　　　The next day I went to the Second Red Cross Hospital and  had a Holter monitor test, echocardiography, and radionuclide scanning in the Second Red Cross Hospital. As a result, I was diagnosed as having an irregular heartbeat (ventricular tachyarrhythmia). Luckily I did not have to undergo catheter-based therapy. Instead, I got plenty of medicine that would regulate my heartbeat. The doctor has allowed me to do sports if they are moderate and to attend a year-end party on the condition that I did not drink much.
　　　A book on heart disease mentioned that one of the main causes of an irregular heartbeat is stress. It called to mind something I had done in Genova, Italy while I was taking a trip on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean Sea this October.
　　　A cruise trip is a leisurely way to travel, free from packing and unpacking. But in my opinion, the enjoyment of your cruise depends on the members of your tour group. Believe it or not, our group consisted of only four, that is, my wife and I, and another couple (the husband was 80 years old and his wife was 75 years old.)   What an unattractive couple! All of us four took every lunch and every supper at the same designated table for nine days except for breakfast. At each calling port we visited sightseeing spots together escorted by the tourist guide. I can’t say they were pleasing couple because the husband, hard of hearing, was almost always giggling meaninglessly while his wife was a tremendous talker. I shrunk back on the very first day when I met them.

　　Furthermore, they were great walkers. According to her, her husband had once suffered from cancer and had been crawling in the house. She swam 1,000 meters almost every day. After his successful operation, they made it a rule to walk for an hour every day.
　　While we were sightseeing in Genova, I was amazed that they were strong walkers. They walked up the slopes steadily and speedily. Since I was a slow walker, I had no other choice but to walk behind them. Around 8 o’clock in the evening, we had to walk through a long sloping highway tunnel to our hotel for about 20 minutes. While we were walking, innumerable automobiles and trucks ran just beside us making tremendous noise and emitting exhaust fumes. The old couple and the tourist guide walked on and on far ahead of my wife and me. (What a bad guide!) I walked as fast as possible panting for air. My heart suffered. I was in agony. I thought I should get ahead of the 80-year-old man because I was more than ten years younger than he was. I couldn’t lose the race. Covering my nose with a handkerchief, I walked and walked my heart beating fast. In the end, I was far behind them.
　　After I returned to Japan, I thought I should be as good a walker as the old couple and began to walk for 40 minutes a day. But after five days I gave up because I began to feel ill in the cold November days. I began to feel dizzy several times a day even when I was walking on a flat ground or even when I was not doing hard exercise.
　　After coming back to Japan I felt relaxed, but it was only superficial. The truth is, the accumulated fatigue from traveling abroad began to reveal itself in December.
    Reflecting back on my travel abroad, I realized the cause of the irregular heartbeat was the competitive spirit. It won’t help you if you suddenly began to imitate others and do what you have not been doing. It will do you no good but harm, and wreck your health. The lesson I learned from the trip is: do not imitate others; don’t be drawn into others’ pace; you are you; keep your pace.