I’m back at work today. My first day back since getting a pacemaker. For that story, please read my previous blog post.
That 2:30AM alarm came unusually early this morning. I’m back at it. Reading the news out loud on TV.
I’m also a bit thrown by something I read in the New York Times today. The piece is called, “Can a smart watch save your life?” On Friday, I wrote here, “Did My Apple Watch Save My Life?”
In it, the writer talks about their 87-year-old mother discovering from her Apple Watch that her heart rate was below 40. I know the feeling. Just like me, she needed a pacemaker.
While she and I benefited from our wearable smart devices, the jury is still out. Apparently there are a lot of studies on whether these things do what they ought to do. Or, maybe they just detect things that don’t necessarily require medical intervention or stress out the wearer?
Let me just say this: my Apple Watch told me when I was in trouble. Big trouble. Now, I hate taking the thing off, even to charge it.
Just checked. My heart rate is 72 beats per minute. Also, my shoulder hurts where they put the thing in. I think that will last for a few days. Beyond that I feel great.
The news goes on with or without me. Some headlines… Demand for Covid testing is now so low that most of the testing sites are closing down. Pharmacies and doctors’ offices will be the option. This is good news. We’ve turned the corner on the virus here in the U.S.
The 2,000 National Guard troops who have been been patrolling the Capitol in Washington are also heading home. They have been there for four months since the January 6 riot. The New York Post is reporting that Congress still can’t agree on how to fund Capitol security.
And Congress still can’t agree on police reform. Tomorrow is the anniversary of George Floyd’s death and President Biden’s deadline to get something done. Fox News is reporting that one of the sticking points is qualified immunity. That’s what protects law enforcement from lawsuits.
So, that’s where I start my week. The news and more matters of the heart.