Enhanced External Counter Pulsation Treatment (EECP): Ray Columbus

17th Septmber 2007

EECP - Enhanced Externel Counter Pulsation Treatment.

Hi! there,well, I've completed 6 sessions of EECP now and the results have been very exciting(for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about ...please read last week's 'Health and Happiness' column - refer to all the column articles in the column to the right).

When I started on Wednesday night September 5th remember it was after a long day starting in Wellington at 5.45am, a 3 hour TV show "Good Morning" on ONE, debrief, change...travel to airport for a 3/4 hour wait...delays etc, flight to Auckland, drive to the Primary Heart Care EECP Therapy Clinic at 524 Parnell Rd...meet and greet, check it out then off to a 90 minute Recording session at RockmeBaby Studio nearby...then back for my session where I laid on a bed where blood pressure cuffs ( 3 sets of 2) were wrapped firmly around my calves, thighs and buttocks/pelvis.

The EECP machine then monitors my heart beat and is turned on. A wonderful thing then happens...my heart is then at rest while EECP takes over the pumping of oxygenated blood around my body.

OK that established...what I didn't tell you then, was when my blood pressure was taken before and after the treatment it was 162/107 and my heart rate 73!!!...HIGH Right?...I don't have high blood pressure and it certainly was not the cause of my 'Heart event' almost 3 years ago!...(I didn't freak but was surprised..)

Will Hinchcliff, Director of the Clinic said 'how many coffees have you had today? Ray?'...(I normally drink Chai tea at home)...'at least 5 probably 7 to keep me awake'..he smiled and said.... 'We'll get that down tonight!!!!'...he was right, an hour later it was 152/107 and the rate 65....down but obviously still a lot of caffiene in me.

Well I'm thrilled to tell you that when I started my 6th session on Friday 14th Sept...the before reading was 137/79 and the rate 81 (having just travelled down from Matakana...) and after the one hour therapy 145/82 and the rate a very sporty 57.

Wait there's more!...I've been sleeping even better that normal...feel much more energised for hours after the session,feel the need to eat less then before and my brain is much livelier than it's been for a long time.

Each day I try to have 3/4 glasses of water with freshly squeezed lemon juice to keep rehydrated...and help detox my system..but that's not a problem.

Even better, my Wife Linda arrived home on Air NZ's new 777 early on Tues morning. It was a grueling trip for anyone...starting at 4.30am in Red Bank New Jersey,USA on Sunday local time. BobbySon drove her to Newark's Liberty International for her flight to LAX via UA, on arrival she changed terminals and had an 8 hour wait...(she had been away on a mercy mission for 5 months plus - helping Daughter Tina through a very dangerous pregnancy condition called Hyperemesis)...a beautiful new Grand Son and a recovered Daughter is the result Thank God)..,so that's why she didn't stopover in LA..wanted to get home to me natch!.

Now pause here a mo'..Linda has had ME (Chronic Fatigue) for over 12 years and although she has mostly mastered it...long flights still impact on her immune system...and this one...especially after a very tiring time in the US providing care to Daughter, Grand Daughter Sheridan and new baby Brayden...wreaked of RELAPSE!!!! so, I took her directly to The heart Clinic at 8am....Her Heart rate was 'like a sparrow's' at the time.

She has now had 4 sessions in a row...and there's virtually no sign of Jetlag...in fact after 4 consecutive days of driving back and forth from Matakana to Parnell...even taking turns...is in itself tiring...we also took the time to see some of our City friends while there.

But-

Here we are on a beautiful Saturday Spring day..having a little sleep in before having a catchup. Then More Therapy next week.


How pleasing for PAUL HOLMES to see his new series on ONE 'WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO?'

Top rated first week. As participants in the series and that debut episode as a member of the Group Ray Columbus & The Invaders it was fun to be on. It's always great getting back together as a group and playing our old hits that now go back aver 40 years.

Billy Kristian (Bass/vox) and Dave Russell (Guitar/vox) and I are the only survivors, sadly.

Wally Scott (guitar/vox) and Jimmy Hill(Drums/vox) died 25 and 5 years back, respectively...Wally returned from Texas, terminally ill with a melanoma on his toe and Jimmy with further heart problems that went back many years to a pig valve operation on his ticker.

I'm mentioning this because we three agreed to appear on WEHT? so that we could pay homage to Wally and Jimmy...which we did ..but it was edited out on the final version that went to air.

Other than that we were very happy with everything about the show where The Group and its remainder members were treated with respect and honour...led of course by Paul Holmes.

My opinion for what it's worth is that this format really fits Paul...he has the Mana to front it and that mana gives the series gravitas and lifts it way above reality shows and what I call 'exploitation television'. So well done Julie Christie and the Team at Eyeworks Touchdown...Long may it screen..heaven knows there is plent of subject matter out there...and the list increases with every passing day.

Don't forget our Beach Boys Competition...One person who emails me here during September at grownups.co.nz with the correct answer to this question will win the tickets…What songwriter/singer/musician the original boy genius Of The Beach Boys will NOT be in the group when they play in Auckland?

Next Week's competition I'll be offering a free Heart Checkup at The Primary Heart Care EECP Therapy HEART CLINIC.

Finally good luck to all the finalists up for the Song Of The Year at the APRA Silver Scroll Awards,this Tuesday 18th Sept at the Auckland Town Hall.I'm looking forward to it.

Copyright Ray Columbus 2007

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