Going back on snowboard after open heart surgery on top of Kope, Slovenia

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
― Lao Tzu

Winter has been weird here in Slovenia this year, it came really late, when it was cold enough, there wasn't enough of a snowfall to call it real Winter. When the time is for Spring to come, we got some unexpected 15cm of snow and now almost in the middle of April, there's a forecast for snow at around 700m above sea level.

Living on 600m everything is possible, mother Nature never disappoints with present's, surprises and new adventure's.

Decided to share some shot's of my dream and a goal reached ever since I got out of the hospital after an unexpected open heart surgery, that has changed my life completely.

It also changed me, my values, made me adjust my goals, forced me to think again what are my priorities, what are my true goals and what I've gone through to this point.

Firstly I'm grateful to even wake up in the morning, to have quality breathing, drinkable tap water, able to take hot showers, grateful that my recovery is still ongoing smoothly, acording to plan, with doctors supervisuon and a good eye on my now fully functional mechanical Aort valve in my heart.

My goals for 2023 were really simple and I planned whole Winter season with it :

• be able to take care of myself
• able to walk normally
• get in shape
• complete cardio rehabilitation
• go on my bicycle for a ride
• drive my car over 100km in a day
• fully accept myself, continue working on myself
• be able to go on a small hike without any problem
• go for a swim
• find one sea shell
• get back to mushroom hunting
• and get back on my snowboard

Fortunate enough that all of these simple, but yet for me, very motivating goals were the pushing me forward at my core. It's a bit funny how such a life changing situation, made me appreciate the smallest things in life.
It's very easy for me to find thing's I'm truly grateful for from the bottom of my heart.

Just breathing freely, being able to sit, walk, feel safe in my body these are the daily basic things among many that I stopped taking for granted.
The worst, or toughest pain of them all, was for over 10 days after operation when I wasn't even able to walk, sit on the bed, stand up straight, and when nurses took care of me daily, even hourly.

Alright, back to the fun stuff, my achievement after all of the backstory...

Somewhere in the middle of January I got the urge, the call from deep within me that I really want to go snowboarding, relearn what I knew, get back to snowboarding. So in the morning after I took my medication, I packed my car with everything needed, with my snowboarding gear and went on a road trip to ski resort Kope 1524m.

At first it took me some time to get my gear up, it was a perfect timing as the sky was sunny and clear, there was fresh snow and the temperatures were great for me, as I was still adjusting to the cold, with really cold hands and feet from time to time, the reason being my condition or my heart, with all the medications.

But for that day, I didn't let that stop me. All I kept in my mind is that everything is alright, this is what I was dreaming off, looking forward to this moment, so I stayed fully focused on the moment.

For the day all I cared for was going on the snowboard, get a feel for it again after almost 2 seasons have passed and so as I learned again how to sit, walk, go upstairs... so was the feeling of going sideways, shredding threw freshly made snow.

Oh boy it was amazing feeling, started on a tiny slope two times, where learners went. I had that, ok not entirely.
I did fell two times, first was at the start.. went too slow, next 50m again, went off course in to the deep snow and, yeah went too slow, again!

Then moved on to where I aimed my goals to be shredding down the hill. It was the main course, where I felt most comfortable. Lot of people, and wide slope, where I had plenty of room and felt safe enough if anything goes wrong.

After over an hour I took some time to reflect, get off the slope and took 15 minutes to breathe, get in some fresh mountain air, reflect on what I am, where I am at the moment, what I'm doing and went on a walk around energy point's that are located on top of mountain Kope with a cool sculpture.

The first try went without any problem, so it continued through the whole day, ok.. for the total of 2hours and a half, when I started feeling weaker with shaking legs, feet started to hurt a little and I knew hour and a half of driving is still waiting for me.

Was careful enough not to take too much speed in the corners, that I was always leaning, riding on the freshly cut edge's on my snowboard and that I trusted myself enough, believed I can do it. Most of the small falls were lucky, only at very or too slow speeds for snowboard.

At the end, the bonus to my goal to go snowboarding was the delicious, for me now traditional Hungarian Goulash, we call it Golaž at the end of a really good day.

Pinmapple location : [//]:# (!pinmapple 46.50291 lat 15.21065 long d3scr)

I do recommend to learn how to make Hungarian Goulash to any unprofessional chef like myself, or even better go and try one as it is really simple, and even better the next day.

On my way back to my car and back home, I saw that I didn't forget how to snowboard and that muscle memory is real. With the whole new feeling for the world and people surrounding me, it was almost like a whole new experience, like it was for the first time.

Writing blog's here on Hive are like an old album to me, for the memories I share and the adventures I can remind myself with what I was already enjoying in life. Snowboarding was definitely one of them.

For that I am grateful for that it helps me remember good, amazing moments, stunningly beautiful locations Slovenia has to offer and makes me think about everything again why I am feeling blessed for, all the gratitude I express and write down in my diary daily. And that there is a need to live in the moment, while chasing a goal.

Thank you for taking time to read, I wish you a good day or a good night and a good life.

_{Photos made with my Samsung Galaxy A52s are raw and kept original}

“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
― Napoleon Hill

Till next time, stay awesome... Happy, Strong & Healthy my friends !