Give peace to my heart, Ricard

To complete that periodic inspection, the doctor asked me questions:

–Chronic diseases?

-No.

-Sleep well?

-Yeah.

–Do you regularly take medication?

–No... Look, doctor, the truth is I don't have any pain – I told her, getting excited, puffing out my chest.

And then came the electrocardiogram.

And then the doctor looked scared.

–What’s wrong with your heart?

-Nothing.

"It's beating too slowly. And the graph shows a curve I don't like. Explain it to me, or I'll admit you right now."

Her scared face frightened me. I stammered:

"If my pulse rate is low, it's because I used to be an elite athlete and I continue to train hard. And as for the sharp curve, I don't know what to say."

–Well, talk to your trusted cardiologist, if you have one. Or I'll admit you right away.

Read also “Your heartbeat has always been slow and always had that curve; don’t worry too much.”

With a heavy heart (never better said), I called Ricard Serra Grima.

The call was a balm, as Ricard Serra Grima told me:

–Your heartbeat always had that curve. Don't worry too much.

–How can you remember? It's been 25 years since you last examined me!

–I remember all the hearts.

Yes, it gave me peace.

Ricard Serra Grima has spent fifty years caring for the hearts of thousands of Catalan athletes, including my own. He's done so at the Blume Residence, at Barça , and at the Sant Pau Hospital, and he's taken notes on all those inspections, saving and organizing them to perhaps use in the future. The time is now: his elephantine project has finally resulted in a study bringing together 444 former elite athletes—athletes, swimmers, cyclists, gymnasts, tennis players, water polo players, rowers, equestrians, basketball players, rugby and hockey players—and which he presented a few weeks ago at the Sant Pau Hospital, in an exercise that took us back in time.

So, suddenly, former athletes in their fifties and sixties met again so many years later, gathered to look into the auditorium and listen to Ricard Serra Grima, who is a cardiologist, professor and spiritual father and, between analysis and data, he told us:

–Yes, dear athletes, you did well. So many years later, I can scientifically confirm that elite sport does not compromise an athlete's future heart health.

And with that, a few of us hugged each other and, arm in arm, we left the premises and went to have a few beers to the guru's health.