Wired

Rumors say its National Coffee Day.

It also happens to be Semi-Annual Caitlin Gets Hooked Up to a Holter Monitor Day.


It is no secret that my taste in beverages is fairly dull. I can go for weeks on end with just water and green tea and not feel that I am lacking anything in life. Staying hydrated is my first, and apparently only, priority when it comes to drinks.

Over the last few years I have tried to make myself someone who has a more varied palate. I make plans to stock my fridge full of gluten-free beers, various ciders, exotic juices, and bottles of Kombucha. Maybe go all out and add a carton of chocolate milk. This great idea lasts a week or two before the grocery list loses any mention of liquids and sticks to the four main food groups: fruits, vegetables, cereals, and baking supplies.

But within the attempts of change there is one thing that has, in fact, stuck: Coffee.

I consider myself a Coffee Appreciator. I'm not a Coffee Addict where I find myself unable to function without a morning cup o' joe and I'm also not a Coffee Connoisseur who is able to judge a shop based on their roasting technique or the aroma when you pour. I'm just someone who enjoys a nice hot beverage to warm my insides and give me a little boost on the days I need to hike eight miles with students or direct traffic in the pouring rain.

I don't need anything fancy. I don't require lots of add-ins. I definitely don't crave a visit to Starbucks. I can make a cup at home and be good for the day. One cup of plain, boring, whatever-brand-Grandma-and-I-found-at-the-store coffee.


When my heart started to act up last spring my doctor was concerned about my fluid intake. She was reassured that I drank enough water (my Camelbak was a permanent fixture to my spine) but mentioned that any sort of caffeine could be triggering my palpatations.

Do you drink soda? A root beer float when it was offered; so maybe three or four times a year.

Do you drink alcohol? Not because of the caffeine, she reminded me, but because if I had a problem with liquor that could be part of what was damaging my heart. I was far from being an alcholic, I was barely a social drinker.

Do you drink tea and coffee? Um...

So for a few weeks I was left with just water. My Mango Vanilla Ceylon teabags sitting on a shelf and my Santa Cruz Roasting Co. grounds given to a friend. I felt more boring than ever. My mornings in the coastal fog felt colder and greyer. Drinking a glass of water with my oatmeal was hardly breakfast.

Could it be that I needed my coffee more than I realized?

When my heart continued to act up caffeine was ruled out as a major health risk and became something to enjoy in moderation. A win for my morning routine, a loss for any diagnostic conclusions. So I pulled out the tea and headed to Coffee Cat for a victory latte and that was that.


I started off today in my doctor's office talking more about my heart. She hooked me up to wires to read my EKG and then disconnected me to hook me up to more (portable) wires to wear for the next 24 hours. The instructions were clear: Act normal.

So, naturally, I got in the car and drove to my favorite coffee shop for a latte.



Cheers to coffee and cheers to hearts. They seem to go hand in hand sometimes.
http://instagram.com/p/ti56NSGBF2/