On the surface there are those who would like to throw out blame or suspicions of things, like, I should have eaten better, I am to big, on and on, but here are the facts. In the last 2 years now I've lost close to 50 pounds and am still safely and appropriately loosing weight. My resting heart rate as of last week was 72, my blood pressure was 114/60, my blood sugars are averaging less than or right at 120. All good things, in fact, according to my doctor and cardiologist, "If you weren't in such good shape you would be dead. It's a miracle you're alive." A Miracle? Yes, a miracle.
You see after the cauterization of my heart on Thursday, (this all started on Tuesday) it was discovered that there is a "GREAT" vein on the right side of my heart, however, there are 3 blocked arteries on the left side, not just with some blockage, but blocked 100%. Thus the miracle that I am walking and alive.
So, if things are so great, why me? After all, a couple of weeks ago I was walking around Branson Missouri and Eureka Springs Arkansas, feeling fine except for this lingering issue that has been bothering me now for almost 2 years, heartburn. I had been to the doctors to have it checked out. It was originally diagnosed as an ulcer after Mary Jane's death. I was taking ulcer medicines that seemed to help and was as of the last month or so eating and heartburn medicines like candy. Yet, at Branson and Eureka Springs I started having severe "heartburn." I had in the past gotten in a hot shower which seemed to help but that was once every now and then. Well after multiple episodes of having to do this over several nights, at the encouragement of a friend I have written about, I went to the doctors and there it was discovered. I needed emergency surgery sooner than later.
Here are some of the contributors that help bring about heart disease.
1) the use of tobacco: I don't use tobacco.
2) Diabetes: Yes I am diabetic I am doing so good in that area that there is serious discussion of coming totally off of my medications.
3) High Blood Pressure: well my blood pressure is really good, see above.
4) Cholesterol: here, my cholesterol levels fall within the normal categories and bad cholesterol is down, good cholesterol is up.
5) Diet: again, folks around me are typically surprised at how little I eat and how healthy I eat.
6) Hereditary: BINGO! I come from a family history filled with heart issues but I didn't worry, after all, look at the numbers above.
7) Stress: BINGO! Do you know my story, of fighting and being with my wife for over a year and a half being her only caregiver, begging at times for help, and being able to work or have time to myself? How about a former daughter in law, lying through her teeth, violating a court order and taking one of the only bits of joy from me, not allowing me to see my granddaughter in almost 7 months now because apparently I love my son and have a great relationship with him, btw, I have the texts that show her expressing and lying about this.
Those last 2 things are the likely contributor to my issues right now, the truth is, there is little if anything I could do about either of them. I'm likely not the only one to fall into this category, likely so do some of you.
The purpose of this post: It really is quite simple, I can't change my situation, I don't see outside of a miracle or having my former daughter in law put in jail for a violation of a court order helping me see my granddaughter and there is nothing I can do to change my family history. I can continue on a heart healthy diet, see my doctors, and do what I am told, all will help, but little else will without the elimination of stress issues and this don't even touch things like still having to wait on Sedgwick County to take the criminal action against the contractors that put my family literally through hell in my wife's last days on this earth.
Here is what I want to say, if you have any symptoms, fall into any of the above categories, take your health seriously. Sometimes people don't think I do, it frustrates me, because those who know me know how much I do. I go to doctors every three months or as I need and more. Yes I can be stubborn but I don’t' like insinuations that I am stupid. When a cardiologist says it is a "miracle" I'm alive, I understand doctors use that word with extreme rarity.
If or when I die, one of the things I want people to say about me is that I cared about others because I do. I know what God has done for me and if He would do it for me He will do it for you. I want people to know I love Jesus who has commanded me to love others unconditionally and to love Him with my all. It's simple, I care for you.
I beg, I implore you, keep up with your health, see your doctors, don't take any symptoms lightly, I'll be honest I did, after all, "heartburn," thankfully my friend Pam who I have written about before got on me and made me promise to see a doctor. Sometimes, it takes the actions of others to push us to the place we need to be.
I post this not for sympathy, but as a way to say, stay on top of your own health. I say that, well, I say that because I care for you. The last thing I need is the stress and pain of losing another friend. I've experienced that way too much in 2020. God let 2021 be a better year, if not, let us at least learn to love each other more.
https://thevirtualpew.blogspot.com/2020/11/not-so-happy-holidays.html
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