Mortality lightens the load

[juantoo3]

There is this nanosecond of knowing what is coming, but it isn't even enough time to be afraid. It's like my brain barely registers that this is happening and bam, it's already over and I'm pulling myself off the ground. The whole actual process while it's going on, I don't even have any thoughts, and now I don't have any memory of that bit of time- it happens so fast that you can't out-think it!

This is probably a bit off topic, but...

I didn't experience that "nanosecond" like that. Mine, on several occasions, were hypersensitive. Falling off the roof I had just enough time to utter the words "ohhh sh!i!i!ittttt," but my mind was hyperfast. It was like I was falling in slow motion. I was in a car wreck as a teenager, and the car rolled repeatedly (no one was hurt, thank G-d!), and the whole time was in slow motion in my mind. Couldn't do anything about it while I was watching, but I saw what I saw quite vividly. I can still recall quite clearly both events in my mind, but the fall in particular is attached to some physically painful memories that I don't particularly enjoy.

 

[juantoo3]

Really? What is it? Atrial fibrillation? Ventricular fibrillation?

If what you're saying is true, I guess I might have had a few heart attacks. I just personally don't like the idea of it being called a "heart attack."

I wasn't around when mom was going through her ordeal, but I found a little diary she started keeping after she found out. My brother tore out a few key pages in a fit of emotion after she passed away, so I still don't know the specifics. But the best I understand one of the blood vessels serving the heart clogged and that part of her heart actually died and became non-functional...sort of the equivalent of a stroke except it was the heart instead of the brain. Her heart still functioned, but not nearly as well, and she declined rapidly. Looking back over photos I can see how mom aged really rapidly during those last few years, she went from looking her age to looking 20 years older in just a couple years.

Salty, I don't know your situation or if you've been examined by a doctor, but I would suggest a workup by a cardiologist. What you are dealing with may be little more than a benign murmur, but I am concerned it may be an indication of something much worse. Not intended to scare you, but knowledge is power as they say. And the docs may be able to at least minimize the effect of those runaway heart beats through the interventions they have available today. I'll keep your well-being in my thoughts and prayers as well.

 

[earl]

Hmmmmmm...care to discuss that?

s.

Rather than focusing so much on the mysteries of existence and, particularly the "rights and wrongs" of any particular view, I'm now merely content to enjoy whatever is in front of me and to seek to absorb it from the most loving and appreciative perspective possible, foregoing the clutter of an overly busy mind. Perhaps I'll live from the adage that, if you have a choice between 2 theories, always pick the most humerous one. earl

 

[earl]

Yes- a lot of people actually have heart attacks and don't realize it. Sometimes they are small enough to just hurt in your arm for a moment, or make you feel slightly sick, and people just shrug it off. Surprising, eh?

Earl- I can understand this. Each time I've been in mortal danger, I have this sort of crystallization afterwards in which I really start looking hard at my life. Do I really need the stress of this or caring about that? It's very eye-opening in terms of paring down existence. Then I get complacent after a while and accumulate junk (worries, cares, actual junk, whatever) until the next moment like that.

I don't really know what it will be like to die. It depends a lot on how you go, I would think. My grandfathers both died of cancer, and one was lucid until the very, very end. He knew exactly the day he would die and he gave all the family messages in the last night he could speak, explaining he would die before sunrise, and he did. I can't imagine that kind of lucidity as I go- it was a real inspiration to see him face death like that, calmly with this certain peace. The only thing I can relate death to is, like Tao, when I've lost consciousness suddenly or the moments I've had bad accidents (like when I recently got tossed off a horse I was training). There is this nanosecond of knowing what is coming, but it isn't even enough time to be afraid. It's like my brain barely registers that this is happening and bam, it's already over and I'm pulling myself off the ground. The whole actual process while it's going on, I don't even have any thoughts, and now I don't have any memory of that bit of time- it happens so fast that you can't out-think it! That's the only thing I have to compare it to, so my grandfather's slow battle and resigned, calm and fully knowledgeable end is inconceivable.

My hope for you is to worry enough to take care of yourself, but not too much. I know many people who have heart attacks and live for many, many years later. I know you're the type to use this experience as a benefit and learning opportunity, and it is already giving you a new perspective. But I hope now you'll have health.

Kim, while I hope and expect the news I ultimately hear will turn out to be not too severe, I also hope I do not become complacent which I fear happening. We humans have a remarkable ability to forget we will eventually die and really letting that sink in is a powerful way to bring to focus a quick and penetrating examination of what we most deeply cherish and value. earl

 

[Janz]

Rather than focusing so much on the mysteries of existence and, particularly the "rights and wrongs" of any particular view, I'm now merely content to enjoy whatever is in front of me and to seek to absorb it from the most loving and appreciative perspective possible, foregoing the clutter of an overly busy mind. Perhaps I'll live from the adage that, if you have a choice between 2 theories, always pick the most humerous one. earl

Exactly, I am sending many healing thoughts, light and prayers for you earl. I almost died in January 2008 and I have a scar on my throat to remind me every day to enjoy whatever is in front of me with loving appreciation of creation and the many different paths to the Creator. When I awoke from my coma of 4 days, I vowed to look for that which unites us and to be the change that I want to see. I have always walked the talk but something about a near death experience awakens one's spirit to drink from life's waters in a deeper and humorous way.

Laugh Louder, Live Longer.

 

[earl]

Exactly, I am sending many healing thoughts, light and prayers for you earl. I almost died in January 2008 and I have a scar on my throat to remind me every day to enjoy whatever is in front of me with loving appreciation of creation and the many different paths to the Creator. When I awoke from my coma of 4 days, I vowed to look for that which unites us and to be the change that I want to see. I have always walked the talk but something about a near death experience awakens one's spirit to drink from life's waters in a deeper and humorous way.

Laugh Louder, Live Longer.

I definitely now relate to the words of Bob Dylan, "Oh but I was older then but I'm much younger than that now." earl

 

[shawn]

Best thing I know of for cholesterol problems is DHA which is a component of fish oil.
It basically lowers the melting point of whatever sludge has congested in one's veins so that normal body temps will be enough to liquify it so it can be processed by one's liver.

Disclaimer:
This is not medical advice and is mere anecdotal comments provided for research purposes.

 

[Snoopy]

Rather than focusing so much on the mysteries of existence and, particularly the "rights and wrongs" of any particular view, I'm now merely content to enjoy whatever is in front of me and to seek to absorb it from the most loving and appreciative perspective possible, foregoing the clutter of an overly busy mind. Perhaps I'll live from the adage that, if you have a choice between 2 theories, always pick the most humerous one. earl

Well I was just being stupid

Remember the Woody Allen film where he's full of existential angst (more so than normal... (I think he'd just been to the docs!)...so what did he do? -

he went to the cinema to watch the Marx Brothers (Duck Soup I think...)

s.

 

[nativeastral]

Best thing I know of for cholesterol problems is DHA which is a component of fish oil.
It basically lowers the melting point of whatever sludge has congested in one's veins so that normal body temps will be enough to liquify it so it can be processed by one's liver.

Disclaimer:
This is not medical advice and is mere anecdotal comments provided for research purposes.

ahh hence the octopus and sardine tins my mate used to carry around with him!

 

[shawn]

ahh hence the octopus and sardine tins my mate used to carry around with him!

Perhaps they might do the trick, but that really depends on what oil they are packed in.
If it is cottonseed I wouldn't touch it.
Too much canola will make one's skin soft and prone to breaking/tearing (it softens tissue).
Any processed oil is not a healthful choice.
Really one needs to supplement with cold pressed fish oil with a DHA/EPA level which is measured and noted on the bottle, which has been kept cold all the way from fish to end user.
...again the Disclaimer:
This is not medical advice and is mere anecdotal comments provided for research purposes.

 

[iBrian]

I had another "waking up" experience about a year ago when my heart began beating way too fast, and irregularly one night as I was trying to get to sleep. It was difficult to breathe. I felt as if I would pass out at any moment.

Were you on any medication - legal or illegal - at the time?

Simply that if not, it may be a suggestion of a malfunction with your adrenal gland. In which case, I would highly recommend you talk to a doctor about this.

A good friend is currently awaiting a kidney transplant after his adrenal gland went beserk. Apparently, was part of a congenital condition he wasn't aware he had.

That's not to say that you may face a similar situation - not at all - but any strange activity by the adrenal gland is worth checking up on.

 

[immortalitylost]

Thanks for your concern Brian.

I wasn't on any medication at the time(legal or otherwise). I did go to the doctor about it, and I have a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), as far as anyone can figure. My heart didn't want to cooperate and repeat the episode whilst the ekg was going. But I got an echocardiogram and everything looked fine. So it's alright as far as I can tell. May present problems in the far future, but I'll know what to look out for. Meantime it's little else but annoying, as it's very hard to get to sleep while it feels like you're going to die, but know you're not, but can't help feeling that way anyhow.

It's exausting, lol.

 

[iBrian]

Thanks for your concern Brian.

I wasn't on any medication at the time(legal or otherwise). I did go to the doctor about it, and I have a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), as far as anyone can figure. My heart didn't want to cooperate and repeat the episode whilst the ekg was going. But I got an echocardiogram and everything looked fine. So it's alright as far as I can tell. May present problems in the far future, but I'll know what to look out for. Meantime it's little else but annoying, as it's very hard to get to sleep while it feels like you're going to die, but know you're not, but can't help feeling that way anyhow.

It's exausting, lol.

That's the problem - it's not the heart that's malfunctioning but the adrenal glands IMO. They should look there!

 

[immortalitylost]

KK when I have my next checkup I'll be sure to ask about it. Thanx a bunch!

 

[China Cat Sunflower]

Earl, please take care of yourself. My friend and co-worker Kelly found out, like yourself, that he'd had a previous heart attack when he went in to the hospital thinking he had severe heartburn. Weird. Life's a crap shoot. We watched the Benjamin Button movie last night. Weird...

Chris

 

[earl]

Earl, please take care of yourself. My friend and co-worker Kelly found out, like yourself, that he'd had a previous heart attack when he went in to the hospital thinking he had severe heartburn. Weird. Life's a crap shoot. We watched the Benjamin Button movie last night. Weird...

Chris

Thank you Chris. I'm to have cardiac catheterization, but have to wait a week to do it. Whatever comes of it, I know the importance more so now of "keeping the heart open." Hopefully am up to the challenge. earl

 

[earl]

Well, I just got back from emergency angioplasty, which literally saved my life. Was worse than I thought-doctor said 1 block was so bad I probably wouldn't have lived til the originally planned date. I now stand corrected- changing my diet will be a bigger challenge for me than keeping my emotional heart open. earl

 

[iBrian]

Glad to hear you're moving forward, earl - must have been quite a shocker, but good that you could have it taken care of.

 

[Quahom1]

Well, I just got back from emergency angioplasty, which literally saved my life. Was worse than I thought-doctor said 1 block was so bad I probably wouldn't have lived til the originally planned date. I now stand corrected- changing my diet will be a bigger challenge for me than keeping my emotional heart open. earl

Tell you what, I found a secret to great food, and equally being great for heart and body...

Stir fried (sauteed with olive oil). You can stir fry anything with olive oil and it comes out wonderful (and so damn good for you it is almost criminal).

It makes one lose weight (fat weight), assists in digestion, clears the system, and helps the arteries. It also satifies the body's desire for fat from things like butter and lard without the detriments. Nothing cooks longer than two to three minutes, and everything is hot, crisp, fresh and tasty. And one does not feel "stuffed".

v/r

Q

 

[citizenzen]

Tell you what, I found a secret to great food, and equally being great for heart and body...

And finally... at long last... Q and I are in agreement.

Pardon me if I linger for a moment.