Just some information I learned the hard way and would like to share...to maybe save your life.
I am deathly afraid of Fire.
I am also very cautious of and when handling Electricity – and rightful so. Electricity is in our everyday life and ALL around us, all the time. Not only does your flashlight, your car, home, lights, Blackberry and cell-phone need electricity, did you know your body is also electrical and your heart actually creates electricity?
Your heart requires about 80 microAmps (µA) or about 60 Hz to maintain it’s job of pushing your six quarts of blood about 12,000 miles, daily through your veins. Did you know your Aorta (main blood vein) is just a bit smaller then a normal garden hose whereas capillaries supplying blood and oxygen to certain parts of your body and heart are up to six times smaller then a human hair?
OK – So much for your schooling. I just wanted you to kinda understand what we are dealing with.
Do you know what exactly is happening to your body when;
a. You have a Stroke = your brain is attacking you but how do you “know” it is a stroke? Do these three things;
1. Raise both hands over your head
2. Smile
3. Say a complete sentence
IF you can not do those three things you are having a stroke. Go IMMEDIATELY to a hospital.
b. You have Kidney stones with flank pain = your Kidneys need attention
c. You have a piercing pain just under your rib cage on the right side = Your Gall Bladder probable needs to come out or at least have a bit of attention.
d. You have chest pains and radiating pain down and under the left arm, your jaw hurts and you have a pain between your shoulder blades = Your heart is probable attacking you! Quickly get professional help.
If you are female your chances for survival during a heart attack are pretty good because you will seek help as you know “something is wrong”.
If you are male your chances of survival are greatly reduced because you will “gut it out” and be “manly”.
God made at least one mistake when he made Adam because he gave him vanity, muscles and external plumbing but not enough blood to run all three at the same time.
Let’s pretend for a few minutes you are male and you suddenly can not smile, you can not raise both hands over your head and you can not say a complete sentence. That is your first clue something is wrong with that body? Yesterday you could bench 300 pounds while laughing and telling “blond” jokes. Today you can’t remember that joke and one arm is even too heavy to wave. Do you have a problem?
Yes is the short answer and that problem is called a Stroke. The longer answer is if you can get professional medical help within a short few hours your chances of telling more ‘blond’ jokes are pretty good. But If or when you gut-it-out because, “…it will be better as soon as I stretch or in just a second…” you become the joke as friends will then be saying such things as “…poor Bill, or Fred, or Jim, etc. did you hear he had a stroke and is now paralyzed on the “right/left side. If he had only gotten to the doctor a few hours earlier he would be better - Poor dear.”
When your brain is having a blood supply problem, no amount of vanity “manly” boloney will save your muscle bound sorry self, but a doctor can.
If you are female and you can’t smile or snap your bra you know you need to get to a hospital and quickly.
You do not need to be doing “heavy” or “strenuous” things or being overly emotional for your heart to yell at you either. I was 40 years old sitting quietly at a friend’s house in a wonderfully soft recliner sipping on morning coffee when I suddenly knew I had a problem. I felt “funny” unlike all other feeling. The pain in my chest and jaw went away but then would come and go as a wave washing the shore. It never dawned on me anything other then I was just maybe “hung over” because of several drinks last evening, but in the back of my male vanity brain I kept hearing “…something is wrong… something is wrong..”
“Bill… I need to go to a hospital” I said, or words to that affect.
“What’s wrong Frank?”
“Not sure. My jaw is killing me and my damn shoulder blades hurt…” Frank stuttered as he headed for the front door saying more to himself then Bill, “I need to get to a hospital, I need help, I need…”
“I’ll drive you.” Bill interrupted his thoughts but Frank knew he had druther finish his Sunday paper then nursemaid a grown man at a hospital.
“Where’s the hospital” Frank tried. “I promise to be right back?”
The directions were turn for turn to the hospital front door but when you’re in pain directions are not your priority. Frank had to stop twice to ask further directions in the three miles to the hospital while his heart was busy attacking him. Because Frank is writing this story tells you he did several stupid things but survival has not been pleasant or a short recovery.
Why am I writing this story? I have something I would like to share.
Why are you reading it? I have something you need to know.
Do you know your body is made up of muscles, blood, water, lots of other ‘stuff” AND Electricity?
Now pay attention!
Frank is an army decorated combat Vietnam veteran that has done more then most and when ask will answer “…I have done everything once and some really bad things twice…” he often says and in truth had always felt, for the lack of a better word, “indestructible”… until he met Master Gunny-Sergeant Victor (Vic) Gonzales. Vic kept the traditional white side-wall haircut, had a round clean shaven face, was barrel-chested that had to have all his uniforms tailored and could not wear anything before having being altered for his 67” chest, 32” waist, 230 pounds and 4% body fat on a 5’11’ frame. You did not have to see him in uniform to know Vic was a Marine and a damn good friend. Semper Fi (Always Faithful) my friend.
Vic died at the age of 44.
His heart killed him. An organ no larger then the size of your closed fist did what droves of Vietcong had failed to do. A tiny blood vessel did what bullets and mortars and a steamy jungle could not.
War had spared his life yet the lack of a liter of oxygen supplied through microscopic veins to vital heart areas did not function properly one day and Vic died. His heart muscle basically exploded as it needed oxygen and blood and there was none. His body had given him warning sighs over the years but they all went unnoticed. A twinge here, a brief stabbing pain there, shortness of breath, slight things, diminutive insignificant signs easily overlooked by not only people like Vic, but down to the smallest, frailest, most insignificant person, male or female.
There are 60 organs in our living body and they all must function the way they are designed or you get sick and some die. All living matter will eventually die so it is just a matter of time until one or more of your organs wears out. Until that time your body “…is your temple…” and no matter what you may think, what you put into your temple…. matters. Even if you are Lon Chaney starring in the 1956 movie “indestructible man” or as Will Leitch said once “I’m young and indestructible. I’ll worry about such matters when I’m older and living in the suburbs and car pooling and having my special Friday night dinner at the Outback.”
Some have said over martinis that a heart attack is Gods revenge for eating his animals. I don’t know.
But, what I do know is…
Heart Attack Warning Signs.
A heart attack is a frightening event, and you probably don't want to think about it. But, if you learn the signs of a heart attack and what steps to take, you can save a life–maybe your own.
Many people think a heart attack is sudden and intense, like a "movie" heart attack, where a person clutches his or her chest and falls over.
The truth is that many heart attacks start slowly, as a mild pain or discomfort. If you feel such a symptom, you may not be sure what's wrong. Your symptoms may even come and go. Even those who have had a heart attack may not recognize their symptoms, because the next attack can have entirely different ones.
Women may not think they're at risk of having a heart attack–but they are. If you have a heart, you fall into the category of those eligible.
It's vital that everyone learn the warning signs of a heart attack.
a. Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
b. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body that can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
c. Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.
d. Other symptoms may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.
Each year, about 460,000 people die because of heart attacks. The next time you need to go into a hospital and they tell you, you are their 460,001 patient – don’t go in!!
What Is Angina? No, Angina was not in your senior class in High school. Angina (an-JI-nuh or AN-juh-nuh) is chest pain or discomfort that occurs when your heart muscle does not get enough blood. Angina may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in your chest. The pain may also occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. It may also feel like indigestion.
We talked about electricity earlier.
What is electricity in the context of this story? This question is impossible to answer because the word "Electricity" has several contradictory meanings. These different meanings are incompatible, and the contradictions confuse everyone. If you don't understand electricity, you're not alone. Even teachers, engineers, and scientists have a hard time grasping the concept. Just for your edification knowing what is happening inside your chest is IMPORTANT – Do you have any idea how much that 80 microAmps (µA) that is needed to run your pump actually is? Well, in terms we all can relate too are primary (non-rechargeable) zinc-carbon AA batteries are 400-900 milli-Amp-hours capacity are common and a microAmp is 1000 times smaller. Just know to enjoy each day to it fullest before you are short-circuited.
Remember life is not the length of the journey but the journey itself.
Remember also, years are mearly a way to keep score and longivity is not meant to be the only meaning to your life.
Why did I mention I was afraid of fire? Fire had nothing to do with this story but I just wanted you to know – Amounst many things, I am deadly afraid of fire and what it can do.
I wrote this story so you might be a bit more informed about what your body is doing when it “does” different things. I hope you have a long and healthy life, because you now know what certain pains are and what they can do.
One final word for the guys: You can “gut out” most arm or leg muscle pains, cramps, back spasms, etc, BUT the one MUSCLE you can NOT mess with is your heart. If you don’t believe me, ask Vic.
Re-Release! No longer back-listed. Return to the Olde Ways. The hustle and bustle of modern day life has brought many of us to a quick fix attitude.This book is for those of you who are fed up; have looked at your life and your loved ones and realize
Re-Release! No longer back-listed. Return to the Olde Ways. The hustle and bustle of modern day life has brought many of us to a quick fix attitude.This book is for those of you who are fed up; have looked at your life and your loved ones and realize
