Author: Philip Jones
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When systematically planning an event as important as your very own myocardial infarction, we should establish clear objectives. We have already agreed on the first one: we propose to delay the event as long as possible. Age 106 would be acceptable. A few additional suggestions:
Minimize the severity. Mild is better than severe.
Avoid the morgue. Survival is desirable.
Facilitate the recovery process. We would like to recover as fully and as quickly as possible.
Then there is the matter of Location! Location! Location! It would be prudent to schedule the event when you are in a city with outstanding medical facilities and highly skilled personnel. Ideally, you should be in a hospital.
It would also be a good idea to plan this imaginary episode:
when you are otherwise in good health;
when you have never had high blood pressure;
when your weight is about where it should be;
after you have been eating and drinking sensibly for decades;
when you have habitually been getting lots of regular exercise;
when you have never smoked;
when you have no family history of heart disease;
when there are no longer any kids to support;
when you are free of debts and mortgages;
when you have comprehensive medical insurance coverage;
when you are comfortably challenged, thankful and content;
when your frame of mind is positive and optimistic; and
when your faith is strong.
Everything OK so far? Congratulations! These precautions will help delay the event, reduce its severity, ensure your survival, and facilitate your early recovery.
Philip’s Preparation
In all the above details, my preparation was about as good as it gets. So the Heart Attacker did not strike during the first six decades of my life. Nor did that conniving creature manage to mess up my summer vacation. I spent two weeks visiting my brothers and sisters, three of them in Wales, the other in the adjacent conquering country. Thoroughly enjoyed myself.
No problem flying home from London. I did not qualify as a Certified Heart Attackee until six days later, when I was at home. Evidently there were one or two factors where my preparation had been inadequate.
Your Preparation
What if, in your case, as with mine, the event moves from the realm of the imagination into the world of reality? How well is your preparation coming along? In your case, what will the critical factors be?
The care and maintenance of your heart involves all aspects of life, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, affecting your activities at home, at work, in society and in solitude. How are you doing in each of these areas?
Some factors influencing the health of your heart relate to past conduct. You might find it difficult to make retroactive improvements. It would be foolish to conclude we will always escape the consequences of imprudent behavior.
Ignoring the likely outcome of routinely neglecting healthy habits can have unpleasant consequences. In my case, arteriosclerosis was developing for years. I was blissfully unaware of this process until it was too late. A main artery was 90% blocked in one section, 99% in another. What do you suppose is going on within the dark recesses of your own arteries?
Revised Schedules
A myocardial infarction kills a lot of people. This is one aspect of the subject of which I cannot speak from personal experience. Not yet anyway. But I imagine this particular outcome would be highly disruptive of most of our current projects and plans. Our revised itineraries could involve escorted trips to the morgue, then to either the cemetery or the crematorium.
Reportedly, the slab is a bit cold, the casket is a bit dark, and the oven is a bit hot. If you manage to work any of these trips into your supposedly busy schedule before I do, please let me know if these reports are accurate.
(to be continued)
© Copyright, Philip Jones, 2007. All Rights Reserved.
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Related Articles
How to Fit a Heart Attack into your Busy Schedule! Part I - Using your Imagination - Philip Jones
How to Fit a Heart Attack into your Busy Schedule! Part III - Dead Serious Stuff - Philip Jones
About the Author
Philip Jones is a motivational speaker based in Calgary, Alberta Canada.
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