# Thoughts from the Cardiac floor.



## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

Are you really ready? I recently spent some time in the Cardiac unit of the hospital which gives you lots of time to think. For those who do not know us we are well set-up according to most standards of preparedness and self-reliance. We live completely off-grid in a remote mountain cabin surrounded by public land in a veritable hunting/foraging paradise. However as I pondered the future it struck me that my wife does not know how to maintain our solar power system. We have adult children who can help get firewood but this time of year our wood shed is nearly empty (for very legitimate reasons). There's enough on hand for the next two months but after that she'd need some serious restocking. While she can hunt her hunting skills are not nearly equal to mine. Our propane for the cook stove is in 100 pound bottles. They are a chore for me to change and would be even more difficult for her.

On the plus side we have very good neighbors who would watch out for her and also some strapping and hard working, hard hunting sons and SIL's that would ensure she had wood and venison. Had my outcome/prognosis been different she'd have done okay because of the extensive friend and family network we've built.

She can hunt and cut firewood but doing it herself while also raising our five-year-old grandson would have been difficult. While this may sound sexist it is true that women overall just can't keep up with a man on the physical side of things. One of the things we'll be doing in the future is making this place more "female friendly" meaning we'll get a larger, stationary propane tank that's filled by truck. It will give us a more propane capacity without the physical challenges of changing out 100 lb. cylinders every six to eight months. I'm going to make sure she understands the ins/outs and operational aspects of our solar power system as well. Hopefully we will do some upgrades to it as well next summer. There have been some helpful advances in solar power technology we can put to good use.

I have a habit of compartmentalizing skills and projects and I need to work on diversifying and cross-training.

My recovery is progressing rapidly and should be complete within three months. The good news is that my heart is in great shape. Now it's time to work on the rest of me. Our new eating routine is firmly established and has already resulted in some weight loss.

If you are overweight get the pounds off now. I tried to ignore my weight because I could still work most younger men to exhaustion. But as the years add up the weight eventually exacts a toll that cannot be ignored.
I'm not a smoker or drinker which made the cardiac doctors very pleased. They said nothing outright but I suspect that my prognosis would not have been as rosy had cigarettes or alcohol been part of my life.

If you're overweight ... lose it! It will never be easier to shed those pounds than it is right now. If you smoke stop. You are doing a lot of damage to your heart, arteries, and lungs and general health. Drinking should be done in moderation ... the more moderate the better!

I got into trouble because I am obese and because we travel a lot. The days leading up to this we spent some marathon sessions on the highway. The long hours sitting in the car along with my weight and age resulted in blood clots in my legs which made their way into my lungs. Had we stopped every two hours and even walked around the car a couple of times this wouldn't have happened.

But on the other hand I probably wouldn't have taken my physical size seriously without a major wake-up call like this. Fortunately, God has granted me another opportunity for good health. I'm not going to blow it! I have a fantastic and loving wife and a five-year-old grandson that need me and I won't let them down again by living in denial.


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## bigg777 (Mar 18, 2013)

Glad to hear you're doing well 3m.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Glad your doing better. Had a friend who just went through something similar. He was a heavy drinker and had to quit cold turkey because, as he put it, his organs were starting to shut down. He was pretty bad for a while but is doing OK now. You can't fool with your health. He's even given up tobacco. "Just to be safe".....


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

I am glad you are alright!

If something had happened you do realize I'd be dragging K and the kids out there to help Sue with anything she needed.


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

Good for you, 
Glad your doing better.

Lifestyle changes are tough sometimes.
Stick with it, it will be a good thing.

I lost the bottom half of my heart , due to bad habits.

Talking about lifestyle change. 

Glad your looking after the Misses.
I'm in that same boat.

Stay healthy.


Jim


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## Balls004 (Feb 28, 2015)

Glad to hear you're still on our side of the dirt MMM. Hope everything goes well in the future, it sounds like you are serious about the changes you need to make, so good luck with them too.


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## LastOutlaw (Jun 1, 2013)

MMM, thank you for this post. Of course Im happy that you are still with us. Im realizing that I'm not the spring chicken I used to be either. I have a problem with my left foot from time to time and don't know what it is.. Pains through the ball of my foot. I used to smoke and do have a drink from time to time. I have realized that much like you I can out work most 30 year olds but it's not because I'm in such good shape but that these Millennials suck. Lazy, sit in AC deadbeats is what most are today. Tried to hire one to pick up the heavy lifting loads and he fell out on the 3rd day. I have realized that my gal will need to pick up my load if something happened to me. I need to show her how to do some of the things I do on a regular basis here. We aren't off grid but we are building a homestead and I feel quite often that it is a race against time. We are building for a special needs child that lives with us. She will be the one who ends up with it all. She will need to be setup so she can make a viable living off of this place when we are gone. There is a lot to teach her and while we are very lucky that she is smart, loves animals and seems to be very intuitive about animal behavior she will need a lot of training over the next 10 years to become the owner/operator.
I need to get on it. Again, thanks for this eye opening post!


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## 21601mom (Jan 15, 2013)

It's been awhile since I've had time to visit the forum...and this was the last thing I wanted to read when I opened the app. Thank you for posting this. I am so grateful you received good medical care and are on the mend. The world is a better place because of you! You and Sue have both helped me to have a better life through your books, posts, and our one visit. There are VERY few people of your caliber left in the world today. I will be praying for your speedy and complete recovery!! 

And this post is a wake up call for me to shed these extra 30 pounds. You are right - despite how difficult it is to lose weight now, it will be easier to do it now than in the future. Thank you, again, for sharing your experience. You will be in my prayers! I look forward to reading updates about your progress.


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## DrPrepper (Apr 17, 2016)

MMM,
I'm sure glad you are doing OK. VTE are nothing to mess around with, and when they get to your lungs- well, your outcome could have been much worse! It sounds like you are making great changes to your lifestyle, though, and that is excellent! I hope you are soon back to feeling 100%!

You bring up great points about making sure your spouse knows how to manage systems in your absence, and making sure that she is able to handle things like the propane tank. With my limited mobility, we already have things set up so I can manage. It makes me think, though, that my hubby is not cross trained for my responsibilities- cooking and medical. I think I need to add another chapter to my SHTF notebook with written directions of how to do some of those things in case he has to do them instead of me. Thanks for such a valuable observation and suggestion!!!


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## Rain23 (Jul 18, 2011)

Wish you the best! Your post made me stand up and walk about a bit.

When I had my surgery my husband realized I'm the prepper in the family and while he's cooperative to some degree, he doesn't know the ins and outs of how I tend the garden, what to do if the cat is bleeding from a torn claw, exactly how to use the canner/dehydrator... things I just assumed we both knew because he helped.

We both need to take our health more seriously as we age - and also think in terms of how we'll cope when we can't physically bust out easy chores. True there's that difference between men and women, but even greater is the difference between what you can do at 40 and _what you can do at 60_.

I need to document what I do around here, especially good ideas we came up with hands-on that need to be shared. And figure out how to handle daily chores if we're both unable to lift more than 10 pounds, or unable to use one arm. Just picture opening a canning jar one handed, or laugh harder as you imagine a hungry woman with one hand in a brace, a can of Hormel chili, and a manual can opener. Now it's funny, but at the time... words were spoken.

Thanks for taking the time to remind us we're not always one-thirds Chuck Norris, Teflon and cussedness


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

MMM, thanks for letting us know. I am so glad to hear that you will be fine and that there are some wake ups as a result of your health concerns. 

I agree about losing weight and our diets are very important in relationship to our health. I also believe that fitness is very important, and the exercise can assist with weight loss. I heard a doctor talk about how important movement is, and while that is probably not an issue for you at many times in your life, the road trips sure can be a challenge. Whenever we go on road trips, we have a very strict routine. We drive until we need gas, then we refill, restroom, food and drive until we need gas again. It is a dangerous routine, evidently. But driving 500 or more miles is best achieved in a day with fewer stops.

I remember when Machinist posted about his cancer and that sugar was one of the things that contributes to cancer. His illness and subsequent death got my attention when it comes to sugar. I have one of those restaurant type dispensers for sugar and do not use that much in a year now. Things like soda can live in my house for a long time and they only get my attention when I am really needing electrolytes from working in the sun. How many people drink way too much soda?


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

MMM, glad you got through the crisis OK. A suggestion on the propane tank - get nothing smaller than a 500 gallon tank. If you remember the posts a some winters back, propane was in short supply in some areas and became prohibitively expensive that winter. 

Propane doesn't go bad and with the bigger tank you can (sometimes) manage the delivery times better which could result in a lower price per gallon. Bite the bullet for a larger tank on the front-end and the payoff in the backend could be exponentially better. We got rid of our 250 and 500 gallon tanks for two 1,000 tanks. Couldn't be happier with that decision.

We know you're on the mend, how is Gypsy Sue? I'm sure her stress level was pretty high.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

3M..I'll add you and your family to my prayer list..feel the love, man.
:kiss:

I am one to say, if you are blessed with family, then do NOT take them for granted.
I have only Gene-- no neighbors, no friends, no family.
It will be a sad day when I lose him.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

So glad your ok. Hope you have a speedy recovery.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Glad you are on the mend and at home! Making lifestyle changes is hard & easy to put off for another day. Hope you are back to normal soon. Be good to your nurse, I'm sure she deserves a vacation after this ordeal!


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Praise Jesus. Glad you are doing okay. Thoughts and prayers for you and yours.


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## RangerRick (Apr 8, 2009)

*Heart issues*

I did the same Christmas Eve in a V.A. Hospital. Interesting part; once VA called 911 ( I am less than 100 yards from their E.R. ) VA folks stopped working on me and VA called the Spokane WA fire dept to work on me. I called them on it and they tried to blow me off. I had the out of body experience so I saw everything that went on and told them so. I also wrote my Congressman and he has yet to get a response.

The fun part; I was transferred to Sacred Heart Cardiac Unit and decided if I was going to die I would do it there. So I hit the stairwells and ran up and down them to see if the heart could hold up. What I did not know, every-time I was a floor up or below my floor, my heart monitor at the nurses station would flat line. I pop my head out the door and the looks were unfriendly. They were looking for me . I was dead according to the monitors. Their fix, I was attached to a big IV and drag along stand, no more leaving the cardiac floor. Never found the problem so all is good. I pray the same for you.
Best Regards,
Ranger Rick
North Idaho


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## bigg777 (Mar 18, 2013)

3M, when you have the time and inclination, please give us an update.


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

bigg777 said:


> 3M, when you have the time and inclination, please give us an update.


I'm doing better now than I have in years. Susan and I are on a modified Paleo diet and are slowly working the pounds off. We've both lost over 30 pounds and moved down a size in clothes.


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## Mase92 (Feb 4, 2013)

mosquitomountainman said:


> I'm doing better now than I have in years. Susan and I are on a modified Paleo diet and are slowly working the pounds off. We've both lost over 30 pounds and moved down a size in clothes.


Hey my friend, just seen this post.

1st I'm sorry this awakening had to happen like this. I'm thankful that things went smoothly.
2nd great job with the message of this post. We don't realize how fragile things are and how much we as men do, even thou we think we're teaching others, we take on so much ourselves.
3rd glad you are on the road to recovery and losing the weight.

My thoughts and prayers go out to you for continued success. As someone who has dealt and is dealing once again with a heart issue, I know the worry you are facing.

Keep us updated.


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## IceFire (Feb 24, 2016)

Glad you're doing better! That was definitely a wake-up call. Sometimes, though, heart issues can strike those that are doing everything "right". Take my mother, for instance...Has NEVER smoked, doesn't drink, weighs about a buck five, dripping wet, walks 2 miles a day (and at a pace that can put some active duty soldiers/sailors to shame), has low, NOT high BP, etc. Had to have 3 stents put in her heart, due to blockages. Hasn't slowed her down, although now she's developed pulmonary fibrosis, which HAD slowed her down quite a bit, and she was on oxygen 24/7 for a bit. Doing better now, with pulmonary as well as cardiac rehab, so she's back to pretty much her regular activities. Hopefully, she'll be around for quite a bit longer. BTW, she'll be 92 in a couple of months.


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