Mortality

[Oak Kitten]

Today at work we received an e-mail informing everyone that one of our co-workers died over the weekend of a massive heart attack. She was only in her 40's and leaves a 12 year old daughter (she was a single mom). She was overweight and smoked, but it was still a shock. My boss just had to have a stent inserted to alleviate a 90% blockage to one of the arteries to his heart - he's in his early 50's - not overweight but high strung. That episode scared the bejeebers out of him. We have had a spate of heart attacks at work lately - and they have all struck people close to my age. They were all preventable if people had modified their diets and/or behavior. I know it's easier said than done, but these events reinforce for me the need to drop that extra 20 pounds and get more exercise.

Oak

[hoops]

oak,
i am happy you are thinking of your health, i know i'd like to keep you around a while. mortality is a subject that it can be difficult to discuss, i know i have not found my place to talk about it yet, as i say i'd really like to have you around a while
peace
hoops

[Rkitko]

A personal banker (PB) at another branch of ours just died from a heart attack. He was 30. He's survived by his wife and three children, one of which is under one year old.

Heart health is one of the most important things. And one of the EASIEST ways to reduce your risk is reducing stress. Highly suggest everyone read the book Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers. Very enlightening book that puts you in touch with how the stress response system works and how it abuses our bodies in our modern society.

And a wise friend of mine once said after a great tragedy involving the lost lives of three very dear friends of ours: "You know, it's not my own mortality I fear; it's everyone else's."

[david uk]

Our health is the most important thing we have

[Rkitko]

You know, I'm also reminded of the family genealogy book I have on my surname: Kitko. I've often played the "number game" in which I choose a number from 20-200, which corresponds with a relative somewhere on the tree. All entries list cause of death. Invariably, 8 out of 10 picks come up: "Cause of death: heart." I was scared until I realized half of those are probably really old medical diagnoses that blamed the heart for the cause of death when in reality it was a number of other things (when in doubt, they usually blamed the heart). Aside from the occassional "alcoholism," "consumption," and the rare, "hit by beer truck," (I kid thee not.) all other entries deal with the heart...

Something to look into in your own family histories. But don't get paranoid or worried! Stress only makes the situation more dire.

[Dee]

We have had a spate of heart attacks at work lately - and they have all struck people close to my age. They were all preventable if people had modified their diets and/or behavior.

Before I begin babbling, let me say that indeed it never hurts to live in the healthiest manner we can, Oak.

Now, having now lived 18+ years with the HIV virus in my body I have given a lot of thought to living and dying. Basically, I try to live in the healthiest way I'm able to at any given time. I know there are certain areas I still need to work on, but I truly believe the odds are that before I kill myself by unhealthy choices and stress, I'll be killed by accident or by some maniac.

If by chance I do get sick and die of some opportunistic infection, then so be it. In the meantime I don't plan on leaving this world with regrets or having made my life miserable and unhappy with worry about dying.

/end babble

[Margay]

Our health is the most important thing we have
Personally, I think our happiness is the most important thing we have.

[Oak Kitten]

True, Margay but health and happiness are intricately intertwined. I have seen many people destroy their physical health as a result of an unhealthy mindset. When I was recalled to active duty after 9/11, I worked with a guy who was my age and was just full of rage and frustration at a lot of things in his life - most of which he made worse for himself because of his dysfunctional personality. One day he showed me this vitriolic e-mail he was planning to send to his boss, this was just before he was to be demobilized and return to his civilian job. He referred to his civilian place of employment as the "festering pus hole." I tried to convince him that antagonizing his boss would really not be helpful to his employment situation, but it was like talking to a box of rocks.

Within six months of his returning to his civilian job, he died of a massive heart attack at his desk in the "festering pus hole," leaving a wife and two young sons.

I used to let stress rule my life, not anymore. I refuse to let unpleasant people or situations get to me. Sometimes there are things you can't control, but for the most part, you are responsible for your own happiness and health.

Oak

[Margay]

Stress can be very bad for you, I absolutely agree. But...
I still think we have less control over our health than we would like to believe. Many diseases, illnesses and disabilities can not be avoided. Health is never guaranteed.
Happiness does not automatically make you healthy and, on the other hand, not having your health does not automatically make you unhappy.

Health is over-rated.

Margay

[Oak Kitten]

Margay,

There are people who can maintain their personal happiness despite debilitating disease and illness, I grant you. But I am greedy, I want both health and happiness. It is also true you can't exercise control over everything and there are no guarantees for anyone, but I think one should exercise positive control over those aspects of health and happiness that one can.

Oak

[Margay]

Dear Oak Kitten,

You are absolutely right. I tend to go a bit overboard when health and happiness get mentioned together. Thanks for putting things in perspective.

Margay