Comfort

Myrna wrote: Melanie, thanks for reminding me that you have some health problems but are upbeat and doing well. You take care of your health and that is so important. I have learned that I should have been doing that for years and not just blaming my overweight problem on thyroid. I now weigh 123 and I feel better than I have for a long time. I am off my GERD meds. All I take, as a prescription drug, is my thyroid med and one for high cholesterol. (I remind myself that my dad also had high cholesterol and it was pneumonia that killed him.) I also take an aspirin and a vitamin. I love walking and doing stairs. (My cross trainer hurts my tailbone.) I am not a runner. I never did like it. I do like jogging a block and walking a block. Running always makes my lungs hurt. (I know, wah wah.) 

I think Julie's irregular heart beat flare up comes from no sleep. Jim has been in California and Jens is cutting eye teeth. She was really quite frightened, however. When she called, she was crying. That is not the usual thing for Julie. She is Pioneer Farm Woman to a "T" and is usually stoic. 

David also has the same problem. They found his in high school when he passed out just after wrestling practice. He wore the monitor but was really ticked off about it. When he was 16 he was ticked off about everything. Todd, I think, also has an irregular heart beat. I have everything else but that. Odd. I have a functional murmur, left over from rheumatic fever. I now have isolated systolic hypertension. The top number, systolic, is high (140) but the diastolic (bottom number) is low (72). My pulse is 60. I can't wait to find out what that means long term. Actually, I am probably running out of long-term anyway. When you are 72, it is anybody's guess how many more years on earth that translates into. The endocrinologist said that diabetics usually live 10 years less than they might have otherwise. We'll see. Nobody that I know has a urim and thumim that they are willing to produce to prognosticate my chances for longevity at any rate. ;) 

Melanie wrote: The main reason for reminding you of the heart situation, is so that you wouldn't worry. It is very common, especially in middle aged women, and often goes away after menopause. Also, I had so many tests done after 2007, heart stress tests, EKGs, ERTs, sonograms of the heart, sonograms of the arteries, CT scans, MRIs of the heart, neck and head, an agitated saline test, all the tests found nothing wrong with the heart other than the arrhythmia. I tried to call Julie to let her know what my heart doctors in MA had told me, so that I could put her at ease, but I never found her at home. I didn't want to call on her cell phone, as I know that when she is out with the children that she is very busy. 

I have elevated cholesterol, it is hereditary, but it isn't to the point where I would need to take medicine for it. I have extremely low blood pressure, to the point of fainting sometimes, so that is a different worry.

I am glad that the steps you are taking have benefited you in ways that you have desired for years. I am sure it gives you great peace of mind. 

Love you.Mel

Myrna wrote: I know. You are such a comfort to me. I am thankful for you. It was a good thing that Heavenly Father sent you into my life because you keep me sane. I love you!