Health Trek Day 20 10/08/09

The phone rang this morning, jarring me from a sound sleep. A dear friend was on the other end asking me to come to her house quickly as her husband has had another attack. I mumbled, sure, hung up the phone, looked at the clock. 4:00 a.m! I threw on some clothes, grabbed my bag and keys and raced out the door. As I was driving to her house, I thought of all the questions I should have asked. "Did you call 911?" Is he conscious? What did you want me to do? Watch the cat? Drive you to the hospital? I looked at my gas tank and groaned, it was almost on empty. I noticed the day before but it was too early when I came home from the gym and it was raining so I figured I'd go to Plummer's this morning and get gas. Now I wish I had gone yesterday! When I arrived at her house, I saw the flashing lights of an ambulance, a fire truck and a police car. OMG, I ran to the house fearing the worst. I found my friend pacing, agitated but okay. They had her hubby in the ambulance and she asked if I could drive her to the hospital. She has a bad knee and is scheduled for surgery herself in two weeks, so I was glad to be of help.
As we sat in the hospital, I thought about how fragile life is. We never know when our health will be jeopardized, whether a loved one could get sick or hurt or even die at any time. We really need to appreciate what we have and let our loved ones know how we feel and what our wishes are when we die or are unable to make our own decisions. We all hate to talk about death but it is a natural part of life and we shouldn't fear it so. If we meet it head on and are prepared, I feel it would not seem so scary. My friend's husband had a similar attack a year ago and was diagnosed with blood clots in his legs and lungs. So we expected this was the case today, but it was not. He has a severe kidney and bladder infection. What a relief! They gave him antibiotics and instructions to follow up with his doctor. So he will be fine, my friend can relax and I can go back to bed!

I guess after this morning's scare, the best message I can impart today is to celebrate life. Make each moment count, stop stressing about all the little unimportant things in your lives. Even the scale. We are all trying to get thin and healthy. Try every day, but don't make it the focus of your life. If you are out there living your life, moving and shaking, then you will be healthier. If you are sitting at home thinking about what you want to eat next, that is self destructive. The scale is one way to measure success, but being able to climb the stairs without huffing and puffing is another measure. You won't be able to do that if you don't get up and walk up and down those stairs a few times!
Make good healthy choices. Spend quality time with family and friends. Get out and ROCK ON!
None of us know how much time we have left.

POEM for today:

Celebration:
Webster defines age as "the length of time one has existed"
spending time alive we never have resisted
But did you ever ponder another way to measure
The time that we have spent that we should really measure?
We've survived adolescence, acne, dating, diapers, braces
Surely most embarrassments time lovingly erases
we've seen our children grow and our friendships blossom
Technology advances in our lives are awesome
We know where we have been and perhaps where we are going
Yet we have the option to continually be growing
As we watch our children grow up and face life on their own
It's splendid when we can reap the seeds that we have sown
And share the dividends of our children's joys and pleasures
as we graciously accept our newest little treasures
Soon we get to bounce a grandchild on our lap
and become a bridge across the generation gap
Our future's still a mystery as it was when we were twenty
But we can proudly say that we have been blessed with plenty
So we'll celebrate our lives and dread not our natal day
We've touched so many others and surely paved the way
We have a store of memories of all the years bygone
And the chance for many new ones as the future marches on.

My plan for today:
Brunch: Eggs and English muffin, fruit and tea
(I missed breakfast and couldn't wait for lunch so combined them!)
Snack: apple
Dinner
Stir fry and rice
Snack: low cal ice cream bar

Exercise:
Walking DVD, Mr G.s list, evening Yoga
I'm ready to meet the evil scale tonight be it up or down! I am getting healthier and I feel terrific!