Writing from a very familiar place today, an Intensive Care Waiting room. If you saw my husband and watched him, you would never guess the health issues he has. Thirteen years ago, at the age of forty-two, he had a heart attack, and that is when this part of our life began. He has had three different pacemakers, a stent, many heart caths, and just two years ago, a triple by-pass. When he started feeling chest pain the past few months, we kept trying to explain it away, we couldn’t possibly be dealing with this so soon could we?
Our beloved cardiologist felt we should check it out, so we checked in for a heart cath this morning. I thought we were just going to find out everything was fine so when he felt discomfort, we wouldn’t have to worry. WRONG! Thankfully it will not take another open-heart surgery, he is in the operating room now having a stent put in place. His by-pass arteries are all good and clear, this was a different artery that had clogged up since. AAAaaaaagghhhh!
Bless his heart, his spirits are always so good. He never feels sorry for himself and deals with this aspect of his life so well, so much better than I would. He’s glad they found something so they can fix it and hopes he will feel better again. I’m glad for that also, I just don’t like the reminder of just how unhealthy a heart my husband has. But as usual, there are things to be thankful for, lessons learned that are not learned any other way.
1) I learned thirteen years ago when he had his first heart attack that life doesn’t go on for ever. The man I share my life with has a disease that kills more people on earth than anything else. I learned to cherish every moment I have with him. Little irritants no longer irritate. Each day I have with him is a gift from God.
2) Both of us have learned to not sweat the small stuff. It takes something pretty big to ruffle our feathers. We are able to decipher what is important and what isn’t.
3) We have had to hand the reins over to God. We’ve learned we are not in control. Life can change in a literal heartbeat. No amount of worrying or manipulating is going to stop the inevitable, so I have learned to trust God with the good and with the bad.
4) I know that life is constantly changing. If things are hunk-dory now, I need to know this won’t last forever, but likewise, if things are really stressful now, it will ease and life will get better soon. Life is a series of valley’s and mountain-tops.
Although I hope for many more years with my wonderful husband, I am grateful for the ones we’ve had. I could have lost him so easily thirteen years ago. Many people only have their spouse for a few months or years before they lose them. I have almost thirty-eight happy years to look back on, and according to our doctor who just came and talked to me, everything went well and we have more years ahead of us. What a gift! What an amazing, wonderful, glorious gift!
Simple Life Blessings 