Don't Take Your Health for Granted!

By now, pretty well everyone knows the health issues I've had recently. Let's face it, it's been rough this whole year! The issues I've been facing for the last 4 or 5 weeks have just sucked the life right out of me, with very little energy, requiring me to work at a snails pace, and for short bursts at a time, resting and then going at it again. Even in the "good" spurts, it is anything but good. What I would give right now for just one day of feeling good! 

Now, I'm not writing to whine or to try to make people feel sorry for me. No, I'm just not like that. I'm a realist. This is my fault, and no one shares the blame. Even this issue of the blood loss, it appears that it may be caused by the Effient, a drug that I've been taking since April because of my stent. I can sit and blame the Effient... but the reality is, if I had eaten right and exercised the way I should have, then I would not have been laying on a table with a clogged artery requiring a stent to be placed in me. Right?
I had a pretty bad night last night, with a lot of digestive issues and just not able to sleep. I'll admit, I got pretty "self-focused" and had myself a good pity party about 3:30 - 4:00 this morning. Then I shook myself and told myself, "You are not going there! No pity! You can beat this!"  And I began thinking about what I just mentioned, that it is my own fault that I've been forced to take a drug that while designed to save my life, has the potential to take it. That's my fault, not the drug company's.  I did this to myself. And I can reverse this. One step at a time, as I get the issue at hand dealt with, but then it is time for some real life changes. Not dropping 15 pounds and gaining 7 back... but a transformation where 25 pounds is gone forever. It's time to not just take a leisurely stroll when I want to enjoy the day... it is time to start a real exercise program where the fat and sagging muscles are dealt with, and my heart muscle is strengthened. It's time to change my eating habits and gain some discipline in that area of my life. I know... it will be difficult. I know my mind will make excuses... but it's time. I've taken life and my health for granted for too long. Now, when it is failing me... I'm ticked off... but I only have myself to blame. 

My daughter is home from college and yesterday she went to see a friend who just had a baby. She posted a picture of her holding that baby... and I thought to myself, "Self, if you don't get your act together, you will never live to see your baby have babies of her own." 
It's time for some changes. 
I don't like it. 
I'm not looking forward to it!
But it is time.

I wrote this, so that I just might give someone else a wake up call. Don't wait.
Don't take your health for granted.  It can happen in the blink of an eye with no warning. 
Last week I stood my the side of a man who has felt well until just a couple of weeks ago. He scheduled some tests which led to surgery... and the surgeon opened him up and simply closed him back and told him that he has less than a month to live.
You and I just don't know. 
We can take that knowledge and live a carefree, thoughtless attitude like I pretty much did, until the year 2011 unleashed its fury on me. This year has been the roughest of my life, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
But as we wind out 2011, I am working out the plan... 
Change is on it's way, as soon as the doctor gives me the OK to begin.

I hope you'll join me and that 2012 changes your life and mine for the better!