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This site is a member of WebRing. To browse visit here. Tuesday, August 15, 2006 I SAID I needed a vacation! I've had numerous episodes of chest and arm pain lately, and much shortness of breath. These are not good symptoms for an overweight person to be having. And considering that Kate was just hospitalized for atrial fibrillation after experiencing nearly identical symptoms, I figured I was probably headed in that direction myself. So when I woke up feeling rotten today--short of breath, a dull throbbing pain in my chest and one arm--I just wanted to get through the day and head home. Tomorrow, I promised myself, I would go to the doctor.I made it as far as the rest area on I-81 south of Wytheville. By then I was dizzy, light-headed, hardly able to get a good breath, my chest was tight and my lips were tingling. I pulled over, called 911, dosed myself with a couple of extra-strength aspirin and enough tincture of capsicum to restart a stopped heart, and waited to be hauled off to the hospital. By the time rescue arrive, the combination of capsicum and aspirin had gone a long way toward making me feel better, but I was still short of breath.Three hours later, after the usual routine of EKG, X-rays, multiple vials of drawn blood and various people poking and prodding, I was told I'd had a panic attack and that nothing was wrong with me. "I don't have panic attacks," I said, rather coldly, I'm afraid. "I'm the one who stays calm and holds things together when everyone else is freaking out."The nice young physician's assistant claimed that anyone could have a panic attack, even if it had never occurred before, if there was sufficient stress. So I suppose I've had sufficient stress. I'm rather embarrassed about the whole thing, but glad to know there really was nothing wrong with me. "Your EKG looked like a 20-year-old," he said, "your cardiac enzymes are right where they ought to be and there was absolutely nothing abnormal on the x-ray. You're healthy as an ox. You're just trying to manage too much at one time right now."So I've had an expensive but informative day. If it really is all in my mind, I can deal with that. After all, there is hardly anything more reassuring than to be told your EKG looks like a 20-year-old's. And this little episode should surely be enough to justify a real vacation. I told Clarence that even if I had to pay Patricia to move in there for a week, I was going to get in the car and leave all of this behind me for at least that long.That is, of course, if my new car ever turns up. It was supposed to be on the dock in New York on the 10th, at the dealer on the 12th, and ready for me to pick up yesterday, the 14th. It hasn't even made it to the dealer's lot yet, so who knows what is going on. I have to turn the rental car in tomorrow, and I'm not looking forward to driving the Daewoo any more than I have to. I think it's time for a long hot bath and some of the "Tired Old Ass" bath salts that Kate gave me for my birthday. posted by Liz @ 11:02 PM | The template is set to display 10 posts. To see all the posts for this month, click on the month name in the Archive section RSS Feed PERSONAL Send email toliz at life-as-a-spectator-sport.com Home I'm a mother, grandmother, a computer professional, Democrat, Christian. I welcome politely worded comments and email, my spam filter throws the rest away, so don't bother to flame me WHY 'LIFE AS A SPECTATOR SPORT' "If you're lucky not to live in the gutters of a slum, but still can't afford to take vacations in the Alps, you're part of that enormous middle class who lives life through the medium of the television, further separated from "real" life by air conditioner, by automobile, by dishwasher, microwave and ice-in-the-door refrigerator, by automatic washer and dryer, and all the other appliances and conveniences that make it possible for America to live life at second hand. I'm not sure why Americans decided that televised drama was better than the real thing, that cardboard microwave food containers were an adequate substitute for real dishes, and their contents for real food, or that cooking, dishwashing and face-to-face conversation wasn't worth the effort and time it required. Someone fed this nation a plastic crate of out-of-season tomatoes and told us it was life and we took them at their word, and we're so much the poorer for it that it's hard to know where to start to list the shortcomings." I wrote this a couple of years ago, but I have to admit it's much less amusing than I thought it would be to see the artifical construct falling apart. THE NON-ELECTRIC HOME Cleaning, 1 Cleaning, 2 Cleaning, 3 KNITTING BLOGS Extravayarnza Knitting Heretic Mind of Winter Pie Knits Persistent Illusion See Eunny Knit The Keyboard Biologist Taleweaver's Ramblings TECHnitting Wendy Knits FINISHED PROJECTS -------FINISHED IN 2006------- Peruvian Cap Tutti-Frutti Socks Shelley's Socks Carol's Socks -------FINISHED IN 2007------- Chain Link Socks Baby Surprise Jacket Valerie & Friend Baby Bonnet Rainbow Baby Socks Girls Pixie Hood Mitred Square Heart Red & White Socks Coffee Cup Pot Holder Nubbins Dishcloth Garterlac Dishcloth Suede Booties Kate's Socks Norwegian Sweet Baby Cap Half Thumbless Mittens Red Mittens for Akkol -------FINISHED IN 2008------- SELF-RELIANCE AND THE FUTURE -- Blogs and websites -- Causubon's Book Club Orlov Food Storage Made Easy From the Wilderness In the Wake Listening to Katrina Survival Topics The Modern Homestead The Oil Drum Notes from a Hillside Farm -- Mailing Lists -- 12vdc Power Living on the Land Rainwater Refrigeration Alternatives Old Ways of Living POLITICAL BLOGS and SITES The political sites have moved BOOKS I'M READING How to Grow More Vegetables, etc. Small Scale Grain Raising ARCHIVES February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002 Feedjit Live Blog Stats
I've had numerous episodes of chest and arm pain lately, and much shortness of breath. These are not good symptoms for an overweight person to be having. And considering that Kate was just hospitalized for atrial fibrillation after experiencing nearly identical symptoms, I figured I was probably headed in that direction myself. So when I woke up feeling rotten today--short of breath, a dull throbbing pain in my chest and one arm--I just wanted to get through the day and head home. Tomorrow, I promised myself, I would go to the doctor.I made it as far as the rest area on I-81 south of Wytheville. By then I was dizzy, light-headed, hardly able to get a good breath, my chest was tight and my lips were tingling. I pulled over, called 911, dosed myself with a couple of extra-strength aspirin and enough tincture of capsicum to restart a stopped heart, and waited to be hauled off to the hospital. By the time rescue arrive, the combination of capsicum and aspirin had gone a long way toward making me feel better, but I was still short of breath.Three hours later, after the usual routine of EKG, X-rays, multiple vials of drawn blood and various people poking and prodding, I was told I'd had a panic attack and that nothing was wrong with me. "I don't have panic attacks," I said, rather coldly, I'm afraid. "I'm the one who stays calm and holds things together when everyone else is freaking out."The nice young physician's assistant claimed that anyone could have a panic attack, even if it had never occurred before, if there was sufficient stress. So I suppose I've had sufficient stress. I'm rather embarrassed about the whole thing, but glad to know there really was nothing wrong with me. "Your EKG looked like a 20-year-old," he said, "your cardiac enzymes are right where they ought to be and there was absolutely nothing abnormal on the x-ray. You're healthy as an ox. You're just trying to manage too much at one time right now."So I've had an expensive but informative day. If it really is all in my mind, I can deal with that. After all, there is hardly anything more reassuring than to be told your EKG looks like a 20-year-old's. And this little episode should surely be enough to justify a real vacation. I told Clarence that even if I had to pay Patricia to move in there for a week, I was going to get in the car and leave all of this behind me for at least that long.That is, of course, if my new car ever turns up. It was supposed to be on the dock in New York on the 10th, at the dealer on the 12th, and ready for me to pick up yesterday, the 14th. It hasn't even made it to the dealer's lot yet, so who knows what is going on. I have to turn the rental car in tomorrow, and I'm not looking forward to driving the Daewoo any more than I have to. I think it's time for a long hot bath and some of the "Tired Old Ass" bath salts that Kate gave me for my birthday.
The template is set to display 10 posts. To see all the posts for this month, click on the month name in the Archive section
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PERSONAL
WHY 'LIFE AS A SPECTATOR SPORT'
"If you're lucky not to live in the gutters of a slum, but still can't afford to take vacations in the Alps, you're part of that enormous middle class who lives life through the medium of the television, further separated from "real" life by air conditioner, by automobile, by dishwasher, microwave and ice-in-the-door refrigerator, by automatic washer and dryer, and all the other appliances and conveniences that make it possible for America to live life at second hand. I'm not sure why Americans decided that televised drama was better than the real thing, that cardboard microwave food containers were an adequate substitute for real dishes, and their contents for real food, or that cooking, dishwashing and face-to-face conversation wasn't worth the effort and time it required. Someone fed this nation a plastic crate of out-of-season tomatoes and told us it was life and we took them at their word, and we're so much the poorer for it that it's hard to know where to start to list the shortcomings." I wrote this a couple of years ago, but I have to admit it's much less amusing than I thought it would be to see the artifical construct falling apart.
THE NON-ELECTRIC HOME
Cleaning, 1 Cleaning, 2 Cleaning, 3
KNITTING BLOGS
Extravayarnza Knitting Heretic Mind of Winter Pie Knits Persistent Illusion See Eunny Knit The Keyboard Biologist Taleweaver's Ramblings TECHnitting Wendy Knits
FINISHED PROJECTS
SELF-RELIANCE AND THE FUTURE
POLITICAL BLOGS and SITES
BOOKS I'M READING
How to Grow More Vegetables, etc. Small Scale Grain Raising
ARCHIVES
February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002
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