My Amazing Heart Helper

Life can be so unreal sometimes. For the most part, life is predictable, but sometimes we are hit with big surprises, good and bad.

For example, I just got hit with a big surprise and not a good one. After having my heart checked recently, the doc called and told me that I needed a procedure, and it should be done soon.

What was it that needed to be fixed? Well, the scan they did showed that my heart was not beating correctly. So, they told me that I had to go to the hospital and have an ICD. Of course, I asked what an ICD was. ICD stands for Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator. It’s like a pacemaker but it does more than that. I was in shock at this. I have been in very good health for a long time and had no idea there was this kind of problem going on inside me.

So, what did I do? I went ahead and scheduled an appointment at the hospital and a few days later the doctors did their job, and a great job they did. I went home from the hospital the very next day and have felt fine ever since then. Now I knew why I had been so out of breath when climbing a bunch of stairs.

What they had done was very interesting. They cut a small hole in my chest then placed a very, very small computer device in my heart, complete with a few wires put down into some of my veins. This device monitors the heart to keep it beating with a regular rhythm and its one small battery lasts about 7 years before it needs to get replaced. I was so impressed that all that could be implanted and set up so fast. And the recovery was very easy.

So, after all that was done, I talked to my kids and grandkids and told them that now I have a better computer than they do, so they’d better watch out for me because I might be as smart or smarter than them. They got a big laugh out of that.

Isn’t it absolutely amazing what humans can figure out? So many inventions are absolutely incredible, and many of them have changed our world and our lives to make things better and to help us to live longer and in good health.

I now want to wish all my readers “good health” and encourage all of you to check into and do research on the latest discoveries that help us live longer and stronger and healthier than ever.

Self-Interest That Helps the World

Last week I wrote about how giving to others can and does lift your life and brings more happiness, contentment, and even better health and a longer life. It must have motivated me to practice what I was preaching because later I found myself in my car driving to the high school that all my kids attended and going straight to the office where I made a pretty sizable donation. As I walked out of the building, I felt so good and happy in the center of my heart and brain that I headed for another school. I made a couple more donations that day and felt like I was on top of the world.

It’s very interesting that when I make donations, including all those $2 bills that I often give to kids, I always feel that I get much more out of it than the recipient. What a great feeling it gives me! As science has proved, there is a great connection between the brain and the body. This allows us humans to help and improve our entire physical being by what we run through our heads. Giving is one of those things that can set off a lot of good positive feelings in our bodies.

Most of us, when we talk about giving, tend to think primarily in terms of giving money. But there are so many other ways and things to give. With very little effort, I came up with this list of things we can give to others that can be a huge help to those people and, at the same time, can give a lift to our brains, souls, and bodies.

After you read through my list, see what other things you can think of that can be given to others. These gifts can be given to your kids, grand kids, other relatives, and friends as well as strangers. Then let’s all of us push ourselves to give more. Choose as many items on the list as you feel so inclined to give. Yes, we do need to push ourselves to do this especially on days we might be feeling a bit down. But on those down days it can be a great help to lift us up as we lift others.

Okay, let’s work on giving more of some or all of these:

1. Money $$$
2. Good Advice
3. Direction/Coaching
4. Mentoring
5. Appreciation
6. Encouragement
7. Praise
8. Complements
9. Attention
10. Friendship
11. Wisdom
12. Our time
13. Help
14. Service
15. Love

I’m sure I left off many things that we can give to others but at least this is a start. This list has been motivating me to give more of these gifts to others and now my mind pops up with sayings like: “Give, Give, Give and Live, Live, Live. Give a little, live a little, give a lot, and live a lot. Give big and live big”. I know all this may sound kind of selfish, but maybe it’s a good thing that our brains are designed that way, because doesn’t that type of self-interest help the world?