#6 of the Matrix.......

#6 of the matrix.........ATTENTION!

“Take care of your health”……. I have listened to, and written those words all of my life but I never REALLY heard them, let alone practice them. I look back now and see where most of my life I ignored the warnings to a lot of health issues…. I worked hard and I played hard and gave little time to that thing called health. On a positive note, I AM now paying attention, and I beg you to do the same.

I am sure a lot of different factors played a part in my heart attack, genetics, bad habits, stress, ignorance.…… but those things do not include the fact that I lived in pain for three years, and had little or no exercise during those years prior to the attack. When the discs in my back went bad in 2005 and begin pinching a nerve, I thought I would be able to live with that pain. As it got worse I finally gave in a year later and went to a doctor, then following an MRI, I was diagnosed in 2006 with spinal stenosis, arthritis, and two ruptured discs..

And yet, because I had “heard” my whole life how back surgery never works, and how it’s the worst thing you can do, there was no way I was going to let anyone cut on me….. I am tough, I can live with it. Well, I couldn’t. Finally, when I hit my limit in October of 2008 and the doctor and I decided it was time to have something done, I decided once again to put it off until after the holidays… Of course December 23 was when I got the wake up call from God –

"Hello Mary, He said…… You are not being tough, you are being stupid. You have chosen to ignore every sign I have given you, so I will lay you on your back and when I let you get up, you WILL start paying attention"! Oh boy, was he right……yet again, and still…….

Taking care of your health is one area where procrastination is just not smart. How dare we think we can just go on and on and on abusing and using our bodies until they are beyond repair? Do you encourage your child or another loved one to ignore their health?...... What gives you the right to turn away from yourself?

I now have another list – this one is of things I need help with in order to give my body what it needs….. It’s going to take a couple of surgeries, and probably several appointments with various doctors, and the continuation of the ever present problems of diet and exercise, but 2010 will be the year of repairs that I have needed for a long time….. The year of making tarzan healthy, the year of taking care of my health and hopefully continuing to for many years to come. During this past year of recuperation from the attack, I have done what I could – working on changing bad habits, eating healthier, getting more rest, keeping stress under control, etc. Now I that I have permission to go off of the blood thinners, I can move forward with a complete work over, including that back surgery I’ve needed for so long but was too stubborn to give in to.

I am no longer too proud to admit I have pain and it’s ok to pay attention to it and do something about it…… Attention!……”Take care of your health”...... Ok God, I heard you finally! I hope other’s are listening……