A month gone by

It's hard to believe that a stent was inserted into an artery on my heart (the Left Anterior Descending Artery, LAD) just a month and a day ago.

I'm slowly healing...being a bit short of breath when walking around especially if carrying something and wearing a mask. But the various doctors have said my heart was down to 38% from the norm of 50% (the normal amount of blood that is pumped in one beat.) My son and I don't understand that only 50% of the blood in our body is pumped at a time...but then just thinking of that much surging around is pretty awesome.  This is part of my re-education that I want to learn more about.

I'm working on my apartment re-certification which must be done annually to receive any reduced rent based on my financial circumstances. That means waiting to get the bills from hospital and doctors, then submitting them to landlady. I may not be able to submit them this month because they bill the insurance first, then the balance will be mine to pay. I'm not looking forward to that, but hope to make a contract to have monthly payments (for a few years to come probably.)

Other than shortness of breath and finances, my life is doing pretty well.

I must consider how when I retired (in 2007) all those years ago, I dragged along things that I would do in my "retirement years." Now the box of photos that I wanted to make into collages is still stored collecting dust. As well as all my old journals that I imagined I could merge into an interesting book or two...and would you believe, the emails I wrote back and forth since 2001 with my two high school best friends who've died since then. At least the emails are on the internet, so not collecting dust!

Instead I became active making pottery and sculptures in clay for 12 years. What a long time to indulge myself! I made good friends though, in the pottery studio and in selling my pots.  And ignored the many  things that were waiting for my attention. Indeed, I just added to them! Now I've got many shelves of pots and sculptures...as well as big tupperware tubs stacked along the walls.

So in the next month, my challenge shall be to choose one thing to give attention to...a retirement thing. I'll let you know how that progresses!

Today's quote:

To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common -- this is my symphony.
-William Henry Channing, clergyman and reformer (25 May 1810-1884)