Believe it or not, my latest adventure began during the night of April 1st, 2017 - about three weeks ago now. Although I'm a very private person, I've decided to share this journey with you. I'll explain the reasons later.
It was the middle of the night and I had gotten up to use the bathroom. When I returned to bed, I couldn't catch my breath. It came in short, unpleasant gasps. Eventually, it settled down and I thought to myself that maybe I was coming down with a cold. When I got up in the morning, everything seemed okay so I put it off to one of those unexplainable life moments.
How surprised was I when the same thing happened the next evening - up to use the bathroom, back in bed, gasping for air like a poor fish who had been left to die on the shore. "This can't be good," I thought to myself. Anything having to do with breathing is important. I can live without many things - air is not one of them.
The next day was Monday and I had three Keeping It Real TV programs scheduled to record. Keeping It Real is an online TV program at NewSpiritJournal.com. I interview various interesting people using Skype and usually aim for two new shows per week.
Now the shortness of breath was occurring when I was up and active. I decided to call the doctor's office to see if I could make an appointment for after I had recorded my three shows. The doctor could see me at 3:30 - perfect! I managed to make my way through the shows without the shortness of breath showing - I can see it when I watch the shows, but a person would have to be looking for it to notice.
So you understand, I don't go to the doctor unless something is wrong. I was raised not going to the doctor. Everyone who knows me knows that. My doctor knows that. He told me that when he saw I had called for a same day appointment, he told his assistant something must be wrong.
After various tests, my doctor came into the room and said to me, "This is my worried face." Uh-oh. He said I have atrial fibrillation, a relatively common condition and one many people live with for years. It means I have an irregular heartbeat. However, because of this, fluid had built up in my lungs and body and this was causing him the most immediate concern. At least I finally had an explanation for my shortness of breath and, hopefully, now a solution.
Doc started me on water pills as well as some other drugs that are meant to keep me from having a stroke! What? Me, a stroke? Oh, dear. And me who prided myself on not taking any medications when others my age took all sorts of things....ah, pride comes before the fall?
My new shortness of breath coupled with my already existing mobility issues (that's an adventure story for another day) now put me in a near standstill. I mean that literally - it is very difficult for me to walk these days! The doc wanted me to do some more tests and see a cardiologist who wanted me to have a heart ultrasound. Wow. I went from no medical issues or care to full-out visits and tests.
It's been an interesting three weeks and I won't detail all of it here. I decided to start this blog as my way of journaling about this new adventure in my life. I know many of you have dealt with and/or are dealing with medical issues so perhaps my sharing could be supportive and helpful. It is also helpful to know I have the support of my spiritual community. Yes, if you would like to pray for me, do absent Reiki or other healing on my behalf, it would be graciously accepted.
Being the good metaphysician I am, my first thoughts went to the underlying reasons for me to have a heart and breathing issue. Don't I feel loved? Like anyone else, not always. Do I express my love to others? As much as I can. Am I done with this lifetime and ready to move on? I don't think so, but we'll see about that one.
Then there's the entire "I'm not my body" school of thought and karmic reasons and alternate realities and parallel lifetimes plus past lifetimes....all of which adds up to putting me in a state of mind-boggling "who knows!"
For now, I prefer to take the "This is what's on my plate right now so I will deal with it as lovingly as I can" approach, be open to other insights that might come up for me, and see where this little journey takes me.
One of my favorite quotes is one by Helen Keller - "Life is a grand adventure or nothing at all." For those of you who have read my autobiography Anything is Possible, I think you'll agree this is just one more adventure for me.
I'm very glad to have a supportive spouse who is doing everything she can to help me out. Not sure how I would handle this without her! Thank you, Rhonda! And stay tuned as I share more of this adventure and insights with you....Love and Light, Krysta
Sending prayers to you...
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