Palpatations

Let me tell you, the images on cartoons where the character's heart palpatates right out of the chest is a slice of real life.

Trust me, I've seen my heart do it two different times now. Granted, it didn't actually stretch my shirt 3 feet from my chest in a heart-shape, BUT my chest cavity did raise and fall with each rapid heart beat, and while I was on the phone with the consulting nurse yesterday-that was the only way I could actually count each beat to give her a heart rate. I did everything I could to keep her from calling 911, and while it took quite a lot of concentration on my part, I was able to take my own heart rate- it started at 120 bpm, then 150 bpm, got up to 210 bpm, and then fell back down to 150 bpm over the course of an hour. After taking 50 mg of metoprolol, my HR dropped down to 55 bpm, and my mom came over and worked on her homework while I slept.
Today, the doc said there's nothing medically wrong with my heart. After being stuck for blood, my thyroid is fine, my EKG was normal, and I'm supposed to take 25 mg of metoprolol for the next few days. The sucky thing is that it makes me quite "rummy" (to use the words of the ER nurse) and makes it difficult to function. I didn't even try to go to work, and I'd hate to hear the message I left on my sup's vm after my appt was done, because I'm pretty sure I was still out of it. I got home around 11, and this bruised and exhausted Melinda slept until 5pm, and I'm sure I could sleep for another 10-12 hours!

It's amazing what your heart racing upwards of 200 bpm will do to your body. Not only fatigue, but possible blood clots, strokes, and temporary congestive heart failure...

Sounds like fun, huh.

A Lot of Left Shoes...

As many of you know, I've been wearing a stupid walking boot on my right foot, trying to let my achilles heel get better. I managed to go for three days without wearing the boot before my tendon made this horribly painful pop! and in those three days I realized that I have a lot of left shoes lying around my apt, with no idea what happened to the right shoe! Who, besides me- may I ask, can manage to misplace only ONE shoe for so many shoes?!

I'm pretty sure a house elf is moving things around, because none of the shoes seem to be where I've left them. (ha ha- no punn intended, but it worked out well, didn't it?!)

Today's Daily OM...

As in previous blogs, I've mentioned that I subscribe to the Daily OM. This one speaks out particularly 1)because I recently blogged about how walking has made me feel connected to my little piece of the world and 2)because I haven't been able to walk for the last week and I miss it terribly. I only have 6 minutes left of my lunch break, so I leave you here...

September 12, 2008
Walking With Awareness
Mindful Walking

Many of us take the benefits of walking for granted. Each day we limit the steps we take by driving or sitting for long periods of time. But walking even a few blocks a day has unlimited benefits – not only for our health, but our spirit as well, for as we walk, we connect with the earth.

Even when walking on concrete, the earth is still beneath us, supporting us. Walking lets our body remember simpler times, when life was less complicated. This helps us slow down to the speed of our body and take the time to integrate the natural flow of life into our cellular tissue. Instead of running from place to place or thinking about how much more we can fit into our day, walking allows us to exist in the moment.

Each step we take can lead us to becoming more mindful of ourselves and our feelings. Walking slows us down enough not only to pay attention to where we are in our body, but also to our breath. Taking time to simply notice our breath while we walk, through the length of our inhales and exhales, and becoming attuned to the way in which we breathe is taking a step towards mindfulness. When we become more mindful, we gradually increase our awareness of the environment around us and start to recognize that the normal flow of our thoughts and feelings are not always related to where we are in the present moment. Gradually we realize that the connection we have with the earth and the ground beneath our feet is all that is. By walking and practicing breathing mindfully we gain a sense of calm and tranquility -- the problems and troubles of the day slowly fade away because we are in the ‘now’.

The simplicity and ease of a walking practice allows us to create time, space and awareness of our surroundings and of the wonders that lie within. Taking a few moments to walk each day and become more aware of our breath will in turn open the door for the beauty of the world around us to filter in.

A Soul Cries Out...

http://myinspirationalstories.blogspot.com

Read it.