That was my first visit to a doctor since 1970. Given I was 72, the staff there was somewhat incredulous I had no prescriptions or other restrictions. It turned out I had a-fib, atrial fibrillation; an arrhythmia that causes the heart to off and on to race. There was also systolic heart failure. Was a bit shocked at the severity of my condition. And more bad news: my heart needed repair with two stints.

At some point, the question came up about about a Living Will and my wishes for the extent of treatment. I did not hesitate to say DNR, "Do Not Resuscitate." When they asked if I would agree to the stints, it took me a few hours to decide. I had basically done this to myself with my lifestyle. Should I just let consequences, nature, take its just cause? Or was that more like suicide? I took the stints. It seemed okay to prolong my life with that procedure. But I regretted it later, as well as accepting drugs to help manage my condition. Yet I take my meds dutifully everyday. Not so easy to allow death, no matter one's convictions.

My only point here is for all to give long and serious thought to end of life choices. It is a week now from my diagnosis. My prognosis is fairly decent. The stints have approved the functioning of my heart. The meds are allowing me the chance to end the a-fib in a month through two methods. Exercise and diet will help, but I always said I would never alter wh**ever-I-want-to-eat menu. That is cruel. So I still eat wh**ever. (Love steak fat and all other fat, and salt, and sugar.) My Cardiologist says if all goes well I could have another ten healthy years. Should I bother? The end will come, why not just let it come?

I also told my new doctor that I have no intention of taking "maintenance meds" poor her getting stuck with me!! There are many things that can be controlled by exercise and diet, or in many cases just exercise, as in an active life style. A close, long time (since 2nd grade) friend was put on all that crapola in her mid 50s. She kept feeling worse and worse. We talk and see each other quite often. One day, after she had been on the drugs for 5 years or so, we started looking up natural remedies for the things the docs claimed she needed meds for. So she decided to stop the meds and go natural for 30 days (it takes about 10 for meds to get out of your system) . She never went back. That was 10 years ago. Honestly, my belief is that our bodies are not meant to and dont digest chemicals, so they find a place to live and make us sicker. Im not saying asthmatics and people with diabetes shouldn't take meds to live, but some of this stuff is poison, IMO

Exercise is vital...
I eat lots of meat and oil (chinese food is Extremely oily) and about six eggs a day, and I drink quite a bit of beer... Am overweight...
I get my blood checked every six monthes... Not a single problem...
Doctors are always amazed... They say I should have horrible blood chemistry...
I tell them It's because I walk everywhere and play tennis and badminton regularly... Haven't driven in fifteen years... People spend too much time sitting on their asses... Walk in the park... In the mall... Just get out...
And remember to smile...

God bless... And welcome you when He is ready...

I also told my new doctor that I have no intention of taking "maintenance meds" poor her getting stuck with me!! There are many things that can be controlled by exercise and diet, or in many cases just exercise, as in an active life style. A close, long time (since 2nd grade) friend was put on all that crapola in her mid 50s. She kept feeling worse and worse. We talk and see each other quite often. One day, after she had been on the drugs for 5 years or so, we started looking up natural remedies for the things the docs claimed she needed meds for. So she decided to stop the meds and go natural for 30 days (it takes about 10 for meds to get out of your system) . She never went back. That was 10 years ago. Honestly, my belief is that our bodies are not meant to and dont digest chemicals, so they find a place to live and make us sicker. Im not saying asthmatics and people with diabetes shouldn't take meds to live, but some of this stuff is poison, IMO

Exercise is vital...
I eat lots of meat and oil (chinese food is Extremely oily) and about six eggs a day, and I drink quite a bit of beer... Am overweight...
I get my blood checked every six monthes... Not a single problem...
Doctors are always amazed... They say I should have horrible blood chemistry...
I tell them It's because I walk everywhere and play tennis and badminton regularly... Haven't driven in fifteen years... People spend too much time sitting on their asses... Walk in the park... In the mall... Just get out...
And remember to smile...

God bless... And welcome you when He is ready...

Exercise is vital...
I eat lots of meat and oil (chinese food is Extremely oily) and about six eggs a day, and I drink quite a bit of beer... Am overweight...
I get my blood checked every six monthes... Not a single problem...
Doctors are always amazed... They say I should have horrible blood chemistry...
I tell them It's because I walk everywhere and play tennis and badminton regularly... Haven't driven in fifteen years... People spend too much time sitting on their asses... Walk in the park... In the mall... Just get out...
And remember to smile...

God bless... And welcome you when He is ready...

You know Rumitoid, though we differ on a number of things, the choice to either live or die is a personal one. I have DNR and that's also by choice. My reasoning is that I do not want to be a hassle for my family when a time comes that I have to be bathed, wheeled around and an overall nuisance to any member of my family. HOwever, My wife being Buddhist also tells me that by not allowing my loved ones to perhaps have to have to take care of me as I did for them is being selfish by not HONORING their wishes to take help me through their love. All I know Rumi is that I wish you nothing but the best through out the rest of your life. When the time comes it comes. So please take care as best as you can allow yourself.
MIke

I also told my new doctor that I have no intention of taking "maintenance meds" poor her getting stuck with me!! There are many things that can be controlled by exercise and diet, or in many cases just exercise, as in an active life style. A close, long time (since 2nd grade) friend was put on all that crapola in her mid 50s. She kept feeling worse and worse. We talk and see each other quite often. One day, after she had been on the drugs for 5 years or so, we started looking up natural remedies for the things the docs claimed she needed meds for. So she decided to stop the meds and go natural for 30 days (it takes about 10 for meds to get out of your system) . She never went back. That was 10 years ago. Honestly, my belief is that our bodies are not meant to and dont digest chemicals, so they find a place to live and make us sicker. Im not saying asthmatics and people with diabetes shouldn't take meds to live, but some of this stuff is poison, IMO

I also told my new doctor that I have no intention of taking "maintenance meds" poor her getting stuck with me!! There are many things that can be controlled by exercise and diet, or in many cases just exercise, as in an active life style. A close, long time (since 2nd grade) friend was put on all that crapola in her mid 50s. She kept feeling worse and worse. We talk and see each other quite often. One day, after she had been on the drugs for 5 years or so, we started looking up natural remedies for the things the docs claimed she needed meds for. So she decided to stop the meds and go natural for 30 days (it takes about 10 for meds to get out of your system) . She never went back. That was 10 years ago. Honestly, my belief is that our bodies are not meant to and dont digest chemicals, so they find a place to live and make us sicker. Im not saying asthmatics and people with diabetes shouldn't take meds to live, but some of this stuff is poison, IMO