It's been such a long time since my last post. I'll blame it on the fact that I've been working practically around the clock on the day job and there is really no end in site.
For now, there is at least a monetary reward for constant work on the other side of town, but, I don't want to keep this pace forever. I am a strong believer in the idea of working hard and playing hard, but, all work and no play makes Mickey a tired boy.
Life Should Have Balance
There is an old biblical teaching that I believe is extremely important. "All things in moderation."
Moderation is the key here.
A couple of weeks ago it was really warm. Our local heat index rose to about one hundred degrees. The actual temperature was in the nineties, but, in the facility where I work (auditor), I was in very high heat and I was drinking water like a fish.
Feeling light-headed, I thought that I was getting a little dehydrated, so, I drank even more water. What happened was that my sodium level (in my bloodstream) was diluted to the point that it was 121 (normal is 135 to 145 for an adult male).
It felt as though my feet were not touching the ground when I walked and I was really dizzy. My brain felt as though it was moving around in my head. I drank some Gatorade to balance electrolytes, but, it was not helping (too little, too late). Off to the hospital I went.
IV Bags and Bed Rest... Yeah, Right...
At the hospital, blood work revealed the depleted sodium levels and the solution was giving me an IV bag full of saline solution. That brought my sodium count up to 137 (rising too fast can cause your brain to swell). With my count rebounding so quickly, doctors were worried and gave me IVs of dextrose (three bags). I spent another day and night in the hospital with heart monitors and blood tests every four hours.
After all the blood work, echo-cardiogram, ultrasound of the arteries in my neck to make sure there were no blockages of any kind (everything was good there), it was confirmed that depleted sodium levels were the culprit, nothing more, nothing less.
Vital signs were good. Blood pressure was excellent. I have the physiology for a young man, not a sixty-one-year-old. That's good.
Hospital Bills...
And now, it's time to start paying the hospital bills.
Let me see, several doctors, lab work, echo-cardiogram, ultrasound, chest x-ray, meds, two and a half days in the hospital, the ER doctors and a room there for a few hours, etc, etc, etc... in all, it amounts to about $19,000 (USD).
My share, lucky for me, is about $890 thanks to Cigna Insurance. It ain't cheap, but it is not nearly as expensive as some plans I've seen (thanks in large part to the employer).
If there is a lesson in this, it is clear. Moderation in ALL THINGS is really a good plan. Yes, be moderate in all things.
By all means, work hard and make time to play hard. Love your family and friends. Be positive. And remember, happiness is a state of mind. So, don't worry, be happy.
