We are living in very challenging times. Pressured in the workplace and stressed out at home, people are trying to make sense of their lives. ~ Les Brown

Take a Deep Breath This Week

This is going to be a hell of a week. For all of us in general and for me in specific. I’m not someone who really lives with a lot of anxiety but this week is likely to be a bit different.

So let’s take a look at what’s coming.

The 2024 President Election

This in so many ways is an historic election cycle. First, a black woman is running for president. If she wins she’ll be the first woman elected President of the United States. It is also the most contentious election in my lifetime and maybe ever, although I’m not election historian. We all feel it, the anger and mistrust on both sides of the political aisle are at levels I’ve never experienced before. And with 24 hour cable TV coverage, the lead on the local news, EVERY SINGLE SOCIAL MEDIA SITE, and of course every single water cooler conversation it’s damn near impossible to escape it. Great week for a hike if you can find the time. This has absolutely bled into my work, our college is even running an election fatigue event to help students deal with the stress around the election. Now if they’d just run one for the staff and faculty!

Career Technical Education Day

This week my area hosts it’s largest event of the year, CTE day where we bring a few hundred high school students on campus to introduced them to the career and workforce training options that we provide. It’s an important day for us, a great event and complete chaos. Happily I have a couple of really high quality and very competent faculty who are running the show. But of course, with that many high school students on campus there’s always the chance of madness.

My Cardiologist Consultation

Recently I had my annual cardiac assessment, as I believe I’ve mentioned on the blog before, I have two heart conditions. I have a congenital defect, a bifurcated aortic valve as well as an ascending aortic aneurysm. Each year I have either an echocardiagram or CT scan on my heart. Having had the valve issue my whole life I don’t focus on it very much, I’ve always known at some point it would be need to replaced. The aortic aneurysm is the one that has always scared me. I found out about it seven years ago and it’s something that if I exert myself too much, or get struck in the right part of my stomach, it could rupture and that would be bad, very bad.

Well this past week I got the results of my assessment and it turns out it’s my valve that has gotten significantly worse. So this week I find out if, (I likely am), and then when I’ll be having open heart surgery. So the idea of both answers, surgery or no surgery are terrifying. Surgery is the better option to get this dealt with but entails having my heart stopped for a few hours, not excited about that. It will also delay my retirement likely a year and of course blow up my plans to hike the Appalachian Trail again. Recovery from the surgery is an initial three month process with full recovery at six months. Assuming it goes well, it would be a really good thing to do, but that doesn’t make it any less fear inducing.

The other option, no surgery, is a far more terrifying option. It will mean my life is effectively on hold while I wait for my valve to deteriorate even farther, making little things like a heart attack more likely. And putting me at the mercy or whatever periodic check-in evaluations my HMO schedules. So while surgery and recovery are scary, they do provide certainty and a clear path ahead.

So yeah, I’m anxiety boy right now as many of us are. So I hit my default when I’m at this point this weekend and just kind of shutdown. I ate some good food, I got plenty of sleep, I binge watched the Lioness on Paramount+ a show I’ve resisted but is really good. Didn’t realize it was written by Taylor Sheridan, maybe the best TV writer in Hollywood these days. I also got a lot of sleep, cleaned up the tiny patio garden and just tried to relax. Also, knowing this was all coming at that it all hits in the earlier part of the week, I’ve taken a few days off starting Thursday.

We all know this will be a tense week, so do the things you normally do to decompress, maybe minimize your social media time, and incorporate your favorite form of self-care into this week’s routine whether that’s yoga, meditation, a massage or a pint of Ben and Jerry’s (NY Super Fudge Chunk is a personal favorite). Also this week maybe give some extra grace to people, and that includes yourself, you are people. Hopefully doing this will help you have some happier days in a stressful week. Oh and go vote, if you don’t vote, you really don’t have a right to complain my friends. ~ Rev Kane