Thanks, everyone...I was in quite a mood when I wrote the OP. I'm feeling better today...even after 5 years we seem to have our moments or days...anyway, I didn't mean to sound as if I don't have any relationship with my nieces and nephew. In fact, I do...I just don't get to see them as much as I would like. THey live 4+ hours from me and I'm in Grad school. But I'll be graduating in May and will have a lot more time to go and visit. I just feel guilty sometimes that I don't get up there enough. And YES...there are many other circumstances that make contact akward at times...but we get through them on the most part. Again, I am so grateful for those of you who responded and showed such kindness. I will definitely not be so shy anymore and will check in on you all. You are all such an amazing bunch of people...compassionate, strong, and expressive. Thank you again, Adrienne

Our friend had a heart attack at 48. It was so unreal. He has a teenage son and daughter living with him. Lucky they were both home at the time and drove him to the ER. I am very glad you had someone there with you at the time Jamie. Time is SO very important. Follow your doctors orders dear gal! Sending gentle healing hugs for you.

Saying healing prayers for him and strenth for you in handling all you must. Happened to my DH at age 45 and know how truly overwhelming it can be. No internet back then so it was off to the library for nutrition researching. I became a champion at label reading at grocery store in order to prepare heart healthy meals. May God bless you both! Suzi

Hi to my Smaller Homes friends! I appreciate your support and care more than you can know. I have been working toward a weight loss diet since the first of the year. I need to lose almost 200 lbs. In the past I have done liquid protein diets, both without and with other foods. This time, I am going to use the liquid protein to replace some meals and to use between my smaller meals. I figure that doing weight loss this way is a more sustainable way, and that I will likely need to use the liquid protein for some meals the rest of my life. Falling into the fast-food/drive-through habit is too easy for me, since I am on the road for my job. If I can leave the house with a liquid protein packet making a nice cappucino-like drink in home-brewed coffee, I won't be stopping for breakfast with bacon and white-flour breading. That saves a few hundred calories right there! I am trying to leave some snacking (a few individual Dove chocolates at night, a handful of pretzels, some air-popped popcorn) in my diet so that I learn to eat the way I always revert to - but with moderation, instead. DH is the sodium-sleuth, and since he does most of the shopping, I can eat low sodium if I do not sabotage his efforts! We still get take-out, but mostly Middle Eastern, and I get salads with some meat most of the time. So that is my plan - to establish better habits overall, use liquid protein drinks to keep my nutrition up, and eat fewer calories while avoiding sodium and white carbs. I started PT this week. We started with my ankles because that is where the worst pain is. Stan, my PT Man (a genius!) first studied my walk and added to my orthotics (he made them) to correct my left foot's roll. I am doing strengthening exercises, too. Next is my elbows, then my hand. Once I am done with the PT, I plan to get into that nice warm pool at the community center of a nearby suburb a few days a week to work out in the water. I am walking almost as fast as I used to walk as I cruise through my nursing homes, but get out of breath. No major heart pains since the one I had in my first week back at work. I am working to recognize my patterns of tension, worry, and stress. I drive around doing deep, slow breathing exercises and relaxing my shoulders! My biggest, best, and most time consuming change has been working my sauna into my schedule. I have done 30 to 60 minute sessions before bed, a 40 minute session as soon as I got home for work, and even a short 15 minute session before showering to go to work. It feels SO GOOD! I wake up without stiffness if I use it at night. As a matter of fact, it is warmed up for me now, and I am going to go indulge in a full hour in the baking, far-infrared 130 degree little cabin in our smallest bedroom right now!