I Make New Choices

I Make New Choices

On Tuesday, December 19, I have heart by-pass surgery.  I’ve apparently eaten a bit too many slices of bacon, a few too many French fries, Big Macs and pecan pies, Hostess Twinkies and Moon Pies. 

I made those choices.  No one forced that food on me. 

And I now make the choice to have this

surgery.  That too is not being forced on me, except for my will to live another twenty or so years and love Carolyn and hold her hand for those years yet to come.  

I have led a somewhat active life.  I’ve darted in and out of the gym for years.  Apparently, I darted out more than in, however … I put in a few miles on the treadmill here and there. 

I’ve eaten a lot of salmon and other delicious seafood delicacies while living here in Seattle.  Perhaps I was trying to overtake the bad eating I’ve done while living in other parts of America.  And now, I face those past choices I’ve made.

I make new choices.  I am making new choices.

My cardiologist says he can give me another twenty years.  I choose that.

Since my hospital stay in October I have been choosing a lot of new agendas.  For instance …

~I hit the gym 5 or 6 days every week.

~I count my carbs and sugar grams, sodium grams, and make sure I eat a good amount of protein.  I choose that.

~I chose to not eat those sugary Christmas cookies my granddaughters baked last Saturday.  Oh my, that frosting is so tempting, but that is my past ME.  I choose to leave those alone.

~I choose smaller portions on my plate.

~I choose salads to accompany most evening meals with a healthy dressing.

~I choose to listen to Carolyn’s counsel on ‘should I eat this snack or that other thing’.

~I choose to leave bread out of my diet at most meals.

~I continue to choose to take my meds on time, every time, every day. 

~I monitor my blood pressure and blood sugar numbers every day.

~I take my insulin every day.  The good news is this … my primary care doctor took me off one of my insulins and put me back on a prescription.  That was a grand day. 

~I am doing everything that is being asked of me.  Carolyn calls me the “Poster Child for Obedient Patients”.

I CHOOSE!

Get it? 

I CHOOSE!

I’ve had a lifetime of choosing, and some of those choices have gotten me into the situation I now face.  And now I make different choices.

And the biggest choice of all …

~I choose to continue to trust God through all of this.  I’ve had my moments, I must say.  There have been discouraging days, dizzy days, weak days, tempting days, and I have made it through all of them. 

I still choose to trust God.  I still believe He is with me.  I still feel His hand on me through it all.  That too is a choice.  Some in my situation, perhaps, curse God.  Not me.  Oh no.  I TRUST GOD.

This is my last post for this year.  I plan to write again in January after a good period of recovery and when my body and mind is ready to give you an UP-WORD.

Till then …

This is my morning reflection.

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