When I had my sudden cardiac arrest in late April 2023, I resolved not to bang on about it. It’s not that I feel uncomfortable talking of it, I’m more than happy to do that. In fact, I quite like the attention. 😉 It’s just I didn’t want to be considered a frightful bore!

Yet here I am, talking of it once again in my blog and to the world-wide WordPress readership.

However, I’d suggest dying and then recovering could be considered a ‘significant life event’ and provides me a good basis on which to answer today’s question: ‘How do significant life events or the passage of time influence your perspective on life.’

My cardiac arrest has been diagnosed as idiopathic. It just happened. There was no discernible rhyme or reason for it. There was a rhythm – a very abnormal one, but various precautionary treatments have been administered to prevent a recurrence.

I know I’m very, very lucky to be here typing this and I so appreciate all the attention of those who saved me and helped me recover.

Yet I honestly don’t think such a dramatic event has much changed my perspective on life.

I don’t question my continued existence; I don’t examine the series of amazing coincidences that came together to keep me alive; I don’t beat myself up with guilt at surviving without any apparent lasting ill-effects when others are not so lucky; I don’t feel sorry for myself at now having to modify my physical activity … well, I do a little bit! 😀

No – I quickly accepted my situation.

And that’s the word I’d say now plays a more important part in my life: ‘acceptance.’

I’d suggest that once you’ve been dead, you don’t really give a stuff what people think and say anymore. I don’t allow myself to worry over situations that are outwith my control. Indeed, if they are within my control, I quickly get up off my backside and do something about it.

It may sound a bit morbid, but there could be no tomorrow. That’s not meant to be the depressing thought of the day – it just means we should grasp the present; squeeze every bit of enjoyment out of our day.

They are trivial points, I know, but I now no longer have ‘special’ records I play only occasionally in case I get bored with them – I play all my LPs all the time now. (My wife really loves me.)

Similarly, I don’t have ‘good’ clothes I’d keep for the infrequent times I’d go ‘out out.’ I wear them around the house now.

Silly, I know.

I’d say I’ve always enjoyed life. I have no regrets. But by accepting what has happened these past nine months, I feel have an even more positive outlook on life. And that’s about it.

Oh – and I make sure I’m wearing clean underwear in case I’m ever carted off in an ambulance again!
(Wait – that’s not to say … )

😉 😀