Health is not valued until an ailment comes along.

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My post is mostly directed to people in their second half of live – ‘getting older’, although maybe some young people could relate, if like me, I remember when I was seventeen suddenly developing asthma; it was a an alarming experience. One moment I was jogging, dancing, mountain hiking and cycling; and the next I was on my back wheezing, gasping for air. It was eye-opening. From that day on my life was changed. The next year I landed up in hospital with the doctor stressing to my mother I could die if we didn’t take it seriously. When I came back home I told my mother I felt like a 70 year old. She laughed – I’m sure it was amusing to her that her 18 year old was telling her that she felt 70. For me it wasn’t amusing. I wanted my life back. I had to change my thinking of who I was and what I could do with my life, but that’s a story for another day. Usually it is in our 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and upwards that we are given health news that feels like bad news – health scares.

Last Monday I was marveling at how healthy I felt. I never posted the post and I have more to add today, but this is how the post started

My medical team started me on new asthma medication in June. We were all a little concerned as the last medication gave me a bad allergic reaction. Now I breathe better than before, even amidst the usual asthma triggers. So far so good.

And I am hoping the winter will have less adverse affect on my lungs with this new medication. I am able to work outside in 4C temperatures without it impacting on my lungs. This is promising.

 
Celebrate
Everyday of health, 
You never know when you 
Won't have it.

I can tolerate 
Temperatures lower than eight °
Celcius, walking outside 
Breathing is fine 
Peak flow is good.

Walking in the mist
Hearing the drops from the leaves 
Drip in slow staggered formation;
Smelling the loam rise from the damp earth...
What a treat to be well 
What a blessing to have health.

Slowly the cold seeps
Through the walls 
But all the same 
I am happy 
To be well 
I breathe
With ease.
I am grateful
For my health.

Today I conclude this post: Health is a blessing we easily take for granted. The Wednesday after I started this post I had a sleepless night (I am not going into the gory details as I don’t want to turn your stomach). I was wondering how many months I had to live – did I have lung cancer or bronchietasis or lupus or throat cancer. I spent the night evaluating what I had been up to recently, had I lived my last few years well? Had I loved living with purpose? Had I been happy with what I had done? I thought aboutall my relationships and friendships. What was the point of blogging? Did anything matter anyway? If I had 3 to 6 months to live what would I do in that time? Fortunately I was reassured the next day that I had none of those illnesses but I had a trauma in my throat – penicillin could take care of it.

Yes I probably have an overactive imagination but as we get older the many unusual things that crop up can be alarming. We are not the bight eyed youngsters that bounce back from ailments anymore. We can’t take our health for granted. Every moment is to be savored.

Stay well, look after your health and appreciate every moment you have of it.

~Morag Noffke ~