We’ve been asked a few times if we have “Cabin Fever” yet, holed up in a small house way out in upstate booneyville. Well, admittedly we aren’t doing a lot outdoors right now. Not having good drainage yet, it’s been unbearably muddy! Earlier in January however, it was unbearably cold. So cold in fact, that we finally felt it was safe enough to walk on our pond. (But just in case, we tied a rope to each other and walked far apart!) :-D
I’m really enjoying the extra time indoors. Knowing we will be very busy outside in the Spring, I’ve been focused on doing things I’ve been wanting to do, well, for like years! Things like organizing and backing up computer files, getting financial affairs in order, selling things on Craigslist for extra money, sorting and ridding myself of too many clothes, etc. We are also doing a lot of researching and learning new things. I even made homemade laundry detergent and dish soap! Vinny is keeping busy too, including planning out a garage and workshop building which will be his next Spring project. And oh – I got a Ukulele as an early birthday gift! So I’m practicing that, too. :-)
So no, we don’t have cabin fever. But something did happen with Vinny recently that was scary, and a wake-up call that instead we may have “Cabin Rut,” particularly when it comes to his health. I happened to be in Canandaigua taking care of some matters there, when Vinny contacted me that he called an ambulance. He was working outside when suddenly he became extremely dizzy, nauseous, and his heart was literally racing and pounding out of his chest. For about a half hour he tried to keep himself from passing out. He said it was a surreal feeling like being close to death, and although it was a peaceful feeling, he thought of all (and who!) he had to live for, and decided to call an ambulance.
When I heard this, I proceeded for the next 75 minutes to break every single posted speed limit (while passing many cars I’m afraid), in order to get to the hospital in time to find Vinny stabilized, but still feeling poorly. He was dehydrated from not drinking anything since the night before, nor did he eat anything in the morning before jumping into an intensely focused solar installation project. In other words he was “binge working,” in typical Vinny style. ;-) And last but not least, we had had a disagreement the night before that we did not get a chance to resolve yet. :-( Everything just seemed to make a perfect storm for his body to stress out.
Anyways.. after a bunch of tests and of course a sleepless night in the hospital, Vinny was given their green light to go home! Fortunately there was no damage done to the heart, although some lab results indicated that it was related to his heart, not sugar or anything like that. He has a couple more follow-up appointments to try and make sure this will will be an isolated incident.
Meanwhile! While we were waiting for the painfully long discharge process, I went shopping and stocked our fridge with a beautiful array of the best God-made “food medicine” I could find. Vinny is quite determined to make some better changes to his diet, and pace himself better. We also came to see how important it is to believe the best of each other and always live in harmony! Our physical bodies get easily weighted down and stressed when we carry hurts with each other. There is great healing upon releasing them, and quickly choosing the path of forgiveness and child-like acceptance. The older we get, I believe the more sensitive we get to this remarkable phenomenon.
Overall from this experience I am reminded yet again that the people in our life are a precious gift that we don’t know how long we’ll have.
As much as possible, enjoy those you love!
“As I loved you – love one another”
– Jesus the Christ, John 13:34
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