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Yosemite under Orion's gaze

Friday, May 24, 2019

5/24/19


I'm not exactly sure why but I have been on a pretty productive jag lately.

Doing every show I can, making things happen wherever possible. Not really sure if I can pinpoint a reason, maybe there isn't one. Not nearly out of my hole but I can see a little light.

Haven't had a drink in months, not that I was ever much of a boozer. No cannabis either. I stopped the former because it was affecting my atrial fibrillation, the latter because of a persistent cough and bronchial problem.

I am scheduled for an ablation pretty soon. The heart drugs that made everything tolerable for years suddenly stopped working. I lost considerable energy.

The new ones zonk me out. The little energy I still have has to be used efficiently and productively. Not sure if the procedure will work, the odds are about 70% on the first go. But I guess I have to try.

One of the upshots or should I say downsides of my newfound burst is that I have little time to engage in the activities that bring me joy. I haven't taken any serious photographs in over a month. No trips. No time to play guitar, when I try I usually make it through a song and then put it down in disgust at the diminishment of my skills. Not much time or inclination to write either. Am reading a bit, about halfway through a collection of short stories by the Russian writer Pushkin.

Would love to take a shooting voyage somewhere, I just don't have time. Keep the pedal to the metal. Make hay while the sun shines. Pay my debts. Hopefully the birds will still be there when I catch a break.

1 comment:

Julie Hardesty said...

I sincerely empathize with you and your AFib condition. I, too, suffered from AFib a couple of years ago, but thankfully I had an ablation and it was the BEST decision I ever made. Medication did not help with my AFib, except that I guess the blood thinners helped to prevent a potential stroke. I was fortunate to have an ablation two years ago and it changed my life forever. I actually feel like I have my real life back and I completely credit my doctor and electrocardiologist, David Cohen of Cardiac Arrhythmia Associates at Scripps. Amazing doctor who performs cutting edge ablation -- not the old fashioned heat ablation, but cold balloon ablation. You should check it out. Currently, I do not take any medication whatsoever and I feel great! Sincerely wishing you all the best, Robert. Please feel free to to talk to me about this if you want. No one should have to live a life less than the best when there are so many medical options available. What was that DuPont motto, 'better living through chemistry'? Well, surgery isn't exactly chemistry, but it is good thing. At least it was for me.