And Then There’s This
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How to Handle A-FIB
Since my diagnosis is new it’s only natural that I start hunting for words of wisdom as to dealing with the anxiety and heart sensations I get when out of rhythm.
I came across this article and it has some interesting ideas that I think are worth trying out. Mind you, we do not have a medical reason for my A-FIB at this point, there may be no other cause at all. The ideas in this article all seem safe and make sense so we’ll see what happens. If you’re dealing with A-FIB please let me hear you’re story.
ARTICLE : Emergency! How To Manage an Afib Attack
If this is the first time you’re having symptoms of atrial fibrillation— palpitations, rapid or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, anxiety—you should consider calling 911. These symptoms may be indicators of a more serious problem, including heart attack. But if you’re confident that you don’t need to go to the emergency room, here are some tips that may help you manage atrial fibrillation in the middle of an attack.
➡️ First, note these warning signs of heart attack:
❗️Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
❗️Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
❗️Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.
❗️Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.
—From the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute’s site, Act In Time to Heart Attack Signs
If you feel comfortable enough not to call 911, here are some alternative steps you can take that may help you convert to a normal sinus rhythm (normal heartbeat):
Drink a glass of water. Palpitations are sometimes caused by dehydration. Don’t drink any alcohol, coffee, tea, or soft drinks. Alcohol and caffeine can trigger atrial fibrillation, and the phosphorus in soft drinks can deplete magnesium (see below).
Eat a banana. Atrial fibrillation can be caused by a lack of potassium, usually because of too much salt in the diet. Bananas are high in potassium, as are tomato, prune, and orange juices. But read the labels; some juices have high amounts of salt. Stay away from salt! See this list of high potassium foods. Note: Most vitamin supplements that have potassium also include large amounts of calcium. I don’t recommend taking extra calcium if you have atrial fibrillation; calcium is excitatory to the heart.
Eat some pumpkin seeds. Magnesium is essential for a normal heartbeat. Try eating some pumpkin seeds, which are high in magnesium. If you don’t have any pumpkin seeds, try brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, or any of the foods on this list. If you have a magnesium supplement, you can take that, but only if it doesn’t include calcium. If you have some epsom salt, you can take an epsom salt bath. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate; you’ll absorb it through the skin. If you can’t take a bath, try adding water to the epsom salt to make a poultice and apply it to your wrists.
Dunk your head in cold water. Fill a sink with cold water and plunge your face in it. Sometimes this little jolt can help.
Lie down. Or, do some exercise. Some people find that symptoms improve if they lie down and try to relax. Others find that doing a little exercise, which makes the heart beat faster and then slow down, helps even more. You’ll just have to experiment to find out if either of these suggestions work for you.
Try some belly breathing. Lie down or sit comfortably, and relax. Breath through your nose to a count of four, slowly filling your belly. Exhale through the nose or mouth for the same four count. Breathe deep into your belly, not your chest. Make the inhalations as long as the exhalations and breathe in a circle, i.e., don’t hold your breath on the inhale or exhale. You can also try breathing into the belly and holding the breath for a count of ten (stopping if you feel uncomfortable), then resume breathing rhythmically to a count of four.
Listen to a normal heart. If you’re not alone, ask someone if you can listen to their heart. I know this sounds strange—and you’ll want to be selective about who you ask—but I have found it surprisingly helpful. The phenomenon is known as entrainment. Your heart will tend to slow down to match the slower, normal heartbeat. Try it.
If your symptoms continue or worsen, go back to the top of this post. It may be time to call 911.
When you’re feeling better, come back and read my other recommendations for managing atrial fibrillation.
Time to Chat
Dear Peeps and all who have come here looking for me to say something fresh, I’m sorry for being so quiet on my blog.
You see, when I started this, I thought people would only want to hear about my music. Well, since my brain STILL won’t let me enjoy music this blog has just been sitting here.. Waiting for something fun to happen.
Wait no more ! My friends tell me I’ve got other funny things to say and stories to tell and that other people might enjoy that.
So, I’m going to start rambling, chatting, posting pics and sayings and anything that’s happening in my world. My hope is that you might find something we have in common and start interesting conversations here.
Let’s do this !
Fields of Fire Album
Hello, my Friends.
I want to get the message out there about my 1980’s album “Fields of Fire”. I was living in Scotland at the time when I was contacted by a Portland based filk music company. They wanted me to write, produce & record an album of music based on Mercedes Lackey’s book of the same name.
I wish I had had the chance to talk to Mercedes at the time to see how she felt about such a project but, being out of the country a lot, I never managed to connect with her (sadly to say).
I went ahead with the writing : music, lyrics, arrangements, and the went out to Portland where, with the help of some lovely people in the Fantasy Music scene out there, we managed to get the album recorded.
Over time, it seems my name has disappeared from the credits for this album and I’d really like you all to help me set the record straight on the matter. For example, I came across some very nice YouTube videos made back around 2009 by a fellow going as ARP7777. He says the album is by Ms Lackey and doesn’t know who the singer is but I couldn’t find a way to contact him to fix the credits for my songs. I wrote all the songs (lyrics, music, guitar work etc) for the album “Fields of Fire” but, since it was written and performed at the behest of a music company, I did not retain publishing rights and I think that’s why my name has been left off the credits.
Since my first album of music was produced for Philo records in 1979 you have all gone out of your way to let musicians know that I was the songwriter of so many popular songs adopted by the Filk community. I am eternally grateful for everyone’s efforts around the planet as I have recieved appropriate royalties that would otherwise have been lost. So, if you come across YouTube videos or performances and the music credits aren’t right please help me out and correct them. My MS keeps me offline…. A lot .. and that’s why I’m so behind on all this stuff.
Hugs and love to all. May this find you happy and enjoying a life to the fullest. I know I am.
😉 Meg
My Peagasus Award !!
Hiya, everybody ! Did you hear ? I finally got a Pegasus Award for “Captain Jack and The Mermaid” as Best Classic Filk Song.
I’m so pleased and grateful to the Filking community for acknowledging my sea chantey as a long lasting song in their music circles . Written in 1975, this year makes my ballad 40 years old. Now that’s staying power ! Huzzah !
Here we are, the week before Thanksgiving & I managed to get through some rough storms yesterday with rain like I’ve never seen before in Arkansas. All is fine and I’m just dealing with adrenal gland problems which is boring and fatiguing.
In the meantime, it’s what to serve up for Thanksgiving Feast next week. I have my own recipe for a chunky Cranberry Chutney that has apples & curry spices in it. I like a cranberry dish you can sink your teeth into ! I’ll post it here when I can make a manageable recipe for you..I tend to make things up as I go along. How about you ? Do you start with a working recipe and then make it your way ?
That wore me out just thinking about it. Hang in there, peeps, & remember to give Thanksgiving greetings to people you know who have no family or are on their own. These holiday activities can be very depressing for some.
Love to all, 😉 Meg
Healthy Carrot Cake
I just had to share this. I’m always hunting for truly healthy versions of favorite treats and this one is great for Carrot Cake.
There’s room to play with this recipe, trying honey sometimes, adding nuts and/or raisins etc. I’m still not excited about the sugary frosting, which would be fine to serve to others on special occasions, so I may just make a low fat cream cheese frosting using maple syrup instead of powdered sugar for me. Let’s eat cake !
Healthy Carrot Cake
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 59 minutes
Yield: 16 slices
Serving Size: 1 slice
Recipe adapted from The Complete Light Kitchen
Ingredients
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup raw honey, melted
2 eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
For the icing:
1/3 cup low-fat cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup icing sugar
1-2 Tbsp low-fat milk or water
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 9-inch Bundt pan with olive oil.
For the cake, whisk together the coconut oil, honey, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla. Add the carrots, pineapple, and yogurt. Stir until everything is combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the carrot mixture and stir until everything is combined.
Pour the cake mixture into your prepared Bundt pan and bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. When the cake is no longer hot, invert cake onto a serving plate.
For the icing, beat the cream cheese, icing sugar, and milk in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle over top of the cake. Garnish with grated carrot or orange zest (optional).
Notes
Cal: 199 Fat: 7g Protein: 4g Carbs: 30g Fiber: 1g Sodium: 189mg
Weight Watchers Points+: 5
After 4 years I created something fun !
Hello ! I actually designed and completed a public art project in Little Rock. 18 artists painted storm drains to educate the public about storm drains leading to streams and rivers and how to that clean water. I was able to paint for 1 day and then I was in bed for 2 weeks but it got done, this is a huge accomplishment for me both physically & creatively.
Here’s my original design :
This is the first time that I attempted to paint on concrete and we were only given 4 primary colors plus black & white to work with. The paint is specially made for sidewalk use called “Armor Tread” but, if you ever want to use it, we found that it can be watered down enough to create a bit of a watercolor affect.
When I heard about this competition I thought, ” ok, I can do a design but there’s no way that I can paint it.” So, I got in touch with the organisers and they were only too happy to hook me up with two other great artists who volunteered to make my fishy come to life. I was able to be diwn there for a little bit mostly thanks to the early May weather which stayed cool and rainy. The lower temps gave me a maximum chance to fight through the chronic MS fatigue and, once I got the basic fish design down, I knew the other artists would follow my lead and give the piece a nice “60’s” vibe.
And so, today is for celebrating and even though a little bit of art knocks me off my feet for several weeks, it’s not so bad knowing that I accomplished something in between all the aches, pains and MS weirdness. I’d lost my creative muse since 2011 and it suddenly just now came back to life. I only managed to do this design and then the creative door closed but I will look forward to the day when that door opens again.
The public is allowed to vote for the artist that they like best and I could really use YOUR vote. BETWEEN JUNE 10 – 30th you can enter your votes for my fishy. I’m artist #6 (last on the page) on the drain-smart.org website under “Selected Artists” on “South Main”.
I hope everyone has as great a week as I’m having. ((Hugs))
Writing Again
After an incredible slump in creativity, caused by MS interference, I am pleased to report that my muses seem to be nudging me to write again. Composing a new song or two would be a huge breakthrough for me.
Here’s the rub : How to compose music when the very process of listening to music makes me run from the room ?
My guitar work is still super, my voice and 3 octave range still intact (just ask my cat) and my love for lyrical writing is alive and well.
What took me off the stage and made me put all music aside was the effect that Multiple Sclerosis has had on my brain’s ability to “translate” incoming music and rhythm. When you listen to music you enjoy it, yes ?
Sure there are forms of music, musicians and singers you don’t care for but, if you asked most people, everyone would say they “enjoy” music.
I don’t enjoy music or repetitive sounds, it is maddening, I can’t stand it and I have to be where there isn’t music playing. Multiple Sclerosis attacked the wiring in my brain that deciphers music and rhythm. Consequently, most incoming sound translates as wrenching metal or garbled pounding. Oddly, sometimes I get a shift in brain function that means I can tolerate old music that I know by heart, usually music from 1920’s to 1960’s, but only one song at a time, perhaps once a week. After one song I have to turn the music off.
It is the worst thing to have happened to anyone, let alone a professional musician who’s been entertaining people since the age of 14.
There is an excellent book about this kind of brain damage by Dr. Sachs entitled “Musicophilia” wherein he describes several cases of musicians who lost their ability to listen to music.
My MS specialist said that my brain cannot take the stimuli of sound and, in an attempt to limit the coming seizure, takes over and has me react before I even know what I’ve done. This started in 1993 when I would suddenly go around turning off the tvs, radios and stereos in the house even though someone else was listening to them.
Those of us with MS often talk about having to adjust to new realities as we go along. It really is like something out of a the Twilight Zone. Reality just shifts suddenly, as if time and space have taken a slight step to the left, and we have to feel out this new reality and find a way to get comfortable with it because it is not going to shift back.
These shifts may happen a few times a year or, for some, only very rarely.
Occasionally, the “new reality” stays in place long enough for brain communications to settle down and reroute themselves. A window opens and there is a tiny slit of opportunity that presents itself.
I know that this is what has happened to me and my window opened, ever so slightly, in June of this year. I started knitting and the colors looked good from one day to the next, I went into my fiber stash and organized the colors to start spinning wool again for projects AND I began singing around the house.
Knowing that this window can slam shut at any time has me enjoying creative play in every moment, creating little art pieces for friends and recording bits and pieces of new tunes.
I don’t know how long this new reality will last but I wanted to let you all know that I have never given up the idea of recording fresh albums and publishing all my lyrics in an illustrated book through all these stagnant years.
The Sci-Fi and Fantasy communities have stayed with me all this time, keeping me company and writing encouraging letters and emails. I really hope I can give something back to you…. before the dark window closes again.
Be well, be happy,
🙂 Meg
Writing with Lego – great pics of US Lego Builds
Growing Nicotiana To Attract Hummingbirds
I know I’m really late starting seeds but chances are good that I’ll end up with some flowers before November here in gardening Zone 7 in spite of very hot temps expected in July and August. I’ll plant the sprouted seeds in partial shade by a sun reflective wall and keep them moist.
Photo #1
My favorite flowering plant for attracting hummers is Nicotiana aka : Flowering Tobacco. Plants range from compact at 3′ to tall plants at 6′ and flower colors appear in white, cream, green, red and deep purple tones.
Their trumpet shaped flowers are perfect for hummers and you want to plant Nicotiana near where you’ll be able to watch the tiny birds and enjoy the flower’s powerful scent. I have also had my Nicotiana visited by Hummingbird Moths, a rare visual treat.
(NOTE : Hummingbird moths are hard to spot but I’ve had them buzz around me in Ohio, West Virginia and Central Arkansas. They usually fly at night but there is a species that comes to the flowers on cloudy days and at dusk.
See Photos #3 & #4 below)
Nicotiana seeds are very tiny, not much bigger than a speck, and are often pelletized by seed sellers to make it easier to see them. Nicotiana seeds can be planted straight into your garden after the last frost or started inside for transplanting later. Let the flowers go to seed and you’ll have new plants pop up next year.
Photo #2
Here I have placed paper towels in a cake pan, srinkled the seeds over the surface, spritzing them daily with fresh water and kept in a dark, 70 a 80F pantry. I started these seeds 5 days ago and they are starting to sprout now ( almost impossible to see). You can see that the pellet covering on the seeds has broken down with watering and dyed the paper towel somewhat.
After my Nicotiana seeds have a good start I’ll take the paper towels with the sprouted seeds and lay them where I want them to grow in my garden, having prepared the soil ahead of time with added compost and a bit of coarse sand for drainage.
Remember, Flowering Tobacco leaves, stalk and flower are poisonous and must be kept away from children and pets. When handling the plants, make sure to wear protective gloves because the plant does have a form of sticky nicotine on it’s green parts which could affect you in an unpleasant way if you got too much of it on your skin.
My choice of plants to try in 2014 are :
Nicotiana Perfume Hybrid (Park Seeds #01405)
Seed Origin : England
And
Nicotiana Perfume Deep Purple (Park Seeds #1380)
Seed Origin : England
My favorite online supplier for flower, ornamental grass and indoor gardening supplies :
PARK SEEDS ONLINE CATALOG
Photo #1
Photo #2
Photo #3
Photo #4 Hummingbird Moth drinking from a Nicotiana flower
Meg Davis Music and Arts 