So, it's not a secret that I work on a heart unit at the hospital. I sometimes see patients after they've had open heart surgeries, and one of the most important concerns after surgery is to rest the heart and the surrounding connective tissue. No strenuous activity, no lifting, and we even give them meds to make sure they don't strain on the throne. That's how Elvis died. Forget what you think you heard.
All these activities could lead to complications, such as separation of the sutures. So, they give them these little slings to wear around their shoulders that they squeeze together in the front to keep from stressing the skin when they move around. They're called "Heart Huggers". Am I alone in thinking that's an adorable name? Yes?
I think we have internalized supports we use when our heart is damaged by encounters with other people. And unless you can call the demon by its name, you will only see the symptoms. I don't even think everyone's problem is the same (or even similar). But I think the various symptoms can manifest with a different diagnosis.
In medicine, a patient's diagnosis might be chest pain or shortness of breath upon arrival. But that is just a preliminary diagnosis. Chest pain and SOB (yes, we abbreviate it all the time. yes, I still giggle about it after 4 years in nursing) can be caused by so many things. They're just symptoms. In the same way, depression, anxiety, serial dating, inability to commit, binge drinking, lying, cheating, laziness... they're all caused by something else.
Pain is not a diagnosis.
Pride is a diagnosis.
Selfishness is a diagnosis.
Sinful human nature is a reality.
So once we determine the causative agent or vessel, we can operate. We bleed. We hurt. And then we heal. Because the alternative is an emotion heart attack and death of cardiac tissue. It turns emotionally stiff. And that sucks worse.
All these activities could lead to complications, such as separation of the sutures. So, they give them these little slings to wear around their shoulders that they squeeze together in the front to keep from stressing the skin when they move around. They're called "Heart Huggers". Am I alone in thinking that's an adorable name? Yes?
I think we have internalized supports we use when our heart is damaged by encounters with other people. And unless you can call the demon by its name, you will only see the symptoms. I don't even think everyone's problem is the same (or even similar). But I think the various symptoms can manifest with a different diagnosis.
In medicine, a patient's diagnosis might be chest pain or shortness of breath upon arrival. But that is just a preliminary diagnosis. Chest pain and SOB (yes, we abbreviate it all the time. yes, I still giggle about it after 4 years in nursing) can be caused by so many things. They're just symptoms. In the same way, depression, anxiety, serial dating, inability to commit, binge drinking, lying, cheating, laziness... they're all caused by something else.
Pain is not a diagnosis.
Pride is a diagnosis.
Selfishness is a diagnosis.
Sinful human nature is a reality.
So once we determine the causative agent or vessel, we can operate. We bleed. We hurt. And then we heal. Because the alternative is an emotion heart attack and death of cardiac tissue. It turns emotionally stiff. And that sucks worse.
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