Power loss from the outside and unreliable power from our hearts can be quite disempowering. Here in Danbury, CT we had significant power losses last week after the freak Nor’easter October 29. For many of us, it caused a great deal of confusion and was “discombobulating.” This sudden interruption in the routine threw our lives into havoc. We became acutely aware of how little power and control we have in our lives without electricity; at least that’s how it felt close to the beginning of the week. If you found out about your heart disease as a result of a sudden event, this feeling of being out of control probably happened to you too.
On the first day we had a sense of adventure along with a bit of denial about the impact of this loss of power. It’s hard to quickly integrate sudden change and really consider what the implications are. After the initial shock, pun intended, we were able to see more clearly what some of our choices were. Having the ability to choose helped restore a sense of personal power. We knew electricity would return eventually, but when finding out about heart disease, it’s harder to anticipate what the return will be. We can’t go back to how we were; we have to integrate the experience and make changes.
The loss of electricity forced us to look at what was important, funny how the basics came to the fore – running water to drink, wash and flush toilets, being warm, food and staying in touch with people I care about were my priorities. Heart disease can also cause us to look at what’s most important to us and seek ways to ensure that these priorities are present in our lives.
So what did I learn from the loss of external power?
- A process was acknowledged, this is not scientific but my experience – Initial feeling of disempowerment and denial; then Learning and Choosing among options and regarding how to deal with the situation; what a relief to have some control in the situation; Development of longer term vision of how to deal with the situation and anticipation for the future; which turned out to be relatively short term, though it felt longer.
- The Refrigerator and Freezer – Increased awareness of what and how much was in storage; you too probably have a lot of unnecessary and less than healthy choices in your fridge and freezer.
- Appreciation and Gratitude – Here is a case when feeling gratitude energized people. The awareness of how much worse it could have been, the ability to make it through, be resourceful and take care of the major outdoor clean-up efforts has gotten people to pull together. For people with heart disease it is not uncommon to experience a sense of gratitude for having made it through. Often it is complicated, since the situation can be overwhelming. There are supports available, cardiac rehab, people you may know who have heart disease, health care providers and coaching with Dina. Sometimes speaking with others helps you see what you appreciate and motivates you to action.
What are some parallels you experience between power outages and heart disease?
