I've missed you all

[Qqmike]

re Moorjani:

No, I haven't. Frankly, I'm not likely to read it any time soon--it's only been in the very recent past that I've felt strong enough, emotionally and physically, to even read my medical records. ... Perhaps with time I'll be able to read the book.

I can certainly understand how you must be feeling. For now, I'll just mention also her excellent website that addresses all sorts of related NDE-illness stuff, bookmark-for-the-future sometime (includes videos, talks):
http://ndestories.org/anita-moorjani/

[DoYouKubuntu]

I just watched a PBS presentation on mindfulness--anti-anxiety, anti-depression medicine for the modern era.

I could use this. I've had a lifelong problem with depression and am currently being treated for both it and anxiety. Do you happen to recall the name of the show?

One thing I should mention, and this is another thing I've learned since my illness, being in the ICU can induce PTSD and other anxiety issues. So, for someone like me who's been prone to anxiety anyway, being in the ICU just made it worse.

[DoYouKubuntu]

It's been twenty LOONNNGGG months DoYouKubuntu! Glad you are back!
Qqmike didn't mention that Btrfs also brews Uncle Lee's Green Tea at precisely 105F, and, it walks the dog.
(Seriously, if you didn't install KDE Neon User Edition using Btrfs as the filesystem then you should do so immediately. Check Oceanluver's Btrfs posts to learn why)

In March of 2015 my wife's heart surgeon told me that he didn't think my wife would live through her 2nd open heart surgery, and he was visibly shaking when he told me. He also said he didn't want to do the surgery and recommended a procedure done at the Cleveland Clinic only 5 times, but I insisted that he do it. She did survive, but the first year was very rough. And, she recovered well from her hip replacement surgery a year ago July. The leaking annular ring has sealed on its own and so have the leaks in her aortic and pulmonary valves, and her heart functions have pretty much returned to normal. I, on the other hand, a long time runner with a resting hear rate of 55 and 120/80 bp at 74, had an episode of AFib a year ago and it came back with a vengeance this September. Her heart now gives a better EKG than mine. We both take Metoprolol and Warfarin. She's 73 and I'm 76. The light at the end of the tunnel is close enough that I can see the filaments in the bulb.

Reading your experience, neither my wife or I had anything near to what you experienced. YOU are one tough old bird! Your presence on this forum has been missed.

Thank you my dear GG for the kind words. I really had a bad time of it, but things are improving. Geesh, just looking back six months I'm amazed at how much progress I've made!

Sorry to hear that you're dealing with health issues, both you and your wife. I remember some details about her problems but now it sounds like you've got your hands full with your own issues. I hope you're taking good care of yourself and not overdoing things.

[DoYouKubuntu]

re Moorjani: I can certainly understand how you must be feeling. For now, I'll just mention also her excellent website that addresses all sorts of related NDE-illness stuff, bookmark-for-the-future sometime (includes videos, talks):
http://ndestories.org/anita-moorjani/

Awesome! Thanks for the link. I will take a look at it later on.

[Qqmike]

Do you happen to recall the name of the show?

Gosh, I'm not real sure -- I think it was Mindful Meditation. Googling that produces all sorts of leads, including Amazon books, videos, and such.

One thing I should mention, and this is another thing I've learned since my illness, being in the ICU can induce PTSD and other anxiety issues. So, for someone like me who's been prone to anxiety anyway, being in the ICU just made it worse.

I believe it (ICU experience --> PTSD). I think any traumatic experience can leave you with a "sensitivity" for certain stressors, or stress stimuli, that trigger other uncomfortable past feelings. In fact, I think that surgery can do this, even when it goes smoothly and successfully. The body knows that something or someone was messing around outside your control. Surgery can leave you feeling that, Hey, something is different here! WTH happened, anyway!

[Qqmike]

I think the PBS presentation is this:

Mindfulness Goes Mainstream

Thursday, December 7, 10:00 pm on KNMD-HD 9.1 WORLD
Duration: 0:58:12
Description: Explore the transformative power of mindfulness meditation-now embraced by millions of ordinary people-through expert opinions and interviews including singer Jewel, clothing designer Eileen Fisher and UMASS Center for Meditation's Jon Kabat-Zinn.

[GreyGeek]

T.... I remember some details about her problems but now it sounds like you've got your hands full with your own issues. I hope you're taking good care of yourself and not overdoing things.

My wife has had a lifetime of anxiety and depression issues. It almost led to our divorce. It turned out that she got really bad following her surgery (post operative depression) and the doc prescribed Lexapro. What a miracle drug! It turned her around and she became her happy self that she was before she had children. With warfarin I can live with the AFib. She uses it too and we have a coagucheck INR testing device to keep check on it. I still watch her heart with the Kardia EGK monitoring device that I've attached to the back of my iPhone.

Enough about health.
How's your PC running?
At 76 my get-up-and-go got up and went away.

[DoYouKubuntu]

I found the show listed for later today and have it set to record!

[DoYouKubuntu]

Most likely a defective keyboard.

System76 came to the same conclusion--they're sending me a replacement. Can anyone give me any advice on how to be SURE the ribbon cables are connected correctly? I just didn't feel sure about it at all, but as I think I've said, the backlighting works along with almost all the keys, so I don't know if a bad connection would yield those results.

[DoYouKubuntu]

My wife has had a lifetime of anxiety and depression issues. It almost led to our divorce. It turned out that she got really bad following her surgery (post operative depression) and the doc prescribed Lexapro. What a miracle drug! It turned her around and she became her happy self that she was before she had children.

Antidepressants have gotten me through most of my adulthood; it's only since last year's illness that I've also been treated for anxiety, but it's been present for a long time, too. I'm happy to hear of the remarkable effect Lexapro had for your wife. Wow, what a wonderful feeling that must've been for her. And you!

With warfarin I can live with the AFib. She uses it too and we have a coagucheck INR testing device to keep check on it. I still watch her heart with the Kardia EGK monitoring device that I've attached to the back of my iPhone.

Enough about health.
How's your PC running?
At 76 my get-up-and-go got up and went away.

My laptop is running great, except for those few keys that don't work! But at least I'm able to use it again to read and post on forums. I love my Android phone and my Android tablet, but their little screens just don't do it for these old eyes! My Kudu Pro has a 17.3" screen so everything is nice and VISIBLE!

BTW, you're still amazing at 76. Shoot, 76 today is like 56 a generation ago. My [ex-]husband is going to turn 70 in July, and he's going strong, still working even though he doesn't need to. My aunt is 71, a nurse, still working 12-hour shifts 6-7 days a week, again not because she has to but because she wants to. I swear if you saw her on the street you'd think she was 50 (and, no, even though we're in LA she hasn't had any 'work' done!). When I became disabled at 48 it was like a punishment--I always expected to work well into my 70s because I couldn't imagine life without working. Oh well, some things we just have no control over.

[DoYouKubuntu]

I think the PBS presentation is this:

Mindfulness Goes Mainstream

Thursday, December 7, 10:00 pm on KNMD-HD 9.1 WORLD
Duration: 0:58:12
Description: Explore the transformative power of mindfulness meditation-now embraced by millions of ordinary people-through expert opinions and interviews including singer Jewel, clothing designer Eileen Fisher and UMASS Center for Meditation's Jon Kabat-Zinn.

Thanks for this info. As mentioned earlier, I found the show listed and recorded it. I haven't watched it yet but probably will today. Looking forward to it!

[DoYouKubuntu]

I believe it (ICU experience --> PTSD). I think any traumatic experience can leave you with a "sensitivity" for certain stressors, or stress stimuli, that trigger other uncomfortable past feelings. In fact, I think that surgery can do this, even when it goes smoothly and successfully. The body knows that something or someone was messing around outside your control. Surgery can leave you feeling that, Hey, something is different here! WTH happened, anyway!

EXACTLY! I hate not being in control, and one thing I learned during my illness is that I HAD to relinquish control of my own body to perfect strangers. As I've noted, it was humbling to say the least. It's funny how we take so many things for granted, like brushing our hair or going to the bathroom...and then something happens and those little things become big things that require another person. In the immediate days following my hospitalization, I wasn't allowed to brush my hair because the exertion might have triggered cardiac arrest. Who knew?!

[vinnywright]

System76 came to the same conclusion--they're sending me a replacement. Can anyone give me any advice on how to be SURE the ribbon cables are connected correctly? I just didn't feel sure about it at all, but as I think I've said, the backlighting works along with almost all the keys, so I don't know if a bad connection would yield those results.

He he ,,the one time I had to mess with those things ,,,it was just find and figure out how to unlock it (googled the make and model and found a video) ,,,so lift the locking tab/bar slide the old one out ,,,,slide the new one in till it hits the stop and re-lock it .

thats it as far as I know

VINNY

[DoYouKubuntu]

He he ,,the one time I had to mess with those things ,,,it was just find and figure out how to unlock it (googled the make and model and found a video) ,,,so lift the locking tab/bar slide the old one out ,,,,slide the new one in till it hits the stop and re-lock it .

thats it as far as I know

VINNY

Unfortunately, when I searched for info for my laptop (System76 Kudu Professional), I came up completely empty. So I watched videos for other laptops, but only one of the two ribbon cables in my laptop has a pop-up connector. The other one has kind of a little thin bar at its base; that's apparently the part that keeps the cable in place. But there's no satisfying snap or pop when putting the end of the ribbon cable in place, not like other cables where you KNOW they're in like they're supposed to be!

[vinnywright]

Unfortunately, when I searched for info for my laptop (System76 Kudu Professional), I came up completely empty. So I watched videos for other laptops, but only one of the two ribbon cables in my laptop has a pop-up connector. The other one has kind of a little thin bar at its base; that's apparently the part that keeps the cable in place. But there's no satisfying snap or pop when putting the end of the ribbon cable in place, not like other cables where you KNOW they're in like they're supposed to be!

couldn't hurt to ask them to point you to some form of instruction on it ,,,their support staff is usually quite good ,,,,I have a system76 Bonobo Extreme and I remember them being quite courteous.

VINNY