As some of you know over the past month the wife has been battling some health issues. It all started with a trip to the emergency room with severe abdominal pain and some abnormal bleeding. After a month of poking, drawing blood and ridiculously expensive drugs, testing and consults, the conclusion is diet and stress. First was the MRI, then the battery of every blood test on the planet, a testing of various drugs and then the slam dunk, the colonoscopy. Although the majority of the pain is gone, she still is not "100%" and yesterday found herself in enough pain to leave work early. The good news is with all the testing they have been doing, everything is coming back normal or negative, so in a way that’s good news. She is a plant supervisor in a midsized factory. Like many companies today they are experiencing layoffs, firings and downsizing. It appears her job is safe and I believe she knows that so she’s not worrying about herself. The stress of all the people losing their jobs, management screaming about loss of work and running behind schedule because they laid off too many people is taking it toll physically. Before all this started with her I would have never believed stress can have such an effect of your physical being. Today I go and pick up one of our daughters from school for the holiday and hopefully a house full of family this weekend will help her (It will stress the heck out of me but help her).

The point to all this rambling is to urge you all to take some time to relax every day. I have my outlet in the shop, and here. I have seen firsthand the effects stress can play on your body and its nothing to dismiss.

Take the stress in your life serious and please don't let it ruin your life.

Enjoy the weekend,
Chas
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Oh I do Bro,no doubt.
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Stress is a big deal. Stress will kill you faster than booze and cigars; that is for sure.
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Cigars relieve stress.

People often don't take stress as seriously as they should even though almost everyone knows how bad it can be. Our boxed in lifestyles don't help.

Having an old TV that she can hit with a plastic baseball bat might help. :-)
You can tape appropriate pictures on the screen. :-)
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That is the point of the booze and cigars; to counteract the stress! :-)


Hey chuck sorry your wife had such a rough patch. I'm glad for you that it wasn't something un-treatable.
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Glad things are getting better Chas!!!

Thanks for the good advice!!!:-)
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Good advice, Chuck. :-)
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Thanks for the reminder.:-)
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Thanks for the good advice.

I hope your wife keeps getting better and gets some good R&R in! :-)
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I will die from stress before drinking and smoking. Thats why I try to increase my drinking and smoking so I dont let stress Win!!! :-)
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:-):-)
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Chas Thanks for the advise..
Take care of the family and yourself.
I've heard laughter is the best medicine..:-)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xho...rs-scene-culte
"Make that three hard boiled eggs".
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Half the guys I work with are on some sort of anti-depression or anxiety drugs like Xanax, and a few are on leave of absence due to the stress we are feeling with the economy in the dumps.

Me, I have an imaginary mailbox at the entrance to work where I leave my problems from home on the way in and try to drop my problems from work in before I go home.

When that doesn't work, I try to remind myself I lucky I am and do things to get away from the things that stress me.

I completely believe stress is the cause of most health problems.
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Good advice! Glad to hear it wasn't anything more serious. Here's to not letting stress win.:-)
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Stress is a kicker that is for sure. I went to the hospital one night thinking I was having a heart attack at age 29. what are the chances. Well come to find out that the stress of my wife’s pregnancy complications had me so stressed out that my body was kicking the stress into overtime.

Now 6 years later I have learned that kicking back with a cigar is a huge help to me. No booze though as I can’t drink beer anymore and the only other booze I like is whisky. I love whisky it’s the other people around me that have a problem with it.
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:-)

Stress is one of those things most people don't think about...


Hope all stays well Chas!
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I think a very important thing to do is find a thing you really enjoy, like yoga, and force yourself to do it a few times a week to release stress.

For me, nothing beats a long motorcycle ride with a stop for a cigar and conversation then a trip to the shooting range. makes me feel alive,although it's not the healthiest or safest thing in the world.
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Stress is serious. I fortunately am extremely easy going, I have what many people consider a very high stress job. But my moto has always been, they dont pay me enough for me to endanger my health with being worried about my job....maybe thats what makes me good at it...I can keep a level head and make sound decisions under extreme pressure.

I am a man of faith, and I believe that God has a plan for me and will provide. If my company lays me off, I will survive. I have never been without.

I have had 3 really crappy years, but I have come through it all pretty much unscathed. My kids lives has not changed, and that is what is most important to me. If these bad times are not affecting them at home...then I am doing my job, and thats the only job that matters to me.

My advice to anyone out there willing to listen. Keep your head up, do your best and dont let the worry of your job impact the way you do your job. You can only do your best. Honestly no one gets paid enough to let the stress and worry over it impact your livelyhood.
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We had a long talk today about reducing her stress level.
The biggest weight on her shoulders is she allowed herself to get "too close" to many of her employees.
With that many people loosing their jobs (50% of the work force) It has taken its toll.

Chas
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Thanks for reminding us to take a second to sit back and relax. :-)
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