Because I was born with a very unusual heart, there have been many times when I’ve read that I have “indicators of poor outcomes.” These indicators have included
- a severely leaky valve,
- switched ventricles,
- atrial fibrillation,
- heart failure, and
- one that I read about yesterday online, which I’m blocking at the moment.
Are there any indicators of poor outcomes for this post, yet?
Just before I started writing today’s blog, a dear friend who has the same unusual heart condition as me wrote that she had recently read online about “a big indicator of poor outcomes.” That indicated to me that I should write this to her:
I’ve had lots of indicators of poor outcomes. That indicates, to me, that there are lots of poor prognosticators out there.
Last night, in a therapy group, people talked about indicators of poor outcomes, including the recent U.S. election. They also talked about indicators of better outcomes, including humanity, mutual respect, activism, connection, charity, and kindness towards others.
Are there any indicators of poor outcomes in my photos from yesterday?
It would be an indicator of poor outcomes if I didn’t share music with you. Here‘s what’s playing on my radio as I’m writing this post:
One portion of that march is an indicator of this outcome: my sharing a photo that another dear friend posted on Facebook this week:
No comments from my readers would be an indicator of poor outcomes for me and this blog.
My gratitude for all who helped me create this post and for you — of course! — is an indicator of good outcomes, here and now.
The phrase “indicators of poor outcomes” seems designed to cause high anxiety. Too much bondage. Whoever invented it does not get a fruit cup. I’m trying to think of alternatives that wouldn’t be quite so full of cocky-doody.
Love the fruit cup thing, Christopher. 🙂
Since I was tardy responding to the good outcomes in your comments, Chris and Maureen, I probably do not get fruit cup.
I won’t be tardy!
I say let’s take that teabag tag and make it into
Posters, banners, notecards, tattoos, shout it from rooftops and whisper gently to those not inclined to listen. You have a very good heart, Ann.
I say that your comment is full of good heart and good outcomes, Ruth. <3
I have a disease that typically kills those who aren’t diagnosed within a short time. It mimics many other diseases that are less fatal, and (since I am a man) is easily ignored,”will go away in a few days, so there is no reason to make a doctor’s appointment”!
I ignored it for ten months (where close to 75% of people with it are dead without treatment…!) before I was so wiped out it took me an hour to crawl up 13 steps to tell a family member to call the ambulance.
Obviously, I survived, but not before serious harm to my vascular system and my kidneys in particular had occurred. I know from what I read, too, that I have “indicators of poor outcomes.”
I’m on dialysis now, a legacy of the disease (GPA or Wegener’s granulomatosis). Once again, I have a new set of “indicators of poor outcomes.” I survived well beyond the prognosis lifespan for WG/GPA, now I have the prognosis for a person on dialysis.
The alternative of a transplant would improve my likely outcome, if I could find a live person with a compatible kidney, since I am creeped out by the idea of a cadaver-harvested organ, which typically is less desirable than a “fresh” from a live donor. Regardless, a transplant would result in a lifetime left on harsh drugs. I suppose the next step would be a liver transplant!
I’ll take dialysis over that. I’ve come to feel “indicators of poor outcomes” are not necessarily more than probabilities, 1000 of which don’t make one fact, to paraphrase the Italian saying. I intend to live till I’m 140 (LOL!) or however long this body lets me stick around. I’ll live as best I can, as long as I can, and not let WG/GPA and end term kidney disease define who I am! The main concession I make to the kidney issues is not to eat starfruit, which will kill people on dialysis!! Everything else is doable to an acceptable degree. I sense you have a similar attitude toward your heart issues.
I’m so glad about this good outcome — that you are here with us, now. I hope you live until you are 140, because that would be a great outcome for the world. <3
LOL! Yes, but mostly stating the goal gives me the incentive to work toward it!
Me too!
I have this to say about reading “indicators of poor outcomes”. None of us in the entire world know when our time here is finished. No matter how we try. We eat healthy, exercise etc. But, we still don’t know and won’t ever know. So read humor, mystery and any other genre that makes you happy. Laugh out loud, enjoy nature, food, wine and love. Don’t read negative things about your health. Keep happy, positive thoughts in your heart and mind and laugh out loud. “Laughter is the best medicine”.
I love the great outcomes in your comment, because I agree with every word. Many thanks!
I think Pomp and Circumstance is a perfect song for this blog. It makes me cry every time I hear it because to me it moving forward into the unknown but with the framework of the past to hold you up. I think of it as an indicator for a good outcome.
Your wonderful, moving comment is a great outcome for this post. Many thanks. <3
Congratulations! Top scholar!
That was a good outcome of my years at high school. <3
I know. And we, your groupies, are benefitting from that now
The word “indicator” goes back to “diction”, with its etymology as follows:
“diction (n.) 1540s, “a word;” 1580s, “expression of ideas in words,” from Late Latin dictionem (nominative dictio) “a saying, expression, word,” noun of action from dic-, past participle stem of Latin dicere “speak, tell, say” (source of French dire “to say”), related to dicare “proclaim, dedicate,” from PIE root *deik- “to point out” (source also of Sanskrit dic- “point out, show,” Greek deiknynai “to show, to prove,” Latin digitus “finger,” Old High German zeigon, German zeigen “to show,” Old English teon “to accuse,” tæcan “to teach”).
So it’s used simply for the sake of “expression of ideas”. Then they add “poor” because it’s for the sake of argument, which is the reason language evolved in the first place by humans. What else can one expect? One lives in a human world, so one ultimately reads about these “ideas”? Perhaps notions. I take anything that has to do with human language “with a grain of salt.”
I think taking anything that has to do with the human language with a grain of salt guarantees a better outcome, Maria. Thanks for the good outcomes of this comment.
I have fibromyalgia and I prefer to look at it as a challenge,which I think could also apply to “poor outcomes”. Who knows how each individual response will develop? I’m not saying be unrealistic, but to live life as it comes.I’ve just had a friend die suddenly of a massive heart attack at 58, so my motto now is simply “Carpe Diem”, as you really don’t know where the health dominoes will fall, do you?
I really don’t know where the health dominos will fall, and your comment had the good outcomes of inspiration and admiration.
I think the outcome of this post was the opposite of poor. I also think it best to stay away from thoughts of poor outcomes and focus on the positive… there is no crystal ball and someone else’s poor outcome could be just the opposite for another person. Hope it’s a good weekend with a fun outcome
You always help me focus on the positive, Lisa, which is an awesome outcome!
No one likes a poor outcome, sometimes they happen which is terrible but hopefully those setbacks are only short lived
I always like your comments, Joanne, which are an excellent outcome of my blog. <3
That weird little symbol on the dashboard of the car indicates low tire pressure. How anyone is supposed to know that based on the symbol…well, a flat would be a bad outcome, but I hope you figured out you had a low tire.
Actually, my fear of a bad outcome made me go to my local mechanic, who told me my tire pressures are fine. Apparently, the bad outcome foretold by that weird little symbol is a false alarm. As always, I figure out that I have a caring reader in you, which is a great outcome for me.
I know I am facing some poor internet outcomes since I’m headed to Bahia Kino tomorrow – one of the few places on the planet with internet worse than what I have at home.
I may be out of touch for a few weeks, Ann.
Your not being here is not a great outcome, Emilie, but I look forward to the good outcome of your return. I hope you have wonderful outcomes in Bahia Kino. <3
My guess is that you might have a poor outcome if you ignore that pesky, “low tire pressure” light. Aside from that, keep your life at full speed ahead.
I didn’t ignore it, Ray, and went full speed ahead to my local mechanic. The outcomes were that the pesky “low tire pressure” was a false alarm and I still see it every day, on my dashboard. It’s always a great outcome when I see your comments here.
I’d hate this post to have a poor outcome 🙂
How can it have a poor outcome when you’re here, Derrick?
This post reveals positivity and determination in the face of “indicators of poor outcomes”. Bravo!.You are an inspiration!
Your comment is a great outcome for me, Lori!
every
thing
seems
2 b doing
the best
with what
it has!
may you continue
being the healthiest
Ann possible 🙂
thank you
for being the
best David
possible!