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BERWICK AREA HEART SUPPORT GROUP
July 2009 NEWSLETTER
Berwick Area Heart Support Groups next meeting is Wednesday July 1st 2009 at the Day Hospital Berwick Infirmary from 7.00 – 9.00pm, This months meeting is our annual walk.
Meet at the Day Hospital at 6.45 pm for our annual walk, anyone unable to participate in the walk are welcome to stay at the Day Hospital,
Every one is invited so come along and join in.
Meeting Report
Our thanks to Dr Graeme Gillespie, NHS Clinical Psychologist , who was our speaker at our June meeting. Graeme has been visiting and supporting us over the years and has collaborated with Terry in putting some very useful information on our web-site on the stresses that arise from the shock, the aftermath, and ‘our on-going condition’ and has included suggestions on self-help relaxation and stress-reduction. This part of the site has always been the most visited. Each time Graeme comes to us we learn more of the practical applications of his knowledge.
Graeme gives courses dealing with the psychological aspects of Cardiac Rehabilitation to the nurses who are involved. He leads the discussion among professionals on how to help patients set their goals for themselves.
He makes the point to the professionals that they are joining patients on a journey, be itrapid or lengthy, and that CHD has a range of powerful impacts on the patients and their families.. Experiences can be shared (patients should only share what they are comfortable with sharing). Should the ‘shared journey’ begin before people leave hospital? He makes it clear that, although most people are resilient, the NHS can help people set realistic goals if they need to change their lifestyle. Similarly, people can be helped with issues such as anxiety, or when they search for what might be to blame for their illness.
His talk covered the common starting point for the patients:
‘THE HEART ATTACK’ – knowing what it was - was it a ‘crushing pain’ or, rather, just vague symptoms located in various places? We must go through INVESTIGATIONS. (A blood test is needed to be sure finally of the diagnosis). The symptom could be from the plumbing’ (the blood supply), in the ‘electrics’, or in the pump itself. We, the patients, were most likely to get MEDICATION, a STENT (our little ‘dyna-rod’) and to be set on the road to REHABILITATION. (We do not lie in bed these days; a mistake long since discarded because of its seriously bad results.)
What are the barriers that people face?
He went through the ways in which we can recognise our own stresses, and he put these in what he called:
THE STRESS BUCKET
Anxiety / Worry
“What if this or that … happens?”
Frustration / anger
“I can’t do this or that … any more / ever again.”
“Why me?”
Graeme pointed out the ‘down’ nature of these thoughts – ‘depressed’ – ‘low’, and how these thoughts might take us ‘backward’ as we lose our usual motivations.
“Everything is going wrong”
REAL ISSUES
Relationships / family
Sex life
Stress on the Partner / Family
Being treated differently
“the cotton wool syndrome”
HUMANS THINK
We don’t just live ‘in the now’. We think about past present and future while we go along. We ‘anticipate’ things.
Even if you are doing what you can to cope with or improve your medical condition, and feel you are getting the right treatment, it is possible that the worries can continue, even though you know that these do not help and that they actually make the whole recovery process more difficult.
AWARENESS of your own thinking can help – you can look for distraction to give yourself a break from the repetitive ‘down thoughts’.
SEARCH for your strengths and resilience
How have I succeeded in keeping going? What is it about me that has helped me do this? I know I have been good at responding to help. I am a determined person.
Finally Graeme described the process where we might receive further professional help, and then he and the group discussed how to prevent our members ‘falling through the net’ and finding themselves apparently ‘isolated’. Occasionally people miss out on the ‘cardiac rehab’ journey and are at a loss as to how to cope, or feel they do not have enough knowledge. If you come across anybody in this position then let them know that there are remedies!
Thanks again Graeme – from us all.
phil
*****
During Graeme’s talk the following feelings kept being highlighted -- stress, anxiety, worry. depression, irritation frustration, anger. All symptoms people suffering from a long term illness can (at some time) suffer from.
I have downloaded from the website the Breathing exercise page which includes an assortment of different exercises which can help people deal with all these feelings
Terry
Breathing Exercises
Breathing is something most people take for granted. However, most of us do not realize that when we are under stress we tend to hold our breath or take short, shallow breaths. Because oxygen is the most important nutrient for the heart, brain and every other major organ of the body, limiting our intake can have far reaching effects on the body. Therefore, breathing exercises can be very helpful for reducing stress, and relaxes the body as well as the mind. It is a major component of yoga, meditation, Lamaze and other mind-body wellness techniques.
For each of the following breathing exercises, taking a “deep breath” means breathing in air through the nose to fill the lower part of the lungs, then the middle part and then the upper part. “Releasing” a breath means exhaling all of the stale air from the lungs through the mouth before taking in another fresh breath. If you can find a private place to do these exercises, it can also help to make a deep “whoosh” sound as you exhale
Deep breathing excercise
Deep breathing exercises have been used for years as a way of relaxing the body. Anyone who has ever noticed how an infant's abdomen rises and falls with each breath has experienced the art of proper deep breathing. Most adults today tend to fill only the upper chest when they breathe and thus miss how the increased oxygen intake relieves tension and improves metal alertness. By employing some of the more popular deep breathing exercises listed below you can strengthen the lungs, relieve bronchitis, improve circulation, oxygenate the blood and minimize the reoccurrence of respiratory ailments.
Another wonderful deep breathing exercise to relieve stress can be done in any location. Sitting straight in a chair, place one hand on your abdomen and breathe in deeply through your nose counting to ten. Hold the breath for a count of five and then release slowly through your mouth to a count of ten. While you are holding the breath, focus on your abdomen to ensure it is extended as far as you can comfortably extend it. It is good to start with five of these exercises, but even two will have an immediate affect.
Breathing exercises to deal with sudden stress
When stress hits suddenly, it can be very helpful to perform a short breathing exercise before saying or doing anything in response. Examples of sudden (acute) stresses include the following:
- A car abruptly pulling out in front of you while you are driving
- Hearing very upsetting, unexpected information, such as being fired or being diagnosed with an illness
- A conflict suddenly arising between you and a co-worker, friend or family member
In any of these situations, the body’s natural response is to prepare the body for “fight or flight,” a primal series of reactions designed to increase heart rate, respiration and sudden, quick body movement. “Fight or flight” does not, however, enhance the brain’s ability to fashion a mature, socially and professionally appropriate response to a difficult situation. Therefore, people are encouraged to pause, take a deep breath and think before responding. Ideally, people may take a “time out” away from the situation in order to calm down further (e.g., using one of the other breathing exercises listed below) before identifying and addressing the problem at hand
Breathing exercises to do at work
People tend to breathe very shallowly, working for hours without taking a good, deep, cleansing breath. When people catch themselves sighing or yawning during the day, this may be a sign that the body is trying to take in more oxygen . As people continue to work long hours, eating meals on the run or skipping them altogether, a short breathing exercise in the middle of the day can relieve stress and be emotionally and physically rejuvenating. Afterward, people may be surprised to find themselves getting more work done, with better quality.
Each step of this exercise can be done while sitting . The steps are as follows:
- Take a deep breath as you drop your chin toward your chest, touching the chest if possible. Exhale as you gently raise your head slowly to an upright position. Repeat as desired. It may also be helpful to do some “head rolls,” in which the head is rolled slowly to the right, to the chest, to the left, and to the chest in a semicircle.
- Take a deep breath as you stretch your arms over your head. Hold your breath and the stretch for a few seconds, and then release both slowly.
- Take a deep breath as you stretch your arms out in front of you. Hold your breath and the stretch for a few seconds, and then release both slowly. Take a deep breath as you stretch your arms behind you. Hold your breath and the stretch for a few seconds, and then release both slowly.
Deep breathing exercises
Another wonderful deep breathing exercise to relieve stress can be done in any location. Sitting straight in a chair, place one hand on your abdomen and breathe in deeply through your nose counting to ten. Hold the breath for a count of five and then release slowly through your mouth to a count of ten. While you are holding the breath, focus on your abdomen to ensure it is extended as far as you can comfortably extend it. It is good to start with five of these exercises, but even two will have an immediate affect
Breathing exercises to help you sleep
Thinking about stressful situations before going to sleep can trigger the stress response, which is the exact opposite of what the body requires in order to go to sleep. A breathing exercise can help people turn their attention from their racing thoughts to their hard-working body’s need for sleep.
Each step of this exercise can be done while lying in bed. The steps are as follows:
- Close your eyes and take three deep, cleansing breaths. Focus on inhaling clean air and exhaling stale air.
- Continuing to breathe deeply, spend a few moments focusing your attention on your toes. You will have fully focused your attention on this part of your body when you can mentally visualize the position of each toe. This, in itself, can be quite relaxing as attention shifts from the mind to the body.
- Breathe fresh air into the toes, fingertips, scalp and every other part of the body. Exhale stale air from all of those locations, feeling warm and cleansed.
If attention wanders, go back to the second step, re-focusing on the toes before beginning the process again. If necessary, keep your attention on the toes, skipping the third step of the exercise entirely. Different strategies will be more helpful for different people. It may take some time to find a strategy that works best for you.
*****
Wally’s Yarn
A Senior Golf Moment
Arthur is 90 years old.
He's played golf every day since his retirement 25 years ago.
One day he arrives home looking downcast. That's it", he tells his wife. I'm giving up golf. My eyesight has got so bad ..once I've hit the ball, I can't see where it went."
His wife sympathizes. As they sit down she says, "Why don't you take my brother with you, and give it one more try".
"That's no good", sighs Arthur. "Your brother is a hundred and three.He can't help".
"He may be a hundred and three", says the wife, "but his eyesight is perfect".
So the next day Arthur heads off to the golf course with his brother-in-law.He tees up, takes an almighty swing and squints down the fairway.
He turns to the brother-in-law, "Did you see the ball?"
"Of course I did!", says the brother-in-law. "I have perfect eyesight."
"Where did it go?", says Arthur.
"I don't remember."
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