Maybe my last oil painting

[Al Agnew]

Ever since I was a kid, I've had an intermittent irregular heart beat.  Basically, my heart skips one beat, and then the next one is usually a little harder than usual.  My dad had it, my brother has it.  It wasn't until I was in my 30s that I even figured out what it was, because it happened so seldom before that, just a funny feeling high in my chest once in a great while.  In my 30s it got worse, and I realized that the beat was skipping.  Had it checked out, stress test and everything was fine, doctors said it was most commonly brought on by caffeine, and possibly a stress reaction.  Since I've never drank coffee, I don't get large amounts of caffeine, but I do enjoy tea and caffeinated soda, so I figured that's what it was.  Also, as it turns out, Sudafed is notorious for bringing it on, and one of my worst episodes was brought on by taking Sudafed for sinus problems.  

As the years went by, I learned to ignore it as long as it was just now and then, like happening once or twice a week or once a day or so.  When it would get more frequent, I'd stop drinking caffeinated teas and sodas for a while and it would usually settle down, unless I was under some kind of stress, like a deadline for a piece of art to be finished or getting ready for an art show.  

When Mary had her medical problems this spring and summer, I would have thought it would have gotten worse from the stress.  I'd already noted that it WAS getting more frequent, like several times a day some days, before we found out about Mary's situation.  But all the way through her treatments, even when we weren't sure she was going to come out the other end in good shape, it was no worse and for the most part better.  But back beginning in early August, while we were out here in Montana, it started getting a little worse again.  I slowed up on the caffeine but there was only slight improvement.  Got back to Missouri and it got a little better again.  Came back out here, and it got worse...and worse...and worse.  There were periods of time during almost every day when it would be skipping once every 20 beats or so.  I was getting scared.  I cut out caffeine completely.  No help.  Cut out sugar...no help.

Then I got to thinking...what else could it be?  And suddenly I got a suspicious idea.  The whole period of Mary's treatments, I had not picked up a paint brush, because I couldn't concentrate on painting.  When we got back out to Montana, I finally felt like I could start painting again, and spent the last couple of weeks of that period of time in early August working on a big, 3X5 foot painting.  When we got back to Missouri I didn't paint.  When we came back out here this time, I began work on another big painting.  I knew that the solvents used in oil painting and the chemicals in oil paint have given other artists health problems after many years of painting in oils, but I hadn't really heard of it causing irregular heartbeat.  But, a quick google search did indeed show that as one of the symptoms of allergy to those chemicals. 

I had a couple more days to finish the painting.  Those two days, and the next day, it was bad.  That was Saturday.  Yesterday...only a couple episodes in the morning.  Today...nothing.

I won't paint any more until I get back to Missouri next week.  If, as I expect, I don't have any more serious episodes, I'll know that was the problem.  So...looks like I'm going to go back to painting in acrylics and see if I have any problems.  No solvents, just water, so the only things that could be a problem in the acrylics would be the plastics or pigment chemicals.

[fishinwrench]

I feel your pain. I wish I could declare my last Carb job because carburetor cleaner doesn't even effect me anymore, I can actually take a shot in the eyes and just blink it away.  

No way is that healthy!  

Early in my career it would burn like hell even if I got a drop of it on my arm. And the smell of it would send me immediately in search of fresh air.  Not anymore. I could bathe in the crap without any discomfort at all, and that scares me.

Ya gotta be careful of the chemicals you've become used to.  I've always said that the reason women are so crazy is because they've been huffing hairspray and nail polish all their lives. 

[Phil Lilley]

Interesting...

I've had some kind of irregular heart thing all my life too.  Never have gotten it checked.  It's intermittent like yours.  Might be caffeine... I drink a cup a day.  But I can go 4-5 months with nothing and then get them a few times a week.  Feels like a gush, hard beats, then makes me cough a little, like a tickle.  I think it could cause strokes-- blood pools and throws a clot.  It's one of those things, if I go get it checked, they'll try to put me on medication and that's not going to happen!  I figured I've lived with it this long, I'll be fine.

Funny how things affect us... have a friend who's battled sinus issues for most of his life.  They've always tried to eat healthy, very fit.  Found out he's allergic to greens... spinach and the like.  Crazy.

[Mitch f]

Im like Phil, this is very intersting.

Ive had the EXACT same irregular heartbeat my entire life and have just lived with it. Maybe its our Scotch Irish heritage Al! The doctors I've spoken to havent been too concerned, and told me just to live with it. I drink a bunch of coffee and maybe it would help if I stopped. Also interesting on the chemicals...My mother died of bladder cancer 2 years ago at age 88, the doctors asked me if she ever worked in an environment with certain chemicals, like solvents. I told him not that i know of.

We all need to watch our sugar intake more than anything, I believe Sugar has been linked to cancer for sure. I remember talking with the doctors after finding out if my moms cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. He said the test they perform is basically inject a high dose sugar shot in her blood before an X ray. Her lymph nodes lit up like a Christmas tree. It was ceratinly horrible news.  She was 88 and lived a great life, watching all her kids live happy, productive lives. Please watch your sugar intake everyone.

[swilson]

Gentlemen, with all due respect to your abundant wisdom in subjects of nature and fishing; your attitude toward cardiac rhythm disturbances seems ill-advised. I am not a doctor, but I did work as an ambulance paramedic for many years. I worked on a lot of  resuscitation attempts on men who knew something was 'off' in their heartbeat, but did not take the time to get examined by a cardiologist, for what ever reason. Worst case leaves widows, children and friends mourning their passing. Lord forbid that you all might have 'pre-lethal arrhythmias' - but you all cannot know without medical examination and diagnosis. Is it worth the risk to avoid the doctor or the cost? 

If you are not a mechanic and your vehicle has an intermittent miss, sputters and misfires - do you take it to a mechanic? The heart's conduction system is electromechanical and biochemical.

Personally, it is not my concern, but as a fellow man (with heart rhythm maintained by a pill) , it is worth the time and effort to get it checked out. 

Just my opinion. Take it or leave it. No offense.

[Mitch f]

4 minutes ago, swilson said:

Gentlemen, with all due respect to your abundant wisdom in subjects of nature and fishing; your attitude toward cardiac rhythm disturbances seems ill-advised. I am not a doctor, but I did work as an ambulance paramedic for many years. I worked on a lot of  resuscitation attempts on men who knew something was 'off' in their heartbeat, but did not take the time to get examined by a cardiologist, for what ever reason. Worst case leaves widows, children and friends mourning their passing. Lord forbid that you all might have 'pre-lethal arrhythmias' - but you all cannot know without medical examination and diagnosis. Is it worth the risk to avoid the doctor or the cost? 

If you are not a mechanic and your vehicle has an intermittent miss, sputters and misfires - do you take it to a mechanic? The heart's conduction system is electromechanical and biochemical.

Personally, it is not my concern, but as a fellow man (with heart rhythm maintained by a pill) , it is worth the time and effort to get it checked out. 

Just my opinion. Take it or leave it. No offense.

 None taken, thank you

[Phil Lilley]

OK... I emailed my doctor and told him.  Cat's out of the bag.

Ordered some old man tests too.  At 58, I guess they should look inside to see if everything is working ok.

[fishinwrench]

No health insurance, and the last time I thought I might have a problem they spent 45 minutes testing, found nothing, and sent me a bill for 11k.  

I'm guessing that if they had found something I would be so far in debt that I'd be better off dead.   So there's that.  I simply do not make enough money to fight chronic illness, but thankfully I have been blessed with good illness fighting genes.

[snagged in outlet 3]

No kiddin, Wrench?  I thought Obama Care made it mandatory that everyone has insurance or they hit you at tax time with a penalty.

On a personal note, I hope you stay healthy.  The place would get boring without ya.

[David Unnerstall]

Well Al, I was a typewriter mechanic from 1980 to 1994 and we used trichloroethane to flush out and clean typewriters.  I had an annoying irregular heartbeat that completely went away when I stopped inhaling that stuff.