A scare, and maybe a wake-up call

A favorite picture of Larry.

Long story short, all is well.

Yesterday started out just another Tuesday. Layout day at the paper. A busy day, a long day, but a normal Tuesday.

When Larry called me a little before noon, I thought he was calling me to see if I was ready for lunch.

“You doing OK?” I asked, without even thinking about it.

“Well, I don’t know,” he said.

“What’s wrong?”

“I know it’s your busy day at work, but I think I need you to take me to the doctor,” he said.

He had been to the Y, walking on the track. He planned to walk for 45 minutes. During minute 44, he felt what he described as a “thump” around his heart, got dizzy and felt like he was going to pass out.

He was able to lean up against the wall, then sat down for a while before going home. He thought maybe he needed to see a doctor.

I rushed home.

A little background. Larry has had several episodes over the last few months where he felt weak and dizzy. Sometimes he felt pressure in his chest, but he thought it was his hiatal hernia and heartburn. He wouldn’t go see the doctor.

I knew that if he was asking me to take him to the doctor, he thought something was wrong. Which meant, to me, that something really might be wrong.

I insisted on taking him to the emergency room. There was no need to take the time to go see the doctor, I said.

Larry wouldn’t let me call EMS. And he didn’t want me to speed. Regardless of how fast I drove, though, I felt like the car was moving in slow motion.

I got him to Lynchburg General Hospital in Lynchburg, and they took him right back. They immediately hooked him up to a heart monitor and did an EKG, then blood work. Then, because he had been exercising when the episode happened, they had him do a stress test.

Everything came back normal.

They don’t know what the “thump” was. But his heart looks good.

On the way home, Larry said, “Well, I guess I shouldn’t have called you.”

“I’m glad you called me,” I said.

It’s much better to have something checked out and be nothing than to take a chance, I said.

I think Larry was most upset because he couldn’t go as long on the treadmill during the stress test as he thought he should have. He was out of shape.

But they put it on an incline, and the technician warned him ahead of time that it would be hard. They needed to get his heart rate up.

I told him that it was perhaps a good kind of wake-up call. He hadn’t been to the Y for a few months. He needed to exercise more for his health.

Larry is doing fine now. He’s watching one of his favorite TV shows, “Justified,” right now. Chase Bird sits on his lap, then jumps down and walks around, then jumps back up.

And me? I’m incredibly grateful for good test results.

Have you had any wake-up calls lately?

Open for business

Tina F. Barbour Editing Services LLC is open for business.

I decided in 2013 to explore starting my own freelance editing business. It took a lot of research and preparation before I was ready to say, I’m going to do it.

I started with lists of things to consider. In a notebook I bought for the planning, I made my first list on April 21, 2013. I didn’t make my next one until November 3, 2013.

Why the delay?

Probably fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure.

This past fall, the desire to edit for others and to own my own business outweighed the fear, and I started making lists with more purpose.

Discuss structure/taxes with CPA. Check.

Settle on name of business. Check.

Discuss structure with attorney. Check.

Write a business plan. Check.

Decide what services to offer. Check.

Begin stocking my reference library. Check.

The only real headache in all this was when I applied for a business license from my town. I learned that I first had to register my business name with the county circuit court.

I went to the court. They weren’t sure if I had to register and sent me to the commissioner of revenue. They said, yes, I had to register, assisted me with the paperwork, and sent me back to the circuit court.

Then it was back to town hall for the business license.

But all is in order now.

A second headache is developing a business website, which I’m still in the process of doing. I hope to have that up and running very soon.

In the meantime, here are the services that I will offer:

I provide editing and proofreading services to writers working on a variety of manuscripts and copy, including blog posts, other Web works, nonfiction books, nonfiction periodical articles, essays, business writing (articles, Web copy, and newsletters), medical and scientific articles/copy for the lay person, and government agency copy.

I provide the following types of copyediting:

Mechanical editing: Reviewing and making corrections in consistent use of style, capitalization, spelling, use of hyphens, abbreviations, punctuation, numbers, grammar, syntax, word choice, consistent use of names, and consistent use of documentation.

Substantive editing: Includes mechanical editing. Also includes reviewing and suggesting changes in structure, organization of content, paragraphing, clarity of the content, audience consideration, and obvious factual errors.

I also provide proofreading services:

Proofreading: The last phase of editing a manuscript. Usually done by comparing proofs with last edited copy, reviewing for and correcting typographical errors, spacing, inaccurate punctuation marks, consistency in font and point size, page numbers, missing words, accurate hyperlinks, and accurate indexes.

I’m excited about this new adventure! If you have any questions about my services, please contact me through this website or by emailing TinaFBarbourEditing(at)gmail(dot)com.

Have you ever had your own business? If you could have any kind of business, what would it be?

Random 5 Friday

It finally got warmer here. I didn’t realize how much I would appreciate temps in the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

I hope all of you are doing well, and if you were in the path of the frigid cold, I hope you made it through OK.

It’s time for another Random 5 Friday. I’m joining this fun meme started by Nancy at A Rural Journal.

Chase Bird peeks over the arm of the chair.

One

I usually have to work late on Tuesdays because we lay out the paper and get it ready for press. I didn’t get home until after 10 p.m. this past Tuesday.

Larry said that Chase Bird was listening and looking for me before I got home. When I got home, he seemed happy to see me. Apparently he doesn’t like me to work late. I miss him and Larry, too.

Two

Our heat pump gave out this week, and we have to have another one installed. That was obviously not what we wanted to hear from the HVAC people.

It takes care of two rooms in the house, with an oil furnace taking care of the rest of the house. But it will still cost a chunk of money.

Larry called me at work to tell me about the heat pump. A little bit later, he called back, laughing a bit. The oil company had just shown up to fill up the oil tank and left a nice bill. You might as well laugh as cry, I guess.

I’m just thankful that we can take care of these things. There are so many people worse off than us.

Three

I didn’t put away our lighted snow couple when I took down Christmas decorations. It’s really a winter decoration, don’t you think? And I like the lights.

Four

Sometimes I learn things through my work that help me in my personal life. I attended a nutrition program today offered through a partnership between the county libraries and a state university. It provided such good information that I can use for my own eating.

It’s not a complicated way to eat. It’s eating whole foods as much as possible, eating a mostly plant-based diet and eating foods that help reduce chronic inflammation. And it's individual. Foods that are good for you might not be good for me.

Five

Eating better will help me feel better. I know that. In order to eat better, I know I’m going to have to start cooking more. One thing that will help me do that is to plan better. If I wait until the end of the day to decide what to have for dinner, when I’m tired, then I’m probably going to want to take the path of least resistance.

How far ahead do you plan your menus? Does it help you to plan ahead?

A pasta salad I fixed a while back.

The O stands for obsession

This blog post is dedicated to Jackie and Janet. Thanks for all you do.

It happened again last week.

I was at work, sitting at my desk in my office. A person came into the main office to speak with the ad person about an ad. She wrote down what she wanted the ad to say, paid for it, and then left.

Less than a minute later she came back into the office and asked to check what she had just written. It must have been fine because she didn’t change anything.

“Sorry about that,” she said on her way out. “I am so OCD.”

Did you hear me scream in frustration? OK, not really. But I was definitely frustrated.

I get frustrated when I hear those words: “I am so OCD.” Frustrated with people who equate being conscientious, double-checking, with OCD. Frustrated when people—who mean no harm, I believe—say they are “so OCD” because they keep all their Virginia Tech clothes in one drawer. Or because they like to keep their desk organized.

Maybe these people have OCD. I’m not a doctor. But I am someone who has OCD. And I’m going to quote the title of a post by my friend Jackie Lea Sommers, who also has OCD: “If it doesn’t hurt, it’s not OCD.”

Recently, the writings of two good blogging friends have touched me. Jackie wrote another great post called “The Dreadful O of OCD” this past Sunday. And Janet, whose son has OCD and who writes the blog ocdtalk, wrote an insightful post last month called “Where are the Obsessions?”

Jackie and Janet write about how everyone sees the compulsions of OCD, but they don’t see the pain caused by the obsessions that drive the compulsions. That can lead to misunderstandings about what OCD really is.

If you look closely, you can see my red hands in this photo from 1990.

For example, I used to wash my hands compulsively. My hands and wrists were bright red and raw looking. My family and friends witnessed me washing my hands, soaping them over and over, rinsing and rinsing.

What they couldn’t see was what was driving me to wash my hands: the obsession that I would hurt someone else. I was so afraid that I would have germs on my hands and pass those germs on to someone else that might get sick and might die. I had to wash my hands. I had to be sure they were clean because if I didn’t, I would be a murderer.

Can you imagine thinking like that? Doesn’t it sound illogical? Like I was putting too much responsibility onto myself? That I was worrying needlessly?

Yes. But I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t stop obsessing that I was going to hurt someone. The only way I could get any relief from the feelings of guilt of what might happen—relief from the obsession—was to wash. And wash.

OCD is not cute or funny. It’s not a little habit that can be easily changed. It’s not synonymous with being organized. It’s a mental illness that manifests itself in different ways. It hurts.

I don’t want pity because I have OCD. I am so much better now. I live such a free life compared to the way I used to live. I have OCD, but OCD doesn’t lead the way anymore. I thank God for that.

And I don’t want to sound preachy or judgmental.

I just want to join Jackie and Janet and others who are speaking out and helping friends and strangers learn a little bit more about a disorder that may affect someone they love. I just want people who have OCD to be encouraged that they can get better, too.

A quiet winter’s weekend

"Trees in January"

I’ve spent a quiet weekend burrowed inside from the cold. I ventured out only twice, once Saturday and once on Sunday.

It rained all day Sunday. It’s supposed to get warmer through the night, then the arctic air hits Monday (today) and we’ll have wind chills below zero.

It won’t be nearly as bad as many of you in other parts of the country and the world have it, but it will be very cold for this area of Virginia.

Over the weekend, I read a lot. In fact, I finished my first book of 2014, a mystery by John Sandford. Sandford is the pen name for John Camp, a writer who won a Pulitzer as a journalist.

I read the first of the Lucas Davenport series, Rules of Prey. It was not only scary and intense, but well written.

I also took some naps, sat by the fire with Chase Bird, played with him, did some household chores and watched some TV with Larry.

I didn’t do much adventuring this weekend, as you might guess.

I’ve had to come to the realization that the holidays are really over. The extra time off from work, the changes in schedule for the past two weeks—it’s all done, over with. Now it’s back to the usual.

That thought doesn’t appeal to me. But I’m pushing through my reluctance.

I’ve got work to do for the newspaper.

And I will get my business license for the freelance editing this week. I tried to get it last week, but I had missed a step in the process and had to take care of that bit of business first. I look forward to telling you when I’m officially in business.

And there are some other writing projects percolating.

I’ve just got to shake myself out of my semi-stupor and get back into the routine, with my new sense of adventure.

Are you ready to get back into more of a normal routine? Or has that already happened for you?

Random 5 Friday: Snow and a writing partner

I’ve been mixed up on what day it is for the last two weeks, with the holidays messing up the usual order of work and time off. But I checked the calendar, and it’s time for Random 5 Friday, a great meme run by Nancy of A Rural Journal. Click here to visit Nancy and find more bloggers participating.

We do get some snow. This is a snow scene from March 2013. This is our backyard, looking towards Larry's shop and shed. 

One

To all of those caught up in snow and windstorms, I hope you are safe and warm. Our part of Virginia will get flurries or sleet mixed with rain, if anything. The way most weather fronts track in this area, we don’t usually get the big snows.

Since Larry and I both love snow, we’re regularly disappointed at the weather forecasts. My solution for this is to move to Wyoming. Larry doesn’t think so.

Two

As I sit and write this Thursday evening, I have a partner helping me: Chase Bird. He doesn’t usually sit in my lap while I work on the computer, but tonight he is. He’s purring and licking my hand.

Maybe he sensed that I was feeling a bit low this evening and needed the TLC. Maybe he wants to use the Internet once I’m off. Whatever, he’s a welcome partner.

Three

Anyone know what “cvhgds” means? That’s what Chase Bird just typed as he put his paws on the keyboard.

Four

As I drove up the driveway today, I saw a feather swirl in the grass beside the car. I haven’t been taking many photos outside lately, so I went inside and got my camera and came out to explore a bit.

I thought this might be a turkey feather. I’ve seen some wild turkeys in the area. Anyone recognize what it is?

Five

It seems so dark outside in the evenings now that most people have taken down their Christmas lights. Too bad we don’t all leave some lights up through the rest of the winter. Inside, I’m going to keep plenty of candles out.

What do you do to bring in more light during the winter?

Happy New Year to You!

Happy New Year to you, dear readers and friends! I wish you all the best for 2014. May you find peace and joy in each day.

 

Tree stump at Mountain Lake. November 28, 2013.

“Instructions for living a life.

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.”

― Mary Oliver