Mortality tune-in and check-up

The passing of cricketing legend Shane Warne at 52 of a heart attack is a wake-up call to all men in their 40s and 50s because we can suddenly just drop dead because of underlying heart conditions.

I did an echocardiogram stress test a few years back, so apart from keeping as fit as I can and watching my diet, problems with the heart may be more later in life, but I’m still not taking chances.

On a recent time away, I had a moment where I thought about my insides, the organs in my body, and how much I take them for granted.

Don’t misunderstand, I don’t drink or smoke or do anything else that could put my organs in mortal danger, but there are a lot of factors beyond lifestyle factors to be aware of.  Like a huge range of cancers, kidney and liver and lung diseases, Alzheimer’s, diabetes type 2, etc.

Think about the bowel or the liver or the eye, for instance.  These organs we rely on from the moments before we’re even born.  Made miraculously out of cells and tissues perfect for their function, they faithfully deliver on their function day-in, day-out, for our entire lives.

The linings of the tissues and the interwovenness of the muscles all throughout our bodies gives us the ability to do all the things we do without even a moment’s thought.

Any number of things could go wrong with our bodies, yet we just go on living as if they’ll always serve us.

Earlier in my life I drank and smoked a lot, and I guess I must trust that there are no long-term effects from either of those.  It’s amazing how much alcohol (hundreds of times inebriated) and how many cigarettes (thousands of them) a person can consume and possibly still ‘get away with it’.  I wouldn’t advise people to abuse their bodies like I once did, but just think of how resilient most of our bodies are—until they’re not.

And then there are the hazardous substances that at times we’ve been exposed to in our workplaces, not that this should ever happen.  I can remember welding a heap of galvanised steel grids and feeling very crook the next day, and do you know the prevention back then?  Line your stomach with milk—I kid you not!  I’ve been exposed to asbestos and worked a lot around chemicals and poisons in my early working life.  Ironic I’m in health and safety these days.

We ought to revere more often the design, construction, and resilience of our bodies.

When we view a man of 52 years who is now two days deceased, we would never have contemplated such a reality.  We would’ve expected him to be calling the next cricket game with insightful commentary, but now his family laments he’s gone forever.

We don’t settle our affairs well enough in life.  We don’t live as if it might be our turn next.  We don’t keep short account with ourselves, our relationships, our apologies, or amends.  We tend to think life will keep running forever.

Back in 2008 Nickelback brought out such a wise tune: If Today Were Your Last Day.  What if tomorrow were too late?  Would you forgive your enemies?

What conversation would you cruel yourself for not having?  What plans are you putting off that could make a difference in your tomorrows now?  Worth contemplating?