Dr. Bob S. Eliot, a respected and revered cardiologist, suffered a massive heart attack in his late forties. Fortunately, he recovered and wrote a book titled "Is It Worth Dying For?" which convincingly demonstrated the profound relationship between stress and heart disease. But now for the rest of the story.
Several weeks ago, my wife and I had a wonderful dinner with a colleague who was transferring to another city because of professional opportunities. It was an exciting time yet a time of great challenge as he sought medical connections in his new hometown.
He explained to me that he too in his late forties had a massive heart attack from which he recovered. However, 15 percent of his heart muscle died as a result of the blood vessel blockage and this could never be reversed. Despite aggressive surgical and medical management, our colleague often became short of breath with minimal exertion and did not quite have the energy and vitality that he had before the heart attack. Now what does this mean for you and me?
He explained to me that just before the heart attack he was ensnared in some thorny professional and personal issues. He frankly admitted that his stress management skills were primitive, and he was saddened that he could not handle these issues more creatively. Without doubt, according to his doctors, the stress of these issues dramatically impacted his well-being for the rest of his life.
So an important lesson for all of us when faced with stressful and painful circumstances is a simple question: "Is it worth dying for it?" Obviously, it is not, and we need to recognize that unless we deal with stress in a creative and constructive manner, short- and long-term health consequences can be profound.
So, when we receive that stinging rebuke, that painful e-mail, or that unkind letter, how can we deal with those initial feelings of anger, frustration, and sadness?
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