Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 The primary rule of survival is:   "Be aware of your surroundings" Okay. So what can kill you? The specific list is long, but the basic things that do people in include: 1.) Serious disease 2.) Traumatic injury 3.) Suicide 4.) Murder 5.) Terrible genetics I have survived several bouts with #1, serious illness - including dangerously-high blood pressure, prostate cancer and aortic stenosis . Any of the three maladies could have done me in had my doctor not detected the issues while they were still manageable.  The lessons are clear . I have almost-always been in good-to-excellent shape - and remain there at the age of 80-plus. It is always a good practice to go into surgery lean and muscular. The benefits of doing so far outweigh the work and mental discipline required. And another point. Avoiding the medical profession is not advisable for those seeking longevity. Referring to #2, I have had very few injuries in my life, with none being traumatic. Wherever I am - be it ...

"Your first symptom may be dropping dead!" -- my thoracic surgeon I spent 4-plus years enduring aortic stenosis with ZERO symptoms until March 31, 2022 when I underwent TAVR (trans catheter aortic valve replacement). Aortic stenosis can occur when calcium builds up on the aortic valve and hampers its functioning. The TAVR procedure at Leahy Clinic , Burlington, MA, took a little more than one hour while I was awake and sedated. Four of us had the procedure that day and all of us went home the next day.  The key point here is that even when the issue became critical - and absolutely life-threatening - I had no chest pain, dizziness or breathlessness - all symptoms of severe aortic stenosis. I felt fine.  The surgeons were amazed at the amount of blockage at the valve site, but the outcome was near-perfect. My medical team and I expect near-full recovery very soon, unlike the three months required after open-heart surgery. Just a heads-up to my followers . If it helps even one...