Life can throw you a curve ball occasionally.

Several days ago, over on JeffRandleman.com, I shared some ideas on how to rejuvenate yourself when you’re tired. Not just physically tired, but when you are spiritually tired and worn out.

I shared that because that’s where I am in my own life right now.

But there’s more.

Over the past several months, my wife has been watching me and keeping copious amounts of notes and observations. I’ve been dealing with several small issues, from depression to stress to headaches and high blood pressure. I’ve had aches and pains, and have been overly tired to the point where I felt like I needed a nap several times a day.

Each of these things, by themselves, don’t seem like that much. But when you add them all together….

My wife sat me down, and presented her observations and research. To the best of our own self-diagnosing abilities, and with the help of Dr. Google, she determined that I may be dealing with some heart issues.

Wait… What?

Yeah. My heart may be the problem. Almost every single symptom, when taken together, could indicate a potential heart problem.

It was time for a doctor. A real one.

So we made an appointment.

After an hour or more with the doctor, we established a few things, some good and some not so good.

It’s likely that I do not have a heart problem. We are running some tests to confirm a few things, and check a few others. But the likelihood of this being my heart is low.

But, on the other hand, I do suffer from severe sleep deprivation and severe stress. Both of which could lead to heart problems if not cared for.

Stress? Surely not. We just have seven kids, I lead a vibrant church, and we never seem to have a break. What could be stressful about that? And as for the sleep issue, we discovered that I may have a severe case of sleep apnea, and several diagnostic tests are scheduled to see what is going on, and what can be done about it.

So I am having to make a few changes in my life.

Slow down

One thing I need to do is eliminate some things off of my plate. This is the reason my writing schedule has been lighter than normal. I have re-evaluated my goals, reducing my writing self-expectations to something a bit more manageable. I have also had to say no to a few things that I would love to say yes to. Some friends are going on a four day float trip this summer, and I have been invited. But I know this would wear me out, and playing catch up when I return to the office would just add more to my plate. I had to say no.

After all, my family is a high priority, and I will not sacrifice them on the altar of busyness. Something has to go so that I can maintain my relationships with my wife and kids. That’s not negotiable.

Exercise more

I hated to hear this one. My doctor told me that my cholesterol was in an interesting state. My bad cholesterol was in acceptable levels. But my good cholesterol was way too low. And really, the only way to correct this is by getting more exercise. So, in order for that to happen more regularly, once again, something else must go in order to open up the time.

The good news is that exercise will correct the problem there, and that is a relief. I want to avoid a prolonged treatment with medicine as much as possible.

Eat right

This one hurts me the most, perhaps. I love Krispy Kreme. I love a good burger, especially one from a fast food joint. I love bacon, and starchy foods, and ice cream. I love cheese cake. But I hate vegetables, and the juicing routine my waif wants to put me on.

However, I really have no choice but to change up some of my eating habits. Hopefully, I can learn to enjoy these things I currently do not.

Sleep better

This one is the real problem. If I have a medical issue, such as sleep apnea, I may have to step into some form of treatment for it. As of right now, my body does not enter RIM sleep, causing me to not rest well, regardless of how much sleep I get. I honestly don’t know how to address this issue without help. So tests are in order, and perhaps a sleep study. We’ll see how it goes.

Overall, I can handle this. It’s much better than being told that I have a heart problem. The danger is, if I do not address these issues, I may end up with a heart problem. And the potential is there, because it runs in my family.

In the meantime, I would appreciate your prayers. I know the power of God is incredible, and he can take care of this situation, and take care of me while I deal with it.

Also, I would appreciate your patience. My posting schedule is reduced for now, but I hope to regain some solid focus in the process, so that DeliberateDads.com is a better place because of it.

And know that I thank God for each of you frequently. Thanks for being a part of my life.

Be deliberate, Dad!

Have you ever been given a bad health diagnosis? What did you do? How did you handle it? You can leave your thoughts in the comments by clicking here.