The Power of Music to Reduce Stress

One of the issues for heart health is STRESS!!!!  So, what do YOU do to alleviate stress? One way is music!  Tonight I will be attending a new CD release of my younger son Josh!  His latest music!  Of course for a proud Papa, the music is great (of course I'm biased!)  To order, go to:

Josh Albright Music

or, let me know and I will deliver, since my retirement, this is one of my new jobs - house husband, grocery shopper, Lebanon County historian, "Zipper Club" backer, part time coach, part time carpet cleaning, church volunteer, and Josh promotional man!

Of course, I do have some support to the premise that music is great for stress (unless it is RAP MUSIC).  Check out the website:

Psych Central - The Power of Music to Reduce Stress

As the article says:

Listening to music can have a tremendously relaxing effect on our minds and bodies, especially slow, quiet classical music. This type of music can have a beneficial effect on our physiological functions, slowing the pulse and heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing the levels of stress hormones.


The article goes on to say:

• Music’s form and structure can bring order and security to disabled and distressed children. It encourages coordination and communication, so improves their quality of life.
• Listening to music on headphones reduces stress and anxiety in hospital patients before and after surgery.
• Music can help reduce both the sensation and distress of both chronic pain and postoperative pain.
• Listening to music can relieve depression and increase self-esteem ratings in elderly people.
• Making music can reduce burnout and improve mood among nursing students.
• Music therapy significantly reduces emotional distress and boosts quality of life among adult cancer patients.

What do you think?  What music helps you?  Tonight, at the Chameleon Club, come and listen to some great music!!

Details on New Zipper Club Buddy

The human heart is an amazing thing!  And it works even when we have issues!  My buddy Dave, who is 49 years young, has probably had a "bump"heart since birth!

Dave was not feeling well at the end of this February.  He thought he was coming down with a cold.  He was tired and had no energy.  A trip to the emergency room discovered is heart was racing!  And after a heart cath the Mitral Valve was not working correctly & a small hole was found in the heart!

Fortunately for Dave, the heart valve could be repaired & the hole closed.  No need for a calf or pig valve, or maybe an artificial valve!  But open heart surgery was needed!  So, just like my open heart by-pass surgery, the doctors needed to go through the chest wall to do the repairs!

Dave had the same surgeon that I had, Dr. Burlingame.  And he will also go through cardiac rehab next week, just like I did!

The recovery sounded very similar.  It hurts to sneeze!  New medicines to take.  Issues sleeping through the night!  The first shower at home completely tired Dave out!  And, he also needed help getting dressed!

So, another member to my Zipper Club!  Join the club!

Terry, Rob, Bob, Bill, Terry, and others welcome a new member!

Great website on Mitral Valve surgery!

Check out the video on Mitral Valve Repair 

New Zipper Club Buddy

There are many ways to join my "Zipper Club"!  First, it helps if you are a friend.  Second, you need to have something wrong with your heart.  And third, of course you need true zipper! (That lovely 9-10 incision running down your chest)  Well, my old busy Dave, from my old school, just joined the club!

I will be visiting Dave Wednesday!  You see Dave had a valve repaired and I will get the details.  I know he had a slight hole in his heart, and maybe had it since birth!  He is a hard worker, a hyper personality, who is always on the move.  I think he just turned 50, and is in good shape.

For a little lesson on heart valves check out:  Anatomy of Heart Valves

So, we have Atrioventricular Valves - Mitral Valve & Tricuspid Valve.

Semilunar Valves - Aortic & Pulmonary Valve.

Dick Cheney - Heart Transplant

Whether you liked him or not, Dick Cheney is a lucky man today!  Take a look at the video about his heart transplant!

Dick Cheney - 20 Month Wait for Heart Transplant is Over!

The first human to human heart transplant was performed by Christiaan Barnard, (sorry Dr. Cathy  - I used Wikipedia), December 3, 1967!  That was 45 years ago!!!  I was 14 years old and playing 9th grade basketball (won the Lebanon County League Championship!).  At that time I had no idea how fascinated I would be about the human heart!

Dr. Barnard started it all back in 1967 & today the medical expertise is amazing!  Mr. Chaney has had 5 heart attacks, and at age 71 his heart was finished.  He has been on the waiting list with 3100 people and at 71 is in the upper level of patients to receive a new heart.

Mr. Cheney had had a LVAD in place to keep him alive the past 20 months!  What is a LVAD?

So what does this thing do? As the LVAD’s name would suggest, it’s not a replacement heart itself—the device offers the heart an assist. Specifically, if the heart is struggling to pump blood from the left ventricleto the aorta—the body’s largest artery, which disperses blood throughout the body—the LVAD can offer a mechanical bypass. Surgeons attach a pump to the left ventricle of the heart, and blood flows from there into the pump. The pump’s rotating action helps to push the blood back up into the aorta. Patients have to supplement the device by taking anticoagulant medications that prevent blood clots.  Discover Magazine


Amazing device!

Between the new technology & doctors like Dr. Barnard that are game changers!

When was the first open heart surgery?  Click here to find the answer!

Sorry Wikipedia again - here is my back up reference! - The Annals of Thoracic Surgery