Heart Failure

12/09/22 • 5 min

The heart of a human can – and sometimes does – just stop. It can be a chronic condition that worsens over time; or an acute event that suddenly, catastrophically, just happens.

Its potential causes are legion. Some we can take precautions against – some strike out of the blue.

When heart failure happens, it is possible to recover. But recovery is certainly not guaranteed, and it is not easy; nor is there any certainty recovery can be complete.
At this point, most are probably thinking about taking care of the muscle in our chest. The one that starts beating before we are born, and when it stops for good, we move on from this life. And, yes, everything shared thus far applies to that.

But there is another kind of heart failure. And the hard numbers are frightening. As this type of heart failure is becoming more prevalent in our world. It is clear, even without consulting research, any casual observer can see it.

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The heart of a human can – and sometimes does – just stop. It can be a chronic condition that worsens over time; or an acute event that suddenly, catastrophically, just happens.

Its potential causes are legion. Some we can take precautions against – some strike out of the blue.

10 second pre-roll promo for An Ounce Podcast on YouTube

Previous Episode

Obsolete

The date of the release of this episode is Friday, December 2, 2022. In 5 days, December 7th, it will be 81 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor. This surprise attack was the impetus that pulled the America into World War 2. When considering the history of The United States of America, December 7th, 1941, like September 11, 2001, is a day that can never be forgotten. Within the conflict of World War 2 there are thousands of events – some recorded -some forgotten. Stories of smaller battles, and lesser-known poignant occurrences, from which we have the opportunity to learn.

This is a story of a smaller, ancillary event, which occurred on December 7, 1941. One that many may have never been heard, as it was eclipsed by the enormous catastrophe occurred later that same day, and the worldwide conflict that ensued.

The Ward, was a ship that had been rapidly constructed and commissioned for battle in 1918, during World War 1. It was a 1247 ton ‘Wickes’ class destroyer. The keel of the vessel was laid down on May 15th, and 17 and 1⁄2 days later, on June 1st, the USS Ward was launched at Mare Island, California. A few weeks after that she was outfitted, equipped, and commissioned.

Then about 5 months later, on November 11th, 1918 – The first war to end all wars – was over. By 1921, the USS ward as decommissioned.

This old and obsolete vessel, was recommissioned for service as the probability of the US going to war was increasing. The military needed to be built up dramatically to be ready – so many available retired assets, including the Ward, were pulled back into service.

On January 7th, 1941, the ward was recommissioned and sent to Pearl Harbor, to perform routine patrols around the islands.

Flash forward about 11 months. It was early in the morning of December 7th, 1941.

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Next Episode

Of Gifts and Guilt

I have observed as many of us participate in one of the biggest, and most well know, consumer events in the United States. That magical Friday after Thanksgiving when folks line up in the early morning hours outside their favorite stores to get a shot at amazing deals on the newest hot toy, electronics, and other items with prices cut to the bone.

Retailers in brick-and-mortar stores, and online businesses, brace for the Black Friday weekend deals that constitute the biggest rush of retail activity of the year. This is the time when Santa, and those helping him, make more purchases than at any other time of the year.

For some retailers it is the make-or-break event that launches their balance sheets into the black, or on a bad weekend, condemns them to finish out the year in the red – and maybe ends their business for good.

But is it true that the Black Friday weekend is the most active time for holiday shopping?

Well now – maybe not.

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