Life Is What We Make It
By Tom Quirk

Scituate - Recently I watched a film about the training of pilots that emphasized the importance of attitude, or the orientation of an aircraft relative to a reference line like the horizon. Deviations there from are pitch and yaw.

Our attitude is a state of mind reflecting our feelings toward someone or something. The stresses in our lives are linked to issues, among them health, relationships and certain elements of life itself. These may be chronic and if untreated can lead to depression. Depression is not just a funk or something that you can snap out of, but an illness involving the entire person; mind and body. Some physicians simply treat the symptom, because scribbling a prescription is fairly easy.

Managing stress is not a matter of retreating into a fantasy world, but a matter of recognizing the good things in our lives and appreciating them. We have the capacity to adjust a negative trend like the pilot; we can adopt an attitude of gratitude. Negatives do exist and we must be deal with them, lest they overtake us. Perhaps we seek the counsel of a family member, close friend or the clergy, or engage in practices that have a quieting effect like exercise, meditation, yoga or massage. Fatigue is avoided by sufficient sleep.

Brain aneurysms certainly are highly stressful for all concerned, but especially for the survivor and their caregiver. Unrelieved stress can very quickly lead to a serious state of depression. Becoming acquainted with the uncertainty and common concerns in the post event environment is a major step toward avoiding the pitfalls of the recovery journey.

Brain aneurysm support groups provide informational resources and caring support from fellow survivors and caregivers, to those newly embarking on their recovery. Knowledge and a positive attitude are critical elements and the reality is that life is what we make it.

About The Author
For more information you may contact Tom Quirk at (617) 513-3578 or via email at tfquirk@aol.com. For more information about brain aneurysms, please visit the Brain Aneurysm Foundation’s web site at www. bafound.org. The South Shore Brain Aneurysm Support Group meetings are held the second Wednesday of every month, from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. at Norwell Visiting Nurse Association, 91 Longwater Circle, in Norwell.