3 weeks ago I had a heart attack

[trimtops]

completely out of the blue - anyhow, I am still here, due to the amazing work of the Worcestershire NHS.

I live by myself, and I have 2 sons, they are aged 22 and 27. They both have their own homes.

So on coming home, and realising my mortality, I have started to empty my house, because I don't want my boys to have to sort the junk that I have kept, stored, over the years - as you do, if it happens again

I have thrown out clothes, knackered bras, pants, shoes, boots, handbags, coats, lipsticks, foundations, crockery, LP's, cassettes, blankets, duvets,hair curlers,saucepans, cutlery (who needs 3 spatulas), old christmas decorations, my nan's stuff, my mums stuff all in the loft, gardening stuff, out of date foodstuffs in the back of the cupboards, shocking,..2016 stuff!
My house is clear, I can now pop off with a clear conscience, leaving them not much to tip, anyone one else done this?

I was going to post in AIBU, but thought I might get slated for doing it - I'm just thinking of my boys having to wade through all this rubbish i've collected, and really, at the end of the day, I don't need.

Hi Trimtops,

Sorry to hear about your HA. I had one in April, completely out of the blue too.

It’s very early days so don’t go too mad with the clearing up. I’m happy to talk pm if you’d prefer. Your head is going to be all over the place, for a good while yet - just let it. I find the Healthunlocked BHF forum absolutely brilliant- lots of knowledge, we’re all on a journey we never wanted to be on, but it can be a fab source of info, or just somewhere to vent.

I’m still having bits and pieces looked at, had a Stress Perfusion MRI on Thursday last week and still knackered from it!

Take care

With my caring hat on- you're supposed to be resting!

Sounds like Swedish death clearing (I think it's called that) and it's entirely sensible IMO... perhaps not in the immediate aftermath of an heart attack.

I do hope you're getting some good rest too,and wish you well for your recovery

hahah I have older stuff than that in my cupboards

seriously though it's good to be proactive about this, my mum has downsized majorly in 2 stages (3 bed semi>2 bed bungalow>2 bed flat) and I helped her with the last stage, very grateful that when the time comes my job will be easier

wrt to the heart attack, I had a very similar experience and have enjoyed excellent health since (it was nearly 20 years ago!)- I did suffer with anxiety though so I make a point of saying don't suffer in silence, get counselling if you need it

How satisfying to do such a brilliant de-clutter OP.
So sorry you've been through such a massively traumatic event, I hope you're having a good rehabilitation and aren't in too much pain.
My DF had a heart attack out of the blue when we were kids (he had just turned 40) he is now 63 and one of the fittest healthiest people I know!
It will improve your quality of life not having all that "stuff" around regardless of when you "pop off"!
One thing my dad did do was get the clutter out of his life in terms of
a) a massively toxic relationship with my step mum
b) a job he hated (mechanic)
c)Living in a part of England that didn't feel his soul
d)smoking
e)sugar
f)coffee

He bought a house in Cornwall (having lived in the south for all of our childhoods), started working as a farm hand on a coastal organic dairy farm.
He swam in sea, started cycling, met a lovely woman and just showed an amazing example of someone who has no time or space for dead wood or things that didn't feed his soul.

I'm sorry to hear you've had a HA , be kind to yourself.
But just wanted to say your post has had some lovely heart warming comments on how other people turned their negatives into positives .

Wow...hope you’re now ok op
Must’ve been very scary
A friend had one, non smoker, not huge drinker, cycled little bit overweight but not hugely so..certainly he thought he was living a healthy lifestyle
Has the hospital given you any preventative advice?

No Dowser I'm not overweight, don't smoke don't drink, but just a big BOOM!! Advise was to move to town!!

As I say, I live by myself,in the middle of nowhere, pitch black at night. Went to bed, feeling totally fine.
3.00 I feel a bit odd, phone son No 1 no answer No.2 son, no answer, ExH no answer then the realisation hits EEK!! Crawl downstairs on my bottom, hands and knees to phone ambulance, open front door, wait for crew, they have to climb over front gate, to my house, search for gate keys, go back to gate, unlock gate get ambulance, blue light me to hospital
Dog slept through it all !!
But back to my house clearance, its amazing what we don't need..
and yes I will rest a bit - will google Swedish death clearance bcc.

Swedish death cleaning. I think it’s a brilliant idea! I hate clutter and my DD takes the mickey that I’m doing Swedish death cleaning in my 40s and that it’ll be me, a bed, a duvet and a book shelf in 4 very white walls when they find me.

No, I don’t think it’s unusual. But do rest, sorry to hear about your heart attack.

My dads done exactly the same thing for the same reasons. He only has what he needs. 2 pairs of pj's, 4 pairs undies, 1 tooth brush, comb, flannel etc. Its really easy to pack him a bag on the odd occasion hes been taken into hospital as everythings easy to find. Loads of empty drawers if people stay. We know where all the legal stuff is all his passwords to stuff. Its a bit upsetting sometimes as it feels like hes preparing to go, but hes totally practical and its just stuff to him.

Sorry you have had a heart attack OP but pleased to hear you have got through it.

I had a stem cell transplant for blood cancer nearly 3 years ago. I was told there was a 50% chance of surviving the transplant. It was the kick up the backside to sort out my will and financial affairs and to record what is in all my boxes in the loft and garage.

This year my mum died and my siblings and I have had to go through everything in my mums house. It has made me realise that if I die, DD would have a tough job going through all my stuff. I have hoarded quite a bit over the years but am now thinking DD probably wouldn't want most of it. I live far from her and she has a busy life working so she wouldn't have time to go through it all at her own pace. So I think it would be too overwhelming and so she would end up dumping much of it which would be sad. Therefore I need to go through it all myself while I have the chance and get rid of as much as I can. This is my big project for the next year. Writing names, dates and places on photos is another big project!