Tag: Death

Keep Your Hopes Up

Posted on by armenhov

For a rational mind, based on facts and science, there may be little doubt that we cease to exist after death. Of course, one can’t rule out the possibility that we live in some kind of simulated reality — but since this can be neither proved nor disproved, you’re free to believe it if it helps.

In fact, that might be the most rational choice, and here’s why: if death is the end, you won’t be around to regret being wrong, but while you live, that belief can make things feel less miserable. It will let you hold on to hope until the very last moment — and then, in case you were wrong? Well, nothing, as I already mentioned in one of my previous posts.

Can Something Cease to Exist?

Posted on by armenhov

It would seem that nothing is lost in the universe: stuff transforms from one state to another, matter can annihilate and become energy, and energy can transform back into particles of matter. Lifeforms die becoming building blocks for other lifeforms, and every single cell is the direct descendent of that first molecule that found the best way to replicate itself billions of years ago. Yet that doesn’t seem to apply to the best and the most precious creations of the universe: the human minds, which are largely wasted, leaving behind scrapples of work and questionably affected minds of some unconcerned and forgetful children. What becomes of all the collected memories and wisdom, unique set of skills, unspoken or ununderstood thoughts and ideas, unwritten poems, untold stories or the music that has been conceived but never recorded? But then again, what does universe care? There are no laws requiring conservation of everything… or are there?

Maybe it is preserved in some mysterious ways we don’t fully understand. Or maybe it is too new an invention and the universe hasn’t found the way to preserve it yet, or maybe we are the ones who are destined to do it.

New Development #1

Posted on by armenhov

If you’re not getting older, you’re dead.

Tom Petty

Here it comes: a welcome interruption in the boring baseline description of my health condition: a new development: shortness of breath. (Is it allowed to have three colons in one sentence?) At least it feels like shortness of breath, but after 3-4 weeks of watching and analyzing it, I’m inclined to think it might be a symptom of a stomach problem. However, it is here, it lasted for more than 3 weeks, it doesn’t go away and I have never had it before. New, exciting development in this story bringing me one step closer to the finish line: woo-hoo!

It dose get worse after I eat, especially if I eat after 8 pm, and then I have hard time sleeping/breathing, especially when I lay on my right side. This often is accompanied with the heartburn. It’s still possible that the problem is of a cardiovascular nature, but I would think my blood pressure would be going up in this case. I’m, of course, using my primitive, layman logic here, it goes like this: my original hypertension is mitigated by vessel dilators, thus, the brain gets enough oxygen and doesn’t send distress signals to the heart to pump harder. If my current shortness of breath, were due to heart problem, causing insufficient oxygen going to the brain, that should have caused a similar distress signal which caused my original hypertension. However, while feeling this discomfort, my blood pressure was pretty low. I even tried to reduce my blood pressure medicine dosage to see if that makes a difference. My blood pressure went up, but no effect on the breathing problem. At the same time not eating anything for some time, especially not consuming stomach irritating things like coffee, makes all the difference and I can breath normally again.

So, the plan is to take it easier on food and hope this is a temporary stomach irritation that will go away. Or I’ll go away. Anyway, we’ll watch it and see what happens.

OK, I’ll try to finish the baseline in the next post. I know it’s taking too long: my first post was back in November 2023, so it’s no longer an up-to-date baseline anymore, but I hate leaving it unfinished.