Ahhh, the holidays, when a great time was had by all at our house and it was said more than once that we were all very glad to be together again. Erica was home from school but was ill with a bad cold for 8 of her 9 day stay. Audrey's stay was 4 days too short as well. Pashka-dog lived to see another Christmas too. Blessed we are! 
So, a couple of days before Christmas I had a little angina/heart palpitation thing happen while I was walking on the track. Erica forced me to go to see a doctor the next day. . .long story short. . . involving a couple of EKGs and a trip to the emergency room. I was placed in a large room in case of heart attack and had the usual blood work, missed veins, waiting for tests, etc. before I was released 3 hours later with no signs of a heart attack but scout's honor that a visit to the cardiologist about my irregular heartbeat was in my future. Oh goody!
While I'm waiting to be discharged, I see the boots and overcoat of a firefighter pass in front on the curtain to my room. Then lots of feet flew by, the 'code blue' alarm sounded and emergency procedures could be heard in the room next to me. I lost count of how many times I heard the code blue alarm go off and the voice of one person in particular repeating, "Come back, John. I don't want to lose you. John, stay with me. We're not ready to let you go-- stay with us!" This unnerving and frantic litany continued while I signed my own discharge papers, had all the machines disconnected and gathered my belongings to leave. I was elated that I didn't have to spend the night, that my blood levels showed no residue of recent heart damage, that the day was still young. . .and I was alive. Right next door someone was fighting for his life. When I walked out of the emergency room I saw a burly EMT guy filling out a report and policemen pacing up and down the hallway. The irony of this situation stopped me in my tracks.
I told this story because I want to remember how unpredictable and fragile life is, even if the old saws about life being like a flame seem trite, they are exceedingly true. My goal is to try to remember that 'this is it' for now and be grateful for what I do have. Being a little lazy, I'm sure I'll lapse but I have a lot of images to remind me.
Now for the fun part!
red lights for Erica
our favorite candy bars from 'back home'
yummy 'smores
my very own copy of Ratatouille
and you know the rest!
4 comments:
Please... please take great care with your heart :^)
So glad the holidays were spent together, your family, drats on the colds though...
XOX
(that moss is just SO beautiful!)
Hi! like you I've had a scare again this Christmas.. I took ill Christmas eve.. should of gone to A7E but would not go... I think the time as now come for me to have a pacemaker... my heart was beating wronge for a number of days before it started back to normal .
The main thing is we are both still here to post and count our blessings.
I look forward to sharing many many more posts with you this year and for many years to come.
;O)
All this rings so true! I too am seeing a cardiologist after my no-heart-attack stay in the hospital in November. Our Christmas was wonderful for everyone but Otto, who had a bad rattly cough. Kristin dosed it with her home remedies and it seems to respond to a tea of horseradish and garlic!
I'm glad there was lots of fun in your Christmas, even if not all was exactly as planned.
Love, Phyllis
I loved the Idaho Spud bars. A great reminder of our home state. Take care of your heart and thanks for the reminders of how precious our lives are.
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