So there I was and a reality check

[BadShot]

About last Wednesday I started having some mild chest pain in my upper right chest, so what right? I'm damn near 40, aches and pains and I are not strangers, Motrin and I are extremely well acquainted (thank god that stuff ain't addictive) and well, pain comes and goes at my age.

Well back to work I go yesterday, I'm office bound so it isn't like I have a rough time of it. My bosses boss, notices my rubbing my chest and asks what's what. I tell him I've been having some chest pain since last week and a little shortness of breath here and there, nothing ah-ha IMHO. Well, nope, go to the Urgent Care clinic ($50 co-pay and mediocre care at best at this place but that's another story). So I walk the 1/2 block over there, get seen pretty quick, but my 1st EKG is "nominal" but here comes Dr. "I'm only going to listen to half of what you say" and the gist of his opinion is, "I'm sending you to St. Anthony Central ER.. like now. I can't make you go but I strongly recommend you do." ..

Me: OK doc, I won't argue with you about this stuff just I don't expect you to argue with me about computer stuff.

Doc: OK and yeah that reminds me, my network is all jacked up, but I'll be right back.

5 minutes later here comes West Metro Fire and Rescue. What a funny and way professional group of guys. 8 of these guys crowded into the exam room, 2 of which are trainees. Wow, talk about feeling waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out of shape, well OK round is a shape, but not the right one any more.

After 10 minutes of talking about my chest pain, sporadic light-headedness and medical history, it's off we go to St. A's.

So after a rather funny ambulance ride (great guys with a hell of a sense of humor as they stab you with a needle to draw blood and start an IV while going down Colfax seemingly hitting the majority of potholes), about 6 1/2 hours in a E.R. examining room, a 40 minute ultrasound -- to wit there is now medical photographic proof of a actual beating heart in my chest -- and several chest x-rays, disproving gallbladder and liver issues, the discovery of an abnormal cysts on my left kidney and being directly wired to many monitoring devices and machines that go "BING".. I am not having heart issues.

As a matter of fact, my heart, lungs* and get this, my liver (surprised? I am) are all in excellent shape. The conclusion at this point is that I have pleurisy. The lining of my right lung is inflamed and is the source of both my upper chest pain and generalized breathing distress and as a result, light headedness and bouts of tunnel vision.

Needless to say I think I was given a Grade A bag of Wake the Fuck Up Reality Check.

Things are going to change in my life, not radical 100% changes, but it's time to remove my head from my 4th point of contact about so many of my supposed priorities. Quality of life isn't just a catch phrase to use at a job interview or when you're ragging about too much over time or on call time. It's time to wrap quality back into all of it.

I've realized that I've taken way to damn much for granted... my better half fiancee', all of my kids and my grandson, the fortune I have of having a really pretty easy job making damn good money and all of the other material things that make our lives comfortable and easy. But more than anything, I was scared shitless for a while there yesterday, I don't scare easy I'd like to thing, but I was scared. I was alone and all I had to do was look at just how good my life is.

It's been said by just about everyone I know who goes through something like this, but you do get a little switch flipped if you're a typical person. Don't take your loved ones for granted and be thankful for what you do have.

Lord knows I am taking a much harder look at myself and not taking near as much for granted.


PS - to some of you who have been trying to get in touch about the stuff I have for sale, I replied this morning.

[esaabye]

Glad it worked out, great story!

[10x]

Glad that you got off easy on this one.
These types of things are definitely a wake up call and will make you reassess your priorities.
Really messes with your schedule for the day doesn't it?

[StagLefty]

Glad everything is okay-I've had a few of these incidents in my years and yes it makes you realize it's probably time to reassess your priorities. Life is short don't waste it on the trivial !!

[glock21]

thank god you are ok, i agree 100% about not taking thing for granted. 5 years ago my dad had a heart attack that killed him 4 blocks from the hospital bacause he was stubborn and would call a ambulance, he decided to drive the 40 miles 12 hours after the pain started, iam not stubborn anymore. then 2 months later my mom goes in to have lasik eye surgery, goes home happy as a button falls asleep and never wakes up again. i got to tell you having a family of my own that never meet my parents really puts life in a speacial place for me know, sorry to highjack your thread but thats my feeling on it. thanks and have a good day

[BadShot]

I'm really trying to keep a sense of humor about this.. and yes, it sure does jack up the schedule for the day and apparently for the next couple afterward (at least according to my better half, I'm grounded for a few days at least.

Glock I kinda know what ya mean man, I'm fortune both my parents are still around, they just aren't here to be with their Grandkids, bugs me especially with my mom being sicker than hell all the time. But, yeah, cherishing them too.

But hey, I get to chill at home for a few days, get my ass handed to me in Modern Warfare 2 by teenagers and generally be bored as hell. Plenty of time to get that reassessment started!

[Daniel_187]

If one glass of red wine is good for you, just think what a box will do LOL. Glad to hear your ok, My dads up there in age and has had a few close calls

[theGinsue]

I'm really trying to keep a sense of humor about this.. and yes, it sure does jack up the schedule for the day and apparently for the next couple afterward (at least according to my better half, I'm grounded for a few days at least.

Glock I kinda know what ya mean man, I'm fortune both my parents are still around, they just aren't here to be with their Grandkids, bugs me especially with my mom being sicker than hell all the time. But, yeah, cherishing them too.

But hey, I get to chill at home for a few days, get my ass handed to me in Modern Warfare 2 by teenagers and generally be bored as hell. Plenty of time to get that reassessment started!

BadShot - I'm very happy to be able to respond to this situation in your life by actually responding to you and not reading your obit in the paper...if you know what I mean.

Last fall, while I was in the mtn's hunting elk, I got a call from my wife (in the evening). She tells me she had gone to the hospital the day before due to chest pains (she had been having the pains for a couple of days but it got worse on this particular day). She was admitted, had every medical test known to modern man performed on her (including a stress test), kept overnight and most of the next day. In the end they had no explanation for what was wrong with her, but the chest pain went away after she was finally allowed to get some sleep.

Of course, I was notified by my son (then 17) or daughter (then 20). My wife didn't want me to know until AFTER she was released from the hospital - unless they found something life threatening. Of course, when I found out I was ready to abandon elk camp and rocket back home - she told me "NO".

In the end, they did tell my wife that her heart is in great shape (even for a 47yo woman who is overweight and doesn't exercise @ all.

It's som scary stuff so I'm glad you'll be with us for a bit longer. Thank you for reminding me to consider every moment as a gift from God!