[Aaron]

Been waiting to use that old Monty Python joke for decades.

I was teaching a computer class last week in Atlanta when I suddenly began to feel pretty bad. I had run out of a prescription days before and foolishly waited till it was convenient to go get more.

As some of you will recall I have a pre-existing heart condition, caused by my genetic legacy of small arteries, and my less than spectacular life style. (Which I struggle to modify on a daily basis).

So I sent the class to their lab work and bolted to the local drug store to renew my missing pharmaceutical, and promptly got lost. As I'm navigating my way through the confusing warren that is urban Atlanta, it became pretty clear to me that I was having yet another heart attack.

As the pain began to grip me in earnest, I looked up to see a sign labeled "emergency room" to my right. I turned into the emergency entrance of what I assumed was a hospital. Sure enough it was a hospital, so I parked behind the ambulance, and walked inside to seek some help.

20 minutes later I was lying on a bed in this emergency room, dead as disco; heart stopped, and well on my way to solving mankind's oldest mystery.

Next thing I know, I'm feeling annoyed as I'm waking up to find myself in the middle of heart surgery.

They had shocked me back into the world of the living, then proceeded to repair the blocked artery (which I later learned is named the "widow maker"), & 4 days later returned to my home in Houston.

I'm deeply grateful to the expert staff at what turned out to be Georgia's premier cardiac care facility, visited by thousands of folks from around the world for heart care. Seems I had "accidentally" stumbled into the one place within a thousand miles which was capable of helping me.

I have said so many times on this forum, and I can't resist repeating my familiar mantra...

Funny ole' world ain't it?

As you can imagine I'm still digesting this recent, unlikely turn of events, and don't really have "conclusion" so far. But I can't help but feel just the smallest bit of hope for our hydrocarbon challenged world as I contemplate my almost demise.

As Monte says... even a blind squirrel finds a nut now & then.

I guess the old saying is true...

Better to be lucky... than smart.

I stand before you humbled...

Your dog wants another chance.

[Ludi]

Aaron, Aaron, Aaron. Shame on you for not keeping up with your meds.

Tsk tsk. *shakes finger*

Glad you made it.

[RedStateGreen]

*HUGS*

Glad you're back!

[ALBY]

did you go towards the light ? what was in there ? templars? grey aliens ? a sky god ? inquiring minds want to know !

[FreedomSlave]

My wife and I lost a 42 year old friend last year to a sudden heart attack. He left twin 7 year olds behind (boy and girl "fraternals"). Very sad.

I'm glad your still with us, Aaron, and wish you the best in recovering. It's all the scarier when you have small children - I think the drive to stay alive is much stronger than if you're a solo participant in this world because it's not just your life in the balance.

Take care, and be well.

[3aidlillahi]

Ha. That's such a great movie. I'll have to watch it again.

Edit: Oh yeah, and glad you made it.

[Iaato]

Aaron, that reads like a fable. You have certainly been given a new lease; someone somewhere meant for you to carry on. The widowmaker doesn't usually give you much warning. Congratulations.

As a CCU nurse of 30 years, though, I can't resist. I suggest that you stop letting your avatar do the walking for you?

I was drawn to cardiac care because it is one of the one places in western technological medicine where you can truly make a dramatic difference in someone's life through the use of interventional technology. What will you do with the gift?

[eXpat]

Aaron, take care of yourself and get well.
BTW, time to build a stock of those meds maybe?, all the best.

[BigTex]

Oh my.

That's quite a story.

I'm glad it had a happy ending.

It sounds like you had a nice tailwind of good luck that day.

Take care of yourself.

[eastbay]

You not allowed to die on us Aaron. It's against the COC. You should know this!

Please do everything the Dr tells you to do, in this case. Thankfully you came out of this well. Nice to have you back and a great story too!

EB

[emersonbiggins]

Good to hear you're doing much better.

Wow...

(off to ride a bike )

[killJOY]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')s the pain began to grip me in earnest, I looked up to see a sign labeled "emergency room" to my right.

[kpeavey]

Last month I lost a close friend to a sudden heart attack. His wife had passed away in November, he just could not live without her. Things like this really put things in perspective and has helped me to grow a little more.

You are expecting a baby in a few months. I am glad you will be around for that.

Best wishes for a healthy recovery.

[holmes]

Glad you are still with us, man!

[dinopello]

Holy cow, just read the thread! This happened last week

It is a funny ole world. Would have sucked to lose you. Glad you made it!

[mgibbons19]

Sorry I missed this one too.

Glad you're still above ground brother. Monte would kick your ass for violating the CoC by dying on us.

Also wasn't aware you are expecting. Puts a whole 'nother spin on the whole thing.

[Narz]

What was death like? You remember anything?

Glad you've stuck around. The best is yet to come. Or the worst. Likely both. Either way, don't try to slip away yet!

[Specop_007]

Let me be the one to give you the sweet and sour sauce.

Gald your ok! Talk about a damned fortunate turn of events! Amazing. You know, by all rights my father should have been dead before he got to the local hospital, let alone lasting another 2 days. Some things are just meant to be as they say.

So while you get the sweet by saying glad your still alive and typing if not kicking, you realize one of the quickest and least painful ways to go has just eluded you. Most would give anything for what you nearly had. Now, perhaps, you will be forced to resign yourself to a terribly slow and painful death in a food starved crude lacking world....Or wasting away to the unforgiving clutches of time....Or any other myriad of less then desirable ways a man can go.

So while I applaud you on your amazing luck and truly am glad you made it ok, I think perhaps we all deep down wish to have your same luck without the same chance location to happen upon......

EDIT

Arent you only in your 40's or mid 50's?!

[Milret2]

First, congratulations on your survival.

Now please let an old retired medical person say LOUDLY if this should ever happen again .... Have someone call 911 at once while you relax. Who ever calls 911 should say there is a cardiac emergency
at what ever your address is. A good ambulance crew will have knowledge, equipment, monitoring gear, and location awareness that might very well save your life as well as the
lives of people you might have hit if you had a cardiac arrest while driving to the hospital.

I am very happy peakoil.com still has it's 800 on gorilla and that you have such good luck.