It's been a year this week since I was critically ill in the hospital with a liver abscess aka sepsis. I am lucky that they found it when they did. That, was a turning point for me deciding to enjoy each and every day hence I am now retired. When a health crisis presents itself it sets life's priorities .
"When you have your health, you have everything" Alan aka Drclock
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Yeah, having one of those "life changing moments" certainly gives you a different perspective. It did for me, too. I guess sometimes it just takes a HUGE slap side the head to make you appreciate the smaller things in life and want to embrace them all the more.
Congratulations on a year of fun and good health. Keep those happy days rolling!
Dr, I had a couple of sepsis bouts, liver cancer, and finally liver failure on the way to a 3 year journey to receive a liver transplant. Now nearing 3 years post transplant I can assure you that your prospective will only continue to improve. Everyday is a life otherwise not lived. I now laugh and enjoy things that used to annoy me and I rarely take something seriously unless it is affecting people I care for. I have never felt better in my life.
Alan, has it really been a year ,doesn't really seem like it, Congratulations !!!
Absolutely, when you have your health.........
Alan, Gordon and Major;
Good for all three of you.
My life changing event happened in 2006 and that's how I ended up buying my first Speedster. I had a base of tongue squamous cell tumor that had spread to a lymph node and I underwent 5 weeks of radiation and chemo at Stanford. That led to a "life is short" attitude and a visit to Kirk to place an order for my blue Vintage super widebody, which I finance with a second on my home! Like I said, life is short.
When I was younger, the mantra of "when you have your health, you have everything" didn't mean much. As I get older, I get it.
Stay well my friends.
Gary
Been there myself. Thus the move back home to Hawaii from Virginia...
Glad you're still all with us.
Youth is surely wasted on the young - as they sit playing video games all day. Sure wish you could buy back a few years!
“If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.”
― Mae West
Reading this trail really hits home; you SOC's are really close and very luck. Due count every morning you walk up a blessing. I was diagnosed while in the emergency room unconscious with a large lemon size tumor in the brain. It took three neuro-surgeons and 7 hours later to report to my waiting family I had a fraction of a chance of survival or if I could pull out of an induced 5 day coma would experience serious handy cap of unknown magnitude. That was in 2007 after an additional surgery to remove a super fast growing tumor and 5 days a week 8 weeks long under maximum radiation treatment medically allowed for cranial tumors I'm stable to this date and enjoying this site and my VS. As you all mentioned my out look in life has turned 180 degrees to enjoy all the small things once overlooked with such a stressful life and help people in need through our church. In closing, enjoy each day, keep stress low, eat healthy and lend a helping hand.
I agree with all who posted. One tiny addendum to Michael B's post above: if you got 'em, drive 'em.
Age is a privilege, denied many..............Bruce
Ten years ago, no - eleven. At dinner my face fell into my dinner, on the floor I tried to get up and went out a second time. My wife got me awake and to the hospital. Gurney, toe tag, nice warm blanket. I had an M-valve failure. Sliced me open fixed the valve and then recovery. Advice - pay attention to your health, DON"T deny anything different.
Maybe you guys have heard about MPB "male patterned baldness" how about MPD - "male patterned denial" I'll be ok, don't do it, get advice.
When it come to MPB men often over look the little hints with which your body is trying to get your attention. Often it's said "I'm just out of shape" or the constant urge to use the bathroom is just "old age". Major symptoms don't always tell you something's wrong like the some of the above postings. I had prostate cancer with a PSA of 2.2, well within the normal range. During a routine checkup I mentioned about huffing and puffing while leaning over putting on my socks, short story, I ended up having a quintuple bypass. If you don't listen to your body at least listen to your wife, mine kept nagging me to get things checked out. Let's face it, most of us take better care of our car than we do ourselves.
My last manager, before I retired, was a guy I would have sworn was 12-15 years older then me. He had a triple-bypass just after I started working for him and a follow-up quad bypass six years later, after I retired and had left the company.
Then, in 2008, the guy dies from heart failure, probably brought on by way too much hotel/restaurant food, too much booze and "recreational drugs" and zero exercise. At his wake (at Patriots Stadium, which now has a wing named for him) I find out that he was six months younger then me!
I think that's what got me started back into bicycle riding and a healthier lifestyle. When we worked together, he never thought that he could retire.....I knew that I either had to retire when I did, or I would be dead in another six months.
Thank you, Jeff.
Gordon, I am now hearing the lovely refrain from "Going out in Style," by you know who.
This video says it all! (Even if you're not from Boston, you'll get the drift.)
Just bury me with my Bicycle......
