2001-07-24 - 21:29 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

A Little History

Not to make it too long, just a scene setting and the facts ma'am a la Jack Webb. I was an addicted smoker for 68 years, ending September 5, 1997. A drinker from about 13 years old.

My drinking was modest, but through the years grew in amount. Some of it was job related, drinking required as part of customer relations. Some where in my later years I crossed the line from moderate drinker into alcoholic addiction. That ended February 18, 1996.

But like many other people, I did not get off Scott free. Several years ago I spent almost a whole winter coughing, being treated for bronchitis and taking prescribed medicine in copious amounts including the use of nasal saline mist and Robitussin to bring up the excess from my throat . Went into spring a little energy deficient.

About two years ago I became so weak that any exertion at all was almost too much effort to accomplish. A trip in to see the doctor resulted in an EKG and a bunch of that there pokin' and pryin', listening and feeling. Diagnosis was heavy atrial fibrillation. Coumadin amongst other medication was begun. Cardiologist wanted to put me on one of those heavy duty meds. but first determined to put me through Cardioversion to see if my heart would settle down and behave. Cardioversion under supervised medical conditions and proper sedation is nothing like the emergency docs rubbing two paddles together and shouting, "Clear!" and applying them to the dying patients chest and the subject in danger surges up in bed as if laying on a very hot spot. This was peacefully done, just left me with a sore spot on my chest about like one a person would get diving into a pool and scraping against the cement bottom. First one didn't take so the second one was done. Heart beat normalized and heart rate was the slowest I ever had. Not too long after that the cardiologist put me on the new medication as well as water pills and switched from Coumadin to baby aspirin.

Last year I did pretty good, got fairly good exercise and all the good stuff one likes to do.

Then as time went on I tired more easily, got out of breath sooner and my quality of life lessened, I had an irritable state of mind, probably because I didn't want to be the way I was. It didn't lessen, just gradually got worse.

Recently I went to my year end appointment with the cardiologist, I mentioned to him when answering his questions that I didn't seem to be getting full benefit from the air I was breathing in and out. Blood oxygen was run, it was pretty low. The doctor wanted to check and see if the new medication was having a toxic side effect and wanted to put me on oxygen right away. Oh, damn the schlepping back and forth that ensued. Full lung function test showed a degree of emphysema, new medication was not toxic to me.

So now I will see my family physician at the clinic near us who will handle the details of oxygenation and old poop support. And I will join the ranks of those who carry the funny bottles with the tubing spurting oxygen into their nostrils. But considering the alternative - - - - not bad.

Tonight here sits Bastion, counting his blessings and finding many reasons to be grateful and supremely happy as well as content. There are so many things to be thankful for it is hard to find a spot to begin. Having good doctors, gratitude that we survived a catastrophic auto accident which gave me a broken neck in September 1997, gratitude that with physical therapy I regained full use of my limbs. Above all gratitude for my wife Heather and the children and grandchildren we have been blessed with. Grateful that I shall watch my grandchildren grow in their maturity and dandle their kids on my knee a little longer. Have the fun of getting eyeball to eyeball with short ones and holding serious conversation with them -- on their level. Grateful that we sold the house and went to an apartment as early as we did. Grateful for the companionship of family and friends. For the blue sky and fluffy, towering clouds and of course the marvelous sunsets that happen when it is not thunderstorming here. Gratitude that we can go to the nearby park, exercise a bit and sit to rest on a favorite bench, watching the panorama across the park of kids playing on the playground, the in line skaters, bicyclists, joggers, walkers into the aerobic bit, and straggling old folks like us, we off the bench and slowly surfing the scenery while shuffling along. Oh so grateful to be alive, to have my faculties, to have been lucky enough to not be a parplegic after the accident. I just can't list all the things I am grateful for -- Guess I should just say, for everything.

What are my prospects ? A few more years of enjoyable life, the love of a good woman, benefit from the oxygen which will offset the cumbersome use of the carry around tank. Hopefully some benefit from the pulmonary rehab. Getting out and about better than just recently and much time on the web doing my favorite thing -- communicating with people, my friends. Life is good and I will be around to enjoy it for some years to come.

Tonight, sitting and counting blessings has given me an uplift and enabled me to look realistically at things.

Sometimes it helps to remember A Little History . . . . .

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