Jesus said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory
of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
John 11:4
Four years ago today I was stricken with a heart attack...
of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
John 11:4
Four years ago today I was stricken with a heart attack...
At first, I didn't think it was anything serious. I wasn't in any pain. I was fully conscious. I actually thought it was a case of indigestion. I was noticeably short of breath, as well. But I didn't connect the upset stomach, some tightness around my left shoulder, and the change in my breathing together. I was even allowed to walk to the prison's Infirmary on my own since the guards didn't think it was anything serious either.
When I was in the Infirmary, however, the doctor looked me over then asked one of the nurses to give me an EKG. But when he saw the results, he quickly turned to the nurse and said with a sense of urgency, "Call for an ambulance!"
I was stunned. "Call for an ambulance?" I asked. He said he didn't like the looks of the results of the test. I tried to tell him I was feeling better, which I actually was. The tightness in my shoulder was going away. Even my upset stomach was getting better.
Awhile later, in came the local EMTs with all their equipment. They put me on a stretcher, took my vitals, and off we went. I was taken at first to Saint Luke's Hospital in the City of Newburgh, but there was no bedspace. Then a bed was found upstate, and once it was confirmed, off I went to Albany.
When I arrived at the Albany Medical Center, which is located in New York State's Capital, awaiting me was a team of medical personnel. My blood pressure and pulse were taken. I was poked and prodded and asked lots of questions. It was all very professional, but for me it seemed surreal.
Yet being the jokester that I oftentimes am, when I was asked how I was feeling, I said, "Hungry." Looking surprised, one of the nurses said, "Did you say hungry?" I replied, "Yes, does the hospital's kitchen have any cheeseburgers?" She just shook her head.
Once they were done, I was officially admitted. But unbeknownst to me at the time, awaiting me would be a quadruple bypass and a brush with death.
D. B.
Note: For more details about my heart attack and what followed, please see my journal entries for December 2017.
When I was in the Infirmary, however, the doctor looked me over then asked one of the nurses to give me an EKG. But when he saw the results, he quickly turned to the nurse and said with a sense of urgency, "Call for an ambulance!"
I was stunned. "Call for an ambulance?" I asked. He said he didn't like the looks of the results of the test. I tried to tell him I was feeling better, which I actually was. The tightness in my shoulder was going away. Even my upset stomach was getting better.
Awhile later, in came the local EMTs with all their equipment. They put me on a stretcher, took my vitals, and off we went. I was taken at first to Saint Luke's Hospital in the City of Newburgh, but there was no bedspace. Then a bed was found upstate, and once it was confirmed, off I went to Albany.
When I arrived at the Albany Medical Center, which is located in New York State's Capital, awaiting me was a team of medical personnel. My blood pressure and pulse were taken. I was poked and prodded and asked lots of questions. It was all very professional, but for me it seemed surreal.
Yet being the jokester that I oftentimes am, when I was asked how I was feeling, I said, "Hungry." Looking surprised, one of the nurses said, "Did you say hungry?" I replied, "Yes, does the hospital's kitchen have any cheeseburgers?" She just shook her head.
Once they were done, I was officially admitted. But unbeknownst to me at the time, awaiting me would be a quadruple bypass and a brush with death.
D. B.
Note: For more details about my heart attack and what followed, please see my journal entries for December 2017.
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