My Health Scare - Three of Them!

I haven't written at all here about my recent health journey. It began last fall as I noticed breathing issues and lightheadness, plus heart palpatations at age 55 and a few weeks. I wrote it off as both age and stress. But in early November I was pet sitting in Fort Myers near FSW (the college) and riding my bike to the Publix Supermarket across from there on Summerlin. It was a casual ride of maybe half a mile. A sudden attack of lightheadedness as a result of shortness of breath made me stop in my tracks. Standing there straddling my bike, I was worried I might faint and hit my head on the sidewalk or concrete utility “pole” next to me.

That surprised, startled and scared the BEJESUS outta me! None of the previous symptoms had been that severe or sudden. I gathered myself and rode onto get groceries. It took 3 or 4 more episodes, the final one nearly sent me onto Gladiolus off my bike, a shooting pain up my left temple, to get me to the ER.

The photo above left is dated November 7, 2023, at Gulf Coast Medical Center. My good friend, brother and bandmate, Craig, prodded me for two days to go get checked out before driving my stubborn ass to the Ft. Myers hospital. He sat with me all day in the ER until I was assigned a room, through a litany of scans and tests, including an ultrasound of my legs.

The diagnosis was two deep vein thrombin (DVTs) in my legs, one with little chance of movement, and a small pulmonary embolism in my left lung. Two of them could have dislodged and sent me to an early grave. I was glad to have gone and gotten checked out. I really appreciated my brother (not by blood) for helping me out and laughing with me all day Nov. 7th. I was prescribed blood thinners and released.

Here I am upon release outside GCMC

INTENTIONALITY

I am intentional with my words. I am trying to be more intentional with my thoughts, too, but they are sometimes harder to reign in. I am intentional with my actions.

Why do I say this? With intention, of course.

A couple of posts to social media the last couple of days have had me in tears. Sweet, intentional comments or posts that hit me right in my soft core. This morning, I took the time to comment on them. In the most recent one, I heaped praise on a married couple whose presence in my life, though brief in the span of time (I turn 53 in 3 months), has been impactful. I was intentional with my words and chose them carefully. I wanted them to feel honored, cherished, loved, appreciated and special. They are just those kind of people who give and give and probably do not hear enough what they mean to their friends, to the world.

I have the same intentionality with my daughters, my sister and those I highly cherish and admire.

Last night, I was intentional in my actions, passing up one opportunity for camaraderie, dancing and festive music to attend another musical event. I went to support a new friend, a great guy and musician, who was having his first gig in months. It was a more lowkey affair, but his obvious appreciation in his countenance and in his words meant a lot. It was an investment in our fledgling friendship and it was intentional. It was a worthwhile investment.

Say what you mean to say. Do what your heart is telling you to do. It will pay big dividends, some immediate and some down the road. But in life, and it is short, BE INTENTIONAL! Your words are so important, but even moreso are your actions! Let people know how important they are to you.

What struck me most this morning was that most of us would be more loving, more expressive with that love and more intentional if we knew we were dying. Well, guess what? None of us are guaranteed another hour, day or year. We are all headed toward the grave. Why not be intentional now?

I know things are coming clearer into focus now that I’m over half a century old. I get that my mortality is more real to me now than at any other point in my life. Still, it feels good to spread love, light and positivity. If I could only give my younger self one piece of advice...

Don’t hold back in this area. Be the reason someone smiles today.