Shaking Hands with Death: The one common bond we all share, even Jehovah’s Witnesses, is death ... it lurks in the back of the head ... and most people don’t think about it more than they are forced to when a loved one dies. On Monday, 5/28 I was forced against my will to meet Mr. Death, and have my first chat with him.
I would have expected to have profound and serious thoughts combined with the wise and sage advice of standing at the threshold of Death’s door. What I found was something most unexpected ... something that altered my views of life and death, yet once again.
The Heart Attack: It was a pleasant noontime. I had taken the day off to run a few errands. Treated myself to a nice breakfast ... and planned on doing a few chores, including mowing the lawn. With my Indiana Jones hat on, and lawn mower roaring ... I made a couple of rounds ... then ... I felt fatigue ... it seem rather strong feeling, like being out of breath ... so I decided to rest. (No shooting pains down the arm or crushing weight - just fatigue - at first.)
Rest lasted about 30 seconds, when I realized that this was not normal ... I should not have been so exhausted this early into a little work ... and I was beginning to feel a deep pain in the center of my chest ... getting worse and worse.
I soon admitted to myself that this was likely a heart attack ... so I looked to see if I had some aspirin, as this is a known help to thin blood quickly ... and is used by paramedics. No aspirin to be found. Tylenol and Ibuprofen will not work. Sooo ... I thought that I need to drive to the hospital emergency room ... ruled that out because it was too dangerous if I collapsed while driving ... then I thought of walking down to the fire station, since they have paramedics and are only a block away ... ruled that out according to Murphy’s law ... I might collapse and die half-way there ...
Calling 9-11: About 3 maybe 4 minutes passed when I called 9-11 ... and as the lady answered the phone, and started taking information, the pain became extremely intense ... but, I remained lucid enough and followed (obeyed) her instructions to stay on line ... even though I wanted to pass out ... and keep giving her information until the paramedics arrived. They were there in 2 minutes ... and then they took over my life ... about 5 men running around with devices, poking holes in me, measuring blood pressure, calling the hospital talking to a doctor as they worked on me ... shaving me and prepping me for heart monitors ... asking me tons of questions as they kept me alert ... these guys are a well trained team ...
The pain increases beyond belief: I have had acute pain before with broken limbs, and other damage to the body ... and a heart attack is in that category ... EXCEPT ... every second or third heart beat, the acute pain was like having your leg broken over and over again and again ... several times a minute, minute after minute ... New thing learned ... PAIN is more powerful than FEAR. ... The next thing I recall was being rolled into the ambulance, and then hearing the sirens ... knowing now that I am on my way to the hospital ... and just wanting the pain to stop ...
We have done all we can do: IN the emergency room, the doctors injected me with a treatment that dissolves heart artery clogs ... and should have worked ... as they said it does in 70% of the cases. My blood pressure was back up, so they were dumping me full of morphine ... and it only slightly dulled the pain ... after a second round of trying, but failing to clear the blockage, the doctor said, “Mr. Whitney, you are having a massive heart attack – as bad as they get – your EKG is off the charts – and, Mr. Whitney, we have done all we can do, I am sorry.
It was at this moment I knew it was over ... The pain was increasing, and the morphine was administered again and again ... he could not correct the problem ... the scale of pain was worse than anything I ever dreamed possible ... again, like my leg being broken three or four times a minute ... I just wanted the pain to stop ... I was feeling like passing out, but could not let go just yet ... I was going to die ...
Stay tuned for part 2 ... will be posted later today.
