One Flew Over The Cardiac Ward
I will forever remember this as my “roller coaster” summer, more ups and downs than the old Flyer at the CNE. Five extended stays at MSH, 4 for cardiac issues and one minor detour for some abdominal distress. Some of the staff here and I are on a first-name basis. I’ve gotten several “What, you again?” greetings and I’m now trusted to unplug my own monitor leads when nature calls. Familiarity breeds contentment.
It’s not a summer pastime I would choose. Quite frankly, I’d rather be fishing, but necessity demands that I be no further than 15 minutes from the nearest hospital. My heart is like a wayward son, full of mischief and likely to run afoul of the laws of nature.
I’ve tried to set a reasonable example; most things in moderation and those that exceeded the bounds of good sense, I tried to keep to myself. But the Doctor Spock generation was tied to very few limits and what made perfect sense then appears now to be utter insanity. If I had to do it all over again, I likely wouldn’t change a thing. “Live and learn” is for the morally timid. Push the boundaries, test the limits. It seems the same for every generation.
Stories from my past keep slipping out to trip up my most sincere admonitions to my children. But I’ve made it this far without serious injury or jail time, perhaps more to do with good luck than good sense and with little collateral damage.
But as in all things, there comes a time to ante up. The piper demands his due and all those carefree escapades come with a price. You have to reckon both gain and loss when the time comes and play the hand you’re dealt.
Worth it? You bet.
Do it again? Why not.