Normal Goings-on

[Vyn]

Finally got around to putting some wall hooks up to hang my M1A. No magazine in it, but I have five, each holds 20 rounds of 7.62 x 51 mm NATO ammunition (that'd be .308 Winchester for all of us rednecks in the world). Oh, just as an aside, whenever you read about how powerful a 5.56 (AR-15 ammo) is, the ammo this thing shoots is twice as powerful - or more, depending on the load:

[Zzzptm]

That bird must be getting nervous, being in the crosshairs like that!

Meanwhile, over here, my wife got a case of the shingles yesterday. It's true how it is 100% not fun.

[Vyn]

Have not had shingles - really hoping to completely avoid them. How long before they clear up? Hoping it's soon!

That robin is a watercolor - since mounting that rifle I believe it is now acrylic                            

[Zzzptm]

Could be a few weeks to a month in most cases, hoping for mild incidence with no long-term effects.

[Vyn]

I just returned home from lounging at the hospital. They had to do some work on my heart, but when they opened me up they discovered my heart is made of metal so sent me home.

Seriously though, the shit tried to sneak up and get me on my way to work Thursday morning. Saturday night I'm dancing on -its- grave. Notherfucker. <spits>

[Jack the Stripper]

Shit Vyn are you ok? Did you have a mild heart attack or something? Hope all is good now.

[Vyn]

Thanks Jack - I'm OK now, but Thursday morning sucked hairy balls. Ended up w/congestive heart failure - they dropped a stint in me and drained some fluid. Did a bunch of tests, and then tossed me out. Interestingly, they told me I had had a heart attack at some point in the past due to stuff they saw, but not this time. This time, it just got crushed into failure. The whole reason I pulled into a gas station and then called emergency services was due to not being able to breath. No pain, no headache, just felt like I was under water trying to breath. Thankfully everyone involved was in top form so other than a couple of days flat on my back in the OR, I came out better than before.

A little psychology in action - my daughter retrieved me from hospital and as we are driving down the road Poison's song "Talk Dirty to Me" came on. I hadn't heard that in decades, but I did see them on that tour back in the day. I told her about it, she humored me. But that song lit a fire in my ass like someone who just escaped death and I cranked it and sang along. She laughed. I didn't care, it was awesome. If they had Sabbath I would have climbed out and roof-surfed while singing it.

So yeah, it's all good now...probably going to take several days to not feel wiped out after doing anything for more than two minutes, but I'll get there.

[Jack the Stripper]

OMG sounds like you’re lucky to be here. I’m actually in a little shock.

Was there any indication leading up that something wasn’t right? Men always seem to ignore the warning signs in these type things before it’s too late. But sometimes there’s no warnings whatsoever which is always why we should go for regular checkups like women do.

Please rest up and take it easy for awhile.

[Vyn]

Was there any indication leading up that something wasn’t right? Men always seem to ignore the warning signs in these type things before it’s too late. But sometimes there’s no warnings whatsoever which is always why we should go for regular checkups like women do.

No warning - looking back it seems the two weeks or so leading up to it I would get winded quicker than usual, but nothing that made me think there was a problem other than just age and not getting enough cardio exercise. But other than that, nothing. It really was one second OK, next second ABANDON SHIP!

I imagine if I wasn't a hard-head I would have been getting regular checkups at the doctors and this would have been caught way before it became a life or death thing.

Please rest up and take it easy for awhile.

Thanks Jack, I fully intend on chilling out for a bit

[Thelemech]

Hopefully you are feeling better vyn
Sounds like a scary ordeal.

[Charger]

Yikes bub! Sounds like you dodged a bullet there!

Scary shit man!

Thankfully you're still here with us! Take it easy and rest up.

[Vyn]

Thank you gentlemen, scary for sure, but moreso looking back than in the moment. I discovered that it is impossible for me to fret when I am full-on focused, desperately so, on what to do to live.

[Zzzptm]

Oof, so it was only *mild* heart failure, from what I gather?

Well, you got the gift of another day, and I am glad for that for you.

[Vyn]

Indeed, Z. I never lost consciousness, so at no point was I "dead and brought back to life" or anything. It could have been a whole lot worse! My first thought when this came on was getting off the road and parked in case I did zonk out. Then I called 911 and was still hanging in there (albeit gasping like a fish out of water) then I felt a tad better about things. Then I called my wife while waiting for the EMTs and left a message (was too early for her to be up yet). That was the hardest call to make. But then I knew that A) people were on the way to help if I keeled over B) I wouldn't be killing anyone else with my car and C) my wife didn't know everything but knew where I was and would probably be going - hospital-wise.

The gift of another day - priceless for sure.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

So sorry to here this news Vyn, hope you make a swift recovery... it sorta puts my broken tooth into perspective!