A Minor Cardiac Event
"Clear as a crystal, sharp as a knife, I feel like I'm in the prime of my life" - Billy Joel, I go to Extremes
This pretty much describes life for me this year. From the start of the 2014, I have felt different, like I am on top of the world and climbing. Between weekend trips to the Lowe hotel and a memorable trek to Arizona and back, it has been a year full of adventures. Passing a year of not smoking on June 5th and giving up soda, it has been a year full of victories. Between watching the boys grow into men in front of my eyes and feeling butterflies everyday with my Little Red, my family has grown stronger. And with time spent in prayer and thanking God for the blessings in this life, my faith is more firm than it has ever been. And even in moments when I felt irrelevant or frustrated, the bounce back is quicker, the highs are lower, and the lows are higher. That's all thanks to finally figuring out, after 41 years, who I really am, and being better than I used to be.
I am a child of a magnificent creator, and am grateful for the blessings he has bestowed upon me. I am Tiffany's husband, and wonder everyday how I got so lucky to have someone like her pick me. But I don't ask questions I just say thank you:) I am a son to the greatest parents a guy could ask for and the Dad to most amazing 3 guys you will ever meet. I am a best friend and a brother, both by blood and by choice. I am Mike the Mammoth guy, a reliable professional who believes taking care of people is way more important than the money you make. I live in the now but learn from the past and try to guide a better future. I like me. Finally. Everything is coming up roses. And then......
It was just another Monday morning. I was directing traffic at work, getting crews out the door and dishing out assignments to my teams in Detroit. I had already put out about 7 fires, answered 30 calls and returned countless emails when the morning came to a stop. All at once, I was in a great deal of pain. It felt like someone had dropped a large rock on my chest, then stabbed me at the same time. I sat down and felt light headed and almost numb. I called Little Red, who jumped in the car and came to the office. With the pain lessening but still being persistent, we headed to the ER.
I spent the next day and a half being poked, prodded, injected, and being put through a battery of tests. A couple of blips on an EKG and high blood pressure led the doctor to fill me in. I had a "minor cardiac event" and need to make some changes. Translation - God or my Mom or my Body or something decided I need a wake up call.
What? I quit smoking. I smoked 2 packs a day for 20 years. I quit drinking pop. I drank 8 Mountain Dews a day. And now I get a wake up call? What else can I give up? In the words of my sweetheart, plenty. I am not sure I am gonna like this. But I wanna see the boys grow up and Little Red turn grey. So, so be it.
Day # 538. Decaf with fat free creamer in the morning. Still good to be me?
"Clear as a crystal, sharp as a knife, I feel like I'm in the prime of my life".
You had better believe it.
This pretty much describes life for me this year. From the start of the 2014, I have felt different, like I am on top of the world and climbing. Between weekend trips to the Lowe hotel and a memorable trek to Arizona and back, it has been a year full of adventures. Passing a year of not smoking on June 5th and giving up soda, it has been a year full of victories. Between watching the boys grow into men in front of my eyes and feeling butterflies everyday with my Little Red, my family has grown stronger. And with time spent in prayer and thanking God for the blessings in this life, my faith is more firm than it has ever been. And even in moments when I felt irrelevant or frustrated, the bounce back is quicker, the highs are lower, and the lows are higher. That's all thanks to finally figuring out, after 41 years, who I really am, and being better than I used to be.
I am a child of a magnificent creator, and am grateful for the blessings he has bestowed upon me. I am Tiffany's husband, and wonder everyday how I got so lucky to have someone like her pick me. But I don't ask questions I just say thank you:) I am a son to the greatest parents a guy could ask for and the Dad to most amazing 3 guys you will ever meet. I am a best friend and a brother, both by blood and by choice. I am Mike the Mammoth guy, a reliable professional who believes taking care of people is way more important than the money you make. I live in the now but learn from the past and try to guide a better future. I like me. Finally. Everything is coming up roses. And then......
It was just another Monday morning. I was directing traffic at work, getting crews out the door and dishing out assignments to my teams in Detroit. I had already put out about 7 fires, answered 30 calls and returned countless emails when the morning came to a stop. All at once, I was in a great deal of pain. It felt like someone had dropped a large rock on my chest, then stabbed me at the same time. I sat down and felt light headed and almost numb. I called Little Red, who jumped in the car and came to the office. With the pain lessening but still being persistent, we headed to the ER.
I spent the next day and a half being poked, prodded, injected, and being put through a battery of tests. A couple of blips on an EKG and high blood pressure led the doctor to fill me in. I had a "minor cardiac event" and need to make some changes. Translation - God or my Mom or my Body or something decided I need a wake up call.
What? I quit smoking. I smoked 2 packs a day for 20 years. I quit drinking pop. I drank 8 Mountain Dews a day. And now I get a wake up call? What else can I give up? In the words of my sweetheart, plenty. I am not sure I am gonna like this. But I wanna see the boys grow up and Little Red turn grey. So, so be it.
Day # 538. Decaf with fat free creamer in the morning. Still good to be me?
"Clear as a crystal, sharp as a knife, I feel like I'm in the prime of my life".
You had better believe it.
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