Enjoy Life while you can.

[JBrockey]

I just read a thread from another owner about some very scary experiences that his DW had just experienced. Think God it appears that she is going to be okay.

I want to take the time to tell everyone of my experience on my last trip.
I have driven to Indiana to visit relatives. In the middle of the night, on about my 3 night there, I awoke with very sharp pains in my right leg. I have experienced this same pain before and it turned to be Arterial blockages. I immediately went to the local hospital. After a few test, they informed me that I ok and had no blockages. They felt as if I had some soft issue damage. I continued my visit and hobbled around for another 3-4 days while visiting. I then continued my trip and drove to Pa. to meet my DW who was visiting her ailing father. We spent another few days there and then headed home. On the third day after returning home, I was showering in the morning and suddenly my right leg went completely numb. I called my cardiovascular surgeon that had treated me on prior circulation issues and was told to come to their office immediately. I did so and after some test was told to report for to the local hospital in 3 days for "test" to determine exactly what my problem was. On the day of the "test", I went to the hospital expecting fully to be home that evening.
Well, it didn't turn out that way. I woke up in ICU and was told that the had found a Blood Clot and was in the process of desolving it. The next morning they were going back in to make sure that had gotten rid of the clot. When I awoke after the second procedure, I was told they got rid of the clot but then found a second clot and were again desolving it. The third morning I was in the hospital, I was told that they were going to check of the status of the second clot and put in a stint. That was fine, I just wanted the issue taken care of. WELL, I awoke after that procedure to be informed that once the blood flow was restored, I developed what was called "Compartment Symdrome". I understand that this is when my thigh muscle had the blood flow restored, it stated to swell, and the pressure was cutting off the blood flow again. If not corrected, I would lose the leg. The Fix, Cut my thigh muscle from Knee to Thigh and allow the swelling to go down. I layed in ICU for 4 days with an opened surgical wound. I have had lots of pain in my life, but nothing like when they removed the packing to check the wound before the final surgery. Finally,
the wound was closed with 14 stitches and 22 staples. I was released from the hospital after 5 surgeries in 6 days, and went home to recover.
I was released on a Wednesday evening. They following Saturday, We were informed that my Father in Law had passed away. This is another one of those life situations that you don't miss. So, 4 days out of the hospital I flew to Pa. to attend my Father in laws Funeral. Back home now, I tell this story only to remind everyone just how fragile life is and how easy it can all change. Do the things that you have wanted to do, before the opportunity is taken away from you. As soon as my health permits, I will be on the road to see some area of this great country that I have not made it to yet.

Everyone, listen to your body. Don't just pass off those indicators that something is wrong. This could have easily been my last trip, but I guess my number was not up so now I have another chance.

[GaryKD]

Similar thing happened to me. Fortunately, I lived through my "tough it out" attitude. Over time I discovered I could no longer do the exercise baseline I had been used to performing. Obviously, I needed to pick up the pace and work a bit harder. No matter what I did I could not consistently do the exercises I had done for years. There was no pain. The only symptom was just no energy, no strength. To make a long story short, I failed the stress test and after 7 hours and five by-passes, my heart is now good to go.

What saved me was the exercise program I could no longer do. Without that the Cardiologist said I was a walking time bomb. The heart attack I would have had would have been the widow maker.

I hope this adds to JBrockey's post. Listen to your body, get anomalies checked out and have a health maintenance plan where you maintain yourself better than you maintain your coach.

[SarahW]

Glad you are both still around to share the campfire. Thanks for sharing your stories.

[JFXG]

Amen to that. You have to maintain the organic machine. Having said that, I admit to being more negligent than most, although I've forced myself to pay more attention in recent years. I've got 500+ years of rugged Irish farmers behind my constitution, and I simply don't get sick-- no flu, no allergies, yada, yada, yada. When I was still flying I had to have a medical exam every six months, and my Doc would say 'I wish I could find something wrong so I could scare you into taking care of yourself.' Well, it's taken 60+ years, but I'm finally acting like a grown-up!

["007"]

No truer words said " Enjoy life while you can."
I never had a broken bone or surgery in 70 years of good health, hit 70 and after a day of pain and denial with Doctor who said I needed a operation or I was a dead man in six hours, had 2 1/2' of upper intestine removed.
Now need B12 shot and live with Crohn's, no one in family has ever had this problem.

Wife's health has slipped into dialysis and heart problems with active early years bringing up 55 Foster children.

So you never know what may hit you even keeping yourself in good health, make the most of your good years which we did its just tough missing the RV Lifestyle and all the good friends and Rallies in the pass years.

You have to give thanks to the people in the health system that help us continue to keep going as we get up in years, my mother made it to 103 hope to get as close.