Page 69 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine Summer 2022 - Online Magazine

SENIOR RESOURCES

not prepared my own important began exercising and eating better. nothing that even the Cardiac ICU
documents. Fortunately, my I dropped forty pounds; I could could do if I had a heart attack, I did
situation developed slowly enough walk for miles, and all seemed well. not see much difference between
that I had the chance to address my Things seemed so well, in fact, that the floor of my office or the floor of
shortcomings before it was too late. I STILL did not attend to my estate the CICU and left anyway.
planning. Maybe it was denial,
Around Spring Break of 2015, I possibly euphoria, or simply hubris, Luckily for all involved, I got my
rented some scaffolding and a but getting my papers in order did will, financial and medical powers
couple of chainsaws to trim some not even enter my mind. Not even of attorney, HIPAA release, and
trees in the yard. For several when the old ache returned after directive done by ten o’clock that
days, I assembled a twelve-foot a few weeks did I begin to think night, returned to the hospital
platform under a tree, lugged ten- that maybe all that advice I had early Friday morning, and ended
and fifteen-pound chainsaws to been giving to clients about estate up successfully undergoing the
the top, cut limbs, carried off the planning applied to me. procedure late Friday afternoon.
branches and logs, took down the Due to the prayers and good
scaffolding, and moved to the next Within two days, I began struggling wishes of my church family, I had
tree and started all over again. Two to complete a very light workout at a miraculous recovery and was
or three times, I noticed an ache in the cardiac rehabilitation facility, discharged Tuesday morning. I
the left side of my neck spreading and during my next visit, I became continue to advise my clients to
to my shoulder. I didn’t think much nauseous and started sweating take care of their estate planning
about it, figuring that I had pulled a after ten minutes on a stationary as soon as they can but that they
muscle or something. bike. On my way home, I reported should consider my story a warning
my symptoms to a nurse at my and not a template. If anything,
Over the next week or two, I cardiologist’s office, and late that they should understand that it’s not
noticed the ache as I hustled afternoon, my cardiologist called too late … until it is.
across a parking lot or just dried and rudely
off vigorously after a shower; told me to get
it seemed like I was always in a my posterior
hurry. After two or three weeks, into her office
the ache began to spread down my immediately.
left arm after even a little activity. Late on a
As Easter approached, I had to sit Thursday
down and rest a little after even evening, she
modest activity. During an Easter informed
trip, I found that I could walk only me and my
a couple of blocks before I had wife that I
to sit down to catch my breath would not
and wait for the ache to go away. live through
Knowing the portents, I scheduled the weekend
a stress test as soon as I was back unless I had a
in Lubbock. I failed miserably. triple bypass.
Afterwards, I laid on the gurney But since a
for a good twenty minutes before surgeon would
I was ready to walk to the car and not be available
drive home. By the first week in until Saturday,
May, I was in the Catheter Lab at I decided,
University Medical Center, listening against her
to my cardiologist and her team advice, to go
unsuccessfully trying to install three back to the
stents. office and
finally get done
Even so, the angioplasty had what I had been
cleared 80% of the blockage in each putting off.
of the three problem arteries, and Since she had
I had a new lease on life. I was in already told me
much better physical condition than that there was
I had thought and immediately

Lubbock Senior Link 69