A Quick Turn

    Our path of life took a quick turn this week. Of course, we know life is a terminal condition and life is only one breath away from death.  But that is easy to ignore, and we go on assuming death is somewhere off in the distant future. We got a reality check this week.

    Leroy occasionally said he had a burning in his chest. The pain was right down the center, so we assumed it was heartburn and it always went away. On Wednesday evening we went to prayer meeting. After we got home, he went to bed but could not sleep because of the pain in his chest. Then he started sweating and was nauseous. I put those things together and was sure he is having a heart attack.

   I called Gene (the son who lives closest to us) at 10 pm and he came over. He soon called the ambulance and Leroy was taken to the hospital where tests confirmed he had a heart attack. He was rushed to the Cath Lab and had three stents put in. One artery was 100% closed and there were partial blockages in other arteries. If we hadn't gone for help, things could have gotten worse quickly and the story would have a sad ending.

   He was in the hospital all day Thursday and came home Friday afternoon with some additional meds, doctor appointments, and diet restrictions. Because he is diabetic, he already was on a no-sugar diet, but he was not very faithful in it. He was also on a no-salt diet because of high blood pressure. Now he is also on a no-fat diet because of high cholesterol. 

   This means a big change in what he can eat and how I must cook. For starters, he can no longer eat chips every day or have scrapple or bacon with his eggs at breakfast. The foods he can eat are quite limited. What is good for one condition is bad for the other. We'll have to find our way through this.

   I remember when his dad came home from the hospital with the same diet restrictions. He was a good bit younger when that happened, and he lived to be 80. Leroy is two years short of that, so if he follows his diet he could live awhile yet. At least I hope so. I need him.