The New Year's weekend from December 29, 2000 to January 2, 2001 was one of my most memorable though I only remember half of it! Somehow I had called 911 and was taken to Broward Hospital (or was it Holy Cross?) where it seems I had congestive heart failure and, as one of the nurses told me a day or 2 later I kept complaining that I couldn't find my flip-flops!


From my diary: "December 20, 2000, diagnosed with atrial fibrillation--whatever that was---Doc said I could have a stroke--should, but probably won't, stop smoking (that would happen 8 and a half years later!), change eating habits (I did lose 16 pounds in January), was given Coumadin and Toprol XL to take. My calves are killing me, can't walk without pain--what if I can't work? On December 26 I had an echocardiogram and on the 27th I was given a holster heart monitor. In hospital all New Year's Weekend!"


By the way, I suppose I should add that early December 29 I had eaten a 5-pound ham, 2 liters of diet cola and half a carrot cake--- mmmm--wonder why I had congestive heart failure?


Up until that New Year's weekend, I wasn't really that doctor or hospital oriented. Oh sure I had the childhood diseases but as an adult, I didn't go to doctors regularly and I think the only major operation I had was when I had my appendix taken out sometime in the late 1980s, early 1990s. I do know it was a Thanksgiving week because I was working at the Fisherman's Wharf and I was concerned I wouldn't recover enough to work Thanksgiving Day and weekend and make the money I needed. I did.



From January 1, 2001, to this past Monday, I have been seeing all kinds of doctors on a regular basis and on January 1, 2001 I would meet a vascular surgeon Ron Arison and it was him I saw on Monday and the reason for this 'report' and PAD!


(To be continued)