The Life AA Gave Me

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pacemaker

The corniest nurse at St. Luke's Hospital cut the dressing into a heart. I could use more corny in my life.

I got a pacemaker a couple of days ago.  All those tests revealed a 2nd degree type 2 heart block so in to the hospital I went a couple of days later and now my heart beats every time instead of every other or every third time.  I can’t believe how much better I feel.  I’m in a little pain at the place where they implanted the device and a little tired from the trauma – but other than that I feel great.

I remember getting clean was kind of the same.  I hadn’t really noticed in the process of becoming an addict just how much worse things were getting.  I didn’t see the pain I was in because the slide was a little bit incremental – and for a long time the “benefit” of using, the temporary getting out of pain, deceived me into not seeing the problem clearly.  And then when I got clean and sober, I was in pain, because getting sober can be hard, but I was also so relieved.  I guess these progressive diseases are like that.  They sneak in and slowly destroy us while we aren’t paying attention.

Just like with getting sober, I am very fortunate and very grateful that help was available to me when I needed it.  I would never have been able to get this kind of treatment if I hadn’t had affordable health coverage.  The investment I made in attending school for a semester immediately paid me a 500% return.

Anyway – I’m home and I’m healthier and I’m bionic now.  Yay!

I’m not only good at it, but I’m actually enjoying it.  I think I should have gone back to school a little earlier in my recovery.  As it worked out though,the 5 year mark between when I totally flunked out of college because I was high all the time and when I returned, sober, worked to make getting back in a little simpler.

If it hadn’t been clear enough before, it was certainly clear after my cousin died.  I’m not where I want to be yet, and the only way to get there is with a degree.  Probably at least a masters.  Skating on the edge of bankruptcy is just too stressful. Read the rest of this entry »

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