***************MRIs and treadmills**

I'm at the Lougheed, waiting for my turn in the line up. Its an mri appointment. not anything that hurts or anything. But these routines are really starting to wear me down. I get the call. Cant remember her name but we\re in a little room and I tell her about my Heart attack and the resulting stents. . She tells me to hold on while she checks with the big guy. She's back in a few minutes and says no way , they won't do it for at least three months she says. I call the surgeons office. His nurse says she will pass it on.

Same day Im at the cardiac wellness center in the afternoon at the talisman center. I get all hooked up with a dozen stickies and a BP band. The young nurse is way beyond nice and sweet. She tells me most heart attack patients last about six minutes before they cry uncle, I sign the papers absolving her and everyone involved of any responsibility if I should croak on the treadmill. Im off at a steady pace. Things are moving nicely and she sets the angle at about the same as the Cochrane Hill. Then if you can believe it she cranks up the speed. I gave it all I had , I tell her I'm sorry for being in poor shape. She smiles and says her aim and the centers aim is to work on that. Just under six minutes. The Doc makes a few calls and says No way , The MRI should have went ahead.  I need a week on the beach.

****************Ladies over FORTY ***********

Andy Rooney's thoughts on women over forty:

As I grow in age, I value women who are over forty most of all. Here are just a few reasons why: A woman over forty will never wake you in the middle of the night to ask, “What are you thinking?” She doesn’t care what you think.

If a woman over forty doesn’t want to watch the game, she doesn’t sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do. And, it’s usually something more interesting.

A woman over forty knows herself well enough to be assured in who she is, what she is, what she wants and from whom. Few women past the age of forty give a hoot what you might think about her or what she’s doing.

Women over forty are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won’t hesitate to shoot you, if they think they can get away with it.

Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it’s like to be unappreciated.

A woman over forty has the self-assurance to introduce you to her women friends. A younger woman with a man will often ignore even her best friend because she doesn’t trust the guy with other women. Women over forty couldn’t care less if you’re attracted to her friends because she knows her friends won’t betray her.

Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over forty. They always know.

A woman over forty looks good wearing bright red lipstick. This is not true of younger women. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over forty is far sexier than her younger counterpart.

Older women are forthright and honest. They’ll tell you right off if you are a jerk, if you are acting like one! You don’t ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

Yes, we praise women over forty for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it’s not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed hot woman of forty-plus, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some twenty-two-year-old waitress.

Ladies, I apologize.

It’s 3:00 in the morning on monday. I'm sitting on the side of the bed wondering what should I do. I've taken a tylenol , its not working. I've had this ache for a few days now and when I took my Bike for a spin yesterday and had to stop to pick up my passenger seat , I really noticed this ache and shortness of breath.

Val says “ we should call an ambulance”.  In 5 minutes the fire department is at the front door.

Three of them asking me questions , doing what they do. A few minutes  pass and the ambulance is at the door. The fire department is now reinforced with three paramedics. They hook up all their monitoring equipment and transmit the data to the Hospital.  The decision is made and I'm off to the Foothills , lights flashing and sirens blaring.

Cardiac patients are given priority as I'm rushed to the head of the line. more monitoring leads are hooked to my chest and more tests. The emergency doctor stops by. Have they given you the news. No I tell him. You are having a heart attack He tells me.

They wheel me through to a room where they prepare to save my life. They go through the wrist and up to my heart to place a stent in an artery that is totally blocked. There's another one that has to be  done, but they only take care of the imminent threat. The pain is instantly relieved and my mind slows down to the speed limit.

Im in the Cardiac ICU. Private room, Hooked up and bloodpressued every 15 minutes. The air pressure powered dressing is deflated when yvette thinks its looking good. Tuesday afternoon
it's back downstairs for my second stent. You're wide awake when they do it, and the first was easy, this one hurts a bit when they insert it. Back upstairs to my luxury suite, I'm tucked in for the night.

The next day i'm out of icu and on the 8th floor cardiac unit. Doc comes around , declares me reasonably sound and says he's going to send me home tomorrow. And he does..

Before and After

Before and after

Alone