Saturday, April 09, 2016

Ambulance, helicopters...arghhh

"Don't put this on Facebook," I said to Rick as I was being transferred from the ambulance to the helicopter for a ride to the hospital in Perpignan. He was filming the transfer.

I knew immediately which two of the the 13 medics in attendance spoke English by which ones laughed.

I had not wanted to go to the hospital. Since I was 27 I've had a chronic problem with severe chest pains every few months. Various theories of esophagus spasms or gall bladder problems have not been proven but heart problems have been ruled out with the attacks.

Most people close to me have the here-we-go-again philosophy as I moan in pain. However, the fear that sometime it might be a heart attack makes me want it checked out if and when the attack is severe.

I was happy enough to have the pompiers (fire fighters) say I was okay, but one of them said that the helicopter was landing in the sports stadium.

"Cest une blague?" a joke, I asked.

"Pas de blague."

By this point the attack had passed, but the medics insisted on blood tests and surveillance. Off we went in the ambulance.

At first the medics thought my reluctance was fear of helicopters. Rick, who is about to work at a helicopter conference in the US, assured me that it was a good helicopter.  I've ridden in helicopters lots of times when I worked for Digital. It wasn't fear. I felt the whole procedure was overkill.

No one agreed with me. Thus up we went. I decided to enjoy the trip. I had a beautiful view of the sea, the mountains. I wish Rick could have seen it.

About seven hours at the hospital proved that my heart was strong and any minor lung problems were chemo related and normal for what I'd been thru. However, with Rick going on a business and a family trip to the States, he was reassured about leaving me.

As for the film on Facebook, after I saw it, I decided it was okay.

He has a dueling blog at http://lovinglifeineurope.blogspot.fr/2016/04/traumatique-no-dramatique.html with video.





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