Author Topic: I'm Back, and Thanks!  (Read 9405 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Hub

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3037
I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #-1 on: December 27, 2016, 06:11:38 AM »
I got ten little miracles for Christmas this year.  I already knew that life is full of them, I’ve just never had so many fall in my lap all at once.  Since I’ve got an overwhelming number of friends, all of whom have been following my recent adventure and sharing prayers and thoughts for me I need to tie a bow on this get us started on tomorrow.  God bless all of you, and thank you so much for your love and care.  Here’s the scoop:

Thursday morning about 6:00 AM after a night of just not feeling well, I awoke with the proverbial elephant sitting on my chest and an achy, stinging pain in my jaw.  I gave it a few minutes to go away but realized it wasn’t just another old age moan and groan pain thing.  Miracle one.  I didn’t just hang on stoically to let it pass.  I had the presence of mind to wake my wife and get the EMT’s involved.

Miracle two, my daughter was home and she’s CPR trained and good at handling emergencies.  She talked the helpers into the house, kept Randi moving in the right directions, held my hand, and fetched the things that need fetching under these circumstances.

Miracle three, the head EMT made a fast diagnosis and was adamant about not taking me to the local emergency room but getting me to a cardiac care center ASAP.  No fooling around.  They loaded me in an Ambulance and started to haul me to Frye Regional in Hickory.

Miracle four, about half way down Main Street we did a one-eighty.  Frye was full and not taking any new cases so we headed for Caramont Cardiac Care in Gastonia.  Why was this a miracle?

Miracle four amplified: One of the top heart surgeons in the state had just been finishing up an early morning operation there and said, “bring him in”.  About fifteen minutes after the ambulance disgorged me at their ER I was on the operating table getting catheterization and a stent.

Miracle five was how that hospital treated my worried, stressed family.  The Chaplain greeted them and prayed with them while I was being taken care of.  The intake staff kept them informed and made them feel welcome, not disoriented.  Right then I was a lot more worried about them than I was worried about me.

Miracle six was the absolutely top-flight, sincerely caring, overworked but always supportive and helpful bunch of nurses, med techs, and doctors on the CCU and (later) the PCCU that watched me like a hawk.  Wow!  Where do these people come from?

Miracle seven was the immediate response of my family and friends.  No sooner had I been “fixed” and transferred to a bed than I saw my wife, Pastor, daughter, and whole bunch of friendly faces who dropped in to wish me well.  Later, reading the brochures, I discovered that the best hospitals encourage friends and loved ones to see cardiac survivors as soon as possible.  Now, I know why.  That’s some seriously good medicine!

Miracle eight was inside me somewhere and a little hard to describe.  I knew I was seriously sick and could die, but that this wasn’t my time.  I just had this incredibly overwhelming faith.  Not a wish to stay alive – but knowledge that I would.  Eerie, but true.  God and I grew a little closer. 

Miracle nine became visible to me once I was able to get out of bed and walk the corridors of the PCCU.  I felt fine.  A little “tender” maybe, but absolutely fine.  All the other patients I saw were a lot sicker and needed much more attention than I did.  What a dose of humility.  Nothing teaches one more than true perspective.  God, am I blessed!

Miracle ten is you.  My wife had told me about all the messages and posts that were showing up for me on Facebook and how Art had posted about me here on LTBBQ and even showed me some posts on her cell but I wasn’t ready for the deluge.  I can feel the love.  This is incredibly therapeutic.

Happy New Year, everybody!  I’m on the mend and a having great friends is the best medicine in the world.  ;D

Hub
Committed Pellethead & BBQ Writer
KCBS MCBJ & CTC
Ph.B.
Memphis Advantage
NOS American-made Traeger 075
Weber Performer
NG Weber Spirit (warming oven)
PBC
NO SMOKE DETECTOR IN MY OUTDOOR KITCHEN

Offline tomcrete1

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5636
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« on: December 27, 2016, 07:22:37 AM »
Glad you're doing better!  :)
Webber Spirit
Visions Ceramic
PBC
King Griller Akorn
Big Easy SRG
Big Easy
Rec Tec Mini
PK Grill
Cook Air Grill
Blackstone Pizza Oven
Blackstone 28" Griddle
Power Air Fryer XL
Copper 22.5" Weber Kettle
Green 22.5" Weber Kettle
Black 22.5" Weber Kettle
22" Modified Old Smokey
DeLonghi 1363 Multifryer

Offline sliding_billy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10565
  • North Texas
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2016, 08:15:38 AM »
Such a great message to wake up to.  Welcome back!
Custom Offset/GMG Davy Crockett/Vision Kamado/Blackstone 36"/Weber 22" "redhead"/ WSM 14.5" X2/Jumbo Joe/Pit Boss Copperhead/KCBS

Offline HighOnSmoke

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9884
  • Palm Bay, Florida
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2016, 08:50:20 AM »
Such a great message to wake up to.  Welcome back!

X2!
Mike

Auto Akorn Kamado
Recteq Stampede
Recteq Bullseye 380X
Weber Master Touch
PK Original Grill
Weber Jumbo Joe
Weber Smokey Joe
Green Mountain Grill Pizza Insert
Blackstone 36" and 22" griddles

Offline ACW3

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8396
  • Morganton, NC
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #3 on: December 27, 2016, 09:05:46 AM »
Welcome back to the Forum, Gordon.  So glad everything is working out.

As Hanibal Smith used to say, "I love it when a plan comes together!"

Art

I'll see you soon.
MAK 2 STAR (#171) Since RETIRED!
MAK 2 STAR (#4408)
Weber Kettle W/ Rotisserie
Uuni 2 Pizza Oven
Member #11

Offline TMB

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11738
  • Toney, Alabama
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #4 on: December 27, 2016, 09:44:27 AM »
Such a great message to wake up to.  Welcome back!

X2!
X3.     Best news I have heard so glad your back Hub
Member #2
2 SRG's  (infrared)
1 BEESR (ele Big Easy infrared)
1 DC smoker/ charcoal SRG (infrared)
1 Infrared smoker (Home Built pellet smoker)
1 Grill2go ice (infrared)
Rec-Tec smoker
Weber Smokey Joe (Silver)
I HAVE AN INFRARED ADDICTION

Offline Pam Gould

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6831
  • Lima, Ohio..Lost in middle America
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2016, 10:18:06 AM »
There is a clarity when something like this happens..glad your getting better and the best of luck to you and your family.   .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
Blackstone 22" Griddle
Cook Air
Cobb Grill w/ rotisserie
SRG
BEESR
G2G
CB tabletop propane grill
Cobb grill with rotisserie
22" copper colored Weber / rotisseriw
Uuni pizza maker
Lodge Cast iron Hibachi
tons of cast iron
Anova
Member #3

Offline smokeasaurus

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 16851
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #6 on: December 27, 2016, 10:20:01 AM »
It was clearly not your time to go home. Sure glad to have you back on the forum and on the mend. I think you deserve some gravy after all this....... ;)
Got Smoke?

Keveri H1 Charcoal oven

Joined 12-5-11   Member# 32

Offline Pappymn

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12342
I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #7 on: December 27, 2016, 10:37:33 AM »
It was clearly not your time to go home. Sure glad to have you back on the forum and on the mend. I think you deserve some gravy after all this....... ;)
X2
Pappy

Proud Owner of Mak 2 Star General #1,000
Weber Performer
Blackstone SS Griddle
Member #109

Offline Hub

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3037
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #8 on: December 27, 2016, 11:02:22 AM »
It was clearly not your time to go home. Sure glad to have you back on the forum and on the mend. I think you deserve some gravy after all this....... ;)

Hah!  On my second day in the CCU, the lunch they served me was an open-faced turkey sandwich with a decent amount of GRAVY on the top.  I took it as an omen.  Maybe should have counted it as one of the little miracles  ;)

Hub
Committed Pellethead & BBQ Writer
KCBS MCBJ & CTC
Ph.B.
Memphis Advantage
NOS American-made Traeger 075
Weber Performer
NG Weber Spirit (warming oven)
PBC
NO SMOKE DETECTOR IN MY OUTDOOR KITCHEN

Offline hikerman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6662
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2016, 12:21:12 PM »
So glad to hear you are on the road to recovery Hub!
You must know, this place would not be the same without you sir!
Every year for Christmas we make a big ham amongst other things. The ham is handy for sandwiches when family and friends drop by, and my midnight forays into the refrigerator. Anyway the drippings from this ham along with the pineapple juices, brown sugar and cranberry Seven-up made for some spectacular GRAVY! So in a little bit when I have my lunch I'm going to be thinking of you Hub,  and douse my plate with gobs of this delicious gravy! :D
Life is Great Hub! ;)

Offline Savannahsmoker

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3097
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2016, 12:38:39 PM »
Glad you are doing much better :) and it always makes me think, prayers do help.
Art

Blaz'n Grill Works Grid Iron (Copper)
Royall RG 2000 (gone to live with nephew)
Weber Genesis E-330 (Copper)
The Big Easy
Weber Smokey Joe Gold for fun and vacation,

Offline TentHunteR

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6687
  • N.E. Ohio
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #11 on: December 27, 2016, 12:49:43 PM »
Hub, I am truly grateful that you are back and on the mend!

Continued prayers for your continued healing.
<><
2017 MAK 1 Star General with FlameZone
Former Owner: MAK 1 Star General - 2014 & 2011 Models
Weber Performer with Stoven Pellet Grill Adapter
Modified Horizontal Offset Smoker
1986 Weber One-Touch Silver (a few dings, but still works)
Member #68

Offline muebe

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 14918
  • Santa Clarita,Ca
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #12 on: December 27, 2016, 03:44:14 PM »
Wow Hub what a story!

So glad to hear your ok and still around. We would surely miss you around here!

Sorry I missed the other post and am just finding out about you..
Member #22
2 TBEs(1 natural gas & 1 LP gas)
OBS(Auberins dual probe PID, 900w finned element & convection fan mods)
2011 Memphis Select Pellet Smoker
Traeger PTG with PID
PBC
BBQ Grillware vertical smoker(oven thermostat installed & converted to natural gas)
Uuni 2 Wood Fired Pizza Oven

Offline ACW3

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8396
  • Morganton, NC
Re: I'm Back, and Thanks!
« Reply #13 on: December 27, 2016, 04:17:24 PM »
I just returned home from visiting Gordon with Tim Tucker and Tommy Luckadoo.  The four of us had a nice long chat in Gordon's living room.  Gordon looks really good.  No heavy lifting or walking up and down long flights of stairs.  He will actually start some form of physical therapy after the start of the new year.  Right now he gets to sit around and surf the web and watch TV.  He was ready for some company.

Art   
MAK 2 STAR (#171) Since RETIRED!
MAK 2 STAR (#4408)
Weber Kettle W/ Rotisserie
Uuni 2 Pizza Oven
Member #11