AFTER BEING DISCHARGED FROM THE MILITARY, I ENTERED A FIVE YEAR APPRENTICESHIP IN AIRCONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION. AFTER COMPLETING MY APPRENTICESHIP. CAROLL (MY WIFE) AND I DECIDED TO MOVE TO ORLANDO, FL. FROM MIAMI. WE WERE TOLD WE COULD HAVE THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES ( I.H.O.P.) FRANCHISE IN THE ORLANDO AREA. WE MOVED AND BOUGHT A HOME IN CASSELBERRY, FL.. A TOWN NEAR ORLANDO. AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS OF BEING SERVICE MANAGER FOR AN A/C COMPANY, THE I.H.O.P. WAS BUILT, IN CASSELBERRY, JUST 1/2 MILE FROM OUR HOME.
WE WORKED HARD IN THIS RESTAURANT, LONG HOURS AND HARD WORK. IT WAS A LONG TIME BEFORE WE EVER HAD A DAY OFF. THE OPPORTUNITY AROSE TO MANAGE ANOTHER I.H.O.P. ON INTERNATIONAL DR., NEAR DISNEY WORLD. I ACCEPTED THE POSITION, CAROLL MANAGED OURS. IN 1977 I STARTED WAKING UP WITH THESE STRANGE CHEST PAINS. AND THEN ONE DAY AT THE BEACH, I HAD VERY SEVERE PAINS. I THOUGHT I WAS JUST SMOKING TOO MUCH. . A DAY OR SO AFTER WE WERE AT THE BEACH, I HAD TO FIRE AN EMPLOYEE. HE DIDN'T APPRECIATE IT AND WANTED TO FIGHT. AGAIN I SUFFERED VERY BAD CHEST PAINS. AN AMBULANCE WAS CALLED AND OFF TO THE E.R. I WENT.
AT THE E.R. THEY MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A CARDIOLOGIST. A FEW DAYS LATER I HAD A STRESS TEST. THE NEXT DAY I WAS ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR A HEART CATH.. THEY FOUND THREE BLOCKED ARTERIES, TWO MORE THAN 90%. I HAD A TRIPLE BYPASS. AT THIS TIME I WAS THE YOUNGEST TO EVER HAVE BYPASS SURGERY AT FL. SOUTH HOSPITAL IN ORLANDO. I WAS 32YRS OLD!
WE DECIDED TO GET OUT OF THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS, IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH PRESSURE WORKING IT ALL THE TIME. I WENT BACK TO THE COMPANY I WORKED FOR BEFORE GOING INTO THE RESTURANT BUSINESS. DISNEY WORLD HAD BEEN OPEN FOR A FEW YEARS AND THE AREA WAS GETTING BIGGER THAN WE LIKED. I HAD REALITIVES IN NICEVILLE, FL.. SO WE DECIDED TO MOVE TO THE PANHANDLE. WE SETTLED IN CRESTVIEW, FL. A SMALL TOWN NEAR FT. WALTON BCH..I WENT TO WORK FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE GOING GOOD.
ONE DAY CAROLL AND I DECIDED TO GO TO NEW ORLEANS. WE WERE BETWEEN THE FL. STATE LINE AND THE FIRST EXIT IN ALABAMA. I STARTED SWEATING VERY BAD, AND HAD SEVERE CHEST PAINS. SHE TOOK OVER DRIVING AND HEADED BACK TO PENSACOLA. I WAS ADMITTED TO WEST FLORIDA HOSPITAL. DR. BRUCE MCCRAW DID A HEART CATH. HE FOUND ONE ARTERY COMPLETELY BLOCKED, AND OTHERS WITH SOME BLOCKAGE. IT WAS DECIDEDTO SEND ME HOME ON MEDICATION.
IN 1990 I WAS ON THE ROOF OF OUR BARN, PRACTICING SHOOTING MY BOW AND ARROW. HUNTING SEASON WAS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. I PULLED BACK THE BOW AND WHAM, I GOT THE WORST PAIN IN MY CHEST. IT FELT LIKE SOMEONE HAD A KNIFE IN MY CHEST AND WAS TWISTING IT. I TOOK NITRO BUT NOTHING HELPED. I LOST THE FEELING IN MY LEFT ARM AND LEG. ONLY WAY OFF THE BARN WAS TO ROLL OFF. SO OFF I WENT, NEVER FELT THE LANDING, MY CHEST WAS HURTING SO MUCH. I CRAWLED TO THE HOUSE WHICH WAS SOME DISTANCE AWAY. I CALLED 911, ABOUT 15 MIN. LATER THE FIRE DEPT. CAME, AND SHORTLY AFTER THE AMBULANCE. I'LL NEVER FORGET, WHEN THEY WERE CARRYING ME OUT, MY WIFE WAS GETTING HOME FROM WORK. I WAS TAKEN TO NO. OKALOOSA MED. CTR.. THE E.R. PEOPLE DID A WONDERFUL JOB.
THEY TOLD ME I DIED THREE TIMES. AFTER A WEEK OR SO I WAS MOVED TO WEST FL. HOSP..
AGAIN I HAD A HEART CATH.. THEY FOUND FIVE BLOCKED ARTERIES. THE SURGEON CAME INTO MY ROOM AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO FOR ME. I NEEDED A HEART TRANSPLANT. THIS SCARED ME TO DEATH, AND I TOLD HIM NO. MY FAMILY AND DR.,S TALKED TO HIM AND THEY DECIDED TO DO BYPASS SURGERY. THIS SURGERY WAS A LOT HARDER ON ME THAN THE FIRST.I HAD LOST APPROXAMATELY 75% OF MY HEART FUNCTION. AFTER SIX MONTHS I WENT BACK TO WORK.
IN 1993 I STARTED GETTING DIZZY AND ALMOST PASSED OUT. BACK TO THE HOSP. I WENT. THEY DID THESE TESTS WHERE THEY GO UP INTO THE GROIN, (LIKE A HEART CATH) AND SHOCK THE HEART, TO SEE IF THE HEART BEAT STARTS TO RUN AWAY, MINE DID. THEY TRIED MEDS ON ME, THEY WORKED FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND IT STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN. I WAS ADMITTED AGAIN AND I RECIEVED A DEFIBULATOR, PACEMAKER IMPLANT. I COULDN'T DRIVE FOR A YEAR. AND HAD SOME RESTRICTIONS ON MY ACTIVITIES. BUT I WAS ALIVE . DUE TO THIS CONDITION I WAS FORCED TO RETIRE, WHICH I HATED TO DO. EVERYTHING WAS A MESS AFTER THAT, ALWAYS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY HEART. I WAS ALWAYS IN AND OUT OF THE HOSPITAL, FOR ONE THING OR ANOTHER |
