Thanks to all who gave me ‘second life’

Published 11:26 am Friday, February 1, 2008

Where do you begin the thank you list for a second chance at life?

Last Nov. 30, my wife heard me hit the bathroom floor, face down. She immediately called 911. Marysville Fire Department’s finest arrived and began the process of stabilizing my unconscious body. Oh, how lucky we are to have paramedics and EMTs trained at this level responding to our calls for help. There’s the first and second “thank yous.”

At the Colby Campus of Providence Medical Center, my “new” cardiologist, Dr. Kiyon Chung, communicates with me via the “squeeze my fingers” technique of responses and decides “he’s really in there” and refuses to give up. She and the entire team of doctors and nurses in CCU worked through several strokes and a heart attack, implanting a stint and starting me off on my second life. “Thank you all.”

On the third floor, Nurse Sherry started rebuilding my confidence in myself. I can stand on my own two feet thanks to her efforts. No wonder the Colby Campus has developed the reputation it has in the cardiac care field. Thank you, Sherry, and all of the nurses and aides.

Lead physical therapist Mark at the Marysville Care Center, and the whole PT/OT staff, doubled up sessions and made sure that I was capable of walking again, even if it required a walker. Thank you to the PT/OT staff, the nurses and aides for the strength and stamina rebuilding.

Many doctors, nurses, aides, therapists and laypersons have told me that it “was not your time” and that “you have an unfinished mission” yet to complete. All I can say is “thank you” to all of those who got me to this point and I hope you are part of my unfinished mission in this “second life.”

Bob Huson