Saturday Story - September 19, 2020

 Saturday Story - September 19, 2020

Note - this is fiction

*****

Jim Lacey lay in his hospital bed.  He wasn’t supposed to be here - at least that’s what he told himself.  

He had retired two years ago as the head of the science education program at the Texas Department of Education.  As such, he and his department coordinated the state-wide curriculum standards for science.  The science education department also hosted the State-Wide Science Technology Program (which was generally known by its acronym - STP).  

Jim had graduated from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos in 1970 (now Texas State University).  His first teaching job was in the Burnet Independent School District.  After five years in Burnet, he took a position in Belton.  Belton must have been the place for him, as he married Carol, had three children, got his Master’s Degree at Mary Hardin Baylor, and eventually his Doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Texas-Austin.  He had been an assistant principal, then principal, then superintendent at Belton ISD.  At age 52, with 30 years of experience, he applied for and was hired at the State Department of Education with headquarters in Austin.  Mandy, Carol, and Jim’s youngest had just graduated from Belton High School and had been accepted at Texas A&M.  It was as good a time as any to make his last move.

The Texas Department of Education was a ‘big deal’ and Jim got to be a ‘big deal’ as well and sat on the National Science Foundation’s K-12 Curriculum Committee (and was the chair of that group for two years) and was also on the National Science Foundation board of directors for two terms.  He was a speaker at science education conferences around the country.  He frequently spoke before legislatures on the various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and the STEAM (which adds art programs). 

He worked until he was 67 years old (and he ended all of his national commitments).  In his first year of retirement, he and Carol had traveled - Europe for three weeks, Alaska for a week, and Japan/Hong Kong/India for two weeks (actually, he was a speaker at a conference in New Delhi - so the trip was partially paid for by the Indian National Science Commission).

Unfortunately, over the last 15 years of his career, the travel, the long hours, the national assignments caused Jim to add the pounds.  At age 65, he was diagnosed with diabetes - and while he was upset with himself for letting his weight and lifestyle get out of hand, he just assumed he could make it to retirement and then join a gym and work those pounds off.  

But, that hadn’t happened either.  Habits are hard to break - the gym was a little farther than he wanted to drive - so he didn’t get there as frequently as he wanted.  He didn’t do enough “push-aways” - from the table, so the pounds just slowly added up.  

And, thus the heart attack.  It wasn’t that he wasn’t expecting it.  His doctor had warned him, as a scientist, he knew what to look for, and that evening after dinner, when he had heart pain, he thought he knew and had Carol take him to the emergency room.  

“Yes”, the emergency room staff said “You’ve had a mild heart attack.  We are going to do tests to see how much heart function you have lost.”

*****

The next few days were one of tests and prods.  Jim had not needed hospitalization in the past - no broken limbs, no cancer, no surgeries.  As a scientist, he was interested in the tests - ultrasound, CT scan, X-rays, stress tests, blockage exams, EKG, and others.  

The results were not positive.  The extra weight, diabetes, the sedentary life, and his lifestyle had given him some blockages of the blood vessels serving the heart.  As he lay on his hospital bed, he made the commitment to lose weight, get exercise, and get healthy.  

*****

But, promises made on hospital beds don’t always become reality.  

*****

Six months after the first heart attack, a second event happened - a stroke. A stroke is when one of the blood vessels to the brain gets blocked or ruptures. If medical help gets there quick enough there is a good possibility of recovery.  

The keys to recognizing a stroke quickly are F.A.S.T.

Is the Face drooping?

Does the Arm have a weakness?

Do you have difficulties with Speech?

TIME - to call 911 - seconds can make a big difference

*****

In Jim’s case, he didn’t pay attention to his symptoms.  He had played with his five-year-old grandson and thought he was just tired.  By the time Carol tried to talk with him about two hours later, he had trouble speaking.  

*****

Jim lost part of his brain functions with his stroke.  Carol read that up to 65% of people lose some of their speech functions with a stroke.

*****

Unfortunately, after the stroke, Jim kind of ‘gave up’.  Within two more years, a massive heart attack killed him.

**********

Okay, not a Pollyanna story today. 

But, we probably have known somebody like Jim (and, it might even be us!!).  They KNOW what they need to do - lose weight, exercise, keep a positive attitude and fight your way through your problems.  Yes, we are all getting older, yes, we are all going to die, but there is a lot to live for.  

Thursday, September 10, 2020, was National Suicide Awareness Day.  In this story, Jim died a natural death, but it was almost a suicide.  He seemingly stopped living.  Even in our last years, there should be things that give us value; and there should be things that we can do to give others value.  

So, what are you going to do today that will give value to others, that will keep you healthy and going strong?

LOVE WINS!!!

Karen