On Thursday the 10th of September 2015, I experienced the first of two heart attacks.
Which I entirely ignored: Putting it down to just being tired after a long walk.
The second happened the following Saturday night, and that did scare me. Because that one I entirely recognised for what it was. However, as it occurred while I was lying in bed, I promptly fell asleep afterwards!
Go figure!
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| 'Hospital Property' indeed! |
Who promptly dragged me off to our doctor. All the while, quite correctly, lecturing me on the need to look after myself, given my family’s medical history. It was, and of course, the right thing to do.
The doctor promptly fired up the ECG machine and, despite finding nothing concerning, an ambulance was nevertheless called, and off to hospital we went.
I mentioned my family’s medical history? Well … my father died at 47, and my grandfather at 57, both from heart disease. “What an idiot!” you’re thinking.
And you’d f’sure be right! But, while there’s a lesson here for everyone not to do what I did, I’m thankful in a bizarre way.
Because without this life-changing incident … my life wouldn’t have changed.
Celebrations
It’s always good to reflect on where you are in life right now.
It helps to sharpen and bring into focus what’s important and, equally, what’s not. Perhaps as important though is the need to celebrate what’s gone before.
My heart attack ‘milestone’ maybe not being the cause for any celebration, of course!
But thinking about the more heart-warning here, September f’sure is the month for great joy in la famiglia Kelly.
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| Lucky me... |
While it seems a lifetime ago for us too ... it also feels like only yesterday that I was stammering through my wedding vows opposite the most wonderful person I’d ever met. Lucky for me then that I get to be with that very same wonderful person each and every day then!
I say that (not only) ‘cause it’s true but because, without Alice, I couldn’t possibly be here: In Italy; and in Sicily. She’s made that a reality.
Another happy milestone occurred yesterday: My 64th birthday. I now f’sure have more history than future, but that’s okay. I’m entirely happy now in my own (albeit wrinkled) skin.
Something else I can thank my wife and, by extension Sicily, for!
Our eldest, Adam, also turns 31 on the 29th. Yet another reason to raise a glass.
No excuse really needed, of course!
Last But Not Least
As I said: September is f’sure a month for milestones and celebrations.
And there’s still more to come, sorry. Not sorry.
Because, y’see, I began my “kiwi4everhome” blog two and a half years ago.
On Thursday the 26th of March 2020 that was: Two and a half years ago to the day mind you! Why did I decide I had to put aside several hours each month to do so? Well, initially, it was to scribe down what we were then doing about changing our lives.
Or thinking about doing. All the while hoping it’d be for the better, of course.
Now though it’s morphed nicely into what it’s like actually living here in Modica. A change for the better I have to say.
I don’t particularly care really. Because whatever it was, it does mean today is, and naturally, a cause for especial celebration. As that flight was itself exactly two years ago.
In ending, I’ll just say that the last two and a half years since the 26th of March 2020 have been one hell of a ride! And y’know, I still have a .pdf copy of that boarding pass, just in case we ever forget.
Not that that’s very likely to happen, of course.
