Hi, Bob!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:

BA>  FWIW, in 2004 (age 59) I came as close to having a
BA>  (probably fatal) heart attack as one can come without
BA>  actually having it.  99% blockage in one coronary artery,
BA>  fixed with an angioplasty and stent on March 1 of that
BA>  year.  Fortunately I didn't ignore the discomfort


          Yes.  It's not always easy to know when to seek medical advice
& when not to... but your prompt attention to this matter may have
saved your life!  I noticed from your remarks in another echo that you have
a pretty good handle on strokes too.  Our daughter Nora had a thrombotic
stroke in 2002 & somebody else here had a stroke because of a ruptured
aneurism, so I was quite impressed with your ability to nail down the facts
& explain them in shirtsleeve English.  ;-)



BA>  and explained the symptoms to the ER physician at
BA>  the AF hospital at Offutt


          My father was in the RCAF during WWII....  :-)



BA>  (back then Offutt *had* a hospital, it's since been
BA>  downgraded to a clinic).


          Years ago we had a hospital in Vancouver for military personnel
etc., and Dallas worked there as an orderly when we were first married. 
Later it was turned over to offices & clinics when the adjacent
hospitals needed more space. So many things are so specialized nowadays...
heart surgery is one.  If you had heart surgery in this province you'd
probably be sent to one of four hospitals. And when Nora had difficulty
breathing on a camping trip some years ago she was airlifted to BCCH (in
Vancouver) from the regional general hospital in Nanaimo. I must say I'm a
bit jealous because I've never flown in a helicopter....  :-))



BA>  I was admitted directly from the Offutt ER to the
BA>  coronary unit in a civilian hospital about 7 miles
BA>  away and was transported there by civilian
BA>  ambulance.


          Whew!  At least they still had an ER then.  Sounds as if the
trend is much the same there as it is here.  Many hospitals have replaced
the ER with an "urgent care" clinic which is open only at certain
hours & which isn't equipped to handle anything complex and/or unusual.
 I'm glad you mentioned that because it reminded me to update my
information on who does have an ER these days.  :-)

          Now I have a question for you.  Has your outlook on life changed
as a result of this experience??  I'll show you mine if you show me
yours... [grin].




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+