About 15 years ago, I developed a severe sinus infection, one that nearly proved fatal. I went to a doctor and after a week of antibiotics the infection got much worse, the pain was beyone belief and he put me in the hospital. Two weeks later he sent me home and told my wife there was nothing more he could do for me. By the end of that day the pain intensified to the point where I would mercifully pass out for a few minutes. I had my wife call an old friend, a retired doctor I worked with at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He put me in touch with another ENT surgeon and I was readmitted to the same hospital I was discharged from that morning. Two days later, Sunday at 7 a.m. surgery was performed, and by the next day the pain was gone. I spent another week in the hospital and was sent home to fully recover.

The surgeon, who I also worked with at Johns Hopkins Hospital in previous years, saved my life. Had he not performed the surgery I would not have been alive the following Monday, and I was told this by others who reviewed the case. A few months ago, the surgeon that saved my life was confronted with a life threatening disease, only this time it was inoperable and he is the patient. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do for John medically, and he can no longer drive because he is slowly going blind. Therefore, today, when I finished my Monday newspaper column, I drove to Johns home, picked him up and took him fishing at a local pond.

While we were driving back from the pond he said "You know, this really made my day and the rest of this week a lot more bearable. You don't really know how much I appreciate you thinking of me and taking me on this trip."

The bottom line is none of us are here forever, but while we are, take some time and smell the roses. Do something nice for someone else, even if it takes a day or your time to do it. John's life is hanging on by a very thin thread, and we both know it. I don't know how much time we will have to go fishing together, but as long as he is able to ride with me, I guess I'll be taking him fishing. Just thought I would pass this along to those who think they're too busy making a living to smell the roses once in a while.

Gary



John with a hefty crappie that smacked a wet fly.



An average size bluegill from the pond, one of about 80 we caught in less than 2 hours using fly rods.

[This message has been edited by travlin'easy (edited 05-16-2005).]

A very moving sentiment Gary. Definitely food for thought. My warmest wishes to your friend John, and to you, to enjoy every day he's given.

------------------
...shboom

Gary...I diddo everything that Shaboom said
with a God Bless You with it.....you are so right....
Tony Rome

Yep and you're a good guy for doing it. What a trip! That must've been tremendously fun for him. Actually, if you hadn't caught anything, it would have been fun. Way to go.

Gary, that is quite a story about you. Did you just mysteriously get this infection like any other infection or was it something unusual? How did the surgeon save you? I've never heard of this type of thing. Wow.

Great post, Gary... thanks for sharing.

Glenn

Gar:

A beautiful wake up reminder, from the Heart a Thank you.....Pose

Hey you sure take some nice pics!

Thanks for the replys guys. Bill, it began as a minor head cold, sniffles, etc. Then the telltale signs of a sinus infection sent me to the first doctor, who put me on anitbiotics--they didn't work.

Keep in mind there is only a very thin layer of bone between your sinus' and your meningae, which surrounds your brain. When the infection became severe, it began eating away that thin layer of bone, which is what caused the pain. Had the infection made it all the way through the bone, which it would have done in just one or two more days without surgical intervention by the second doctor, it would have resulted in meningitus. Most folks do not survive infectious meningitus. I dodged a big bullet!

Gary

the train journey of life certainly can be a bumpy ride,and it,s nice now and again that we can pause the train and FEEL the grass with someone,rather than watching it go by,maybe we should PAUSE the train more often,mike

Gary .. a beautiful story, about a beautiful deed, performed by a beautiful person ...
t.

I think there will be some more hope for the human beings...

Great story, Gary!
May there be much more of those people like you!
I hope your friend will have as much wellness as he can get out of his life...
Best Regards, Danny

Dear St. Gary,
You are truly a wonderful guy!
By the way, please fillet the fish, pack in dry ice and ship them to me.
I'll fry them myself.
I'm too busy to go fishing.
Thanks in advance,
DonM

Don,

I just sent the Old Bay Seafood Seasoning to Hank a few days ago. If you're nice to him, he may let you have a little. Kinda's difficult to ship the fillets this time of year--I'll have to work on that one and let you know what I can come up with.

Gary

I still have some Old Bay from the last bunch you sent!
DonM

Gary, not only have you inspired me to play great music and loose weight (i've lost 18 lbs since January), you now inspire me to show kindness and give back to the community the success and good fortune that has been bestowed upon me.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, your my hero.

How about some ideas of something I can do that would show my kindness. The first thing that comes to mind is to donate some old music equipment and computer hardware to my local FreeCycle board. If your not familiar with these boards on Yahoo, they are essentially bulletin boards where people donate items and people ask for items. It's a small gesture, but until I find something as profound as Gary's, it's a start.

Thanks Gary, for your inspiration!!!!

Al

Al,

Good gesture, and if the site is free of scam artists who would take your donations and sell them, it sounds like a worthy cause.

Here's another idea if you have about a half a day of free time each week. About 4 years ago, while playing for a group at a Baltimore City Senior Center, it became evident that many of those folks, some in their 90s and in poor health, had to make a decission every week whether to buy food or medicine. Many had incomes of less than $500 USD monthly, of which most was consumed by the bare necessities of life. Keep in mind these are hard-working people that raised families, put their children through college, paid their taxes and never turned their backs on anyone in need. Now, in the final years of their lives, they've been abandonded by their children, ignored by society, taxed into poverty and left to fend for themselves on a constantly dwindling income in a land of plenty.

I returned home and thought about something I discovered while working at BJ's Wholesale Club a few years earlier. Every day of the week, most grocery stores throw out enormous quantities of food that go out of date. While most of the food tossed in the garbage is still fresh, wholesome food, it still gets tossed because it has passed its Sell-By Date. I talked with the store's management and looked into a way that would benefit both the store and those low-income folks at the senior centers where I performed. If the store donates this food instead of tossing it in the trash, they can use this as a charitable donation for tax purposes. The trick to making this tax deductable was to have them donate the goods the day before the Sell-By Date, which they said was not a problem. Now, and for the past 4 years, every Thursday morning is spent picking up $500 to $1,000 in baked goods from BJ's Wholesale Club and delivering it to area senior centers. The staff at the senior centers repacks the goods in zip-loc bags and distributes it to their membership. My only cost is a half days time and a few gallons of gasoline.

Gary

DonM addressed you as a saint a few posts back. How right he is. The world needs more people like you.

St. GARY.....now that has a ring to it....I
knew that there was a reason he sits on the right hand side of Pope Benidicto....Keep up the great work Gary...you do inspire to bring out the good...some people are just born leaders, You Be One Of Them..Thank You..
Tony Rome