Blessings and Carpe Diem: Johnnies and So Much More!

Ray Morgan said:
Your post is so timely for me, MB, and inspiring. It also serves as an important PSA. If something feels wrong, go to the ER immediately. If something is wrong, face it with positivity, and cherish every moment.

I needed that message now more than ever, as I had a heart attack about a month ago. I learned something I never knew. Some blocked coronary arteries are inoperable. So my only treatment for now is meds, and cardio rehab, and hope it strengthens my heart. Plus no more junk food. A big component is a postive attitude and faith-2 things, as a Redmen fan of 60 years, that I need more of.

My wife, who has enough faith for both of us, reminds me that I need to be grateful. Many people don't survive heart attacks. She has endured much hardship in her life. Yet she is my rock, encouraging me and not letting me wallow in misery. Give the meds a chance, she says. Meanwhile, enjoy life and be grateful for all I do have. I can walk and talk. I'm home. I can walk the dogs with her. Not run with them anymore, but i wasn't running much in the latter part of my sixties anyway. I will miss her pasta dishes, passed down to her by her late mom. Have to keep the carbs to a minimum.

Also important is to realize we all are on this earth by the grace of g d. I thought this would never happen to me. As one doctor doing rounds told me, that's how everyone feels in every room in the hospital. I hope you get all positive news from here, MB. Thank you for sharing your story, and reminding me what matters in life. And thanks to all that posted updates on the team all spring and summer.
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Amen, Ray
Thoughts and prayers are with you for a full and speedy recovery
 
MBaldi said:
Will try to keep this post as short as possible. Not meant at all to preach, but rather as an anecdote that so far has an encouraging ending for a 42+ year fan who is turning 54 this fall....

Last Friday, I started to experience some weird neck pain. On Sunday, the pain had increased in severity, frequency and duration. I'm a New Yorker, but have lived in DC for 10 years and was heading to the Kennedy Center to see a show w/ my girlfriend. She looked over at me while I was driving and said, I can see the pain in your face, you had a stroke in your 40s, let's be safe and stop at the hospital to get you checked out. Surprisingly, I maturely agreed.

Following an MRI, it was reported that I have an inflammation of my meninges. The most likely causes are: (1) meningitis (bacterial or viral); (2) cancer (which has a prognosis of around a 6-week life-span following diagnosis); or (3) an auto-immune disease. On Monday, I was given a spinal tap to retrieve CNF fluid. Yesterday, I received the results: negative on meningitis and the presence of cancer cells in the CNF. There is a small chance that there is a cancer somewhere in the body causing an auto-immune condition, but that would still be a significantly better diagnosis than cancer cells being present directly in the CNF.

Even though I'm not 100% out of the woods, this has been, and will be, a life-changing experience with everything that I hold dear in-life, especially with my 12 year old twin girls, as well as not taking for granted my other passions. While I live in DC, I had SJU MSG season tkts last year and renewed them for this year. I will be at every MSG game, this year, rooting hard during this "golden era" for every rebound, assist and basket. At the same time, I will work hard to let the smaller things roll off my back, whether they involve the Johnnies (e.g., placement of my seats at MSG) or other smaller aspects of life.

Bottom line: I will do my best to enjoy and seize every moment of happiness that I am blessed to have during the time I am gifted to be on this planet. Yes, I am speaking from an emotional point of view, but it's also the truth: I will strive to never take for granted all of the wonderful things that I have, including this very special time in the history of SJU basketball!!! I've previously posted the photo below of me and my twin daughters at halftime against Harvard last year, which was their first SJU game and the night before we learned of Louie's passing. But, I am posting it again, as well as a picture of each girl with Zuby!!! God bless, wishing everyone a safe and happy July 4th holiday!!!!

Go Johnnies!!!!!!

-- Bruce
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MB, thoughts and prayers are with you for a full and speedy recovery
 
Ray Morgan said:
Your post is so timely for me, MB, and inspiring. It also serves as an important PSA. If something feels wrong, go to the ER immediately. If something is wrong, face it with positivity, and cherish every moment.

I needed that message now more than ever, as I had a heart attack about a month ago. I learned something I never knew. Some blocked coronary arteries are inoperable. So my only treatment for now is meds, and cardio rehab, and hope it strengthens my heart. Plus no more junk food. A big component is a postive attitude and faith-2 things, as a Redmen fan of 60 years, that I need more of.

My wife, who has enough faith for both of us, reminds me that I need to be grateful. Many people don't survive heart attacks. She has endured much hardship in her life. Yet she is my rock, encouraging me and not letting me wallow in misery. Give the meds a chance, she says. Meanwhile, enjoy life and be grateful for all I do have. I can walk and talk. I'm home. I can walk the dogs with her. Not run with them anymore, but i wasn't running much in the latter part of my sixties anyway. I will miss her pasta dishes, passed down to her by her late mom. Have to keep the carbs to a minimum.

Also important is to realize we all are on this earth by the grace of g d. I thought this would never happen to me. As one doctor doing rounds told me, that's how everyone feels in every room in the hospital. I hope you get all positive news from here, MB. Thank you for sharing your story, and reminding me what matters in life. And thanks to all that posted updates on the team all spring and summer.
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G d bless you Ray and Wishi g you continued good health going forward.
 
Ray Morgan said:
Your post is so timely for me, MB, and inspiring. It also serves as an important PSA. If something feels wrong, go to the ER immediately. If something is wrong, face it with positivity, and cherish every moment.

I needed that message now more than ever, as I had a heart attack about a month ago. I learned something I never knew. Some blocked coronary arteries are inoperable. So my only treatment for now is meds, and cardio rehab, and hope it strengthens my heart. Plus no more junk food. A big component is a postive attitude and faith-2 things, as a Redmen fan of 60 years, that I need more of.

My wife, who has enough faith for both of us, reminds me that I need to be grateful. Many people don't survive heart attacks. She has endured much hardship in her life. Yet she is my rock, encouraging me and not letting me wallow in misery. Give the meds a chance, she says. Meanwhile, enjoy life and be grateful for all I do have. I can walk and talk. I'm home. I can walk the dogs with her. Not run with them anymore, but i wasn't running much in the latter part of my sixties anyway. I will miss her pasta dishes, passed down to her by her late mom. Have to keep the carbs to a minimum.

Also important is to realize we all are on this earth by the grace of g d. I thought this would never happen to me. As one doctor doing rounds told me, that's how everyone feels in every room in the hospital. I hope you get all positive news from here, MB. Thank you for sharing your story, and reminding me what matters in life. And thanks to all that posted updates on the team all spring and summer.
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So glad you are still amongst us. Prayers for a full recovery so you can hang out with your wife, family (including the dogs) and friends and, continue to rout for St. John’s for many, many years to come.
 
SJU85 said:
So glad you are still amongst us. Prayers for a full recovery so you can hang out with your wife, family (including the dogs) and friends and, continue to rout for St. John’s for many, many years to come.
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I appreciate all the prayers and kind thoughts from everyone. My daughter is visiting in a few days. This was planned before everything happened, and I feel bad that we had to cancel a family road trip. Especially for my daughter, who like most people in their mid twenties has way more energy than I do. I will be very happy just to see her.
 
Ray Morgan said:
Your post is so timely for me, MB, and inspiring. It also serves as an important PSA. If something feels wrong, go to the ER immediately. If something is wrong, face it with positivity, and cherish every moment.

I needed that message now more than ever, as I had a heart attack about a month ago. I learned something I never knew. Some blocked coronary arteries are inoperable. So my only treatment for now is meds, and cardio rehab, and hope it strengthens my heart. Plus no more junk food. A big component is a postive attitude and faith-2 things, as a Redmen fan of 60 years, that I need more of.

My wife, who has enough faith for both of us, reminds me that I need to be grateful. Many people don't survive heart attacks. She has endured much hardship in her life. Yet she is my rock, encouraging me and not letting me wallow in misery. Give the meds a chance, she says. Meanwhile, enjoy life and be grateful for all I do have. I can walk and talk. I'm home. I can walk the dogs with her. Not run with them anymore, but i wasn't running much in the latter part of my sixties anyway. I will miss her pasta dishes, passed down to her by her late mom. Have to keep the carbs to a minimum.

Also important is to realize we all are on this earth by the grace of g d. I thought this would never happen to me. As one doctor doing rounds told me, that's how everyone feels in every room in the hospital. I hope you get all positive news from here, MB. Thank you for sharing your story, and reminding me what matters in life. And thanks to all that posted updates on the team all spring and summer.
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RM your Post really rings home. Another PSA: not all heart blockages present symptoms. My wife thought I had indigestion and said, why don't you lay down, something in me said it was more and I had her drive me to the ER, and as soon as the triage nurses put me on the EKG machine, one said to the other, P. is in the middle of a myocardial infarction (heart attack). Luckily made it back, one stent.

GET CHECKED OUT BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.

[Didn't mean to hijack Marco Baldi's original POST, God take care of MB and RM.]
 
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