Originally Posted by
Dirty Don
I spent 17 days/nites in ICU, was unconscious for 10 of them, on life support (couldn't breathe, ultra low blood pressure, etc.), was, in effect, dying. I remember little before I went in: friend taking me to emergency, handing nurse my insurance card...then nothing. For 10 days, it was dark...I was cognizant of nothing else, nothing remembered, no lights or encounters. I woke up to Quaddafi on the TV, a strange storm trooper over in the corner (nurse played the game when I asked why he was there...an employee helping!!!) manipulating my 'leg massage' machine, tiny storm troopers leaving messages on the wall for me to 'give it up', eyes in various wall sockets looking AT me, dragged out dead faces in the draperies, candlelights at Xmas in my window, strange interactions by people whom I did recognize as nurses doing things at weird times, the nurses' station running a casino/bar late at nite, being in different cities and hospital rooms (never left that ICU...)...but, NO angels, no lights, and, most of all, no fear. I was never afraid...I said some stupid things, wasn't very polite sometimes, could be demanding of not only the staff but my caring wife...but never was I afraid. Now, a year to the day of arriving home from that nightmare/delusion/hallucination (obviously drug induced & a quiet interlude into my mind at that time), I am still not afraid...don't think I will ever be afraid of death...was it MY experience, a faith I may have, or sheer doggedness, or, maybe, just my chemistry and reaction to the needs of the moment?
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