It Just Wasn’t My Time to Go…
Readers of this newspaper are aware that I grew up on a real old-time cattle ranch in far N.W Colorado. I like to describe what life was like living without indoor plumbing, electricity, television, and phone service; with cooking and heating from a wood and coal stove. I’ll dwell on more of those stories in 2025. At this moment I am glad that I will be around to write about more future subjects. 2025 is going to be a dynamic year with a new administration and ongoing challenges at the federal, state, county and city administrations.
President Trump will be hard challenged to keep the ship of state afloat and headed in the best direction for all citizens. I’m optimistic that the nation will move forward and many of the challenges of today will be memories by the end of 2025. Immigration is going to be a very demanding work in progress to protect our nation’s borders. Ending the wars will be another challenge and my belief is that they will come to an end soon. Then the question arises how to rise from the ashes of war?
It will be a very exciting year, both locally and nationally, and we’ll be doing our best to keep readers informed on news close to home. Good government begins at the local level where new leadership emerges along with new ideas to make life better for everyone.
I am very thankful to be a part of the news coverage with a recent health challenge that I was lucky to survive. Before my bedtime on Sunday evening, Nov. 3, my wife Gerri had gone to bed, and I was sitting in my recliner catching the late hour news and football scores.
With no warning I experienced a sudden pain, like getting shot in the stomach; my major aorta leading down from my heart ruptured, along with two other major arteries. I’m told that is described as a “Triple A” emergency where one can internally bleed to death, quickly.
As I struggled to bed, my wife called 911, with a fire station located a few miles from our home. I remember two firemen lifting me up and arriving on a stretcher at Parker Adventist Hospital. I recall seeing the lights from a CAT scan. My next memory was riding in an ambulance to St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood where two vascular surgeons were on duty and were able to save my life. They describe me as an “anomaly.” That began a month-long recovery between the hospital and the Suites at Holly Creek Care Center. I was discharged Dec 1 and made it back home Sunday afternoon, able to walk with a walker and no cognitive damages. My wife, three daughters, son, two sons-in-law and a niece, who is an RN, are all my heroes.
Our newspaper crew never missed a step with Gerri and daughter Susan, keeping the newspapers on schedule through the election with the professional veterans who produce this newspaper every week.
I have never been in a hospital overnight, so this was quite an experience. I entered a world of very caring and professional health care workers from the top down to the bed pan experiences. Not much vanity left in a hospital stay.
It has truly been a painful journey, but I’m overjoyed to be alive. My apologies to all of you who have called and left messages and get-well cards. I had to turn my phone off for many days and just get well. I feel very lucky to be alive and thankful to God for sparing me once again in my life’s incredible journey.