I really do like that framed award that I have above my chair where I now sit. The award that is evidence that I attained the very highest score in a Physical/Mental test out of about 200 or so other Trainees in my Basic Training.
I never had any issues until about 6 Summers ago. Then the problems became exponentially worse. My recovery time from even modest exertion became progressively worse. I managed just fine for a while, but within 7-8 months, I realized that I was dying.
Fortunately I had been monitored for a long time. I had EKGs, Echos, stress tests, all sorts of bloodwork. Finally I had my Cardiac Catheterization, met the Surgeon, and within a few weeks I was fixed. Unfortunately, they made me stay in the Cardiac ICU for a week. I felt like a million Bucks. I wanted to back to work the next day. They forbid me for I forget now, 5 weeks or so. Good thing that I had Cable. Being home alone in Winter forbidden to drive was awful. Shhhh, I drove anyhow.
Finally went back to work, and about 4-5 years following this Covid nonsense popped up, and after a year or so, I was exposed as an old man unable to keep up with those Young Uns. I had to resign. This was well before the Vax Mandates, which I never would comply with. In fact I told my boss that, when he called imploring me to return to work, at least part time. They removed me from the per diem list after I refused.
I remain fully credentialed though. There is hope for me, if they end this vaccine BS. CDC is working on that. I Feel You regarding the concerns of the current situation in the ICUs. The Administrations are responsible for a lot of death, and that is straight out of the Dark City.
My mom had Scarlet Fever as a child and I think it possibly scarred her heart valve? So this one had to be replaced. She was NOT going to do it and fought the doctor every step of the way. She was panicked that they were going to make her take the jab, which she absolutely refuses to do. She even canceled the surgery at one point earlier in the summer. The doctor was so pushy about it that I started to wonder what sort of bonus he was getting from doing this.
Finally she decided to start doing the prep work for the surgery and would decide at the end of that if she would go through it. During the catheter test where they check to make sure they would be able to enter through the veins, they discovered two blockages on her heart - one was 90%. It's astonishing how lucky we were that she didn't have a major heart attack. I was at the Starbucks down the street, working on my computer, thinking they were doing this little mapping test and then I would go pick her up. They called me and asked me to come back to the center. I showed up thinking she was ready for pickup and they tell me they've just placed two stents in her heart. "You did WHAT?!" Two hours after that, she walked out to the car like nothing's wrong. I couldn't believe it! But I think that situation made her decide, "Okay, I can't wait any longer."