Week 14: Piece 1

He came from a poor hard working family.  His father was the local town dog catcher and had a farm with cows, pigs, and chickens that fed his family.  They also had a vegetable garden and all the kids helped out.  He had five siblings, three sisters and two brothers.

You hear about how those meat eaters can head for trouble, well, this family was full of it!

The old man, had his first heart attack by 32!  He kept on going, caring for the farm busting his ass.  Finally the next heart attack at 52 landed him in Cary Medical Center, in good 'ol Aroostook county.  His ticker still worked, it was the intestinal blockage that got 'em.

The sisters, all three, don't know how, as ironic as it seems, all had their heart attacks at 32!  Smokers, hell yeah, they all smoked, except him, like chimneys!  Not anymore!  One ended up with stents, the other two made it alright.

The old lady, first heart attack in her forties.  She quits smoking, of course, and carries on.  At sixty eight she goes in to have her gallbladder removed, her heart can't handle the surgery, she joins her husband.

Brother number 1, diabetic, quadruple bypass at 42.  One day, last November, he's outside playing with his granddaughter, second heart attack at 62, dead!  May he rest in peace.

Brother number 2, as the story goes, he was adopted.  Has some sort of blood relation to the others.  Blood pressure is his challenge, for now.

The only non smoker, thinks he's in the clear.  He has always been a very active, hard worker, bust's his ass like his father did.  He never touched a cigarette and never watched what he ate.  He always looked good, construction work will do that to you!  Last summer, aged 59, you guessed it!  Actively having a heart attack two days later he makes a promise to his daughters to go to the hospital AFTER he gives a job estimate!  Six blockages, 4 at 70%, two at 90%, he wondered for years what was causing dizzy spells!  The doctors didn't know!  He wants to jump off the bed and leave cause he's got too much work to do!  Someone convinces him to call the contractors, "I'll be out of work for a couple weeks," he tells them.  Two weeks later, he has a new outlook on life.  He decides it's time take it easy and watch his diet.

Update 2012, just like his father, ticker still going.  Busting his ass to make a living, too busy again to worry about his eating.  It's just easier, so back to his old ways.  Hoping his leg vein they used for 6 bypasses, lasts for a while, he's got work to do.