It couldn't happen to a nicer guy!

It was about 10 AM, Sunday September 14, 2008.

I got up, showered, shaved, and got ready for the weekly pilgrimage to my mothers house. She was in her 80s. I did a couple of odds and ends around the house, and took her to lunch every Sunday. Well, most Sundays anyhow.

Here's the timeline of what happened next:

11:00 AM. I take off in the car. The drive is about a half an hour.

11:05 AM. Get on the highway. Call Arnie -- a Sunday ritual.

11:06 AM. Notice the right eye is bothering me. It's like a dark spot. Decide if the contacts.

11:07 AM. Reminder: make appointment to see optometrist on Monday.

11:15 AM. Call Adam. I still believe you me. But, don't say anything.

11:30 AM. Arrive at mothers. Say hi. Do odds and ends around the house.

11:50 AM. Head to lunch -- Bob Evans restaurant. Standard Sunday drinking lunch!

12:01 PM. My right eye is still bugging me! However, I read the menu just fine.

12:45 PM. Finish lunch, chitchat, take mom home.

12:55 PM. Call wife, tell her I'm on the way.

01:03 PM. Call back Arnie.

01:45 PM. Arrive home.

01:50 PM. Kiss wife, go upstairs to work for about 30 minutes.

01:51 PM. See letters on a computer screen, but they make absolutely no sense.

01:52 PM. Go downstairs. Complaints of life. I have no idea what's wrong with me. But I feel fine.

01:53 PM. Wife insists I lay down on the couch. I think it's stupid, but comply.

02:15 PM. Ambulance arrives! Ambulance paramedics do all sorts of stuff.

02:30 PM. Ambulance rushes me to hospital. Seemed fine on the way there.

Sometime? Arrive at hospital. I remember arms and legs still work. I remember getting there. I remember being wheeled out of the ambulance. Black out. Something steps in my head. consciousness turns off as somebody threw a light switch. It's a couple of days before I regained consciousness and realize what's going on.

In the space of 5 hours I went from thriving, energetic business and family man to blithering, paralyzed, incontinent the vegetable, on the verge of death.

I went from nearly dead, paralyzed, nearly mindless person to a man who couldn't see out of the right side, useless arm in a sling, wheelchair riding semi vegetable in the space of a couple of months.

Truthfully, it was one of the best things that ever happened to me! Sounds weird? You will see why.