What I'm Thankful For

In the past, I would stuff my face full of turkey, watch the football games, and snooze on Thanksgiving Day. I would give the "thanks" part of it lip service, if I thought of it at all.

Not this time around.

No, this time I need to reflect and truly be thankful.

Because I could've been six feet under.

That's what happens when you have a ruptured brain aneurysm.

So I send out my thanks and deep appreciation to:

• EMTs. Several people where I work - and I don't know their name, unfortunately - have EMT certifications, and am I ever grateful for that. When I came to (which I think was after a few minutes or so), three or four EMTs were already in the bathroom, holding onto their gear. And they'd already called the ambulance, too. Thank goodness none of them paid attention to what I was saying (silly things like, "I don't think I have to go the hospital." Yeah, right!). May all of them be prosperous and healthy.

• The Emergency Room at Hunterdon Medical Center. Although they originally took me in, thank goodness for them to recognize that there might be another medical center - and doctors - that might be better equipped to deal with my condition. They wasted no time in getting me back into an ambulance and whisking me off to Overlook Hospital, which is, literally, on the other side of where I was (fortunately for me, Route 78 goes through Hunterdon County, and it's a fairly straight shot to Overlook).

• Dr. Benitez and Overlook Hospital. This hospital, located in Summit, New Jersey, is known for its work with all things neurological (and having to do with the heart, too). Although I don't remember actually arriving at the hospital nor of meeting the good doctor, I can't speak enough praise and thankfulness. Dr. Benitez has actually written peer-reviewed papers on taking care of brain clots/aneurysms. I actually read of one man in his 30s or 40s who had a stroke and had to be airlifted to Overlook. Dr. Benitez saw a clot in his brain, yanked it out using what's called coiling, and he was able to go back to work part time three months later. Sound familiar? Although I'll be going back on a part-time basis two months later; it all depends, naturally, on the severity and where the clot/aneurysm was located. I was fortunate in that I only had a bit of brain fog, which the speech therapist helped tweak quite nicely.

• Cards, letters, emails, well wishes from friends, acquaintances, co-workers. I can't tell you how much this helped me. I received three separate bouquets of flowers (all lovely), and an absolute ton of cards. For those who didn't send cards or flowers - your well wishes were quite a help, believe me.

So try to remember that Thanksgiving Day is more than just about turkey and football games.

Love and kisses,

~Nancy Beck