"Lost" Year

The government and most corporations operate on a fiscal year. Instead of the new year starting on January 1st, like the calendar year, the fiscal year starts at some other date and usually has to do with accounting or budgetary concerns. But what do you call a year that starts and ends with another date other than the First of January but has nothing to do with money or the budget?

I’m making up a name right here and now. I’m going to call this “Lost” year. It’s kind of a take-off on the phrase Last year. It’s lost because everything aged by one year, yet I barely had time to live most of it as I was laid up or affected by some kind of malady or disaster.

From October of 2011, when I returned from a great New Mexico motorcycle trip, things changed drastically. It was near the end of the month that I was sitting here, like I am right now, typing a story, in this same chair, and I felt funny. I felt a popping in my neck and could see my chest move rapidly with the beating of my heart.

That was the start of atrial fibrillation and other heart related problems. I found out I also had Congestive Heart Failure and when an angiogram was taken, I was told there isn’t much left by way of arteries in my heart to do anything about it. There was also a blood clot in my heart and that needed to be broken up and dissolved before a procedure known as ablation could be done to get my heart back to a normal beating rhythm.

I got out of the hospital on December 29th, 2011 and started my recovery from this episode. I didn’t go anywhere until March when I decided to venture out to Albuquerque and fetch my motorcycle. I had left the motorcycle there at a shop for routine service in the hope that I would return and get it right after November 1st. I never made it, so I stored it at PJ’s Motorcycle Shop until I could come and get it, which happened in Mid March, 2012.

I did get some travel in during May and June. I went out to California, with my bike in tow, and drove out there with my good friend Dave, Hal’s brother-in-law. We played some music and did some visiting. I towed Hal and his bike back with mine and we rode Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as well as did some projects here at Spadoville. We played more music.

After that trip, I was wondering about my future as far as riding a motorcycle was concerned. I had a few problems riding on rugged terrain and had the thought that maybe I should sell my motorcycle and put all the many miles I have ridden into a slot called “memories”.

I mentioned selling my bike at that time. A friend from Madison, WI showed a lot of interest and talked me into selling it. I turned around and purchased a new bike and kept on riding, but with the hot humid summer and busy schedule doing day care with my Grandkids and finishing all the projects we started when Hal was here, I didn’t ride too much.

I took a trip, via motorcycle, down to Taos, New Mexico, in early September. That was sheer joy. It was just a few days after I returned from that journey that my friend Steve called and suggested we meet in Manitowoc, WI and ride together for a couple of days. I did that and that’s when I had the accident.

The bike is totaled and I’m not sure what kind of permanent damage I’ll be left with as far as my mouth, jaw and teeth are concerned. I go to oral surgery to start treatment this coming Tuesday.

Besides my illness and the accident, there were more episodes that took place during this “Lost” year. We were notified that a very close friend was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is like a daughter to us and the news was a kick in the stomach for our whole family.

Adrienne, is the friend of my daughter Maggie. She was in the car accident in 1991 that took Maggie’s life. She is undergoing cancer treatments now. Mrs. Spadoman has taken her to the hospital for these treatments and will continue to do so as needed.

So far, things look very hopeful, but it is a scary thought while it is going on, especially with such a close friend/family member.

Around the same time that Adrienne told us about her breast cancer, my good friend Gene was heading down to the VA for a health issue. Gene lasted about two months from the onset of symptoms to his death from liver cancer.

Since Gene was a Vietnam Veteran and exposed to the chemical known as Agent Orange, I don’t doubt that his death was caused from this exposure. Another death from Vietnam that will never make its way to “The Wall”. I pray that the grief that his wife and children are going through is not too harsh on them.

Wait, there’s more. The Father of my Grandchildren underwent a major heart surgery last month. He seems to be pulling through so far, but there were other problems mentioned and this situation is not yet resolved.

Anyway, it has been one hell of a year from Last October to now. I’m not looking forward to the oral surgery at all and I sure hope and pray that they take care of Adrienne and that she pulls through. That means it’s not over yet by any means. I just hope “Lost” year comes to a close swiftly and in a good way.

I’m hoping and praying that this “Lost” year is over and that a new year starts today.

Peace