Advisory Board Herdygerdy Posted July 9, 2010 Advisory Board Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Wow... what a fucked up week... I'll tell y'all what exactly went down, but first a few things I have to say.... First off, I can not tell you all how much I apprechate all the thoughts and prayers that were sent to me. Believe it or not, it really helped. Everytime I got a call from someone close, they read me everything that was written by all of you, and it surely did put a smile on my face. From the postings, the text messages, the phone calls, the in-house flowers, balloons, ect, it really made my stay at Robinson Memorial Hospital better then it could of been. So thank you all from the bottom of my heart... Secondly, I have to tell you that the only reason I am still alive is because of my friend, Ralph Goodwin... Ralph was insistant that I go to the hospital to get myself checked out. I was extremely hesitant to go, as I didn't want to miss any part of my favorite festival in the world. After a good half hour of begging me to go and just "see what it is", I gave in just to shut him up. Good thing I did. The doctors explained to me that I was about 24-36 hours from death. Had I waited till the end of the festival to go get checked out, as I was planning on doing, my campsite mates would have surely found me dead in my tent that weekend. Ralph, I love you brother... I am forever in your debt.... So here's the scoop... I haven't been feeling great starting about a week before I left for Gratefulfest. My heart was acting funny, but other then that, all seemed to be good... I decided to go to Gratefulfest, as I had promised a few friends that I would aquire a camp site for us, as I do every year, and I had also told a band member that I would set up a camp for them. I was going, one way or another... period... I got up there Tuesday afternoon, and started setting up camp. I got quite winded after each tent I put up, and I noticed that the more that I exerted myself, my heart-rate didn't go up, my heart just pounded harder. So hard infact that later the next day, I could actually feel my breast plate move when I exerted myself. I got camp set up, and went off to find my friend for his birthday and have a few drinks and dinner with him. After dinner, Delilah Jones comes into camp (who was camping with me), so I went to go get her. It took me a while to get back to camp, cause I got really winded after 40 or so yards, so I had to stop and catch my breath.. I got to her, got her settled in, and went back to my friends camp to hang for a while. After going to sleep (COLD AS FUCK!) I woke up that Wednesday, and set camp up for my bandmate friend... that too kinda winded me, but onward I marched. Through out the day, I noticed that I had to get up from my seat at a very slow pace, because if I got up to quick, I felt as if I was going to pass out. My upper back started hurting, and I got paler and paler, or so said my friends. The bus pulls in Thursday, got a few of the crew settled into camp, and just decided that through out the festival, that I would sit as much as I could. I felt fine when I was sitting. I decided that as soon as the festival was over, I was driving home and going to the hospital to get checked out. More and more people came in that I knew, and all of them told me to take it easy, and/or to go see a doctor ASAP. Being the hard-head that I am, with no health insurance, I didn't want to do it... fuck it I said... I'll be fine as long as I just take it easy.... yeah right... Ralph talks me into going to the hospital Thursday night before the Terrapin Nation set... I decide to wait till Friday morning... ok he says...Friday morning, he wakes me up at 10am, and tells me to get moving... I get dressed and everything and off we go to Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna, Ohio. I walk into the ER, and tell the person at the front desk that I can't beathe real good, my upper back is killing me, and that I feel like I'm gonna pass out when I move... Can I get an EKG? Of course they say... off I go in a wheelchair to the EKG room where a nurse starts hooking me up to the machine... We are chatting, and as soon as the machine is fired up, all hell breaks loose... Doctors come running in with crash carts, defibulators, two nurses grab my arms and shove IV's into them, and they are talking medical shit a mile a minute... Scares the fuck outta me... I don't know what's going on... The doctor asks me about my family history, drug usage, ect, ect,ect... I tell him everything, and he tells me to make a phone call to somone at home, cause I'm going in for emergency temp pacemaker in 10 minutes... What the fuck is happening to me.... I'm scared shitless.. I get my temporary pacemaker installed into my neck, with just a local... I'm near panic attack mode at this time.... the procedure took only 45 minutes and off I go to the ICU... The doctor comes in, and tells me that the lower part of my heart was not working... by not working I mean 15 beats per minute as to 60-70 beats per minute... They assume its Lymes Disease, as I have no previous health problems especally with my heart. Apparently I've had Lymes Disease for about 3-4 years, and it went undiagnosed... My luck as it is, I am one of the 0.05% of people who contract the disease and never show signs of infection. No rashes, no joint pain, no tell-tale signs of bites, nothing.... When you let that shit go, it winds up attacting your heart and brain, and it is fatal if left untreated. The nerves that tell the electrical system in my body to fire pulses at my heart was not working. My heart as a whole is healthy as ever, as well as the rest of me, but the little tick that bit me years ago, delivered this shit and it wound up giving me mini-heart-attacks over the last month. I thought I was just sick... so I was wrong... dead wrong... Anyway they tell me I have to lay in bed, can not walk until they can put in a full pacemaker... Being that it was a holiday weekend, I couldn't get my pacemaker until Tuesday at 10am... So here I am sitting in my hospital bed, with this machine attached to my head keeping me alive, watching TV while y'all are having fun... I tell ya people... besides my friend Ralph bugging me to go the hospital, I kept thinking about how Scott Larned was two days before he died... He constantly was complaining about his back hurting, and being winded, and just not feeling well... I am SOOOO lucky that I made it into the hospital when I did. I knew something was wrong, I just didn't want to deal with it while the greatest festival on earth was going on. I tell ya, I am sure lucky to have gone to that hospital then the one I have back here local to me.... my local hospital is CRAP, and they probably misdiagnosed me a month ago when I went in there with shortness of breath, and chest pains... apparently I had a fractured rib even though they didin't find one on my x-ray... idiots... Robinson Memorial is a great hospital with a top notch cardiology staff. The doctors there were great, and the nurses were absolutely wonderful!!! I have to thank everyone that came to see me, took time off their gratefulfest schedule to come and see a donkey. Chuck, Nick and Sarah, Nicole, Mike, Pugs and Paula, Lisa and Michael, Ralph and Jennifer, Prescott, BJ and Jenna, and Susan thank you so much for comming and spending some time with me during a very scary time in my life... If I missed anyone on that list, I'm sorry, I just am having lapses in memory from this whole ordeal... You know I love you all, and you all mean so much to me. Special thanks goes out to Steve Parish. The man who has never met me, sent me a signed copy of his book "Home Before Daylight" with a lovely little personal message written to me made my day... Made me feel really special. Thanks to DSO for dedicating (of all tunes) Johnny B Goode to me, and to Greyspoke (rather GreyStar or Darkspoke) to dedicating Big Iron to me.... that was awesome, hopefully I'll get to hear a recording someday... Seriously folks, don't ever wait to get yourself checked out when something isn't right with you... you know your body, and when it's telling you that something isn't right...... SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT!!! Again, thank you all from the bottom of my bionic heart, you all are the best, and I love you all more then words can tell!!!! -Herdy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Thanks Greyspoke (rather GreyStar or Darkspoke) to dedicating Big Iron to me.... that was awesome, hopefully I'll get to hear a recording someday... Glad you are doing better Donkey. Take care of yourself For you, Missed the intro tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blindman Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Glad to hear you are ok Herdy. That is quite a story. We've been thinking about you but to hear you tell the story is a totally different deal. Hang in there, get rest and we will see you on the road... There are plenty of shows to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advisory Board Dr. Barry Posted July 9, 2010 Advisory Board Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Wow. So glad you are ok. What an important lesson for everyone. Stay healthy Ron! We want you around for a long, long time! Dr. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP gr8fulpair Posted July 9, 2010 Forum MVP Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 There's a good lesson in that story, brother. Thanks for sharing! Your forum family was worried about you and very happy to hear of your turn around! Stay strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugdog Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Good to hear you're doing better! Important lesson to us all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advisory Board blythalala Posted July 9, 2010 Advisory Board Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 we. love. you. the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty the Scoob Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 That is a hell of a story! Thanks for sharing, it was a good read and a good reminder. Glad you are ok! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdbbfly Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 thanks for sharing your story ron. thanks to ralph for getting your ass out of there! there will always be more shows. there is only 1 herdy!!!!! love you brother. jill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP comesatime Posted July 9, 2010 Forum MVP Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Hey Ron , you've got us all thinking about our health and that's a good thing ... glad things are better and that your on the mend my Brother ... see you in Atlantic City next month ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP chuckvegas Posted July 9, 2010 Forum MVP Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Money is no object. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennKev Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 HerdyGerdy, astronaut, a man barely alive.We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better, stronger, faster. All six million dollar man jokes aside, man what a helluva thing to go thru. I and no doubt everyone that knows you or has met you, am/is/are??? very, very happy to hear that you are doing ok. to you Herdy and your buddy that took ya' to the hospital. We are all very, very happy and thankful that you are doing ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redeyedbert Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Super happy you are ok. What a scarey story. On a funny note. I remember in an earlier post unrelated to this you stated how fucked up your life was. I thought, yea right buddy, we all get problems. Well, you showed me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Holub Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 A great reminder to keep an eye on one's health. The one thing that you can't blow off....no matter what. Glad to hear the donkey in on the mend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dew cati Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 wow , I have not been around the boards much as of late ....so sorry to hear of your turmoil ..I am very happy to see you have successfuly muddled your way through and have emerged healthy and wise,,,scarey stuff for sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP bs69 Posted July 9, 2010 Forum MVP Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 I am very glad to hear you are doing better. Take care of yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP arm Posted July 9, 2010 Forum MVP Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Herdy: I gotta tell you, I got bored trying to get through that tome. Sure, there was nurse or two in it, but no hot chicks, exploding cars, gun fire or zombies. Just a "life and death" motif sprinkled with a lot of gratitude. If you're gonna write a story, think about the little people in the audience. I'll send you my script notes, but in the meantime I picture an opening with you standing in the cockpit of speeding cigarette boat off of Singapore, being chased by Chinese drug lords in a stolen Apache helicopter. You grab your chest but still squeeze off a few rounds..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP chuckvegas Posted July 9, 2010 Forum MVP Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Herdy: I gotta tell you, I got bored trying to get through that tome. Sure, there was nurse or two in it, but no hot chicks, exploding cars, gun fire or zombies. Just a "life and death" motif sprinkled with a lot of gratitude. If you're gonna write a story, think about the little people in the audience. I'll send you my script notes, but in the meantime I picture an opening with you standing in the cockpit of speeding cigarette boat off of Singapore, being chased by Chinese drug lords in a stolen Apache helicopter. You grab your chest but still squeeze off a few rounds..... ...and clutches several of these with his third arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP Dstone5553 Posted July 9, 2010 Forum MVP Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Thank god you went to the hospital Herdy--a lot of people would have not done so. Best news I've heard in quite a while and one hell of a story--I had goose bumps reading that shit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP james Posted July 9, 2010 Forum MVP Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Hi Herdy. That's intense. I've been in similar situations. Once when I was at the airport and having weird heart sensations. I asked the gate attendant if I could get skip this flight and fly at a later date. She asked why and I said I'm having chest pains. She said hold one second. Before I knew it, 4 paramedics swarmed me and did a portable EKG right there in front of all the people waiting for the flight. I later found out I have some enlarged valve. Other time was the appendix which I held off going to doctor, like you, for over a week. The day after I went and had tests, they called me as I was on my way to work and they said go directly to hospital right now! I went and they told me I needed emergency surgery within the hour. They told me I could have died if I let it go any longer. So i know the feeling of how life can get real serious real fast with little to no time to process it, mentally or emotionally. The only thing to do is surrender. So I give you five, you're still alive. Now you got to take care of that thing. Call me and I'll give you some tofu recipes Wishing you healing and health all all levels. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanAY Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 I'm elated to hear you're OK Herdy. Take care of yourself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jazz-man Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 Excellent news, herdy. What they did to you is just another day at work for me but it was important for me to remember to communicate what is going on to alleviate some anxiety. A couple of years ago I had a routine physical and part of it involved an ECG. All of a suddent the gal doing the test stops talking and says "hmmm". Not what I wanted to hear. She gets another RN to come in and check it out. I am the proud papa of a RBBB or 'right bundle branch block'. The electric pathway (the bundle branch) on the right side doesn't work as well as the left side (the more important side). I have no symptoms but it is there. Now on my chart I have some past medical history where before there was none So many choices on the Bond women... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP acududeman Posted July 10, 2010 Forum MVP Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 Herdy, Reid from down the road in Northern Virginia here....... WOW!! Amazing, miraculous, life-changing.......all of it. My brother is a cardiologist in Charleston, SC. A few years ago he took in a patient who was dropped off of his tour bus by his band mates. Like you, he was feeling lousy. My brother took one look at him and told him he was having a heart attack. An angioplasty and stent later, he was restored to the land of the living. It turns out it was the lead guitarist for Molly Hatchet. My brother and I had seen them in concert back in SC in '81, back in their glory days.......what a trip. Glad you're OK. I hope to meet you in person soon.......perhaps at the Baltimore or 9:30 Club shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jazz-man Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 Woa, "Flirtin' With Disaster" Molly Hatchet? Kinda ironic, a very cool story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum MVP FunkyBass13 Posted July 10, 2010 Forum MVP Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 I can already hear the dialog from Gratefulfest 2011. "Oh yeah................ next time you set up everyone's camp when you heart is only beating at about 20-25%", "Yeah, last time I was here, DSO was so fucking hot, they almost killed me", "No seriously, I was going to go on Thursday night but I had inside info that TN was going rip a monster Brother Essau. How do you leave before that?", "What I MEANT was I would love to see Otiel & the Peacemakers(!!!) not pacemakers. Oh nevermind....". In all seriousness, I'm very glad that everything worked out and you are well on your way to a full recovery. Very scary story indeed. I'm actually quite impressed that you pulled the plug (no pun intended) and left the festival. No many other would have done the same. Most probably would have tried to push through until Monday or Tuesday. I think I can safely speak for everyone when I say that we are very glad that you listened to Ralph's advise/insistence and went in. Here's to a speady and safe recovery. Anyone else see the irony in the fact that our resident almost got taken down by a freaking Tick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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