OT: Cancer and My Card Collection

[drmondobueno]

It’s good to hear we are all here. And thanks for the reminder for a checkup. I am due this year I believe.

I received the medical shock of my life in early 2020. I was schedule for back fusion and was looking forward to being able to walk again, maybe get out on the river and waive a flyrod. Didn’t happen. I went in for the presurgery physical and was approved...until my M D took a second look at a less recent EKG and noticed deterioration in the patterns ( hellifI can remember terminology). Long story short, I failed a nuclear scan and ended up at a cardiologist the day of my scheduled surgery. Instead I ended up with a stent procedure to get around a 99% blockage in my widowmaker. No kidding, no joke. And I showed no signs of a prior heart attack. The cardiologist refused to speculate on what would have happened without the stents. I felt better immediately; I had no idea how far I had physically deteriorated. Sobering how close I came to passing on.

A year later my back was fused but not before my left hip and knee went away. I can move around but not able to fish. Maybe once this COVID stuff backs off I can move forward.

As for my collection, my health took a toll on much of my vintage, doing what I needed to stay afloat, unable to work. My collection has a much smaller value but I appreciate what I have. It’s not all about the money, which is why I see lower graded cards as owned at one time by a kid like me living in a small podunk town in the middle of nowhere. Survivors, like myself.

I have a plan for the collection, very simple and do-able. I have no intention of creating a burden on my wife and family, just a decision tree to help them move forward. My boys continue to play baseball in Socal wood bat leagues into their late forties, such fun to see the game played well outside of a professional stadium. And they turn into ten year olds looking at the cards of guys I grew up with, so I am sure the collection will more than likely continue for another generation.

Peace out, stay strong.

P S. Find a good Dr, add years to your life. Your friends and family will appreciate it. Hopefully so will you!