this crazy summer
has taken me into uncharted territory
into mornings that begin at 7
long walks and vegetables

grateful for each moment
colors seems brighter
each breath a triumph
extreme gratitude

i have been painting a lot
since my heart attack
2 weeks ago
those paintings r for sale

starting today we will try e bay auctions
see how it goes
all money made will be matched by me
and donated to DTRF.ORG

my wife michelle
was diagnosed with desmoid tumors in june
a mysterious rare – too often fatal disease
that affects 3 in a million people

we were to wed 10 days ago
but her illness forced us to postpone the wedding
luckily –
as i was in ICU that day

when it rains …
things grow
like love and flowers
humans too

so on we go
we married in private
before her surgery
just the 2 of us

when we r both well enough
will have the wedding of r dreams
surrounded by those we cherish
thankful for the love and support
so many have given us
during these trying times

including all of u
stranger-friends
connected thru invisible strands
of wi fi

its a semi-sunny monday

the light bouncing off the flat hudson

mish is sitting next to me

i am happy to be alive

last week i had a heart attack

here is what happened

on tuesday morning

while walking in a parking lot in nyack

i heard a loud commanding voice

“can u help me”

more of  a demand than request

a challenge – a plea

i turned and saw an enormous woman

struggling to get out of her car

she was stuck

“can u help me? she asked again

as i walked toward her

“oh u r rosie odonnell”

yes i am

the ghost of christmas future

me – if i did not wake

there r no accidents i thought

as i braced myself and lifted her

it was not easy

but together we did it

she was up and on her way

with gratitude

a few hours later my body hurt

 i had an ache in my chest

both my arms were sore

everything felt bruised

muscular – i thought

strained or pulled tissue

i went about my day

the pain persisted

i became nauseous

my skin was clammy

i was very very hot

i threw up

maybe this is a heart attack

i googled womens heart attack symptoms

i had many of them

but really? – i thought – naaaa

i took some bayer aspirin

thank god

saved by a tv commercial

literally

i did not call 911

50% of women having heart attacks never call 911

200,000 women die of heart attacks

every year in the US

by some miracle i was not one of them

the next day i went to a cardiologist

the dr did an EKG and sent me to the hospital

where a stent was put in

my LAD was 99% blocked

they call this type of heart attack

the Widow maker 

i am lucky to be here

know the symptoms ladies

listen to the voice inside

the one we all so easily ignore

CALL 911

save urself