What's the closest you've ever been to dying?

A couple of weeks ago marked 34 years since 4 year old Wolfpac accidentally stepped off the back of a 10 foot high diving board and fell to the concrete below. I fractured my skull and was in the hospital for weeks and was on bed rest for some time after that.

I was wearing an old life jacket that my dad probably wore when he was a kid in the 50's - the doctor said it was the only thing that saved my life, or at least kept me from being paralyzed.

This time of year always makes me think about it and I recently found the teddy bear that the paramedic gave me in the ambulance - I gave it to my daughter and she loves it. Finding the bear made me dig up my copy of our local news paper where a pic of me strapped to a stretcher graced the front page. According to my dad they thought I was dead.

So, again, I ask: Have any of you ever tangoed with the Grim Reeper?

Stopped breathing numerous times during a long surgery. I think my heart was still beating but they had to get me to breathe again.

Been pretty close to a lightning strike.

There is some other stuff involving cars and boats that was more bad decision making than anything.

And some other health-related stuff. MRSA a number of times, including some that had to be removed surgically.

I once told my wife to "calm down."

I have no idea how I'm still alive.

I almost fell off a mountain when I was 18.

Riding a bicycle some kid was joy riding in his truck and struck me head-on. I went completely over the truck and landed with my back on a curb. By God's grace alone I did not sustain any major injuries.

I once felt adventurous and ordered a pesto shrimp pizza at California Pizza Kitchen. Got salmonella so bad I was hospitalized and the doctors thought I wasn't going to make it.

I visited Memphis once.

Last October. I had a bad cellulitis infection in my right leg, a-fib and near renal failure. They said if I had waited on more day before I called 911, I would have died.

I took a jump badly skiing and landed on my back. I swear I felt a "zing" and for a moment thought I was paralyzed. Hurt a hip flexor but otherwise ok and I skiied for another day with a bad hip so I could get my money's worth.

Got lost in Baltimore back in 1997 driving alone aged 19 from DC to NJ. That was a moment.

A few years ago I was at a red light and looking down at my phone. I did not see it turn green. I looked up, saw it was green, and was about to hit the gas when an 18-wheeler hauling a load of live chickens barreled through the intersection. If I had gone right when it turned green, I would have been t-boned and died in a pile of feathers.

Know Your Enemy said:

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I visited Memphis once.

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Ditto.

Stayed with a friend that booked a budget motel room on MLK Drive.

It was not a good plan. Chris Rock talks about that street name for a reason. There were plenty of sirens that night.

3rd Platoon said:

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I once told my wife to "calm down."

I have no idea how I'm still alive.

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Been there. Somehow survived that.

AtticusMatlock said:

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A few years ago I was at a red light and looking down at my phone. I did not see it turn green. I looked up, saw it was green, and was about to hit the gas when an 18-wheeler hauling a load of live chickens barreled through the intersection. If I had gone right when it turned green, I would have been t-boned and died in a pile of feathers.

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I always look before proceeding on green because people are entitled idiots.

Emotional Support Cobra said:

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Got lost in Baltimore back in 1997 driving alone aged 19 from DC to NJ. That was a moment.

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Did you stop and ask for directions?

Wolfpac 08 said:

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Emotional Support Cobra said:

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Got lost in Baltimore back in 1997 driving alone aged 19 from DC to NJ. That was a moment.

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Did you stop and ask for directions?

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"You see that sign, say RIB TIPS?!

Well f*** that! You don't want that!"

In a high school science class, a bookshelf that was attached to the wall behind me collapsed and landed right next to where I was sitting. I was the only person at my lab table, and if I was sitting a foot to my right, A couple hundred pounds of books would have landed on the back of my head and neck and I likely would have been killed.

I was in the hospital 9 days with rhabdomyolysis with CK levels over 14,000. Normal CK levels for men is in the low 100s...even less than a 100 I think.

I called the doctor from my office after I went to the bathroom and discovered my pee was literally the color of Coca Cola. Went to urgent care, showed them a picture of the urinal, and they said I needed to go to the ER right away. Stand alone ER transferred me to a major hospital after running labs.

We never knew the actual number because the doctor told me printouts stop at 14,000. Nothing seemed to help, and I had multiple scans and an open biopsy of my tricep muscle done. Fortunately, my kidneys didn't suffer any damage, which is the biggest threat with rhabdo.

They finally gave me oral and intravenous steroids and I got to go home.

Now I just have to stay well-hydrated and be careful working out!

Ryan the Temp said:

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Riding a bicycle some kid was joy riding in his truck and struck me head-on. I went completely over the truck and landed with my back on a curb. By God's grace alone I did not sustain any major injuries.

I once felt adventurous and ordered a pesto shrimp pizza at California Pizza Kitchen. Got salmonella so bad I was hospitalized and the doctors thought I wasn't going to make it.

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Pesto and shrimp don't belong on pizza.

That one is kinda on you.

maroon barchetta said:

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Wolfpac 08 said:

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Emotional Support Cobra said:

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Got lost in Baltimore back in 1997 driving alone aged 19 from DC to NJ. That was a moment.

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Did you stop and ask for directions?

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"You see that sign, say RIB TIPS?!

Well f*** that! You don't want that!"

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I wonder if these guys know the Commodores?

AggieArchitect04 said:

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I was in the hospital 9 days with rhabdomyolysis with CK levels over 14,000. Normal CK levels for men is in the low 100s...even less than a 100 I think.

We never knew the actual number because the doctor told me printouts stop at 14,000. Nothing seemed to help, and I had multiple scans and an open biopsy of my tricep muscle done. Fortunately, my kidneys didn't suffer any damage, which is the biggest threat with rhabdo.

They finally gave me oral and intravenous steroids and I got to go home.

Stay well-hydrated and be careful working out!

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Are you Pvt. William Santiago?

I fell about 35-40 feet out of a willow tree behind Christie Elementary in Plano when I was 11. I remember seeing sunlight, earth, sunlight, earth as I was flipping backwards. I could hear my brother who was also in the tree scream, "Reeeed!," as I plummeted. It was one of the few times I saw my life pass before my eyes, as they say.
I landed flat on my back in the soft mud of a shallow creek inches away from large rocks and a tree stump.
I had a few scratches and felt like I got kicked in the balls. Otherwise, I was unscathed.

Reed McDonald 92 said:

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I fell about 35-40 feet out of a willow tree behind Christie Elementary in Plano when I was 11. I remember seeing sunlight, earth, sunlight, earth as I was flipping backwards. I could hear my brother who was also in the tree scream, "Reeeed!," as I plummeted. It was one of the few times I saw my life pass before my eyes, as they say.
I landed flat on my back in the soft mud of a shallow creek inches away from large rocks and a tree stump.
I had a few scratches and felt like I got kicked in the balls. Otherwise, I was unscathed.

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Also, I climbed the large waterfall at Turner Falls at about the same age. I slipped on the algae at one point, but there was a low-hanging tree branch that I was incredibly lucky to grab before slipping down the falls into the rocks below.
My parents saw the whole thing. Let's just say they were unimpressed.

I also remember the fall - we were at the local pool and I can still see the fence and the little fake round lifer preserver places like that hung on the fence (more for decoration than function).

My mom watched the whole thing - I had yelled to get her attention so she could watch me do my famous "run and jump" - she still gets choked up about it, saying it was almost in slow motion.

The life guards weren't paying attention (to the 4 year old on the high-dive, great job guys!) and she had to scream for them. She says she can still see my eyes rolling in different directions and then into the back of my head.

I remember waking up in the ambulance but not being able to see. I could hear my mom say "it's ok, baby, I'm right here! It's ok!" - only my mom wasn't in the ambulance, she was following behind the ambulance in her car…and she swears that was what she was saying in her head over and over the whole ride to the hospital. Still gives me goosebumps, even as I type it out.

Uncle's boat died near jetties fishing, anchor was missing, had to abandon ship (had life jackets), shark was swimming around, thankfully someone from their beach house saw the whole thing and called coast guard, we were in water for about 10 minutes because my grandfather was with us and my brother so my uncle was just trying to keep us all afloat. I was 7, brother was 12, grandpa in his 60s.

Also got run over and pinned under car, burned, spent month in hospital after infection from one of the surgeries. I was 9.

A day after major PRS (Pen*s Reduction Surgery) I found out they left a 1 foot long intramedullary rod in the shaft, and when I sat up for the first time, it almost pierced my small intestine, which would have most likely led to major problems before help arrived.

3rd Platoon said:

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I once told my wife to "calm down."

I have no idea how I'm still alive.

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Similar story, but I told mine to slow down.

Still not sure how I survived that night.

One of our bison bulls gored me in the thigh and tossed me in the air like a rag doll back in January.

Cooked some of him last night for dinner.

HillCountry15 said:

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One of our bison bulls gored me in the thigh and tossed me in the air like a rag doll back in January.

Cooked some of him last night for dinner.

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Revenge is a dish best served medium rare

Athanasius said:

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A day after major PRS (Pen*s Reduction Surgery) I found out they left a 1 foot long intramedullary rod in the shaft, and when I sat up for the first time, it almost pierced my small intestine, which would have most likely led to major problems before help arrived.

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Wolfpac 08 said:

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HillCountry15 said:

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One of our bison bulls gored me in the thigh and tossed me in the air like a rag doll back in January.

Cooked some of him last night for dinner.

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Revenge is a dish best served medium rare

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Indeed it is. And similar experience as your fall. Tossed me about 8' in the air (my mom witnessed it 10 feet in front of her). Felt like I was in the air for hours.

maroon barchetta said:

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Ryan the Temp said:

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Riding a bicycle some kid was joy riding in his truck and struck me head-on. I went completely over the truck and landed with my back on a curb. By God's grace alone I did not sustain any major injuries.

I once felt adventurous and ordered a pesto shrimp pizza at California Pizza Kitchen. Got salmonella so bad I was hospitalized and the doctors thought I wasn't going to make it.

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Pesto and shrimp don't belong on pizza.

That one is kinda on you.

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Yeah. I'm very much a traditionalist when it comes to pizza, but every now and then I try new things to remind myself why I shouldn't try new things.

Know Your Enemy said:

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I visited Memphis once.

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I love that town and think it gets a bad rap. Its not a lot worse that any other large city, including Houston. Just be aware of your surroundings, don't walk the streets at 3am, etc. That's pretty standard advice for any major city.

The "bad" areas aren't really that bad and I've found them to be pretty welcoming to outsiders who are respectful.

Guy on what has to be the biggest Harley they make ran a stop at 45 mph and hit me on driver's side back door of my old Camry. Was unscathed, but judging from the looks of my back seat I would have been toast had he hit a few feet more forward. More amazingly, he escaped with merely a broke ankle and some road rash. Can't remember if he had a helmet or not.

Back in the 70s when I was 7, I was playing on the monkey bars and slipped.

Broke my left elbow pretty bad. I was at school in England on a small base without the facilities to fix it apparently so they were literally going to fly my to Germany - except the RAF base we were on didn't have planes. So, we took off for Mildenhall or Lakenheath (can't remember which).

Not long after we took off in the ambulance, they noticed my hand was blue and I had no pulse in my left wrist.

They diverted to a local British hospital in Bedford where they did surgery because it was determined I had torn the artery and was bleeding out internally. Apparently it was an 8 hr surgery where they had to do a vein graft to fix it.

They did a great job because almost 50 years later and it's still working.

Next year we got caught in a gale storm in the English Channel returning from Germany and had to drop anchor. Spent 13 hrs riding out the storm and found out that multiple ships sank that night.

I got covid.

Then I got vaxxed.

Then I got covid a couple more times. Really makes you think.

Outran a train on a bridge. See scene from Stand by Me.