Life of Wry

Things you don’t expect to hear: your little brother’s had a heart attack. It’s shocking and unexpected and sends your thoughts to places you aren’t quite ready for.

First the good news: I think he’ll be okay.

He’s at Little Company of Mary tonight, may even go home tomorrow. But here’s what happened:

He was surfing in Redondo Beach this afternoon. Turns out that was a lucky thing because there are people around and the beach is readily accessible by emergency vehicles. Had he been surfing in one of his regular, more remote spots — Lunada Bay, Bluff Cove or Haggarty’s — I’m not sure I’d be telling this version of the story.  I think somewhat out of the blue, he felt chest pain and paddled in. He was kneeling in the sand, somebody saw him, checked to see if he was okay and called an ambulance. He was alert enough to give the paramedics Matt’s number. He was conscious throughout and did not require CPR. All good signs. He was taken right to the cath lab at Little Company.

He had near total blockage in a main artery and they inserted two stents. The angiogram revealed no additional trouble spots. He was admitted and that was that. Matt’s talked to him twice. First time he seemed relaxed and even joked on the phone. The second time he was in more pain and nauseous from the drugs.

Sure he’ll be impacted on multiple levels in multiple ways. I imagine it’s a life changing experience. I am feeling a rush of emotions and will feel better after talking to him. I’ll want to know that health has now risen to a much higher priority in his life.  I’m not ready for any of my brothers to have life threatening conditions.

Time for some Chris photos.. just because.

He met Jim, Peter and me in Barcelona a couple of years ago:

This sums Chris up in one picture. They’re going to hike down the cliff to the water, he’s going to take Peter on a pretty scary ocean swim, then scramble back up the cliff.

With mom…

Couple family shots… Jay’s in the one on the right.

Mom, Chris and I visited our first house…on 39th Street in Manhattan Beach. I was born there (well, in the hospital) and we lived there a year before moving to Palos Verdes.

Matt and Chris in Mishka’s during one of the recent-ish Thanksgiving dinners in Davis.

And in a restaurant in Long Beach 7 months ago:

Dinner at the pier not too long ago..