Have you ever been viewed differently because of a medical condition? (Rant)

[pomtzu]

I can very well understand your parent's concern, and to some degree, that of your friends also. But if you can withstand the terrible heat of full costume in the middle of summer in NJ, then maybe there really shouldn't be so much of an issue.
I don't know where you had your heart surgery, but maybe you should consider a second opinion and more testing to see if you are really as fit as you think you are. It sure wouldn't hurt, and just might settle some issues as to what you should and shouldn't do. Maybe consider Deborah Heart & Lung Hospital, if you haven't been seen there - and if you have - maybe another specialist with a different perspective.

Not trying to scare you - but this was a first hand experience with me - very close to home. My nephew (my brother's only child), was born with a hole in his heart. He didn't have surgery for it till he was older - (maybe 7 or 8 I'm thinking), since the doctors thought it might repair itself. By the time he was strong enough for the surgery he also had to have one lung removed due to the damage incurred with the heart condition. But he lived a normal life after that, with few restrictions. When he was older (late 20's to early 30's), he started having more health issues, and ended up having to be on oxygen at night because of his low oxygen levels. He also could not tolerate the heat even tho he grew up for most of his life in south FL. He and his wife also had a home in NC, and he would stay there in the hottest months, and just go back to Palm Beach when it was necessary or he had an appointment with his specialist. I last saw him in the Spring of 2004 at his father's funeral where he delivered the eulogy, and he really looked very healthy - just the picture of health really, and I was so pleased to see how well and fit that he looked. However - less than 5 months later he was dead - at the age of 40! He was back in NC and hadn't been feeling right, so made an appointment with his specialist in FL, and set out to drive down there. He never made it. When he didn't show up at his FL home at the expected time, and couldn't be reached on his cell, then his wife reported it to the FL state police, and they started searching for him. He never made it as far as FL tho, and the GA State Police found him dead in his car right at the GA/FL border on the Interstate, slumped over in the front seat. They speculate that he pulled over because he was feeling ill, or had pulled off the road during a heavy rain, since they were able to backtrack timewise based on a receipt for dinner that had a time stamp on it. The autopsy determined that he died from respiratory distress - which boils down to a heart attack. He was found around 1 a.m. and had been dead for several hours - with cars whizzing by and never stopping to see if there was a problem since he had his flashers on. What a sad and lonely way to die.

Sorry - I didn't mean to ramble - just trying to get across the fact that even tho you may seem to be alright, and look alright, there could be something that you would never expect - just waiting around the bend. Yes - I know - we all face the unknown - just hoping that you will be VERY careful without having to live like "The Boy in the Bubble".