...Heart Attack

THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2010
11:00 PM
(continued from July 13, 2010)


The outpour of love from my cast members was overwhelming. For some reason I’m always surprised when people who’ve only known me for a short while are taken with me. Don’t get me wrong, my self-esteem is not in question. I just wish that I could be on the outside looking in to see what it is that they see. Mary, Mary would say, “It’s the GOD in me”. 

Joyce did keep me in church. I was a Junior Usher, sang in the Youth Choir, and went to Sunday school from time to time. I am the crowned Prince of the Union Missionary Baptist Church.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).

Back to the Heart Attack…

I spent the rest of Tuesday talking to my roommate, watching television, napping, and strolling around the unit. I knew the sooner I began to walk around and get my strength the sooner I would get out of Ellis. This wasn’t my first time in the hospital so I knew the drill. I did ask would it be necessary for me to have a bowel movement before being discharged. The nurse looked at me strangely and I explained that the times that I was in the hospital with pneumonia, they always want a BM before I left. If that was the case I would need some Senocot since the food would more than likely make me constipated. She laughed and said no, a movement will not be required before discharge. Well, that was a relief. I have difficulty with BMs in public places (OK, that was TMI, sorry about that). But, it’s the truth!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010, my 49th birthday. I’ve spent two days in the hospital and haven’t shaved. The grey hair was creeping out of my face. I shall not shave with a disposable razor from the hospital. I love my skin too much. Though the grey stubble was creeping in my hair was fierce. Frankie hooked me up before the show one week to the day.

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear Eddie…

Though I was in the hospital, I had a splendid birthday. GOD Bless my sister. She came every day after work to check on her little big brother. Chad and Tim came bearing a gift. The jokester brought me a large box of Cherrios. He intended it to be a gag gift. The joke was on Chad, I like Cherrios. Sheilah and Sugar came by just before visiting hours were over. Sugar got a little lost.

The best part of the day is when my Great Aunt Katherine (Kay) called to wish me a happy birthday. At 83 she is the matriarch of the family and the last living child out of 15 of my Great Grand Parents John and Eva Grimes. I conversed with Aunt Kay as if I were sitting at home. I gave no indication that I was in the hospital or that I had a heart attack. I didn’t want to worry her and get her upset. She wished me a happy birthday, asked about my sister and nieces, and told me how proud she was of the way I took care of my mother and made the arrangements. She said I was a good son and will be blessed. I thanked Aunt Kay for thinking of me and calling, told her I love her and said good night. When I clicked on the end button on my cell phone, I breathed a sigh of relief. That was close. She had no idea that I was speaking to her from a hospital bed in Ellis Hospital. Yeah, I congratulated myself for pulling that one off, so I thought.

The next day I get a call from my cousin Nia, Aunt Kay’s oldest grandchild…