"blake murphy" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> beginning around thanksgiving of '98, i began to become ill. when i
> finally went to the doctor on jan. 3, 1999 (actually i went on dec 31, but
> they wouldn't admit me) my eyeballs were turning yellow and they diagnosed
> me with e. coli septicemia. there were also liver and kidney failure
> problems.
>
> i was in the i.c.u. in a coma for a couple few days. everyone, including
> the doctors, pretty much thought i was going to die. (my father, the old
> fraud, is an even bigger atheist than i am, but he called in a priest to
> give me the extreme unction ('last rights'). he later told me that he
> thought that would wake me up if anything would.)
>
> anyhow, while they were dealing with the liver and kidney, and extremely
> low blood pressure, my legs became gangrenous, and they had to whack 'em
> both off, about 3 inches below the knee (using somebody-or-other's
> guillotine method, as it's charmingly noted in my medical records.)
> apparently they wanted to go above the knee, and my father nixed that. i
> seem to recall them asking my permission also (i said o.k. but i didn't
> really think they were going to do it).
>
> but somehow, just to spite everyone, i came out of it alive and in pretty
> good shape minus the leg portions, so i'm reasonably well satisfied with
> the outcome. now, if i'd had them blown off for me in the army (which
> many
> people assume) or mangled in a car accident, i might be ****ed off. but
> i've been pretty lucky in life, so it doesn't bother me much.
>
> your pal,
> peg

Wow, Blake...that's a LOT to go through. I had no idea.

Mary