The Day Before My 40th Birthday

01/08/1969

On a cold winter's night, I was born in Baraboo, WI. The third child of Mel and Doris Lohr with one more to be born two years later, my brother Tommy, despite their efforts to stop at 3. Mom had her tubes tied and everything and Tom still appeared. Determined little bastard, huh? I was supposed to be the baby but instead ended up being one of two middle children and the one to this day my parents call the "adventurous one". They said I always have been and am determined to always be that way.

Funny story about that cold winter night almost 40 years ago. Dad was in the barn milking cows. I don't remember how many they had back then but it was a sizable herd for a farmer back then just starting to make a go of it. Seeing as I was the third kid, mom had the whole labor thing down. She knew what to look for and when it was time to go to the doctor. Mom kept calling to the barn saying "Mel, my contractions are getting closer and closer, we need to get going!". Coincidentally, one of the worst snow storms of the year was happening and there is a big hill which gets really icy and tricky to maneuver on your way to Baraboo, the nearest hospital. Dad's response was "Doris, I have got 10 cows to go. That baby is going to have to wait!". And so it went on that way for a while. She called a few more times only to get the same response with the number of cows lessening each phone call.

Mom was reading stories to my older siblings on her bed when her water broke. Since the contractions were fast and furious, she made one more phone call to the barn. She demanded he forget about the cows, let the farmhands finish up and take her to the hospital or I was sure enough going to be born at home. He finally listened. My sister and brother were dropped off at Grandma and Grandpa Lohr's on the way to the hospital. They made their way through the snow and icy roads and 20 minutes after arriving at the hospital, I was born. Evidently dad had barely gotten the car parked and came back to find that I had in fact arrived. He wouldn't have been in the delivery room because according to him, "Men didn't do that back then!" which I suspect is true. At first viewing, his first words were to Dr. Hannah (the wonderful gentleman who delivered all 4 of the Lohr children) "Sure is a great looking son I have got there, huh?". Much to his dismay, the good doctor corrected him even though I was wrapped in pink blanket. Perhaps it was all the rushing around that threw him off? At any rate, that's the story of my birth and how it all started almost 40 years ago now.

Today was another chapter in the story which I am hoping is now over. Over the past month I have had two fainting incidents. Once at the gym where I literally got thrown right off the back of the treadmill because I passed right out. The strange thing is no one stopped to help me. I am certain it looked absolutely hilarious but it was scary all the same. Then on Christmas eve, I got an early morning phone call from work. I shot out of bed to get the phone and by the time I got to the end of the hall where the phone is kept, I was nauseous and everything had gone black. I made my way back to bed where I sat down and then thought I was going to hurl so went into the bathroom. Preparing for the worst, I was sitting on the toilet with the door closed when Miss B heard this really weird groan, gurgle, and thud. I passed right out and nailed my head on the door. She came to check on me and I was face flat on the floor and out for about 10 seconds. She finally got me to come to and got me back into bed. With that, I quickly made an appointment with the doctor to get checked out.

The doctor of course couldn't find anything so today I went in for a echocardio stress test. I booked it on the treadmill with the incline increasing as time went on with all these chords and such attached to me. There was a cardiologist in the room and he said in his little German accent "very good, very nice, everything looks normal" and my favorite "with all that cheese you must have eaten being from Wisconsin, your heart looks great!". I then had to quickly lay down where they did a sonogram of my heart to check how the valves function, etc. with Don the technician and the helm. He was a great guy and made me not so worrisome about the entire procedure. When all was said and done, turns out my heart is just fine. So that's the good news. The bad news is, we still don't know why I am fainting. So I have another follow up appointment with my new doctor and we will see how it goes. I have been cleared to resume all physical activity and not worry about my heart, even though I am about to be 40 tomorrow!

It's events like this that remind me that time is going so quickly and the next thing you know, if I am lucky, I will make it for the next 40 years. My Grandma Lohr always said the first 100 are the worst! When in the world did I get to be 40 years old? I'm not 40, my parents are. It's not something that could actually happen to me, right? Well it's almost here and I can't believe it.

Rather than think about all the things that could be bad about turning 40, I decided to make a list of the things are are good about it. Here they are:

1. I am that much closer to getting my AARP discounts.
2. I am in a new age category when entering races. I will be the young one in the group!
3. I am no longer in my 30's. 40 is the new 30. That's what my mom said!
4. I welcome the wrinkles that come with age.
5. Only 25 years until I can retire.
6. I am now in a protected class at work where I could file claims for "ageism".
7. It's still possible to become famous.

That's all I can think of for now. Pretty good so far huh?

I am embracing 40. There's no need to be afraid of it and it's here, if I like it or not. I'm just glad that after today, I have got many more healthy years in front of me and my heart isn't going to blow out. Taking it one day at a time, not getting too worked out about the future, and living in the here and now is the way to enjoy it the most. Celebrating today rather than worrying way too far down the road about things which I can't control or will change if I worry or not. I've got my health, a most fantastic partner, a job, shelter, a wonderful family and San Francisco family, and extended family throughout the world whom I have had the pleasure to meet by being the "adventurous one"! I am truly blessed. Bring 40 on!

And how lucky am I to have someone like Miss B to share this all with? VERY!