This year’s Veterans Week. Well, I call it week, since it started on November 8th with the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission’s Veterans Day ceremony, and for me it continued with the Montgomery Junior High School’s Veterans Day Celebration, then lunch at Ms Mary’s, Vernon’s Kuntry Katfish with my Wisecrack Warriors group. We gathered in remembrance of our great friend ‘Wild Bill’ Eustes, and his favorite waitresses, Nicki and Hannah, migrated to our table, despite Maggie being assigned. The next day at 105, our weekly gathering of The Lone Star Honor Flight Veterans Group, we had a great meeting with Ms Mary bringing breakfast last week for The Vets. It was a week with memories there that will be taken to my dying days. Memories of honoring men and women who have served Our Country in peacetime and in war. Memories of our brothers, sisters. fathers, and grandfathers all who have sworn an oath to serve Our Nation honorably,
I attended the Montgomery Junior High School’s annual Veteran’s Day Ceremony, and each year, they hold a wonderful recognition ceremony that warms the heart. What Principal Julie Roth and her staff are doing there, in regards to not only Veterans; but also to Texas and Montgomery history, well it’s remarkable. I’ve been to that school for several events, and not once have I seen a student step out of line. I was in awe during the singing of Our Nation Anthem, to see a young girl, a student at the school, Jodi Willis, who took it upon herself to learn American Sign Language and interpret the anthem to the audience. I was humbled and impressed at the same time, which for me, is extraordinary. Rarely am I impressed.
For lunch, my Wisecrack Warrior friends and I, all gathered at Vernon’s Kuntry Katfish. It was a special gathering. Before I entered the restaurant, I met Jim, the regular customer who parks in his red corvette in front of the parking lot, so now I know his name. I brought some extra papers for the staff, who were very fond of Wild Bill. Nicki, the longtime waitress, who is very popular, and I was honored to be served by her during my sit down with Ms Mary 18 months ago. Hannah, another waitress to have served Wild Bill was also on hand, while Niki shared some pictures from Bill’s 93rd birthday, with a cake and all. Hannah spoke eloquently on behalf of Vernon’s at Wild B’s funeral service, and I had remembered that I dropped a Grant for H when she served me and my nephew Frank for dinner one Friday not too long ago.
Meeting the guys, taking a Veterans Day Lunch, on our first non-pho event was incredible. I love those guys, and our time together is always filled with laughter. Which for me is very much needed. As we ate, our conversations centered on our new Wisecrack Warrior 501(c)(3) Veterans charity, and its potential; and of course we fondly remembered our friend that went to that great Wisecrack Laughporium in the Sky. We toasted to Wild Bill as our time together ended that day.
Last Wednesday, seeing everyone at 105, I passed out the papers with Wild Bill’s piece which was special for everyone. I’m honored to meet every Veteran and Vet supporter at The Lone Star Honor Flight Veterans Group every week. And as we pray, sing ‘God Bless America,’ and the ‘Star Spangled Banner,’ eat breakfast and fellowship, it is always an incredible moment. Reminding me of all the patriotic songs we sang on the bus before entering my elementary school grounds. We said a special prayer for our World War II brother, Bob Putnam, our 107 year old friend, who was in the hospital with a touch of pneumonia (he has since been released). 105 is the highlight of many Vets week. Mine too; and it beats all-night writing sessions, private food tastings, concerts, plays, etc. For many it’s a healing experience, always has been, and to not think about going, well; it’s sacrilege.
Afterwards. I stopped by my newspaper offices, then by the Montgomery Whataburger where I said hi to the gang there. When I got home, sitting at my desk, something started in my abdomen, a symptom perhaps, so I went to the kitchen to drink some water. With my bowel obstruction history, and coupled with the Veterans Day and 105 back-to-back events, my immune system is capable of being compromised. When I do all-nighters from Sun-Mon and Mon-Tues, it can be too much, so I just sleep in my office chair. And so it happened. The symptoms came so fast, that I had no time to hit the road and drive myself to the ER. My last episode was in August, my third of the year, and again I called my friend Harvey Yaw.
My emesis started as he started driving to my residence, and I made preparations to leave. As he approached the house, “Come on guber,” he said, I reached for my storm door to open and unbeknownst to me, a 4’ rat snake rushed out. “Ahhh, what the heck is that,” I yelled. “Hott ..,” said Yaw, as he looked down, moving quickly opposite the snake. I thought Harvey hasn’t moved that fast since someone last yelled “incoming,” when he was in Vietnam. And as he put my bags in his truck, right on time, I put my emesis bag in my mouth for another episode. It was the dramatic end to my RING video of the incident.
I apologized to Harvey, while upchucking in his vehicle on the way to receive medical attention. At the ER, it was more crowded than I’m used to, so it took longer to get an IV, and after receiving a CT Scan, my recovery slowly started. I had brought my work with me, but I walked around the ER instead. A few hours later I was in a room, and was able to catch some sleep. One thing struck me, about my condition; my mortality. It reminded me of why I can’t travel. Just one episode in the middle of nowhere, and I’m history, which some in Montgomery County might wish for. Of course the ER was the most down part of the week, and it can be frustrating. Some years, ER visits, well, my record is like 9 times, and it can be devastating to realize that each episode takes a little out of you. And I’ve had like 70 plus. I don’t know what that means in cats’ lives, but it is certainly not nine, or even eight.
What started as a memorable time with Veterans Day activities up to 105, ended with a needed hospital visit, which made it a zigzag week. Really, I don’t wish my health misfortune on anyone. It’s just a personal hell I have to deal with. And granted a good number of us do suffer with personal medical misfortune, it’s just my collateral damage that has prolonged itself over 20 years. And even with all that I’m still happy just to be alive.