[Oe List ...] recent surgery reflections

[E B]

Hi Charles,
Great witness! Hope your recovery is continuing to
improve at a faster phase. Thanks for sharing.
Elsa Batica
Minneapolis

--- Charles or Doris Hahn <cdhahn at flash.net> wrote:

> Dear Friend,
> 
> I prepared the following as an earthrise witness,
> but
> I want to send it to all who have in  any way
> responded to my recent surgery. I just hope I don’t
> miss anyone, but if I do miss someone, know that it
> was not by intention.  All of you are very dear to
> me.
> Charles Hahn
> 
> 
> Because of Doris’ skill using the internet, more of
> you than I dreamed possible know of my recent
> open-heart surgery. Today I want to share my
> learnings
> from this EVENT .
> 
> A DANCE WITH CONTINGENCY!  I should have known!  I
> didn’t really pay attention to the pains in my
> shoulder and arm. Things my doctor said were major
> clues. “With this report {cholesterol) I have to put
> you on a statin (a class of cholesterol control
> medication).” “I want you to wear a heart monitor
> for
> a month, and record any events.” “I received the
> report from the monitor, and I think you need to
> have
> a heart catheritization. Also I want you to see a
> cardiologist. I will set up the appointment for
> tomorrow.” Cardiologist: “I have received your
> records
> from Texas. I think you need to have the heart cath
> (angiogram). That way we can really see what’s
> happening.” But, the holidays were coming. I had had
> so many negative or inconclusive tests before. So, I
> put it off---about six weeks.  I awakened from the
> heart cath on January 7 to discover I had a real
> problem---90% blockage on the right side of my
> heart,
> and 50% on the left side. I knew then that I was a
> walking time-bomb—a  heart attack wanting to happen.
> Fortunately, I had no attack and I suffered no heart
> damage. I was awake now.  When I awoke from the
> actual
> surgery three days later, I was really awake.
> Something radical and debilitating (at least for the
> moment) had happened to me. I was aware that life—my
> life, that is—was  contingent. Or, one day Charles
> Hahn will not show up for roll call among the
> inhabitants of the earth.
> 
> Since then my body has slowly strengthened.  I am
> now
> in a rehab program at the hospital three days a
> week.
> Each day I feel stronger and more engaged.  
> 
> UNIVERSALLY RELATED!  A day or two after surgery,
> Doris began to bring in email messages from many of
> you. They kept coming. Stacks of them! Then came
> cards
> and notes through the mail and more email. Then,
> after
> I arrived home 5 days later, the phone calls
> came---from London and Geneva, from across the USA
> and
> Canada, and yes, many from Texas. The emails and
> cards
> and notes continued. These communications were from
> people I have seen quite recently and from people I
> had not seen in two or three decades.  They came
> from
> old colleagues of OE/EI/ICA, from clergy colleagues
> and associates in Texas, from former parishioners,
> from friends and acquaintances along the way. A
> small
> ingeniously designed flower arrangement came from a
> neighbor I hardly know, and a gorgeous plant from a
> group of closest colleagues and friends. A very
> challenging and inspiring book came from one, and
> suggestions for reading from others. Locals visited
> me
> in the hospital and at home. I guess there have been
> between 150 and 200 communications. I had never
> experienced such an outpouring of concern, support
> and
> prayer in all my 74 years. I have reflected on this
> inundation of love at least as much as I have
> reflected on my contingency. My reflection tells me
> that we humans are aware of real crisis in another
> human’s life, and we focus our spirit and concern on
> that crisis. Another way of putting it might be: the
> universe strives to heal itself. All of us know that
> we are a part of the whole. We all know that “as
> Charles is healed, we all are made whole.” Faith
> language would say: “God loves the world.”
> 
> Grace and Peace to all,   Charles Hahn.
> 
> 
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