Onward, forward ho…

So, the other night, doing a night shift, I started getting chest pains. It was the familiar pain of hiatal hernia kicking up. Been through it a hundred times, and each and every time, I wonder if it isn't just heartburn… maybe this time it really is a heart attack.

The pain is weird. It's not acid in your throat, it's a feeling as if your heart is being pushed on and is going to stop beating. So, I stop as head off to the washroom… I think to myself, 'what if this is real and I topple over on the can a-la Elvis, no one will know I'm gone for 10 to 15 minutes" so I turn around, return to my position and pick up my cell-phone.

In the last 2 to 3 years I've gone from a person that rarely took a pill, to a person that takes 3 different pills. I've seen much more active guys I work with in my age group starting on blood pressure meds, insulin and anti-depressive drugs. But mostly, I just feel the burn… every time I work overnight my body reacts badly.

So, I take off the first two days of my round of shifts and vow to take off the night shifts as well for this week. I got an appointment to see my doctor to talk about my prostate and my hernia and set up an appointment with a counselling service to investigate (once again) life-balance.

The doc sets me up with a stronger drug for both of my problems and gives me another med to help shrink my prostate as well. Asked for a urologist consult… denied. Asked for a gastoenterologist consult… denied. Asked if I was wise to take off the night shifts till the new drugs kick in… no, take the new drugs, I should be ready for my next night shift.

So, now I'll be on four drugs a day. For the rest of my life. Until they find something else wrong.

I hate shift work. I've been doing it for 30 years – 1 and it drains me. It contributes stress and is a factor in all 3 of my present medical conditions. It also supplies me with prescription coverage and money that helps me pay for the medications that the shift work helps to necessitate. A virtuous circle – no?

I have a friend with emotional disorders, a friend who is parapelegic and a friend with severe heart issues. My problems pale in comparison to theirs, but I still find my crap pretty damn hard. And yeah, I will go to work tomorrow night, because even though my body needs a break, the doctor said I'd be fine. boo-ya…