Thoughts of a Common Man

Four days after open heart surgery, and the first day home, I got the following text: “Where’s the Tylenol? I’m feeling like a pinch in my rib cage.” I laughed when I read it because it dawned on me that if the roles were reversed I’d be asking for a morphine drip. And Kathy has certainly been through hell with two hip replacements and spinal surgery and now this, and I’ve never once heard her say: “I’m in pain.” And I’ve been able to hit some job sites and the workers have been asking me how it all went, and I’ve mentioned the Tvlenol remark. “Women are way freaking tougher,” one guy said.  His wife had also had an involved surgery, and her pain tolerance was ‘just ridiculous.’ Giving birth is a whole ‘nother thing, and seeing a new Mom smiling about twenty minutes after THAT  is obscene. Tough. If a man had to give birth we’d be erecting statues of every new Dad all around every neighborhood. Of course this a long road… …time will pass slowly for all of us, but we aren’t hea...

Heard of two construction guys getting hit with heat stroke on Tuesday. Both needed medical attention, and it calls to mind a couple of fatalities related to heat in just the last few years. As a safety guy, we tell people at every site. “Stay hydrated. Recognize the signs.” And it still happens. The energy drinks are a culprit. Young people don’t do coffee as us older bastards do. Instead, they chug the energy drinks - 3 or 4 a day! That’s like chugging 3 large coffees - each one!  Imagine drinking 12 large coffees and then hanging out in 90 degree heat. One kid had a heart attack at 33. He didn’t make it. His coworker told me that he drank 6 energy drinks a day… …every day! Others go through hell because they drink beer out in the heat, without mixing in a water or two. Be careful out there. These temperatures are soaring. It’s never reached 100 degrees in Buffalo. I have a feeling that is gonna’ happen this summer. I realize global warming is a hoax (sarcasm)… …but protect yours...