I am going skydiving in two hours – for the first time. ?I just hung up the phone with my brother, who asked me to write my will.
I have been Googling ?how to write a will in Texas? for the last twenty minutes.
Six months ago my cousin Andrew told me that he has jumped several times and that I should do it.? Not long ago some of my co-workers at the hospital challenged me to go.? When I said no, one of them darted in my room while I was performing a colonoscopy and tauntingly said, ?Chicken…?
I reserved my spot that day. ?That was 4 weeks ago.
Now here I am, thinking about how wonderful life has been and what I will leave to whom.
Also, I still need to take a shower?you know that advice mom gives about underwear!? ?(Although as an intern, when I had to rip the clothes off of trauma patients, I never recall anyone checking underwear!)
A few weeks ago, I Googled ?Skydiving.? ?But, ?Skydiving Fatalities? popped up. ?I clicked on the first article.? It was about a 49 year old New York executive who was jumping tandem for his 50th birthday. ?With a big group of people watching him, he plunged to his death.
A few people who are very close to me are going with me today, including my mom and nieces.? Yes, I have repressed the thoughts.? After all, the fatality rate for tandem jumps is only one in three million.
But I can?t help the thought?It would not be a good sight for them to see!
Also, I will have a guy strapped to my back.? I think that bothers me as well.? What if he starts kissing my neck while we are descending?? I will have nowhere to go!
Okay, that is an absurd thought!
And the landing?only a few weeks ago I had a 27 year old patient in the 101 Airborne, who broke his ankle and hip while landing ? albeit he was jumping from 800 feet behind enemy lines. ?We will be jumping from 10,000 feet today.
So, I am taking a bottle of wine with me that was a Christmas gift and five glasses.
I plan to celebrate the grand parachute opening!
Your Friend,
PS ? If you know someone who may benefit from this blog, please consider sharing!
Reading: This week I am reading the book A Good Night’s Sleep by Lawrence Epstein, M.D.
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