Wow! let me see this day was so long ago for me, but I can still remember parts of the day as if it were yesterday.
I was 17 and 2 months out of high school. (Yeah a lllooonnnnggg time ago) It was the end of July to be exact. I'd already started college in the summer, but decided I wanted to join the Navy. You know, follow in Dads footsteps. I wanted to be stationed aboard ship -a medical ship. I've always said I was born in the wrong era, I should've been a pirate. Swinging from the yard arm and brandishing a sword... That's me.
Anyway, back to the story, the recruiter told me women were not allowed aboard ship yet. (Yes I said it was a long time ago), however I did have enough college credits to join as a commissioned officer-plus my AFEEs test scores were high enough that I could be in Intelligence. WOW Intelligence! My vision did an about face and I now envisioned myself a spy. Black trench coat, dark RayBan sunglasses, stiletto heels, working under cover. What a life!
I only had to pass the physical........... Seven words, one sentence, that could have destroyed my life.
On physical day I was ready to sign on the dotted line. An X-ray showed an enlarged pulmonary artery. I was sent to a cardiologist to find out if I could make it through boot camp and join the Navy.
My Mom and an old long lost boyfriend met me at the cardiologists office. The words Mom and me heard still break my heart but are blurry. I had an Atrial Septal Defect (hole in the atrial chambers) in my heart and it was aggravating Pulmonary Hypertension. I was bluntly told I was lucky to have lived this long. Longer than predicted for those with this disease. The next words were "You'll be lucky to reach the age of 20, and you will NEVER have children."
Those grand visions I had of a great new life and world did a major crash and burn.
To make matters worse, after returning to the waiting room that long lost boyfriend pointed to a little girl and said "We'll have a girl just like you in a few years." Major crash and burn!
I rarely cried in front of my parents, but at this I completely lost it. I realize he had no idea, but it didn't stop the pain I felt. Being raised in a large family and feeling that children are our future and a Privilege- my world STOPPED.
The Navy still wanted me I found out, but there was no way to get me out of boot camp, so here I was: young, ready to change the world with no way to do it.
My parents were advised to get any necessary surgeries done before I was no longer on their insurance, but to also give me a little time to adjust to the news. We took a 2 month long vacation out west. Daddy customized their Chevy Van (yeah like the song). We had electricity, double bed, sinlge bed that also converted to a table, and headed out.
It was great for me except for visiting Pike's Peak. We went over the altitude I was told to stop at. I didn't know my daddy could drive so fast trying to get me down the mountain when I got sick. The result was a week long headache, saw The Grand Canyon from the van window, and learned a valuable lesson. Do what the doctor tells you to. Though I admit it took alot of tries and many gray hair on my parents heads for me to come to this comclusion.
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