When I was a young teen, I dove off a dock, into a lake. I didn't realize how shallow the water was, and I hit my face hard. I scraped my face up bad, but to this day, I thank God that I wasn't paralyzed.

About 10 years ago, my husband was in Boston. Above him was a double-decker Overhead Expressway (a TALL bridge). As he got out of his car, he heard a LOUD noise. On the hood of his car, there was a huge dent, a hole. A bolt had become loose from the bridge above. He says it was no more than two feet from his head. If that wasn't a brush with death, nothing was. :eek: Thank you, Big Dig!

How about you?

I almost got hit by a car in a parking lot when I was two. My mom was going into the mall quick and left me with my dad and I didn't want to stay with him, so I ran after her while a car was coming. Not sure exactly what happened after that but I'm alive so I take it they were able to stop.

Disney World when I was about 5 and my sister 2 or 3, she fell into the pool when my mom wasn't looking and I ran up to her all calm and said "Mommm, Aimee fell in the pool." Basically, I saved her life. I try to remind her of that when she treats me like crap now.

My freshman year of college a friend and I were crossing a parking lot to get to the dining hall for dinner. It was after 5pm and there weren't many cars in the lot. I don't even remember seeing any of them moving except one - which tried to run us over! Just as we were crossing this lady speeded up and we barely made it across. I was scared to death and wasn't able to eat once we made it to the dining hall.

apparently i fell into a hot tub as an infant and almost drowned.
plus other stuff in recent years i'd rather forget about.

Ouch!!!!! Janice! That description of yours made me shiver. God, can you imagine? Seriously you escaped some serious injury there. I bet that took a long time to overcome. :eek:

When I was 14 I was riding my horse when she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. I tried to get her to start moving again and she reared up on her hind legs. She did this three times and on the third time I went flying through the air and landed in the dirt. Had I not been wearing my helment, I could've been paralyzed. I ended up with a cracked hip, a ripped off finger nail and lots of bruises, lol.

When I was 14 I was riding my horse when she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. I tried to get her to start moving again and she reared up on her hind legs. She did this three times and on the third time I went flying through the air and landed in the dirt. Had I not been wearing my helment, I could've been paralyzed. I ended up with a cracked hip, a ripped off finger nail and lots of bruises, lol.

Ripped off finger nail? Ew. lol. Glad your ok. :) What was the horse stalling for?

My story:
When I was younger, I went to work with my mom. After work, I wanted to go to Wal*Mart. My mom said no because she was tired. I kept on pleading. Finally, she gave in and we went. On our way back home, we were going straight and (I Have no clue how to explain this because I know nothing about the road) but there's another road that crosses the road we were on. A truck came out in front of us (from the side I was sitting) and smashed into a pole. A car behind him stopped and a man got out. My mom stopped the car and got out herself. 'Does he need a phone?' She asked. 'He needs something.' The man replied. 'He's drunk.'
After we got home, I went to my room. I later heard my mom and dad talking, and had I not been pestering her about Wal*Mart, we wouldn't have been alive.

I've been lucky enough to not have any significant injuries all my life, no broken bones or anything...Which is shocking considering I've always seemed to be the one doing something dangerous at one time or another and for all that's right I should've probably been in the hospital numerous times by now, but nope. :lol:

Ironic that I almost met my demise by the way of a falling metal object as a child and it had nothing to do with any of my antics.

Wow - that WAS a close call for Lou. Overpasses and bridges have been falling apart in Toronto the past few years (plus those boneheads that get their kicks throwing boulders off of them at cars below doesn't help).

Now that I think of it, I've had a few:

(1) When I was 13 I dove off a high board into a lake and hyperextended my back. When I hit the water, I couldn't feel my legs - just numb and tingly. I had to call for my father (along with my friends who saw me in trouble and going down) and he jumped in and pulled me out. Luckily about 20 minutes later the feeling came back and I was o.k. but it sure scared me.

(2) When I was 15 I was snowmobiling at my girlfriend's cottage during the Christmas holidays. We were out at night on the lake and playing "chicken" with other snowmobilers (criss crossing paths). I was looking at the approaching snow mobile and then looked forward and not 6 feet in front of me was a steel trail marker pole. We had them opened up at full speed and I had to swerve quickly to miss the pole, AND to get the other snow mobile off it's path as it was headed for it also. Why they don't paint those things so that they show up better at night I don't know. When you're moving that fast, it's tough to react in time.

(3) After moving to the country in 1996, the MTO went on strike and the roads weren't plowed after a big snowfall. I was going into work one morning and hit ice and started to slide. The ruts in the snow kept throwing me everywhere - I ended up taking out a huge highway light standard which fell on the roof of the car and I landed in a 9 foot ditch. When a cop pulled me from the car, the entire roof was caved in. Had I had a passenger in the car, they would have been killed and the cop was amazed that I came out without a scratch on me. My car was a write-off at only 14 miles on it. :(

I was in a car accident when I was 8 years old. My family except my father were visiting my aunt and we were coming home. Nobody was seriously injured except my grandma, she got a broken arm. I had a huge black eye for about a month! Stupid doinkheads that ran into us!

I almost got in another car accident with my mother. We were getting out of Wal*Mart and this girl was coming in and we almost had a head on collision. I got pissed beacuse she didn't get out to apologize or anything and as a matter of fact, she was like smiling. Mom told me that she was smiling too because they must have known we had angels with us. Thank god for them.

I had a heart attack on December 13, 2003. That was scary; what was even
scarier was that I didn't even know that I had had one until the doctor told
me later.

That does it - I'm going to stop going to Wal*Mart.

I had a heart attack on December 13, 2003. That was scary; what was even
scarier was that I didn't even know that I had had one until the doctor told
me later.


Do you have to be treated for anything like angina now? Angioplasty? Glad you're o.k.!

When I was a young teen, I dove off a dock, into a lake. I didn't realize how shallow the water was, and I hit my face hard. I scraped my face up bad, but to this day, I thank God that I wasn't paralyzed.

About 10 years ago, my husband was in Boston. Above him was a double-decker Overhead Expressway (a TALL bridge). As he got out of his car, he heard a LOUD noise. On the hood of his car, there was a huge dent, a hole. A bolt had become loose from the bridge above. He says it was no more than two feet from his head. If that wasn't a brush with death, nothing was. :eek: Thank you, Big Dig!

How about you?Man,you're lucky. About 6months ago one of my best friends jumped into his above ground pool and hit his face against the bottom, jamming his neck. He's 43 yrs old and paralyzed from the neck down now. :(

I was in the hospital for eight days. Had surgery (a stent). Still taking heart
medicines (but not nearly as many). I'm much better now. That was four
years ago. I still don't know the cause. I don't smoke. I'm not overweight.
I wasn't under a lot of stress (it happened at home). I was just experiencing
a lot of pain in one arm and the right side of my chest and my back. I
thought it was just osteoarthritis (I have a touch of that). I never dreamed
that it was a heart attack. I was 56 years old then, but people much younger have had heart attacks. I'm just glad that I survived it.

luckily i havent gotten any serious injuries really...no broken bones, ever. *knock on wood*

the worst injury i ever had was probably when i tripped on cement steps and busted my lip. not too bad, but my lip got REALLY fat and it was annoying lol

Yeah, when I was a baby I just stopped breathing when I was napping once...thank god I was in my Poppy's lap and he was able to revive me when I started turning blue.

I was in the hospital for eight days. Had surgery (a stent). Still taking heart
medicines (but not nearly as many). I'm much better now. That was four
years ago. I still don't know the cause. I don't smoke. I'm not overweight.
I wasn't under a lot of stress (it happened at home). I was just experiencing
a lot of pain in one arm and the right side of my chest and my back. I
thought it was just osteoarthritis (I have a touch of that). I never dreamed
that it was a heart attack. I was 56 years old then, but people much younger have had heart attacks. I'm just glad that I survived it.


So am I!

I lost my father after he had just turned 54 when I was 19. It was a total shock. He had pains too and mentioned them to my mother (they had just separated). She told him to get into the doctor immediately but he didn't. He died a week to the day later of a massive heart attack!

Maybe there's a family history of it for you. I have a friend who was thin, fit as a fiddle and only 30 yrs old but his cholestrol is through the roof (runs in his family). He now eats very healthy and is a body builder even, but will always have to be careful and get regular checkups.

Ouch!!!!! Janice! That description of yours made me shiver. God, can you imagine? Seriously you escaped some serious injury there. I bet that took a long time to overcome. :eek:
It actually healed pretty fast, a month maybe. It was just scraped up. I didn't need stitches. My nose got it the worst. I was about 15, and to this day, my heart sinks when I think of what could have happened.

It actually healed pretty fast, a month maybe. It was just scraped up. I didn't need stitches. My nose got it the worst. I was about 15, and to this day, my heart sinks when I think of what could have happened.
Was it hard to get over as far as what almost happened? I mean, did you stay away from the water for awhile? It was like when I had a car accident while pregnant, I was sooo afraid for the longest time to get back into my car and drive again.

Man,you're lucky. About 6months ago one of my best friends jumped into his above ground pool and hit his face against the bottom, jamming his neck. He's 43 yrs old and paralyzed from the neck down now. :(
Oh my dear God, that's just heartbreaking. That poor man. I'm real sorry to hear that. That's one of my biggest fears.

I had a serious bacterial illness when I was 24; apparently I came close to death although I don't remember much about it. I remember I layed on the floor to watch tv one night because I had a headache and it got worse and worse to the point where I couldn't get up off the floor. My ear was pressed onto the carpet and any movement whatsoever caused searing, blinding pain. I ended up spending the whole night on the floor like that because my parents had gone to bed and I didnt' want to bother them. I didnt' even think I could yell out anyway. In the morning my mom called my doctor and he said she should take me to the hospital immediately. I had to be helped to the car because the pain was so bad I couldn't see. I ended up being in the hospital for 6 weeks and spending another 8 weeks recouperating at home. I just remember being really tired and having a really bad headache for a long time. I do remember the spinal taps...those weren't nice. I remember my boyfriend visiting me regularly, and one day-- I guess they thought I was sleeping-- I heard him and some of my family members out in the hallway outside my room just having total breakdowns. I mean they were wailing. It didn't occur to me then that maybe I was in big trouble, I just thought that was so nice of everyone to be worried about me being in the hospital. :lol: They kept bringing food in and putting on my cart but I didn't eat for the longest time because I just wasn't interested (really not like me!) and I remember the day something on the tray in front of me looked ok (I think it was red jello or maybe applesauce, something like that) and I tried it and it tasted so good and I realized how really hungry I was (Those feed tubes don't do much for ya!) and I cleaned up everything on the plate. That was the turning point of when I started to get better. I remember the nurse said "well look who decided to eat," and that was the moment I realized I couldn't remember the last time I'd eaten. I didn't even realize I hadn't been eating until she said that. It was like it didn't even occur to me to eat, nor did it even sound good. I was just sleeping most of the time and trying to lay in the bed in ways that didn't hurt. :lol: I lost 28 lbs in that whole ordeal and later, after I was well, my doctor and my family told me for awhile they weren't sure I was going to make it. After I was feeling better and knew what feeling good felt like again, I realized I hadn't been feeling well for a long time before the illness took me down. Looking back, it was like there was a black cloud hanging over my head for a few months before, but it happened so gradually that I didn't realize I wasn't feeling right. Funny how your body tries to tell you something is coming on...I just wish it would have spoken a little louder!

It actually healed pretty fast, a month maybe. It was just scraped up. I didn't need stitches. My nose got it the worst. I was about 15, and to this day, my heart sinks when I think of what could have happened.


Was your neck wrenched in any way at all? Makes you wonder if that isn't what could be (even slightly) aggravating even more of your issues now - can take years to manifest. I know what you mean - you think about it, and you go weak with just the thought...

I had a serious bacterial illness when I was 24; apparently I came close to death although I don't remember much about it. I remember I layed on the floor to watch tv one night because I had a headache and it got worse and worse to the point where I couldn't get up off the floor. My ear was pressed onto the carpet and any movement whatsoever caused searing, blinding pain. I ended up spending the whole night on the floor like that because my parents had gone to bed and I didnt' want to bother them. I didnt' even think I could yell out anyway. In the morning my mom called my doctor and he said she should take me to the hospital immediately. I had to be helped to the car because the pain was so bad I couldn't see. I ended up being in the hospital for 6 weeks and spending another 8 weeks recouperating at home. I just remember being really tired and having a really bad headache for a long time. I do remember the spinal taps...those weren't nice. I remember my boyfriend visiting me regularly, and one day-- I guess they thought I was sleeping-- I heard him and some of my family members out in the hallway outside my room just having total breakdowns. I mean they were wailing. It didn't occur to me then that maybe I was in big trouble, I just thought that was so nice of everyone to be worried about me being in the hospital. :lol: They kept bringing food in and putting on my cart but I didn't eat for the longest time because I just wasn't interested (really not like me!) and I remember the day something on the tray in front of me looked ok (I think it was red jello) and I tried it and it tasted so good and I realized how really hungry I was (Those feed tubes don't do much for ya!) and I cleaned up everything on the plate. That was the turning point of when I started to get better. I remember the nurse said "well look who decided to eat," and that was the moment I realized I couldn't remember the last time I'd eaten. I didn't even realize I hadn't been eating until she said that. It was like it didn't even occur to me to eat, nor did it even sound good. I was just sleeping most of the time and trying to lay in the bed in ways that didn't hurt. :lol: I lost 28 lbs in that whole ordeal and later, after I was well, my doctor and my family told me for awhile they weren't sure I was going to make it. After I was feeling better and knew what feeling good felt like again, I realized I hadn't been feeling well for a long time before the illness took me down. Looking back, it was like there was a black cloud hanging over my head for a few months before, but it happened so gradually that I didn't realize I wasn't feeling right. Funny how your body tries to tell you something is coming on...I just wish it would have spoken a little louder!
Oh sweet Jesus. What an ordeal!!!! :eek:

So glad you got better. And now here you are sharing your great posts with us here. ;)

Was it hard to get over as far as what almost happened? I mean, did you stay away from the water for awhile? It was like when I had a car accident while pregnant, I was sooo afraid for the longest time to get back into my car and drive again.
I never dove again, and I never will. I'll jump in, but no diving. Even if I see someone diving in a movie, I get nervous. Sometimes, I wonder if the neck problems I'm having now, have something to do with that incident. Although, when it happened, I didn't feel as if anything happened inside, no numbness, pain, etc. Just external injuries. I asked my doctor and he said it's unlikely but not impossible.

Was your neck wrenched in any way at all? Makes you wonder if that isn't what could be (even slightly) aggravating even more of your issues now - can take years to manifest. I know what you mean - you think about it, and you go weak with just the thought...
Wow, we typed the same thing at the same time. Read my message to Irene.

I had a serious bacterial illness when I was 24; apparently I came close to death although I don't remember much about it. I remember I layed on the floor to watch tv one night because I had a headache and it got worse and worse to the point where I couldn't get up off the floor. My ear was pressed onto the carpet and any movement whatsoever caused searing, blinding pain. I ended up spending the whole night on the floor like that because my parents had gone to bed and I didnt' want to bother them. I didnt' even think I could yell out anyway. In the morning my mom called my doctor and he said she should take me to the hospital immediately. I had to be helped to the car because the pain was so bad I couldn't see. I ended up being in the hospital for 6 weeks and spending another 8 weeks recouperating at home. I just remember being really tired and having a really bad headache for a long time. I do remember the spinal taps...those weren't nice. I remember my boyfriend visiting me regularly, and one day-- I guess they thought I was sleeping-- I heard him and some of my family members out in the hallway outside my room just having total breakdowns. I mean they were wailing. It didn't occur to me then that maybe I was in big trouble, I just thought that was so nice of everyone to be worried about me being in the hospital. :lol: They kept bringing food in and putting on my cart but I didn't eat for the longest time because I just wasn't interested (really not like me!) and I remember the day something on the tray in front of me looked ok (I think it was red jello) and I tried it and it tasted so good and I realized how really hungry I was (Those feed tubes don't do much for ya!) and I cleaned up everything on the plate. That was the turning point of when I started to get better. I remember the nurse said "well look who decided to eat," and that was the moment I realized I couldn't remember the last time I'd eaten. I didn't even realize I hadn't been eating until she said that. It was like it didn't even occur to me to eat, nor did it even sound good. I was just sleeping most of the time and trying to lay in the bed in ways that didn't hurt. :lol: I lost 28 lbs in that whole ordeal and later, after I was well, my doctor and my family told me for awhile they weren't sure I was going to make it. After I was feeling better and knew what feeling good felt like again, I realized I hadn't been feeling well for a long time before the illness took me down. Looking back, it was like there was a black cloud hanging over my head for a few months before, but it happened so gradually that I didn't realize I wasn't feeling right. Funny how your body tries to tell you something is coming on...I just wish it would have spoken a little louder!

With the way you describe this, was the infection in your ear canal/inner ear or more of a generalized (with the way you said it took months to come on, it's a lot like blood poisoning - I came close to that a couple of summers ago - the whole side of my head was swollen with searing pain). I wasn't nearly as sick as you though - that sounds awful!

I never dove again, and I never will. I'll jump in, but no diving. Even if I see someone diving in a movie, I get nervous. Sometimes, I wonder if the neck problems I'm having now, have something to do with that incident. Although, when it happened, I didn't feel as if anything happened inside, no numbness, pain, etc. Just external injuries. I asked my doctor and he said it's unlikely but not impossible.
Oh, not impossible at all. I wonder now. Like you said, it could have been worse, but obviously the trauma has remained with you.

In 2003, my dad and I were driving to church for the Good Friday service. We were on the freeway when all of a sudden, an object hit the windshield right between us. The windshield cracked, but thank God neither of us were. We still don't know what the object was, maybe a piece of steel or something that came off another car. It's hard to tell when you're going 65 MPH on a major highway populated by semis. There weren't all that many cars on the road, and everything else appeared normal. My poor dad had to pay to have the windshield fixed, but it could've been a lot worse. (And Mike, my dad was the one driving - not me!!! :p)

Oh, I have a REALLY good story about this. My dad reminded me about this back in July of last year, before I moved to MN. We were looking in his security box for a few important documents of mine that I would be needing. I found a very old Chevy car key, and I recognized it off the bat. It was the key to his (I think) 1984 Chevy Blazer -- looked like THIS (http://4wheeldrive.about.com/library/uc/ucgraphics/good%20side.jpg), but his was navy blue -- that he had when my sibs and I were VERY young kids, back in the 1980s. He sold his Blazer in... uh... 1993 or so. I looked at the key (which was covered in hard plastic), and noticed the keychain and the plastic on the key itself looked like it'd gotten melted.

My dad saw me looking at the key and he asked me, "Do you remember what happened?"

I said, "Not really..."

He went on to say that I had been the one who had caused the key and the keychain to melt like that. "Really?" I said.

What happened was... This happened one day when I was two years old, so this was sometime in late 1987. My brother was a tae kwon do student, and his class met at the local community center. My mom would take him to his lessons, and she would take the rest of us kids, if we happened to be home and my dad was at work. Or something. For whatever reason, my sis didn't come with that day... so it was just me, my brother and my mom. My mom and I were sitting off to the side, watching him. My mom had droven us to the community center in my dad's Blazer that day, so she had his keys with her.

At some point, I got fidgety. I must've been playing with my dad's keys too, so I still had it in hand. The story goes that I walked over to a wall outlet, stuck the key in it and got shocked BIG-TIME. I asked my mom about it later (after my dad told me this story), and she confirmed it for me. She says she saw me fly backwards after I got shocked, and I was unconscious for a little while. I also had a burn on my hand from where I'd been holding the keys and gotten shocked. I was taken to the ER just to make sure everything was OK.

If it had not been for the plastic on the key, I surely wouldn't be here, posting this story today. My dad says he saved the key because it quite literally saved me from getting killed.

With the way you describe this, was the infection in your ear canal/inner ear or more of a generalized (with the way you said it took months to come on, it's a lot like blood poisoning - I came close to that a couple of summers ago - the whole side of my head was swollen with searing pain). I wasn't nearly as sick as you though - that sounds awful!
It was bacterial meningitis that I had, and that's been nearly 20 years ago now. Thankfully I've had nearly perfect health since then.

In 2003, my dad and I were driving to church for the Good Friday service. We were on the freeway when all of a sudden, an object hit the windshield right between us. The windshield cracked, but thank God neither of us were. We still don't know what the object was, maybe a piece of steel or something that came off another car. It's hard to tell when you're going 65 MPH on a major highway populated by semis. There weren't all that many cars on the road, and everything else appeared normal. My poor dad had to pay to have the windshield fixed, but it could've been a lot worse. (And Mike, my dad was the one driving - not me!!! :p)

If it had been you driving you would probably have been going 75 MPH.:p :lol: ;)

I'm glad to hear that neither you nor your father were injured. :)

OMG, you all have had some close encounters. I am just glad you all survived and are here! :bighug:

If it had been you driving you would probably have been going 75 MPH.:p :lol: ;)

I'm glad to hear that neither you nor your father were injured. :)
:schmack: :p :joke: :rofl:

In Oct. 2005, my mother, sister and I were robbed at gun point. :( It was so awful. I thought we were going to die. :( Having a gun pulled on you is very frightening and traumatizing.


That would really scare the crap out of me - especially these days - you never know what the person will do (high, scared, etc.)

:nod: The two guys were both high on something, scared and mean. The one guy (the leader, if you will, was shaking at one point while holding the gun). I will never forget the remark he said to my mother. It was so mean, and uncalled for. "I have taken many rings off dead b******, another one is no big deal." :( He held the gun to her forehead. She gave him the ring she was wearing.
That is just awful Jenny. I'm so sorry that happened to you. That had to be very scary. :( Did they ever catch those guys that did that?

Thanks. Yes, thankfully they did. It turned out that the two guys robbed 17 other people at gunpoint as well. Unfortunately that experience has made me more fearful in general than I was before that happened. You lose your sense of security.

How awful for you. :( Thank the Lord they didn't pull the trigger.

Another story:
My cousin was beat up real bad a long time ago. I don't remember the exact story because I don't remember what i did last week. lol. Anyways, she was young and I have no idea how old this man/boy was. But he's currently living across the street from her. She's afraid to leave her house. I think he's moved now. Not sure. I'll ask her mom and give ya'll an update (if you want)

In 2003, my dad and I were driving to church for the Good Friday service. We were on the freeway when all of a sudden, an object hit the windshield right between us. The windshield cracked, but thank God neither of us were. We still don't know what the object was, maybe a piece of steel or something that came off another car. It's hard to tell when you're going 65 MPH on a major highway populated by semis. There weren't all that many cars on the road, and everything else appeared normal. My poor dad had to pay to have the windshield fixed, but it could've been a lot worse. (And Mike, my dad was the one driving - not me!!! :p)

Wierd! I had a similar experience. A few years ago my husband and I were driving down the highway to the city to meet friends for dinner. All of a sudden, my passenger side window just exploded. Shattered to a million pieces inside the car. I thought someone shot at us. We had to pull over a clear the shards of glass from the window before we could keep going. All we can figure is that it was a fluke and a stone hit the glass just the right way to break it. Scared the bejeepers out of me!

In Oct. 2005, my mother, sister and I were robbed at gun point. :( It was so awful. I thought we were going to die. :( Having a gun pulled on you is very frightening and traumatizing.
I can only imagine. That's awful. I'm so glad you. your mother and your sister are all safe. I think I would have had a heart attack. What a horrifying ordeal. :eek:

Thanks Janice. That experience has made my anxiety level higher than what it was prior to that. I hate that because of that I tend to be overly nervous when I go places.

I was once mugged on a bus. The bus driver had stepped out to grab a bathroom break or something, and I was the only one on the bus when two teens got on and immediately started talking to me. I made it clear I wasn't interested in chit chat, but then they asked for money in a less than pleasant manner.

I always wish I'd handled it differently, for one, I should have told the bus driver what had happened. But I was frightened.

I can see how such an experience can change your perspective on going out... Although I'd say I've recovered fairly well...

The only time I came close to death was when my sister drove off into a
ditch as we were driving on a rural road in Giles County, Tennessee(I had
gone there to visit relatives). I have never really suffered any accidents
aside from that but my father almost went off the interstate just outside
Parkersburg, West Virginia when he fell alseep at the wheel.

Yea when I was a little baby of course I never remember it but I was told bout it I was rushed to the hospital and I almost died on the way. I have a heart condition.

^ Your post reminded me of something similiar, but not as serious. When I was six months old, I just about stopped breathing. My parents called an ambulance, and I was rushed to the hospital. The doctors said I had a severe asthma attack. It was my first one and hopefully my last.

^ Your post reminded me of something similiar, but not as serious. When I was six months old, I just about stopped breathing. My parents called an ambulance, and I was rushed to the hospital. The doctors said I had a severe asthma attack. It was my first one and hopefully my last.
I've had a few real bad asthma attacks...the worst one was around 1996 and I didn't think I was going to make it. I could not walk without almost passing out. I've been bothered with asthma just about my whole life. When I was in Junior High I went to the ER practically every weekend.

I was real sick when I was 2. Of course I don't remember it but what my parents told me I almost died. I couldn't keep anything down.

Like you guys, my worst asthma attack was when I was 14. We had spent a week up north at a lodge and I caught a cold. I badly wanted to compete in the pool party events on the Friday (end of week festivities). I begged my mom even though she wasn't happy about it because it seemed every time I caught a cold, it would go right into pnemonia. I did compete and on the Saturday as we packed to leave, I started wheezing. My mom was in that "I told you so" mode so she basically ignored it (this is when inhalers were JUST on the market, but you needed a prescription and I didn't have one). My parents stopped at all the stupid, dusty, moldy roadside "museums" on the way home. I had to wait outside because they reallly aggravated my breathing. By the time they got out of the museum, my lips and finger nails were blue. By the time we got to the parking lot and car, I was losing consciencousness. They were too far from a hospital, so a local pharmacist gave me the first inhaler I ever had. He told my mom it could be risky, but there was no way I would have made it to a hospital or doctor on time.

I wasn't told this until years later. I don't remember much after getting in the car (we had no air conditioning either and it was a hot, humid August day). I was hospitalized for two weeks when we got back to the city.

Wow - I had almost forgotten about that whole thing. There's a picture my day took of me in the parking lot. You can see I'm not happy at all. They thought I was "faking" just to get out of there. :rolleyes: