I gotta be Me....

<p>I like to approach just about everything with a sense of humor. I am 50 years young and have been a serious amateur photographer for around 20 years. My favored angle is to make small insignificant things, large, curious and beautiful. I have a fascination with close-up photography. I've dabbled with film of many sorts, digital and am also a bit of a camera collector. I suppose I could be badged as a compulsive tinkerer, as I love to take things apart just to see how they work.<br /> <br /> I am/was a certified optician for quite a few years. I have made thousands of people smile while improving their eyesight. I've done some refracting, probed onto people's eyes fitting contact lenses and was an honest to a fault, salesperson. The problematic child was the most fun of all. I suppose that I just love playing with light, lenses and perception. <br /> <br /> My moment of fame: In 2006, I had catastrophic coronary problems and served as a source of study for an external heart machine. What was once considered an experiment is now fairly commonplace. On my more difficult days, I realize that I have some limitations, so I get a sense of joy by helping others and enjoy life to it's fullest.</p>

<p>Forgive me for asking, but does this mean you have an external heart machine of some sort? Like a ventrical assist? Or was it only used during surgery? I find this stuff fascinating.</p>

<p>I had what was called a bi-vad implant. The Dr's said I needed a transplant, but there wasn't one available. Instead of pulling the plug, they let the thing in me and gave ma a ton of (unknown to me) I.V. "super stuff" drugs to see what would happen. I had a parade of medical students with score cards as my morning routine.</p>

<p>I bounced back without getting a new heart, and the device was removed. Two open heart surgeries in less than two months, a pacer/defib a few months later. No one could ever explain the how or why.</p>

<p>I just get the puzzled look, a smile, and they say: "Don't ask.....Enjoy it."</p>

<p>You know what?</p>

<p>I do ;-></p>

<p>To your continued good health!</p>