Okay This Looks Familiar
I remember opening my eyes. I'm sitting in this grey classroom. There are uncovered fluorescent bulbs on the ceiling. I look around and I'm the only one in the room. There are no desks; instead, there are long tables with three chairs each. There is an old chalk board on the wall but nothing is written on it.The classroom reminds me of the rooms in my old junior high school. I am all alone or so it seems.

The Passage To Another World
I can't help but noticing the light through the window of the door to the classroom. It is strange because it is on the other side of the glass, it is not shining through. Suddenly the door begins to slowly open and all I can see is the bright beautiful light on the other side. It is so bright but it does not hurt my eyes. I feel drawn to it. I realize I must be dead.

The Valley Of The Shadow Of Death
The next thing I know is that I am up and walking toward the light on the other side of the door. It is so beautiful that mere words can't describe it. I feel a peace that I have never felt before. At that very moment, I hear voices to my right. I look to see what it is. I find myself looking in on the lives of the people that mean the most to me. I can see my father lamenting over my situation. I can feel his hurt and concern. I see my best friend crying. I see my precious little girl worrying about her daddy. I feel helpless. Next, I hear voices to my left. I look to the left and what I see is very different. There are people lined up trying to talk to me as I slowly walk by them making my way to the light. I know these people well. They are the people that I have allowed to suck the life out of me. As they talk to me they reach out towards me and then I see it. I see their faces distort. My best description is that they are something between human and demon. At that very moment I remember what I had experienced in the hospital room, "Son I'm going to show you the things in your life that are killing you!" What a profound moment. But wait did I waste it? Do I get a chance to change or is it over? I stop just short of the doorway. I am hesitant to walk into the light. I can hear the voices of my loved ones that I am about to leave behind and I pause. I love them with all my heart and I don't know if they will be okay without me. But the light, the beautiful light and the peace that radiates from it are drawing me in. Nothing is stopping me from walking in but I choose not to.

A Familiar Face
Someone is walking towards me from the light. I can't believe what I am seeing. My mother who died in 1997 is standing on the other side of the door. She looks me straight in the eyes. I feel tears of joy building up inside of me. I want to hug her and kiss her. I want to tell her how much I've missed her. I want to tell her how I wish she had been there to see Hannah grow up. I want to tell her my little brother is doing good. There are so many things I want to say but all that comes out is one word. Mom? She smiles and calms me with her loving eyes. I don't want this to end. I can see something else in the light coming closer. It is my dog Beodie. He is young again and full of life. He is beautiful. I am awe struck and speechless. I look back at my mom and she simply says, "Not yet Zach. They need you. You still have work to do."

The Return Home
The next thing I know is that it feels like somebody grabbed me by the back of my britches and pulls me backwards rapidly through time and space. I find myself looking down at my body on the table. Wait, I think the doctor is calling it. Maybe I am dead. One of the nurses says hit him again. The doctor holds the paddles waiting for the machine to charge. I'm thinking God please give me another chance. God please let me live. God please let me try and make a difference. God I will do my best! PLEASE!!! The doctor puts those paddles on my chest and my prayers are answered. I open my eyes. But I am not the same.

When the Reaper Comes Calling

Is This Real or am I Dreaming
It was around sunrise on March 7, 2007 when I woke up. I immediately knew something was wrong! I was struggling to breathe and I could not sit up. I was very confused and disoriented. It was all I could do to look down at myself and when I did, through the dim light of morning, I could not believe what I was seeing. My flat stomach looked like a puffed out beer belly; my chest heaved as I fought to breathe and I couldn't even see my feet. I began to panic but I knew I had to keep calm through the confusion, I felt like I was stuck in a nightmare.

My Little Hero
It was not long before my 10 year old daughter helped me to sit up. I knew I was in trouble. My daughter called my father and he rushed over to transport me to the ER. When I got to the ER I was immediately taken back into a room. The doctor came back and put my chest film up on the view box. I think I saw the problem before he did as I blurted out, "Look at my heart, it is enlarged!" Disbelief sat in quickly. The confusion was now disappearing. I knew I was in trouble and that my heart was failing. All I could think at that moment was I can't believe this. How in the hell could this be happening to me?

The Reaper Draws Nearer
Over the next several hours every attempt was made to save my life with medicine. My body was pumped full of diuretics and blood thinners. Drugs were administered to try and regulate my heart beat. It didn't work.
It was at this time the cardiologist came in to talk to me. His words were sobering to say the least. He told me very frankly that they couldn't get me out of vfib and that my heart failure was progressing and that he felt I would be dead in approximately 6 hours. He felt that, barring a miracle, I had one chance. He wanted to stop my heart with medication and then try to shock me back into rhythm. The crazy thing is that while this guy is basically telling me that he wants to kill me and then try to bring me back to life, I'm totally distracted by something else. Something totally unexplainable.

GOD Speaks
Okay, I never actually heard a voice but while the doctor is trying to explain this horror to me, I have this experience. I felt as though someone said, "Son, I'm going to show you what is killing you. Either you change it or you don't. If you choose not to, don't you ever blame me again." All the anxiety, confusion, disbelief and anger were lost in that very surreal moment. Without hesitation I agreed to the procedure.

The Reaper Moves In For The Kill
The stage is set. My chest is still heaving but I can see my feet again thanks to the diuretics. I lay alone on the metal table with the doctor and two nurses by my side. I only think of two people. My only fear is for my daughter. I don't want her to grow up without her father. I don't ask God why. Instead I ask him to show me. The medicine, deaths tonic, is now mixing with my blood. I feel myself slipping away. My eyes close peacefully. That is the last thing I remember about that life. The moment I die.

Don't Blink

I just finished listening to Don't Blink by Kenny Chesney and it made me think about my journey and fight against cardiomyopathy. So here goes my first attempt to tell my story. I hope you enjoy it. I will never forget my last normal day at the gym. The day was March 3, 2007. It was back and biceps day with a 6 mile run to finish, and I just crushed it. Little did I know, that would be my last visit to the gym. If I had known maybe I would have taken a little longer or cherished every second of it. However, one of the biggest lessons I have learned from cardiomyopathy is that I took so much for granted. For example, I was a very successful chiropractor in my home town. I had a booming practice. I had won several chiropractic awards. I was on the board of the South Carolina Chiropractic Association. I had been voted best chiropractor in town by the public for many years. Nevertheless, I wanted more and I would work myself to exhaustion trying to do just that.... Don't Blink...

You may think I'm crazy but Cardiomyopathy Saved My Life!

Cardiomyopathy has taught me to slow down...Don't Blink...

Cardiomyopathy has taught me to be thankful for what I have...Don't Blink...

Cardiomyopathy has taught me that children are always watching and your example matters...Don't Blink...

Cardiomyopathy has taught me that God is good...Don't Blink...

Cardiomyopathy has taught me that it is quality that matters not quantity...Don't Blink...

Cardiomyopathy has taught me that family comes before work...Don't Blink...

Cardiomyopathy has taught me that the earth does not belong to us but that we belong to it...Don't Blink...

Cardiomyopathy has taught me that doing the right thing is usually the hardest path but the most rewarding path...Don't Blink...

Cardiomyopathy has taught me that life is fragile and it can be taken from you in a blink of an eye...Don't Blink