The Worst thing that ever happened to me

It is paradoxical that the worst thing that ever happened to me as a younger man also was the best thing for my longevity. So, often the worst things help you survive better in your life long term. For example, when I had Blunt trauma childhood epilepsy from ages 10 to 15 I fully expected to die from it at the time and often contemplated suicide because for me, psychologically at least, going into puberty while dealing with blunt trauma epilepsy didn't seem physically or psychologically survivable at the time.

But, in the long run blunt trauma childhood epilepsy saved my life because it kept me out of the military and out of Viet Nam in which many young men I knew either died or were never the same again because of injuries, PTSD or both. So, my young illness saved me from death or worse.

The same is true with my father's death when I was 37. At the time it was horrific in a way I cannot even explain to you because my father was so much larger in life in all my family's minds. First of all, he was valedictorian of his High School Class (which I didn't know then because he never told me). 2nd, he was incredibly charismatic to the point where you either loved him or hated him if you met him. He was a zealot in regard to his religion and health foods so this would either endear you or put you off. And lastly, he was a man's man the kind they made who graduated high school in the 1930s and survived all he hells of World War II and those times. So, he was always a rugged individualist and had no trouble verbally telling you if he thought you were wrong. Anybody. Which was typical of intelligent strong men of that era. So, I loved my father and he became in some ways my best friend from the time I was 12 years old on. Other boys were very jealous that were friends of mine that didn't have as interesting or as charismatic a father as I did. So, my father often sort of took my friends also under his wing and they went with us on our adventures out hunting and hiking respectively in the deserts and mountains near Los Angeles and sometimes in adventures throughout the western states.

So, since even in his 60s my father could often outdo me in hiking or running or anything physical, he seemed to be sort of an immortal superman kind of very disciplined person. He rigorously ate very healthy foods and counseled people what to eat to stay alive longer.

So, it was horrific for me to see my Dad wither away and die because he would not take care of his prostate when he first started peeing pink urine(blood in the urine). So, even though he was amazing at preventative medicine he didn't deal with medical doctors well and believed (like his father did before him) that one should only go to a hospital for stitches, broken bones or to die. There was no other useful purpose for hospitals according to my father.

So, what I saw in my father's eyes was the shame of him dying because he refused medical help until it was too late. Then he got his prostate, bladder and one kidney removed but it was too late because within one year he got bone cancer from it mastasticising further (which started with Prostate cancer) and then he was gone.

My father was a very proud man and to see him be so ashamed to die at 69 years of age while being stronger physically in endurance than I was even when I was in my 20s and early 30s was horrific in a way I cannot describe to you usefully.

But, because I experienced firsthand the horror of my father I decided that I would get regular medical checkups and take medicines when needed prescribed by doctors.

I never had to go to doctors much in my life for a variety of reasons until my mid to late 40s when I got a heart virus and almost died for 7 months. But, my father passing on the way he did allowed me to live much longer than I would have otherwise.

So, it might be important to recognize that the worst thing that happens to you (if you survive it) might in the long run be one of the best things that ever happens to you too. Life is very paradoxical in this way. But if you are strong and wise enough you can learn what you need to know to survive almost anything.