Long story short, I was walking around for 10 days with a dull pain in my side and fever. The pain was much like a slight muscle pull, not that bad. The fever was manageable with Advil.
I finally saw my doctor expecting something minor, only to find out I had a burst appendix. I was immediately admitted and had surgery that day. My body formed an abscess around the rupture which prevented sepsis. Had that abscess broken, there likely would have been a different story.
I easily could have died or have had a very long and tough recovery. Instead I am extraordinarily lucky to be alive and feeling a bit sore, but feeling well.
Most near death experiences I have read about were people who knew they were in dire circumstances. Not me. For 10 days I was clueless of the immediate danger.
Well, its true. Such an experience does change you. Life is sweeter and more precious now. The sun is a bit brighter. Friends and family are a bit dearer. The air is fresher. Upsets are harder to get upset about, and most look silly and meaningless now. Its time to reevaluate my life and my purpose to accomplish more, to appreciate and love life more.
You might wonder why this post is in this category. Let me assure you that such an experience will most likely change your philosophy of life, let alone your philosophy of photograpy.
The silver lining is that I will make sure I get more out of my life going forward. I never written such a personal post before. I am writing in the hopes that sharing might help others to get more out of their lives too.
Best to Everyone,
Stephen
