David Bloom

David bloom; Do you remember him? He was an up and coming news journalist for NBC. Vice President Dick Cheney; He spent 69 hours in a two week period logging air miles trying to nail down a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians. Chris Bosh; Ever hear of him and his basketball accomplishments? And how about Serena Williams? The tennis great that is still at the top of her game! What do I have in common with all of them? A DVT.

Camping in Leeds

A DVT (Deep Vein Thmobosis) is a blood clot that forms in an extremity, usually a leg. David was embedded in a mechanized army unit in the early part of the Iraq war. His job required long trips of sitting idle while traveling through the desert in a humvee. A DVT formed and traveled to his heart and lungs (now a pulmanary embolism – PE). It killed him. The VP spent a lot of time sitting while flying to the middle east. Chris was a college and NBA star that had his career cut short because of a DVT in his leg. Serena had a DVT …twice! Chris, Serena and the VP fared much better than David and she is still playing tennis. I developed both (DVT & PE) and am fortunate. I am alive.

What cause these life threatening situations? There are several causes and it can be said that bad luck plays a role. A period of being idle for days is the most common cause and other personal habits may contribute. Even though sports stars are in activities that seem to prevent this, they do spend a lot of time traveling, air travel especially. For me it was the two weeks of RV’ing back home after a winter in the Everglades.

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Trip out West in the winter of 2017

With some reflection and refocusing, here are some of my thoughts. Hug someone today. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Appreciate everything. Life is a gift. If you enjoy reading, knitting, or playing tiddlywinks, do it. Family and friends are important; let them know it. When I see a rainbow, a sunset, and especially a sunrise, I will enjoy the colors and beauty that mother nature has provided and be thankful for the new day.

I am modifying how we travel. I will “stop and smell the roses”. No matter what the past has wrought, today is a new day. The “glass can be half full or half empty. Going forward, I chose it to be half full.” As a Principal I always finished my morning announcements with this: “Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Make it a good one.” I am thankful for today.

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Pandemic travels

Life is precious. As we are enjoying another stellar Maine summer boondocking in Rumford and Leeds, we are enjoying time with good friends. I am thankful to many and especially to Owen and Rick who have opened up their properties to us as we traverse this thing called life. We will head back to the Everglades in winter but will explore more of America on the way. Yes! I will take the time to stop frequently to move about (doctor’s orders) …and “smell the roses” along the way.

Thanks for reading my ramblings. Finally a thought from Henry David Thoreau, “Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” Don’t be that fisherman.

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Travels: shirts from the Kenduskeag, snow plowing, assorted campers, Yellowstone

Coming soon, more tales from the Campah!

… Next adventure; “Summer in Maine”

STAY TUNED! More “tales from the campah”!

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