I had just been dropped off by my friend Ramon Gil, a member of my church, who had driven me to the doctor for an eleven o'clock appointment. I was extremely tired as I dragged myself up the driveway. I called my friend, Kris, who lives next door and had given me her cat, TJ. I asked her to come over and feed TJ because I was just too tired to do it. That was the first time I had asked her to take care of the cat while I was home. She gladly obliged and even asked if there was anything else she could do for me. I was already lying down in my bedroom and I asked her to bring me some food from my refrigerator and some water. She checked on me later.

I was a bit concerned because I was having a little trouble breathing and felt slight pressure in my chest. She thought it was anxiety because of all I had been through. She helped me into my pajamas and gave me some newspapers that I asked for. I was really behind on them. I always feel compelled to read old ones as well as current ones. I was also having a little pain down my left arm but I had experienced that before so I set that symptom aside also. I decided to call my daughter, Patricia, for reassurance. Her response was, “If you don't call 911, I'll call 911” which, without hesitation she did. My neighbor, Pete heard the siren and came over immediately. Kris had already gone to bed but she came too.

Suddenly I had a bedroom full of people. There were two policemen and the EMT people who arrived with the ambulance. I felt overwhelmed because I still hadn't decided that it was necessary to go to the emergency room.

I had Patricia on one phone saying, “Mom, just go and have it checked out.” Michael was on my cell phone saying, “Mom you need to go.” I had to get off the phones to answer questions the EMTs were asking me. Pete was adamant. “June, no one hates hospitals more than me. But there is no question, you need to go. There's only one person in this room that believes you may not have to go to the hospital and that's you. If you go, I'll pick you up when it's time for you to leave the hospital, I will get you a big cake for your birthday next week, and I'll write your column for you.” So it was Pete who finally convinced me.

When I first got to the emergency room at Valley in Ridgewood, things didn't look so bad so I was told I might be released that same night. I was quite annoyed with Pete at that point, because I was so exhausted and couldn't drink any water because of tests they were about to do and it all seemed so unnecessary. I made a vow that even if it was three or four in the morning, Pete was going to get a call from me to come and pick me up.

See how it all turned out in my next column in two weeks.