It was a hot summer day of 2016, here in Brooklyn. I finished my leg workout at the gym and rode my bike home.

My cats were happy to see me, as they always are. Because for them, it means that the most generous food giver just entered the premises 🙂

I was so thirsty after the ride. I chugged a few glasses of tap water.

I fed my four adorable ever-starving “crocodiles” and then took a shower and changed.

Then I realized I had an ice cold pomegranate juice in the fridge waiting for me.

So I poured myself a glass and chugged it quicker than it took me to actually get it:)

It’s been one of my favorite go-to drinks when I’m thirsty.

Just about 5 minutes later, I had a burning sensation in my throat.

I recalled drinking so much ice cold water that day, so I thought I might’ve caught a common cold, hence the sore throat.

So I went ahead and drank some more tap water to help with that.

However, a few minutes later, hives appeared on my forehead and I had a headache.

I started to cough and sneeze. I had a runny nose and eyes, and my throat swole up and I started wheezing.

Breathing became difficult.

It still felt like a severe cold, but I knew there was no way it could escalate that fast from non-existent to this level.

This is where I got a gist of what was really happening to me and immediately panic set in. I’ve never had any food allergies before. But I knew what it could lead to.

I didn’t know how much time I have and what is it exactly that I need to do. I figured though a hospital would be a safe bet:)

I was running in the apartment like a chicken without a head looking for my keys, even though they are always kept in the same designated spot.

Brain fog and panic. I couldn’t clearly understand what I was doing.

Finally, I grabbed the keys, wallet, phone and I ran to the hospital.
Literally speaking.

It’s about 2 long blocks away from where I live.

I’ve never run so fast and so dumb in my entire life, never minding cars, traffic light, and all the people who wished me “good health”.

Honking, yelling, cursing…I think somebody even threw something at me. I didn’t give a rat’s ass about it, I knew I was running for my life there.

Few feet away from the Emergency Room, I had to slow down, I couldn’t run anymore, I felt lightheaded and it was extremely difficult to breathe.

When I got to the front desk there were 2 people sitting behind it, a nurse and a clerk.

When the nurse saw me, she instantly ran away. I gave my ID to the clerk, and she was about to ask me something but I passed out.

I woke up in a room with a few other patients, a nurse, and a doc.

I couldn’t remember how I ended up there. and how much time I was out. I felt lost, confused and very dizzy.

They were asking questions, like if I had asthma and If I knew where I was and how I got there. They told me that I passed out but everything’s okay now and they are gonna take good care of me.

I was laying on a bed, hooked up to an IV saline bag and had something like an oxygen mask. I had hives all over my forehead, that were very itchy.

They repeatedly asked if I felt okay. Just like one of my favorite Michael Jackson’s songs – Smooth Criminal,” So, Annie are you ok, are you ok, Annie?”.

I tried to talk, it was very difficult, so I was mostly mumbling, nodding and showing thumbs up.

After the medication they gave me, I started to feel extremely hot. I think it was steroids, adrenaline shot(EpiPen) and Benadryl.

Few minutes in, my chest got really tight, heart rate went through the roof, and I felt light-headed again. I started shivering.

I was feeling as I was just about to die. I started to panic, I tried to call for help. I couldn’t mumble a single word for some reason. I’d open my mouth but the words just won’t come out.

I lost eyesight. My eyes were wide open and all of a sudden my vision went black. I couldn’t see anything.

I started shaking harder. Then I passed out again.

I woke up drooling… You know, as if it wasn’t embarrassing enough.

I looked around the room and I saw people frightened to death staring at me with the eyes bigger than my balls. They got to see the whole thing.

I wish you could see their faces. Priceless!

I remember I started to laugh like crazy when I looked around. Then I acknowledged how I laugh and that made me laugh even harder.

If I lived for 27 years just to be in that exact moment and see their faces — it’s so worth it! Confirmed 🙂

Whenever I feel sad nowadays, I just recall that moment to get me back in the mood.

As I was told, later on, I passed out a total of three times.

I don’t remember much of what was happening while I was awakened, very foggy experience.

However, There was something else…

That time when my heart went nuts, I lost eyesight, and I thought I was about to die,  I saw my life flashed in front of my eyes.

I was revisiting some very emotional events of my life, some of which happened over 20 years ago, and played an important role in shaping me into the man I am today.

However, weirdly enough, it wasn’t from my perspective though.

My father, my mom, my ex-girlfriend,  I could see and feel what they did.

So vivid and so realistic.

For instance, there was a dramatic event decades ago where my father had an argument with my relatives that didn’t go all too well.

I saw it through his eyes and felt everything he did.

The things I saw were the exact events that took place in my life. Most of them were very dramatic and extremely important to me.

I know it sounds crazy.

I heard about those “special” people talking about their near-death experience. I never took any of that seriously until I had one of my own to tell.

I don’t know what to make of all of that. However, I know this much — it had the most profound effect on my life and the direction It would take me on from there on out.

It just completely shifted my perspective on life and my focus. It did something to me, that I started to see it all in a different light.

To give you an example, I lived an extremely limited life for a very long time and so did everyone else close to me, because of the severity of my seasonal allergies that ironically last throughout the year.

Allergies dictated where I can go, what I can do, how long I can do it for, and just as important what I can’t do. The list of “can’t do’s” was the even bigger.

My life just revolved around my condition. It affected every single person who cared for me and not in a good way.

That “experience” changed my life.

It was an important nudge towards self-awareness.

It made me realize that significant to me people were suffering because of me and my inaction. I could finally relate to their pains, fears, and doubts.

It made me understand that not taking care of my health was really selfish and plain stupid. And that your health, your attitude, your mood affects your loved ones way more than you ever think about.

Your pain is their pain, and if you don’t care about yourself, they do. And we forget that, or to be honest — we neglect that or completely ignore.

I realized the importance of taking care of my self. And never mind my 20+ years when health wasn’t even on the priority list at all.

The doctor in that ER asked me if I had an anaphylactic experience like that before. And he asked me if I had asthma. I said no.

He said, “it’s allergies then” and suggested me to do a follow up with the allergy clinic right in the next building and that they could really help me out.

Coming out of that building hours later, I just couldn’t stop smiling. I was so happy to be alive. Every single breath I was taking felt amazing, heartwarming.

I had a very strong connection to reality at that moment. I could feel every sensation in my body, and it felt awesome.

Why don’t we appreciate and cherish life like that every day? I made a promise to my self that from now on,  I will.

I was so grateful to the people who saved my life.
I wanted to kiss every single one of them when they were discharging me.

And I just imagined dying from allergies. What a ridiculously stupid way to go.

So silly and pathetic.

This is not even a “real” disease I’d often say to myself.

However, this is where the real problem lies.

When you don’t take it seriously, you don’t do anything about it. And this “not a disease” have kept making my life miserable and the worst part of it is, I LET IT.

I made the appointment with the allergy clinic that same night I was in the ER. Shortly after I paid them a visit.

They did the bloodwork, confirmed everything the doc said and proposed that we do the allergy shots.

I knew I couldn’t live like that any longer.

So I decided to fully commit to the treatment. I knew it would be painful and miserable. Just like it was 15 years ago when I tried that same treatment but quit after doing it for a bit over a year.

But this time, that ER experience happened, and nothing motivates you more than feeling that you can actually die if you keep living like that.

It’s like living on the knife-edge. I believed with all my heart it would help. At the time, I just didn’t know that it would help that much.

And yes, the first year was just as horrible as I imagined it to be. I pushed through misery and suffering.

I knew sooner or later, there has to be an improvement over the long haul. My allergies were so severe, so even if the improvement was 15%, I’d gladly take it.

Little did I know, the treatment would be a massive success.

It’s really hard to put into words without being sentimental about it.

A thousand times better than how I used to feel.

Drastic changes!

For instance, I no longer needed to completely avoid the things I was allergic to, such as grass, trees, roach. Which was nearly impossible to do, since they are everywhere you go.

For the first time in my life, I could actually go to the park and enjoy myself without the need to worry about dying.

And sure enough, I visit Prospect park 6 times a week at the very least to make up for all the years I wasn’t able to.

I adjust my commute to go through the park, even when it adds up 10-15 extra minutes.

At this point, It’s been almost 3 years since that visit to the ER, and about 350+shots done, and not a single appointment missed.

I have never been late to one either. NOT ONCE.

That should tell you something. The line for the shots is 2-4 hours long every single visit.

Every time I have an allergy appointment, I wake up early and extremely excited. Most times I can’t wait to get them done.

In conclusion:

There are many things that are extremely important in life.

Health, however, should rightfully seat at the top of that priority list.

For your sake and for the sake of loved ones.

There are things you can neglect in life and continue living, health is not one of those things. It will backfire and you know it.

Take necessary action to improve it, and be proactive about it.

To enjoy life and to help others, you need to help yourself first. Don’t ever forget that, because we often do. Stay well!