Friday evening, in an off-and-on drizzle, I was heading for the emergency room at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Only this trip was going to be earth-shaking for me.

Debra Huff, late wife Hazels No. 1 daughter, was again the driver. We had made a quick food stop at Bojangles on Route 40 East. We also were meeting her husband, Red, to give him my full oxygen tanks.

The words of my long-time friend Dr. Steve Lewis were still fresh on my mind. What was to come during the next three days startled me though I had discussed the scenario before.

The question I was to be asked several times during my stay in the intensive care unit was What are your wishes should your heart stop beating?

Have you ever been asked that question?

I had never heard it even in 2005, when I flat-lined three times, twice at Carilion Franklin Memorial only to be brought back twice by friend Dr. Charles Lane and once in the Roanoke Memorial ER.

My recent trip was different from anything I expected.

The week before, at about 9 a.m. on a Friday, I was the first of many at Roanoke Memorial on the fourth floor to undergo an upper gastro-intestinal operation or procedure.

It was to find and stop a bleeding stomach ulcer and several smaller ones that had been the cause of blood loss since at least mid-April. I had never before had a doctor even mention the fact that I could have had an ulcer.

It took them just over an hour to complete the procedure and I was back in my room feeling as if nothing had happened except I felt a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I shed tears of joy.

This experience was interesting in the fact I received a unit of blood the evening before the operation that had been pre-warmed to the point it felt warm to my hands before entered the IV in my arm.

And the best part of it all was this fairly new procedure allowed me to receive the blood in less than half the time, or two rather than four hours. A very sharp intern doctor had two very good nurses do a tough procedure.

Amy Dillon of Franklin County is the niece of Posey Dillon, the Rocky Mount fire chief, and veteran firefighter Danny Altice, both of whom were killed in a July 26, 2010, firetruck crash.

She was assisted by Brooke Spencer of Patrick County. They installed a port in my neck and connected with my heart. That allowed medicine or whatever to be given in addition to the two IVs placed in my arms.

The area was numbed and I listened with intense interest as the young doctor with the French name talked them through the procedure. It was done in ER Room No. 15. I hate to say it, but the port was removed Saturday morning.

What a waste, I recalled thinking.

As the nurse pulled the line from my neck after I took a deep breath to help with the pain. Yeah, right.

Since everything went so well and all of the ulcer bleeding had been stopped and the X-ray of my chest turned out well, Red and Debra picked me up and took me home Monday afternoon.

Peggy Brown, late wife Hazels No. 4 daughter, had come over Sunday night with some great chocolate dessert she had made. Somehow she slept in a chair and spent the night in my room just in case I needed special assistance. Number 2 and 3 daughters, Polly and Teresa, also came to my aid.

So now Im back writing the column without missing a lick and Im going to keep going more as I get back my strength.

I have a couple of hot stories I look forward to writing. One is about 91-year-old Marie Perdue.

Book It: The cover of Phillip Garretts new book The Chronicles of a Sophisticated Redneck features an outline of Virginia.

Garrett, whose mother was director of nurses at Franklin Memorial at one time, and father, who worked for a government agency, wrote about his growing up days, and he made them interesting.

There is a photo in the book of Phillip when he played football for the Franklin County High School Eagles that either the late Phillip Nichols or I took during photo day his senior year.

A book signing is set from 8 a.m. until noon Sept. 16, at the Farmers Market on Franklin Street.

Great Grand Opening: Chris Prillaman of Ferrum, owner of Twin Creeks Distillery, had a super grand opening Saturday at his new location on Henry Road, a heartbeat away from Prillaman Switch Road.

I hate that I missed it and dont have any photos to use because I was Roanoke Memorial. That is the only thing that kept me away and I was looking forward to the bid day. Special guests were Henry Law and his famous father, Amos.

Henry has opened his distillery near the county line at Penhook. He is producing his fathers special recipe under the brand name of Laws Choice. I will be doing a special story on his operation in the near future,

Saving a Hummer: My daughter Kathy found a sick little humming bird on her apartment deck and a larger female pecking the other bird on the head. Kathy was upset.

She took the hummer inside her apartment, put it in a special box, left food next to it and had to go to work. She continued to nurse the bird as it slowly improved.

A wildlife vet she knew who comes to her store, Fresh Market, stopped in one day and Kathy, an assistant manager there, asked her about the bird. Well, the vet took the little hummer home with her and the story hopefully has a happy ending.

Kathy said she talked to the vet, who had locked herself out of her car. She was ready to release the bird and did so perhaps yesterday.

And finally: I was coming to work yesterday and saw three walkers heading toward North Main and I think at least two of them were struggling with trying to carry a bowling ball.

Now Ive forgotten how much one of those balls weigh, but I know they are not light and carrying something heavy around with only three small holes had to be adding a lot to their exercise program. Good luck!

And, again, thanks for all your thoughts, prayers, phone calls and cards. They are appreciated as is your continued readership.

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A question no one wants to be asked - Franklin News Post