Introduction

This is a work of non-fiction, as perceived by the electrical and chemical exchanges within my brain. However, in a few instances, the haze of those things partially erased certain details of a memory, making a nurse's name, exact features, or the exact content of a conversation elude me. In writing about those memories, I have taken a few liberties, as opposed to leaving them out, for which I hope the reader will find understanding.

That being said, the bulk of the book is non-fiction. I have been as accurate as any heart patient can be when shackled with pain meds, beta-blockers, LDL-lowering capsules, stents, by-pass surgery, the twenty-four hour circus of the emergency room, EKGs, and a mosaic of other heart-healthy devices. I have also double checked my facts to correct the occasional misfiring which may have occurred in my skull, researching medical records and checking with others to verify my recollections.