Thank Goodness for Stork

My brother has a closeknit group of fraternity brothers and alum from Alfred University. Alfred University is located in Alfred, NY. It is a long drive on Route 6 through rural upstate NY and by upstate NY I mean way upstate.

The fraternity brothers are members of Delta Sigma Phi and referred to by many including my mother as “The Delta Brothers.” I remember many fraternity parties at the Delta House. As I attended undergrad at Cornell University, it was an easy trip for my family to visit me in Ithaca and then my brother in Alfred, NY. I would join in the visits to Alfred and became friends with many of The Delta Brothers and many of the young women who also became close friends with my brother.

I have always admired the closeness of the Alfred Community alum. It is something that I also see in my husband’s fraternity brothers. Hubs attended Dickinson College and is a member of the Phi Eps. I am a member of Theta and while I keep in touch with my sorority sisters, it is nothing like the closeness I have witnessed in the Alfred and Dickinson communities. I think there is something to be said for the unique experience one has at a small liberal arts college.

This closeness was most recently reflected after a medical emergency on my family’s side. It was in fact an MI, a myocardial infraction also known as a heart attack. My youngish brother experienced an MI and I was pretty much in a state of shock. I wondered how that could be possible? Just the day before he was running sprints on the treadmill and pulling tires on his cul-de-sac. Yes, he’s one of those people that you may see from time to time outside working out and pulling tires. Whenever I see someone doing this I think, “What an asshole – who does that person think they are? Are they headed to the NFL?” Well that asshole would be my brother, he’s not really an asshole though. My brother also only eats clean as do I. Exercise and a healthy body and mind are integral to longevity, at least that’s the going myth.

So naturally when my sister-in-law frantically called and said my brother was having a heart attack I thought that simply was not possible. How could he be having a heart attack? He’s one of the fittest people I know.

Well, as it turns out, he did in fact have a heart attack and the physician told him there was nothing he could have done to avoid this, no amount of clean eating and exercise would have prevented this outcome; it’s genetic and he has coronary artery disease. I was shocked! If he takes a number of medications for the rest of his life, along with the stint that was implanted, he should lead a perfectly normal life.

I asked my brother how in the world did he know he was having a heart attack and what prompted him to go to the emergency room. Enter fraternity brother Stork. Stork is one of The Delta Brothers. I don’t even know Stork’s real name. I only know him as Stork. Just as I only know Babaloo, another Delta Brother, by his nickname Babaloo. I remember when I was reaching out to The Delta Brothers to request video birthday wishes for a milestone birthday for my brother, I did not know how to look up Babaloo on social media because I did not know his real name. Alas I digress, back to the MI. Apparently my brother had spoken with Stork recently and Stork had relayed how he had had a heart attack and what it felt like when the event occurred – wooziness and chest pain that would just not go away, the same symptoms my brother experienced. And so my brother acted on these Stork symptoms and his instinct and called my sister-in-law and they raced to the ER. But for Stork, I do not believe my brother would have gone to the emergency room because I believe he would have chalked it up to heartburn, not a heart attack.

Since the MI, The Delta Brothers and Alfred alum have called, texted and reached out to my brother (as well as the cul-de-sac neighbors). The outpouring has been unreal.

I love this tight-knight Alfred Community, the text exchanges, FaceTime’s and countless well wishes.

It is important that we check in on one another; and The Delta Brothers and Alfred alum do a remarkable job of staying in touch.  I am grateful to the Alfred Community and most importantly Stork; the Crayton family owes you a debt of gratitude. Thank goodness for Stork.

Sweet Dreams,

Ava

Back to Sweet Dreams