What was the closest you've ever come to dying/death....?

[mnhtnbb]

46. I was told--when older--that I almost died from a

severe UTI when I was about 6. I had an anatomical problem--ureteral reflux--which resulted in numerous
UTI's when a child. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vesicoureteral-reflux/basics/definition/con-20031544
I was on prophylactic antibiotics for years as a kid until I was about 12. The antibiotics I took stopped working, my temp spiked and they didn't know what else to do.
Then, they kicked in, my temp came down, and I was ok. I eventually outgrew the problem. From all the years of having to take meds every day, I HATE taking
meds of any kind. But from all the hospitalizations I had so I could have IV antibiotics, I had no fear or dislike of hospitals and ended up with a career in hospital administration.


The second time I remember: I got caught in a riptide at Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas, CA. A friend had gotten out of the ocean and was sitting on the beach.
There was a lifeguard. I yelled for help, but no one heard me and no one recognized I was in trouble. I realized if I wasn't going to drown I had to get myself
out of the rip current. My Red Cross water safety training kicked in (I was 16 and an excellent swimmer from years of participating on a swim club/swim team)
and I kept swimming parallel to the shore until I got out of the current and was able to come in. I was totally exhausted. My friend couldn't believe I'd been in trouble.

To this day I don't like playing in the waves at the ocean. I went on to become PADI open water certified in my early 30's. I'm fine snorkeling offshore (no waves) or going out
on a boat (I no longer SCUBA dive because of asthma), but I really don't want to play in breaking ocean waves.