Indigestion and Chest Pain

For the most part I can eat almost anything without getting indigestion. I do like hot and spicy food every once in a while. After both my wife and I had indigestion the other evening I remembered two stories about spicy food.

The first story was when I was down in the Florida Keys working at Fisherman’s Hospital. I had a scrub top that had red chili peppers on it. It was bright and cheery and fun. It was about the third time I had worn the top, so my co-workers knew I had it. Two of the co-workers were a husband and wife couple from Texas. One of their Texas friends had sent them Habanero Peanut Brittle. It was so hot no one could eat it. They put it out on a plate with a note on it that said “try some, it is hot stuff”. 

 

Almost everyone likes free candy, so about everyone tried it. It was great to see the reaction when someone had a piece. Everybody thought that I had put it out, as I was the one wearing the chili pepper scrub top.  We all agreed that one might scorch the toilet seat the next time you had to use the bath room.

The second story was when my wife tried a new recipe she had found or was given, and prepared it. The meal was not anything great or spicy or even memorable. It just gave both of us indigestion. I had an antacid a short time after dinner and one just before bed that night. Sometime in the middle of the night I got up and had another.

When I awoke the next morning, my first sensation was a prickling sensation in my left arm and a weight on my chest. The Red Fox line “ Oh  X%#@  I am having the BIG ONE!”  was the first thought that went through my head. I opened my eyes to find our big old tom cat on my chest kneading my left arm with his claws. After my heart rate came back down I got up and had another antacid for breakfast with my coffee and toast.