Hospital Assassin’s Attempt on my Life Foiled by my Taiji Training

by John Upshaw on 2022/06/26

Last week I went to the emergency room due to dehydration.  I had trained outside in the heat like I always do…guess I had too much coffee and not enough electrolytes.  I went through the normal labs and such.  The ER doctor hooked me up to an IV.  The doctor had the nurse put on a pressure sleeve on the IV bag to make it run faster.  The nurse left and the IV fluid ran out…I saw this happen.  Then I felt air being pushed through my vein down my arm and diagonally down my chest.  I thought “oh no, that’s not good!” The alarm that was monitoring my vitals went off.  I looked to see that my oxygen level dropped to 84%.  I yelled out to the nurses.  As they stepped into the room I became extremely light headed and my mind was pulled into darkness…I was going unconscious.  It felt like being pulled into a black corridor…I knew that it was very possible that I could die.
Little did this ER assassin know I’ve had years of training in Practical Method Taijiquan!  Once my mind came back, I thought that I’m going to die if I slip into full unconsciousness.  I utilized my vision to create a fixed point in the hospital room.  It became an anchor point to life.  The more I kept my eyes anchored to the light of the ER room…I moved out of the darkness…not completely…on the edge of light and darkness…conscious and unconsciousness.  I then used my hearing to create another fixed point.  I listened to what the doctor and nurses were saying.  I also mindfully/intentionally regulated my breathing.  My speech was impaired, I couldn’t feel my outer limbs and my face was numb.  It felt like I had 1000 pounds on my chest.  Every once in a while I slipped back into the darkness, yet my anchor points kept me from slipping too far.  These anchor points are a concept that is inherit to Practical Method….and it kept me alive!
I was transferred to another hospital to a Cath Lab only to find my cardiac vessels were very good.  I was slipping in and out of confusion.  It was only after I could speak that my wife and I could tell them what was going on…either they knew and were assassins or they were oblivious to their medical error…I had an air embolism, that looks and acts just like a heat attack.
After being released from the Intensive Care Unit, I saw my Primary Care Physician.  She believes Taiji saved my life.  For one, Taiji has allowed me to be in incredibly good shape.  Secondly, my mind’s intent…the anchor point kept me from slipping away.
Days after being released from the hospital, I started doing yilus and swords.  I get more exhausted and require more rest.  My mind is in a very good place.  I am grateful for the small things in life.  I am even more grateful for family and for Taiji.  I have a new  freedom that is hard to explain.  I have a warm spot in my heart knowing…knowing with all certainty…those damn Hospital Assassins couldn’t take me out because I am a hardcore Practical Method Taiji practitioner!!!
Note to Readers:  there are no assassins, only incompetent hospital staff.

{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }

Kelvin Ho June 26, 2022 at 12:04 pm

Glad that you are still alive and well. We won’t know when taiji will help until it happened.

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John Upshaw June 26, 2022 at 2:03 pm

Thanks brother…many more yilus left in me!

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Nikolai June 26, 2022 at 1:37 pm

Apparently the Dao invited you to learn a lesson about its mysteries. You have been at the door, but you refused to go through, meaning, letting go in the right moment.
Are you going to sue the hospital and become a millionaire?

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John Upshaw June 26, 2022 at 2:00 pm

That would be nice…full time Taiji!

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Steve Doob June 26, 2022 at 1:51 pm

Glad you’re in good shape! I’m not an attorney, but could this be a retirement opportunity?

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John Upshaw June 26, 2022 at 2:02 pm

Thanks Steve…not sure if I would completely retire, I find much purpose in my work. Though more time to train Taiji would be nice!

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Mike Menzies June 26, 2022 at 7:18 pm

Hi John God what a traumatic experience to go through. So pleased to hear you pulled through and are back into it. What slack staff. You must have a case there surely although I don’t know your rules. In NZ one cannot sue medical people in a situation like that but we have an organization that one can apply to for compensation while one is off work. Get some compensation and go training full time. Its a good life. Take care and all the best.

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Vincent Den Hengst June 27, 2022 at 12:28 pm

Wishing all best of health and strength to recover fully and become imoral before the assasins ever try someting again.

Seriously, do well and be safe, John.

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Nikolai June 29, 2022 at 12:14 pm

Every infusion has a stopper to regulate the flow. You saw it coming but you didn´t act, why?

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