I met Jimmy in the rooms of AA.
I was working through my period of feeling sorry for myself, with self-pity, low self-esteem, etc.
In the 12-step program that I belong to, one of the instructions was to get a sponsor. Someone to call to share whatever problems or struggles I have in a principal-based manner.
Well, Jimmy had a little more time in the program than I did, therefore, I picked him to be my sponsor, to follow the guidelines of the AA program.
At this time, I was in total victim mode, not only being powerless from our disease alcoholism, but also, I was blind!
I had no personal power in my life, being dependent, inside a dysfunctional relationship.
This is the way it was. Now, because of my unique circumstances, I felt that I had a right to feel sorry for myself, especially being blind. Therefore, I used Jimmy as a sounding board, letting him know how bad I had it, from day to day.
It seemed to me that, no matter what intense scenario I would give him, Jimmy would respond with his accepting manner, and say, "Oh well." Then he would go ahead and lift me up, out of myself, in a way only Jimmy could somehow do, I believe, with God's direction.
Jimmy had juvenile diabetes. He was a meek, mild 35-year-old man, with a toughness that I truly respected.
He had many health problems, including a slight visual impairment. He also was a lot of fun, as he was very free to express himself, and surely, he did not care about what other people thought of him, or his expression.
I know that God had placed Jimmy in my life for a reason, as he also, was one of the angels that helped save me.
With our frequent phone calls that I had made to him, after hanging up, I felt humble and felt bad that I dared to feel sorry for myself.
Jimmy would inform me that he had to get these expensive shoes at a specialized shoe store because he had lost yet another toe on his other foot due to diabetes. He really could not afford them.
He had more health problems I knew about, but he would not burden me with them. His usual response was, "oh well."
I knew Jimmy's mother, and she told me about the event that he went through one night when his sugar went too low.
Joan, his mother took him to the hospital, nine miles away, with another sugar attack. In the emergency room, they treated Jim and brought him out of his low-sugar episode.
His mother tried to comfort him, but she found that she could not, as he was extremely angry at the disease that he had, at this time.
He walked out of the hospital, with his mother following him. She wanted him to get in the car, but he refused. Jimmy walked nine miles to his home, with his mother following him in her car.
I never did talk to him about that walk, but I wonder if he and God were talking to each other that night.
This happened before Jimmy and I met, but Jimmy sure did help so many people, including me, with a pamphlet called Acceptance, by a local Priest.
He had bought several hundred copies, and he distributed them, to anyone that would take one.
By the time I met Jimmy, I perceived that he had this concept already engrained into his life. I also, needed this concept, desperately, due to my blindness.
Jimmy gave me one, and I had one of my other AA angels, read it into a tape player for me. It became part of my foundation in my recovery.
I now believe there was no coincidence that Jimmy and I worked together in God’s overall plan. The Acceptance reading, is on my website, if anyone would like to read it. I will share my website at the end of my book.
God Performed a Miracle that Involved the Both of Us.
Jimmy and I had gone to a Friday night meeting that ended at 9.30 PM. Then there was the "meeting after the meeting," where we just stayed to talk.
It was after 10 o'clock before we got out of there for him to drive me home.
It was the dead of winter. The temperature was below zero. The road had no snow on it, as it was too cold to snow.
Jimmy got noticeably quiet on the way home, and I thought he was mad at me for some reason, that I could not imagine why.
I knew the roads by heart, every hill, every bend, Even though I was blind, I knew where we were.
When we got to Walworth, I could tell that he missed the turn to my home. I said, "Jim, you missed my street. You can turn up here at Center Street."
He at least responded with "OK." But then, he also passed that street.
I said, "You can turn on High Street," as that is where I lived anyway.
I could tell that he had passed that. After this, I said, "You can turn around up at Sherborn Road, and then come back to my street.” He again responded, "OK."
Jimmy went straight and drove around both curves that I knew, driving on towards the Palmyra Macedon area.
We got almost to the canal bridge when I realized that he was having a sugar attack and was actually in a diabetic coma.
This was long before cell phones, and there was hardly anyone else on the road as it was too cold for anyone to be out on a night like this.
I took his arm and started raising my voice, "Jim, can you hear me?" After a long five seconds, he responded, "Yes."
Suddenly, I had to go into survival mode. I knew where we were, as I had driven these roads so many times, that I could almost drive them with my eyes closed anyway!
I felt the tires going over the bridge. Then I grabbed Jimmy's arm and yelled into his ear, "Jim, tell me what you see! Do you see the Yellow Mills building?" After another long delay, he said, “Yes." I said, "Turn right, I will guide you home!"
He started to obey my instructions. He turned right and went down Route 31. I said, "Tell me what you see, do you see a McDonalds up here on the left? There should be a McDonalds up here on the left." With another delay, he said, "Yes."
Thinking I was on the right track, guiding him, further down the road, I wanted him to turn on route 31F, so I said, "Do you see the chemical company on the right?" I had to ask him a couple of times, and he finally said "Yes."
I said, "Turn right on 31F, Jim, when you come to the traffic light, turn right on 31F!"
I then realized that he had passed 31F. Driving straight, going out of town now, I said, "Do you see the car dealer on the left?" He said, "Yes."
I repeatedly said, "Pull in there, in that parking lot." He pulled in. I said, "Stop the truck."
He did then stop it. I turned off the ignition. It was getting cold in the truck, fast.
I realized that Jimmy was in a diabetic coma, and he did not even know that I was there, in the truck with him.
I frantically looked in the glove compartment for any candy, but there was none.
I then prayed to God, “Please help us, guide me what to do”.
I then started the truck up, and I said, "Jimmy, I need you to listen to me!" as we were nineteen miles from my home.
I then started to give him instructions, to turn the truck around, and to turn right, out of the parking lot.
I was shaking his arm, talking directly into his ear, to give him very clear directions on where to turn, by saying things like, "Jim, do you see the traffic light coming up?" When he said, "Yes," I said, "You have to turn left here," and I kept repeating it until he did.
Like I said, I knew these roads very well, and by the curves in the road, I knew where we had to go. The next turn was on route 350, as it came to a T in the road. He followed my direction to turn right.
The next turn was several miles away, and I needed to guess where route 441 was, but when we started going up the incline, I recognized the hill, and I told him that we needed to turn right, at the top of the hill, and he did.
I needed to get some sugar into his system as soon as I could. At that time, the only business was a little convenience store, and I kept telling him, "There is a little store up here on the right, do you see it?" He finally said, "Yes." I repeatedly said, "Pull into the store."
He turned right, into the parking lot, and I said, "Stop the truck!" When he stopped, I turned the key, to turn it off, and took the keys. I got out and went to the driver's side.
I opened the door and pulled him out. As I held his arm, I said, "Jimmy, take me into the store!"
We walked slowly, to the door, sighted guide. I felt the door, then opened it, and said, "Can someone please help us?"
The girl behind the counter said, "What do you need?"
I said, "Please, I need two bottles of pop, right away!"
She went to get them, and I gave them to Jimmy to drink. After a few minutes, Jimmy responded, "What's going on? Why are we in this store?"
He came to consciousness again, and I was so relieved.
I told him all that had happened, and that we had just been through a miracle from God.
I stood there, “In amazement”, and so grateful to God for saving both of us.
Jimmy then took me to my home, less than a half mile away. He wanted to drop me off, but again, I turned the truck off. I said, "You are coming in to eat a bowl of ice cream!"
I made him do it, but I realize now that I may have overloaded him, to the opposite extreme, for his blood sugar.
The news of our adventure spread fast, throughout the rooms of AA, and many of his friends lectured him to put candy, or orange juice in his truck at all times, but he did not.
A week later, by himself, he had another attack, and he drove through a farmer’s fence.
The female police officer gave him a DWI because his behavior resembled as if he were drunk.
They then gave him a blood test, to find that there was no alcohol in his system. Therefore, the officer dropped the DWI charge.
Jimmy struggled with his disease, and he died from heart failure, at age 38, due to his juvenile diabetes.
He was an angel then, in my life, and I am sure that he is one now.