Life forces Parpet to make changes in 'retirement'
With indescribable pain burning through his chest, Paul Parpet pulled over to the side of the road and sat alone in his car.
Placing his head on the steering wheel, he accepted his fate.
"I thought I was going to die right there on the shoulder," he said. "I started thinking about if I had told my wife about my funeral arrangements. I thought about my daughter coming home from college that day.
"I don't know how long I sat there," he said. "Maybe a minute, maybe five. Do I call 911? Do I try to drive home? Do I just sit there and wait to die? You wouldn't believe the thoughts that go through your head."
No, you wouldn't.
Few can relate to the thoughts of a man experiencing the trauma of a heart attack. But on Dec. 7, following an Addison Trail girls bowling meet he had just coached, Parpet began a fight for his life.
As the temperature outside struggled to reach 15 degrees, he figured maybe the cold was adversely affecting him. But as he drove to Downers Grove South, where he's an assistant baseball coach, Parpet knew it wasn't the cold.
Parpet made it to Downers South but didn't stay long. By the time he reached his car again, the chest pain became more intense. His thoughts racing, he tried to drive home.
"I wasn't sure what to do," he said. "I probably wasn't thinking too clearly at the time."
At a certain point Parpet could no longer drive. Sweating profusely, he pulled over with mortal thoughts filling his mind.
Some way to start a retirement.
Parpet spent 35 years teaching and coaching at Addison Trail before retiring in June. Known best for leading the Blazers' football team to two Class 6A finals, Parpet also spent decades as the varsity baseball coach.
A handful of years ago he became Addison Trail's girls bowling coach, a position he still holds. Parpet kept himself busy last fall by coaching football at Downers Grove North and will begin his first season with Downers South's baseball team this spring.
Parpet also supervises events at Downers North and substitute teaches at Downers South, but he still manages to spend part of his retirement actually relaxing. Parpet, before Dec. 7, stayed in shape by jogging 3 miles and lifting weights nearly every day.
From that standpoint Parpet's heart attack stunned those around him. But considering he hadn't seen a doctor in 25 years, it's not as surprising.
"All that stuff terrifies me," he said. "Getting a shot, having blood drawn. I'd never had an IV before. I felt fine so I never saw the need to go to the doctor."
That all changed on Dec. 7.
Parpet eventually made it home that night, and his daughter immediately called 911. Doctors found one artery 100 percent blocked and another 95 percent blocked. During surgeries on separate days, artery stents were inserted and Parpet spent four days in the hospital.
Well-wishing visitors flooded his room. The phone rang nonstop. Flowers and fruit baskets surrounded him. Three hundred get-well messages were sent to him through Edward Hospital.
As the days went on, Parpet was amazed by the support he felt.
"It was very humbling," he said. "I heard from coaches, students, players. I can't tell you how comforting it was to know how many people cared."
It's been nearly two months since the heart attack and Parpet's retirement is getting back on track. He's working out again and he's taking medication to keep his health in check.
He's even seeing the doctor.
A new life begins. Again.
"It was a scary thing, no doubt about it," Parpet said. "But I feel good."
kschmit@dailyherald.com