Nick Joanides has used up more than his share of 9 lives throughout his lifetime. From being thrown out of a tumbling car at 9 years old, going off a cliff at 18, narrowly missing a bullet from an armed burglar at 24, to surviving a fiery explosion at 25 and so on and so on, none of those compared with the most recent 2 lives he used up in the span of 3 days. The ones before were all escaping from bad accidents thanks to the help of some heroic people. The last two were completely in the hands of a higher power.
"As far as I’m concerned, the fact that I’m still here to race in the Showdown, 2011 has already gotten off to a great start."— Nick Joanides
Joanides was celebrating the Christmas holiday with his family, feeling good, when a board game question was asked ”What do you hope to be doing for the new year?”. Joanides responded, “sucking air”. He continued, “as long as we’re still breathing, all of life’s problems can be dealt with and it could always be worse”. Little did he know that within an hour, that goal wouldn’t seem to be so attainable!
As he sat down for Christmas dinner, he began to experience some moderate chest pains, which he thought nothing of. “with all of the things I’ve been through, I’m used to the little aches and pains”. Within minutes, he was having trouble breathing and soon could no longer “suck air”, gasping for anything he could get into his lungs.
His father quickly rushed him to the hospital where they determined he had somehow come down with Walking Pneumonia. They were able to quickly reduce the swelling and open up the air way for Nick to breathe again. The doctor told him, he was lucky that he made it in when he did. A few more minutes and the results would not have been good.
After holding him for observation, they released him with instructions to go see his regular doctor on Monday Over the course of the weekend, he was still in a significant amount of pain and unable to lie down due to fluid in the lungs. He contacted the doctor on Monday and made an appointment for that morning. The doctor’s initial observation concurred with the ER doctor and he prescribed some antibiotics and sent him to schedule a time to get an X-ray taken just to be sure.
Joanides, still in pain and thinking it was normal based on the doctors comments, went for the X-ray and returned home. About 30 minutes later, the doctor called and ordered him back to the hospital immediately. Turns out that as a result of the Pneumonia sometime that day, a hole opened up in his right lung. As air and fluid escaped the lung into parts of the body it did not belong, the lung was not far from being fully collapsed.
He rushed back to the hospital for an immediate outpatient surgery. where tubes were put in to re-inflate the lung and drain air and fluid from around the lung. After three days, the tubes were removed and he was back to normal.
“I don’t quite understand all of the medical terms and so forth, but I got the doctors point when he said “That’s TWO this week!”, referring to me using up two of my 9 lives”
“It really makes you think. I’m not that old, I’m in good health and you just never know what can happen. My cousin passed away three years ago from Pneumonia and he was the same age I am now. With what they call, Walking Pneumonia, there are no pre-warning signs until it’s almost too late. I’m very fortunately I wasn’t out camping in the middle of nowhere and was close enough to make it to the hospital fast enough, both times! I really just makes you realize how precious life is and to really take advantage of the time we do have, make the most of it and not let life’s daily problems get you down too much, because, until you’re gone, it could always be worse! It obviously wasn’t my time to go, but at the same time, I feel like everything from here forward is “bonus time” so I’m going to do my best to make the most out of it and enjoy all the great things life has to offer. God willing, I’ll be able to do so for at least another 50+ years!”
Joanides will attempt to make the most out of the upcoming weekend where he will pull double duty at the Nascar All-Star Showdown on Friday and Saturday. His team owner sold the car Joanides competed in last year, so his plans for 2011 are up in the air with no set ride in place.
Position One Motorsports purchased the former #77 Late Model and has asked Nick to run it at the Showdown with sponsorship coming from King Taco. After nearly winning the Thanksgiving classic, the 2009 Irwindale Late Model and Super Late Model double champion Joanides, has high hopes for pulling off his first win in the famed event.
Until last week, this was to be the only event Joanides would compete in. Then his championship winning car owner, Loyd McGhee, worked out a deal with Jackson Race Cars to pull out their 2008 & 2009 championship winning Super Late Model for the Friday portion of the event with sponsorship coming from ProCast. Joanides finished second in this event at the 2009 Showdown. The team started the 2010 season with the car, winning the first two races. In the third race however, an engine failure and lack of funding forced the car to be parked for the remainder of the year.
“I’ve got two GREAT cars to drive at this years events and am really looking forward to competing for the win in both races. After the past few years have had the races shortened, so far the weather forecast looks great, so if we can go the full distance this year, I love our chances. As far as I’m concerned, the fact that I’m still here to race in the Showdown, 2011 has already gotten off to a great start”, said Joanides.
The Toyota All-Star Showdown, held at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, has been considered the “Daytona 500 of short track racing” for the past several years. The nationally televised event is aired Live on Speed Channel, starting at 7:00 PM on Friday and Saturday. The event is expected to draw more than 120 cars from all across the country.
