April, what a great month in Salem , OR .
Where do you start? As a whole the rains are pretty much gone. It was 70 degrees yesterday and it’s averaging around 60 and 40-45 at night. The daffodils and tulips are starting to bloom; the crocus already is in full bloom. People are getting their yards ready. Ours is ready to go, too many people jump the gun, we always have one more blast and they do it every year and have to go out and buy more. I always use Mothers Day as my gauge but with it getting warmer every year earlier May 1 is a good time. We have 45 rose bushes in our yard so a little pruning is in order, but not quite yet. We surround those with wave purple petunias that are spectacular. One flat and our 3 dirt hill areas in the front and along the back fence and that’s it. Petunias that you don’t have to snip either, priceless. OK $2.49 apiece but I fill the front and back with 1 flat! Unfortunately Melanie will have to do it this year with the girls (my nieces that live with us.) I can’t do it from a wheelchair.
Its baseball time again. I used to love it but now I can’t tell who’s who on what team this year so I wait until the playoffs or have a game as “background” “music” while I’m working on the fundraising. I, Melanie and one of my nieces were taped for the Jerry Lewis telethon like last year. I’m the first person the Northwest has ever had on twice, just this time I couldn’t talk, but I can write fast. Basketball is nearing the end, oops, I mean of the regular season. Same thing when are the playoffs over June or July? Just stick the Lakers and Celtics in there let them play a 13 game playoff and call it a season.
Ever since I was a small boy we called this week golf week. In Indiana , golf season always starts the week after the Masters and what a tournament to watch. I’ve been lucky enough to go 3 times and the No.1 thing if you haven’t been there is how hilly it is. TV does not show it at all. For you golfers the 18th hole from the end of the trees on the right and the sand trap on the left it is almost straight uphill to the green, See the green? You can’t see the flag. Heck you can’t see anything including the clubhouse.
April is also my wonderful sister’s birthday, we’re 19 years apart with nobody in between or older or younger. It was tough to relate for a long time, but now we have been inseparable along with her wonderful husband, Alex. What a great a guy! Then My wonderful niece and nephew, Prescott and Aubree. Aubree is my god daughter and she could be in movies, but I feel Alex and Shawn will need track shoes to keep up with her. I’LL GET MY FIRST CHANCE AS THEY ARE COMING FOR 5 DAYS FOR Easter, I can’t wait.
Next month is ALS Awareness Month and I’ll send out a special newsletter for that, everything is not quite in place yet. Health wise, except for not being able to talk or walk (I’m confined to a wheelchair), things haven’t been too bad. Of course with 5 treatments of drugs, clearing the hole in my throat and suctioning my lungs 5 or more times a day I should be decent.
Well that’s about it, please keep passing my name around so they can read the website too. I love all of you and God bless you, remember Easter is not all Easter bunnies and chocolates. Don’t forget the real meaning. Happy Easter and Passover!
God bless.
Jim
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
March 2009
As my little nephew would say, Hello Every-Body!
Sorry the update is a little late I went on vacation again to Salem Hospital. Down for the count but back up and down goes Frazier (our nickname for pneumonia!)! I know ½ the hospital now, and all the wonderful people I met. My main Doctor that I call Doctor Midnight because he works such long days and he says I see my best patients that don’t need me as much later at night, later isn’t Midnight to 4AM but that shows his dedication and care he gives to his patients. This was from a guy who saved my life about 16 hours earlier. Yeah, no big deal. Honestly we’ve become pretty close and I think we’ll have a relationship until the final days come. I respect him immensely and think he is smart as a whip, but you got to keep up as he talks pretty fast. I don’t think it has anything to do with the Quad Starbucks he has 2 to usually 3 times a day, but Melanie knows Starbucks well, I don’t and I've been once and asked for a regular cup of Joe, Java, regular old black octane. They looked at me like an alien. You’d have thought I was from outer space and I haven’t been to one since. She says no wonder he’s wired!
After three vacations to the hospital and a tracheotomy by one of the leading surgeons in the world, Dr. Nicole VanderHayden. So far we’ve gotten rid of the real culprit which was so much moisture in my lungs, OK Doc no sugar coating - pneumonia. Now IF you’ve read my website in its entirety you will see the #1 killer of people with ALS is pneumonia and I couldn’t shake it for about 2 months, not good. It took a lot of time to get those two little monsters but we think they’re gone which is a miracle. Usually when people get pneumonia and have ALS they are put to rest and all their friends and families talk about what a great guy or gal the person was. It’s a good ting I’m not a cat, I've used up my 9 lives so no more pneumonia, no more playing golf in our Salem cold, windy and rainy conditions 6 months a year and having a blast. (OOPS that won’t be a problem anyway I can’t walk, so golf is over for me)
Thursday is Melanie and I’s 26th anniversary. The girls are gone with their dad, ah a romantic evening with great food. Iced cold gulf shrimp cocktail, a nice BBQ portion of a beautiful New York steak, a 20 oz. lobster baked to perfection, small potions of twice baked potatoes with cheese brimming over and sour cream dollop on top, some grilled asparagus, the find of our area last year, and a nice bottle of Veuve Cliquot. Sounds pretty darn good doesn’t it? It sure does to me. I haven't been able to eat any solid food in over 2 years, and I’m pretty much over being around the food but that smell is a killer. Thank goodness I can have liquids so I can enjoy a little of the Veuve Clicquot with the woman I married 26 years ago.
That’s ALS for you; THE PROBLEM IS EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND YOU; friends, family and spouse, it’s a killer. Think about it and it could come anytime to anybody. So when you think about it, and your online go to the website www.jimculveyhouse.com and give a little, or call them at the Regional office. These aren’t tough things to do, and I can tell you we need to find a cure for this disease. $5, $10 won’t change your lifestyle but with your 100% dollars going to research it certainly will help.
Enjoy your dinners Thursday night! I’m still around!
Jim
www.jimculveyhouse.com read it there’s a contest!
Sorry the update is a little late I went on vacation again to Salem Hospital. Down for the count but back up and down goes Frazier (our nickname for pneumonia!)! I know ½ the hospital now, and all the wonderful people I met. My main Doctor that I call Doctor Midnight because he works such long days and he says I see my best patients that don’t need me as much later at night, later isn’t Midnight to 4AM but that shows his dedication and care he gives to his patients. This was from a guy who saved my life about 16 hours earlier. Yeah, no big deal. Honestly we’ve become pretty close and I think we’ll have a relationship until the final days come. I respect him immensely and think he is smart as a whip, but you got to keep up as he talks pretty fast. I don’t think it has anything to do with the Quad Starbucks he has 2 to usually 3 times a day, but Melanie knows Starbucks well, I don’t and I've been once and asked for a regular cup of Joe, Java, regular old black octane. They looked at me like an alien. You’d have thought I was from outer space and I haven’t been to one since. She says no wonder he’s wired!
After three vacations to the hospital and a tracheotomy by one of the leading surgeons in the world, Dr. Nicole VanderHayden. So far we’ve gotten rid of the real culprit which was so much moisture in my lungs, OK Doc no sugar coating - pneumonia. Now IF you’ve read my website in its entirety you will see the #1 killer of people with ALS is pneumonia and I couldn’t shake it for about 2 months, not good. It took a lot of time to get those two little monsters but we think they’re gone which is a miracle. Usually when people get pneumonia and have ALS they are put to rest and all their friends and families talk about what a great guy or gal the person was. It’s a good ting I’m not a cat, I've used up my 9 lives so no more pneumonia, no more playing golf in our Salem cold, windy and rainy conditions 6 months a year and having a blast. (OOPS that won’t be a problem anyway I can’t walk, so golf is over for me)
Thursday is Melanie and I’s 26th anniversary. The girls are gone with their dad, ah a romantic evening with great food. Iced cold gulf shrimp cocktail, a nice BBQ portion of a beautiful New York steak, a 20 oz. lobster baked to perfection, small potions of twice baked potatoes with cheese brimming over and sour cream dollop on top, some grilled asparagus, the find of our area last year, and a nice bottle of Veuve Cliquot. Sounds pretty darn good doesn’t it? It sure does to me. I haven't been able to eat any solid food in over 2 years, and I’m pretty much over being around the food but that smell is a killer. Thank goodness I can have liquids so I can enjoy a little of the Veuve Clicquot with the woman I married 26 years ago.
That’s ALS for you; THE PROBLEM IS EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND YOU; friends, family and spouse, it’s a killer. Think about it and it could come anytime to anybody. So when you think about it, and your online go to the website www.jimculveyhouse.com and give a little, or call them at the Regional office. These aren’t tough things to do, and I can tell you we need to find a cure for this disease. $5, $10 won’t change your lifestyle but with your 100% dollars going to research it certainly will help.
Enjoy your dinners Thursday night! I’m still around!
Jim
www.jimculveyhouse.com read it there’s a contest!
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