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!