Paul B.

[AKBEEMER]

Most recent info from the vet BMW group:

Paul has been put on a ventilator due to breathing difficulties. He has also been sedated and "medically paralized" in order to assist with his recovery.

His daughter Pam is setting up an email list to keep all of Paul friends updated on his condition. If you want to be added to this list you need to email, Pam Bachorz at pbachorz@yahoo.com

[Muriel]

From Paul's daughter Pam:
Thank you to everyone for your continued outpouring of love and support for Dad,
as well as for all of us. He remains on a ventilator in the ICU and is still
medically paralyzed and sedated. Some results from his cultures came back today
and indicated gram-positive bacteria in his lungs. This means the doctors have
some more information about which medicines are likely to help him, and there
are more bags hanging on his IV hooks now! We are still waiting for results on
other cultures.

The hospital had hoped to put Dad on a rotating bed today but he is not stable
enough yet for the move. Hopefully soon.

Dad needed a transfusion today and as we watched the blood flow into him, we
were reminded of what a gift we can all give with blood donation. I know so many
people want to help him and don't know how; one thing you can do is to go give
blood. While of course it's not likely he will get your blood, another patient
equally in need--or even more so--will get it.

Another nice thing you can do is to send him an e-card. The hospital has a
special web site (http://www.saratogacare.org/index.cfm?contentID=273) that lets you type in a message to him. Printouts are delivered to his room and we read them to him. His outstanding nurse tells us that he may well be able to hear
what we are saying to him, so we like to think that he hears your well wishes
and feels stronger for it. And of course we will save them all for him to enjoy
when he wakes.

Thank you for your love, prayers, good vibes and healing light.

Paul, Judy, Pam and Patty

PS: You are welcome to repost this to any online forums Dad participates in,
such as the BMW MOA.

[sibud]

Get well soon Paul.

We need to hear the voice of the loyal opposition.

[Muriel]

Thank you for your love, concern and messages regarding Dad and his illness.

He remains sedated, medically paralyzed and on the ventilator. His doctor told
us today that he is critically ill and his system may not be able to support
many more of the occasional "events" that he has been experiencing. While they
are not giving up hope, the situation is increasingly, and quite, serious.
Father Kelly came today to give him the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick,
and we are trying to spend as much time as possible talking to him and just
supporting Mom.


The cultures I mentioned in yesterday's e-mail were from a single blood sample
and were attributed to site contamination, so they were not indicative. The
doctor tells us they still cannot identify any bacteria--or any other
cause--that have brought this about. They are not sure whether to call this
pneumonia/edema, anymore, or to attribute it to the mysterious ailment that
started at least a month ago.



Many, many thanks for the outpouring of e-cards today and last night. We read
each and every one of them to him and shared them with his (amazing) nurse too.
You can send e-cards from the Saratoga Hospital website:
http://www.saratogacare.org/index.cfm?contentID=273.

We also decorated Dad's walls with photographs today, both for him to enjoy upon
waking and for all of his visitors (and the ICU team) to be reminded of the
hearty and healthy man he has been up until now. If you have a special
photograph of Dad that you would like to send for his walls, please mail it to
the Saratoga Hospital, in his name.

If you would prefer not to receive updates via e-mail, please just drop me an
email at this address. I am also happy to add anyone to this list. You are
welcome to repost this to any online forums Dad participates in, such as the BMW
MOA, or to forward it to friends.

Thank you for your love, prayers, good vibes and healing light.

Paul, Judy, Pam and Patty

[HODAG]

prayers sent

[Paul_F]

I'll be thinking of you Paul. Keep fighting.

[sibud]

Muriel,

Kevin Greenwald forwarded this picture, taken at the Color In The Catskills last year.



Paul on the left and Kevin on the right.

[Visian]

paul tells ian just how much smugmug sucks (he's a photobucket kinda guy).

[statdawg]

Today was what one of Dad's nurses calls a "sideways day". He is still sedated,
medically paralyzed and on the ventilator--but his condition has not worsened.
The nurse told us that at this point in his treatment, a day without change can
be the best anyone can hope for.

They were able to move him to the rotating bed and he is tolerating that well.
The bed will allow for more effective treatment, and we are encouraged that the
move went smoothly.

Dad is now diagnosed as having ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome), which
is a sudden failure of the respiratory system for any number of reasons. We
still do not know how Dad got so sick, and we were told today that this is very
common--that in one nurse's 15 years of experience, he estimated that 40-50% of
the cases in the ICU never have an explanation for their root cause.

At this point the doctor says Dad may be on the ventilator for 3 weeks. He also
wanted us to understand that while he remains in very critical condition, his
case is NOT hopeless.

A friend of Dad's brought by a Navy flag to hang in his room today, which can
only bring good health and vibes to a sailor who likely is singing "Anchors
Away" somewhere in his deep sleep.

If you would prefer not to receive updates via e-mail, please just drop me an
email at this address. I am also happy to add anyone to this list. You are
welcome to repost this to any online forums Dad participates in, such as the BMW
MOA, or to forward it to friends.

As always, thank you for your love, prayers, good vibes and healing light.

Paul, Judy, Pam and Patty

[Visian]

now let me see if i got this straight here.....

[wezul]

Channeling energy and good karma.
Hang in there, Paul!

[tessler]

This was the day of our inaugural "Big Gig" (Seven members at dinner, joined later by Ray, Vince and Ted at the Westside Tavern).

[Muriel]

Nice pictures, guys! I especially like the shirt Paul is wearing at the Big GIG innaugural.

Thanks to all of you for sharing both thoughts and pictures - it is helpful to all of us who know and love Paul. Let's hope he's at an upward turning point.

Best,
Muriel

[RINTY]

...how much SmugMug sucks...Visian

Ah, it's just different, like an airhead.

Speedy recovery, Paul!

[Visian]

Ah, it's just different, like an airhead.

Paul would say: did i mention that photobucket is FREE?