Long Over-Due Update

The following is from the letter I sent last week to UMass Hospital in Worcester, MA. It will give all a sense of what Laura & I went thru over the past month.

Around Midnight on July 18th, I went to the ER at Memorial Hospital. I had numbness/tingling feelings in my right face, arm & hand. Blood work, chest x-ray and CAT scan were done. Around 3:00 the nurse came in, said I was going to be admitted, then at 3:30, said I was going home. "Info on your diagnosis is being printed out, call your personal physician in the morning".

The doctor never came back to see me, the diagnosis was "Meralgia Paresthetica". Upon reading the info, MP symptoms are in the thighs, my symptoms were face & arm/hand.

Around Noon the next day, the 19th, I went to the ER at UMass, told them what had happened. Several tests were done, including another CAT scan, and finally about Midnight, an MRI disclosed I had suffered a stroke.

I was lucky, a mild stroke. After 2 days at UMass and 9 days at Fairlawn Rehab, I am walking normally, but still have numbness on the right side of my body. And have no touch sensation in my right hand.

The reason for this letter is to encourage UMass to address the following issues:
1. I entered the ER with classic stroke symptoms, but was diagnosed with MP
2. The doctor never came back to see me, left it to a nurse to print out the info.
3. After returning to the hospital, still took 12 hours to do an MRI which disclosed the stroke. During that 12 hours, the numbness did start moving down into my right leg.

This is basically what happened. I did have a couple of weeks of out-patient rehab, but have been released to return to work. I can print, but cannot control my right hand to write. If you have any questions, feel free to call me, my phone works just fine!

So now what? We will be leaving Mass the 21st, going to Indiana for Granddaughter Melissa's wedding, then probably to Vegas to see our regular doctors. And then....No Work. Time to visit the SW parks & visit with the many friends we have made over the past few years. So let us know your itinerary so we can make plans to meet! Hope to see many of you soon!

This Just Might Work!

Let's put Seniors in jail, and the criminals in a nursing home!

This way, "we" seniors would have access to showers, hobbies, and walks, receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment, wheel chairs, etc.

They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped instantly, if they fell, or needed assistance. Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be ironed and returned.

A guard would check on them every 20 minutes, and bring meals and snacks to their cell. They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose.

They would have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counselling, pool, and education, simple clothing, shoes, slippers, PJ's and legal aid would be free, on request.

Private, secure rooms for all, with an exercise outdoor yard, with gardens.

Each senior could have a PC, TV, radio, and daily phone calls

There would be a board of directors, to hear complaints, and the guards/nurses would have a code of conduct that would be strictly adhered to.

The "criminals", on the other hand, would get cold food, be left all alone, and unsupervised. Lights off at 8pm, and showers once a week.

Live in a tiny room, and pay $5000 per month, and have little hope of ever getting out.

Hmmmmmm, kinda' makes you stop and think, doesn't it?

Grizzly Adams, Clara Barton

This posting is for my sister, Janet.

Do you remember "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams", a 1972 novel, a 1974 film, and the NBC TV series? Do you know about the "real" Grizzly Adams?

Born in Medway, MA, Adams spent many years in the mountain ranges of the U.S. west (mainly CA) living around animals and sometimes capturing them for zoos. His famous companion was a bear named "Ben" (short for Benjamin Franklin), who died in a zoo that Adams opened in San Francisco in the late 1850s. Adams died while on tour with P.T. Barnum in 1860. He was buried in nearby Charlton, MA, his tombstone paid for by P.T. Barnum.

Also in nearby North Oxford is the Clara Barton Birthplace Museum, operated as part of the Barton Center for Diabetes Education, a humantarian project established in her honor to educate and support children with diabetes and their families.

Clara Barton was known as the "angel of the battlefield" during the Civil War, and is best remembered for organizing the American Red Cross, and serving as it's first President.

Maine Lobster

So it was time to go to Maine, and visit friends Rick & Pam. The drive up was very nice, but much like Michigan, all you see is trees! They are only about 3 miles from the ocean, just south of Portland, ME.

While there, we drove out to Old Orchard Beach, which has the amusement park, beach, and pier out into the ocean.

At a nearby Chocolate store, Laura met a new friend!

And, of course, there was the "Lobstah" dinner! 2 lobsters & all the fixings for $21.99. Yes, we split the meal - Hmmm, good.

Eating Across Texas

One thing you find out as you travel the USA, you just never know where you will find a good place to eat. On our trip East, after going through El Paso on Sunday, we needed some lunch. Not much in that part of Texas, we pulled into Sierra Blanca, a small town that had seen better days, many boarded up buildings. On the far edge of town (actually had to turn around at that point), we see Michael's. Doesn't look like much, but Oh, the Food was GOOD.

The next day, as we approached Big Spring, TX, saw a billboard for "Hog Heaven BBQ House". Ok, we are hungry, and like BBQ. Again, doesn't look like much, but BUSY. The BBQ brisket is to die for - so tender & tasty. Turns out they have a Party Barn across the street & do catering. So we can recommend either place for any one traveling on 10 or 20 in Texas.

Oh, and as a little add-on, here is a picture of Rich & Leslie, as they set off on Leslie's first ride on the motorcycle!

I'm Tired, etc.

I got 2 email forwards from friends yesterday, that I just CAN'T ignore. Both quoted a retired Massachusetts State Senator's blog posting from Feb, 2009. It still applies today. Here is the link to his blog, http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/02/robert.html

Memorial Day Weekend was hectic, park was full, lots of activities going on. Pretty quiet now, should be until the kids are out of school. Then the summer FUN begins. I am primarily doing the gate, and some Ranger patrols, Laura is working mostly in the Store.

Still haven't done any sightseeing, but will soon.

Pine Acres Family Camping Resort

So we have completed our 1st week of work in MA, now looking forward to the Mad-House of Memorial Day Weekend. To see where we are, check out this link: http://www.pineacresresort.com/

In all honesty, I have to say this area is NOT what we expected. Thought Pine Acres would be a little oasis surrounded by a Metro Area. Not even close. Thousands of acres of wooded land, lots of lakes & streams running through, mixed in with several small villages, towns. Most of the Villages show established dates early to mid 1700s, and MANY big old homes, along with village squares, etc. NO big housing developments that we have seen. Roads are mostly narrow, winding, 2 lane - with 30 to 40 MPH speed limits. Takes 3/4 of an hour to go 15 miles.

Nearest grocery store, 7 miles, 15 to 20 minutes. Wal-Mart and like, near Worcester (Woo-ster), 3/4 of an hour drive.

We LOVE it!

More later!