LAST EIGHT WEEKS

I suppose you have heard by now, but I will reiterate

the story of my last eight weeks, starting Jan 31:

I have been doing a lot of reconstruction on the house

here in Sarasota. I was sawing off a piece of plywood

on the deck going out from our upstairs bedroom. I got

it sawed off and it fell down through the ceiling and

I followed it down through the sheetrock ten feet

below to a brick step and the cement floor of the porch

down below.

After hitting the floor, I screamed for Pat to help me.

She called 911. The neighbor, RC Johnson heard me. He

is fortunately a retired doctor. I cut my head open

and was pretty scary covered in blood. I didn’t move.

I could move my hands and feet.

The ambulance came and put me on a board. Cut all of

my clothes off. Put me into the ambulance and took me

to a waiting helicopter for a 40 minute ride to

St Petersburg-Tampa trauma center. All I could see

was the ceiling of the helicopter.

In twenty four hours I spent $51,000.00 for medical care.

fortunately Medicare and BCBS paid for it.The helicopter

ride was $14,000.00 for less than an hour ride.

I had broken my back in two places. Several ribs were

badly injured, especially those attached to the

vertebrae that were smashed. Now fitted with a plastic

shell brace that cost $8100.00. I have been wearing

it for eight weeks.

After four days in the trauma center, they took me

from there to Sarasota to a rehab life center by

ambulance. I stayed there four weeks. I lost thirty

pounds in the process and now look and feel like an

old man.

I’m taking pain medication every 7 or 8 hours. It makes

me feel badly but gets rid of the pain. I don’t know how

much pain I will have when I stop taking something.

Now the brace holds me up and I have to wear it or stay

in bed. My head is healed up and I have gotten rid of

the black and blue that were from head to toe.

Pat and I walked about a mile and a half yesterday to

try to build up my leg strength. Pat is also improving

from the trauma of the accident. She had a bad bad cold

during all of this.

All of the girls came during the first week. Jame, Fran

and the girls stayed about a week. Jen stayed a week

and Jo remained totake care of the old folks and do

some distance driving to the hospitals.

Jen and the boys came back this week for spring break

and will leave with Jo at the end of this week. Then

we will be all alone to fend for ourselves. I am

supposed to be able to drive now.

This has been a very trying experience but I should

get some relief from the brace in about four to six

weeks. Then I can take a shower and leave it off

for short periods of time.

We do not know when we will head out for Kingston.

Maybe sometime in June. It will be a very long

drive to get there. We may fly and ship the car.

I don’t want to be here for hurricane season.

My regards to all.