Sorry to hear that Jessica. . . I hope everything is OK.  That's two of us now.

Status report

Well He's still with us. . . Doctors seem to think he is delibrately shutting himself down to heal.  They can find no reason for Joe to be in the state he is in.  His vital signs show some improvement after Betty chewing his ear off for several hours.  A glimmer of hope.

Betty, being fully aware of her and his condition, was wheeled out of the ICU room so we could talk privately.  Betty said she had a talk with him while the private nurse was out of the room.  We know what that means. . . .  So she is accepting the fact he could go either way.  She said she ended her brief discussion with, "I wish you wouldn't go Joe.  I need you".  A sentance like that is really hard for me to accept without breaking down.

So far, his liver is improving, his kidneys are starting to function, his blood pressure is still a bit low, but he's not loosing any, he's resting.  Brain waves are good, he's breathing on his own and there is spontainious reaction from all his limbs and body areas.  His stomach mussles are all re-attached and he now has several layers of skin graphed to his adnomin.  They can find no blood clots, but are keeping him thined out to make sure until he heals a bit more, about another week.  About a third of his left torso was torn out with another third badly damaged.  His intestines are healing nicely.  So he really has everything going for him.

The doctors told us today his quality of life in the future will be very good.  He will be almost normal in about a years time, except for heavy lifting or anything that will affect his stomach mussles.  They said two years and he will probably be back to the old grind as he used to be.  They are glad to hear he has a pool, as this will help him greatly with excersise.  He is physically looking very good at this time with all the signs of a full recovery.  However, the lazy SOB won't wake up.  They could give him a stimulant, but they don't want him to move around too much yet.  So it's wait and see.

With all this in mind, Betty instructed me to find someone to enclose the pool for winter use and to work up an enclosed walkway to it.  That ought to be interesting. . . .  He already has a heater so we're ahead of the game.

Over all, I feel better about him, but with reservations.  Betty will be fine, according to the Plastic Surgeon, Joe Leone, she will have her youthful look back in 6 months.  He said he'll make her look 16. 

I got nuthin much for you today.  I haven't been to the hospital yet, I will be going over there as soon as I finish this.

I talked to Betty on the phone however.  She tells me his status is the same as it was yesterday.  So we are in limbo.  She did say since she knows this guy for almost 30 years, she can tell that "he is up to something though".  Joe is a planner, when he executes a plan it usually is successful.  Betty seems to think he is going to come out of the box running when he wakes up.  I sure hope so. . . .

Besides.  He has half my tools and I don't know where they are!  I wish he would wake up so I can get my bushing driver kit back. . . .

I tried to get in here yesterday, but the site was down.  I didn't come back to it later

Joe is still status quo with no changes.  This morning, I told Joe I was going to come in tomorrow and "slap the S**T out of him if he didn't wake up and tell me where my bushing tools are".  That got a rise out of the monitors, so we know someone is home, the lights are still out.  Maybe I need to connect him to a battery charger or something.

Betty is fine, she continues her vigil on Joe to snap him out of it. 

The girls are doing well also, Wendy is back in school (Local)  So she comes every night.  Casey is working 3/4 days and spends the balance in the hospital.  Wendy Graduates the 28th, so I guess I will be the Mom and Dad for that.  She goes to school with my daughter who also graduates the same day.

I am doing fine.  Reality has finally settled in. . .  Don't spend as much time over at the Hospital as I should, But I need to get caught up here.  I am finally getting some rest, tossing and turning allot, depressed, but coming around.

More when I can

A Forward Look care package is on the way!

-Dave & Juley & Everyone @ C@C

Well I'm glad to see the board back.   Sure you guys want to know what is going on. . .  .

Well, I got a frantic phone call last evening around 10:30 or so to come to the hospital as quickly as possible.  Wendy called in tears, blubbering so hard I could hardly make out who it was, but there was a pretty loud din in the background.  All I could make out was "Come Quick!  We need you here.   It's Daddy!!"   I feared the worse.

Lickity split, in the rain and all, I darted down to the hospital at a full sprint.  You can imagine a 55 year old fat mad running in the rain.  I bolted up to Joe and Betties room.  Now mind you there was a croud in there.  They were all leaning over Joe, there was a great deal of comotion.  I took a second to get my composure, it looked to me as if Joe had coded on them and they were trying to revive him.  It was so loud, nurses and doctors surrounded him, blocking my view through the window in the hallway.

OK so I busted your chops on this one. . .  He're the news.  The son-of-a-bitch is awake!  He woke about 1/2 an hour after I left the hospital at 10:00.  He looked like crap when I left.  Betty said she got the nurse to push the bed over.  She said he first started to moan.  The he spoke a few slerred words, then out of his mouth he said.  "Tell Hobby his bushing tools are in the trunk of the Saratoga".  She broke out laughing so hard she pulled an I.V. tube out.

Wendy and Casey went down to the caffiteria to grab a soda.  When they came back, Betty was hanging on him with dear life.  She was crying, while not supposed to be because of the eye surgery, they thought Joe had passed also.

So I walk into the room.  Soaked, leaving a puddle on the floor.  She see's me and waves me in.  I got a glimps of his face, and I saw that pair of hazel eyes looking at me with a half assed grin.  First thing out of his mouth to me was. "YOU!  You have been here every day, calling me names, as usual, reading me stuff from Forward Look, talking to my wife behind my back, asking me where your sh** is, worrying yourself sick over me, and here you are!"  My reply.  "Why you low down dirty Son of o bitch, don't you ever scare me like that again.  I was beside myself for almost three weeks!"  "Yeah I know you were.  I was aware of everything, but was trying to talk.  These dudes here had me so doped up. . ."

Well there was more, but I found out Joe was compalining about the pain from all the traction equipment on him.  The word spread around the hospital like wild fire.  DeRosa showed up in his shorts and a T shirt with paint spots on it and an old pair of ragidity sneakers.  So all the comotion was the doctors and nurses trying to adjust his traction to reduce the pain.

I gotta' tell you, this was the most emotional time I think I have ever had.  Still crying with Joy!

I spent much of the day at the hospital with Joe and Betty.  I am leaving tomorrow on a business trip for a few days, so I wanted to get my time in.  Joe asked me to send a message.

"Tell everyone at Forward Look, I don't know how to thank them.  I know these people because of you, (Meaning me) I have never met one of them.  I came close to Jessica in June,  Missed her by a couple of hours.  But I have learned to love those guys through my contact with all of them."  These words will stay with me for the rest of my life .

So there you have it.  2 for 2.  All the praying and Crying we have all done to save these two paid off.  How do I say thank you from here.

Special thanks to Mathan for your email.  I just got it half an hour ago.  I figured this was the best way to reply.

I won't have time until Monday night to see Joe or fill you in.  But I will be in contact with them while I am travelling.  I may try to call Spanky and have him post an update.  But don't worry, he looks like he's going to be fine.

Oh Yes.  I should tell you about the day.

We told Joe everything.  It took us a day to describe the details of events from the time we heard about it until he woke up.  We told Joe about the Saratoga, he was disappointed, but knew the car was totaled on the first shot he took.  He remembered fighting with the car to regain control and try to steer it to safety.  He sid he remembered a loud bang and then knew nothing for some time.  It was a couple of days before he realized how bad he was.  He remembered us argueing with someone about moving the two together in the same room.  He remembered things that went on in the operating room, recovery room.

He was saddened to learn that the first truck driver was killed.  We explained to him he may be charged with death by auto.  But later in the day, a local poice officer and a state police officer cam in to take a statement from him.  What none of us knew was Joe was technically under arrest.  He gave the cops his statement, that is how I learned about what happened at the accident.  Joes description was pretty close to what I concluded from the info I got.  I spoke to the trooper in the hall after the interview.  He said he couldn't say for sure, it was up to the prosecuters office from here. (Another friend of mine)  But based on everything he has done in the investigation, if he does get charged, he will be acquited.  He has to go through the formality.  He did say candidly, he was recommending he not be charged.

OK  I'm outa' here.  I'll be able to sleep in 6 moths or so.  I have lots to do now for the living.

Praise the Lord! I can't begin to tell you how happy I am to hear that Joe and Betty are going to get well. It's a pity about Joe's 59 Chrysler, but things can be replaced. Maybe Steve will give Joe a break on his 59.

I too don't understand why Joe would be charged in the truck driver's death. If I understand how the accident happened, it was the truck that blew a tire, crossed the median and nailed Joe. Wasn't his fault at all. And then a truck going the same way as Joe plowed into the accident and turned the 59 Chrysler into the filling of a hamburger sandwich. Must be New Jersey's strange traffic laws. No doubt they deserve the high insurance rates they pay... 

Well My goodness.  You guys have been busy.

I was away for 4 days, up watching Canadian Teleivision in the evenings.  No wonder Psycho has a screw loose.  CTV is the pitts.  But I guess it falls in place with the New York stations. . . .

As I promised I would, I tried to call Chuck so he could post an update.  But alas, the weather up there was pretty rotten and I couldn't hold a signal on my cell.  Soo I waited to now to bring you more news.

Upon returning from a 9 hour drive, I went directly to the Hospital to physically see Joe and Betty.  I had been calling them from Canada when I could, but most of the conversations were interupted with static and lost signals.  I guess beer is Canada's stronger point.

Betty and Joe have been moved to 2 separate rooms.  Betty is has graduated to a wheel chair, she is still pretty banged up and has some strong pains in her back and arms.  They are looking into that now.  One xray revealed a small bone chip against the spinal cord, in a low danger area.  The plan is to go get it in a couple of days.  Meanwhile she can move around, but needs to be real careful.  The chip is not life threatening and small enough that it will not harm her other than the pain.

Speaking of pains. . . .  Joe on the other hand, has stooped to new levels.  He's been pinching nurses butts.  Now figure this out.  The guy has been out of it for almost three weeks, he comes too, swears at his best friend, crys at all the support and then next thing you know, he is being fresh.  Betty is aware of it and scolds him, knowing all along he wishes it were her back side.  His spirits seem to be real good. But he's still under quite a bit of medications.  He's been working on some mental excersises to keep him busy.  I gave him two over heating problems to think about.  One is Mikes 59 and my 71.  I already know the answer on the 71 and he hit that on the head.  Mikes on the other hand is annoying him.  Everything is in place on his car. . . .  But he continues to think it out.  Good for him.  Joe Kidneys, Blatter and Liver are all functioning now. . .he is off the machines for that.  He's been getting frequent MRI's, the hole in his lung is healed up pretty good and they have removed the little baloon they had in him.  He's now able to go "pottie", as he called it, on his own, but they continue with the cathiter.  He is still unable to chew like Betty, has allot of jaw pain yet.  He's on baby foods which he says he's finally getting a taste for.  Over all, he looks fabulas considering what he was 3 weeks ago.  He's punchy and rightfully so. 

Joe says the Doctor is going to keep him in there for another month, while Betty should be able to go home in a week or so.  It's safe to say they can be separated.

Got a package from Dave today.  It's a banner from Carslile.  I will tend to it tomorrow with Joe.  For now, I have a whole page to print out for him.  This time, he can read it for himself.

By the way, the bushing tools weren't important. . .  I can replace them, and will have too.  It was an excersise to get his brain working.  He responds to stuff like that.

If there's any changes, I'll let you know.  But for now, I need to get some of my work done.  I'll be quiet for a few days.

Hi All

Just a quock note.

I took the banner to Joe today, but he wasn't there.  He was getting an MRI and was expected to be gone a while.

I didn't leave the banner.  I want him there for the unvailing.  I'll try to go over tonight, camera in hand.  Working in tiny windows here now.

I gotta' say this thread has to be a FL record.  Over 4000 visitors, in 3 weeks with 144 posts.  What a nice feeling.  Thank you.