Last updated: 05/01/17
Binnacle List
Dick Beam (21st Co) (4/24/17)
From Dick as reported to Rupe MacLean:
“ I had been proudly a regular apheresis
donor starting at age 57 back in 1991. I had been recognized by the ARC as
the first person who had ever had epilepsy to donate via the apheresis process.
Back in Sept of last year I made my 451st blood donation The
first 295 with the ARC and the last 156 withe the Indiana Blood Center.
One is always asked when donating "are you feeling well today?"
I am leading up to my current cancer treatments. Back about April or May
of last year I responded "I feel great but I have been getting extremely
weak lately." So they printed off a history of the white blood cells
and other info and all data looked good. But, I think possibly my
esophagus cancer started about that time. During the year 2016 I donated
triple units on four occasions and double units on five occasions for a total of
22 Units of platelets. Saving Lives meant everything to me and it was one
way I could pay back to our great nation all the education they provided to me.
About Oct or Nov of Last year I
was struggling to get food down. Then seven or eight weeks ago I finally
knew why I had the struggle. A Pet Scan showed I had Stage 3 Cancer of the
esophagus. At the cancer center at Lutheran Hospital here in Fort Wayne
one of the doctors had worked at Mayo Clinic for five years He sent a copy
of the results of the Pet Scan with what he thought my treatment should be and
they concurred with his plan of 6 chemo plus 25 radiation treatments running
concurrently. I completed those plus one cancer related surgery during
that six week period eight days ago. Then last Friday evening Evie had to
drive me out to their ER . I was highly dehydrated and my white count and
others had dropped dangerously low. I just got home this day about
midafternoon. They did get my counts back up at either normal or about
normal. Definitely my white blood cells are back up to normal.”
Although he may not have the time to respond
to everyone, Dick certainly would love to hear from classmates either by phone
or email, dickeviebeam@msn.com or
219-456-5471. Please do keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Tom Sinnott (21st Co) (3/26/17)
Update
From Harry 5/1/17
I talked with Nancy and she gave me an update on Tom.
Tom spent several days in a Rehab facility and it really helped him. He is stronger and walking better even if his weight is still down around 150 lbs. He was released from Rehab and is now at Brightview Severna Park, Wellspring Village Dementia Center. Nancy says it is a very nice facility with excellent service and Tom seems content and adjusting to being there. He enjoys the daily visits with Nancy and the children, calls them all by name and smiles again. The staff there are good at dealing with dementia and he and Nancy are better off with him being there. Nancy could not have him at home even with 24/7 care. But they get to spend good time together.
It is a 12 mile ride for Nancy and the kids have set her up with an Uber account so she gets a ride both ways. She spends about 8 hours a day with him and knows he is in good hands when she leaves. The kids visit regularly.
From Harry Hurst (3/26/17)
Tom suffered a significant stroke in December
of 2016 that did not leave him paralyzed, but has resulted in Vascular Dementia.
Tom can function fairly well during the early part of the day, but by 3 PM
Sundowners Syndrome sets in and he does not mentally function well at all. Nancy
has never been around any one with dementia and is learning very quickly how
heart breaking and difficult it can be when a loved one suffers like this.
You can reach Nancy at 410-571-5358.
Frank Gamboa (17th Co)
Dear Family
and Friends,
This
provides you my final status report on my recent medical episodes. Hopefully.
- Successful left hip joint replacement surgery at Reston Hospital Center on Thursday, 26 January. Cement attaching femur ball joint prosthesis to femur had broken down over time and prosthesis came loose. When I got up from sitting, pain was 8 on 10 scale; subsided when prosthesis “settled in place” as I walked; pattern persisted 18 months. Orthopedic surgeon x-rayed, found no problems; assigned 4 weeks physical therapy to strengthen hip, thigh and leg muscles. Pain continued after therapy. After spine surgery, new orthopedic surgeon re-x-rayed hip and found prosthesis was loose; during 5-hour total joint replacement operation, surgeon easily lifted it out of femur with his fingers; it was totally detached. But it was difficult to remove the cement debris in femur prosthesis cavity; a knife cut through the bone. “No problem, it will heal closed.”
- Released
to home Saturday afternoon 1/28/17. Early Sunday morning and after taking
Percocet for pain, I walked without walker to bathroom, slipped and fell,
striking right side of back of my head on ceramic tile floor, cutting scalp.
Linda took me to urgent care facility for stiches; CTI revealed subdural
hematoma and slight deep brain bleeding. Transported to INOVA Fairfax
Hospital Emergency Room Trauma Unit and then to Intensive Care
Unit; MRI, CTI, x-rays and several doctors’ evaluations concluded bleeding
had stopped; admitted for 24-48 hours observation. Released to home on
Monday evening 30 Jan.
- Commenced
6 weeks physical therapy 2/3/17.
Overall, the
9/26/16 spinal fusion surgery eliminated painful spondylolisthesis in vertebras
L5 & S1; and the left hip joint total replacement surgery eliminated hip
pain. My goal is to be back in good physical condition by spring.
Thank you
for your prayers and good wishes, which were indispensable to my recovery. Linda
and I are deeply grateful for your support.
Best
regards,
Frank