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December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | I know this is long, thanks for reading it.
This is the phone call that woke us up morning: “during breakfast mom just slumped over, they believe she had a massive stroke, she is totally unresponsive, her respiration is very shallow, her oxygen level is 60, if we don’t put her on a ventilator her oxygen level will continue to drop until… Dr. :( says considering the severity a ventilator is not going to help her now and we have to decide on the DNR order, they want to do a brain scan to see if anything looks different than the one they did a few weeks ago (when she was admitted because her blood pressure was mysteriously almost-nothing over nothing), you won’t be able to reach my cell in the hospital, I’ll call you back as soon as they are done, just sit tight.”
O K … 2000 miles away, unable to tolerate travel… I’ll just sit tight and dwell on the insignificant contribution I’m making during this crisis. I know what big brother is going to say when he calls back. After half an hour staring into space, I tried to get busy looking for loose ends needing attention because the near future looks like it is going to be a bumpy ride. I had to respond to an email from Mark, but my finger tips and hands were really sore from playing around with that new Mandocello last night… what if I could just call Mark at the office in Boise?
I explained to Mark that I had to wait until Monday to get the information that we needed and I explained why. I did not want him thinking I was blowing him off. We talked about a few things, and then a couple more, and then I told him that I knew I was just trying to avoid going back to reality. He told me it was OK. Mark spent that time with me while I waited for that call from big brother. Mark, I thank you so much.
Well… I finally talked to my brother… "bruce" he said, “mom woke up, she’s fine, they say it was a drug reaction”.
Have you ever been so happy that you wanted to kill someone?
A comprehensive toxicology screen is being run with both qualitative and quantitative reporting.
Most of us only know each other from this message board. Some guy that I have only exchanged a few emails with, that I assumed was a young lawyer with a wife, a cabin in the woods, and a porsche, turned out to be a stately attorney, a family man who held me up when I was too weak to stand alone. Wow… due to the “held me up” part, you can take that sentence out of context and it looks like a compliment or a robbery. :p |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | It is always nice to know you have friends ready and willing to listen and help out.
Bruce, you know I have been really busy but I am still only a phone call away!
Glad your mom is ok and hope she has a speedy recovery. |
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | And, on a day where Bruce (Noah) did a wonderful act to bring our OFC family closer together.
Hope your mom is well...
Friend, take care... |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | Stephen... I was on autopilot.
I know how to get your voice mail on every phone number you have! Only joking.
Hey look, this is not a “best wishes speedy recovery” thread… this is one big thank you to Mark and a wakeup call for all of us about our parents. Celebrate their existence now. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | A caring person can help you get through the roughest times.
Way to go Mark.
Noah, very gald to hear your Mom is OK. |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 30
Location: Montreal Canada | WOW my faith in lawyers is restored :)
It is one of those chilly moments that are just horrible to go through.
I ma glad everyone is ok now |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | This does nothing to restore my faith in lawyers.
It does everything to reaffirm my faith in the power of true friendship. And it doesn't surprise me that Mark is involved. He's a friend, after all.
Bruce, I haven't been on this board that long, but I've already seen you perform some pretty cool acts of selfless friendship yourself.
The OFC is a special group of people and I'm honored to be associated with you. And have you as friends.
John. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Bruce, I would blush with shame if it weren't true.
but you know voice mail......you gotta leave a voice to have the mail delivered :cool: |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | I would rather just leave heavy breathing. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Ohhhhhh, so your the one I'm in love with.
Great breath............. |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 863
Location: Central Florida | This is a great group of folks here. That's a moving story and I'm glad that your mom's okay.
When I was going through some difficult days last year and into the first part of this year with colon cancer and chemotherapy, there were several here that prayed for me and sent well wishes. It really did make me feel like I was part of a "family." It may have been a passion for Ovation guitars that first brought us all here, but I believe it's something much more than just guitars that keeps us coming back day after day.
Jeff |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 4413
| Some of us already knew what a great place this is when you need it.
:)
This board is about way more than Ovation guitars. |
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August 2005
Posts: 42
Location: Hernando Beach (Tampa area) | Very glad to hear a story such as this one! Glad it worked out. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12754
Location: Boise, Idaho | Just returned from working on the cabin to read this. Much ado about nothing, Bruce. Glad to hear your mom's OK. We were talking about drug reactions on Friday. Glad that's all it was, although I'm sure you didn't need the stress. I was glad to lend an ear. People around here get tired of me talking, so I guess it was my turn. Got the roof on the garage at the cabin. Did me some good to beat on my fingers and sweat off a few pounds. It's about ready for a Northwest OFC gathering on the Mother of All Decks. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | A Northwest OFC gathering....that would be sweet. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | Stephen, Can you swing by and pick me up on your way to Mark's?
Mark, A garage and a deck... the cabins I have known were one room shacks with a wood stove. This is starting to sound bigger and better than our first house in Lake Zurich, IL.
Sorry that I didn't send you an email, I thought you would read the board before seeing your email Monday morning.
OK is relative Mark. Mom has a long road ahead. She was out for a long time. It took a lot out of her. She is sleeping alot, but when she's up, she's alert and conversing.
While you were "keeping me company" as I waited, a number of things came to mind that I wished I would have said to mom the day before.
I got another chance... now that is a gift. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13986
Location: Upper Left USA | "Northwest OFC gathering"
Ok,I'm up Mom, what?
If I can park my truck (with tent) I'm there!
You said the plumbing works now, right! |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Bruce, always room for a buddy :cool: |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12754
Location: Boise, Idaho | I did get the plumbing fixed, at least for awhile. I also found out that a put flashing on the garage upside down. It sure takes a long time when you don't know what you're doing. I put the garage where we used to pitch tents, but I'm sure we can find a spot somewhere. I have State forest on 2 sides. A deer ambled by Saturday when I was on the roof and never looked up to see me.
The cabin is still nothing fancy. It was built in the fifties and I'm sure the guy never used a level. Now that the new entryway is on, it's easy to see that the rest of the cabin tilts. We figure the deck will hold the rest of the cabin up now. Better get back to work so I can pay for all this. |
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OT... when is a lawyer not a lawyer?... thank you Mark
