Christmas Well Wishes from Me

"God rest ye merry, gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

Remember, Christ, our Saviour

Was born on Christmas day

To save us all from Satan's power

When we were gone astray

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy."

--Traditional

Merry Tull Christmas as Ian and the boys have a go at the tune…



Well after last night’s Bears debacle, I am calmer; wearing some Blackhawk’s gear, with Guinness the cat nuzzling me, every chance he has.

I came across a great article about what happened to me this Spring, which I will share the link and the relevant text:

http://www.aolhealth.com/health/senior-health/stroke-catheter-penumbra?icid=mainhtmlws-main-ndl5link4http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2Fhealth%2Fsenior-health%2Fstroke-catheter-penumbra

Bobby Laird may owe her life to a tiny vacuum cleaner that sucked a blood clot out of her brain.

In late September this year, Laird, 57, was rushed by ambulance to the Loyola University Medical Center emergency room after suffering a stroke. Paralyzed on her left side, disoriented and lapsing into unconsciousness, Laird was first treated intravenously with a clot-busting drug. She improved slightly, but only temporarily, and needed further medical intervention to save her life.

After further testing in the Loyola Hospital catheter lab to determine if she would benefit from a procedure to mechanically unclog the blocked blood vessel, John Whapham, M.D., began the treatment that would save Baird's life.

"It's a very high stakes procedure," said Whapham, assistant professor in the Departments of Neurology and Neurological Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Whapham inserted a miniscule catheter device called a Penumbra into the artery in Baird's groin. He then guided the catheter slowly and carefully up through her heart and carotid artery and into her brain.

A tiny agitator was activated which broke up the clot, suction removed the clot fragments through the catheter and blood circulation resumed in the right side of Baird's brain, which controls the left side of her body.

"The mortality risk without this treatment was 60 to 80 percent," said Whapham. "The surgical risk was only three to four percent." But although the procedure must be performed cautiously, so that a blood vessel is not perforated -- which could be fatal -- it must also be done quickly because "time is brain," Whapham said. "Each passing minute with the clot still in place increases the risk of permanent brain damage."

Whapham has done hundreds of these life-saving procedures, "from teenagers to people in their 90s," he said.

"It's basically plumbing on a grand scale, like snaking through a clogged pipe."

Note to the self: Sound familiar?

I really feel that I had some fate and faithful intervention when I went down. My thanks again to my lovely fiance’ Jen , my uncle Dan, my sister Karen, my brother Mark, My niece Angela, My sister-in-law Mary, My brother-in-law Bud, my parents Lois and Dean, my soon-to-be inlaws Pam and Gene, my incredible doctors, coworkers, all other family members, all other friends, my former students, my current students, Chumey, Guinness, Foggy, and anyone else I may have missed who offered prayers of help and support.

This one, even months later, is still frightening to me.

So while I may whine about the Bears, complain about the State Farm Insurance People, attest to my usual minor curmudgeon-laced episodes, I must really say that I am very glad to be here and I wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year.

Just think, I might have missed it…