URGENT- Don Souden Has Had A Stroke

[belinda]

I think they have special programmes this year as it is 125th anniversary.
So good to hear the clot is only in the leg

[Robert]

Best to have a stick as well as a carrot. Tell him if he doesn't get a move on, we will deploy this :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbra_Streisand's_Greatest_Hits

[Archaic]

Some Good News

Good news, just spoke to Don's sister- there aren't any clots in his lungs- just the leg. Still waiting for meds to work. He will be in the hospital for a few more days.

The family says don't worry about the birthday cards, they promise to deliver them to Don even if he is still in hospital. But that's 10 days away, so looks like he'll be back at Southport Manor by then.


Hi Errata. Don has actually been dangling the conference-carrot in front of himself, to motivate himself to get on his walker.

But I do like your idea. Though the 2014 Conference looks more realistic, even if one of us wins happens to win the lottery.

Still, it would be really cool if Don could be sent a memento from this conference.

Do they sell 'Jack the Ripper World Tour 2013' T-shirts or what? Key-chains? Seriously, I have no idea.

Autographed event poster? Conference DVD?

I'll chip in for sure.

Archaic

[Errata]

Why this is a big deal :

Strokes are often caused by clots reaching the brain. As such one of the first medications a person is put on after a stroke are blood thinners. That Don is still developing clots is serious. It's manageable, at least in the short term, but it is a condition that is made much worse by being bedridden. This is what quadriplegics usually die from. Clots hitting the heart, lungs or brain. Because not moving around causes clots. Its why they are exercised several times a day. Don is experiencing some typical left side paralysis. He's also exhausted, and still reprogramming his brain. Moving around is hard for him, and he doesn't feel well as it is.

He HAS to do his rehab. It's a matter of life and death. It's also a matter of him being able to do what he wants to do.

What we can do:

I propose we make a bet with Don. Now I don't know him that well, so I'm spit balling. But what if we bet him something like his hotel expenses for the Ripper Conference, and say that he will be able to walk 20 steps with a walker. Or 5 steps unassisted. Something like that. Either way he wins, but all of us throwing in a little money to put him up for the Ripper conference is not a small incentive. Never mind the pride in the idea that we all value his knowledge so much that we would put him up just so he can attend the conference. And if we make that bet, we kinda leave him alone to get it done. Send cards by all means, pictures of hotel rooms, 5 footsteps, whatever just to goad him on. But let him focus on the goal.

I'm just throwing that out there. I'm not the detail person for this. The incentive can be more or less (monetary, non monetary), the conditions more or less (physical, mental), but everyone in his situation needs a goad. And as part of the Ripper community, we can provide it. This community has things he wants. Knowledge, access, documents. And sure we would give it to him anyway (probably), but make him earn it. Make him MOVE for it.

[Ben]

What's this **** and bull story I hear about a smutty-minded word-nullifier?

Oh, I see what you mean.

[Archaic]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! The dreaded word-nullifier is back on the prowl! The asterixes DO NOT hide a bad word in this instance. The word I used was related to a feline. I don't know, that word-nullifier really has got a smutty mind.

Carol

Gosh, I was wondering!

Archaic

[belinda]

I posted cards today. I hope they get there in time.

[Carol]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! The dreaded word-nullifier is back on the prowl! The asterixes DO NOT hide a bad word in this instance. The word I used was related to a feline. I don't know, that word-nullifier really has got a smutty mind.

Carol

[Carol]

Hi Bunny,

Thank you for keeping us up-to-date with Don's situation. I've been away from my laptop for a few days and have only just found out that he is now in hospital.

Tell him that he should count himself fortunate that he doesn't have an older sister like me. His own sister sounds like a *****-cat. My baby brother, aged 61, would verify this.

Per-Åke and I sent Don's birthday card off to him yesterday. I forgot to mention on the card that the view is from the English Lake District in the north-west.

Please don't forget to take care of yourself, too.

Love
Carol xxx

[Archaic]

Don's Book

Hi everyone. I was asked about Don's book.

It's a novel, a murder mystery, and is available on Amazon in hardback, paperback, and Kindle.

Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Same-Only-Diff...1361994&sr=1-1

If link doesn't work just do a search for author Don Souden and title "The Same...Only Different."

Thanks,
Archaic

[Archaic]

I'll tell him, Belinda.

Hi Lyn.

Yes, thus far the plan is for Don to go back to Southport Manor, so if you send your cards there, he will receive them.

They are keeping him at the hospital to see if the medications successfully break up the blood clot.

If by chance Don has to stay in the hospital that long, Don's brother will pick up his mail for him and bring it to the hospital.

Don is making good progress reading the cards that are printed neatly.

Just make sure the card says ATTN: DONALD SOUDEN either write after street address, before the city name, or at very bottom of whole address.

Don's birthday is October 21, so we're hoping to deluge him with birthday cards.

I will keep everybody posted if I hear any news.

Take care,
Archaic

[Lyn]

Bunny, is the address for sending cards still the same? Dan Hollifield (Vila) and I would like to send one -- we've only just heard this news. Don is an old, old friend of ours and we have many fond memories of chatting with him, sharing email with him many years ago.

[belinda]

Hi Bunny tell Don I'm thinking of him and wishing my old quiz partner all the best.

[Robert]

Hi Bunny

Tell Don the JTR pyjamas are an excellent idea, but don't forget the slouch nightcap.

[Archaic]

Hi Lynn. Thanks.

I'm afraid Don will continue to form blood clots, scary situations like this will continue to happen, and it will be a race each time to find the clot and break it up.

Poor guy has been through so much.

But I'm heartened that despite it all he still has has writing and editing on his mind.

Take care,
Archaic