URGENT- Don Souden Has Had A Stroke

[Robert]

My condolences to Don's family and friends. It's very cruel what happened to him.

[Archaic]

Link To ' Rip Don Souden ' Thread

Here's the link to another thread I started in Casebook Announcements, 'RIP Don Souden.'

http://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?p=423602#post423602

Take care,
Bunny

[Archaic]

Rip Don Souden

I'm sorry to have to report that our good friend Don Souden passed away overnight: July 30, 2017.

Don's sister called me a few hours ago with the news. She was crying so hard she could barely talk. Apparently Don had a fever yesterday that spiked in the evening but she wasn't told.

When the nursing staff went into Don's room this morning they found him unresponsive. They immediately started CPR but he was already gone.

I'm not up to saying much right now; just wanted to let you all know.

Archaic

[Robert]

Bump up.

[Archaic]

Name of Don's Nrsing Home Has Been Changed

Hi everyone.

Don's address has been modified. Same location but the name of the nursing home changed again.

Regal Care
930 Mill Hill Terrace
ATTN: Donald Souden
Southport, CT
O6890

I'd love to hear Don make one of his sardonic remarks about such a silly pompous name.

Don would sure appreciate some Christmas cards, New Year's cards and postcards.

Take care,
Bunny

[Archaic]

I'm so sorry to hear about Bucky, Bunny. That very same day my niece lost her cat Billy.

They always leave an unfillable hole.

Hi Robert.

I'm very sorry to hear about Billy; I know how fond you were of him.

You and I talked about Buckwheat and Billy so often, it's incredible that they passed on the same day 5,000 miles apart. Bucky always loved kitties. If they had to go I'm glad they went together.

I'm having a rough time, but I know my grief is for me, and that he's fine. I'm sure he's keeping Linda busy throwing the Frisbee for him!

I'll always picture Bucky running on the beach, full of joy.

Bunny

[lynn cates]

tart reply

Hello Bunny. Thanks for the update.

Don and his tarts. (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC

[GUT]

Hi guys. I have a small update on Don. Haven't been able to speak to him but am in touch with his sister.

I sent Don a box of miniature French raspberry tarts for Christmas. Individually wrapped so he could share or hoard. Apparently he enjoyed them very much.

The nursing home had a little Christmas party and Don's brother & sister-in-law attended.

Don watches a lot of sports and his nephew was amazed that he's so up to date on everything.

On December 28 I had to put my German Shepherd to sleep due to a spinal injury. I was dreading telling Don, because one of the first things he always says to me is "How's Bucky?" I'm thankful that his sister told him for me. She said Don is very upset and is hoping to be able to call me soon.

I'm not the most cheerful person these days, so if some of you can send Don some upbeat chatty postcards I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,
Bunny

Sorry about Bucky, I know how much it hurts.

Thanks for the update on Don.

Sounds like those tarts may have been neither shared nor hoarded but gulped down.

[Robert]

I'm so sorry to hear about Bucky, Bunny. That very same day my niece lost her cat Billy.

They always leave an unfillable hole.

[Archaic]

Update on Don

Hi guys. I have a small update on Don. Haven't been able to speak to him but am in touch with his sister.

I sent Don a box of miniature French raspberry tarts for Christmas. Individually wrapped so he could share or hoard. Apparently he enjoyed them very much.

The nursing home had a little Christmas party and Don's brother & sister-in-law attended.

Don watches a lot of sports and his nephew was amazed that he's so up to date on everything.

On December 28 I had to put my German Shepherd to sleep due to a spinal injury. I was dreading telling Don, because one of the first things he always says to me is "How's Bucky?" I'm thankful that his sister told him for me. She said Don is very upset and is hoping to be able to call me soon.

I'm not the most cheerful person these days, so if some of you can send Don some upbeat chatty postcards I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,
Bunny

[GUT]

Thanks for the update Archaic.

[Archaic]

Update on Don

Hi Penhalion, thank you for asking about Don.

I was able to talk to Don the other day for the first time in ages.

He sounded terribly congested with a bad chest cough and said he wasn't feeling very good, but his mind was sharp. Don said the Drs thought he had pneumonia but sent him for chest x-rays & said it's not, so that's good.

Don wanted to talk about the new book which presents the theory that James Maybrick's brother Michael was the Ripper. (I haven't read the book myself, but I read an article about it so sent Don a postcard about it.)

Don is a huge Baseball fan & historian. He said he had watched every game of the World Series and enjoyed it very much.

Don had some new ideas for the "World Tour" he's been planning.
He thought it would be fun for us to drive through Connecticut & New York following Revolutionary War troop movements and battles. I love Revolutionary War & Civil War history so of course I agreed.

Penhalion, if you want to send Don a postcard he'd really love it. It doesn't matter a bit that you've never met, honest. He's so desperate for more contact with the outside world.

Please feel free to drop him a line & introduce yourself.

Talk about anything - Don loves gourmet cooking, all eras of history, books magazines newspapers, travel, sports, you name it.

If you've read a good book or article, ever read one of Don's magazine articles or posts, if you've visited someplace interesting or cooked a good dinner he'd dearly love to hear about it.

Don saves his postcards & cards in a drawer near his bed so he can re-read them. (Reading also doubles as post-stroke therapy.)

If you try to write large and legibly it will help him. (I happen to write like a maniac so try to use block printing.)

Here's Don's address:

Fairview of Fairfield
930 Mill Hill Terrace
ATTN: Donald Souden
Southport, CT
O6890
USA

Best regards,
Archaic

[Penhalion]

Although I don't know Don myself, I had been reading about his situation with interest. It occurred to me recently that there haven't been any updates. How is he doing? I hope he recovered from the shingles he apparently had in June. Anybody have any information?

[Archaic]

Hi Gut, you're right. Shingles on top of pre-existing nerve damage is a catastrophe.

Hi Robert.
I'm afraid there is no phone.

If you remember some jerk stole the new battery out of it, and after it was replaced Don kept dropping the phone. He basically forgot how to use it.

I only get to speak to Don once in a blue moon, and only when his brother is there with his own phone & dials me.

Medicare was supposed to get him some kind of free Trac phone but that hasn't happened either.

Don's brother and his wife are very upset that Don wasn't vaccinated against Shingles. They realize how serious it is and are trying to find out how this "mistake" happened.

I suggested they write a formal letter of complaint as well as make a lot of phone calls. I'd volunteer but due to Health Privacy laws I can't.

Even with Health Privacy laws, if I didn't live 3,000 miles away I'd march in there myself and raise holy hell! There need to be better safety checks in place so this doesn't happen to any other patient. Don was already suffering so much.

As it we all have to hope and pray that the Shingles outbreak stops as soon as possible, and that Don doesn't suffer additional nerve damage or develop a chronic case that can last months or years.

Send him stuff that will cheer him up and distract him - jokes, gossip, forum scuttlebutt, Ripper news, your current research, 'Shawl' updates, conspiracy theories, a description of what you cooked for dinner, an article or book you read, vacation news, anything.

Invite Don to come visit you when he does his world tour, he'll love that! Suggest places to visit & sites to see. Offer a local itinerary, you have no idea how much he'll enjoy that.
- Remember, money, logistics and all practical concerns don not apply. Assume everything is possible.

Let's try to help Don escape that place, even if it's only in his mind.

Thanks,
Bunny

[Robert]

Hi Bunny

I will write to him.

Is the phone still playing up?

What is the legal situation vis-à-vis the shingles?