If anyone was missing my presence, this has not been a good two years. Last year I was hospitalized four times; the first two times were for severe lung congestion, the third bout turned out to be two bleeding ulcers (where I lost 4 units of blood), and I closed out 2025 with yet another case of lung congestion.

This year I managed to fall and break the hip ball and socket of my right leg. Last week I was able to read the surgeon's report and learned that for a brief moment I was technically dead, having stopped breathing entirely. Fortunately, they had everything ready and immediately intubated me and also inserted a feeding tube, since I needed to be kept under anesthesia for almost three weeks.

When I was released from the induced coma, I woke up to find myself in a rehabilitation facility so that I could receive therapy for my rebuilt hip. I have now been back home and am receiving therapy from two technicians and am at least able to very cautiously walk around the house. I'm being very cautious about using my wheelchair and/or walker, especially so since having fallen yet again last week and lay on the hard floor for nearly four hours. I finally managed to get to my phone and call 911 for help. My emergency pendant was still being charged, and, in any case, I could not have reached it on the kitchen counter, well out of my reach!

Luckily, x-rays showed that I did not rebreak my right hip, ball and socket thanks be to God... I now put the emergency pendant on charge as I go to bed and put it on before I get out of bed. I'm lucky to have a sweet older lady as a landlord, and she and her partner had a wide wheelchair ramp built for me even before I needed it. My Army buddy found me a wheelchair an elderly woman was selling that was brand new and still in its packaging for fifty dollars! Her husband unfortunately passed on from his illness before he got home from a local hospice.

I now have a lady assigned to come twice each week for three hours to help keep my house clean and sheets changed.

I felt it was time to explain my long absence from AVSIM.

Lord be with you Father Bill. Good to hear your getting situated and hope to read more from you.

Thank you, Bill for letting us know!  I tried several times using your address from the internet to see If I
could get one of the police/sherriff's departments in your neck of the woods to do a wellness check.
They managed to toss me back and forth stating is wasn't their jurisdiction.   There were multiple
phone numbers listed for you and I tried texting those numbers with no results.  Glad you're alive
and kicking.....maybe not as well as your younger self!

Yes, we all tend to take our good health for granted when it is there. Welcome back and get well soon!

I’m so glad to hear from you, was worried about not hearing from you for a long while.  Hang in there!  I had my first “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” episode about four months ago.  I tripped on a footstool and fell hard on a bare wooden floor.  I couldn’t get any traction with my feet to stand, let alone the pain when I tried to move.  My wife is 5’3” and I’m 6’4”, so she couldn’t help, so I called 911.  The paramedics came to my rescue, and I was lucky that I didn’t hit my head on the floor.

Thanks for the info Father.  2025 was not good for me either , healthwise etc.Good to hear from you!!!!!!  

We were more than a little bit worried about you Bill.  Sorry for your troubles, and I'm gratified to "see" you once again.

Sorry to hear about your travail Fr Bill.  In the facility I am living in now I see quite a bit of that.  

Take it easy and allow your body to heal at it's own pace.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Noel

3 hours ago, birdguy said:

Sorry to hear about your travail Fr Bill.  In the facility I am living in now I see quite a bit of that.  

Take it easy and allow your body to heal at its own pace.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Thanks, for the kind words and wishes Noel!  You just saved me having to search for your presence here...

These last few months the Lord has heard a lot from me as I prayed every day for both you and my many friends here.

Deus vobiscum sit et vos custodiat

 

 

Gratias tibi!

3 hours ago, n4gix said:

Thanks, for the kind words and wishes Noel!  You just saved me having to search for your presence here...

These last few months the Lord has heard a lot from me as I prayed every day for both you and my many friends here.

My experience with healing (I had back surgery) is not to rush it as Noel says.  Better be safe than sorry, very gradually get the strength up.  Be very cautious getting out of bed.

I will include your health and recovery in my prayers!  Good to hear from you! 

17 hours ago, Mace said:

My experience with healing (I had back surgery) is not to rush it as Noel says.  Better be safe than sorry, very gradually get the strength up.  Be very cautious getting out of bed.

I will include your health and recovery in my prayers!  Good to hear from you! 

That course of action is my primary goal now. No longer will I simply accept things as a "new normal" and instead follow through with the help from my physical and occupational therapists who are working with me three times each week. In addition to the above, I have three visiting nurses who check my vitals Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. All of these professionals have enabled me to return to my house and feel safer since I live alone in a heavily forested and remote location. I have a steady stream of visitors these days who check on my welfare every day... 

Between the VA, Atena (who manage my medicare and medicaid coverage), I feel more secure and cared for than previously! I have a housekeeper who comes two days a week to help keep my dishes, laundry and other needs under control. Aetna even arranged to have four weeks of prepared meals delivered at no charge. I can quickly have my microwave heat up my meals during my recovery.

Thanks for the kind wishes and prayers my friend!

Glad to see you, Fr. Bill! 🙂

Thanks, VP... 😁