Need to Request Prayer (or Good Karma/Whatever) ....

[Bruno]

Jack... you are obligate to come back... else, who can insult me !

Same the guy who "hate you" are missing you !

My best wishes...

[Nando]

oh boy, life is indeed to precious and it is in times like this that we really feel it.

Best Wishes,

[viking]

Jack

Your personal advice was always appreciated. I wish you a speedy recovery.

[William3rd]

There are currently reports on other boards that Jack took a turn for the worse over the weekend and was in intensive care after the clot broke up and caused other health issues. DO we have any update over here on Jack's status?

[Admin]

There are currently reports on other boards that Jack took a turn for the worse over the weekend and was in intensive care after the clot broke up and caused other health issues. DO we have any update over here on Jack's status?

Actually, I think they are keying off what I wrote here - and yes, things did deteriorate on Sunday evening and Jack was taken into ICU. His family was summoned late Sunday night.

As of Noon today, he was still in ICU, but he sounded vastly improved. I expect he will be moved to a regular room in the next day or so.

I think he is 'out of the woods' in terms of immediate threat to his life, although the recovery will be months.

Jack sounded good today, and a bit of his 'fire and spunk' was returned. It was a VAST improvement over the last time I spoke with him a few days ago.

I hope he will join us here at RWD in the next few days and provide a first-hand accounting.

- Dan

[Vaughn]

Dan, thank you for the update.

Jack, you weasel! Hang in there!

Vaughn (just one of many WOVO exceptions to your creed, LOL!)

[Turboguy]

I am glad to hear that Jack is improving.   I was also glad to hear the update.  I had guessed that no news was good news but it is very reassuring to hear.

One of the things I wondered about and checked on today.  I think Jack was very lucky that it happened when it did.  I got thinking that he had a fall tour scheduled.   I would think that had it happened while he was in Ukraine it could have been much worse.   He must have been about ready to get on a plane when it did happen because his fall tour was scheduled to start two days ago.   

I hope Jack makes a speedy recovery.  I am sure we all miss him.

[KenC]

Just received this fron Jack:
Ken,
just got out of i/c.    Sorry for delay in reply.   Looks like I was lucky and should have some more trips left in me.
 
Will be recovering for a shrt time, thanks for your e-mail and care.
 
Jack

[Turboguy]

Thanks for posting that Ken.   Knowing Jack, it will take more than a brush with death's door to keep him down very long.

[Jack]

jb!  Who are YOU   :noidea:   calling anyone an ugly old fart??    :burnedup:



Hello All,

First I want to thank everyone from there care, concern and love. 

I am home now. I could stay at the hospital but why?  Talk about boarrrring. I've seen enough of Judge Judy, Judge Joe Brown and another two-three judge shows to last me a lifetime.  And every morning, 3am like clockwork, they want blood.  Why wake someone who needs the sleep?  Why not take blood at 6, 7am as I bluntly asked the first doctor I saw the second morning when I could sense this being an on-going pattern. And the answer was so the blood results would be available first thing for the doctors when they arrived by 8 or 9.  So with all things considered, home or hospital, and to do away with this oh so pleasant 3am wake up call, I'll go home thank you.

I have learned a lot about these blood clots over the last couple of weeks. Seems where I have been and where I am today I am one of the lucky one's who can talk about such an experience once several clots get into both the lungs.

In the short time I have to write at this time I would like to discuss something with EACH of you men who are traveling to the FSU once, or several times.  It does not matter if you are a single man making many trips a year, or making one trip a year.  It does not matter if you are a married man, or married Russian woman, who is making a trip to visit family.

I have met several new doctors over the past few weeks and almost each asked "Did you just return from a long flight".   I told each no, but I was 36 hours from making my international flight. Each and every doctor, without exception, said if I would have got on that plane, I would not have gotten off the plane alive. I would have been dead one third the way over the Atlantic.

Several doctors have told me they have seen MANY cases where men, and women,  have gotten blood clots from nothing more than sitting 20 hours on two-three different flights in a 24 hour time period.  EACH and everyone of you MUST know when you take an international flight, and you stay seated for 18-20 hours, YOU CAN develop a blood clot.  This is not a rare or isolated thing.  You must get up and move around, walk around, if not every hour, at least every two hours.  You MUST walk around on these long flights.

In the past I have always gotten a window seat. No more. From now on, based on the fact I WILL be walking around the plane several times on every future trip, I will now be getting isle seats.

This is very serious guys. I hope each of you reading this will remember what I am saying the rest of your life on every future long flight you have.

I look forward to returning with more news/information/expressed opinions and of course fights, in the soon future. Have a lot still taking a lot of my time right now. And since I will not have any fall photos to be showing you guys this fall, I better work on getting my spring photos up soon. 

See yaaa,

[Admin]

Welcome back Jack.

- Dan

[BillyB]

You dodged a bullet Jack. Thanks for the hot tip but I'm not giving up my window seat. Maybe you could elaborate more on why sitting so long creates blood clots? PUt a little fear into me to give up that seat. I'm not quite sold on it because I've never been on a flight where they had to take a passenger out of the plane in a body bag.

[Makkin]

Jack,

  I'm sorry to be so late in giving you my best wishes about your situation. I recall we emailed and talked about my car accident a few months ago and I appreciate your kindness in the matter.

  I hope all goes well for you and you improve as each minute passes. You are a good man and I have always respected your opinions and advice. Respect for you has always been a constant with me.

  Life is short as you know but the best lies ahead for you as positive thoughts and prayers are with you.

Makkin

 

 

[Ridersfan]

     Jack,
 
 It is good to hear that your recovery has gone so well. You are indeed one of the lucky ones to survive such a serious medical condition.

  Billy B,
 Giving up your window seat is not necessary but as Jack mentioned, being able to get up and walk around, or simply standing while on the plane can greatly reduce the risk of developing a clot.
  I have never had a clot but there are other problems that can arise. Ten years ago while I was living in the U.S. I noticed that I was developing dark purple spots around my ankles. These were ruptured veins that had been pooling blood. It wasn't serious but I was concerned that in the future I might develop a venous ulceration. I went to see a specialist and he told me it would never happen but gave me a prescription for pressure socks (cost of the socks about $80.00). Well ten years later, last summer, I did develop an ulceration and while it is not as serious as a clot it was very annoying and painful. Again I bought pressure socks (this time $100.00) and was able to heal the ulceration but still occasionally get sharp pain in my ankle.
 My problem was blood return. My father had the opposite problem last summer and his was more serious. He had aneurysms behind both knees and eventually lost blood flow to one of his lower legs. He was given the choice of repairing the aneurysm or losing his leg. He was able to save his leg. He had been complaining previously that when he sat for long periods his legs would ache.
  You might ask what this has to do with travel, well it isn't just a risk for those who travel but also for those who spend a lot of time sitting at a desk or driving. The veins and arteries of the legs are close to the skin surface, especially behind the knees and even the lightest pressure can constrict them causing poor venous return. You can reduce the risk of problems while traveling by walking around every hour or so. You can also wear travel socks. These are medium compression socks and not as expensive as the high compression socks I had to buy. You can even buy them in some department stores.
  Here is a link to more information on the problem:
      http://www.travelsocks.com/
 Like you, I have never seen anyone taken off the plane in a body bag, but this is probably because any clots would not start to circulate until after the flight when you are more active and the blood starts flowing more readily carrying the clots along. It is something that everyone should keep in mind when traveling and problems can easily be prevented.

  Bob
 

[Kuna]

Welcome back Jack...  Glad to hear you're recovering...

You're right about the need to have a walk on long fights...  I've travelled extensively for business over the past 15 years and it's just second nature now to have an isle seat and get up for a walk regularly.

The medico's amongst us might give more information on the cause... but I've also been told it's a good idea to be well hydrated and stay hydrated throughout the flight... and gents... that means water not beer!  

Anyway... Jack... I'm glad you back and on the mend!

Kuna

[Shadow]

Welcome back to the keyboard Jack. Remeber that sitting in a chair behind the computer is equal to sitting in an airplane. Get a second one so you can walk in between them.

[jb]

jb!  Who are YOU   :noidea:   calling anyone an ugly old fart??    :burnedup:  !

Have you never heard the expression: "It takes one to know one"?

Welcome back to the land of the living, it's good to know you are on the mend.

[Turboguy]

Jack, I have total respect and admiration for you as you know and I mean this in a nice way.   I will be the nurses and doctors were as happy to have you go home as you were to go. 

I think you did everyone a great service in talking about the blod clot flying thing.   I have read several articles on it and agree that it is far more common than most seem to be aware.   This happens a lot.   After reading the articles I did, I have always tried to get an aisle seat and get up and move around every so often even if I did not feel the need.   There are also some exercises you can do sitting in your seat that are not as good but will help.  I don't recall all of them but one is alternatly pressing each foot into the floor and another is flexing your toes into the floor, raising the heels sort of like walking in place.   This may come in handy if you find yourself in a window seat with two 300 pounders who are sound asleep sitting between you and the aisle. 

I am happy to see you back.  VWRW and I wish you a speedy recovery.

[wxman]

Jack,

Glad to hear you are doing better! Thanks for posting info about blood clots. Something for all of us to think about. I always get an aisle seat, but for other reasons. Sometimes a weak bladder is a positive, as it forces one to get up on their feet more than the rest of the crowd! 

[ScottinCrimea]

Great to have you back Jack!  I'll jump in and expound a bit on the blood clot thing.  Blood in the arteries is pushed along by the pumping action of the heart.  The blood in the veins, especialy in the extremities, needs muscle action move the blood along.  so if you are just sitting there for long periods, not using the muscles of your legs, the blood will just sit there and either diffuse into the tissue (which explains why it is common for the feet to swell during long flights or long sessions on RWD), or it will pool in the veins, setting up conditions for a clot.  Once you get the blood flowing again, this clot will follow its normal flow through larger and larger veins until it passes through the chambers of the heart after which the veins begin to become progressively smaller as they enter the lungs.  The size of the clot will determine where it finally lodges in the blood vessels of the lungs and blocks flow, so a larger clot will block flow to larger areas of the lung and a smaller one to a smaller area.  It is not uncommon for a small clot to block a small area of the lung and not even be noticed until much later when an X-ray shows damage to that segment of the lung.

So the key is to keep that blood flowing by using those leg muscles fequently during long flights.  Playing footsie with your neighbor would work fine.  If it's a smokinhotkova, this will also cause increased blood flow to other vital organs.  If it's fat Yuri, you will find yourself using other muscles in short fashion.