Thataway's Bob Under The Bright Lights/Blade

Bob-

Sorry to hear about the complications, and know you'll make the best decision possible.

You'll be missed in the NorthWest this summer, but we'll all be thinking of you and hoping for a complete remediation.

Please keep us informed on your situation as all of your freinds here are concerned and hoping for the best!

Joe.
 
Bob:

Mary and I are distressed to learn of your problems. We so much enjoyed your and Marie's hospitality last December, and have learned much from all your posts here. Our thoughts are with you, and we look forward to the best possible outcome for you whatever you choose to do.

Pat and Mary Fowles
25-ft C Dory Cosmic C
Currently on the hard in Charleston, SC
www.the-fowles.com
 
Bob,

We echo the sentiments of the rest of this bunch. You've more than earned the respect and admiration shown. Your high level of acquired knowledge and willingness to share it to help others on this site has been and we can only hope will continue to be a great help to us all.

What a tough decision. You and Marie are in our thoughts and prayers while you ponder.

Jay & Jo-Lee
 
Dr. Bob,
So sorry to hear of this new situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and Marie. Meeting you two was one of the highlights of our Florida trip this winter and we look forward to more times together. We all know you will deal with this in the best way. The positive energy and good thoughts of the whole C-Dory family are directed your way.

Our very best wishes,
Jim & Joan Bathurst
 
Dear Bob and Marie,

Our best thoughts are with you both--if anyone deserves to be smiled on from up above, it is you two. Keep that positive attitude and everything will go just right. Let us know how everything is progressing.

Best wishes,
 
Bob,

Our good thoughts and prayers are with you as you ponder your options.

Alaska will wait until a more propitious time for you to visit.

Things have a way of working out and I trust this will be the case with
you.

Mark
 
Bob I wish you and Marie the best, and hope that a solution presents itself in the near future. Your in our hearts and prayers.
However, since your going to be stuck in the area for awhile and it looks like we'll finally be putting some water under the boat on a more regular basis, if you'll PM me your cell#(no I didn't save it last time :mrgreen: ), when we're on your side of town we'll give you a shout.
The clan from Texas(Toms kin) are supposed to be back here in June we'll probably see you then(friday night get together) if not sooner.
 
Bob,
Sorry to hear that the diagnosis wasn't what you wanted to hear. You're in my thoughts and prayers.

On a little brighter note, my older brother has had a similar sounding history and diagnosis. His doctors decided that he shouldn't have any more angioplasty or bypass surgeries. He just maintains a medication regimen for symptoms.

He's 70 and still actively working in our family business and has taken trips to Hawaii and San Diego this year. He and his wife have just started teaching a marriage course at their church, which would raise my blood pressure.

It may sound trite, but this seems to be one of the happiest and most productive periods of his life. Even though his office is right next to mine, I know he has issues that he doesn't talk about, but he has learned how to manage his emotions and his once volatile temper, and his health seems to allow him to do most of the things that he wants to attempt.

I'm betting you have many boating adventures coming up when you finish work on your new 25.
Lyle
 
Lyle,
Thanks for the good wishes, and I am very happy that your brother is doing well with medication. There are always reasons that medication is chosen over invasive procedures --and certainly life style is very important. Yes, there is some controversary that too many angioplasties and bypasses are done. One is always weighing the odds.

Even though I am a board certified Internist, I don't manage my own health care--I choose who I feel are the best speciality physicians available and take their advice. I am also sending a CD of my cath to several cardiologists who also taught at UCLA and my bypass surgeon (which also gives him a follow up on the bypasses which he did 18 years ago and are are still functioning perfectly--a rarity). I am asking for their advice. Marie was a Vice President of Nursing at a large hospital, so she looks out for me--the first thing when she met the surgeon we have been referred to, was to quiz him on his qualifications, his training, the number of cases he did a year and his statistics. (He trained at Texas Heart Institute under Denton Cooley, and was on the faculity there for a few years)--I also went to Baylor Med and my cardiovascular surgery rotation was on Dr Cooley's service.

The disadvantage of being a physician is that I read my own films during the cath--I watched the Xrays during the procedure and commented on the changes. The stenosis went from 60% in 2000, to 90% currently despite a very good diet, medication and exercise. Each of us is different, but I only have about 35% of left ventricular function as a result of my first heart attack 20 years ago. My life was saved 20 years ago by cardiac intervention. If I were to loose another 5 to 10% my quality of life would detiorrate radically. The other disadvantage is knowning all of the complications of any actions.

Yes, The 70's can be a good time in life, but there can also be some serious challanges from health issues. We gave up sailing about 10 years ago because of medical problems. I'll never give up boating, but it takes different forms during the years. I the 70's struck me hardest last year when I shoveled a spade full of dirt on one of my best friend's caskets. He died of cardiac disease at age 72.

The best time in life? The 20's and 30's.....
 
thataway":5ia79xu2 said:
The best time in life? The 20's and 30's.....
Click to expand...

I didn't know what life was at that age...most of the 20 something
year olds I know don't either. You are lucky that you had those
years.

Sometimes people say trite things at times like this such as
"everything happens for a reason". I suppose at some low level,
that's true. But, as I have learned through my own medical
issues, it is what you end up doing while minimizing whatever limitations
you end up with that can still make life very much worth living.

Mike
 
Oh gosh! A few days away and then this..... Well, Bob and Marie, we're all pulling for good result on this for you guys. I can't thank you enough for all your well-balanced and thorough investigations on boats that you've reported here.

I hope you will find a way to travel a bit, still. You know they have that Life Saver Flight service to which you can subscribe.

I have a friend in his 80's (here we go getting anecdotal again...sorry) who was supposed to have been gone 20 years ago due to a similar situation. He went thru several rounds of "chelation therapy", where they run some chelating agent in and out of your circulatory system. He is now running a thousand acre farm outside of Hutchinson, Kansas and spends the winters in Mexico.

Whatever happens, you two can rest assured that you've left a lasting mark on this world and there are many of us pulling for you!

Best of luck,

John
 
Don't get me started on Chleation RX--One of the "Experts" was kicked off the staff of a hospital I was very active at. Another friend died from a heart attack because he went with this Rx rather than traditional medical or surgical RX.

Anyway--the reason I choose 20's and 30's was that this is the peak of your physical ability and intellectial ability. Generally the early 20's is the peak of physical and 28 to 32 is the peak of intellectual. That doesn't mean that people don't do great things beyond these ages, but if you look at the great athletes and the greatest intellects, they have already made their marks by these ages.

For me the 40's was great--we took 4 years off to cruise a 62 foot motor sailor Calif. to Europe and back, but I also had a paralyzed leg with residual due to back disease. This slowed us down, as it happened about one year into the voyage and we had to have back surgery. But it didn't stop us. Even if I had remained paralyzed, we would have sold the motor sailer and purchased a canal boat to continue the trip.

Thanks,

Bob
 
Bob, I too of course wish you the best. Daily I must say I think of you, and Marie as I look at the C-Pelican in my yard. How you made buying my first boat a pleasure and even more, sharing all your knowledge with me...along with maps and charts and accessories!!!!
- I still am shocked you let this tattoo'd stranger stay in your motor home with you two out at Mead as we were doing the sea-trials -
Lol, remember that fool that ran into the C-Pelican as we were docked at Lake Mead? And towing that stranded boater in (which I have repeated this year, learning from your example).
You'll recover, do fine and probably put more boat hours on than I will this year...though I will be fighting hard to stay in competition.
Drop by the house again when you drive through; feel free to store the 25 there also.
Let me know if I can help.

Jeff
 
HI DR. (CAPTAIN) BOB,
I'VE BEEN AWAY FROM THE C-BRAT SITE FOR SEVERAL DAYS. MISSED THIS MOST RECENT HAPPENING. I HAVE ZERO ANSWERS AND EVEN LESS QUESTIONS, ONLY WISH YOU THE BEST.
FOR A GUY THAT I HAVE NEVER MET, YOU SEEM TO BE IMPORTANT TO ME, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, ENJOY EACH DAY AND TRY YOUR BEST TO KEEP US IN LINE.
BEST REGARDS
PAT
 
Thank you folks! After a tour of the local facility where we had been advised to have the surgery and a frank conversation with our cardiologist, where I asked him where he would go--the answer was "The Cleveland Clinic". I will be making an appointment in the morning. They have zero mortality on redo bypasses for last year! Plus they do 5 to 10 of these a day! Not only that but they have RV hook ups on the campus--wonder if they will take a CD 25? (actually we have a Holiday Rambler 30, which will be our "home" for the surgery and rehab.
 
Bob-

That's great news! Good for you!

The Cleveland Clinic has quite a perfect "Fix" record!

Dogone Dan wants to know if they do Wallas's???

Joe. :teeth
 
Bob --
You are helping lead us Brats, by your example of handling medical concerns, just as you have helped all of us with your good suggestions in the boating world -- once again thanks. Best of luck to you and we keep you in our thoughts every day. Looking forward to crossing wakes with you in the Pac. NW after all this is behind you. Cheers -- el and bill
 
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