Loren is not well.
- Thread starter Beech
- Start date
spinwardpirate
SOC-13
For those who don't frequent the GT forum, this was posted there yesterday by Rev. Pee Kitty.
"For those who missed the Twitter post, Loren was discharged today. So everything obviously went well enough to send him home! We'll probably be seeing him again here once he's had a chance to rest a bit."
That's good news.
"For those who missed the Twitter post, Loren was discharged today. So everything obviously went well enough to send him home! We'll probably be seeing him again here once he's had a chance to rest a bit."
That's good news.
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
Great news!
Get well soon Loren
Hopefully folks will be able to put something towards his medical bills
The chaps over on the TML are talking about trying to release a compendium of deck plans in order to raise money for Loren (so if anyone has any they could pass on please refer to the TML)
Of course this is all in the early stages and they need to ask permission but this is a great idea and deserves support
Hopefully folks will be able to put something towards his medical bills
The chaps over on the TML are talking about trying to release a compendium of deck plans in order to raise money for Loren (so if anyone has any they could pass on please refer to the TML)
Of course this is all in the early stages and they need to ask permission but this is a great idea and deserves support
All my best to him.
fredofmars
SOC-12
Get well soon Loren!
BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
My father had some heart pain & shortness of breath back in March. He went to the ER, and 2 days later had a quintuple bypass (one more than Loren).
He was home in a week, and is now walking a couple of miles a day, and is doing better than he has for years.
He will turn 78 next week.
So, basically, Loren just went in for an overhaul of his power-plant, and he should be good for another 40+ years, right?
Get well soon, LKW
And btb... the first mention on the SJG forum was 5 days ago... and he was already out of surgery then!
He was home in a week, and is now walking a couple of miles a day, and is doing better than he has for years.
He will turn 78 next week.
So, basically, Loren just went in for an overhaul of his power-plant, and he should be good for another 40+ years, right?
Get well soon, LKW
And btb... the first mention on the SJG forum was 5 days ago... and he was already out of surgery then!
Posted on SJG
Posted on JTAS this morning:
"Loren Wiseman, editor of JTAS, is in the hospital recovering from a quadruple bypass following a minor heart attack. Prognosis is good, and right now he expects to be released soon ... Loren will return when his health allows ..."
Thanks for your understanding.
-- Steve Jackson
PS - His medical bills are obviously going to be huge. If you can help him out with anything at all, contributions can go via PayPal to loren@sjgames.com. Anything will help. Thanks.
I think it would be great if everyone could do at least something to rally round here,
Posted on JTAS this morning:
"Loren Wiseman, editor of JTAS, is in the hospital recovering from a quadruple bypass following a minor heart attack. Prognosis is good, and right now he expects to be released soon ... Loren will return when his health allows ..."
Thanks for your understanding.
-- Steve Jackson
PS - His medical bills are obviously going to be huge. If you can help him out with anything at all, contributions can go via PayPal to loren@sjgames.com. Anything will help. Thanks.
I think it would be great if everyone could do at least something to rally round here,
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
If you want to help him by buying some deckplans:
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=573
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=573
Gray Lensman
SOC-13
OR (from the Deckplans Yahoo Group)
(posted by Gypsy Comet)
Loren Wiseman and the Deckplan project
Loren is reportedly recovering from a quadruple bypass following a "minor" heart
attack (to the extent that any heart attack is "minor"). The idea has been
floated on the TML of a group effort to polish up some of the community's
deckplans and publish a collection, probably via RPGNow, the proceeds of which
would go to Loren's medical bills.
I'm not sure where coordination of this project is going to land yet, but I
figured this was a good group to give the ehads up to.
(End of Post)
Sounds like a good idea to me!
(posted by Gypsy Comet)
Loren Wiseman and the Deckplan project
Loren is reportedly recovering from a quadruple bypass following a "minor" heart
attack (to the extent that any heart attack is "minor"). The idea has been
floated on the TML of a group effort to polish up some of the community's
deckplans and publish a collection, probably via RPGNow, the proceeds of which
would go to Loren's medical bills.
I'm not sure where coordination of this project is going to land yet, but I
figured this was a good group to give the ehads up to.
(End of Post)
Sounds like a good idea to me!
Vile
SOC-12
Not sure how you get the deckplans directly from Loren's website, but you can download covers for them there. I ordered the PDFs from DTRPG, so I hope it doesn't eat too much into his cut. I know what I'm reading tonight ... 
I feel like one, gigantic bruise thanks to all the catheters, tubes, drains, and so on.
Amazon wish list is a good idea for those who wsh to make my recovery a little less tedious. For those who want to help me out with the $6200 and counting medical bills, go to http://www.cgi101.com/~lkw/new.html and use the paypal "donate" button.
************************************************
For those who want the gorey details:
Recent Events
I hope the medical professionals among you will forgive my if I bowdlerize a few things.
SUNDAY (1 August)
On Sunday August 1st, I was feeling a little tired and decided not to do my usual Sunday afternoon shopping trip and to postpone my laundry expedition until the next day. I decided that I did need to take out the trash (ccollection day is Mondays), so I loaded up the bin and wheeled it to the curb.
I dropped it off and had turned to walk back to my apartment door when my right calf began to tingle. After a step or two, every single muscle in my right calf siezed up, and I could not move my right leg. I took a few feeble hops on my left leg and was rewarded with a sudden wrenching pain in my right calf -- worse than any muscle cramp I've ever felt, and the second worst pain ever. Fortunately, one of my neighbors in the fourplex I live in saw my distress, helped me to my porch, and called 911.
One of the paramedics in the responding ambulance turned out to be my newphew, Galen Wasem, who knew the family medical history and something of my own -- Galen made a joke of the coincidence, saying that if I had wanted to see him at work we could have arranged a ride-along -- I needn't have gone to all this trouble.
He noticed that I was cold and clammy, not hot and sweaty on the 100-degree day, took a blood sugar level and started an EKG. He then declared that he was going to treat the incident as a potential heart attack and I was off to the hospital. I expressed my concern was that the leg pain was a DVT (deep vein thrombosis), which can cause a heart attack, stroke, or pulmonary embolism, and Galen acknowledged that might be true, but insisted that my EKG showed problems as well, and that had to remain his main concern.
The ER doctors said he had made the right decision, ordered a series of tests (mostly for my heart, but they did do an ultrasound of my right leg (which eliminated the DVT possibility). Still, my only pain was in my leg, and I felt nothing out of the ordinary in my chest. I was placed under observation and underwent a series of tests. I began receiving the first of a series of calls from friends and family, which I will not cover in detail.
MONDAY (2 August)
The next day (Monday), it was decided to do a catheterization exam, a stress test, and some other procedures. The calf had recovered almost completely-- stiff, no pain , but my blood pressure and glucose levels were very high. My bloodwork further showed that I had indeed suffered a heart attack and the treadmill and other tests gave the doctors the information they needed for a diagnosis. Diabetes had caused poor circulation in my legs, triggering a cramp. It and high blood pressure masked the crushing chest pain typical of a heart attack, which was why I had felt nothing. I spent Monday recovering from the cath procedure. Last time I had to spend 8 hours flat on my back with a 40-pound sandbag on my hip -- things have improved: no sandbag, and only 6 hours with one leg immobile.
TUESDAY (3 August)
The cardiac surgeon who talked to me said there were several variables, but but he thought there was a good chance that the damage to my heart muscle was repairable, but that he could not be certain until he went in -- he proposed surgery to install one or more bypasses, and explained what was involved. For the first time in my life I heard the words: a little under two percent chance of death" in connection with my immediate future. Most of that, it seems, is in connection with general anaesthesia). Aside from a few minutes after the cardiac surgeon's briefing, I went into the operation feeling very confident that I would emerge alive and unharmed. I had confidence in the skills and professionalism of the people who would be performing the operation, and confidence in western medicine in general -- the thought of dying didn't occur to me as a real possibility. I joked with the prep staff and the anesthetist about this being a huge operation, how it was my first time under a general, and how I had saved all my operations up to get them over with in one fell swoop. It seems kind of odd to me thinking back on it that I didn't more have more concerns.
WEDNESDAY (4 August)
Wednesday morning I was awakened early for several blood draws (something I was becoming increasingly used to as time passed), and I was eventually taken down to get shaved and prepped for the operation. They drew blood (almost as an afterthought, it seemed) to type and crossmatch my blood for the operation, and installed an arterial and a central line for the surgery. The arterial line seemed to give the most trouble, and popped out once -- as I watched the spurting arterial blood washing across my palm for the second or two it took to secure things, I remember thinking that this was more of my own blood (15-20 cc) than I had ever seen in one place before. I was wheeled into the surgery area, and the anesthetist told me that he was going to give me the first of a series of injections to knock me out, and a few seconds later, I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, it was late afternoon, my breathing tube was out, and I was in the recovery area. Everything had gone well. I had a large (but closed) incision on my chest, and seemingly innumerable tubes, wires, and drains coming out of my abdomen (and a foley catheter coming out somewhere else). One of the nurses recited a list of everything going in/coming out, and said many of them might come out as early as Thursday if all went well. The operation had gone smoothly, with no complications, and I was recovering well. I spent the rest of Wednesday in the recovery ward, and was transferred to s special section for cardiac paients as Wednesday turned to Thursday.
After going home, I would have odd dreams that I can only attribute to subconscious memories of the operating room.
THURSDAY Through SUNDAY (5-8 August)
I spent the next couple of days having tubes/wires, and such removed from my various bodily cavities, and by Friday I was encouraged to begin doing "laps" of my end of the ward as a means of exercise. I was increasingly visited by roving bands of people in white coats, and by physical, occupational and respiratory therapists. By Sunday, the last of the connections with the outside world had been removed, and I was told I might be able to go home Monday if all went well.
During these days, I had to request light duty pain medications several times for general body aches and some quite signifcant pains. Aside from the incision scar and the holes for the various drains and such, I had been poked dozens of times for blood draws of various sorts, and my arms and legs were covered in spreading purple bruises. I remarked to oneof te nurses that I looked like I had been worked over with a tire iron. I found I could remain comfortable and (relatively) pain free if I did not move. However, since breathing involved moving, remaining still was not conducive to long-term survival.
MONDAY (9 August)
The wee hours of Monday morning saw an episode that must be familiar to many patients in my condition: I ran out of blood. The technician tasked with drawing a few more ccs for various pre-release tests was unable to locate and skewer a suitable vein, and my RN was called. Then the charge nurse. At intervals of 30-45 minutes, calls to higher levels of authority were made, and additional experts added to the retinue in my room. I had remained (mostly) still through several hours of repeated insertions into my skin, some of them involving quite convuluted schemes to capture a vein large enough to provide the needed blood. Finally, someone at a lesser level of authority than the surgeon general achieved the desired result. I was praised for my cooperative attitude and called "a trooper" . . . I anounced that I had just been tortured for several hours (albeit for my own good) and demanded cookies. Oatmeal raisin if possible. At least three.
As the group broke up, the charge nurse told me I would get cookies. Within the hour I had three graham crackers (which were a sign of the nursing staff's bona fides, I was told) and at lunch I got a large oatmeal raisin cookie.
I was discharged later in the afternoon, and driven home by my nephew the paramedic.
My recovery continues. My medical bills are currently at $6,200 and counting . . .
__________________
Loren Wiseman
Traveller Guru-in-Residence
Austin TX
www.lorenwiseman.com
www.irbw.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last edited by LKW; 08-16-2010 at 11:32 PM
Amazon wish list is a good idea for those who wsh to make my recovery a little less tedious. For those who want to help me out with the $6200 and counting medical bills, go to http://www.cgi101.com/~lkw/new.html and use the paypal "donate" button.
************************************************
For those who want the gorey details:
Recent Events
I hope the medical professionals among you will forgive my if I bowdlerize a few things.
SUNDAY (1 August)
On Sunday August 1st, I was feeling a little tired and decided not to do my usual Sunday afternoon shopping trip and to postpone my laundry expedition until the next day. I decided that I did need to take out the trash (ccollection day is Mondays), so I loaded up the bin and wheeled it to the curb.
I dropped it off and had turned to walk back to my apartment door when my right calf began to tingle. After a step or two, every single muscle in my right calf siezed up, and I could not move my right leg. I took a few feeble hops on my left leg and was rewarded with a sudden wrenching pain in my right calf -- worse than any muscle cramp I've ever felt, and the second worst pain ever. Fortunately, one of my neighbors in the fourplex I live in saw my distress, helped me to my porch, and called 911.
One of the paramedics in the responding ambulance turned out to be my newphew, Galen Wasem, who knew the family medical history and something of my own -- Galen made a joke of the coincidence, saying that if I had wanted to see him at work we could have arranged a ride-along -- I needn't have gone to all this trouble.
He noticed that I was cold and clammy, not hot and sweaty on the 100-degree day, took a blood sugar level and started an EKG. He then declared that he was going to treat the incident as a potential heart attack and I was off to the hospital. I expressed my concern was that the leg pain was a DVT (deep vein thrombosis), which can cause a heart attack, stroke, or pulmonary embolism, and Galen acknowledged that might be true, but insisted that my EKG showed problems as well, and that had to remain his main concern.
The ER doctors said he had made the right decision, ordered a series of tests (mostly for my heart, but they did do an ultrasound of my right leg (which eliminated the DVT possibility). Still, my only pain was in my leg, and I felt nothing out of the ordinary in my chest. I was placed under observation and underwent a series of tests. I began receiving the first of a series of calls from friends and family, which I will not cover in detail.
MONDAY (2 August)
The next day (Monday), it was decided to do a catheterization exam, a stress test, and some other procedures. The calf had recovered almost completely-- stiff, no pain , but my blood pressure and glucose levels were very high. My bloodwork further showed that I had indeed suffered a heart attack and the treadmill and other tests gave the doctors the information they needed for a diagnosis. Diabetes had caused poor circulation in my legs, triggering a cramp. It and high blood pressure masked the crushing chest pain typical of a heart attack, which was why I had felt nothing. I spent Monday recovering from the cath procedure. Last time I had to spend 8 hours flat on my back with a 40-pound sandbag on my hip -- things have improved: no sandbag, and only 6 hours with one leg immobile.
TUESDAY (3 August)
The cardiac surgeon who talked to me said there were several variables, but but he thought there was a good chance that the damage to my heart muscle was repairable, but that he could not be certain until he went in -- he proposed surgery to install one or more bypasses, and explained what was involved. For the first time in my life I heard the words: a little under two percent chance of death" in connection with my immediate future. Most of that, it seems, is in connection with general anaesthesia). Aside from a few minutes after the cardiac surgeon's briefing, I went into the operation feeling very confident that I would emerge alive and unharmed. I had confidence in the skills and professionalism of the people who would be performing the operation, and confidence in western medicine in general -- the thought of dying didn't occur to me as a real possibility. I joked with the prep staff and the anesthetist about this being a huge operation, how it was my first time under a general, and how I had saved all my operations up to get them over with in one fell swoop. It seems kind of odd to me thinking back on it that I didn't more have more concerns.
WEDNESDAY (4 August)
Wednesday morning I was awakened early for several blood draws (something I was becoming increasingly used to as time passed), and I was eventually taken down to get shaved and prepped for the operation. They drew blood (almost as an afterthought, it seemed) to type and crossmatch my blood for the operation, and installed an arterial and a central line for the surgery. The arterial line seemed to give the most trouble, and popped out once -- as I watched the spurting arterial blood washing across my palm for the second or two it took to secure things, I remember thinking that this was more of my own blood (15-20 cc) than I had ever seen in one place before. I was wheeled into the surgery area, and the anesthetist told me that he was going to give me the first of a series of injections to knock me out, and a few seconds later, I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, it was late afternoon, my breathing tube was out, and I was in the recovery area. Everything had gone well. I had a large (but closed) incision on my chest, and seemingly innumerable tubes, wires, and drains coming out of my abdomen (and a foley catheter coming out somewhere else). One of the nurses recited a list of everything going in/coming out, and said many of them might come out as early as Thursday if all went well. The operation had gone smoothly, with no complications, and I was recovering well. I spent the rest of Wednesday in the recovery ward, and was transferred to s special section for cardiac paients as Wednesday turned to Thursday.
After going home, I would have odd dreams that I can only attribute to subconscious memories of the operating room.
THURSDAY Through SUNDAY (5-8 August)
I spent the next couple of days having tubes/wires, and such removed from my various bodily cavities, and by Friday I was encouraged to begin doing "laps" of my end of the ward as a means of exercise. I was increasingly visited by roving bands of people in white coats, and by physical, occupational and respiratory therapists. By Sunday, the last of the connections with the outside world had been removed, and I was told I might be able to go home Monday if all went well.
During these days, I had to request light duty pain medications several times for general body aches and some quite signifcant pains. Aside from the incision scar and the holes for the various drains and such, I had been poked dozens of times for blood draws of various sorts, and my arms and legs were covered in spreading purple bruises. I remarked to oneof te nurses that I looked like I had been worked over with a tire iron. I found I could remain comfortable and (relatively) pain free if I did not move. However, since breathing involved moving, remaining still was not conducive to long-term survival.
MONDAY (9 August)
The wee hours of Monday morning saw an episode that must be familiar to many patients in my condition: I ran out of blood. The technician tasked with drawing a few more ccs for various pre-release tests was unable to locate and skewer a suitable vein, and my RN was called. Then the charge nurse. At intervals of 30-45 minutes, calls to higher levels of authority were made, and additional experts added to the retinue in my room. I had remained (mostly) still through several hours of repeated insertions into my skin, some of them involving quite convuluted schemes to capture a vein large enough to provide the needed blood. Finally, someone at a lesser level of authority than the surgeon general achieved the desired result. I was praised for my cooperative attitude and called "a trooper" . . . I anounced that I had just been tortured for several hours (albeit for my own good) and demanded cookies. Oatmeal raisin if possible. At least three.
As the group broke up, the charge nurse told me I would get cookies. Within the hour I had three graham crackers (which were a sign of the nursing staff's bona fides, I was told) and at lunch I got a large oatmeal raisin cookie.
I was discharged later in the afternoon, and driven home by my nephew the paramedic.
My recovery continues. My medical bills are currently at $6,200 and counting . . .
__________________
Loren Wiseman
Traveller Guru-in-Residence
Austin TX
www.lorenwiseman.com
www.irbw.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last edited by LKW; 08-16-2010 at 11:32 PM
Border Reiver
SOC-14 1K
Nice. Shame about the cost but then I live/work in the NHS Scotland where the the money is not the most important factor but saving a life is.
I've only ever come across two silent MIs ever (which appears to be what Loren is describing) which have left me unjustly paranoid of diabetic patients with "funny" ECG readouts. I'm reading between the lines here but if the paramedic/cousin had spotted something on the ECG that gave him more concern than the leg pain then I know that here in Edinburgh it would be an immediate trip to theatre for Primary PCI work; inflating balloons inside the arteries to remove any blockage, clotbusting drugs to dissolve any thrombus and stents fitted to hold the arteries open. That said CABG is a better therapy but in an emergency (ie an ongoing Myocardial Infarction) PCI is the way to go. I've had a patient have pain onset at 10am, in hospital and treated before 11am and discharged within 48 hours. Minimal intrusion, vast improvement in quality of life and did I mention free?
Seriously though, could I suggest perhaps $3 on all moot memberships for the next 6 months or so to go towards Loren's medical funds?
I've only ever come across two silent MIs ever (which appears to be what Loren is describing) which have left me unjustly paranoid of diabetic patients with "funny" ECG readouts. I'm reading between the lines here but if the paramedic/cousin had spotted something on the ECG that gave him more concern than the leg pain then I know that here in Edinburgh it would be an immediate trip to theatre for Primary PCI work; inflating balloons inside the arteries to remove any blockage, clotbusting drugs to dissolve any thrombus and stents fitted to hold the arteries open. That said CABG is a better therapy but in an emergency (ie an ongoing Myocardial Infarction) PCI is the way to go. I've had a patient have pain onset at 10am, in hospital and treated before 11am and discharged within 48 hours. Minimal intrusion, vast improvement in quality of life and did I mention free?
Seriously though, could I suggest perhaps $3 on all moot memberships for the next 6 months or so to go towards Loren's medical funds?
BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
Loren, I wish you well on both the recovery and repayment fronts.
Having recently nursed my Father through the same thing, I have a real good idea what lies ahead for you.
He is 77 and is also a diabetic (but with fewer associated problems than it seems you have).
My Father's mid-March 5-bypass started as fatigue & dizziness Friday night, he was out working (bagging rocks for the upcoming show) with other gem & mineral club members, and they insisted he be taken to the hospital via ambulance, and he was.
Saturday he got a stress-test, and they said "probably do balloon catheter & stents, we'll MRI you Monday to be sure. One look at the MRI and they said "open-heart tomorrow morning, we'll see how many of the 7 bad spots require bypasses".
Tuesday he got 5 bypasses, and was released the following Tuesday.
His medical insurance from his retirement (railroad) paid for all but about $500 of the over $10,000 bill.
He is doing real well, but he had a mild problem you should be on the look-out for. As a diabetic you are aware of the problems reduced circulation brings... in May he bruised the big toe of his right foot... the leg they had taken the vein segments from for the bypass.
Just a couple of weeks ago he noticed that the bruise had turned into an infection. Fortunately, all they had to do was remove the toenail to allow a clean-out and better drainage, and with some strong antibiotics it appears that it will heal up nicely.
Watch those feet!
Take care of yourself, and we hope to see more of you around here!
Having recently nursed my Father through the same thing, I have a real good idea what lies ahead for you.
He is 77 and is also a diabetic (but with fewer associated problems than it seems you have).
My Father's mid-March 5-bypass started as fatigue & dizziness Friday night, he was out working (bagging rocks for the upcoming show) with other gem & mineral club members, and they insisted he be taken to the hospital via ambulance, and he was.
Saturday he got a stress-test, and they said "probably do balloon catheter & stents, we'll MRI you Monday to be sure. One look at the MRI and they said "open-heart tomorrow morning, we'll see how many of the 7 bad spots require bypasses".
Tuesday he got 5 bypasses, and was released the following Tuesday.
His medical insurance from his retirement (railroad) paid for all but about $500 of the over $10,000 bill.
He is doing real well, but he had a mild problem you should be on the look-out for. As a diabetic you are aware of the problems reduced circulation brings... in May he bruised the big toe of his right foot... the leg they had taken the vein segments from for the bypass.
Just a couple of weeks ago he noticed that the bruise had turned into an infection. Fortunately, all they had to do was remove the toenail to allow a clean-out and better drainage, and with some strong antibiotics it appears that it will heal up nicely.
Watch those feet!
Take care of yourself, and we hope to see more of you around here!
Last edited:
Good idea from the Border Reiver there, I reckon anything folks can do to help right now would be all for the good
I agree we are very fortunate to have the NHS (for all its pitfalls - and that includes them selling off the Edinburgh RI and moving it to the boonies), I am hoping that the American Health Care plan will do some good
I agree we are very fortunate to have the NHS (for all its pitfalls - and that includes them selling off the Edinburgh RI and moving it to the boonies), I am hoping that the American Health Care plan will do some good
I don't know if I have posted this here already or not but
I wonder how folks feel about this idea, I figure that most of us probably have something in our gaming collection that we dont need or use anymore.
Hows about we have a look and each put that item up on ebay on Loren's behalf?
We could let the payer Paypal the money direct to loren@sjgames.com
I just sold my 1st edition Gamma World Boxed Set (I figure it was in a good cause 8)
What do you all reckon?
I wonder how folks feel about this idea, I figure that most of us probably have something in our gaming collection that we dont need or use anymore.
Hows about we have a look and each put that item up on ebay on Loren's behalf?
We could let the payer Paypal the money direct to loren@sjgames.com
I just sold my 1st edition Gamma World Boxed Set (I figure it was in a good cause 8)
What do you all reckon?
