Eddie Kieger Visit
Charlie Smith
I rode up to Cleveland today to see Eddie again, and met Ann Kieger
while I was there. Eddie's lucky to have someone as dedicated as Ann;
she is keeping a real close check on him and how he's being cared for
at MedBridge. Like I said the other day, it's important for Eddie
to see some new faces from time to time - otherwise he's just got the
same folks day in and day out. Ann's concerned that his seeing nothing
but all the old folks around him at MedBridge will become very depressing.
Eddie is on the waiting list for another place that specializes in injury
rehabilitation, although there's no way to know when they will have a
space open up. This is a place that will have younger people there,
plus a staff that's more oriented to the physical therapy and attention
needed for rehabilitation. Ann will let me know when it looks like
he will move and I'll post it to the net.
I took along a lot more pictures, some from events like the Joust and
Right Coast Ride with people he might have known. Ann showed me the
notebook she's keeping, with email, notes, cards, and pictures people
have sent - literally from around the world! There's a separate
scrapbook put together by people from Europe, with letters and photos.
All that stuff is fantastic! You need to keep it coming to Eddie,
Ann reads everything to him and shows him the pictures and talks to
him about them. The more he gets the better!
We wheeled him outside to the patio - the weather was beautiful, Ann
called it a typical San Jose day. We talked to Eddie about the people
who'd be out riding today, and started in on pep talks - telling him
he's got to keep trying, that he is the only person who can make himself
improve.
I think you know Eddie has suffered severe brain damage, there is more
injury on the left side of his brain than the right. One of the
consequences is that although he moves his left arm and left leg, he
doesn't move the right arm and right leg very much. He still has a
good bit of strength when he can have the control to move an arm or
leg, for example when we moved him from the bed to his wheel chair he
was able to bear quite a bit of weight on his left leg.
Ann talked for quite a while about things going on with Eddie. Some
of you may know, his house on the west coast was finally sold, likewise
his Harley. His Suzuki was apart at the time of the accident; it has
been put back together so that it can be sold. He has a 1965 pickup
truck that has been shipped back to Ohio. Amdahl arranged for all of
his things including the truck to be shipped to Ohio; it sounds like
Andahl has really tried to help take care of things. The truck will
be up for sale shortly, Ann is trying to get enough money together to
buy a van with a wheelchair lift, so that she can take him places.
You would be amazed at how much those things cost; a new one is around
$35,000 and a good used one is about half that amount!
Ann talked about some of the testing that Eddie has undergone; she says
that the doctors tell her his prognosis for recovery is poor, but that
healing for brain injuries is very slow and that he may continue to
show improvements for quite some time. Although he usually has very
little control over his physical body, it is pretty clear that he is
paying attention to you and you can easily believe that he understands
most or all of what you say to him.
A splendid example of this ... while we were sitting out on the patio
I was telling Ann about SunShine's offer to stop buy and flash him a
few times, Ann got quite a kick out of that! Eddie was sort of drowsy
in the warm sunshine while I was telling Ann about this - Ann woke him
up and asked him if he wanted a cute lady to come by and flash him -
when she told him this he got this huge grin on his face ... bigger
than any I'd seen before! So SunShine - it looks like you're on!
Ann tried to get him to say words while we were there, but without
success. She said that he has said things sometimes; yes, no, good,
and things like that - usually when he's either excited or feels
strongly and doesn't have to think about it.
You can't tell how much he can see - as far as being able to read,
particularily fine print. Ann says Eddie wore glasses due to being
near sighted, and he hasn't been wearing them since the accident.
Being very near sighted myself, and knowing how blind I'd be without
my glasses or contacts, I suggested that she get some more glasses
made up with his last prescription - that maybe that will help him
be able to see and recognize things.
Ann is thinking about trying to get a computer where he can get at it.
I know people have recently asked about his being able to get benefit
from something like this - I think it's worth considering, maybe when
he gets to the new place in the future. A problem at MedBridge, like
with most nursing homes, is that there are quite a few residents
wandering around who are not clear on which room is theirs, and that
are prone to pick something up in one room and leave it somewhere else.
My mother was in a pretty good nursing home for some years, and that
was always a problem no matter how good the place is.
I talked to Ann about the MITM, and told her there's a chance there
will be folks stopping by either before or after the weekend. She
really encourages you to do this if you can! See the harley list
for her number. If you call her before you get there, she'd like to
be there to say hi!
For the benefit of folks who want to send photo's or letters, here's
the address:
Eddie Kieger, c/o
MedBridge
6757 Mayfield Road
Mayfield Heights, Ohio 44124
Room 252, bed "B"
The phone at MedBridge is 1-216-473-0090
See you at the MITM!
- Charlie
Charlie Smith cha...@elektro.cmhnet.org N8YKP
Ducati 851, BMW R100-RT, BMW R27, Ducati 250 Mk III
Columbus, Ohio USA
Bill Burton
> >Ann is trying to get enough money together to
> >buy a van with a wheelchair lift, so that she can take him places.
> >You would be amazed at how much those things cost; a new one is around
> >$35,000 and a good used one is about half that amount!
Ivan commented:
> Maybe a donation drive is in order?
Motion seconded.
I would think that there are many who are closer or who knew Eddie but if
no one steps up I volanteer (wish I could spell) to cordinate this.
I do not plan to work on tha FAQ fer a while so...
Also I may be a poor choice as I have never done this sort of thing before.
Thoughts? Vollenters? (there's that damn word again)
Mild Bill
ASSHOLE #27
ic...@imap1.asu.edu
<<<<<snipped Charlie's report on his visit to Eddie Kieger>>>>>>
Thanks for this report, Charlie.
Barry
--
Barry L. Van Hook (van...@asu.edu)
Management Department, Arizona State University
Tempe, Arizona 85287-4006
(602) 965-3431 FAX (602) 965-8314
Charlie Smith
>Charlie Smith <cha...@elektro.cmhnet.org> wrote:
>>
>>Ann is trying to get enough money together to
>>buy a van with a wheelchair lift, so that she can take him places.
>>You would be amazed at how much those things cost; a new one is around
>>$35,000 and a good used one is about half that amount!
>
A couple of folks emailed me about this. I'm going to keep
in touch with Ann, and see where she stands on funds for a
van. If it looks like help's needed, I'll talk to her about
something like this. She probably could open an account for
this purpose, and donations could be sent direct to it. That
might be a straight forward way to do it.
I'll keep everybody posted.
>
>Sounds good but then you don't know how his brain injury might have
>affected his vision...?
Yeah, that's what Ann said - but lacking any other knowledge
I'd vote for the glasses.
>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>Good night Eddie Keiger, wherever you are...Ivan
>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yup!
- Charlie
ivan.w.gregory
Bill Burton <bbu...@ccnet.com> wrote:
>Ivan commented:
>> Maybe a donation drive is in order?
>Motion seconded.
>I would think that there are many who are closer or who knew Eddie but if
>no one steps up I volanteer (wish I could spell) to cordinate this.
>I do not plan to work on tha FAQ fer a while so...
>Also I may be a poor choice as I have never done this sort of thing before.
Well it was just a brain fart, but would be Good Thing(tm) if properly
organized and implemented. There does seem to be a decent base of netters
interested in his welfare, both here and in the Digest. I had the thought
that maybe a collection jar at the MITM for his benefit might be worth
considering. Jane could haul whatever proceeds were collected and give to
Ann after the MITM. But if you're gonna attempt a donation drive it ought
be much broader in scope....I'm talkin nationwide. Maybe it could better
be done by a committee (can't believe I said that)? Anybody out there in
cyberspace got some experience with this sort of thing?
Say Jane...didn't you volunteer for something like this once before, hmmmmm?
>Thoughts? Vollenters? (there's that damn word again)
Its volunteers, Asshoal!
>Mild Bill
>ASSHOLE #27
ASSHOLE #6 Ivan Gregory '91 FXR...Plain Jane (wnln)
Have you hugged your Harley today?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You can buy into the HD FAD, you can say how long you been around, or how
little you been around. but in the end only you and the road know the truth.
..ASSHOLE#3 john...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jane Pilsworth
: Say Jane...didn't you volunteer for something like this once before, hmmmmm?
I am hoping I can work out going to Cleveland after the MITM, but I don't
know yet for sure. I certainly want to help.
Lady Jane
ASSHOLE#23
'90 FXRS
'73 FLH
Natural Born Cereal Killer
>> >Ann is trying to get enough money together to
>> >buy a van with a wheelchair lift, so that she can take him places.
>> >You would be amazed at how much those things cost; a new one is around
>> >$35,000 and a good used one is about half that amount!
>
>I would think that there are many who are closer or who knew Eddie but if
>no one steps up I volanteer (wish I could spell) to cordinate this.
Bill, you seem to have volunteered. Sorry about that, but if you
would give us a list at some time of offers/bids or requirements I'm sure
the good folks around here would take part of their lunch hour to
inquire of the local shops on an order.
For example, I'd put the thing together for thirty grand and
that includes the van, but since I'm a capitalistic asshole I'd likely
give you an old Dodge with a welded-on loader from a '56 John Deere.
It would work, but it would look like shit. That might appeal to
Stafford, who's a minimalistic type of guy like me, but somehow I think
there's more to this project than lifting a chair into a van.
Give us some requirements and we can start generating options.
That's salesman-speak for "Tell me something and I can make a deal!"
I've three job shops interested in the project, but without details
and a price range I can't close any deals or hand the negotiations
to you. And to think, I'm not even a salesman!
Better yet, post the best offer to date every couple of days
and we can try to beat it. Two weeks continued best offer gets the
deal and then we set up the Eddie Lift Fund (probably not tax deductable
but it should be made so nobody pays taxes for collecting $30K and then
buying him the equipment).
The ball's in your court, Bill -- let us know how to proceed.
--
* Dan Sorenson, DoD 1066, Cereal Killer, z1...@exnet.iastate.edu *
* Vikings? There ain't no vikings here. Just us honest farmers. *
* The town was burning, the villagers were dead. They didn't need *
* those sheep anyway. That's our story and we're sticking to it. *
john stafford
> Give us some requirements and we can start generating options.
Yesterday, I looked at a 95 Dodge mini-van outfited by Rollix
for a local parapalegic vet. imho, it's far better than the big
ass chebie or ford tonners. The side door opens and then the
whole van drops down, then the floor drops, too. It's very
easy to roll the chair in and it locks in place very nicely.
No elevator required. Now his is set up so he can drive and
has a highly engineered seat, so it was very expensive. $39k.
Eddie wouldn't need that since Ann or a friend would be driving,
so I'm sure it would be less expensive. There is one option.
(Waiting period is about six months for this outfit.)
Bill Burton
> >> >Ann is trying to get enough money together to
> >> >buy a van with a wheelchair lift, so that she can take him places.
> >> >You would be amazed at how much those things cost; a new one is around
> >> >$35,000 and a good used one is about half that amount!
I sed:
> >I would think that there are many who are closer or who knew Eddie but if
> >no one steps up I volanteer (wish I could spell) to cordinate this.
Natural Born Cereal Killer wrote:
> Bill, you seem to have volunteered. Sorry about that, but if you
> would give us a list at some time of offers/bids or requirements I'm sure
> the good folks around here would take part of their lunch hour to
> inquire of the local shops on an order.
Perhaps I mistated Dan, but I meant to volunteer to pass tha hat and send
the funds on to Ann. Someone later posted (emailed me?) about just having
Ann set up an account and those with two pennies to rub together could
forward them direct to her.
I like this idea much better.
Can one of you that know Ann contact her and tell her of our desire to
help a downed Brother? I'm sure that a mail address would generate many
kind donations.
Enjoy,
Mild Bill
ASSHOLE #27